《Ouroboros Record ~Circus of Oubeniel~》


 Prologue

    Prologue


    If darkness was called theck of light, this was certainly darkness.


    A suspending feeling of falling.


    Like a ball of wool unwinding, the elements that made him unravelled through the tail of wool.


    Memories,nguage, senses, emotions.


    And then everything fell out. What will remain of him afterwards?


    Nothing.


    Being conscious of that in a split second, he became terrified, horrified and was unable to endure it.


    Even as he frantically tried to piece together his dispersing self, trying to hold it back, they continued to disappear.


    No matter how much he struggled, he was unable to prevent his defeat.


    I am going to vanish. I am going to die.


    Lies.


    It had been likened to sleeping but it was definitely not such a gentle experience.


    Parting with your core as though as you were melting, its violence can bepared to being digested inside the stomach of a beast.


    There was no such thing as tranquility. It was simply an uneasy feeling of losing your faculties.


    And at some point, you would feel emptiness. You dont even feel nothing. You be zero.


    I hate it.


    Hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it!


    I hate for this to have ended!


    Am I destined to remain in this emptiness, this world where nothing exists?


    Are you saying all that I have lived for to this day, was to wee such an end!?


    That would be, too much


    I was stirred awake by my own sleep talk.


    The view of the ce plunged into my eyes, the flickering light from themp, a wooden desk, and on top of it, a rat cage, and countless number of medicine. It was an undergroundboratory that I was used to seeing.


    It seems like I had fallen asleep while in an experiment.


    It was a nightmare earlier. A nightmare that I saw many times over, it seems like I have seen it again today.


    It could have been because I have seen this so many times that now, I no longer scream and jump off awake. However, the terrible feeling was real.


    Getting up from the chair, I could feel the soaking sensation of sweat throughout my body despite it not being warm here. It was always like this after seeing that dream.


    The dream before I was reborn.


    Or the dream after I died.


    Even though I having seen that dream recentlyWhy am I having this dream now?


    Chi, Chi, Chi! Towards my monologue, the caged rats squeaked. It felt like they were mocking me.


    Ahh, thats right. I have decided on the cause.


    It was because I have reached the limits of my research.


    A research that I absolutely had to do because of that. The research to achieve evesting youth and longevity.


    It should have been longer. And yet, only 10 minutes has passed.


    As I said, my hands were raised towards the luminance. Their smallness cannot bepared at all with their original size.


    The fingers were small, and the hands that had never stopped growing were without a doubt, the hands of a child.


    My own voice that sent vibrations to my eardrums was the high-pitched voice of a child that has not broken his voice.


    Even the hair that was entwined into my fingers that were scratching my head, had the colour red, a copper-like red. It was absolutely not the usual ck.


    I see.


    This was the me that had been reincarnated after experiencing death in my old world.


    Talese Shernan Obeniel, who just became eight years old.


    The Cycle of Transmigration.


    No matter how I see it, that was the phenomenon that I had underwent.


    After dying once, I was reincarnated with my memories and personality intact.


    Why was I reborn? To that question, I have a never-ending supply of interest but at present, the reason was unclear. At the very least, there were no simr kinds of people near me and even if such a person existed, it was just myths and fairy-tales which couldnt be distinguished from fiction.


    What kind of life did I bid farewell to in my previous lifetime was something that I did not have to say, I believe.


    Just like my current life, I was a male and was born in 21st Century Japan. I died young without experiencing any bit of adult life. If that was all I remembered about my previous life, I wonder if it would be particrly problematic.


    Anyways, what was important was that I died once and had been reincarnated with some memories retained.


    Yes, I still have memories of my death.


    Was it the effect of being shown something by the brain or was it a vision I had after my soul melted away from my flesh? I was forced to taste the sensation of returning to nothing, a taste that can only be described as revolting.


    What happened after that and what kind of good fortune passed my way? Somehow I was given a second life.


    However, whenever I dreamt about that moment, I would go crazy. No, perhaps I have already gone mad.


    After all, I am still seized by this fear of death.


    ...Humans have to die one day. That has been the unbending providence of the world. Even if I reincarnated like this, one day I would grow old and fall ill, or I might meet with a mishap  under the most brutal circumstances I might be killed but either way, all paths lead to death.


    I dont want that.


    The reason as to how I reincarnated was not yet known. This means that I have no way of figuring out if I would be reincarnated if I died again.


    I have a hunch that I wont being back this time. The feeling of dispersing after dying. That and also because my good fortune might not show itself a second time, these were more than sufficient reasons to convince myself.


    Thats why before I was even ten, I had been conducting this research.


    Eh? What kind of research?


    I have repeated this research over and over again so that there are no more failures though...


    I threw out a rat from the cage as I said.


    That rats forefeet was missing on one side. I had cut it off for the sake of the experiment.


    Probably remembering its leg being cut off in its tiny brain, the rat struggled endlessly. I paid no heed to it, and applied a suitable amount of [Ingredient] on its missing leg.


    Next, I sang the [Incantation].


    <>


    Faint glittery particles gathered on the ingredients and just when it started sparkling, the light that had been collected in that one ce took on a different shape.


    It was the rats forefoot. The part which had I had purposely cut off had begun regenerating. By none other than my hands, regeneration had been achieved.


    Alchemy.


    A form of magic to turn materials into a higher-value item such as transmuting iron or lead into gold.


    To go into extremes, it could also be called a magic that extracts the soul to lift humans into the ne of greater existence.


    That was what I, Talese Shernan Obeniel, had been studying. A study to investigate the possibility of evading death.


    ...I might have forgotten to mention this but in this world where I had reincarnated to, stuff like magic exists.


    Alcael Kingdom, Royal capital Brolsenul.


    This was not a name that your average Japanese, born in the beginning of the 21st Century, would remember hearing.


    In truth, before I came to being in this world, I had not known of this name too.


    It was a fortress city that was protected by stone walls that were built in the shape of a circle around the citys outer circumference. The city was divided into two sections approximately by the Amon River that crawls and flows from the north-east to the south-west. From a birds eye view, thendscape of the city should appear as what they call an Yin-Yang circle in the Orient.


    The mansion of the Obeniel Family, where I resided in, was also in this city.


    Talese. Are you still fooling around with that vulgar business?


    At the head of a long table which could easily seat 10 people in each row, a middle-aged mans voice bellowed. He was my father.


    He was wearing a loose gown. Peeking inside the well-tailored clothes was alsoahem, an equally liberal arc was drawn. It was an impressive potbelly. Hisplexion was good and his physique wasnt that bad so it would have been better if he did more exercises to strengthen his body.


    Please stop saying that, father.


    I assumed he would continue with his lecturing and lifted my eyes absentmindedly. The scenery of the mansions dining room encroached into my sight.


    With the break of dawn, the extravagant ornamental chandelier glittered upon being struck by rays of sunlight from the window. That was about the size of it. I inadvertently imagined that if themp was lighted up, night would feel as though it was noon. My father, who was the current head of family, was seated and behind him was, a painting was hanged from the wall. The painting was drawn in an enigmatic style and illustrated a scene from two hundred years ago, of the founding head of family whopleted a meritorious deed in battle and was being given appointment by the king of that time.


    Whether it was the glossy carpetying on the floor or the expensive-looking vase ced along the wall, the vivid hues and shine from just about everything was hurting my eyes. For me who has yet to fully cut off the connection of being a plebeian in my previous life, I could not get used to this excessively pompous interior design.


    It was as though this was a pce for royalty and titled aristocrats but,


    Something as lowly as alchemy, what else could I have called it? It is no good for the child of the Count Obeniel Family to be getting his hands stained in such a crude activity.


    Said father curtly.


    Thats right, the family I was born into in this life was somehow aristocratic. Furthermore, it was a fairly a high position of peerage, at the Count level.


    The Obeniel Count Family established itself two hundred years ago but inparison to this country which holds a history of five hundred years, it was a rtively new family. In any case, the founder of the family was a descendent of a powerful aristocratic family that has gonergely extinct but, earning merit from the war with a neighbouring country, he was returned the peerage of count by the king of that time. Honestly, to what extent is this true bears doubts. For a person of an originally low social status to rise that much in rank, it could have been that, the person in question obtained a pedigree familys ancestry after buying it. After all, it has happened before in the history of my previous world. Tokugawa Ieyasu is a conspicuous example for this. I remember having read from some book that there was a rather ridiculous theory that he was, as a matter of fact, an imposter who bought the name of Ieyasu.


    Well, I shall depart from this topic of family lineage. To have been born into the Obeniel Family was to me, extremely lucky. That was because in this world, as can be seen, the aristocrats held considerable powers  a feudalistic hierarchical society. Had I been born the child of a peasant or something of the like, I would not have been able to face the future at all. Let alone studying about immortality, just trying to maintain a daily life would be more than enough to handle. To have been born into affluence was, inbination with my reincarnation, an inconceivable blessing from the heavens.


    Living in the capital was also good. Father did not have much zeal in the aspect of managing the territory, and as such, devolves that job to his retainers while giving his all to his social life in the capital. Thanks to that, instead of living in an inconvenient ce like the countryside, I could live with little hassle in the city with infrastructure all built up.


    The exception to this lifestyle was that the pressing problem of father objections with my alchemy research.


    In any case. Oh Talese, if you had that much talent, hmm, why dont you stop relying on this narrow-minded skill and work on being a magician like everyone? That way, even as a second son, you would be able to be an imperial magician and create a path to be renowned. Isnt being an alchemist a vulgar upation? It is as good as a dubious roadside peddler selling drugs.


    Yes


    I gave the default reply which I have always referred to when responding to his incessant nagging.


    Just as he has said, alchemys ce in this world was unfairly low. The reason being that magic was often made the yardstick for alchemy in this world, and magic was quite a strong thing topare against. Of course it was possible to summon fire or lightning from staffs. In general, injuries and illnesses can be treated if you request treatment from the priests of churches. Even if you carry around medication made from pounding of mortar and pestle or weapons infused with magic, backwardspatibility of most magic at present was great in that they would be able to easily substitute them.


    From the perspective of a modern person like myself, it would be a theory that would make one burst out inughter. Substitute them? Wont that be awesome? Being able to substitute all sorts of items effectively would conversely mean that it would be able to mass produce. Though, it was rathercking flexibility given that magic was an innate talent limited to few users.


    That being said, to most people, their reply to people who use alchemy and the like, to create things as a job, would be that magic was more than enough for them.


    ...What are they saying? The cost would inevitably go down with mass production and considering that the entrance space for magic is so narrow, the number of people who are able to receive the blessings of magic would number few. Furthermore, recovery magic for medical treatment is oligopolised by the fes at church and so, no matter how much time passes, the medical fees remain stubbornly high. For the peasantry who do not have money, if ever an epidemic strikes, they would only die in a struggle. This was why poption growth is sluggish and the development of the borders cannot proceed. Despite all this having repeated itself countless of times, there were no signs that things was about to change.


    Well, all thises from my logic as a former modern Japanese who hails from the world of advanced science, philosophy and economics. If majority of the inhabitants of this worldthe Itousera continent lived prosperously, I dont suppose they would interfere with the status quo though.


    That was a hindrance to my research, however.


    Fathers dagger eyes continued to appear stern, attacking me regarding what he calls a vulgar business.


    Do you not think it would be good for you to scold him over such a minor matter, father?


    Cutting into fathers lecturing with a calm and ssy tone was a youth who had been watching over the course of events while in silence. He had luxuriant, soft golden hair and blue eyes. The facial features on his slender face was neat and tidy, and the expression that was suspended on his face oozed of well upbringing.


    Lynes Strein Obeniel. My elder brother who was born seven years before me.


    Talese is a clever child. That he holds so much enthusiasm in tackling this path, wont be it better to support him to some extent?


    Ohh! As expected from elder brother, he said it with so much understanding!


    I shouted with exultation.


    He was different from father who constantly neglects his domain. When ites to father, he always ims that he was busy with social rtions but in reality, he has only been indulging himself in opulence while in the capital. It wasnt just once or twice when I heard invited guests at night parties badmouthing fathers extravagant lifestyle. Inplete opposite, Brother Lynes was a studious worker. The only luxurious thing to speak of him was his interest in teas. Otherwise, he was a person who lives his life unaffected and sincere, with fortitude and vigour. All I can think of is that if after today or tomorrow and father passes away, it was likely that the current situation would be betterpared to now if he inherited the family. Thats my review of my brother. He has been a great help to me.


    Nevertheless, father looked like he was sulking as he slurped his soup and snorted with displeasure.


    You decided to talk insolently huh, Lynes.


    A greater displeasurepared, to how he usually preaches, surfaced in his eyes.


    Thats because it would be very convenient for you as an unworthy heir.


    He remarked. Why exactly was he finding fault with brother.


    Father...


    Brother gulped.


    It was true that there if there was strife among us brothers to be the next head of family, it would be convenient for him for his rival to be indulgent in a shady hobby. However, that convenience extends to me too. If elder brother was an able sessor, I would be able to dedicate myself to my own research after all.


    If someone as splendid as elder brother was considered as unworthy, fathers expectations must be too high, I interjected in an amazed tone, if you so desire such a capable sessor, why dont you get yourself a second wife?


    Oi, Talese.


    Fathers eyes opened up widely in extreme upsetness. He has, currently, a widower. The woman who was the mother of both brother and I died soon after giving birth to me. It was said that her postpartum recovery was difficult.


    Even though fathers white hair has started to stand out, he was still in his primes. A second wife would not be out of question for him but, he already has two sons and consequently, had little luck with a new one. Even though he might be a joke of a Count, his financial standing was not too bad. I wouldnt be surprised if there were one or twodies out there scheming to gain money and social status by marrying into a Count Family.


    He said with a foul expression.


    ......If you wash your hands of alchemy, how about me fulfilling that wish of yours?


    What is this person saying?


    Please stop. Despite there not being any clear deficiency in brothers conduct, the order of young and old has been thrown out of order  this meaningless quarrel must be the root cause. I beg for your forgiveness father.


    Something like eliminating the eldest son who did notment on the younger sons cuteness was a very famous death g in the Annals of the Three Kingdoms. Among the big camps that Cao Cao destroyed, was both the Yuan Family and the Jing Province Liu Family which both fit this current situation very well. It was the same in that era when either Liu Bei or Sun Quan was the stronger party. There was no reason for the Obeniel Family to follow down that path as well. After all, one of the most fundamental of the fundamentals in the Alcael Kingdom, was that the eldest son would seed the family.


    I openly articted my thoughts about it but, father who was calmly ignoring my warning must be quite the imbecile.


    It ismon in the world for parents to favour more capable children that were bornter. All the more, it being irrational to treat our family property as a y thing. First of all, no matter how I, as the younger brother see it, elder brother is a worthy sessor. Right?


    I sent a gaze that demanded agreement and brothers face stiffened grandly.


    A-Ahh...to hear you say that, I am very happy, Talese


    Then he sighed while muttering.


    ......Really, you are just a child yet you are acting so impertinently, this is how you grown up to eh


    I can hear you, brother. You must have intended to say it quietly though.


    Father was likely thinking that perhaps I must be child prodigy that has surpassed elder brother from the adult-like way I have spoken.


    They were simply what I remembered of my behaviour when I was an adult before I reincarnated. In short, a scam, also known as a cheat. If I had to say it, my fifteen years old elder brother was an excellent child that has devoted himself to study for the sake of being the sessor. Compared to the fifteen year old me of the past, he was definitely more outstanding.


    Having said that, I do not n to act like a child now. I was resigned to my fate as a baby, when I could not stop myself from soiling myself from bottom to top and also had to suck milk from the breasts of the nursing mother. That kind of y was, for a human who has no such inclinations, only agony and suffering. I had endured that over a year. If I was able to have the consciousness of an adult, and was able to walk upright on my own, it was only human that I wanted to assume that kind of adult-like tone.


    Though it can be said that not having patience and not keeping a low profile was overly childish move.


    Ahem, father cleared his throat.


    Well, we shall leave that be. You are already eight. You cant be spending your years ying and amusing yourself?


    Thising from the aristocrat who makes merry everyday, but I shall bear with it in the meantime and nod my head. The authority of the family head was absolute. It was one of the rules of a aristocrats family.


    You are also roughly around the age when an aristocratic boy should learn how to use people. That being that, you will leave for the ve market in the afternoon to get one.


    A ve?


    I could tell that my facial expression was turning grim.


    ves. They were at the lowest end of the hierarchy in this society. This was a world which was indifferent to the modern day concept of human rights. And thus, there exists ves. As long as there was a harsh environment such as a mine, ves were mainly the ones employed for the task.


    Also, there were among the aristocrats andmoners in the affluent ss, who would buy these ves to do their housework. It goes without saying that ves were made to do anything and everything for everyone. When ites to ones future wealth and rank though, it was essential that the vassal serving you waspatible to your familys status.


    In the case of the Obeniel Family, given that our peerage was that of a Count, apatible status wouldrgely refer to plebeians. As for close aides or personnel who participates in governmental affairs, a secondary retainer (think of it as a retainer serving a retainer) from a lower ss aristocrat family would be serving them. For a Count Family to hire a ve back home would mean having to do the tough and dirty jobs...or maybe being the subordinate of a child who has not gotten used to using people. Starting of with ves, then moving on tomoners, and finally lower aristocrats, all in order. This was how it goes to get used to ordering people.


    Certainly it was appropriate for an eight year old to start practicing that, yet I have nothing but bad premonitions about it.


    I asked timidly.


    Hmm, I do not mind but...how much would the estimated budget be?


    Your worries are unnecessary. I will give you an advance on next months allowance and send it over.


    I knew it! I shifted my sight into skies instinctively.


    The funds for my research were naturally from the allowance that I received from father. Although it may be an allowance for a child, it was an allowance as part of the only two sons of the Count, and besides, it was money that was simply passed by hand. It was an ample budget beyond the means of a normal eight year old child.


    However, using next months portion of allowance on buying a ve, what would happen to my research? Without sufficient cash, wouldnt that cause trouble to the expenditures of my research for the next month? Its not like the materials and experiment equipmente by free, so just using them as per normal would lead to a decrease in my cash-flow.


    There was also the problem of maintaining a ve. Even if we have her eat leftovers and thus save food costs as much as possible, there was also clothing expenses to consider. As the vassal of the son of a Count, it is important that the ve has a fitting appearance. Moreover, if the ve gets sick or is injured, there would also be treatment costs incurred.


    For all these expenditures, would father cover it? Nope, there was no way he was forking out the cash. Since the allowance every month is more than adequate, it would be the end of the story by simply diverting money from that front. Raising the discussion that I would be unable to conduct my alchemy research would bring father back to his previous objection.


    Father smiled with a got ya expression.


    A fine opportunity. It would serve to help you shift your minds focus, and put you back on the right path as the son of an aristocrat.


    To put simply, this was a stop research order taking on a different shape.


    Stop joking. For me to have given up on alchemy research would mean that I must have died and that my life hase to an end because only then I could ept it. Despite being blessed with much luck and reincarnating into this world, there was no way I can ept being sent back to that world of emptiness without having lived for at least a hundred years!


    I have to repeal this somehow


    No, wait?


    Having a ve would mean getting the ve to do as I will. For instance, if one human moves as I will without any problems, oh thats it.


    If that was the case...being a helping hand in alchemy would not be problematic, yes?


    Even if I have to say so myself, that was an interesting notion.


    At any rate, I feel like I am mired in a deadlock in my research recently. No matter how much of mature knowledge and intelligence I possess, it would seem that I have reached the limits of what a person can do alone. Furthermore, with an increase in manpower, the breadth of what I am able to achieve should be greater. At the very least, if the ve was at the same frequency as myself, the headcount would be raised from one to two and by simple calction, it means a doubling of manpower.


    Of course, if it was a ve that barely has any knowledge, time would have to be spent into training the ve in alchemy but, if I am able to make the ve skillful in alchemy, the returns would be higher.


    Now that I think of it, this wasnt that bad of a trade. Anything but a windfall, or like how one finds a boat just when one needs to cross a river.


    Indeed, as Father has mentioned  it is perhaps a golden opportunity.


    I concealed the emotions on my face, and tried as much to appear crestfallen while replying.


    It was so that I can hide my scorn for the party that I am deceiving that I have to hide my joy which might suggest that this was actually a good idea for myself.


    This should be sufficient. It was a purchase that would nearlypletely wipe out next months allowance. I would at least procure a ve that stands out from the crowd as much as possible!


    Towards my reply, father did not even bother hiding his self-satisfaction, whereas brother gave a scrutinising eye to me, as though something feels off.

 Prologue (2)

    Prologue (2)


    As such, we made our way to the Brolsenul ve market.


    It might be called the corner of a street but it was a raving trade zone in the royal capital of the world. It wasnt that I had no opinions of it as a former modern Japanese, but that was that, and if there was nothing to force my hand, I should be able to tolerate it to that extent. All hail the principle of letting the sleeping dogs lie.


    So, young master. What kind of ve do you desire?


    The subordinate tasked by father to act as my bodyguard and to look after me spoke with ostentatious bravado.


    He was given the name of first generation knight and was a formermoner, so it seems. Im not close with him and do not know much about him though. Even though we may not be well acquainted with themoners, I still have some limited knowledge of it. This was what it means to have a world view.


    The look on his eyes while staring at the price tag on silver cors worn by the ves were coloured more strongly by pity than of scorn. This was likely because they were of a lower strataparatively. Nevertheless, the look of contempt could never be erased, that much I can perceive from how he looks at the ves of themoners (though they are of close social strata).


    Mm, I want someone who would serve as a study material for my education on vassals...if possible, someone who is young and close in age would be nice. I am also eyeing the possibility of having the ve as my helper so it would be even better if the ve has foundations in magic.


    Ignoring the convenience for him, I stated my requirements and standards from start to end. Alchemy was both a study and a type of magic at the same time. It would not be worth considering anyone without a minimum level of magic ability. On a side note, I am able to manipte magic. I could somewhat use me magic to the extent of ying with fire and could also heal small wounds.


    Eh? Something like being pretty and all, isnt any of that part of your scope?


    With that included, wont that increase the price?


    Additionally, having that kind of enjoyment at my age would be too early. Well, having a pretty and cute appearance might be good for my mood but throwing arge amount of money for that purpose was absurd.


    While you are at it, Ill like to see them ording to their prices, starting with the cheapest.


    A ve of a young age would be cheap as long as it was not an anomaly. A child of a simr age that I have requested should be rtively concentrated in the marketce.


    Oh?


    The attendant replied and switched to a business-like expression. (TN: Not sure about this. ) Fine by me. What he might be thinking of now was of no concern to me. Doing what I have to do and not doing what I dont need to do was all I should be concerned about.


    Thinking with zero charm of a child, I scanned through the ves.


    The products were mainly, as I have thought, the children of peasants, whose parents had sold. For a society with a undeveloped agricultural industry, just a single blizzard or drought could put most of the peasantry in a dilemma. Even without any natural disasters, as long as there was a foolish lord who levied heavy taxes, their circumstances would never recover. With these conditions and the added fact that there were families who bore babies unreservedly like mice, whenever the situation turns for the worst, they would sell the children whom they are unable to provide for. ...This country, Alcael Kingdom, should be rtively blessed in terms of food securitypared to other countries and yet, why was there this many peasants facing such destitute? No doubt their hardship was proportional to the idiocy of the group lording above them. People like the head of my family huh.


    Back to the topic. In the second group, there were many criminals. The Itousera continent was medieval-like but civilisation here was at about the level during the Renaissance period. There was no such advanced thing like a prison. At least, I do know that there was no such facility in whichmoners would be housed after being arrested. Criminals whomitted a small crime would be detained in a cell temporarily upon being captured, and would subsequently be asked to pay a fine. Those who were unable to pay for their fines or who hadmittedrge crimes would fall into the shackles of vehood. And there were those who face immediate execution aftermitting unpardonable atrocities. There were cases of powerful aristocrats or high ranking clergymen being allowed to retire at the borders a euphemism for soft detention but well, they were the exceptions. Would it be alright to buy ves that were former criminals? That was what was in my mind, but there was that. A spell to force the ves into submission to prevent rebellion had already been activated on them. The result of which was the silver cor that they wearing on their necks. As expected of this fantasy world, as long as there was magic, nothing was out of question.


    And, the minority among the ves were the demi-humans, elves and dwarves. Thats right, demi-humans. There were other living beings with intelligence in this world. Apart from these human-like races who tend to live long, there were also talking dragons but I have not seen those yet. They were statistically rare and it was also a pain to capture them. Naturally, even if they were circting in the market, their prices would be exorbitantly high. Honestly, it wasnt something that could be purchased with the allowance of a child from a Count Family. To make matters worst, the loyalty of these races as ves were low owing to the wall between races. Also, the elves had a natural gift in the arcane arts and there were fears that they could undo the spell that forces their obedience. It would be romantic but given my circumstances, they were definitely not within consideration.


    What I am looking out for would be the ves that I mentioned second, the former criminals...or more urately put, its analogues. Due to domestic squabbles or suspicions of rebellion, an entire family might be crushed and to avoid the implications of such, there are children that have fallen to the ranks of ves. This means that there was a possibility that a ve that has been conveniently educated to a certain extent existed in the market. I would be able to spare the effort of teaching the basics; my desire for such a ve was such that my hands woulde out from my throat.


    In fact, if it was the child of an aristocrat, there was a greater likelihood that the ve could use magic.


    The roots of magic. These were determined innately, and so, to some extent, magic could be inherited from parent to child. Above that, magic requires chanting and skill to be used so children have to be taught properly to use magic. This was fundamentally a trait of the high society. Besides that, in Itousera, science was undeveloped and thus the main choice of weapons were swords and magic. It would be disastrous if the popce starts a revolution and therefore, people talented in magic and important texts for magic acquisition were strictly regted by the noble ss. Utility men that might be called adventurers might have magicians among them but these people were probably bound to the wills of aristocrats or were fallen aristocrats.


    These thoughts ran through my mind, as I checked the ves one by one in the order of price.


    Their levels of magicprehension can be estimated from the amount of magic they discharge in the air. Simrly, there were tricks that could be used to hide these discharges but if there were ves who possessed such a skill, their prices would be markedly higher too. Would the seller deceive me so as to reduce their prices? Any respectable vendor wouldnt do that. Nobody would wear both home clothes bought at a bargain sale and a branded suit at the same time. If it was really made cheap, it would be because there was an expectation for a favour to be returnedter on. For me to sell my personal belongings and assets would mean that I must be in a scenario where I had been driven into a corner, but I would still follow my principles of selling as high a price as I could.


    Yep, I do not sense anyone like that among them. ves who possess magic really do number few. Same goes for ves that have received education. No choice here, I have to try another shop with products of a higher grade.


    That was when I felt it.


    ......Oh?


    I could feel something attracting me. A rather fine quality of magical aura. Though it was certainly a feeble sensation, it was quite refined. Still, the attraction was in no way weak. As far as I know, the quality of magic was usually proportional to the quantity of magic. It was considerably rare to feel this excellent quality of magic yet meagre quantities of it.


    Could it be that the source of it, was dying? I have always secluded myself and focused on research, and so far, the people I have met were all healthy people. I hardly had any experience with people gasping for survival who were on the brink of death. All the more people with such scarce quality of magic. I have witnessed countless scenes of ves being killed after incurring the rage of father or brother, but these victims never did possess any roots of magic. At any rate, the way brother killed without any hesitation was indeed testimony as to how ves were not treated as humans.


    Anyhow, with the possibility that I have found myself a bargain, I looked towards where the magic was being emitted from.


    This ones condition is kinda severe...


    Towards where my line of sighty, the male attendant spoke in a muffled voice.


    Indeed, this ve was in a tragic state.


    That ve was probably a young girl. Comparing her physical body to mine, she was one or two years younger than me I suppose.


    There were vestiges of her long ck hair beingbed but, currently it was in a dishevelled state. Judging from her well-built body and the whiteness of her skin, I could only imagine that before she descended to such a level, she was living in a reasonably well environment. However, that only makes it a greater tragedy.


    Had she been badly beaten up repeatedly? Every spot from her eyes to her nose was swelling. I had to make a deduction at her gender, and use the word probably because of her battered condition. This must resemble nothing like her original appearance. The crude ve clothing, a simple attire consisting of arge piece of cloth with a hole in the middle for the head, on her can only be described as a jute bag full of holes. Taking a closer look, there was dried blood and dirty ck filth on the region between her thighs. It may be because of thecerations on her lower body that she was unable to stand. Before falling into the market, this must have been the state she has been after being violently used by the previous seller for enjoyment. How could one break a person whose age remained in the single digits to such an extent? It was world which I fail toprehend.


    Truly a terribleck of self-control. Had she been sold when she was still pretty, she would have been worth a sizable amount of money.


    I took a glimpse at her price tag.


    ......How expensive.


    I unintentionally muttered.


    The price written was a price that just reached what I would call expensive based on the budget I received. It shouldnt be the price to a person who was barely even breathing and slowly losing to death.


    Given that she possesses a rare and excellent quality of magic, there was no choice about it but at the very least, it would have been better if she had received some treatment. If that had been done, I am sure she can be disyed on the second grade shops. No, if she was in her healthy state, her magic quantity should return back to normal levels and just that alone, it wouldnt be strange if she fetched the highest price today.


    Well, a ve market isnt a magician service office. Even if the shop vendors knew the amount of magic one has, they would not be able to be able to understand the true degree of it. I can sense theirck of effort in the trade but all the more I have no duty and intention of demanding improvements.


    Lets go, young master. These kids are so pathetic they shouldnt even make the cut.


    The male attendant lightly pulled on my sleeves.


    I shook him off.


    Wait a moment.


    Ignoring my attendant who gasped, I leaned to the side of her.


    I made another inspection on her and as I had deduced, her hands show no trace ofbour. Her right wrist appeared to be fractured having been grabbed strongly on it but otherwise, her palm was beautiful.


    Her barefooted feet had been grazed by the stone bed but the shape of her nails were intact. The tip of her feet and her ankles had not been in contact with the bed and so, were unhurt. She must have been using shoes or socks before being sold.


    All this points to her being a child raised in a well-to-do household. Either her family has met with ruin or she was kidnapped, ending up in this ve market.


    In other words, she was likely the candidate I was looking for  a child who has received education to a certain level.


    ...I brooded over this for a short interval.


    First of all, she was near my age, so father would find her a suitable subject matter to train me in using retainers.


    On another note, she was what I was looking for, a child who has probably received a fair amount of education.


    And...her magic was top-tiered.


    To put it bluntly, if we include the possibility that she might be an outstanding talent in the future, this doesnt seem expensive at all. It was actually a bargain sale which ced the price within my reach.


    The only problem here was that she was a defective good that might die anytime soon.


    Was she really a good buy? If I could bring her home and she survives, that would be a cause for celebration. Still, if the worst came to be, there was a possibility that I would have wasted the entirety of next months allowance in purchasing a dead corpse. What would I do if that happened? After doing such a dumb thing, being remonstrated by father would seem like an overly optimistic scenario. If I was unlucky, I would no longer be entrusted withrge amounts of money and it was highly likely that my allowance in theing months would be reduced.


    Was there any other way this could y out? ...Nothing else especially.


    It goes without saying that my standing would decline sharply. Father would probably show less affection towards me. However, what of that? The real issue is that father has been showering excessive care for me and might make me the next sessor. If that happens, it would be inevitable for a sh to ur between brother and I. Even if I won against him, I would have to pursue a career in politics as the head of a Count Family and would have to abandon my research. No, in the worst case, the authorities might use domestic quarrel as an excuse to crush us.


    With that in consideration, more or less losing points now would be within the range of making an investment for the future. It should be okay to rely on brother who was sincerely motivated to take on the role as family head. As long as I can receive a certain extent of financial support and can continue to conduct my experiments to achieve immortality, I am satisfied.The only inconvenience of buying a dying ve, in fact, one who next to deaths door, might be that the temporarily halting of my research. In any case, I have already reached the limits of what I can do alone for my research. If that actually urs, all I have to do is to save up money while thinking of it as a long break that the gods are giving me.


    If I missed, I would be back to zero; but if I hit the mark, I would profit. Thinking of it that way does make it look like I was buying a lottery ticket.


    I could manage injuries somehow or another so I would heal this girls injuries and give her another chance at life. Elder brothers position as the sessor would be secured with the failures of his rival, so father should be able to tell who is really appropriate to be a sessor. Lets just deal with whatever that happenster!


    Alright. This child, Im buying her.


    Young master!?


    The male attendant following me opened his eyes wide in exaggeration. I cannot believe this, was stered all over of his face. A typical and normal reaction.


    Ignoring that, I peered into the face of the young girl who was cowering. I disregarded the acrid odour invading my nostrils. Having experience of handling chemicalpounds when brewing medication, I have already gotten used to this level of stinkiness.


    What is your name?


    ............


    The young girl with a swollen face, mumbled something inaudibly. Did she give her name as instructed or did she hurl some vulgarities in a fit, or was she just muttering incoherently? I could not make an urate assessment on that.


    Well, I will hear it next time when you are able to reply. Therefore, hmm...could you bring me to someone whom I can discuss this purchase to?


    She brought me to the person as I had asked of her. The deal was brokered within two replies from the ve vendor even though he gave a suspicious look throughout.


    Well, it must be because she was a ve that had one foot in the grave and was not a ve that most people would give a second look to. He must be thinking, this child must be rather dimwitted no matter how inexperienced he is.


    With that, I managed to procure her.


    I did not know what kind of meaning she might bring from hereon.

 Chapter 1: My First Lady "First Half"

    Chapter 1: My First Lady "First Half"


    I brought my first ve and future helper candidate  Number 1-chan (temp) back home, and as I had expected, a small uproar erupted.


    Father was visibly shaken while brother appeared as though he has just seen a monster. The other servants were boisterous. All in all, it was terrible. Well, that was a reaction which I had foreseen.


    Treating fathers lecturing and whatever else he was saying as wind in the air, I returned to theb which was located underneath the mansion. I made Number 1-chan sleep on the bed which I usually reserve for napping. She was still breathing. Though, I have no way of knowing if her heart would stop beatingter.


    Being a self-learnt alchemist and also a person who has reincarnated from modern Japan, I had some understanding of medical science. Albeit it being superficial knowledge, a novice like me should be able to understand one thing or two from conducting a medical examination. It seems that the violence inflicted on Number 1-chan was more gruesome and dark then I have imagined.


    What was written on her body as a recurring theme were the marks of hesitation. Deserving of special mention were the bones on her face which appeared to have been recklessly smashed while healing magic was applied. This sort of life prolongment wasnt the product of overflowing kindness. It was something more insidious and hideous.


    Simply speaking, the broken bones were patched up in a distorted shape on purpose, so as to prevent her face from ever bing what it used to be. To make matters worse, her misery was extended to the skin on her face. It had been bitten and torn apart, to the extent of pus oozing out from here and there. With this, even if her life was spared for arguments sake, the rest of her life would be spent in this condition. There were probably few priests in the church who would be able to heal her. Not only that, factor in the medical costs, which weremonly termed as alms, would cost quite a bit. This means, for a being like a ve who had no connection to money, she would not be able to get healed her whole life.


    No matter how you think about it, this shouldnt have been done on a young child whos age ranged in the single digits. In fact, it should not be eptable on an adult either.


    From the relentless theme of destroying her appearance, I couldnt help but think that this was an actmitted by another female, who had profound jealousy or some obsessive hatred towards her. It looked simr to what Chinese Empress L Zhi or Wu Zetian would do their husbands lovers.


    Was she sold as a ve to achieve that very goal?


    Was this the so called Human Swine1, an anecdote notorious for its cruelty. Or something of the like. After making her a ve, societys lowest denominator, she was further ridiculed since nobody would be interested in her as a ve. An inhumane plot.


    Well, all this is of no concern to me. I purchased her, not the other way round; I was in no way hired as awyer. I am not in the least interested in getting entwined to someone who would inflict such an unspeakable suffering on a young girl.


    What I will do to her is a separate topic.


    Chi, Chi, Chi, squeaked the rats that were trapped in the cage.


    Ah, right, it was time to feed them. Facing the rats, I threw sunflower seeds at them.


    The rats in the cage picked up what I had thrown at them with both hands and nibbled on them.


    Full body anesthesia.


    Blood thickening medicine.


    Ation of suppuration area.


    Realignment of distorted skeletal structure.


    Grafting of artificial muscles and artificial skin on the face.


    Etcetera, etcetera


    In any case, I tried many procedures. It was also my first time doing a human experiment on a genuine human, and so I tried my best. This was because I have only yed small-scale childish pranks on the servants


    It goes without saying that no matter how much adult intellect I held as an reincarnator, I am still an amatuer in alchemy and it was not like I studied to be a doctor previously. There were many instances of first-time surgeries failing. Possible ways to fail include cutting things that were not supposed to be cut or maybe making mistakes when the supply of anesthesia has been cut off. It was especially difficult without anesthesia when removing the skin on her face to remove pus. I was afraid that Number 1-chan (temp) might tremble in pain and awaken. If that was the case, I rather she just scream. It was important to be able to continue the surgery without being noticed, since the pain might lead to shock-inducing death.


    I managed to ovee all the possible ways to fail and managed toplete the general treatment. It might as well been magic. The skills I have employed were the basics of the basics, what you might view as having only learned techniques a level zero would have but even then, the damage done to her blood vessels were to the extent which could be healed with recovery magic and other kinds of useful healing items which had been prepared. Since I could freely use all these, I could make up for the pitfalls in my inexperience. Fantasy is really awesome. If magic was that convenient, I dont think there would be any motivation to advance science huh.


    Especially analysis magic which could decipher theposition and structure of a material, it was really amazing. Thanks to it, I was able to decipher that Number 1-chan (temp) face had been disfigured with malicious intents and could also infer the original shape of her face. No, it was more like the fruits of mybours. Understanding the structure of materials were the very fundamentals of alchemy.


    ...However, despite the room reeking with the stench of blood, I was wholly calm and yet, my mind seem to feel somewhat dizzy?


    I might conclude that this was all for treating someone but the me from the previous world would have never thought that I would do insert sharp tools into other bodies. I have repeated this quite a few times but I wasnt a doctor previously and in fact, I detested injections. I would have never imagined myself pointing a knife at someone, even in a brawl or something.


    In fact, that I was able to so naturally do this to a ve; that I would ept doing such a human experiment, it could only mean that.


    Yes, I might not be have lived in this world for more than ten years but my mind and soul has long been poisoned by the nobles of this world. If you are not a noble, you are not a human. Something like that. Humans often allocated unique duties to others and the others would further allocate these duties down the hierarchy, such behaviour which was modelled as a theory in psychology could make for a theme in a movie in my previous world. Wasnt this simr to what was happening in this world?


    Or perhaps, the roots of my personality could just be broken.


    Well, I am person who has died once. My view on life and view on humans would have more or less changed. It was inevitable.


    I digress.


    As I have mentioned, Number 1-chan (temp)s treatment was for now sessful.


    Her face which has been distorted with ill will, returned to its former state of beauty. The portions that were violently cut were also fixed.


    There were no signs of infections given that the ce was well-maintained and sanitised.


    Still, what I done was only treat her physical body. The aspect of mental care was entirely untouched.


    I do not know the urate events that urred but she must have been the daughter of a person with status, and one day, she was attacked suddenly by a beast and made an outlet for lust, moreover, her looks were thoroughly destroyed. And lets not forget that her age was still in the single digits. There was no way this wouldnt leave a trauma on her. More like, if that wasnt the case, then something must be very wrong with her.


    And the proof was that she was already able to speak without any difficulties and yet, I have not heard her utter a single word which held meaning. This includes her name. Thanks to it, I am stuck with calling her Number 1-chan (temp) up till now. Err, of course I did not actually say the words (temp).


    As I was saying, that aspect is beyond my expertise. Eh? You ask why cant I do counseling as a person with knowledge of the previous world? You must be kidding. I hardly venture out of the mansion after being reincarnated. If you put it nicely, I can be considered an indoor person but the mean way of saying it would be that I was a shut-in. As a shut-in, there was no way I was capable of counseling. You could say that I have a smattering amount of knowledge in the field of psychology from my previous life  read from the inte entirely. My level of knowledge could be considered to be at a misceneous level. Just Freuds dream analysis and his theory of psychosexual development was more than a handful for me. Even for the medical treatment for her body, I should be able to manage with my magic and what I can remember from my days of being a student in a biology ss. Any expectations beyond that, would be troubling for me.


    Just to confirm again, there was a possibility that Number 1-chan (temp) would be more petrified than before if I were to deal with her poorly or make her work cruelly like how the others did. When I took her back, I had no idea if her life was a candle burning out. After that I prescribed medicine of which effects I did not understand well and tweaked her body while she was unconscious. All this was a gamble. It was the same for the previous world, even in a climate of advanced medical science, before a major surgery, patients would have to find their peace as they entrust themselves to their surgeons. Even at the dentist waiting room, there were many people who wore faces like that of a prisoner awaiting their execution. All the more for children. Moreover, I was barely a eight year old child who was naturally unlicensed. Though in the first ce, there was no such thing as a doctors license in this world. Thats why, distrust and fear for doctors was like unagi rapidly swimming upwards. If it was me performing the treatment, it would definitely turn out that way.


    It was a nuisance. And I wanted to have her work as my helper after treating her too. Having animosity and distrust against me would hinder me from educating her.


    Certainly, the magic to force ves into obedience was active by default so I could still bulldoze my way through but, it goes without saying that it would be greater progress if I could get the person herself to proactively coborate in this endeavour.


    I pray that the distrust she carried against me would be as small as possible.


    A few dayster. In the same oldboratory.


    Yo, Number 1-chan (temp). Today is finally the day the bandages can be taken off you!


    ......?


    It was unbefitting of my character to say it with this much spirit yet the response from Number 1-chan (temp) was silence as she raised her head covered full with bandages.


    In the end, until today, we did not establish a single conversation. I did attempt tomunicate with her many times but Number 1-chan (temp) always kept hush. There were no defects in her vocal cords, and her tongue which was bitten probably when she was being hit was healed too. Despite so, she did not even let out a scream of agony. It was like she had rejected everything of this world.


    Hmm, even though it would be great if it was possible to open up her heart slightly with this opportunity. Well, if I was her in shoes and I was treated without giving my consent, I too would not trust nor have any confidence in that person.


    As I ruminated through my thoughts, I made her sit on a chair and face a full-length mirror that was installed by the wall. She offered no resistance, just like a doll. Somehow, it felt as though I have be a beautician. Rather than actually giving her a haircut, it was more like mowing grass though. That was because it would have gotten in the way of the surgery. Its not like her hair wouldnt grow back.


    Now then, I am removing them. Dont move okay?


    Cutting off the knots with a pair of scissors, I unwound the rest of the bandage slowly from the cut-off piece. There were faint sounds of cloth rubbing off the skin but nothing worrying like foreign substance adhesing itself on the skin urred. It was truly a smooth peel.


    Sure enough, her bare face was something eptable for my eyes. A smooth and natural line was drawn on her outlines. Her skin was rich with youthful vitality. Her facial features were still that of an immature child but there was not a single distortion to her mould.


    To anybody out there, could you upon seeing this face, imagine that a thoroughly ravaged appearance could be reborn like this?


    wless.


    A wless sess.


    Wonderful.


    A sudden tremor passed through my spine. The sense of achievement I felt from this was unprecedented even considering all my other experiences from my past life. Really wonderful. I, with my own hands, was capable of using a delicate technique toe this far. And this so called alchemy industry, could bring forth such a miracle!


    ......


    I wondered if she reacted to my words. She lifted her eyelids slowly.


    She opened wide her big and beautiful green eyes and stared at the person in the mirror.


    ......!?


    The countenance on her face as well as the reflections became that of bewilderment. Surprise, confusion, and likely delight. Her white skin, her reddening and dampening eyes elucidated an emotion that was by no means a minus.


    How is it, Number 1-chan (temp)! This is some piece of work isnt it? Honestly speaking, I myself never imagined that it would turn out like this!


    Sniff...sniff


    Despite having congratted her, Number 1-chan (temp) started to sob uncontrobly. Compared to her earlier self when her expression changed, it was as though there was no pause in the change at all. The muscles on her face governing emotion seems to be functioning normally.


    T-Thank you ve-very much!


    I could hear her uttering in a blurry voice. Thinking about it now, this was the first time I heard her say anything at all. To have so frankly given her thanks to me, even though I did whatever I pleased as much as I liked till today. Truly, a well brought up child. I suppose her parents taught her discipline well.


    No way, I should be the one giving you my thanks! You have really endured a lot to have made it here! It was a valuable experiment!


    Oveed with emotions, I embraced her and she soon return the embrace with her tiny hands.


    Tears and mucus dirtied my clothing but I couldnt care less. Compared to the bloody pus that I extracted during the wretched operation, this was nothing.


    Inside the dimly lit basement, the young us caught hold of one another as we immersed ourselves in the joy of initial sess.


    Talese...who is that child?


    I brought her out from the basement and father saw her. He was clearly taken aback.


    Naturally, I threw my chest out without the slightest hint of guilt and replied.


    What are you saying Father. This is my ve.


    Hah?


    Unfortunately, my reply had only induce more and more confusion in father. He blinked his eyes in rapid session.


    ......You bought a second one?


    You are mistaken. Before then, her figure was in a tragic state of injuries and she couldnt show her true face but now I have finally healed her. And thus, I brought her up. Cmon, give your greetings to Father.


    ......Nice to meet you, I am, Yuni.


    Former Number 1-chan (temp) held on the sleeves of my shirt while giving a clumsy bow to father. How it ended up being Yuni was because it would obviously be disastrous for others to know that her name was Number 1-chan (temp) so it was the name she thought of hastily. I have a faint inkling about it but I am sure that its meaning was a single object. To have pass off a name rted to one, because her name was Number 1; it felt like that there was no big change to her name.


    Incidentally, I do not know her real name. I tried asking what happened before I bought her but the reception from her was unfavourable. I couldnt tell if she refused to reply or whether she was unable to reply. What I merely healed was her outer appearance. Her interior must be in disorderly state even now I suppose. To the extent of not knowing oneself even though she was herself. I am interested to know more about her personal history but, well, that can be left forter when sheposes herself.


    Hah?


    Father opened his mouth wide.


    He must have thought it to be inconceivable that a half-dead person with a face full of swellings could, in a short period of time, recover to this state of beauty. That must be it. My only bet was that she would survive and had predicted that some degree of scarring should remain even if she did not die. Yet, she overturned that verdict and exposed a face with not a single w to the world.


    This extent of treatment has been pulled off by a kid who wasnt even ten. Being in disbelief should be expected. I believe I wouldugh scornfully if I heard from others about a simr tale like this.


    Father took roughly one minute to digest the situation but he still showed hesitation as he stammered.


    Ye-Yes...an ex-excellent job, Talese. To have personally healed apletely defective ve...your ability has left me in utter wonder!


    No, no, it must have been the result of her life force. I never expected that her recovery to reach this extent.


    Ha, hahaha...being excessively humble would only make you sound sarcastic though?


    Somehow or another, him praising my skill would mean that the integrity of his head has grasped what has urred.


    Ahem, father coughed and continued, However, have you forgotten the objective weid from the beginning? I made you buy a ve so that you could learn the ways to tame your retainers. Even though your practice at healing has gone smoothly, I will not permit you to neglect your main duty.


    Yes, certainly.


    That goes without saying. From the start, I picked Yuni on the basis of her magic powers. From here on, this child would be my loyal servant, and also a promising helper. For that, I would definitely have to thoroughly educate her.


    Regarding that, Father. I n on having her learn the basic etiquette for now. If it is possible, may I have the help of the maids from our mansion who are not busy?


    For starters, we will work on the superficials.


    There is a saying that goes: the face follows but the stomach opposes, but to really detach the face from the stomach would be both unexpected and difficult. Much less of Yuni who doesnt seem to be a reincarnator like me. She was a 100% genuine child. If that was the case, if I let the way of living obediently under others seep into her mind from young, when she grows into an adult, she would probably have a submissive personality.


    Without any inclination that I was thinking about such insolence, father nodded his head in what appears to be annoyment.


    Do as you like. I would allow that kind of activities.


    Thank you very much.


    The conversation ended and he left the venue in a rush.


    Alright, I obtained permission from Father. I would have you work hard immediately from today. You good?


    Yes, master.


    Yuni spoke in a t voice that did not hint at any emotion. I wonder if it was because of the gratitude from being healed but for now, she behaved loyally to my orders. Still, there was no way I would be satisfied with just that. Humans were living beings who would grow to be independent. We might be bound by the ve contract and her gratitude but there was no proof that this kind of rtionship would continue forever.


    Firstly, her magic alone had a substantial quality to it. Being my helper, she would have to umte information on alchemy and magic, and if so, it was usible for her to dispel the obedience magic by herself. To maintain this rtionship of master and servant, I would have to strictly teach her the behaviour and etiquette, and through repetitive learning, firmly instill faithfulness. In the future, I am considering the possibility of applying a sophisticated brainwashing magic  otherwise known as brain restructuring.


    This might be too cowardly of me. However, I am a reincarnated human. A human that has died once. I am going to have to say no to dying a second time. Thats why an existence that follows mymand and move as my arms and legs, absolutely cannot betray me.


    As much as I could, I produced a kind-looking face and grinned at her.


    A week from when Yuni started her training, she became able to behave at a bare minimum level for a servant. As expected, before she ended up in tatters and being sold to the ve market, she was likely born and raised in a family that should have a social status equivalent to that of an aristocrat. She was able to perform the basics of courtesy like the ABCs and her speed of learning wasnt bad either.


    Still, once her free time started, it was time for her training to be my helper and bodyguard.


    What we did from the start was to build up her strength.


    Hey hey, your legs areing to a stop! Move, move! One, two! One, two!


    Ye-Yes! Master.


    On fine days, I brought bodyguards out to the outskirts of the city and made Yuni run. Before bing a ve, she must have been the esteemed daughter of somebody and after being a ve, she lived in the undergroundb for treatment. After going through that kind of life, she could not evenst 5 minutes before starting to pant. Well, this wasnt like a park or an exercise field like my previous world, and was a wild field overrun by weeds and small stones hidden in the shadows. Supposing that she was confident in her endurance, it would still be tough I guess.


    Young master...what in the, what is the point of doing this?


    A servant said in puzzlement. It was the same servant that apanied me when I was buying Yuni. This time too, he came along as the bodyguard and the coachman.


    Cant you understand from looking? I am building physical strength. I have to asionally bring her out to do some exercise.


    No matter what one is doing, the most important is ones physical strength. In a fantasy world where magic roams freely, that was the first thing I learnt. Offensive magic or recovery magic and on top of that, transmuting substances with alchemy, etcetera etcetera, each and every one of these magic progress ording to the consumption of the users magic powers. In this aspect, it does bear semnce toputer games in my previous world. Still, it differs in one area. Once ones magic power was depleted, it would have an effect on the body. In most of the cases, symptoms of shortness of breath and palpitations, dizziness and confusion to ones awareness would surface. To put it bluntly, exhausting all magic power would render one incredibly tired.


    When I first picked up magic, I did not have a good gauge of my limits and had the experience of fainting multiple times. There was this one time, for example, when I was in the middle of mixing some strong medicine when my consciousness receded and because of that, I nearly caused a fire in the basement.


    And thus, ever since then, I came up with a countermeasure. To endure the acute tiredness when one has been drained of magic powers, one has to train the physical body as far as possible. It was a simple concept but it should be enough for a measure.


    It was just at the level of a hypothesis but I think it was a hypothesis with a rather high uracy of being right. The evidence was that I heard from adults that most people who faint from magic exhaustion were children or the elderly with poor physical constitutions. There were limited examples but the evidence pointed strongly towards people with weak bodies. However, this was hardly a methodology. In any case, most of the magicians, devote the majority of their resources towards attaining the greatest magic powers or newest magic skills, (and in my case, for an alchemist) it would be assigned to experimenting and creating magic equipment. There would not be any free time dedicated to building the body. The house tutor who taught me magic  who has stoping exactly a year ago  was also rumoured to sweat like a barbarian. (TN: not really sure what the author means by this. Sweating like a barbarian = not fit? Or = fit?)


    Well, there was a some point to it. Time flows infinitely but human lives have their limits. It was entirely rational to concentrate the maximum amount of time on ones priorities and keep the others to a minimum. Increasing ones magic powers to the upper most levels would naturally mean lower chance of magic exhaustion happening.


    However, what I hoped for Yuni wasnt to just be a fixed artillery, chanting magic. To go adventuring in ce of me to collect required materials as my helper as well as to act as my bodyguard since I was a nonbatant. It would be unimaginable if she were to be exhausted due to ack of magic power. There was a need to nurture her reflexes and forge her stamina while she was still a child.


    I never expected this fe to be so stringent. That youngdy hasnt had time to recover from injuries right?


    Like I said, I have to build her stamina quickly. That way her trainingter can move in the right direction.


    At the very least, she has to recover to the point of being able to walk about in the mansion without any problems. Thats why I have to quickly train her. Exactly in this period, since I bought her, I am strapped for cash and the research had to stop temporarily. For the sake of Yuni and while I have time to spare, it was the evident conclusion to have her basic abilities improve now.


    In addition, included among the treatment performed on her was artificial skin grafting. I would love to obtain data on how she reacts to long exposure to sunlight. Also, I could harvest medicinal nts in the vicinity or think about how to counter monsters that appear in proximity of civilisation  you heard me right, monsters exist. A long time ago, a demon lord existed  also, I could also learn about the raw materials that can be obtained by being present on the actual site. Three birds one stone.


    Do not worry. I have no intention to destroy this hard found talent before my eyes.


    I shrugged my shoulders and said. I pointed towards the shoes that I bought for Yuni to walk in the fields and the socks worn inside which would prevent blisters. I even prepared water and would make sure she hydrates herself plenty when the opportunity arises. If she trips or gets bitten by poisonous insects, I could treat her.


    I can hardly understand what young master is thinking...


    The male attendant scratched his head with a pained expression. That was not the way to speak to the family of his employer but Ill let that slide. This would be the normal reaction of an adult. It was only because I felt that it was necessary, else I wouldnt be doing this either. This might not be very persuasive but I do not have a hobby of bullying girls. It was just that as I watched the figure of Yuni in the distance, trying her best to fulfil my expectations, a deep emotion prodded my chest.


    One, Tw...one, tw...ha, hah...


    Soon, the attendant and I became silent and the only sounds that filled the ins were the shouts and rough breathing of Yuni.


    ...At the end, Yuni became entirely spent after around 30 minutes. She couldnt even get on board the coach without my hand to support her. For the first day, she worked very hard. I think I would treat her to a miracle drug that rejuvenatester.


    A month passed.


    Yuni. Today, Ill have you remember the recipe for a simple drug. Understand?


    Yes, master-sama.


    Rather than a long way from growing, she seem to be entering a full-blown period of growth;pared to a long time ago, she has physically improved to arge extent due to daily training. I do not think she would give up if it was just mashing medicinal herbs with a pestle.


    Using the herbs found near the ins of the outskirts (when she was working out) as the ingredients, the lowest grade of potion can be made. I have to ensure that she was at least able to make that.


    You dont have to be so nervous. I was able to do this three years ago, so it shouldnt be that challenging. Remember, the first step is to


    Another month passed.


    Finally, our medicines have hit the market.


    Congrattions, master.


    We gathered around a table which had a leather pouch on top of it. We were captivated. Inside the pouch was the currency of this world, the lowest denomination with the lowest worth  copper coins. Something cheap would be worth this much coins. If we go to the money-exchanger, this should be worth a few pieces of silver I reckon.


    Father indicated his displeasure upon hearing that our homemade medicine was sold out in the market. The reason being that a person in an Earls Family should not be imitating the vulgar business of a merchant. Persuading him was especially bone-breaking. Compared to making the merchant guild recognise the quality of my products, I felt it was far more troublesome.


    However, I managed to procure an ie source that was somewhat passable.


    When I considered that, I couldnt help but lift my lips into a grin. Up till now, all my research funding depended on the small allowance father gave me, but since I could do my own trade now, I should be able to be self-sufficient despite it being a very small sum of money. If fathers patience runs out and he decides to stop the alchemy research, it shouldnt be a problem now. I wont be able to avoid shrinking the scope of the research but at least I can continue the research by my own efforts.


    Just a bit more savings and...I should be moving on to the next stage of research.


    A monthter.


    Ngg...Ngooo...


    Master-sama, Number 2s body temperature is climbing. Perspiration has also been observed.


    The status of the pupil of the eye?


    ......It is contracting.


    As I heard the report from Yuni, I started listing down the data on a piece of paper that I was holding onto. In the middle of the room, there was a newly installed operating table. On it was a male who was gagged and chained. The metal fixtures that constrained him rattled endlessly.


    What am I doing? As you can see, it was a human experiment.


    In order to materialise my ultimate goal of immortality, it was essential to have data regarding the biology of a human and its various functions. For example, medicines have to be tested in advance and whether it is administered to myself or to others, it was important to determine the effectiveness of medicines.


    Previously, I had Yuni conduct a few experiments on animals and there was plenty of data resulting from it but, for more intricate andplex medical procedures, data from human experiments was still fundamental.


    Hence, newly bought ve Number 2 (adult male; former criminal) was a rather helpful specimen. He had a sturdy build and whats more was that he has no useful skills whatsoever and was thus, priced economically. He did not have a single ounce of magic power and so, the obedience spell worked finely on him. Not to mention that he contained a great dislike towards nobility and his attitude towards them was the very worst. Despite prescribing the strongest medicine and conducting radical experiments on him, my conscience didnt weigh on me one bit.


    In any case, this round of experiments were a failure.


    The muscle strengthening medicine derived from Full-Moon Scopolia...even though the theory should be correct. Was its toxicity not attenuated sufficiently?


    Falling into a state of abnormal excitement, inability to discern things and the cloudiness of consciousness were observed.


    I managed to find a prescription text from an old bookshop and by making references to it, I tried to make a medicine. However, after recing the mainponent with a more potent medicinal herb, it didnt seem to go well.


    Rather than thinking about the expected effectiveness, the risk of side effects have risen too much. Should I do a full reevaluation?


    Still, swapping to it a less poisonous variant would make it more expensive. Should I employ adventurers to collect them for me? Instead of buying directly, this would help reduce the costs.


    As I grumbled on, Yuni drooped her shoulders disheartenedly.


    ......I beg for you forgiveness, master.


    Hm? Why?


    Yuni has been continuing her training but I am still not good enough to be of use.


    Also, she bowed her head down apologetically. Oh, so she has a cute side to her as well huh?


    You dont really need to pay too much attention to that. The training program would be refined and polished annually. I anticipate another 5 or 6 years before you arebat ready.


    Yes...


    I gave her the affirmation right from my mouth but from her appearance, it seems like she still has worries about it. Perhaps she associated the worst situation because of the next stage of the research  human experimentation that involved utilising ves. More specifically, she was afraid that she would be a specimen for the human experiments.


    Nevertheless, Yuni was a scarce talent that could be hardly found anywhere. I looked through the entire ve market and rarely saw someone who had her level of magic powers. ves who had such magic powers were attached with a price tag that only rtively high peerage holders or owners of small castles can afford, and these ves were all elves too. It was really a godsend fortune that I was able to procure Yuni at that price.


    Consequently,


    Rest assured, Yuni. I would not simply abuse someone of your calibre because that would be incredibly foolish.


    I made a very clear cut deration, and it seems that her anxieties faded to some extent.


    Yes...yes, master-sama...


    Though I must say, this was a somewhat ominous sign. The small animal-like fear and braveness that arose in her were not feelings that would ur if one was loved caringly.


    This release of what was on her mind, in short, implied that she was fearful of me. Even if I removed the fear she has of me with whatever reason or anything, there would not be any guarantee that she would put her live on the line for me. For example, if one day, someone who protects her, recing my role, appears.


    ...It was a usible situation. After all, I did say I wanted to give her the dangerous task of searching the ingredients that were necessary for alchemy. Actually, it was because of the direction of the progressive training that she could see that I was pushing her to be my helper. If one day, Yunis dissatisfaction is not stifled or if some meddling person extends a helping hand because of pity...there were countless of possibilities if I just thought about it.


    Of course, the obedience spell was currently active, though I did repeat several times that this was not an absolute measure to gain trust. For that reason, I need to bring her heart closer to my side.


    I examined the possibility of using brainwashing magic or brain restructuring but it is not something of my league currently. To make it something that I could do would require more time. I have to prepare some kind of a n.


    Master, what should we do with Number 2.


    Her voice brought me back to reality after being lost in my own thoughts. I cant be like this, brooding over things endlessly was one of my bad habits.


    Ahh, for now, please help me administer the fourteenth antidote. There are many many more experiments that I want to do with Number 2 after all. Have you memorised how to do it?


    Umm, mix the water in, insert the catheter into his mouth and use the pump to pour it into the throat, right?


    Yes, yes. Be careful not to mistakenly insert it into the respiratory way.


    Is an injection no good?


    You know we are doing a clinical trial of a muscle strengthening medicine yes? In this situation, the bulging muscles would be a hindrance and would prevent the needle from entering.


    ......Sorry.


    Ahaha. You do not have to stress yourself out. Having doubts and raising questions are the signs of a good servant.


    I continued to guide her. I was pretending to be kind while thinking of more wiles to deeply cajole her into trusting me.


    Another months passing.


    Demon! You all are demons!


    Ah, alright alright. You are so noisy, could you please be quiet, Number 3. Ah, made that mistake again. Shut up.


    Ughh! Ughhhh!!


    Infusing some magic into my order, the female ve was robbed of her voice promptly. The obedience spell was quite convenient. Truly, from the bottom of my heart, with just this alone, my life must have been rosy.


    Incidentally, this female was a ve that I recently purchased. The effects and side effects varies between males and females. Just Number 2, who was a male, on the operating table wasnt enough.


    Yuni. Help me restrain Number 2-kun.


    Yes, master...ungh!


    Yuni held the unconscious Number 2-kun with both her arms and brought him to a cell.


    The sight of a childbouriously dragging an adult by the armpits was somewhat...surreal. Though I did know that she had gone through many trainings and she has built up quite some strength, seeing her lift another human that exceeds her own weight was still startling. In my previous world, moving unconscious people would be difficult even for adults. The muscr strength exhibited by Yuni was amonly seen attribute of a fantasy world but it was still praiseworthy.


    Ah...ughh...


    It was very slight but the noise of Number 2-kun groaning reached my ears.


    He became noticeably weaker in recent days. When I first bought him, having the vigour of a former criminal, he constantly spit vulgarities and even tried toy his hands on Yuni. It was quite a troublesome matter. In the end, the obedience spell was revised to include another rule that the ves of his master cannot be harmed as well. Well, thinking back upon it, it was a good learning experience.


    However, he has became rather quiet as ofte...rather than that, he started bbering nonsense all the time. His movement capabilities have also declined to the extent where he required help or else he would not be able to move normally. And despite all that, due to the effects of the muscle strengthening medicine experiment, his body was still well-built, giving off a tragic out-of-ce feeling.


    Looks like we are approaching the limits, for this guy.


    He should be dying soon. By none other than our experiment. He might be a former criminal but we were still killing a full-fledged living human being.


    No, currently, Number 2-kuns mental and physical state has already decayed away. There was no hope of him returning to an ordinary lifestyle or recovering to his previous personality even if we released him from our experiment. Number 3-san who I made to shut up awhile ago would probably suffer the same fate.


    Though, my heart was strangely unperturbed by these events. Even though I was conducting such cruel and evil things. No matter how much this countryws dictate that owners of ves can do whatever they want with them and will not be punished, as a human being myself, my conscience should have been tinged in guilt.


    Towards my rhetorical question, something that resided my innermost depthsughed.


    So what? It says.


    My goal was to be immortal. I felt it before I was reincarnated, the dying sensation of having your roots, branches and everything you were, robbed from you and turning into nothing. To escape that fate, I would do anything I can. Thats why I absolutely have to devote myself to alchemy. Thats why I have do countless of experiments. How many people would die because of it; it doesnt matter as long as I am able to evade death. doesnt it?


    The snake that coiled inside my stomach, bragged aloud.


    The task of moving Number 2 is done.


    Yunis report broke my train of thoughts.


    Good work, Yuni. Hmm, lets have another mid-noon break today.


    !


    As I told her such, Yuni eyes gleamed dimly. The change in her expression was sparse but at least it proved that she wasnt without emotions. And due to that, though it was small, there was a chance that she would betray me.


    What held her back were the obedience spell, the debt of saving of her life and also the whip of fear towards me. As of such, I have to insure myself by throwing sweets at her. Literally sweets.


    Regarding the sugar from my previous world, humans already knew how to make it BCE (Before Common Era). It exists in this continent too but it was low in production andmanded a high price.


    Still, I was an alchemist. As long as I have the proper equipment and that there were maple sap avable in the nearby woods, I could make enough sugar that could cost an entire familys ie. As one would expect, turning this cash-flow route into a stable source of ie would be pretty intense but it could at least provide for some small change.


    To make matters worst, the era in this world was simr to the middle centuries, and culinary remainrgely undeveloped. Considering that, even though I have some knowledge of my previous world, I wasnt any confectioner so the most I can do is to provide refined sweets. Feels like cheating.


    And children have a weak spot for sweet things. An uncontroble weakness. This was an era when there were few entertainment that can distract people from stress and also that the lowest stratum of society were ves. What would happen if these luxurious sweets could match the tastes of the royalty and the aristocrats? Naturally, it would be like a dream.


    Today...what shall we have, maybe donuts?


    ......What kind of food is that?


    Simply speaking, it is a pastry made by frying uncooked dough covered with sugar. Ahh, which reminds me, we seeded in cultivating yeast earlier. If we add that in before frying it, it would be much fluffier


    She was unfazed by what I said but I could hear the sound of gulping. An honest kid.


    To gain the trust of a person, rather than pointing a sword, grabbing hold of ones stomach was much easier. At the same time, if ones tongue is satisfied, there wasnt a need to say anything.


    ...Though, this much was stillcking. In order to ensure that she doesnt disobey me, I have to make her ever more dependent on me, I have to discipline her more precisely. Looking back into history, there were many people who chose betrayal even after being rescued, being tied by chains of fear, having ones desires fulfilled or even if love was given.


    I do not want to die.


    Dying once was more than enough.


    I do not want to despair.


    I am going to live, I would live in the most amusing way possible.


    For that end, the hard found game pieces that I possess, I would make sure they absolutely do not be traitorous towards me.


    Paragraph taken from Wikipedia. One morning in the winter of 194 BC, Emperor Hui went for a hunting trip and did not bring Liu Ruyi with him because thetter refused to get out of bed. L Zhi''s chance arrived, so she sent an assassin to force poisoned wine down Liu Ruyi''s throat. The young prince was dead by the time Emperor Hui returned. L Zhi then had Concubine Qi killed in an inhumane manner: she had Qi''s limbs chopped off, eyes gouged out, ears sliced off, forced her to drink a potion that made her mute, and thrown into atrine. She called Qi a "human swine". Several dayster, Emperor Hui was taken to view the "human swine" and was shocked to learn that it was Concubine Qi. He cried loudly and became ill for a long time. He requested to see his mother and said, "This is something done not by a human. As the empress dowager''s son, I''ll never be able to rule the empire." From then onward Emperor Hui indulged himself in carnal pleasures and ignored state affairs.

 Chapter 2: My First Lady "Second Half"

    Chapter 2: My First Lady "Second Half"


    A month passed.


    Master-sama. It is time to wake up.


    Ug-ghh...


    As I lifted my swollen eyelids and sobered up, I could see a girl wearing a crude one-piece and a white apron looking down on me. Needless to say, she was Yuni.


    Since she was learning etiquette from the maids of our residence, it wasnt farfetched to say she was apprenticing under the maids. Of course, her appearance was also appropriate, but as a ve, she had to consider the quality of her clothes. The Obeniel Family was of a considerable standing as a House of Earl. When one bes a servant, even if one was among the ranks of amoner, they could be assigned to someone close to an aristocrat or a lower ranked aristocrats child. If one was a ve, due to their rank, it wasmon to see them being allowed to only wear clothing that were several ranks inferior.


    Morning, Yuni.


    Good morning, master-sama.


    I brought my body to an upright position and exchanged morning greetings. It has been nearly half a year since I brought this child to the household. Could it be the results of her daily training? Yuni was gradually outgrowing her choice of words and the way she totters around like a child. It seems that she has been receptive and enthusiastic to the training by the servants that I borrowed from father.


    She was moving in the right direction. Hammering the mould into her from the start would allow her to learn to behave and obey others slowly. It would make it easy to suppress her rebellious spirit if she possesses one. Habits that are picked up by the body cannot be easily forgotten. If I trained her to enjoy lowering her head and do her best for me, I can look forward to her having a greater loyalty towards me when she grows up.


    I stretched my arms out as I got up.


    I stayed up toote yesterday...got my hands onto a piece of interesting information and had to finish it no matter what.


    Please have some self-love. If you hurt your health...you are no longer a child.


    Thats true. Before attaining my long-cherished dream of immortality, I cannot afford to die young.


    I started changing my clothes while engaging in trivial talk. Yuni bravely stripped off my pyjamas and helped me put on my shirt. Having a younger girl assist in my change of clothes did leave me with a bit of embarrassment but it was the duty of the aristocrats to allow the servants to help out in ordinary day-to-day affairs like this.


    Indeed, it must be linked to creating employment but Yuni was ultimately an unpaid ve. This wasnt good for the economy but, well, I can think of this as part of nurturing a heart for service.


    Hearing as you have obtained new information, would there be a change in todays schedule?


    After changing, she asked me.


    Why would I change my ns for today after obtaining information? Its obviously because I would be conducting new experiments.


    However, it wasnt the case this time.


    Mm, deciphering the old text would take some time. For the meantime, we shall continue with the current experiment.


    Yes, certainly. Then I shall make the necessary preparations.


    Yuni said, as she lowered her head in a natural motion. Her gestures when giving respects were starting to look decent. Being trained by professionals really did make her learn quickly. As I smiled fondly at her progressive growth, I thought that today would be a good day.


    Half a year passed.


    Guhah!?


    Thrusting forcefully a wooden pole used for training into his sr plexus, the mans bushy area copsed. As always, Yuni looked down with not a single hint of emotion even though shepleted the achievement of beating down an adult alone with her child-like body.


    One year has passed since the training programme to elevate her physical potential started. Said man was a first-generation knight, who once participated in a war and attained himself a meritorious deed, but this was the oue.


    This grown up man was defeated by a seven year old (guessing) girl, furthermore, he was given the initiation attack. No no, it was likely that she would be scarier than this.


    Thank you very much for the guidance today as always.


    W-What guidance...


    With quivering feet like that of a newborn fawn, the knight took close to a full minute to recover his footing. He must be enduring Yunis single blow to a simr extent.


    After all, her strength has been augmented thanks to medicine I concocted. It was a medicine that was discovered with great difficulty. It would not inhibit a persons skeletal growth as it does not increase the quantity of muscles but heightens the quality of the muscles. It took no less than the pointless deaths of five ves. All of them were the cheapest; if they had no worthy skills, the ves could even be cheaper than toys or sweets, but still, it was undesirable due to the time wasted on handling their disposals. There was this once when father found fault with my cremation of a corpse. He reprimanded me severely and brought me all the way to a church to be preached to.


    However, it did bore results and it made Yunis physical capabilities improve to arge extent. If she were able to fight like this at 7 years old, then she might be able to handle the job of searching materials I need much earlier than expected.


    Chuckling to myself as I pictured a bright future, a knight serving my family faced me with an austere expression.


    Young master...Please let this girls opponent off for today.


    This voice sounded different from pain and felt like the trembling of something instead.


    Yes? Why?


    Honestly, there is nothing more that I can teach above this. Also, if this continues everyday, my body will not hold.


    As he said, he pointed out to his stomach and wrists that had been repeatedly beaten. There were also countless of bruises on his face. Certainly, Yuni has grown much stronger than he was now. It was at a point where nothing much can be learnt from this man. Furthermore, he even allowed a child to reach all the way to his sr plexus; he has lost all of face of a knight. Considering that carefully, it should be about time to round things up.


    Well, I heard that he became a first generation knight not because of his outstanding services in war but rather, because of his value as a personal valet. I did not know what was the average fighting capability forbatants but I am quite confident he wasnt high up in the hierarchy. It might already be time that Yuni requires a much higher level teaching material.


    I nodded in assent and the man scuttled off.


    Now then, what shall we do from tomorrow? Maybe I should employ an adventurer to teach magic or searching skills?


    ......Is that okay? With that, the money reserved to purchase an experimental tables and other materials


    Ostensibly, Yuni said so admirably. Though her concerns were unnecessary.


    If you reach apetent level quickly, we can recover all that lossester. I rather you reach that point earlier; we would gain much more eventually by doing this.


    Acquiring raw materials would cost money since we would have to specially buy it from people. If we can collect these materials ourselves, the cost in that field would practically be zero.


    Well, until we make the arrangements for the new teacher, you shall be going monster hunting in the outskirts. Can you do that?


    Yes. The likes of goblins which often appear near the town would not be any trouble. I have confidence in that.


    Yuni dered coolly. Actually, she was the one who was beating all the monsters that we came across in these ins. The knight that I borrowed earlier helped us out only at the start for approximately a month. She was capable of exploring the nearby forest but I do not know if something might happen in a real battle. It was possible that she meets arge flock of enemies at one go or fight a series of battles and be fatigued or injured in the process, thus, suffer an embarrassing defeat. To genuinely do exploration, it should be more than enough to have another two to three more years of training.


    Although things may look this way, I did push forward the timeline from my initial n. This was due to her advancing quickly, surpassing my expectations.


    I am in no rush. Layering diligence over diligence, I proceeded carefully. It was because there was nobody else with her degree of talent.


    Three years passed.


    The opponent were also adventurers and the result was as expected. Even though it was Yuni, you did not go injury free.


    I said to the her with a body inflicted with injuries here and there while treating her injuries personally.


    Yuni would be able to use recovery magic to heal herself if it was just this much, but leaving behind any kind of scar would be troublesome in the future. In that aspect, I can happily brag that I am second to none in terms of leaving no scars after treatment. After all, I was the one who healed those cruel and vile injuries. There were no reasons why I couldnt treat those battle injuries now.


    .....I have caused you trouble.


    No no, I was the one who requested you to do this unreasonable job. You shouldnt be apologising.


    I consoled her, whose facial expression remained unmoved as she lowered her head. No matter how much time passes, she hardly shows any emotions but that was due to the way she had socialised for many years. I could at least see that the bottom of her heart was, in any case, disheartened.


    At any rate, those teachers were bothersomeThey were trying to snatch Yuni away from me.


    Yes. If they werent nning that, I was thinking I should have been able graduate with a more appropriate step.


    Good grief, I let out a sigh of exasperation as I nodded.


    The ones who inflicted injuries on Yuni were her masters. They were basically, people not from the residence who were giving her guidance. However, somehow, it seemed like they suspected me of conducting human experiments. With that as their force for persuasion, they suggested that they take custody of her since I may turn to her next for the experiments.


    She might be said to be a ve of a noble but she was still a child. If there was a negotiation with the owner, it should be possible to buy her out of her contract with money, they said.


    If something like that was done, I would not be able to go against the wishes of my Father who was the head of family. Because, even at the best of times, I was devoting myself to alchemy research which was a deviation from what he wanted of me. He would definitely let Yuni go without a shred of hesitation.


    Naturally, they havent told me all of this directly. It was in the middle of her training, when they casually devised ns for Yuni.


    And, when I heard about the betrayal from her, without a moments dy, I ordered for an assassination. If she didnt want to do it, I was considering the use of the subordination magic but, she didnt refuse. She went to kill her teachers, whom she owe a debt of gratitude to and whom showed affection for her, without any second thoughts. I was the one who brought her up like that but frankly, she was one terrifying child.


    They were both adventurers who made a name for themselves with just their skills alone but not for a single moment would they have thought that the person they were trying to save, would be the very person who killed them. Since she was the so-called solo adventurer who doesnt form parties, if it was just one of them at a time, just Yuni, a budding fighter, alone was more than enough to send them to their conclusions. The female magician that was teaching her magic was ended by a single stab on her back while unaware. The bigger problem was the male hermit a scout who was a professional at picking locks who was teaching her the essential searching skills. As expected of his skills as a scout, I heard he astutely sensed her killing intent and retaliated with ferocity.


    In the end, the most he could do was deal a few cuts to her. It was some good luck that it didnt end up with him fleeing. From Yunis report, to be extra cautious, not only did she deliver the final blow to him, she also buried him. There was also the fear in this world where the dead revives as an undead. Therefore, she had to bury them in a graveyard where memorial services were conducted regrly. Crushing the corpse can fully ensure that they could never be zombies or skeletons, however, there was the danger that they became ghosts if they were overly consumed by hatred. There were both merits and demerits in this so-called fantasy world. To ensure that a dead man tell no tales, another light push was needed.


    Incidentally, among the ves who were spent by the experiments and who were cremated, there were a few that did be ghosts. Still, after exorcising them with magic, the same individual can never emerge as a ghost again. Surely, as their soul dissipates, they feel the same as I did before I reincarnated.


    Leaving that topic aside,


    Graduation, huh. While it was true she took them by surprise, she was at a level where she could defeat both of her masters. This should be a suitable time for Yuni to head out for exploration.


    ......May I have your permission?


    Yuni lifted her head up and her eyes were fixed at me as she gazed at me. It was the same expression when I was praising her. She behaved the same way when she was given sweets or equipments. Did she really want to go adventuring that much?


    Afterpleting most of the treatment, I took a seat and continued my suggestion.


    You are already much better and I wouldnt have to pay for a home tutor. The expenses can be used for new experiments. If you are able to do it, by all means, I would want to go with that n too.


    T...thank you, master-sama!


    Suddenly, with a sound of her clothes fluttering, Yuni prostrated herself on the floor.


    Definitely...definitely, I swear I will be more useful than ever before!


    ......Err, mm.


    That was startling.


    She was always the quiet child, so I never expected that she would raise her voice as though she added an exmation mark to the end of her sentence.


    It appeared that she noticed that I was taken aback. She brought her head, that was elevated for an instant, back down.


    ......I have acted disgracefully. Please forgive me.


    No, I am not angry. Also, you do not have to kneel down before me in such a grandiose manner. Its not like others are looking over here. ...Cmon, stand up, stand up.


    I let out a small sigh as I forgave her.


    I wonder if it is because of the servants whom I entrusted the learning of manners to were strict, some of her gestures when giving gratitude or apology were exaggerated. Certainly, since ves were a lower ss than that ofmoners who were beneath that of nobles  the lowest of the lowest ss, it was correct to behave obsequiously. That was themon sense of this world. Although, seeing someone do this everyday would be suffocating for me instead. I do desire an overflowing heart of loyalty, but thest drop makes the cup runs over. I want her to be more fun.


    Once I ascertained with my own eyes that Yuni had stood up, I changed the topic.


    Well, I would be happy to see an enthusiastic Yuni. Thats how it is. From now on, we need to face towards Yunis adventurer debut and should make preparations for it. Lets register at the guild in the start of the next month.


    They were troublesome, but necessary formalities.


    If one bes an adventurer, he or she would be able to enter dangerous areas unallowed for ordinary people. So far as it goes, it seems that there are unlicensed adventurers who skip registering with the guild  either because they are some shady lot who have a serious previous conviction record, or are active criminals  ignoring standard procedures. Nevertheless, those were the root of superfluous quarrels. Being found out and getting fined was just the start of it. Coming across official adventurers while at the exploration destination might end up in a squabble, and there was also the fear that they might be used of illegal activities like poaching. In the case of being found guilty ofmitting unpardonable evil deeds, one could be made the target of a subjugation just like monsters. Such troubles are not of my liking, so I would make sure to register.


    For now, lets get the exact types of equipment ready. Do you have any special requests? The one using them would be Yuni, hence, do not hold back and give me your opinions.


    Then, master-sama


    After being prompted to speak at ease, she talked, but somehow with a tendency to hesitate.


    How about something like a ruggedbat-ready maid uniform?


    Huh, what was that again?


    ......Maid uniform?


    I doubted my ears instinctively and asked her to repeat herself. In response, she nodded.


    A maid uniform.


    In any case, my hearing was normal.


    She was anxiously avoiding eye contact with me, but still, that was what she said.


    Exactly where and how did shee up with that kind of request I wonder. True, she was used to wearing the maid uniform and moving in them would likely be easier for her. Be that as it may, does she have the intent to wear that out while adventuring?


    Perhaps this was some first rate joke by Yuni. As I considered, she stared at me earnestly.


    ......That may not do?


    Her pair of upturned eyes looked uneasy as she asked me.


    This kid is serious about it. I have confidence in that.


    No, maybe she got a shock from personally taking care of her own teachers and was in a state of confusion? It left a strong unease in her, but when I was giving her treatment, I made sure to check her vitals. Her pulse and perspiration were both normal. Therefore, I could unmistakably dere that she was sane.


    Thoughtlessly, I ced my hand on her forehead. I hardly troubled Yuni. She was always following my instructions. I didnt have to use the magic on the cor or the other measures that prevents rebellion. Moreover, what you see was all the result of training. She has by far, outstripped my expectations. Such an excellent child, where and how did I make a blunder, that she would answer with Maid uniform when asked what she wanted for her equipment.


    As I remained baffled, I said.


    .......Well, Ill handle it.


    I am sure my face was mostly cramping up.


    While I replied with an an unusual answer, I was the one who started this topic. Furthermore, this request was made strongly by a child that barely asks anything for herself. It wasnt something that couldnt be done, so if this much was able to satisfy her demands, it would be considered a rtively cheap business. I decided to think this way.


    As expected, she reciprocated with a deep bow.


    For listening to my impertinent request with all ears, I am immensely thankful. ...I pledge to be ever more motivated.


    Oh, yeah. ...Do your best.


    This was my first time saying something like that. And I answered while chasing more thoughts.


    Maid uniform, huh If I tailored the white alice band  the one that is worn on the head  or the apron, as an equipment, it shoulde out as something that can withstand fights and adventuring. Above all, it was the same kind of clothing that she wore on a daily basis, hence it can also be said to have a high concebility in her everyday life. With that line of thought, it wasnt a bad suggestion to make such an equipment for Yuni.


    Dont tell me she made that choice with that in mind?


    I drew up a n in the back of my mind while contemting.


    Two years passed.


    Now then, the final test. Kill yourself with what you are holding.


    Immediately after giving my orders, the ves that were holding onto the ends of the rope with both hands, pulled and tightened it without any hesitation. Even though it was wrapped around their own necks.


    Guh, ugh...


    Sounds resembling a frog being strangled to death by a snake arose.


    Having ones neck tightened was agonising. Breathing would be blocked off and even blood flow would be obstructed until consciousness was lost. At the end of a few minutes of struggling, the ckened lower half of the body would discharge feces and piss, as they die. Among the methods tomit suicide, I suppose it was the lowest of the lowest. Under actual conditions, there were people who writhed in pain while having their necks hanged, causing the rope to snap. Much less to say using the strength of hands to suicide, if there wasnt a sufficient amount of determination, it couldnt be pulled off.


    However, the ves that have been ordered by me did not waver in their arms strength, continuing to kill themselves with the rope. Because I used the subordination magic? Nope, wrong.


    Yuni, has the magic activated?


    No. Both emission of magic and magical techniques have not been detected.


    Alright, then there are no problems.


    At the same time when I nodded with satisfaction, the test subjects, the ves, trembled and copsed on the operating table. And then, a horrid stench that induces one to pinch their nose enshrouded the undergroundb.


    They have died. Not by coercion from magic; from the start to the end, it was only verbal instructions.


    The subjects vital signs are confirmed to have stopped. The experiment is a sess.


    Yunis soft voice announced the great progress of my research. I was in the mood tough out loud and do a small dance, but I paused. Because of the things that leaked out in the final moments on the operating table, it wasnt that big of a deal but it wasnt an environment in which I wanted to breathe in deeply.


    ......That took a long time. That is to realiseplete control over a person through brainwashing.


    Thats right, brainwashing.


    As I have mentioned countless of times, the cor on the ves that forces them to submit to me was something that could be deactivated by their magic. In order topletely ovee that, there was a need to restructure from their brains to obey me. Opening their heads with a scalpel, tampering with their brains, to the very end, all the methods used to take away their will to betray were surgical, or it could thought of as embedding the thoughts of obedience. Someone from somewhere once did used this method to mar Yunis face, and Iter put the same method to practical use when treating Yuni. The parts that were desired were temporarily destroyed and regenerated to a desired shape.


    The crux of this method was that it isnt possible to deactivate the brainwashing by magic. After all, the brain of the subject after the operation would be healthy, so recovery magic will not be able to heal it. The only way to treat it might be to temporarily destroy the part of the brain that creates the effect of brainwashing, and then healing it to its original form. This means that the same operation has to be repeated.


    Even if someone tries to dispel brainwashing magic, it wasnt like I was controlling them by magic, hence, even the target for the magic wascking. For arguments sake, there might be a loophole and there might be a risk that the real brainwashing magic could overwrite the controlling rights...but such a brainwashing magic user does not exist and therefore, I did not have to consider how to cope with this fatal magical attack and could devote myself to research.


    Most importantly, it was the best measure to prevent betrayal that I wished for now.


    Congrattions, master-sama.


    Yuni reverently lowered her head, congratting me on the sess of the experiment. For no apparent reason, her cheeks were blushing faintly. Possibly, the joy she was experiencing was much greater than mine.


    By receiving this procedure, master-samas ves can be more idealistic yes...


    Somehow, she murmured together with a feverish sigh. The reason for it was as she have said.


    The her from before, seemed to have been greatly dissatisfied with how I constantly drew a line with my actions.


    From day one of obtaining Yuni, I have been doubtful of the power of the cor to make the ves submit to me. Yunis magic was above average, and I prescribed miracle drugs of which were gotten from experiments, further boosting her powers. Thats why even till today, I interact with her while always being on alert for hints of betrayal. Even during the experiments, mealtimes, and sleeptime too. From time to time, I would hand down some orders restricting some specific actions, also I would never let go of my protection equipment when sleeping...well, such kind of things have been going on the whole time.


    From the time I bought her, I have been teaching her to have loyalty, and yet, everyday I continue to be sceptical of it. If it was me instead, just one day would be enough for me to throw in the towel. To date, the other ves that have been purchased with the same motive as Yuni, only except the person herself, the other useful ves who could not sustain, ended up dead. Separating them into categories, 20 percent of them killed themselves, 10 percent broke down mentally, and the remaining 70 percent secretly nned to rebel so I sent them to their ends. All of them were capable with magic and in their own ways, were expensive ves. Nothing beats such wastefulness.


    And thus, even for her who has endured such a lifestyle without a word ofin,tely, she leaked out them like tears falling.


    Please, allow me to be a moreplete ve.


    She said.


    Imitted to memory this feeling of being so overwhelmingly happy that I wanted to jump out in joy when I heard those words. It was the instance in which the many years of education have yielded fruit. I am sure Helen Kellers teacher, Sulluvan, felt the same as I am now, in that moment when Helen spoke of the word, Water.


    Of course, there was a chance that this was cajolery in order to get my guard down, so for now, I was trying to recover my focus.


    For that reason, while remaining unperturbed and vignt, I said.


    Hmm, this is no more than securing some early sess. The same operation on Yuni would have to take more examples I believe?


    ......Yes. I understand, master-sama.


    Yuni faintly lowered her brows. Not sure if it was because she was always expressionless and that I am not used to it, but I could see the clear disappointment on her face. That this might just be for appearances, was among the realm of possibility too though.


    If that is the case, I have one suggestion.


    Hm, what is it?


    She said while pulling out her handkerchief.


    For next time, before entering this final test, may I ask that the subjects put on diapers?


    Ah.


    Unwittingly, my mouth was left agape  the stench that was barging in made me feel sick. I grew ustomed to some degree of stink from repeating human experiments, but it was not like I couldpletely eliminate the unpleasantness.


    Leaving that aside, it is true that each time the same thing was done, theb would be contaminated and for that, I seek your forgiveness. Doing experiments here was tough for me, and for Yuni who has to handle the cleaning up afterwards, it must have been much harder on her.


    Mother of god! Had I not realised about that thing!?


    Filled with regret and self-loathing, I brought my arms to my head. Since the operating table was designed for cases when there was a loss in body function, things like diapers were always kept in reserve. To think that I would have clean forgotten about it!


    Such a miserable silly mistake thinned down my joy in achieving experimental sess.


    ......I only realised just earlier too.


    Yuni said so in an attempt to console me.


    Seriously, I had what number of years of experimentation under my belt, and yet I failed to notice something this simple.


    However, well, this was also a good opportunity to fix myx mood.


    Lights are usually followed by shadows huh...and it took us great pains to get to this final stage of the experiment too. After clearing things up, we shall have to rethink if there are any other problems.


    I understand.


    After finishing up with the tremendous cleaning that we were both reluctant to do, we reexamined the problem areas of the experiment anew.


    There were no other problems found.


    One month passed.


    Dont ce...do note! Ill do anything so please donte near me! G-get out!!


    Haah...I got it, just getting out is good right?


    In an attempt to quell the screaming from behind, I got out of the room.


    Even after I closed the door, I could still hear ceaseless shrieking from inside.


    Father has been always acting like this as ofte. Every time he saw my face, he would expel a strange voice. It looks like he has finally lost it. Despite being ridden with an illness, he wouldnt even let me conduct a medical examination on him.


    Secluding himself to his bedroom, there was no way anyone could have met him unless they expressly made a visit. I wonder if it could be considered a blessing. If we were at our meal area and he was screaming like that, it would be out of this world.


    How pitiful.


    That voice emanated from my brother, Lynes Strein Obeniel. It appears that he had been watching from outside the room.


    Having entered adulthood, his manliness has all the more surfaced, just like a noble youth with a fairplexion straight out from a picturebook. The only thing was that he has been recently furrowing his brows all the time, creating an unapproachable aura which was a fly in the ointment.


    Yes, really. If he could at least calm down, I am sure he would be able to receive treatment from the church.


    At how Imented at fathers condition, brotherughed scornfully.


    Who I was referring to was you.


    Eh, me? Why?


    As I blinked my eyes at those unexpected words, he sighed back at me in a unting manner. What the heck was he trying to do.


    You do not understand? Apart from entering a lowly business, you sullied our familys social status, and finally, you have even ran out of fathers favour. What else can we call that but pitiful?


    It appears that he was speaking with sarcasm. From the start, we werent close brothers but a few years back, whenever I saw him, he was like this. Whenever he sees a human face, he would treat it as though he came across a cockroach and father would make a fuss equal in intensity. In recent times, however, I could only feel hatred from the way brother looks at me.


    Yes, I see. That is one way to look at it.


    There was not a single worth in seriously apanying in thispetition. I nodded with calmness.


    Now that he mentioned it, it was tragic. I, who have been pampered by father since I was a child, had be a target of animosity by him. It was certainly disaster for a child who has lost the love from his parent.


    In any case, father wasnt pleased with my continuous killing of ves on the operating table.


    Why that was so was odd. In this country, it should be the case that not a single hoot will be given no matter how many ves were killed, if they were your own property. In order to ensure that my research could continue safely, I made sure to check whether there was anything that was considered against the regtions beforehand. Furthermore, whether it was father or brother, it wasnt once or just twice when they killed ves who has their disfavour. And so, why am I the only one who was reproached for it? I cannot understand at all. No doubt I was consuming them at too fast a pace, but was it something worth scolding over?


    Well, I couldnt be bothered with what father thinks. As long as it does not pose any demerits to me, I couldnt care less if I was loved or hated. Not only were my research funds already covered by the sale of potions, as an adventurer, Yuni could earn an ie. Therefore, I had no need for a small allowance.


    The problem was at the very end of losing his mind, he excluded me from inheritance, but even if I was carrying out a crime  carrying out but not yet exposed  it wasnt considered impolite in terms of social etiquette. In fact, it was not like I took part in social life. Yet, father considered that there was now in what I did.


    Perhaps uninterested in my response, brother twitched his brows and stiffened his cheeks.


    ......Hmph. It looks like its impossible for you toprehend.


    Maybe. So, is that all you have to say? If that is so, I would like to be excused.


    I turned around while saying. Honestly, having a conversation with brother was tiring. Every single time we met, all he had to offer was either sarcasm or orders for me to stop my research. Even though I would have to die some day if the immortality research couldn''t bepleted. Does this person see no problem in my death?


    There was no meaning in endlessly continuing a conversation which no end could be seen. What I hated most after dying, was pointlessness.


    Just as I was about to walk back to theb,


    Speaking of which, Talese


    Obstinately, brother called out to me again.


    Where is that ve of yours? For some time now, I havent seen that ve.


    The person he was asking for was likely to be Yuni. All my ves existed for theboratory table. Generally, they died due to the effects of the experiment, or they were dealt with because I had to prevent information leak. Thats why, when he referred to a ve by that ve, it would mean the long-lived her.


    What is it, elder brother. Are you interested in Yuni? Even if you desire her, I will not give her to you.


    Supposing that this countrys king tells me to hand her over, I would have to say no. Having costed me a colossal amount of time and money, I have finally brought her to a satisfactory level. I have no intention to pass her over to a bunch of people who do not even know the alphabet A in Alchemy. All the more for this fe whom I know so very well.


    Turning my head over my shoulders to look, brother was grimacing in an extremely vexed manner.


    A ve that is the same kind as you, getting tainted by the stink of intestines, I would have to asked to be excused from that. I was simply curious.


    What a rude thing to say. We are always watching out for our hygiene. For me and for her as my helper, we were not imbeciles who couldn''t clean ourselves and remove the filthy stink. Not only do we use the bath frequently, we make sure to change our clothes too. In terms of maintaining the cleanliness of ves, I dare say we are the best in the capital  no, the entire world.


    As you know, bacterias are the source of experiments going awry. Regarding sterilisation and disinfection, I obsess over it like how I deal with corpses. I know the smell of the disinfectant could be said to be strong, but describing it as an intestinal stink was really out of question.


    Brother made a slightly pleased expression towards my faintly sullen look.


    I thought, possibly, that you have finally sacrificed that girl to your experiments.


    And now he was being more sarcastic. Saying this would be mean, but I couldnt contain myughter at his statement. Use Yuni in the experiments? From the day I bought her, I have always been doing so. Even now, I am doing that.


    I was just about to go and meet her...So then, my apologies.


    Putting an end to this fruitless and unproductive conversation, I hurried to the underground basement.


    Good grief, the long awaited day and this messed up thing happens. Despite this being the day when she finally clears the first stage.


    Well, whatever. The jeers from these people who cant understand was as good as background noise. Rather than be preupied with them, I might as well speed up the procedures.


    Because once this is done, I can finallyplete my first pawn at longst.


    Laid down above the basements operating table, she was sleeping.


    The anaesthesia was adequately showing its effect. The operation will soon be finishing. The cut from opening the head has already closed and her hair looked better than ever before.


    ......Youve worked hard, Yuni.


    I muttered while stroking her hair unconsciously.


    A flood of emotions and thoughts weighed on my chest. In the span of six years, she was my prided ve that met my expectations, received training and continued to pile up aplishments. The day when she would be more or lessplete hase. There was no way I felt nothing about this.


    She, who had her eyes shut while in a tranquil slumber, looked as beautiful as a princess from a fairytale. That was how I sincerely felt.


    She had long eyshes that decorated her closed eyelids and a straight nose that was well-shaped. In spite of losing some colour from her lips due to lost of blood from the anaesthesia, her lips still boasted of an elegance that gives the impression of petals.


    A top rate sculptor would be able to perceive the final form of his work from the gradations of a raw stone, but if that was true, I dont think I could reach great sess on that path. This was because I wasnt able to imagine six years ago, that she would transform from a broken body and shattered soul discarded at a ve market to being a beauty today. Even after I healed her, I remember being deeply awestruck by the gap before and after the operation, but the her of now who has experienced growth leaves a far deeper impression than ever before. Im sure, as she bes an adult from now on, she would probably be more beautiful.


    And I know that underneath the beautiful mould, a more profound functional beauty is lying dormant. I knew the strength and sharpness of a lunge of a sword from this slender arm. The speed and sticity of those legs when they were dashing on the ground. Skills to conceal ones presence and to discern the enemys presence. The many many stockpiled skills and knowledge. The extent of her magical power, which was the reason why I picked her, was such that even as she sleeps, the faint magical power leaking from her was enough to overwhelm me.


    Above all, the fact that all of this exists for the sake of me and acts for the sake of me was wonderful.


    From this round of operation, Yuni lost the element to disobey me. That portion that carries such a thing haspletely disappeared from her heart. Literally, word for word, her everything has be mine.


    Fufufu...


    Reflexively, my cheeks felt ckened. It was a feeling like I held on to all the treasures of the world.


    For my immortality research, the first step was just to obtain a supporter that would absolutely not betray me and yet, it felt this fulfilling. If the timees when I achieve my long cherished desire, I wonder how much exhration I would savour?


    Ahh, I wonder if this child would wake up early. There were countless of things I wanted to talk about. I wanted to talk about the next research and the next experiment with Yuni as early as possible.


    I suppressed my stray emotions. Undoing the anaesthesia and forcefully waking her up was an easy matter. However, watching her doze off calmly like this, creates a surging emotion that makes me want to, as much as possible, allow her to wake up in the most natural and mostfortable way. It was because I made her work thoroughly hard up to now and I would have her work even harder for me from now on. I want to bestow at least this much kindness.


    As I was thinking,


    Mnn...


    Yunis eyelids quivered, and opened slightly.


    Her awakening was very much earlier that expected. Could this be because of her increasing resistance to the anaesthesia?


    The once vacant jade green eyes of hers became focused, regaining an emerald glimmer.


    A cool and clear awakening that reminds one of the blooming of morning glories. I greeted her while caught up in the moment.


    Morning, Yuni.


    ......Good morning, master-sama.


    And four years passed.

 Chapter 3: Adventures of the Snake "Domestic Arc"

    Chapter 3: Adventures of the Snake "Domestic Arc"


    At a tavern, in the capital Brosenul  Testimony of a former retainer from the Obeniel Earl Family The High Court of Justice is really full of free time, huh. As you see, I am just another drunkard. Something like the dirt that emerges when you hit something, or like the tab at the tavern. Gahahahaa.


    Yeah, it is as you say. Even though I look like this, back in the past I was given the title of First Generation Knight. I was unstoppable, they said. Thanks to that, there was a little brawl at the tavernand that was how I returned to being a good-for-nothingmoner.


    So, uhh, what do you want to ask me about? You will be treating me for tonight, right? In return, I will answer anything you ask.


    ...Obeniel? You are asking about the session matter in the Obeniel Family?


    Ha, hahahaa!


    Ill be lost for words if you are joking with me. Everything at that house is going without a hitch, since the eldest son inherited the position of family head without a problem. If youre poking at that, you are just wasting your time, uh huh.


    Or could it be that? What they call political tussling between bigwigs above the clouds? Royal court factional disputes? If that was the case, it would have been tough on the young master. That the stomach would be felt when there was no pain, and that he would be under house arrest until the session finished.


    Oh, right. Indeed, I worked for their family. That I was rewarded for my long years of service, decorated as a knight and honoured was also thanks to the master-sama  the previous generation head of family, who had passed away recently. Well, at the very end, he ruined himself, and the person who kicked off sand with their hindlegs towards his kindness was none other than me.


    That being said. I myself am deeply indebted towards that family. Thats why, even if you slit my throat, I wont be saying a bunch of half-truths that would trouble them.


    Eh? I am mistaken? Not the tug of war between aristocrats? Something that personally interests you?


    ...Mister, I am not going to be saying nasty stuff. Creating smoke where there is no fire will earn me not a single copper coin. In this world, yeah, each and every one of us know that there is no point in going against the flow. Anything but being a nuisance to others. That is where I draw the line.


    So, what is it that you are curious about? I have already drank the alcohol, er, rather, the ship has sailed. Ill listen to your questions instead of the other things going on in the tavern.


    Youre saying that the session of the household by the eldest son went too smoothly? Why instead of a session dispute, the other side, the second son backed down so easily?


    ...What, thats it?


    The residence I was in back then, how much do I know about that second son or whatever young master?


    Uh-huh? He was child prodigy who studied alchemy on his own in spite of his young age, a shrewd fe who sold in bulk the potions he concocted on his own and was also the prodigy that the neighbouring countrys magic academy invited. Surely, just by hearing this, others have said that he was more suitable to seed the family instead of the mediocre elder brother. Hahahaa!


    Still, well. Shall we look at it from another perspective? That guy, how useful would he be if he was the head of the Earl Family, would ya say?


    I dont wanna badmouth the former masters son but an alchemist is, after all, just a vulgar fraudster. From dubious prescriptions that cannot be distinguished between poison or medicine, to tall tales of transmuting lead to gold, andst but not least, immortality too! There must be a limit to big talk. There is no way a parent would want to pass the role of family head to a child who wears such a hat. From what I heard, that master-sama absolutely refused to drink the medicine his son prepared even on his deathbed. Well, that was the extent of it.


    Even peddling potions in the city isnt eptable. Isnt that right? For the big shots, it isnt their job to do trade. Their job should be making their subordinates do trade. They arent allowed to put on the shoes of others.


    To begin with, he spent only a year abroad at the acimed Academy before getting expelled? What in the world was he guilty of?


    Yes, I have no idea what happened over there. Im sure youll just need to do a bit of sniffing to find out, but young master Talese  the second son in question  before entering the Academy, he gave the knights the sack.


    You should be able to understand from this much right? From the start, he wasnt a suitable vessel to inherit the Earl Family. Hence, he wasnt a fe that would carry the entire family on his shoulders. Even with nobody running the show, it wasnt like the family would copse and disperse. Therefore, that was how the elder son became the head of family with little resistance.


    Is that enough for you? You get it now? That the young master did not be the family head waspletely something he brought on himself. There was not one bit of the plot that could be extolled at a cheap opera.


    ...Yeah. Had that eerie brat inherited the Obeniel Family, it wouldnt be strange if the entire Family went downhill.


    ...Everything was just about toe to an end too.


    ...This way, it is good as it is.


    Huh? Whaddya say?


    You are asking me how I feel about that young master?


    Heh, hehehe


    Youll be hearing some unpleasant stuff, mister.


    Ahh, thats right...It seems like tonights alcohol expenses is going into this sickening conversation, but this must be what they call a confession. Suppressing everything in the heart alone is, in any case, this way...holding back is no good. Spilling out everything can be some fun, yup.


    I was afraid. No, wrong. Even now, I am afraid.


    You ask if he was that violent of a child? Wrong, you are mistaken. Just that one thing, just that alone is kinda good


    Its theplete opposite. He was really a calm child. I have never once seen him lift his hand against the servants. Even in selfishness, I hardly remember him saying things like that, except when it had to do with his expensive hobby of alchemy. I do recall him asking for allowance in advance a few times, but if the previous head told him off strongly, he would back off docilely. Yes, him starting the sale of potions was also because he needed another source of funds apart from his allowance.


    Ya know, after mullin over it a tad bit, doesnt it feel disgusting? Aristocratic children, no matter how well-bred and disciplined they are, usually cannot shut out their dislikes and selfishness. On the contrary, I have one or two memories that hint towards some kinda ambition in im. That is, as though he was an adult in the body of a child, he was good at being obedient. To thest, the only selfishness that stuck through was that he wanted to continue his alchemy research. That was the only thing he would never back down on.More than anything else, just that alone


    What is it? You think he is just like any other obedient child if that is all?


    Yes, lets see... If that was all there was, I would have settled with that conclusion too.


    Though, if you knew what happened, yeah? Thinking back upon it, I can only feel that his usual behaviour was incredibly eerie.


    At first it was just weird...back when that young master bought his first ve. Yes, yes, as you know, he was brilliant since his toddler days, but still he never once took the stance of someone who stood above others. Yes, as the head of family said, it was a chance. If I remember correctly, that was when that guy  pardon me, when the young master was around eight years old. He was still a child and if he properly taught, he shouldve been able to wash his hands from the likes of alchemy  that might be what was on his mind then. At that time, the one acting as both attendant and bodyguard to him was me.


    Though it was an aristocrat buying a ve, he was still a child. He wouldnt be forking out arge sum. Therefore, he rummaged through the ves in order of price, from the lowest.


    ...The ve that the young master chose was in an extremely severe condition. From behind, I could tell that she was a weess. The seller must have been a crazy despicable fe. Her face was beaten and swollen, her consciousness cloudy as she stood on the brink of death. A wretched state. What I meant by from behind was that, as long as her injuries werent treated, I couldnt tell if she was male or female. In all likeliness, her parents must have incurred the wrath of somebody, and because of that, she was specifically tormented, and despite that, she barely managed to survive, hence, instead of killing and throwing her away, she was sold off to the ve market. Right, she was definitely wasnt fit for sale. After all, she was a child and ass at that. Selling her with that kind of motive, her spirit musta been shattered, yea? Assuming she was treated, she would probably bear conspicuous scars thereafter, and lets not forget it was still questionable if she would live after receiving treatment. That was the kind of situation she was in.


    Yes, he bought that ve. He was deep in thought for a moment, but he came down to a firm decision. In any case, it seemed that she wielded magical powers. Furthermore, she was an unbelievably superior good in such a cheap ve market. Surely they thought she couldnt be sold in her condition, so she was priced ordingly. They didnt think she was at a level where an aristocrat would take notice and buy her. The one who panicked was me. If I passively let him buy a ve in that terrible state, as the one who was ordered to attend to the young master, I wonder what the head of family would say.


    Right on the money, when I got back, he red up. What the heck is that inauspicious thing, throw it away! No, kill it right away! That was how it was. It was pitiful, but wasnt she a dying ve? The young un didnt try to cover for me and as soon as he got back, he avoided everyone. It seemed as if he would take care of her until she died when he brought her down to the basement in a rush. And then, he isted himself with her in the basement. His Father could do nothing about it and gave up, letting him do as he pleased.


    From then, about a week passed. The young master revealed his face from the basement at longst. Oh, besides that, that ve might have finally kicked the bucket, that was what I thought.


    A girl I have never seen before stood by his side. She appeared to be around six. She was fair skinned and had big eyes; certainly she would be a fine beauty when she grows up. However, she was covered in bandages and her face was uncannily doll-like.


    Yes, she must be the ve bought just the other day. That half-dead half-living ve, who still looked like she was dying, should have had a ruined face. You might not believe it, but she seemed to have been fully healed. A child, barely eight years old, aplished it with his alchemy.


    Even I had difficulties believing my own eyes. Recovery magic is, cmon, not something that unexpectedly amodating, right?


    Among my acquaintances too, there was a guy who quit being a knight, with a strange twist of fate, after recovering from a bone fracture. From how I saw it, that girls face was purposely shaped that way. Nevertheless, she recovered with not a single scar or blemish. Rather than feelings of admiration, doesnt this send shivers down your spine? No matter how intelligent he was, it was something beyond the capabilities of a child. I cannot even begin to imagine something worse than that.


    After that, if he had raised the girl properly, I might have seen him in a different light. He worked her considerably hard.


    Whats with that? It probably isnt that big of a dealif ves were just treated roughly? Well, had it just been the ordinary kind, I wouldnt bat an eye but his was of a different nature. Now, now, just listen up.


    First, in the morning, the maids were borrowed and under their guidance, etiquette would be driven into her head. Well, that much was understandable. From the start, she was a ve purchased in order to allow him to practice training servants. That much cannot be avoided.


    However, in the afternoon  this is where I start to notprehend. He brought her out of the mansion and to the ins in the outskirts...and there, she was made to run non-stop. A race? Nope, not that. The young master simply watched her in silence the whole time. At the start, shested for 30 minutes, and as she became used to it, she ran longer bit by bit until the sun set. I had no idea what was happening.


    When night fell, she became a helper for his alchemy experiments. The young master was selling potions to merchants, right? That was what she was helping with. Apart from these, she was also made to do many other things.


    The girl herself was very obedient. Well, I suppose she was worked as hard as those farmer brats.


    And, it was when she became used to that lifestyle. This time, it was weapons training. Not the young master, but the girl. At that time, I finally understood. Making her run around those grasnds were for this purpose. That is to build her foundations. When she was purchased and brought home, she was very weak, so she had to start from physical strength. Once that was done...he made her, a girl younger than himself of all people to choose from, wield the sword. I was so shocked, I couldnt say a word.


    Yes, I epted. It was the request from the son of the head after all. I wasnt too invested in it, but the ve who begged me for guidance was frightfully serious. Once, I tried asking her. Why was she so enthusiastic about it?


    And so, the girl replied tly. It was to protect her master-sama, she said without any hesitation. No matter how much obedience magic was on her, it was still praiseworthy that he brought out her servility to this extent.


    When she became reasonably good with the sword, next, it was magic. I somehow paid adventurers money to employ them as teachers. The money was from the proceeds from the sale of potions. Ultimately, the young master took an eye to her because she possessed magic. Compared to her sword training, I fully understood. But why go so far with a ve?


    In the first ce, if he was employing teachers, wouldnt it be better if he was the one learning magic? Rather than some mafia-like business, the job of a magician was far more prestigious. Since there were cases of court magicians gaining peerage.


    And, what happened next, you ask? Well, it seemed she became good enough to be considered a decently skilled adventurer. She went out in search for stuff the young master wanted and also did other requests to make some money. Its some miserly tale isnt it? Even as a joke, the son from an Earl Family shouldnt be raising a ve for these kind of things. Instead of making a ve a trainee adventurer, couldnt he directly make a request to the adventurers guild? In the first ce, it was because doing so would be so troublesome that the guild was established. That would be mistaking the insignificant for the essential.


    What? That much is no big deal? You dont particrly see a problem in his entric way of using ves?


    ...True that. Though, this is just the tip of the iceberg. From now on, its the real deal.


    Please dont hurry me, mister. In no way is this some boastful talk. I wanted to leave this for the end as much as possible, yar.


    That guy  the young master, bought another ve, not long after buying his first ve. It seemed around the time when his potions were selling well. Without the help of the family head, this time, he bought a ve with his own savings.


    Nevertheless, that ve died. Even when the first one he bought, was still alive and kicking despite her initial condition. I think the ve didnt evenst for half a year. Before the second ve died, he had bought his third ve. It wasnt something I paid close attention to, yeah. The fourth person was...was it the fourth? I dont really know One day, the ve girl that was bought first, carried the corpse of a ve I have never seen before on a cart out to throw it. Other than just that girl being under that guys  the young masters instructions to leave the mansion, there were also other unknown ves that brought more unknown ves corpse out to throw.


    Yes, that guy was killing those ves.


    Hahaha...you are making quite the mystified face huh? Mystified as to why he had no qualms about killing ves despite not raising his hand to his retainers and maids or throwing tantrums at his family.


    Oh, nope. I aint criticising him. Certainly, I agree. That those ves do not have citizen rights. Since they are just belongings. Thats how it is written in thews of this country too. The same goes for Sankt Gallen and Marlbair. If theyre just belongings, even destroying them  killing them, is not even on par with kidnapping. Its up to the owners. All depends on their moods, yeah.


    My way of speaking was poor, really. Rather than killing, it was torture. Without a care for their cries or screams, he let them die in the end.


    No, wrong. What you said was that he might be sadistic?


    He was something different, I believe. From my long years working at that family and also from the rumours of other families, I learnt quite a bit. It wasnt just my second or third time hearing about masters from whichever family having a strange habit of strangling womens necks when he felt like it or masters who find it pleasing to whip mistresses whoe from lowly backgrounds.


    Yes, yes. There are many people with peculiar pastimes in this world. Among them, there must be people who enjoy killing or enjoy necrophilia, arent there? Wouldnt you say that it is harmless if he just stops at ves instead of citizens with rights or, much less to say, other aristocrats?


    That guy is...that monster isnt something that simple.


    Calmly! He did so calmly! Regardless of whether the person was crying, screaming, groaning, dying! He doesnt cry, rage,ugh or rejoice! His frozen snake eyes follows the ves as they writhe and die!


    Ahh, no, wrong. I was wrong. Totally wrong! His reaction was that of indifference. However...right, he did say those were part of his experiments. Yes, indeed. Alchemy experiments, he said. He fed the ves drugs, gave them injections, cut their skulls or stomachs open while they were still alive and dissected them when they died...unbelievable. Doing all that calmly, when he was just a brat!


    When they grimaced in pain and died as he had nned, he would snickle! Yes, it went perfectly, he would say! The experiment was a sess! When it doesnt go as expected and the ves die, he would click his tongue! God dammit, what the heck was that guy saying!? What did he think the lives of ves amounted to? Doing all that...it was as though he was a demon!


    Yes, right. At longst, the family head couldnt take it and rushed to the church, iming his son had been possessed by a demon. ...However, the pastor diagnosed him to be clean! How can that be possible, such utter bullshit!? If that wasnt the deed of a demon, then what else could that be!?


    Thats right, it was all his fault that the master was at a loss. At first, he ignored it while feeling disgusted. And he was an aristocrat too. Just the ughtering of ves. B-but yknow!? He was doing it every single day, countless of people! How many did that guy kill in the residence!?


    Dead in the night, there would be a open fire in the courtyard! I knew what it was, it was a cremation! ves, who were pale as sheets, were transporting dead ves on wagons, and flinging them into the fire! While in fear of being next! Argh, damn! I remembered! The burning smell of meat mixed with medicine  till today! Even today!


    Ugh!?


    Oup...ough


    Ugehhhhhhh!!


    .


    Oopsies, I lost control there. Hehe, hehehe


    But yknow, I aint spouting lies here?


    Really, that monster really is abnormal.


    It started when he turned eight, yeah? A normal brat would still be in his runny-nosed years, but hes still...still going against providence. I kid you not.


    Yes, that is so. That was when I started to escape by indulging in liquor. He put in effort in silencing the ves as much possible, and was afraid of public scrutiny, but I was appointed the role of patrolling the mansion as if it was karma. I saw it many times over. That hell, countlessly


    Mister, you dont believe me? You totally cannot believe me at all, right?


    Hehehe...I forgot, this is just some nonsense from a drunkard...if that aint it, it would just be the imaginary prattling of a crazy bastard...fufufu.


    But theres nay helping it...I must have gone nuts...since I saw that


    As for him, maybe he was insane too...thats right, he must have been insane...that demon and...that girl who sticks by his side all the time


    2. At the adventurers guild, in the capital Brosenul  Testimony of the receptionist Wee to the adventurers guild! Are you looking for quests today?


    Eh? No? You are here to ask questions? On behalf of the Court of Justice?


    N-no, no. Over here, were as sound as a bell, we definitely do not engage in activities that warrant extra supervision from above.


    ...Ahh, its about an adventurer that registered with us? Phew, you gave me a scare.


    No, its nothing. Yes. And so, what would you like to hear about?


    An employee of the Obeniel Family? A person who takes on primarily material collection quests? Huh. What has the child done?


    Uh-huh. So you want to investigate on the incongruent points surrounding the session and you wish to learn more about the people involved with the second son?


    I understand. If that is the case, we will dly cooperate. Well, I dont think we would be of much help regarding the session issue though.


    Yes, I remember clearly. Since that oddball was always standing out.


    When was that though, since that happened a long time back...and what is it? With that gaze of yours.


    Har, how old am I? M-my age has nothing to do with this right!? Isnt it alright to work until whatever age I want! Its my personal discretion isnt it!?


    Ah.


    ...Ahem. I beg your pardon.


    We were on the topic of that child, right? Yes, she was indeed a child that leaves a deep impression. Everything about her from top to bottom was strange.


    From the time she registered with the guild,she towered above the rest. It was weird. Anyhow, she was such a small child.


    That is so. We are not even sure if she is ten years old. Moreover, she was a girl.


    I was quite shocked...when I noticed a carriage bearing a snake insignia had stopped in front of the guild, a noble child and his attendant maid got off. I initially guessed that he was the client for a quest. It was rare for a child to be the client, but obviously, he was an aristocrat so that was possible. Perhaps he seeded the family at a young age and maybe had one or two important errands that he wanted the guild to put requests for. However, I was mistaken.


    That child came to register as an adventurer, you see. Yes, that young master, the second son of the Obeniel Family said so himself.


    I was taken aback. What are you saying, child? Are you sane? If he asked to register himself, I would be able to understand, just barely. It wasmon to see boys yearning to be adventurers, and there were cases of aristocrats bing adventurers when they werent inheriting the family. That being said, the person he wanted to register was his attendant maid. I asked him to repeat a few times, but he would reply that it was this child each time.


    So, I took a good look, and the thing was, the tiny-looking maid-san wore a cor. A silver crude-looking cor. Yes, it was a ve cor.


    Well, registering ves as adventurers was, umm, not totally unheard of. There were parties that had ves to carry their luggage or to act as meatshields when the time calls for it. Or on the extreme, a rich person might form an all-ve party and use them fully until they were wiped out, that kind of stuff.


    Still...a girl? Furthermore, she was a cute doll-like and slim girl with a fairplexion. No matter how you think of it, rather than giver her the job of an adventurer, I think she should have remained as a maid.


    Not only would that not pose a problem to the system, it would also be totally up to the owner to use his ve too. And yet, wasnt what he was doing throwing aside all face and rational thinking?


    And thats why, just to make sure, I asked. Do you really want to be an adventurer? I said to the ve child. It is written officially in the regtions that, A requirement to be an adventurer is that the person intends to go adventuring. With this, if the child was unwilling, I would have called it off.


    Well, had the obedience magic been used beforehand and she was instructed to say Yes when being asked like that, then it couldnt be helped. Nevertheless, the person who brought her was a child too. I was sure that he would be caught in this trick of mine.


    And next? Somehow the child agreed readily without stumbling. She was willing from her heart.


    How did I know? Though there might be obedience magic, it is still unable to change ones intentions. With resistance from ves themselves, orders that bend ones will would make ves behave slowly and hesitantly. Still, that child showed none of that. It really was her own desire.


    I epted the registration since there was nothing more I could do. I am a receptionist, after all.


    It may sound harsh, but in this field, the fundamental principles are freedom and self-responsibility. Freedom is to allow one to be an adventurer even if it is illogical. Freedom is to allow one to take on requests that are beyond their abilities. Freedom is to allow one to die for the aforementioned reason. I cannot hinder a person who wanted to be an adventurer from doing so. Naturally, as befitting of my position, I would earnestly rmend that they take quests which are aligned with their abilities whenever possible. Since this concerns the trust between us and the requesting client too.


    Ahh, my apologies. I veered off topic.


    That childs name was...her name was Yuni. She did not have a surname. She registered at the age of ten. Her registered ss  a name that reflects ones signature moves and job scope  was Spellsword.


    Isnt this amazing? A Spellsword is, among the adventurers, a start amongst the stars. Wielding both magic and the sword, a Spellsword can easily deal with any situation. Saying it from the mouth is easy, but it isnt just about innate talent, it has to beplemented with a correspondingly high level of training to be fit for this ss. Bluntly speaking, it isnt something a ve can be, much less a ten year old girl.


    Oh, yes. From what I overheard, there was a puzzling request from the Obeniel Family many years ago. Anyways, it was something about requesting for adventurers to teach skills to a ve. The request was handled by a senior of mine, and when I heard about it, I thought to myself that there really existed weird aristocrats, but now, on hindsight, it was in order to train her, I suppose.


    Obviously, she became famous in a blink of an eye. She was a ve, a girl, a Spellsword and a maid to boot. A clump of controversies.


    Had she anything to do with maids, you ask? Of course, she had. That child, for some reason, was wearing a maid uniform. Even when she came to take requests, or to receive rewards or when shopping in town  always. Most likely, she dons that outfit when she goes adventuring too. Thats what the rumours, originating from the towns gatekeepers, say about her. They said they let a cored maid with a sword through. Weird, right?


    It wasnt just one or two asions when other parties caught wind of the rumours and asked the owner to sell her to them. As you know, she is a ve and if the owner was agreeable, her status was such that her very self was a tradable product. It is human nature for a buyer to want to get their hands on an excellent rookie. And to top it off, since she had a beautiful appearance, dont you think she has the makings of an extraordinary meal, if you get what I mean? Well, the young master did not part with her in the end.


    You ask how she fared as an adventurer? Undisputedly ster. Because she did not form parties and went solo  what you may term as a lone wolf  she did not go forrge-scale quests which required the strength of numbers. However, her requestpletion rate exceeded 90 per cent. Most of her failed quests were due to other adventurers who booked it and established a lead. For a solo who does mainly exploration and item finding quests, she probably surpasses the skill level of a ranger.


    She stopped at rank C, but if she took on most quests like how other normal parties do, I believe she would be A ss by now. Originally, the right to give yourself a nickname is reserved for rank Bs and above, but for her, we made an exception and allowed her to do so at rank C. Currently, she is known as Yuni the Silver Wolf and her name has spread so wide that if you are an adventurer in these parts, but didnt know her name, chances are you are an illegal adventurer.


    Huh, you cannot grasp the extent of her abilities? A rank A adventurer might be tasked to subjugate dragons. Does that make it easier to understand? An incident that requires the mobilisation of an army of significant size can be dealt with the capabilities of a few rank As  or possibly just one alone. . Right, she has no impressive achievements that can be examined for reference, but from my standpoint, she is doubtlessly a rank A.


    Just that, well...she is a troublemaker. She was a docile girl and was not the type to start a tussle. After all, she stands out doesnt she? Adventurers are a capricious lot who live acting fancifully and showing off. Among these brutes, as long as you are too outstanding, youll be embroiled in conflicts in no time.


    For example, let me see


    It happened when she was still a beginner, I guess? There was a group of three peopleing from some other ce to the capital. And so, like her who came to take on a request, they came to book a request they wanted to do. And the case was that the other side was senior ,rger in numbers and whats more, male. They took a high-handed position and rmended that she hand over the request. However, she didnt back down. That child became an adventurer in order to secure funds and desired materials used for research for her master-sama. Basically, she wanted to have the request in order to gain permission to enter the hunting ground which is normally restricted for entry.


    Thus, one of the members of the party exploded in anger. Since she was wearing a cor, they could tell she was a ve with a nce. If they let this ve make light of them, wouldnt their future progression be doomed? As I mentioned earlier, it wasmon sense that ves were sacrificial pawns made to carry luggage. Hence, they thought all they had to was to show her some pain and she would back down quietly. Using just their hands, they tried to smash her and send her flying.


    Right, emphasis on tried. That child nimbly dodged and dealt with the ones who made a move on her by tripping them, making them fall in an unsightly manner. That made me chuckle. No, looking back on the incident, I didnt think it was something funny though.


    By now you should be able to guess what happenedter, yes? In front of crowd and a very busy one at that, they became notorious for getting lightly dealt with by a tiny girl. A great disgrace. Under these circumstances, whatever they do would just be piling shame upon shame, yeah, since it got so out of hand. Like this, they seethed with murderous intent. Youre just a ve, what are you trying to pull!


    And so was Yuni resentful of them, you ask? She wasnt an ordinary person though. No matter how much she was denounced as a ve, she kept a clear andposed look. What is a ve anyway?


    That was the feel of it. She must be loyal to her master-sama from the bottom of heart huh, I thought at that moment. Still, that kind of attitude of hers just added more fuel to the fire. Even though it would have been all good if the chap who attacked her first and the others gave up then, they said it. Insults to her master-sama, that is.


    ...Please dont ask me for the details? By any chance, if word gets to that child, my life would be in danger.


    And, by the time I realised what happened, the area became a bloodbath. She really did it, that child. A quick job that even my eyes couldnt keep up with. I remember that scene where the breeze blew with a whoosh. Despite being indoors. She must have used some gale-type magic. She drew a one handed sword, connected it with a swing and brought down one person. She used magic to deal with the remaining two with her other free hand, one by one. That was what happened, I think...since I couldnt catch sight of it, its just conjecture. Can you believe it? A ten year old girl, freely ying three men who were greater in age, body and probably experience in adventuring? Had I not known how that girl operates, I would most likely be having nightmares.


    She was meless. The loss of a battle between fellow adventurers was decided by death. They are a lot who spend their years battling monsters, and consequently, many of them were quick to pick a fight. Furthermore, most of them have fighting ability appropriate to their way of life, therefore, mediating would be a pain. Thats why, well, dying in that kind of situation meant that the dying person was in the wrong. A person worthy of the name adventurer adventures day in, day out, and it is the maxim that they protect themselves in these adventures. Of course, if someone murdered ordinary townsfolk, they would be emunicated from the guild and be made a subjugation target, though.


    Leaving that aside, the real scary part starts from here. It being a one-sided ughter rather than them killing one another, made it all the more scarier.


    She was shaking. She was an expressionless girl who was always quiet, smileless and did not even sulk. That was the first time Ive seen her emotions thrown off bnce. Large tears welled up in her eyes and she bawled her eyes red. At first, I got the wrong idea. That, ah, Yuni was indeed a girl. That crying in regret after murder was something likely for a girl.


    However. She might have been a newbie, but she was still an adventurer. Someday, when she gets used to her requests, she will find bandit subjugation requests among them. If Im not mistaken, that young master did show interest in a portion of the stolen goods and negotiated directly with the requester to obtain them in exchange for the reward money. ...She had already killed people. I remember her plopping down a leather bag containing a freshly severed head as proof ofpleting that request. It totally killed the mood.


    In that case, I considered if she would be arrested and punished but that wont happen. Since she knew how to read and was a serious person by nature, she should have remembered the rules of the guild. I did pass her the rules of the guild when she was registered. She should at least know that there would not be any punishments regarding her case.


    And so, I asked her even though it would have been great if Id just kept quiet. Yuni-chan, whats the matter? Wasnt that question out-of-ce? Id likely lost it after witnessing the blood sprays and smelling the intense reek of blood. I usually wont be near such scenes. Saying such a thing to a child who had killed just a moment ago. Despite knowing that a calm human would consider this being a child killing an ouw.


    She replied. Saying that she went against the instructions of her master-sama. That she did that despite being told not to start disputes.


    ...I could hear my own blood changing colour. I felt cold sweat flowing profusely. That there were monsters that bore such resemnce to humans. A monster that I could never hope to understand by way of thinking or behaviour. In fact, it felt like it had suddenly appeared in the middle of town. I mean, is this the first thought of a person who just killed someone? Before feeling guilt or fear from punishment, her first concern was her master, you know?


    I cannotprehend her reasoning. I had believed that she was that afraid of being punished but it appears that I was wrong. From what she said, her master-sama was benevolent. That he would smile and forgive her for any small mistakes. And yet, she went ahead and disobeyed his instructions because she was pampered so. She said she was afraid that she turned out to be such a bad ve.


    She must have been flustered too. That scenario of her describing clearly her true feelings, was the first and thest. Though that is as far as I have heard. She was baring out such a unique and crazy way of thinking after all. My brain couldnt keep up. I felt a terrible nausea, but it wasnt just because of the disastrous scene. ...I was afraid. In front of me, was a ten year old child crying uncontrobly. The reason for her crying was still ambiguous.


    And what next, you ask? There was nothing I could do so I called for her master-sama. That child cried for as long as she stood, so I wanted him toe and take her back. I wanted the shepherd who could precisely control that unfathomable living thing, to help bring her back home quickly. I mean, isnt that the case? Not only does she kill others without hesitation, I do not know what goes through in her head at all. That being is constantly in a state that goes beyond the boundaries of reason. That is enough to be considered terrifying.


    That young master, the distinguished son of the Obeniel Family, made a cant be helped expression before apanying me. With really quick steps. Because it took great pains to exin the situation to the residences doorkeepers. He was a friendly person to an extent where you wouldnt think he was an aristocrat. Oh, uh, sorry. You were from the High Court of Justice and are an aristocrat too. That was a slip of the tongue.


    And so, the young master brought that child back and the day ended. She was amazing, you know. As soon as the young master arrived, she got onto her knees. There was a puddle of dried blood on the floor but she didnt seem to notice at all. Her beautiful appearance unshowered by a single spurt of blood was stained red in the time it takes to say ah. It was unforgettable. While going down on her hands and knees, she apologised many times over by saying, I am sorry, I am sorry. The young masters reaction? ...He smiled and forgave her. Yes, he was a really valiant and broad-minded person. In addition, he possessed wisdom. After hearing what happened, he quickly guessed that the party she fought with were wanderers not from these parts. He consoled her by telling her that it didnt seem like they would have backers in this area, so it wasnt that serious of a fight. Wasnt he a kind master? The bad impression that I had when he first brought her here was instantly blown away.


    ...What is it? I am making a weird expression?


    Eh? You ask if I didnt feel anything scary or weird from her master?


    Ahaha, please stop. I have no reason to think like that of her master, right? I mean, cmon, right? Judging based on our conversation here, right?


    Please guess my answer. Really. I beseech of you.


    Well, these kinds of things happen. From then on, whenever the adventurers in these parts spot a maid, they would pay attention as to whether that maid had a cor on her. Sometimes, there would be freshies who are unaware of that and upon incurring her wrath, they would disappear into an unknown darkness or something like that. Such a ghost story is also prevalent here. Ahahaha.


    There seems to be several simr cases like that, but the one that leaves the biggest impression on me was this incident. After all, it happened before my very eyes. My liver went cold, honestly.


    Ahh, besides that.


    Please do not get me wrong here? Ive said quite a fair bit but I do not really dislike her. I see her often on a normal basis, she always behaves seriously, and above all, she was talented. Though, she is a little hard to understand, gives full priority to her masters affairs and thinks very little of killing others. I can say this because I have been in this industry for a long time. I have grown used to seeing people who are different from others or people who are broken somewhere. Theres a fairlyrge proportion of these kind of people, yeah? Of course, her level of anomaly was rare though.


    But, just but. For an adventurer, some level of madness would make it a right fit for the job.


    For a first-rate adventurer, if they aplish one big job, they can profit enough to live enjoyably for awhile. It was an amount that amoner would never be able to make in his whole life. Nevertheless, there exist a whole lot of them who are never satisfied and would continue braving the risk. Despite there being the danger of forfeiting ones life with a single blunder, no matter what kind of job it is. They would gleefully poke their heads into quarrels and continue stepping intobyrinths. Dont you find that weird? Everyst one of them wore down their minds by continuously putting lives on the edge. Surely, they have a loose screw somewhere. And so, for these people, when they be absurdly skillful, they get out of hand.


    Thats why I have a hypothesis. A person being mad somewhere is, in some way, a requirement to be a top-notch adventurer. Humans who stand in ces where ordinary people wouldnt, would naturally possess something different in their hearts. In that case, she is unmistakably top-notch, I guess. In fact, the job is perfect for her. If the master doesnt want to let her thread on a tigers tail, we would not have any qualms on our part. Adventurer is the perfect calling for her. Though her real job is a ve maid.


    Can I say whether she is here?


    Unfortunately, we had to relinquish our valuable talent.


    Yes, regarding the master studying abroad, I heard he was at Sankt Gallen. Truly wasted. Though, I hear he has returned as of recent. Still, I havent seen him at all. Maybe he is busy with work at his residence? Well, there is no doubt she is with her master.


    If you do meet with that child, please send my regards. Also tell her, please do consider doing some quests at our guild when shes free. I am still somewhat apprehensive about her, but as long as I do not meddle unnecessarily, she would be a reliable person.


    To her master...please tell him to hold onto her reins tightly. Yes, thats all I can think of to say to him.


    Still, about this conversation, is it really rted to the session matter?

 Chapter 4: Adventures of the Snake

    Chapter 4: Adventures of the Snake


    3. At Sankt Gallen Federation: Galerin Magic Academy  Testimony of Professor, Pow Egbelt von uman.


    Wee to this, far, farawaynd. I cant offer much hospitality, but you may make yourself at home.


    Anyways, this is really... wow. The Alcael Kingdoms High Court of Justice is surprisingly blessed with human resources. Although its just for an investigation of an Earl Familys session, you guys actually sent people to other countries.


    What? You came here to investigate things you wanted to know? Its not an official dispatch but by your own leave? That you came here out of pocket and not with taxpayer money?


    Hahahahaa! Wow, wow, Im impressed! Your hunger for knowledge , your aspiring passion and your curiosity! Absolutely wonderful! To us alchemists, this quality is the most necessary! More so than magic to shake the Heavens and the Earth or the intellect which see through all nature!


    How about it, dear guest? Wanna join me as my disciple? You are still young arent you? Starting out this path now isntte at all, yeah?


    ...Not interested? I see, its a pity.


    Well, alright. Lets get to the main point.


    So its about that Oubeniel? That guy was truly an excellent student. He was enrolled for merely 1 year, 1 month and 23 days, but in that timespan, he left behind contributions which cannot be counted with all my fingers and toes. That level of talent was in the history of our alchemist course...no, rather, even if you unravelled the entire schools history, therell be nobody as talented as him. Its most disappointing. If he didnt drop out of school midway, he might be using his smarts as my right hand right now, or perhaps, he might be sitting in my position.


    Oh? Isnt that an exceedingly surprised expression you are making. You find it unbelievable that I amvishing praise on him?


    It seems that you must have heard quite some negative rumours about him beforeing here.


    That is unavoidable. The history of alchemy is the history of battling prejudice and misunderstanding. Just by hearing the name itself, people would be filled with of misconceptions and misunderstandings. Alchemy  the act of converting iron or lead into gold, among the numerous people who tried it, only one seeded. The metamorphosis of the material and evolution of the soul to a higher-order spirit...that was the original aim of alchemy. There are imposters who heard about alchemy and would do some monkey imitation of it randomly, by dyeing iron the colour yellow just for appearances. And yet, the fools of the world spread what they have seen, as though that was the true nature of alchemy  as if alchemy is just another thing that fraudsters do. This happened more than 400 years ago. The people of the world are still dancing to such rotten rumours.


    Hrm. Looks like I caught your attention. How bout it, guest? I would like to hear one or two anecdotes about the him you know and your impression of him. It should be interesting to judge how your country perceive alchemy through your evaluation of him. Anyways, just listening to me talking alone would make this somewhat dry. A souvenir in the form of a tale wouldnt be bad.


    ...Deplorable.


    As expecting, gaining eptance from the world is surprisingly difficult.


    ...mm? What?


    Arent I angry, you ask? Whether I am bothered by his way of trampling on a skill which I put in so much effort to learn?


    For the present, I dont really think much of it.


    Human experimentation? The use of ves? Nobles are blue-blooded beings, doesnt it not matter how much dirty blood they shed? What kind of crime can that be ssified anyways? Thews of your country are shadowy, but I do remember that thews for treatment of ves is roughly the same as other countries. Hm, so there really is no difference. Then there shouldnt be a problem.


    What? His acts were twisted? Certainly it wasnt something fanciful to see. But, what of it?


    In the first ce, alchemy is something that resides with the truth of the world and the secrets of life. And, the truth is more often than not, cruel, and most likely, life itself is something that possesses many dirty facets. Think about it, you must have held a woman before. ...What are you blushing for? This isnt something to be embarrassed about. Isnt the interaction between males and females a ritual with a lofty vision to bring about the next generation of life? Hn?


    I am going off topic? Hahahahah, what are you saying. I am just using an analogy to make this easier for you to understand.


    You think this discussion of holding woman is some vulgarmoner gossip dont you? The natural act of intercourse to make children shouldnt be spoken of overtly huh? This and that Oubeniel dudes experiments are on the same axle. For all living things, by searching every nook and cranny, we would discover their vulgar, ugly and disgusting aspects. Take our meals for example. For humans, if we dont eat, well starve to death wont we? Thats why we eat our meals. We eat to fill our bellies, to regain our energy, so that we may live to tomorrow. Now then, what happens to the food we ate? No matter how appetising the food was, as long as it enters the mouth, it is diced by teeth, run through by the tongue and smeared by saliva...it bes a miserable sight. Later it enters the guller, falls into the stomach and is digested until not a single trace of it remains. That means, no matter how effort the chef puts into decorating the food, it is as good as an ugly slime. Whats more, it enters the intestines, have its nutrition and moisture absorbed into the body finally, it is expelled from the buttocks as excretion. Yes, shit. Gourmet food eaten by royalty or wheat porridge eaten by lowlymoners, as long as they are eaten, they end up as shit or puke.


    The same goes for research. Whether you like it or not, without facing that kind of ugliness, one would be unable to progress.


    Let''s assume that a diarrhoeal disease is endemic in this country. If the outbreak is to be suppressed, the patients stinky and dirty excretion, which can be as formless as drool, has to be examined in detail. How did it be like that? What has to be done to bring the patients body back to a state when they excrete normal shit with normal frequency? Without putting in serious thought, it wont work out. His experiments do exist for a prolonged period too. To the untrained, it must appear creepy and cold-blooded.


    What was the objective of Oubeniels research? Hmm, he was an all-rounded individual after all. As long as it drew his interest, he would expend whatever he can on it. From improving experimental tools from a mechanical perspective, to theption of research history. Mixing of miracle medicines, manufacturing homunculus, creating chimeras, casting of equipment. He does anything. However, all these are just footholds for him to strike at his main research.


    The field that he wrestled with, with the most enthusiasm was biology. That is also a domain that has to do with the root of life. Why are humans, humans? Why do we think? Why are we born? Why do we die? Why are we, why are we, why are we The answers to this bottomless question is not something that can be concluded after many days of thinking.


    He left such a thesis. The corrtion between a living beings brain function and the soul. This is probably some grandption of the things you have heard he has done, particrly the ones you feel are disgusting.


    First, ves were prepared as experimental subjects. ...With regards to this and that, he wasnt that indecisive. At worst, he might be a topic for the gossips.


    And so, he cut open the heads of the test subjects and anesthetized a portion of their brains which correspond to a particr human function. Do you understand the functions of the brain? ...Dont know? You dont know? Whoa! What in the world! To think the world is still this ignorant of the structure of life!!


    ...Sorry, lost myposure there.


    Well, to put it simply, the brain is what governs the mind and body of living things. So if the brain of a person is destroyed, he cannot live? Of course. Just like how a country is fragmented when they lose their king, a humans body stops altogether when the control tower  the brain, is lost. The heart stops too. Death. That is where one would end up when the brain, the controller of the body is gone. Do you understand this now? Know it now? Okay, good.


    Next is the role of the heart. The functions rted to the heart, like thinking and feeling of emotions are also under the jurisdiction of the brain. If you cannot understand it, surely you can feel it on your skin. This is what most people will say when they meet a lunatic. Crazy in the head! Theyd say.


    That is what that damned Oubeniel is attempting to do. Crazy in the head, madman. What bes of the hearts and the souls of such people?


    To find out about that, he first obtained some healthy subjects. Next, he sliced their heads open and destroyed the part in the brain that controls the heart. Another person had the portion which govern emotions destroyed. Another, had the part retaining memories destroyed. Etcetera. Naturally, the subjects became insane.


    And, he euthanised them.


    ...Ahh, stay with me to the end. He wasnt particrly d when he had to kill people after they lost their sanity. It was necessary for his research. Soothe your soul and listen calmly. If anything, do you need some painkillers? Youll calm down immediately, y know? What, dont need them? Then, you can calm your spirit through your own will.


    Heres where the meaty part is. In this Magic Academy, there are teachers specialised in various spheres, teaching each and every subject out there. Nevertheless, the multi-talented Oubeniel had a different specialisation from them. Isnt it normal for mages? Particrly for this research, whenever there is a technique relevant to it, he would definitely learn it. And, in exchange for some help in other study subjects, a certain mage participated in his research.


    A necromancer. ...Youre pale again, are you alright? Shall I continue?


    Apart from anesthetizing a part of their brains, he called upon the souls of dead test subjects with necromancy. From conversing with spirits and assessing their mental state, he observed the effects on their soul the damage on the brains of their bodies had done.


    And you know what! He discovered something shocking!


    The madness of most of the souls of the test subjects were proportional to the time after the operation! For example, amnesia! A person who died quickly after the operation would be able to recall memories of his life even if he had forgotten who he was before dying. However, for those who were alive for longer, they wont even be able to deciphernguage!


    Do you know what this means? His experiments demonstrated that the brain has the role of processing information from ears and eyes and sending them to the soul! Insanity is a phenomenon that urs when the soul receives disorderly information from the brain! Furthermore! The soul, memories and consciousness closely influence one another but they are all different things! That boy managed to pull off the excellent job of establishing that kind of proof!


    This is likely considered a great finding! You should have heard of these fairy-tales when you were young. The reincarnation of a great hero and an evil sorcerer who reces his aging flesh using ck magic...this is no hallucination! It is very possible! It is possible to move a soul from one body to another!


    Trials to reproduce the results have so far ended in failure. That is to be expected. Whenever those necromancers are involved, even bringing out the souls of the dead and talking with them has yet to be established to date! They havent evene close to it! But, from now on, itll be different!? The soul and memory! Firmly maintain these two and transnt them into a body with a healthy consciousness! By doing so, a person can preserve his existence in the present world eternally!


    Of course, that is not possible now. The theory is there but we dont know how to put it into practice. However, this marks the baby steps for the cause. Pseudo-immortality. That boy has splendidly taken the first step to get closer to answering the biggest problems of alchemy!


    Whoops, I lost my cool again. I unintentionally remembered my euphoria back then. These old bones were overwhelmed by his deed.


    It seems that this Oubeniel dude must have at a considerably earlier stage  likely before enrolling into the academy  formted this hypothesis. After all, he was familiar with tampering with human brains. He must have not announced it earlier because he did not have the right person to demonstrate it to. Truly wonderful. Establishing such an advanced theory in his teens, as well as being conscientious towards studies rted to demonstrating his theory. A model for alchemists.


    Despite this, that damn board of directors. Finding fault with somethingme and expelling him. This is something that would make, if I may exaggerate, a wiseman meeting weep. Ahhh, what a waste!


    The reason for his expulsion? I do not know the details. The duties of an academy lecturer are to do research and conduct lectures. Consequently, I hardly pry into the private lives of my students. Speaking of which, I should have grasped some aspects of his personality by now. If I had guessed his circumstances, I might have been able to protect him...Arghh, is this what they call, letting a big fish escape!?


    Yes, right. He from start to end, spoke about research and nothing else. He actively participated in debates, yeah?


    He didnt dine in the mess hall? As I have stated just awhile ago, no matter what the food is, in the end, it will end as shit from the ass. It is best to quickly gain nutrition. I doubt he had spare time for eating in a mess and socialising. Moreover, doing that while chatting with others is the height of inefficiency. Eating and socialising, what meaning can there be to do these two contradictory actions in parallel? Separate whatever you can separate, this way it is faster to finish all of them. Isnt that the wisdom of humans?


    Well, I will tell you the gist of it. A fight urred between him and a certain student. I also heard that it was about an illicit love affair. Of course, it was that student who started being violent first. That Oubeniel shouldnt be too fond of pointless fighting. The conclusion of the fight was that the student had the tables turned on him, suffering major injuries and was left in a half-dead state. To top things off, his disgrace was in full view of the public. In bitterness, he must have gotten him expelled from school, I believe. That student was this countrys ...how should I put it...in any case, a blood rtion of a high ranking aristocrat.


    ve maid? Oh, that huh! That is also some good stuff! One of Oubeniels masterpieces! Combining both form and function, that golden ratio is the work of god!


    Speaking of which, I have a feeling that the person in question who was the target of that illicit love was her. A nonsensical attempt. He wouldnt even let me meddle with her. I really wanted to try to dissect her but unfortunately, I couldnt. Not to mention the trivial and sphemous lust I felt towards her.


    What was she, you ask? Just an ordinary human. However, she was frighteningly capable. Even I mistook her for a homunculus initially. It appears that it was the result of continuous prescription of strength-boosting medicines and the conducting of borate high level training.


    Monster? Wrong, she was a monster-ish human. Just like how a chimera isnt a homunculus. She was genuinely a human. Though she was the product of top-ss alchemy. She did not purely disy skills that are visible, and instead, improved her abilities steadily and diligently. Certainly it is true that transnting other living beings genes, like a chimera, would make it stronger. Still, there is always the risk of rejection and there are negative effects on future potential. He must have disliked that. Progressively prescribing medicine with few side effects and piling up effective training on her, that maid became a human that overcame the limits of a human.


    If I may say so myself, its an artificial hero. We hear it in abundance in legends dont we? Stories of a sage who had to study hard and a hero who had an unusual power. This time, its the alchemist as the medium instead...thinking about it, whats frightening is the beginning phase. Other than just needing to expend a startling amount of time, this method gives no leeway for second chances. Probably, him and her started the process when their ages were in the single digits. Thats how she became so perfect. That damn Oubeniel, humbly imed that it was only because she was an excellent material. Isnt thatughable? How is that only because of that if he had studied on his own when he was a child and managed to produce such a wonderful work as an alchemist?


    What? Wouldnt this be considered illegal? What are you saying. Prescribing the appropriate medicine, taking care of her whether its rainy or stormy, all he did was raise her carefully. All he did was that. Is that an illegal act in your country? Surely not, I presume. In fact, he has gone out of his way to do a good favour, hasnt he?


    Oh? You are going pale again. Are you chronically sick? Though I might be able to understand if your cheeks reddened from being touched by his actions


    Can you keep up with what Im saying? Are you satisfied with hearing about his achievements as an alchemist?


    But I still have much more to say about him though...it cannot be helped if you are feeling unwell. A poor body constitution worsens the blood flow in the brains. In that kind of state, work performance declines. Please take care of yourself.


    Ahh, if youd like to know about his behaviour as a student, I know where to find you a former ssmate. Let me write an introduction letter for you now. You are in luck. Since I hardly have any contacts with the students.


    By the way, do you really not aspire to do alchemy?


    ...I see, that is unfortunate. I dont have much hope that youll be as skillful as Oubeniel but I stillck talent under my wing. My remaining years are short after all. Where is that person who wouldplete the immortality research before I pass on


    4. At Sankt Gallen Federation: Galerin Magic Academy  Testimony of Student, Fredrica Yulian von Castelberon.


    A referral from Professor uman? How rare of him. To think he would actually bother with something else other than research. Was he in an extremely good mood?


    So then, what business did youe here with?


    Huh, an investigation centred around a particr family session.


    ...Oubeniel? Could it be Talese Shernan Oubeniel?


    Ahhhh, how can this be!? When I had finally forgotten about him, I hear that guys name again!


    Yes, right. Personally, I feel nothing like coziness and friendliness with him. That guy goes around creating trouble and every time, he would one-sidedly push the cleaning up to me. It believe it is because the professor likes to regrly meet with his favourite students that he actually remembers me. If that wasnt the case, there is no way he can recall both a persons face and name correctly! God dammit, were all studying in the same course but why am I the one drawing the short end of the stick all the time?


    Huh? Am I well acquainted with him? Is that a first rate joke from your country? Didnt I mention it earlier? There is nothing like that between him and me. In the first ce, I dont think that guy is capable of something that refined, much less him being popr with the girls. Having a friendship with him is only possible if you be his sacrificialmb and let him tamper with your brain.


    Are you clear now? Well then, Id like you to retract your previous statement please. Since youe from the High Court, surely you are fully aware of what defamation means, yes?


    ...Good.


    Now then, lets make this brief. This conversation would just be a pain for both of us. Yes, a person who finds the affairs of that guy interesting is probably a fe who enjoys a third rateedy.


    It was the spring of three years ago when I first met him. I said this earlier but, we were in the same course. Before the lecture began, he was the subject of rumours among the students. Even though alchemy is considered to be under the field of magic, it was an insr practice and is easily subject to misunderstanding. What an oddball he must be, to venture overseas to study alchemy.


    Ahh, please do not misread me. I am not like that repugnant maverick nor that entric Professor uman. I am not so devoted to alchemy that I would abandon my humanity. My goal was to learn some practical skills that can be applied to medical science. During epidemics, there will be people who fail to get treated with recover magic, not to mention that mages are scarce, arent they? For that matter, people with weak magic can create medicine if they have the raw ingredients and can produce a significant portion in one go.


    Back on topic. About Oubeniel studying abroad, it seems that it was a rmendation from his family. I do not know of the details, but I heard word that it was either an instigation from his brother, in which he was falling behind in the inheritance dispute since he was dedicated to alchemy, or his father who gave up on him and chased him, the nuisance who had been conducting overly immoral experiments, out of the family. From my perspective, both are equally usible. With his passion for alchemy, he would not be cut out for the responsibilities as the head of an Earl family and also, with him doing those kind of experiments at home day in day out, it must have caused his parents to go crazy.


    My first impression of him? I guessed he was a docile and harmless person. From the rumours, I heard that he was a match for Professor uman and imagined him to be a person who pays no heed to anything other than research, so anything different about him would surprise me instead. His getup was orderly, conventional and clean. Not a loquacious guy, but when hit up with a conversation, he would reply clearly. As long as it was normal situation, as the descendent of an Earl Family, his conduct cannot be considered passable nor is it fable.


    However, Yuni-san  a maid who wore the symbol of a ve, the cor, and apanied him from his house  was somewhat uneptable.


    Still, that was just for appearances. Doesnt the same goes for you? The face you make when encouraging your colleagues at work. The rxed face you make towards your family. The face you make when you are alone and not particrly facing anyone. Everyone carries along with themselves many different faces but, in his case, the difference was like night and day.


    I noticed it when we were doing a practical on dissection. ..,.Please dont make that expression. Its not like I was in a merry mood while chopping up the corpse. It was purely because it was a required lecture. I dont have a hobby of cutting up bodies to the extent of manufacturing corpses like Oubeniel.


    So anyways, it was at that time; it was also my first time unearthing a body like that. Though it wasnt my first time being in proximity with human death. I have seen refugees dying by the roadside, ves at my family being granted death after earning displeasure, or rtives passing away. Nevertheless, despite what I just said, putting the scalpel on a corpse was apletely different sensation. Actually, the lecturer was the person performing the operation. However, as I was looking at the body that was being cut opened, or staring long and hard at the hollow face repeatedly, or looking at the grotesque inner entrails, or smelling the mixed smell of rot and medicine, I felt...nauseated. My body ttered and a hard lump of nausea forced its way up my stomach. I wanted to flee right away from the practical and hide under the covers of my bed in the dormitory.


    Somehow, I remember feeling how pathetic I was then. I aspired to save the suffering of people who were ill, so I pushed through the opposition from my parents and enrolled into the Academy. And yet, the first step...the practical of learning the construct of a human body. Being fed up with myself, I thought of myself as an awful disgrace. However, I was also reluctant to escape from the lecture. I averted my gaze from the the specimen. At that time, I tried to observe the faces of my ssmates around me. Those that were making the same expression as I did were still enduring it. This detestable and repugnant feeling and the urge to hide was the same for everyone. Thinking that everyone was going through the same thing, I could hold my ground. Perhaps, it was just a matter of me being not looking at an opened corpse, but still, thinking about it today, I still believe that was how I felt then.


    The other students attending the lecture had pale expressions. It must have been their first time bearing witness to a dissection too. Ahh, so I wasnt the only one that was in dread, I thought and heaved a sigh of relief that was kinda out-of-ce. They also noticed what I felt and naturally, felt less tense.


    Nevertheless, while the majority felt the same way as I did during the dissection and endured through it, there were people who were exceptions to this response.


    First, people who disyed a greater rejection towards the dissection. I guess they werent doing so well. At the start of the dissection, there was a person who covered his mouth and ran out to the hallway and another two people followed him out thereafter. They didnt excuse themselves and yet, the lecturer didnt seem to pay any heed to it. It must be a yearly thing, that there are people who cannot take it and run away. I can understand how these people feel. I too felt queasy and even if I got used to it, I wont be able to do it in a good mood.


    The next group of people are the ones who have experienced dissection before entering school. There are people who voluntarily entered school to do alchemy, well, the enthusiastic people, who would go out of their way to do some research before learning at school. Naturally, this research includes dissection. These people who have done it before, cracked jokes together with the others who were the same as them, and immersed themselves in their superiority as they look down with derision on people like me who shudder at their first experience. Furthermore, they werepletely cool about it. If I may say so honestly, I dont think it was that good of a hobby.


    Thest group of people...yes, its Oubeniel. Without a single change inplexion, he quietly observed the progression of the practical. At the start, I thought that he might have dissected humans before. No, he definitely has experience in it. pared to the other experienced people, he had a different atmosphere. I had, involuntarily, mulled over it since I wouldnt regain my senses until my attention was diverted. Anyways, I was distracted by something elseter. And so, I nonchntly studied the difference between him and the other experienced people.


    I understood the distinction immediately. Indeed, he had an unusual appearancepared to others who have done dissection before. Rather than being fidgety, he was more mesmerised, though the bottomline is that he wore a different expression from the rest. Isnt it true? No matter how well-ustomed you are, you are stilling into contact with the death of a person. It is difficult to maintain the same everyday emotion in that kind of scenario. In some sense, they were all greenhorns. Bing so used to the dissection that he was able to keep his nervousness in check and switch into his normal mood. Cutting the dead body by himself, observing the insides without any deep thoughts and keeping his hands and eyes sharp. Having a loose tongue and looking down on others, those experienced people were just airheads. They were justforting themselves that they have experience and were only pretending to be fine with it. It urred to me that he must have done it countless of times.


    Oubeniel was poles apart. The lecturer or the me who had done hands-on several times, we were still a far cry from him. He gave off the impression that it would be weird if it didnt feel normal. He didnt turn blue and run away, neither did he put on a exhrated front to deceive others, nor did he psyched himself up to appear normal. His eyes were the same as when he was joking with friends, drinking soup at the cafeteria or reading books at the library. He was so adapted to it that he didnt even change his expression.


    A cold shiver ran down my spine. He was the same whether it was rted to the life of a human, or its death. What was his frame of mind such that he could have eyes of unchanging colour? In the moment this question arose in my mind, I felt more ill than ever before  I dashed out of the practical room too.


    Strange huh? Certainly that is it. In other words, with just one look into his eyes. If that alone was enough to judge a person, there shouldnt be anyone having difficulties in making a living in the world. Initially, I believed it was because I felt unwell, it was merely a delusion. However, I had a vague uneasiness, or a kind of foreboding, something of that kind you know? Surely youve had a simr experience when you suddenly felt sick in the stomach and had a bad premonition about the future, like a harbinger of misfortune?


    ...It seemed like I was the only one who was perturbed by Oubeniels attitude during the practical. I myself, reassessed my trivial assumptions and shortly after, treated him as a mere friend.


    During the course, he was by no means a popr person, but he had arge group of friends. Besides, it seemed that he proactively interacted with students and lecturers of different courses too. Dont people consider alchemy as a more insr subjectpared to other courses? Procuring things like medicine and experiment equipment that were required for magic research were mainly the job of the alchemy teachers. In contrast to other magic teachers, they were treated more like some contracted utility man. Even under the best of circumstances, we would be considered a rung lower than others, and despite so, Oubeniel went against those preconceptions and gained a reputation for being quite a misfit.


    Yes, that is true. Normally, being so proactive in entering social circles would earn you favourable remarks from the rest, right? He was apetent alchemist and appeared to be a gentle person, so all the more so. But, he did not have a person to particrly call a friend. He was always with someone, smiling affably and if you have something to ask of him, he would generally help in the capacity of an alchemist. So why was he unable to have friends, or unable to make friends? It was a mystery.


    Putting some thought into it, it did look like the wiles of a merchant. Approach people with a calming smile, tter the other partys strong points and provide what they need. Most probably, that was what he sought out to do. He wasnt out to make friendships, and wanted acquaintances instead. Building the foundations for connections. So as to make small progresses in the preliminary preparation, that he cannot personally do, for his next research


    Have you heard about this from Professor uman? His most notorious research. Yes, that devilish experiment to artificially induce madness in people and then kill them to examine their souls. He brought a necromancer to his side for this sake, didnt he? Simrly, he sought the help of many others in different fields to help in his research. He must have established connections with others for this very purpose. In order to maintain a business partner kind of rtionship, he avoided personally interacting with people, while not failing to make courtesy calls whenever the situation called for it.


    Seriously, he pulled it off so well. Because of him continuously performing those experiments that makes ones head spin just by hearing about it, the voices which spoke well of Oubeniel disappeared in the blink of an eye. Even I would once again be reminded of the unpleasantness during the dissection practical. Still, in no way did the students rebuff their transactions with him. Sometimes the teachers too would have dealings with him. Just by giving him some help, they were able to receive a greaterpensation in terms of effort. From valuable secret medicines to handmade equipment, he could offer help in almost anything. Sometimes he would even make use of ves with few abilities. If research was the deed of a devil, (these) people were all making a deal with the devil. It would be different if these people were experienced people, but the people here were mostly young students and researchers with little experience in society. Brushing aside and ignoring sweet temptations was too much of a load for them.


    The ves? It seemed like he was procuring them from the citys market. After feeding them some questionable medicine and doing some operations on them to strengthen them, he assigned them to the parties who had dealings with him. It was just annoying, though not considered an illegal action. The owner is free to do anything to their ves. It is the same in any other country. Even if the person was tinkering with the ves body with alchemy and selling the ve to other people. Though you can be exposed with a crime if you are caught under the possession of dangerous living things like a chimera, golem or homunculus. A magnificent loophole in thew. I would be surprised if anyone says how could he have done something so despicable.


    Nevertheless, in the end, with that as the basis, he was chased out of the academy, so he wasnt something the world can ept.


    The reason Oubeniel was expelled from school? Ahh, was that what you wanted to know the most? Have you heard the rough details from the Professor? Then it looks like our conversation will end fast.


    It happened as soon as he became a second year student. If I remember, Oubeniel temporarily return to his country because his father was gravely ill, and it happened shortly after he came back to the academy. It was during a lively period, when the academy was weing the freshmen. He was also quite sensational among the freshmen. Though his dealings were not illegal, they were plenty shady. It wasnt something that people would discuss out loud, but still, it wasnt enough to shut their mouthspletely. Students who had some connections with him talked about him to the juniors. Maybe they were proud about the goods they got from him, or there were trying to startle them with his affairs instead of a ghost story, or perhaps, they were pretending to be nice and was telling them who was the boss behind the school. All of these were possibilities.


    Then there was this one freshmen who became interested in the rumours of Oubeniel. If he was the one paying for it, he could purchase top quality ves inexpensively. I suppose that was what the freshman thought. Yes, thats right. It might be vulgar, but, he thought he can have that ve to, umm... to serve as an outlet for a gentlemans desires.


    People who knew about him could tell that it was an absurd rumour. Oubeniel was a guy that was undeniably more of a merchant rather than a mage. But, due to that, there were severe loss and gains for him. To people who gave him little, he would reciprocate with equally as few. In the first ce, the ves he managed were mainly for protecting him orbour. ...Well, if he was given a request, it wasnt like he would definitely reject, but, for that kind of ve, they shouldnt be worth that much in terms of price, that was what I heard he had said. No matter how he went about it though, he probably wouldnt be able to get his desired result.


    Of course, negotiations were quickly cut off. That young man was an aristocrat of this country, and was also in the family that had significant clout in the directorship of the academy. Therefore, he should have been able to afford it even if the price was slightly beyond what is reasonable. Still, he was certain that he could get that fine ve cheaply. Well, if he could be of assistance to Oubeniels research, he might have been able to get her for cheap or even for free. Though for a freshman that had only entered school just a few weeks ago, it might be an impossible task.


    If he had backed down then, the incident should have ended there. However, the youth caught sight of the ve there. Not just simply a target for his lust, it was something he wanted to get his hands on, no matter the cost. Yes, Yuni-san  Oubeniels attendant maid.


    She was quite famous within the school. She was a beautiful person, even from how I see it. She had an orderly appearance and behaved with impable gracefulness. Herck of smile and silence was grating, but the way she privately snuggled to her master and devotedly attended him, it would be no exaggeration to call her the ideal servant. ...I hear that she had served as Oubeniels ve since she was a child, but his parents must have pampered him too much. That was because, no matter in which department, in looks, etiquette and her magic aura, all of them were first ss. I can only believe that his parents were bedazzled by his cuteness and spent a fortune to get him the best ve and also provided his ve with training.


    Well, since she was involved with Oubeniel, there were quite a few astounding rumours rted to her. For example, she was a homunculus made by Oubeniel or that she was a flesh golem put together by choosing the best part from the people he killed...I cannot help butugh at these rumours. Even if he concealed the unique aura of such a magical beast, he would be in a fix if somebody uses perception magic. Actually, I have never seen that masterpiece of his. Surely there will be many people who will be fooled into thinking that it was a real human if he ced an emphasis on her appearance, but still, if a spell was used he would be troubled if she indeed a magical beast.


    Ah, I went off topic. Now then, about the freshman in question.


    The first time he set his eyes on Yuni-san, he fellpletely head over heels for her. I heard he saw the silver cor, which represents her social status as a ve, and clean forgotten about the failed negotiations earlier. So he hounded him to give her to him.


    Please, give her to me, I will definitely not be rough on her, if she so wishes, I can free her from her position as a ve. Im serious.


    Well really, this was when he had just previously asked him to sell the girl ve at a cheap price. Nevertheless, if it was love, then maybe it was possible. Sweeping away all embarrassment and honour, the past and the future, all he could see was her. In that case, this emotion of his was something that couldnt be made fun of.


    However, Oubeniel declined bluntly. He had raised his demands during the negotiations earlier and if he could fulfill his demands then he might respond to it, but this time, he gave no chance at it. I will never sell her. That was Oubeniels reply. I hear even Professor uman who supports Oubeniel harboured an interest in Yuni-san too, but even if he was a Professor whom he was gratuitous to, he wouldnt even let him touch her. Not to mention an underssman whom he just met; there was no way he was gonna agree.


    The youth became frenzied at Oubeniels reply. That his request  grounded in his subjectivity  was being taken advantage of, moreover, his affection towards her and his desire for this beautiful female ve to wait upon him was brushed aside without any care. In his eyes, he must have been a demon lord keeping captive of a princess. This ispletely irrational but I must agree that Oubeniel was a scoundrel. In any case, the youth lost himself in anger and struck Oubeniel with magic all of a sudden.


    But, the attack didntnd on Oubeniel. Yuni protected him. She did not merely possess magic, she was also superior in her usage of magic. The youths magic was promptly blocked by a barrier and it can be said that his clothing were not ruffled one bit.


    The one finding it unbearable was the youth. Not only did he rudely attack an upperssman by surprise, the one whom he had fallen for at first sight had protected him. You could say everything was going wrong for him and I kinda feel sad for him.


    The youth flew into a rage and shouted.


    Cowardly! To have a female act as your shield!


    He said.


    He was the one who picked the fight so what the heck was trying to Are you thinking about something along those lines? Though, well, what is it? If he didnt say that he wouldnt be able to live with his head up? Even if, for an instant, the surprise attack was targeted towards his upperssman, itnded towards his loved one. And having his painstaking request thrust aside, the attack heunched didnt even reach him. I considered what he said to be some sort of a scream containing his feelings of guilt and humiliation. Though I am not keen to defend him any further than this.


    By the time he realised, the area was filled with quite a lot of people. The ce of this private talk was at the dormitory, in Oubeniels room after all. It was natural for the boarders to check out themotion. Despite being in in sight by all those people, he didnt pay them any attention and raised his voice at Oubeniel, denouncing him.


    ording to him, Oubeniel was a nefarious student freely strewing kickbacks in school. He was a demon who conducted immoral experiments repeatedly. He was a sex maniac who forcibly made a girl be his ve and raped her Well, there were some truths blended into it, but these three lines were, when I think back on it, things I wanted to say so myself.


    The prevailing mood in the surroundings soon became tainted with a colour that made out Oubeniel to be the bad guy. Of course, I agree totally. The fault in this incident lies entirely on the side of the youth but, that does not write off the evil deeds Oubeniel hasmitted. There wasnt nobody supporting Oubeniel, but they stopped at no more than a few of them. Many of the students who benefited from him were afraid of being associated with his crimes. Good grief, since all of them were keeping up with appearances when they were with him, I thought it would turn out like that. Furthermore, the people whom Oubeniel lent his hand to were mainly students from the same course who sat near his desk and a portion of the teachers who sought his help. Naturally, the group of people who didnt receive anything from him  most of them held animosity towards Oubeniel.


    Someone from the crowd yelled.


    Duel!


    The freshie is challenging Oubeniel, that snake bastard, to a duel!


    They badgered.


    It was nothing like that, but from the perspective of the full house of onlookers, their confrontational pose couldnt be anything else other than a challenge to a duel. That was how some excited students misunderstood the situation.


    The youth was caught up in the moment. From the loser whounched an attack on an upperssman in indignation and yet had his attack parried by the girl he had fallen in love with, he swiftly took the stance of a hero who was taking on a great evil. Without dying any further, he recovered the elegance of the son of an aristocrat and challenged Oubeniel to a duel.


    Given that I was just testing the waters and that she blocked it with a barrier, my earlier attack felt weak.


    Dont be naive and think that I will make such allowances for you in a 1v1 fight.


    He added all those useless taunts in his dare. I wonder what he would have done if he started criticising him for having struck earlier before even challenging him. Though speaking, with such arge crowd, it was indeed difficult for the viin to make an escape. Being a person who dislikes annoying conflicts, he wasnt eager to have a duel at all. Additionally, if he tried to run away from the drunken mob, who knows what might happen. Arge scale riot was possible. That must have been within his calctions. In any case, the person who responds to a duel has the smallest risk of being culpable. If not for that, his usual style was to avoid such a conclusion.


    I forgot to mention, the academy forbids non-official duels. Fights between magicians, even if it was only a brief squabble between fellow students, there might be significant damages. It wouldnt be strange if there were casualties too. Therefore, severe punishments would be doled out to offenders, though hardly anyone ever broke this rule. The response from the teachers side was slow too. Since Oubeniel distributed his items and new theories, the political bnce within the school had been shaken Among the board of directors and the lecturers, there might be one or two of them who wanted to see Oubeniel beaten up, or even better, bing a dead man from the duel. Otherwise, they could interrogate him and detain him. Have you ever considered that? Though these are all my spections.


    The location they decided to have the duel was at the za, in front of the dormitory. His opponent was the all notorious Oubeniel and if you gave him time, who knows what hell do  that was his argument for having the duel right away. Some simplistic thinking he came up with on the spot.


    By then, themotion reached the female dormitory, so my friend and I rushed there. At that time, for some reason, I was given the role of controlling the uproar created by Oubeniel, hence, my friend dragged me there. When I heard about the chain of events, I was surprised. No denying that he was a wicked person, and even if I thought he would be abusing a trick or two to slip through the cracks in the legal system, I didnt think he would be implicated in such stupidity nor cause an incident like this where direct responsibility cannot be shirked away from. There was no way he could be done in by any cheap trick too. I felt a deep, dark pleasure in knowing that the time had finallye for that scoundrel to learn some rules. As the saying goes, Heavens hasrge meshes, but nothing escapes.


    When I arrived, the duel had just started. The young freshman left an imposing impression on me. He was full of confidence. We alchemists are mostly weak in magic. From the very start, this wasnt a popr course since it doesnt ensure a promising career. Consequently, the number of people studying alchemy was decreasing yearly. On one side, it was an aristocrat youth who was enrolled in the popr, military magic course. Usingbat magic on the battlefield was the mostmon ideal in which magicians were raised to be. A natural-born in fighting. No way would he fall behind to something like an unprepared alchemist.


    On the other side, Oubeniel was looking the same as ever. Yes, there was an air of tranquility around him. The look in his eyes were the same as normal. Those were the eyes he makes when it was business as usual, be it attending lectures, having a friendly conversation with friends, enjoying a book, ascertaining the chopping of a corpse or slicing the head of a living human. The only time the colour in his eyes change was when the results, regardless of it being a sess or failure, of his experiments are out, or when he conceptualises a new experiment. Else, it would be when he received quality materials or quality equipment. The youth probably amounted to nothing but a pebble by the roadside in his eyes at best. In short, this means that he deemed us, the people whom he interacted with daily, akin to something like that too.


    Meanwhile, the duel began. It was a traditional duel where both parties were apanied with one observer each. The observer from the youths side made some assertive remarks but I cant remember what he said. That was because I was more interested in the identity of Oubeniels observer. Though it was implicit, Yuni-san would have a problem in terms of social position, wont she? Adhering to the formalities, she would have no choice but to refrain from bing an observer. In that case, who would stand in as his ally, I wondered. The observer from Oubeniel side was the student in the necromancy course who participated in the previously mentioned experiment. That crazy experiment, that is. Since we all know he had shown support to him in that incident, he cant say he had nothing to do with him now. How pitiable.


    The oue of the duel, you must have heard from the lecturer, havent you? Oubeniel won. The youth who challenged him was seriously injured. How did the battle progress, you ask? I dont really want to say much about it, but if you insist on asking, I guess I cant say no


    Although I dont want to exin what happened, it wasnt thatplicated a story. You see, Oubeniel wears a handmade defensive equipment with him even during normal asions. And you might think he makes a killing by distributing them but, he simply stockpiles them to the extent where he literally has more than enough to sell. The amulet in his bosom was just the beginning of his set of equipment. He also wore a mantle, which serves as the school uniform, with a protection seal embroidered on the back of it. The mantle was woven with a silver thread which holds the power to repel monsters. In addition, he wore shoes infused with magic, allowing him to run quickly. ...It was as if he was a moving fortress, or a walking equipment market. Some might think he was fighting some war with a country if he was seen with the full set under ordinary circumstances. If he had that much spare time to manufacture all that equipment while conducting his experiments, I dont really want to admit it, but this guy can definitely be called a matchless prodigy.


    Of course, with an opponent fortified this much, there was no way the freshmans magic could pierce through his defences. Fire arrows, wind des and lightning whips, none of them had any effect. ...There was no need for Yuni-san to step in and protect such an invulnerable beast, I reckon. The youth must have gotten wrong idea that he could win him alone because she thoughtlessly defended him then. If that was the case, doesnt that make her a sinful woman?


    Eh, he was cowardly? Yes, I think so myself. Its just that, I feel he is cowardly based on the fact that he prepared this much equipment for times of crisis. Did they not have any time to think about battle tactics? That is of course. The same applies for both of them; they dueled with whatever they had on them then. Moreover, the youth was the same in that he had equipment with him. The staff that magicians carry with them usually is an equipment that boosts their magic, isnt it? The things the youth had were also extravagant goods for aristocrats in high positions. If having equipment of a higher grade than normal people is a crime, then he was equally reprehensible.


    ...Sorry, I went offtrack again. Now for more details of their battle.


    The battle progressed one-sidedly. His magic couldnt hit Oubeniel at all. No matter how desperately heunched attacks on him, the battle unfolded automatically as if approaching the limits of thews of physics. He couldnt endure one of bit of the magic that Oubeniel sent at him. He was beaten as Oubeniel freely willed. The oue of the duel was clear as day.


    Nevertheless, the youth did not give up. Honestly, he should have conceded. He refused to give up only because of his stubbornness. Furthermore, it was an obstinacy that was clearly wrong somewhere. Since he would be left with nothing if he conceded. Because it was a duel in which he staked his miniscule pride in, he didnt allow himself to quit. ...He had the nature of one that lost big from gambling. There were some fights which shouldnt be picked and even if you did take on the fight, there were times when you should step down too.


    Oubeniel gave a really fed up look that was unusual of him. I do believe that was the most human-like expression he has ever made. Next in line has got to be his cruel look when working on human experiments. He looked at him as though he was an insect. The face of someone who was annoyed by a fly that wouldnt stop flying around him no matter how he tries to shake it off. He had been going easy on him so as to make him surrender. Since that was the best way to resolve things amicably. Nevertheless, his opponent persisted on and all he could do was feel irritated.


    In the end, the youth refused to admit defeat even though he was losing his consciousness and was in critical condition. Although Oubeniel won the match, not only did he break the rule of no personal fights, he showed immaturity in punishing his junior and was swiftly given the boot. If not for this incident, he might still be wiping out the ves in Galerin by using them as materials for his human experiments.


    The aftermath of the youth? He has since recovered. Originally, his serious injuries were treated with recovery magic but due to side-effects of this unnatural treatment, the bones of his limbs were crooked and it seemed that he had troubles moving them. Though, thanks to Professor uman surgery on him, somehow he was able to get back his body, good as new. Ironically, those surgical procedures were written on Oubeniels thesis.


    Oubeniel epted the expulsion more readily than predicted. On the contrary, because of the uproar over the duel, Yuni-san seemed to have an unusually pale expression. Instead of him being expelled by the academy, it seemed more like he left after he was done ying with his toys. The budget for the alchemy course was rather limited, so it was quite possible that an alchemist working for a powerful aristocrat would own better facilities. Furthermore, it was immediately after his trip home due to his father being gravely ill. He could leave so gracefully because he thought he would be able to get the inheritance after his father passes away.


    You are investigating on his familys session, arent you? Is his elder brother that much of a problem? Not particrly? It was because you heard from the rumours that he was a gifted child and yet, he willingly backed down? Now then, you should be able to resolve your doubts.


    That guy was only engrossed in alchemy. And for alchemy, he was monster who could abandon anything and everything aside alchemy. He would rather avoid the disadvantageous obligations created from being the head of family, than enjoy the rights of one. I mean, government work and socialising both take up time and he wouldnt be able to work on his research.


    Moreover, that guy who puts enough armour to be considered a fortress, probably did not forget to consider the dangers of pitting himself in a bloody battle with his brother. If ever he finds himself needing some political power to proceed in his research though, he would be in trouble.


    ...I was nning to make this short, yet weve talked for so long. This is also because Oubeniel, for better or for worse  my bad, for worse or for worse  is a man with an abundance of topics surrounding him. My thanks for keeping up this long with me.


    Oh, right. May I add ast one?


    This is just a conjecture of mine, but take it as an advice from me.


    Presently, that guy is meekly allowing his brother to inherit the family while fully immersing himself in his favourite research, I think. However, he is definitely not satisfied with that and is definitely plotting something behind the shadows. After all, he is the monster who aplished that sphemous research and a person who would exhaust all means for his research, despite being just a lone student. As long as he hasnt stopped studying alchemy, he would sacrifice whatever he needs, to continue his groundbreaking research. He is quite capable of crushing one or two Earl Families, no, probably even countries too.


    ...Before that happens, that guy has to be killed as soon as possible.


    You think Im joking? Im being serious.


    This is what I observed from watching him for an entire year. I have thought about it


    End. At Sankt Gallen Federation: An inn in the Capital Reflections of a Certain Court Investigator.


    As I opened the door of the room I was allocated with, the scent of a flower I do not recognise wafted inside my nostrils.


    The smell was overpowering and made my head dizzy. Was it some kind of a deodorant that cheap inns use? Its an awfully bad service for a customer paying this much money.


    Iid down on the bed while feeling mncholy.


    Using my leave and my private expenses, I came all the way to a neighbouring country for an investigation, and here I am, treated like this.


    The session of the Oubeniel Earl who passed on recently. It was predicted that a session dispute would ur and so, since the second son quickly came down to a decision to withdraw from the session, I personally became curious and put off the final conclusion into the matter until I finished investigations here. The little brother graciously handed over the seat of the head of family to his brother. It was excessively clean. I sensed something amiss and havee this far.


    Isnt this prodding the bush and frightening the snake...?


    The person in question, Talese Shernan Oubeniel is the Oubeniels second son, and the more I learned about him, the more I find him a queer young man.


    I heard that he started killing ves deliberately since he was young.


    He created a monster girl ve.


    He intentionally induced madness in people and vited their souls after they died.


    All of these are possible plots for a shoddy mystery novel. How am I supposed to report my findings? From the onset, this was an investigation that I insisted on doing myself. If I submitted such a report to the higher-ups, what would they say? I might be rebuked for needlessly getting to the bottom of a session in which no problems surfaced. Had I known things would end up like this, I would have just collected the usual statements from the start to the end and closed this all of this faultlessly.


    At this rate, I would leave a bad impression on the higher-ups and incur the displeasure of the next generation Earl Family Head who had his inauguration dyed.


    And more importantly, this monster, Talese Oubeniel, what on earth is in his mind?


    From what I have gathered of him, the manifold appalling incidents he has conducted has, quite staggeringly,pletely been untouched by thew. Certainly ves can be treated as and how the owner likes. They are free to inflict pain, torture, make them crazy and kill them. He came into contact with necromancers who have an extremely terrible image, but he requested help after going through the appropriate formalities and the necromancer requested belonged to a public institution dedicated to research. His dealings with students and lecturers couldnt really be called bribes. The only distinct vition was the duel, but it has already been internally dealt by Sankt Gallen. If this issue is brought up again, we would be infringing on the jurisdiction of Sankt Gallen and it might possibly be a diplomatic issue.


    Darn it, how did it end up like this...


    I feel like punching the me of a month ago, when I was self-confidently voicing dissent on the session which was easily concluded.


    Back then, a friend who joined the court around the same time as I did, advised me strongly to drop this case. He must have heard a few rumours here and there about Oubeniels second son and knew more than I did.


    To think that this investigation which stemmed from my trivial unease over the matter, could sow the seeds for this disaster!


    No way can we allow such a dangerous character roam around freely. Nevertheless, it is impossible for me to corner Talese Oubeniel with the ns I cane up with. At the very most, the rumours I can stir about him can only scratch him. And having opposed him, what kind of response he would take is still unknown.


    I think the least I can do is to report that the girl is possessed by a demon. Preferably the church takes my advice and burn the girl on stake. However, his deceased father did try to bring him to the church and they didnt think anything was wrong with him. It seems that iming that she is possessed would yield the same result, unless we dare to bear the crime of bribery and buy the pastor over.


    What should be the best course of action?


    Whichever angle I think from, I cant think of a strategy against him.


    A sense of powerlessness and futility washed over my body.


    ...I feel overwhelmed.


    Even though my consciousness is still here, I still feel my mind heading towards a direction of endlessness, as if my thinking cannot settle down.


    I am so sleepy that I feel as giddy as I would be after pulling an all-nighter for work, but my nerves are fully dominated by nervousness and I totally cannot sleep. My situation was something like that. I could only rest my eyes meaninglessly at the ceiling of the room.


    ............


    Furthermore, there was an unpleasant aura in this ce.


    My nose was still unused to the scent that assaulted my olfactory senses when I first entered the room. The sweet flower smell was thick enough to prate through my nose to my brains.


    My brains, are, going, numb


    Yo, good evening.


    The door opened abruptly and a voice flew over.


    The person stepping into my room rudely was a young man that shouldnt have yet reached the age of twenty. He wore well-made garments. An aristocrat? And yet he was such an impolite guest. He was paying a visit and yet he didnt even give a single knock before ent...no, wait.


    Shouldnt the door be locked?


    Wh


    As I was about to ask who he was, the young man seized me.


    Ah, dont mind me. Please rx as you are. Arent you tired?


    The soft voice slipped into my ears readily. Just like how the smell enshrouding the room engulfed my nose.


    All my tension came loose. I stopped trying to jump off my bed and repositioned myself again.


    Thats right, I shall do as he says. I am so tired anyways, and I dont wanna think about anything. I dont want to care about anything.


    Actually, I have some things I would like to ask of you. They are yes and no questions so you can just nod or shake your head to reply. I just want to hear honest and frank answers. You understand?


    I nodded.


    Splendid. Now then, let me ask. You are from the Alcael Kingdoms High Court, yes?


    I nodded.


    Your job, this time round, is to investigate the Earl Family session?


    I nodded.


    Can you allow me to read the investigation record?


    I hesitated.


    I have the responsibility to keep the investigation confidential.


    ......Shall I phrase that again? Where is the investigation record? You may simply point your finger at it.


    I pointed at the bagid by the side of the bed.


    I looked behind the man. There was a silhouette that seem to belong to a girl there. I believe she was wearing a set of maid uniform.


    ...Maid?


    Do not be concerned with her. Please only think about what I ask you. Is that understood?


    I nodded.


    From where I poin

 Chapter 5: Oubeniel Brothers

    Chapter 5: Oubeniel Brothers


    Half a year ago, father passed away.


    His condition took a turn for the worsest spring, so I extended my spring break to take care of him, but it did not turn out well.


    That was because fathers dislike towards alchemy became revulsion towards me and thus, hepletely rejected any treatments from me.


    I am already 18 years old. I was a half-assed alchemist a decade ago, but now, I am recognised as a sessor from a highly acimed professor. An illness of that level would not pose a problem to anyone who went through the trainings from the academy, and yet, father was resolute in rejecting treatment. At that moment, I was made to quit school and had to make a round trip home. Just when father thought I had gone overseas, I reappeared and, due to that, his condition suddenly worsened.


    Well, my pace of expending ves in my radical human experimentation was too fast, horrifying father so much that he brought me to church. The trust he has in me has reached rock bottom. The medicine that I had provided him with probably seemed like poison obtained by trading with the devil.


    Honestly speaking, I am hardly sad at all. To me, my parents are the parents of my previous life and even though I feel indebted for him raising me, he treated my repayment with disdain and died in the end. On the contrary, I am the one being painted in bad light.


    Even if I say so myself, I thought it was cold-hearted. And that was how I really felt.


    The only problem that cropped up was that brother was supposed to easily inherit the family headship when father passed away, but thewyers administering the countrys court were, for some reason, dying it. I made Yuni investigate and it appears the reason lies in me. I heard wild rumours in the streets that someone like Talese Shernan Obeniel would have no qualms deposing his brother from being the next Earl. ...They are greatly mistaken.


    Profiting from the sale of potions and selling equipment I made myself in the academy would project the image of avarice to others, wont it? All I wanted was just a ce to research, funds, raw ingredients and cooperative people. The lecturer who is my mentor often says, it is extremely difficult to gain the understanding of people


    In any case, this was handled amicably again. The investigating officer did realise himself that he had partially misunderstood and while resolving the remaining doubts he had of me, I took the chance to request a few things of him, so he reported nothing problematic to the High Court. Incidentally, the investigation log that I read wrote the circumstances of a former retainer from my family. Hence, partly because I am still thankful of him, I treated him, who loves drinking, to homemade quality liquor. Right now, he must be having the sensation of climbing up into the skies. I mean, that first-generation knight did take care of me in many ways. This is just my way of thanking him and silencing him.


    Now that all is back to normal, brother finally became the head and with my share of inheritance, I can research to my hearts content. A win-win situation. After all, the academys alchemy faculty has a smaller budget. Above that, it was also a governmental institution, so there was surveince too. It wasnt just once or twice thatints regarding the research were directed towards me. It was an attractive prospect to have the help of mages who were familiar with fields outside my expertise, but Im sure Ill be able to work out something outside school as long as I have money. Now that I have amassed arge fortune, I am aiming to conduct a research moreplex than ever before, even though I am no longer part of the academy. I have written copies of important documents from there and have self-taught a significant amount of know-how too. I no longer have any regrets about leaving. And thus, I have no worries for the future.


    No worries, should have been the case


    How are you doing, brother?


    I asked, facing the new owner of the office in the mansion. Brother called me into the room while handling paperwork.


    As though the chair that was upied by father before he was bedridden waspletely his, brother stopped signing off paperwork and looked up.


    Did you not hear? Then I shall say it once more. Under one of ournd, I n to dismantle and reorganise a manor that has been acting as the prefectural governor. At the same time, youll be entrusted with the rank of a viscount. Since you have been given this role, you have to go there.


    This brief exnation at point nk.


    I am given peerage and territory. At first nce, it probably sounds alluring. Since I can set foot on the path to sess as an aristocrat. Normally, this would be something to cry about with tears of joy. However, being the owner of territory would mean I have to relocate to the actual region. It means that I have to abandon this rtively well-built city, abandon the safety of the capital behind the imperial guards and go to the countryside where there are many inconveniences and less public security.


    Put simply, brother is saying that a good-for-nothing second son should be contented with fleeing the city.


    This is no joke. Arge-scale city like the capital, Brosenul, has the most optimum ve market to restock the crucial guinea pigs for my research. Furthermore, many goods circte to the capital through the links to the highway. To be forced to leave this kind of ce, I would have no choice but to reduce the scope of the experiments.


    I could substitute the ves with the local residents, but that would be a terrible move. By doing that frequently, it would create negative effects on the management of thend as the manpower of farmers and workers would dip and motivation ofbourers would decrease too. To make matters worse, if I excessively convertmoners to ves, I might be charged with excess misconduct and appear on the radar of the High Court of Justice that I tried so hard to avoid. At that point of time, it wont even be about continuing the research; itll be my ruin.


    Also, I hold control over thepany that sell potions  my source of ie. It would incur a heavy blow on me economically.


    ...No way, no way! I cannot ept this at all!


    Please wait! I mean...it has not been long since brother took over the role of family head? Hence, dividing thend might cause confusion to governmental affairs? Yeah? Why dont we not do this?


    I summarised my points frantically, but brother simply snorted. Damn it, acting like this because he got his most desired position as the head of the family. Had I known it would turn out this way, I would have chosen the option of grabbing the headship even if I had to kill him. Though there are many risks associated with doing so.


    What are you saying. The royal court has already begun to move. If not so, I couldnt have given you any peerage. If you object here, it would be cause of confusion instead. Surely you are capable of understanding this much?


    ...You were the one who made the royal court move in the first ce.


    Not everything is difficult. For this country  and other countries too  the title of viscount could be called vice-Earl, and is mainly a subordinate of the Earl. Even if it is a court rank that can be granted important roles, it is basically following orders of an Earl and its family members, not to mention that I am being made to follow those orders. In short, the right to appoint roles lies with the country, but with brothers position, exercising his powers and influencing would be an easy task.


    T-That is true, though...


    Also, we cant have the son of the glorious Obeniel family rotting away aimlessly at home all the time, can we? Shouldnt you consider this an opportunity? Since it hasnt been that long since your path to schrship was severed. This is your chance for you to endeavour in a path fitting of an aristocrat.


    Such a solid argument. He then turned his around. A well executed way of cutting off my escape route. If I were to reject him now, I would be considered as neglecting my responsibility as an aristocrat, and societys trust in me  even though it may not be high  would be zero. That is as good as declining a life where I can support myself in a feudalistic society in which social status and power determines all. Speaking in terms of my previous world, it is simr to apany which can no longer take loans. Nobody would want to deal with such a person. It would be problematic in discussing business with merchants and cut off the funds required for purchasing guinea pigs.


    Nevertheless, is this how you treat a younger brother who has quietly held back over the inheriting of the family headship? I dont expect him to be choked full of tears of gratitude, but he should at least have the generosity to support the dream of his adorable brother.


    No way I could say that though.


    Brother...do you wish to chase me out of the house that much?


    It was a question which I didnt expect to be answered. I meant it to be the frivolous whining of a sore loser.


    However, brother red at me with shing eyes.


    Of course.


    He dered.


    How bad do you think the rumours about our family have gotten because of your blood-stinking experiments? Its true that all of those you killed were ves at the most. Im not saying that it is run counter to thews. However, surely there is a limit to everything!?


    He mmed the desk, stood up, abruptly walked towards the window area and opened the windows forcefully.


    Look, we can see the remnants of the cremation at the courtyard from here! Did you know that because of you doing all those things year in year out, except when you went abroad for studies, we werent able to hold any night parties at home!? Not only that, it has been more than once or twice that other households are creeped out whenever they see from afar a fire being lit in our courtyard. Do you understand how miserable we were then!?


    Brother appeared to be unsettled, as he gestured with trembling hands, and scratched his head at times. Moreover, he did it in rapid session. He didnt even give me the chance to squeeze in a few words.


    What can I do? It seems that I have flipped a bad switch.


    In addition, do you know how old I am? Twenty-five. Not a strange age to be having children, right? Despite that, I am still single. Thats all thanks to you! All the families are afraid of you and dont want to send their daughters here! Lets not even mention my very first fiancee, whose parents came begging in tears to cancel the engagement! No way are we allowing our daughter to marry into the Obeniels man-eating mansion! And thats not all. The number of people in the house has dwindled shortly after you began your experiments to the extent where it isnt even half of what it used to be! No matter how crude we are, we are still an Earl family arent we? Ehhh!?


    Y-Yes...


    Do you know how much fear you brought to father? Huhnn!? Because of your poor taste in hobbies, father became sick, and also because you showed your face, father fell into critical condition, dying just like that. Did you know!? No, no, perhaps you were the one whoced his food with some unknown poison! Say it, truthfully. You were the one who killed him huh!?


    That is quite a far-fetched usation you made against me, brother.


    He might have been affected by anxiety to some extent, but when I examined him, I could tell that he had be as gravely ill as his depraved lifestyle. After all, he had all kinds of illness caused by lifestyle like diabetes, gout, high-blood pressure and etcetera creatingplications for his health. Certainly I had hoped that he would part with his fortune quickly, but still, there was no reason for me to kill a person that was already at deaths doorstep.


    ......What!?


    At my rebuttal, brother flew off the handle and climbed over the desk. He waspletely enraged.


    A clenched fist flew over. At the same time, my equipment activated automatically, and I became enveloped in a transparent barrier weaved with magic. It received brothers fist.


    Nevertheless, brother did not seem to realise it and continuously rained punches on it.


    Stop feigning ignorance! You bastard! You were the one who killed him! Mother died from giving birth to you! You demon! You parricidal demon!! Just how much, how much are you going to rob me of until you are satisfied!? Answer me Talese!!!


    Please calm down, brother. You will break your fist, yknow?


    I shrugged my shoulders and urged him. Brother finally stepped back. Blood dripped from his fist and stained the floor. My warning came toote.


    Oh dear, it cant be helped...


    Because it cant be helped, I decided to treat him. It was the recovery magic that I have trained to analyse up to fractures, from my long years of human experimentation. Apart from alchemy, my skills in other magics are mediocre, but I still have much confidence in it.


    Since brother slightly stirred when he took my hand, I said, Please do not move. If I make any mistake here, your bone would be crooked, yeah?


    Shut


    Well, with my surgery, Ill get it patched right away though.


    I cautioned. He seemed to have understood and stopped fidgeting.


    As soon as the treatment was done, brother swiped his hand away from me as though he wanted to protect the hand that I was holding. A reaction as though he had touched germs. Really, that was so rude.


    ......I didnt think brother hated me this much. And this is how you repay my kindness. I shall humbly ept what you have said.


    ......H-Humph! If you were like this from the start, it wouldnt have turned out like this.


    Brother said as he sat on the chair once again. As expected from the head of an Earl family, he has already recovered from his rage and has, to some extent, regained hisposure. His animosity towards me hasnt changed though.


    From the start? I would have wanted you to discuss this with me beforehand. So, lets talk about the details then. I can go anywhere I like?


    Here.


    Brother put on a sour look as he spread out a map and pointed to a spot with his finger. The name of the ce was, umm. Marlin? I have never heard this name before. It was in the region of Volden, which has been the territory of the Obeniels for generations, and was located in a corner...its really a corner. Isnt it just at the corner of the map?


    Its roughly 350 km southeast from the capital. From the perspective of a former Japanese, it would be Tohoku travelling north from Tokyo or the Lake Biwa area if travelling west.


    Thats quite far isnt it.


    Anyways, it is also the border with a neighbouring country. For a head of family who had just started, this would be and in which he would want to ce his most trusted men, yes?


    Such hypocrisy. Its true that east of Marlin or east of the Volden region, which has been part of the Obeniel family for sessive generations, is Sankt Gallen Federation. However, in actuality, a chain of mountains divide the two countries so themon way to pass through is further north. Not only that, as pointed out from the map, the boundary lines of the territory were wider than I imagined but it was mostly mountains and forests.


    ...In short, the remote countryside.


    Ahh, speaking of which...it was once famed for its rich copper deposits.


    Brother said in an effort tofort, though it was in as day he didnt care about me at all.


    Once was when? In any case, since he is forcing thisnd on me, there is no doubt that the copper veins have been exhausted and the only ones left are unprofitable.


    I mentally prepared myself but this is depressing. Being forced into such a ce, what in the world can I  do? Wait a sec. Land? Viscount?


    It was something that I secretly looked forward to in my heart. However, brother has yet to realise it. While intentionally making dark expression, I lowered my face so as to not be seen through, as I continued asking for more details.


    ......How about the previous prefectural governors?


    They will be put under yourmand. Handle them well.


    Whats he trying to do by throwing a newbie into a sphere already dominated by vested interests?


    How about the mansion where government affairs are conducted?


    You are allowed to build a new one. You are the sibling of a head too, it wouldnt look good if you are using hand-me-downs from the previous prefectural governor.


    Allowed only huh. So he wouldnt be backing me with cash huh? Is that right?


    When do I depart?


    Tomorrow.


    Hey, hold up a sec.


    His reply caught me off guard and my cheeks couldnt help but twitch, but I endured somehow.


    ......That soon?


    Due to hups like the investigation by the High Court, the session took a far longer time than expected. Consequently, before I became the head of family, much of the governmental work in our territory froze. That is the situation we are in. In order to resume work, this has to be hurried.


    For someone who is describing a serious problem, he was enjoying himself too much. How dare he say something like that so shamelessly. And ever since father became bedridden, he took over the job to some extent.


    There were many other things I want to add but I have to swallow myints and stay silent. This guy wants to dump the difficult problems onto me and make my life difficult. However, I dont have to listen to his every bidding.


    Yes, I understand. In that case, since we are short of time, I will make my preparations now.


    Wait.


    As I was about turn my heels, a stiff voice kept me in check.


    What is it?


    You have been bestowed with peerage and even though thend is in the outskirts, you are still a person who will be managing thatnd. I will not allow anymore of your profligate behaviour.


    I know. You are telling me to stop my alchemy research and lock up my undergroundb, right?


    I was already nning to do so. I am not that bold a person to leave my vault full of secrets as it is.


    Good. ...And, one other thing. The preparations have been made for you. I wont ept any failures regarding the job. If you do something unpardonable, dont me me for making a painful decision as a brother.


    From a nce, I could see bloodthirst inside brothers eyes.


    Unlike the childish exasperation earlier, it contained a level-headed and refined purpose.


    Grasp the opponents weakness and denounce him publicly once something happens. Use not the sword but authority to ughter, that is the murderous intent of an aristocrat.


    ......I think I am trembling in excitement. With my meagre abilities, I will do my utmost best.


    I said andpletely turned to face my back at him.


    What I have been granted was a cage. A cage meant to lock out wild beasts.


    Feed them some crude bait so they dont be violent from hunger, weaken them gradually and finally kill them when they expose a chink in their armour. This is what has been prepared for me.


    ...Still, how nave.


    That he specifically reminded me of that basically means he doesnt have the resolve to kill me.


    Time is an alchemists friend. While brother hands out his business cards and strengthens his determination, I will be able to prepare a new countermeasure.


    And that presents problems in procuring ves. An area cut off from the cities. A ce with nothing but hills, fields and forests.


    What can I possibly do in a ce like that? At most, its just a ce for people from the capital to go sightseeing, isnt it?


    I hid my snickle, lowered my shoulders and exited. As I put up a feint, I pondered what to do with the new toy brother has given me.


    Speaking of which, when was it that I had a simr conversation with father?


    I left the office and by the side of the door was Yuni. Brother hates my ves, so there was no way I could let her in. With no choice, I told her to stay outside.


    Good work, master.


    It wasnt to the extent of work. What about you? Thanks for enduring.


    I said and wiped her mouth. My fingers became stained in blood. Most likely, Yuni must have resisted her instincts to barge in when brother was trying to hit me. And thus, she must have bit her lips to bear with it. There were no scars left behind since she was at least capable of healing herself.


    I am truly unworthy of such kindness.


    She lowered her head deeply.


    When I was studying abroad in the magic academy, Yuni had unnecessarily protected me on the spur of the moment and instead created a biggermotion. This child is sometimes inflexible. Well, since she was able to put up with it this time, she does have the wit to not repeat her mistakes, so I doubt this would be a problem.


    Anyway, were you listening?


    As I whispered into her ears, I twisted my stained finger into her lips. Before the sensation of hitting her front tooth, my finger was wrapped in the softness of her lips and then, the finger was cleansedfortably by her warm and moist tongue.


    Un...buhaa. ...Ues, make the preparations before our departure and lock up theb, right?


    Yuni replied while carefully wiping the finger, which has been pulled out, with a handkerchief. It might been because of the regretful parting of the finger from her tongue, that she was unable to pronounce, Yes. Its not like I was doing this in the corridor during the day and theres nothing to argue about if she used her own handkerchief. Well, this falls under skinship with subordinates. It is quite the sexual harassment, but if the other party doesnt mind then that isnt contradictory I guess. Yep.


    Exactly. Get them ready fast.


    I understand. ...M-01, 02, 03.


    The moment she called out, three women silently appeared and kneeled.


    Its not like I can be pleased just ying with Yuni, so I created a sound barrier on them to maintain private conversations. The barrier I created couldntpletely shield sounds from inside, because it was a lower-ss magic. However, its upside is that it is easier to conceal the existence of the barrier itself. For magic other than alchemy, I am more well versed in pony tricks like this and recovery magic. If I was better at those gaudy offensive magics though, I would use them.


    M-01, here.


    Same for you M-02,e here.


    You too M-03, here.


    All of them produced the same clockwork expressionless face as their names were called. On their necks were the glimmer of a silver cor. And on their bodies were the same maid attire design. Despite the differences in their facial features and physique, they were this symmetrical. It might feel eerily diforting to others.


    They were the products of manufacturing based on the experimental data I got from Yuni. They were the fallen products of ves which I held expectations for. People call them (I dont though) the M series. Incidentally, the M stands for the M in maid. ...Please dont call them cheap, that would hurt me.


    Simply speaking, they were mass produced Yunis. Of course, making each and every one of them as multi-talented as Yuni would require long term training, and that would be unrealistic. Hence, applying the same technique to manipte the mind, basic functionalities are inserted directly into the brains andter, medicine would be administered to further boost their abilities. Naturally, I have to at least configure their brains to prevent rebellion.


    Their abilities on the battlefield goes no further than average, but they are more than sufficient for normal maid duties and helping with research. While we were at Sankt Gallen, these girls were good enough to entrust with the sale of potions.


    Also, these girls do not have names. Unlike Yuni, the Super Dollfie of a product, the M series set forth mass productivity as the prerequisite. I dont have such a good naming sense to name each and every one of them. For the time being, if there is an inconvenience with theck of names, I allow them to call themselves by their real name before their restructuring.


    Tomorrow, the master has to leave. Do the preparations quickly. You know what has priority for moving right?


    Yes, Chief Maid. ording to the third emergency manual, the appropriate measure to take is to quickly move the rare C rank and above tools and materials. The rest are to be shredded and discarded.


    A question for the Chief Maid. Regarding the raw ingredients that are currently being mixed, may I request in-depth instructions for the settings?


    Answer to your question. Activate those that are in their final stages and have havepleted the Opus 02 setting. The rest are to be disposed of regardless of their priorities. Understand?


    Yes, Chief Maid. We shall do as you have said.


    Good. So then, after rying the same message to B-01 and B-02, quickly proceed to work on your assignments. Over.


    Yes, Chief Maid. Over.


    Replying in unison, the three maids from the M series backed down.


    Hmm, this conversation. Rather than being in a middle century fantasy world, it was more like a modern military or a near-future dystopian science fiction. This doesnt match with current state of the world. The one who created this amusing scene was me though.


    By the way, B-01 and B-02, who are not present, were a different model  the butler type B series model. Of course, B stands for the B in butler. Tough men were picked as raw materials for this series, hence, their speciality was that they were better atbat. This means that their B could stand for Battler too. Despite being cheap, they were not much different.


    In any case, I was looking at Yuni. Looking at Yuni shoot orders to her M series subordinates, from the perspective of the person who altered her brain, I cant help but feel that she has grown significantly. Gant and imposing. That I was able to raise such a beauty was something that I couldnt imagine when I first set sights on her at the ve market. I remember noticing during the bone reconstruction operation that her bones were well-shaped, but I had no idea that it would like this after growing up.


    I am experiencing the same deep stirring as I did four years ago when she waspleted. Even so, no matter how many times you taste something good, they will still be good.


    While I was lost in thought, Yuni looked at me with some anxiety.


    What happened, master?


    No, nothing much. I was just thinking, Yuni is so beautiful.


    I dered without reserve. She submits to me fully. Thus, there is no need to lie. Frankly saying what I think is of no concern. Ahh, how wonderful a rtionship without lies is.


    Yuni blinked her eyes in a moment, but immediately bowed elegantly.


    These words are more than I deserve. I am grateful, master.


    For some reason, I felt stimted by that reply and nodded once to her.


    A perfect maid. A truly perfect maid.


    I have known her for ten years. She has gone a long way to be thisplete.


    As long as I hold this greatest trump card, I have no need to fear something like the malice of an Earl.


    I am being immersed in the feelings of omnipotence because I have my prided product serving me. No, this cant do, this cant do. I have to remind myself that letting your guard down is your greatest enemy.

 Chapter 6: Zweihander

    Chapter 6: Zweihander


    .Its raining.


    With the leaves covering up the sky, it was as dark as the night inside the forest.


    Within the darkness, the gentle and slow drips of water cruelly stole heat from an emaciated body.


    I made a blunder.


    The man mumbled noiselessly.


    It seems youre quite capable. There is a difficult mountain to cross, but wont you go with me?


    Those were the words that started off everything.


    The party leader who was of the same rank as him called out to him. He was a person who seeks the thrill of adventure and would travel between different cities to try something new. He talked with gusto. Something about high ranking adventurers forming an alliance a union of party members or solo adventurers  to challenge a high-level dungeon together. Laid waiting for us there were vast rewards, rare resources, legendary treasures and formidable foes itching for a fight.


    Ive been making it a personal principle to be solitary and not rely on others, but being baited by the talk to help that other party was the limit of my luck. It was all good up until we got into the dungeon and took down the boss guarding the treasure. But what awaited after that was a sneaky deceit from that very same guy who sold me the talk.


    Now that I reflect upon it, apart from the core members of the party, others, including me, were mostly solo adventurers. There must had been ns to cut these solo folks off once theyve taken hold of the treasure. Now, its a widely established theory thatpared to adventurers simrly ranked as me, I am stronger as a lone wolf, but thats only true in a perfect world where the battles are one on one. So when they sneakily push troublesome things on me along the road, and once Ive exhausted myself they sneakily ganged up on me, at that time I couldnt resist them. On top of that, there were these folks in uniform theyve had been hiding all along and they went all gung ho on me. Out of the solo adventurers joined that alliance, Im the only one left alive.


    I was a fool.


    The adventurer was a man ssified as a veteran. He was still young but he has trodden in this path for very long. Born as amoner, he sharpened his skills at the towns vignte corps. He abandoned his seemingly unending monotone life by leaving his hometown seven years ago. If you can manage a year in this promising world, you must be sufficiently talented. Well, this is the result.


    Killing fellow adventurers is a dastardly act I shouldve never shown my back to fellows I know I couldnt trust. I broke my cardinal rule due to some unnecessary greed and here I am paying the ultimate price.


    I crushed those turncoats in that ensuing battle. Thats good and all, but as a result, Ive received wounds thats definitely not shallow. Ive used up all my recovery potions and whats left in my hand is only the sword Im carrying. And it seems that Im about to meet my vain end holding this very sword.


    -To think Id end in a ce like this Intense regret filled my chest, along with it, intense pain.


    No. I dont want to end this way. Dying in a forest where there is no one, dying and turn into a skull. Thats still fine by me. But theres no way I want to die in a half-assed way like this.


    I want to wield my sword more! I want to master the sword more! I want to fight with my sword more!


    When all I did was passing meaningless time in a certain small town, I had thought upon reaching the highest height of the art of sword. It was all I have as a man. Money, women, alcohol, food nothing is as important to me as winning with this sword-carrying arm. Id swing my de in every free time I had, Id sh my enemies with it if theres one, and never there was a day when I dont improve my skills. But this day, at this time, all of it just went to nothing.


    This is too much, I thought to myself.


    I have tried to build a stronghold of sword, it was like picking river pebbles and stacking them up until this very day, and now with just this one mistake, itll copse without a trace. How regretful I am. If the one who ended it was a master in the art then I can still ept that, but to think that its a traitors de that would send this body to meet its demise, its regrettable. What a pity.


    - I dont want to die.


    Finally, the remaining regret fills the rest of my line of thoughts.


    I dont want to die, ah, I dont want to die, I dont want to die.


    Rely on the sword, and without being carried away, swing it. Such was the pride Ive imposed on myself. Even if one tries to overturn or bend this principle of mine, all I wanted was to live singlemindedly ording to it. I wanted to life more as I sh and kill under that belief while I send all dead bodies to bite the dust. If you think thats pathetic, go ahead andugh. If you scorn me for being a man without honour, then go ahead and do that. My only honour from the beginning were only this arm and this sword of mine, anyway. I will never bear the fact that this would all be scattered away by a foolish brute who did not understand the path of the sword.


    - Let me live


    - Grant me the power to ward away these arms of Death


    - Now, for that, Im willing to do anything


    - Id cast away my pride, Id sell my soul


    - Just for me to live by the sword once again!


    It was at that time.


    It was then.


    What he heard was the sound of horseshoe as it hit mud. And with that, the sound of wheels traversing over rough grounds.


    - A carriage?


    He came to realise that hes currently on a highway. Apparently as he unconsciously crawled in dirt and hanged on to what little life he have left, he had finally cut his way through the forest. And now a carriage ising over his direction.


    With a horses loud neigh, the carriage stopped before it could run the man over.


    A figure alighted from the carriage. The ground was wet and muddy from the rain, and yet the figure made no sound as it descended.


    As the man inadvertently doubt his eyes, he lets a sound.


    Huh?


    What appeared there was a young woman.


    In this darkness, the womans white, delicate skin stood out even to his hazy eyes. The pair of eyes staring down at him was like a pair ofrge grain of emeralds. Fascinating as it was to behold, there was a certain coldness and rigidness in it. Her elegant features were breathtakingly remarkable. But while she possessed such an insuppressible beauty to gaze at, it was not the only thing that surprised the man.


    She was wearing a one-piece dress with borate embroidery on the cuffs, and a white apron that seemed to shed light into the darkness of the forest. A piece of white cloth adorned her glossy ck hair. One her left arm was an armband that jokingly read premier servant.


    Maids. Servants that work in households of noblemen or select wealthy merchants. Why is someone like that currently here, in a rainy road by the forest, standing in front of a dying swordsman?


    It was a strange sight. Certainly it isnt weird for a person that can afford to be carried in a carriage to be apanied by a maid, but, normally if one encounters a copsed person in injuries on the road, they wouldnt get off their carriage first and foremost. Well, he thought he was seeing things, as what he saw before him was making no sense.


    The man thought he was going senile at that time, but then he came to a realisation.


    - Shes carrying a sword with her.


    Hanging by the womans left hip was a sheathed sword. The make was of a double-edged de, the width of each de was probably about sixty centimetres. But although it was indeed a suitable weapon for ones with slender arms, it was still strange that a servant woman would carry it about.


    On her left chest, over her apron, stretching over like a name tag was the adventurer guilds te tag.


    - And that shiny silver colored thing on her neck, is it a ve cor?


    A maid with a sword, and on her the adventurer guilds ID, and a proof of vehood.


    There was only one woman that meets such specific characteristic that the man knew.


    Silver Wolf?


    It was a rumor that he had heard in the neighboring countrys capital of the Kingdom of Arquell, Broussonne. Among the adventurers based on this town, there is a certain ve-maid kept by a nobleman.


    She was known by the name Uni, The Silver Wolf.


    She wasnt one that can simply be made light as a cor-tied bitch. Her true nature was of a silver coloured cursed wolf. She was named as the sort of a hellish beast who would decapitate one without fail once she sees the other party as an enemy.


    It has been a while since people called me that, such a nostalgic name


    To the mans words the woman replied.


    Her tone was dry and inorganic, but her voice was one of a very young woman. Age cant be discerned from her extremely gracious look, but what from he observed, she was in the middle of her teens. It was all consistent with the features of the Silver Wolf.


    You called me with that name Who are you?


    The woman observed the man with the likes of the watchful eyes of a hound dog.


    Shes strong. The mans hunch tells him so. Her height is lower than him by two heads, and she should be quite light, probably half his weight. Even so, he could feel her bloodthirst even when she wasnt actually letting out her fighting spirit, and such feeling of intimidation resonated with his wounds. Perhaps, even if he were in a perfect condition, he wouldnt get far if she were to be his opponent.


    Theres no mistake. The woman must be The Silver Wolf.


    With such conviction, tales of the womans deeds floated in the mans mind.


    She became an adventurer at the age of ten, and she was promoted to D-ss Adventurer within just a year.


    At that time, she yed three ss-D adventurers who insulted her master for their rudeness without giving them a chance to fight back.


    After she became Rank-C, she stayed at that rank, but she was one of the few special cases, one of the two names, awarded for exceptional rate of request achievements..


    But out of all those stories, this one is the best. There was this wretched party who tried to monopolise a good hunting ce by driving out a few good B ss adventurer out of town and upying the towns dungeon. Then something came along and ughtered the party in the blink of an eye and left. The Guild was caught up in it and was all like, oh good gracious, did a high-ranked monster appear there or something, it was then when one of their receptionists jokingly said:


    This monster you people are talking about could it be, perchance, a silver wolf?


    Like that.


    Just before the incident, someone said that they saw The Silver Wolfs figure heading for that dungeon.


    Those stories might have been unlikely tall-tales, but here, the mans vivid sense of reality is pushing against him. The sound of rainwater mingled with the sound of cold saliva ringing through his throat. He thought to himself, so this was the sensation of holding my own breath.


    To the rigid and trembling man, the woman asked another question.


    Do you wish to die?


    Ha..?


    If youre not one that would bring harm to Master, he might grant you mercy, and that way your life may be saved.


    Those words caught the mans heart.


    !


    Can my life be saved?


    Can I avoid my death?


    This woman, she said that right?


    The man clinged to the hope that was reaching him like a stretched straw


    I will ask one more time, who..


    Are you, but her voice was cancelled out.


    The man let out his true will.


    Dont


    ?


    Dont want, to die


    First, Id like to ask who you are though


    Dont, want, to die!. I, dont want to die, at all!


    His voice, filled with anxiety, resounded in the dark forest.


    For the man who was turned a blind eye by both god and saviours, it was a desperate, pathetic plea.


    But that plea seems to be granted,


    Eh? Do you really mean that?


    There, before his eyes, was the Devil himself.


    . Master?


    The Silver Wolf looked up to the alighted man thoughtfully.


    Master, she said? Is the person The Silver Wolfs lord?


    He was a young man. Apparently he wasnt in his twenties yet, but while he might be in hister teens, he retained most of his youthful, boyish looks. His eyes were blue, in contrast of his red, copper hair. His facial features was all in a good order, but it didnt give off any sense of individuality. Like a cheap doll, his looks was a bnced one, one that would not invoke any impression upon a glimpse. No matter how the man him, he could only see a mediocre-looking aristocrat in front of him.


    Is this awfully average-looking young man really the Silver Wolfs master?


    The young man, slowly, took another step closer to approach the confused man.


    Please stand back, I have yet to discern this individuals identity.


    Isnt he just an injured person? He seems to be an adventurer.


    There is a possibility that he could be an assassin pretending to be one


    The woman repeated her statement to the young lord whose looking at the man without a care.


    But the womans master treated her words like a passing wind and continued to approach the man.


    Even if thats true, what can he do in this state?


    His words was full of calm confidence.


    If he were another normal man, even if the other party were out of blood or in deep wounds, even if he was in the presence of the Silver Wolf, it was an insult that could get him killed by the opponent.


    But the man realised it. The ambience that the youth in front of him carried was not of a careless contempt at his half-dead self. Even if the man was in perfect condition, at the very least by no means the youth would let himself get wounded.


    The Silver Wolf quietly backed down, perhaps she understood this too.


    I have overstepped my bounds.


    Its fine. I dont mind it anyway.


    While waving his hand to his servant, he crouched down beside the fallen man.


    Then, he whispered with a gentle voice.


    I dont want to die. You certainly said that, right?


    R-right


    The man responded to the question in affirmation.


    No matter what the price, you dont want to die, right?


    Right.


    The man responded to the question in affirmation.


    Even if your sword is turned against anyone, you still dont want to die, right?


    Right.!


    The man responded to the question in affirmation.


    Even if you turn into anything, you really dont want to die, right?


    Right!


    The man responded to the question in affirmation.


    Dont, want to die! I dont want to die!


    As if to wash away mud on his face, his tears flow.


    Slush mixed in with the snot he sniffed.


    It truly was a pathetic sight. Is that how an adventurer, a swordsman, supposed to look like?


    Even so, no matter how unsightly it was


    Even. even if I have to abandon my pride! Even if I have to sell my soul! Dont want to die!  I dont want to die!


    - Very well.


    The Devil acknowledged his answer.


    That answer, is more important than who you are, and more than anything you have invoked my empathy.


    Will you help me?


    Yes, of course. Uni, help me carry him to the carriage. I thought this was going to be a boring business trip, but it appears that Ill be picking up an unexpected thing on my way back.


    As Master wills it.


    Well then, first of all I must do the emergency treatment I suppose. B-01, if you have a moment. Fetch me the following from the piled tools. Disinfectant for powerful anesthesia, bandages, splints, and haematinics.


    The young lord issued orders to the maid and the man who terriblycked in presence.


    To his profile, the man unconsciously asked,


    Hey, you. if I were to reply I didnt say that, then what were you nning to do?


    At the verge of his death, he epted his obsession with life and reached out to the first party that offered a helping hand.


    If the man were to refuse the youth, what would happen then?


    It was a question that he could not stop minding.


    Hmm? Lets see If you answered that way, then


    And the youth indifferently returned a terrifying answer,


    Id grant you death that you wouldve wished for. Then Id do experiments on your dead body.


    Is, that so?


    The man closed his eyelids without prying too much on the meaning of those words.


    You really dont have anything to be afraid of, you know? Your answer was the correct one.


    And then his consciousness sunk to the darkness.


    As the men fell asleep, he prayed that the next time he woke up, hed be alive, as his usual self.


    The mans wish will be granted, partially.


    That is, even if hell be alive and hell open his eyes once more, he will not find his own unchanged.


    -


    Ah, what fine weather


    While holding up a hand towards the sun, I stretched myself as far as I could.


    With that I deluded myself into believing that the fatigue in my joints and muscles that went through workst night melt away in the morning light.


    Well, a delusion can only be a delusion. But this weather sure isforting.


    Sure is an ideal morning to set off for a trip, dont you think so, ani-ue?


    I said so as I look behind to the the very man who spent all night packing up my stuff.


    To that word, my brother, Linus Streinn Oubeniel, returned me a radiant smile.


    Ah, thats right Tullius. The sun sure is spectacr today, its suitable for the day when my little brother finally sets off from this mansion.


    It totally is! Ahahahahaha


    Ahahahaha..


    Even on the day of the parting, ourugh cheerfully intertwine with each other at this time for us two brothers.


    It truly was a heartwarming, wonderful sight.


    Despite that, why is it for some reason the vassals faces that went out to send me off were all straight or frowning?


    Probably it was because the exchange was full of hypocritical sarcasm, couldnt be helped though.


    Are you all set? Well, off you go then.


    Said my brother whose face turned serious again.


    His mood was unexpectedly good, I revised my evaluation at that moment.


    Well, while it is better than dragging it out, I did expect a little more sensible response.


    Yes. Well then, Ill see youter.


    Oh my, Tullius. Its a bit embarrassing that you used the wrong expression here at this time. You shouldve said good-bye


    Ahahaha! Ani-ue sure is harsh. But, didnt you use the wrong expression too?


    TL Note: I think its easy to catch the subtleties in this exchange but since some meaning was lost in trantion Im gonna exin anyway. What Tullius said was ittekimasu, which implied that hed be off temporarily and will return to the mansion. Linus corrected that by saying that he shouldve said sayonara, which pretty much mean an indefinite farewell. Linus sure hates him.


    Hm? I dont think I have another word to say to you anymore.


    Ah there you go again. I thought you wanted to say, something along the lines of, like


    I showed and moved my lips without making a voice.


    Go. To. Hell.


    - Like that, right?


    . This bastard, ahahahaha!


    Ahahahahaha!


    With the tension after staying up all night incessantly nonexistent for the joking me, my brotherughed casually while showing a thick blood vessel on his forehead.


    Ah, thats not good. Due to what Ive done, the mood over there is starting to put too much pressure on his body.


    As expected being sleep-starved just wont do, so I thought while looking ways to end our conversation. But then,


    Are you brothers done with your two-people skit?


    A low brazen voice broke in.


    It came to our notice that by the mansions main entrance, a man was standing there while leaning on the doors.


    His ck mantle was full of holes here and there, and there were many cracks on his cuirass. The brigand-looking man was d in tattered ck. On his back, however, rested a crossed Zweihander. The intrusive atmosphered it created gave an impression that he was not an ordinary person.


    TL Note: Since the author used the word crossed here Im assuming that there are two Zweihanders. But then again I could be wrong as the author didnt mention any number. For now Ill take the conservative approach and say its one.


    Who are you?


    My brother asked him with a rough voice. Of course. He never saw the man in the mansion even until yesterday. That said, he didnt seem to be a person that belong in a ce like a noblemans house.


    The way my brother looked at him was a dangerous one, like at those times when hed asionally pick a fight with me. At this rate, he might call the guards and order them to knock him down.


    I decided to stop him before that happens.


    Hes an adventurer I hired to escort me. Or not, since hell be working exclusively for me from now on, I suppose a former adventurer would be more proper, then?


    There was no need to spout a lie, so I told him the truth. As a response, bluntly,


    Its not like I would mind epting a request for another escort from you, you know that?


    He put his words in.


    My brother knitted his brows.


    Wasnt the departure order issued yesterday?


    Indeed. I know its absurd of me, but hes just the right man, he was in the neighborhood and he was acquainted with Uni. Although I felt sorry for him because my request was sudden, I decided to ask him to escort me anyway.


    To my brother my exnation may only suspicious but apparently he judged that there wasnt a lie in my words, he humphed as he snorted.


    Apologies for my rudeness, my little brothers guest. If possible, can I know your name?


    Although he said he was sorry, he didnt seem to be at allpunctious. Well, hes an high aristocrat and an acting Count. Probably he doesnt see the dirty-looking adventurer folk as a fellow human.


    The man probably understood that as well, so after he shrugged his shoulders lightly, he asserted his name.


    Due. Due Schwarzer. Rank B Adventurer. If youre familiar with the industry, I go around with the name Two Handed Sword Due


    Pardon me, but its the first time I heard of that name.


    Right, said Due as he let out an exaggerated sigh. My brother might have put out a request at times but probably he just went straight to the receptionist,id out his terms and pay out the rewards. Usually noblemen would either do that or hire their own exclusive adventurers, so they wouldnt care about other adventurers.


    In the first ce, itsmonce that aristocrats would see othermoners, except for those in the priesthood or a few merchants, as livestocks and naturally look down upon them. Of course, they see ves as lesser than that. If you kill a livestock, you can still get indicted, but when ites to ves you can actually hunt them as some sort of a prey. But as you can see from the infamy that is mine truly, its not actually apletely epted practice.


    And so, my brothers elusive attitude pretty much falls in the category of amon sense in this world. Due wouldnt be angry. Or at least I think he wont.


    Have you finished profiling him, ani-ue? Then, Due, you get into a carriage too. I would suggest you use mine, there. There is another carriage for my escorts, but its ceiling is low and I suppose your prided sword would get stuck and we dont want that do we?


    Alrite. Truly is an honour to apany the new Viscount.


    Due headed towards my carriage as he said that.


    My brother carefully watches over his back as he went.


    To think that youd hire an adventurer other than that girl, do you find your prided dogcking?


    Perhaps he wasnt done with his sarcasm.


    Its annoying to let him say that, but for now Ill swallow it and let it slide.


    I received a great peerage and I dont think her hands are enough to help me around. So I thought itd be better to increase the number of hands avable, else her beauty may get impaired, you see?


    The face of my brother when he heard my answer was quite a sight.


    But this sure feels weird.


    As we spent a while treading the highway spanning from the kingdoms capital, Due opened his mouth.


    He was stroking a part of his forehead, just above his eyebrows with one fingertip, while I was looking at the scenery outside the window.


    You said you tinkered with my head as you liked it, but what I feel is oddly refreshing. I thought thered be more. dizziness, nausea, things like that.


    That is because I did my utmost to avoid such aftereffects.


    While leaning on my cheek and leaving my body to the vibrations of the carriage, I entertain myself by talking to him.


    Truthfully, Im really, really sleepy and I cant stand it, to the point that I want to sleep all the way until we reach our inn. But the data for my new work of which I havepleted adjustments upon is also valuable. As a result, I instead decided to draw out various responses from our conversation.


    Thats right.


    The swordsman d in ck, adventurer Due Schwarz. He is the product of my most earnest efforts that I hadnt been doing for a while now and thus he is now my second masterpiece, Opus 2, following Uni, my Opus 1.


    The remodeling given to Due to improve his abilities,pared to Uni, who were strengthened by medication from her childhood along with growth nurtured by efficient training, took a contrasting approach.


    With reference data taken from the ves forced remodeling procedures of mass-produced type, such as the M-Series, he was thoroughly remodeled after his body has reached adulthood. I reinforced the strength of his skeleton to optimise the cement of his muscle tissues, and improved the transmission rate of his nervous system and so on. That would make his physical ability to jump dramatically in a short period of time- well, it should be. I dont know since I have yet to conduct the product test.


    So to speak, the contrasting approach were between Uni, whose modifications took a long time by utilising medicine and training, and Due, whose remodelling surgery took a very short amount of time. Regarding which approach is better, well, probably its better to say both of them has their own advantages and disadvantages. In Unis case, her brain was modified during her early childhood during its developmental stage, and as a result of multidisciplinary education she has be exceedingly versatile as one individual unit. It did take time to train her, but as a result, she is now a prodigal generalist. Meanwhile, in Dues case, he has already umted experience in one particr field over so many years, and therefore to fully utilise this specific advantage, adjustments were made to make him a specialist. While it means that itd be hard for him to be flexible inbat, it can be expected that hell exceed further in his field of specialty. On top of that, as long he meets the conditions in his prime field, sooner orter the immediate disposition that he may develop will be his selling point. However, Uni still has a hidden card


    As I think about various things


    That said, we and our lord sure are bad with people


    So said Due with augh and a wide grin.


    What are you talking about?


    When you introduced me to your older brother, you see. How to say this, you did make quite the big lie there.


    The Master did not lie, not one bit.


    Uni, who had silently been documenting our conversation in the corner, raised her face and started to argue.


    I was the one to met you first, and your body was kept in the basement of the mansion, which means you were in fact in the neighborhood. Your final adjustments were done in haste due to our sudden departure, and thus, while it is rude to infer the Masters will, in a way we do owe you an apology.


    Then, she continued, though Im being presumptuous, in my opinion that wouldnt be necessary though.


    As expected from my childhood friend (can I call her that, though?). She understands my intention well. Certainly it was Uni who first found Due, who fell down in the way of our carriage, when we were getting back from St. Gallen after we returned the investigator. He wished to avoid death no matter what I do to him, so I remodeled him as my personal guard and he gets to hold on to his life. And of course, when I said he was around, I meant that he was in theb, which was emptied before todays daybreak. Just as she said, I didnt lie when I exined it to my older brother. There were just, more or less, some missing facts.


    Due opened his mouth widely andughed.


    Hahahaha! You sure are a smooth talker, ah? Silver Wolf-san. Or would you prefer me to call you senior?


    Call me as you please.


    Anyway, you. It came to my attention when we met but, you sure are cold huh, senior. Is it because of that? The difference in the way our heads were tinkered, the generational gap of our surgery?


    No. I did the same thing.


    Perhaps he misunderstood something, as he kept his jaw open.


    Huh?


    As I said, the substance of both her and your brain surgeries is exactly the same, I wrote obedience and eliminated hostility towards me. There were few differences in the detail, but as there are some distinctions between a mans brain and a womans. But other than that, you can say that everything else is pretty much the same.


    As I finished my exnation Doue looked like a pigeon that got struck by a bean gun. That said, there are neither beans nor a thing that you can call a gun in this world yet.


    TL Note: a pigeon that got struck by a bean gun is a Japanese expression that can simply be tranted in English as dumbfounded, I kept it as it is as the second sentence would make no sense if I were to simply trante it in that way.


    After all, if you tinker the brain too much, there would be more demerits, you see? Especially in Unis case, I went into the trouble to educate her from her childhood while raising the basic performance of her brain tissues. I cant afford to mess up with it, thats just stupid, right? Well, in the case of the mass production types, I require uniform performance from them, theres however a considerable restriction on their emotion due to that though.


    Eh? then then, basically, their personality is like that of the mass-produced type over there? This guy here.


    Thats right. To simply put it, its an archetypal character which I educated, restrained, and trained in its entirety.


    Uwaaah. I cant believe it.


    As for me, I cant believe how insolent you are. Master, I propose another readjustment to implement alterations on hisnguage fieldter.


    Oi, oi, give me a break here, senior.


    Give him a break, Uni. Think about it, reservedly speaking, Due may look a bit scruffy, but hes terribly punctilious and behave with an excellent standard of conduct.


    I see. Indeed someone that can still tremble in fear would be quite the spectacle. For failing to see Masters farsightedness, my humblest apologies.


    Dont think emotions like that as an appeal, okay!?


    Seeing Doue splendidly ying the straight man and Uni being a little more talkative than usual, I felt my cheeks a little bit loosened.


    As he is capable to express rich emotions, its safe to say that theres no seque after his surgery.


    It was when I indulged in that feeling,


    Uwah!


    Master?!


    Whoa there!


    Suddenly, with the horses loud neigh, my body swayed greatly and I was thrown out from my seat. Fortunately, thanks to Uni who quickly caught me, theres no problem here. No, even though she left it like that, I wont get injured as Im wearing this dress.


    I stroked Unis head in exchange of a word of thanks, then I let go of her, returned to my seat and asked away,


    B-01, what happened?


    Theres a raid, Master. Perhaps it is a bandit troupe.


    Bandit raid. Not at all an impossible situation. Its because of this theres the escort business between adventurers and individuals in this world.


    For a moment, I thought for a moment that this mightve been instigated by my brother, but considering yesterday and today, this hastiness just doesnt suit his preference nor his principle. Itd be reasonable to consider this as a coincidence.


    Even though were still very close to the kingdoms capital, they sure are brave. Do they fear not the knight orders patrol?


    The Royal Capital is just around the corner. And were within the reach of the Royal Guard, the kingdoms finest. Their force can cut off the likes of a bandit hands down.


    Perhaps its the type of bandit that regrly move their base.


    Uni supplemented a conscientious remark as a response to my monologue. As expected from a titled adventurer. Up until a few years ago, she mustve done this kind of thing with her clients.


    I see. So they quickly rob valuable things and depart as quickly before they can get caught by the authorities. I suppose theyd repeat this in every ce they go?


    Indeed. In order to maintain simplicity, they typically wouldnt negotiate or abduct for ransom. In their case they would simply kill everyone and take away the goods.


    Damn you, historical ys. A murder-robbery like in my previous world? Certainly, if theres an emphasis on time constraints, it is quicker to kill everyone and take their goods away.


    As expected, I just cant keep my calm when dealing with these kind of people. In a fit of annoyance I scratched my head a little roughly.


    To think thisd happen on my day of departure. Sigh


    - Is this luck, or misfortune?


    With that implicit remarks in mind, I looked at the untested product, who currently is standing by for orders and is raring to go.

 Chapter 7: The Contractor’s Price

    Chapter 7: The Contractor¡¯s Price


    The sky was clear blue.


    The sun was in its highest altitude in the sky, it was noontime.


    A major highway that spread all over from the kingdoms capital, Broussonne. The jurisdiction of the Royal Guard, the finest knight order in the country honoured with the duty to defend the Royal Capital. With them being a stones throw away, who the hell would do something like a robbery?


    Nheless, theres an exception to everything. To put it the other way, on this arterial road thats responsible for goods cirction in the kingdom, prosperous trade caravans with great appearancee and go, and thus it is a great hunting ground. While the merchants has been assured by the authority of the Royal Guard, if you put your fangs in an exposed, unprotected nk, youd get to taste this delicious sap that you cant get anywhere else.


    It goes without saying but, if you just strike without giving it a thought, youll inevitably meet the misery of being quickly dispatched by the Royal Guards and youll have no time to flee. Therefore, one would have tobine the intellect to understand how things work in the vicinity of the Royal Capital to avoid the present threat that is the Royal Guards patrol time, the patience to wait for the gaps and the passing of a prey to ovep, and the swiftness to finish the act before the authorities notices and reinforcement arrives.


    Chief!


    Along with an agitated call for their chief, the bandits begun their work.


    While threading through the woods along the highway, the scouts responsible for observing the Royal Capitals vicinity raised their voices and cantered their steeds. They werecking strength and bravery, but they were tactful, on top of being well-versed in horseriding. It was actually because of this that they were able to breeze through the offroads. Truly, they were men who were born to do reconnaissance work.


    Yeah, what is it!?


    The horsed scouts call was met with the chiefs deep bass voice.


    The scout was grouped with a cowardly and crude bunch within the troupe, but the chief was highly appreciative of this man. The man was originally a ve that was bought by a rancher, but after his masters sudden death he struck his cor and fled on horseback before his masters sessor could get a hold on him. The chief thought that he might turn out to be the bravest man in his troupe, so he picked him up. So thisd be a report from this dear, still-ipetent-but-shows-promise, subordinate of him. Maybe he caught a big one or something, the chief thought so in anticipation without showing it on his face.


    Chief, theres a prey! A noblemans carriage is passing through the nearby highway! There are two freight wagons! They areing this way!


    The answer was beyond the chiefs expectations.


    While holding his cheek which was seemingly about to fall off with one hand, he asked him one more time just in case.


    A noblemans carriage? You sure? And they have no cavalry escorting them?


    Yes! Theres only the carriage! The frght wagons are loaded with cargo, and even if theres people in there their number should be few! Their number wouldnt exceed ten!


    The chief could not suppress his smile anymore at that time.


    A nobleman was rushing through the highway without being guarded by a cavalry, and theres a lot of cargo in its freight wagons tagging along. Its pretty much like a beautifuldy walking naked by the pool. Its a marvelous prey.


    Other members were also excited.


    OOOH! Three days after holding it off on the highways, todays finally the day we get to hunt our prey!


    Moreover, its a shitty nobleman, this is just the best! We sure do have a lot of grudges stacking up against em!


    The members were imploring the chief to start the raid.


    But there was one neer amongst them who quietly said,


    But if its really THAT loaded, I just cant believe its so lightly guarded. Can it be that, they just hired an incredibly skilled adventurer?


    To that word, the troupe went silent at that very moment.


    The ones they call adventurers are some sort of a bunch of lunatics. They are the ones who fight monsters who are deemed to be a threat to humanity, and as they train themselves with those battles, the battles shape them up. Some of them can single-handedly eradicate a small-time bandit troupe.


    And if someone so skilled were really present there, itd be a very difficult task but


    Kuhuhu


    Hahaha


    AHAHAHAHAHAHA!


    They were all old-timers who managed to live through battles against those kind of people.


    Hah! You, if you dont know a thing about adventurers, then dont say it.


    Yeah yeah, their strength depends a lot on their partys cooperation, right? If the scouts werent mistaken, the amount of people there is only ten at most. But these noblemen sure are pretentious, they sure do bring a lot of vassals with them!


    If we take those people out from the ten, then there are probably two or three adventurers with them. No matter how strong they are, our numbers are far superior! Even if we cant win on numbers alone, we can just wring them out and nail them down by targeting their escort objective.


    Thats how it is.


    There certainly are adventurers who could crush a band of bandits with just a handful of people, theres also amongst them who could do it solitarily. But thats only true if it were a situation like subjugation where they are in the offensive. But since theyd be in an escort mission, they would be forced into a defensive position, and unless they are a party of at least five or six they would have a hard time noticing everything. Even if there were adventurers who would ept an escort mission with such a small party, they must be either a bounded fool who wouldve thought that they wouldnt get robbed if they pass through road or an unqualified outcast. No threats there.


    Then, what if it was an adventurer that actually has the confidence to pull the job off? Itsmon sense that they would receive more favourable quests from the guild in the first ce, thats why theres a rank system for adventurers anyway. A prized nobleman and a menacing adventurer. For the old timer troupe who have theplete knowledge of their habits, even for those who fancy themselves as a very cautious person, it would be the height of folly if they were to let this chance slip by. It would be nothing but sheer stupidity. The chief thought so as well.


    Yeah, thats why this is a rare chance. Thisll be one hell of a job. Thats why to any extent I cant forgive any error here. Why dont you quietly observe how us old timers do it and learn properly!?


    Watching the youngsters innocently voiced their stiff replies was like staring at the sun that was hanging on the sky at that time.


    The time was just after noon. ording to the information bought from the frequenting peddlers, the knights were about to take their lunch. No one would disturb them for a while.


    Its time! Time limit is exactly half! Anything more than that means the knights patrol woulde! Quickly kill them and take their stuff!


    TL Note: you read that right, the raw only says half, which can mean half a minute, half an hour, half a day, or half whatever arbitrary time measurement standard these people use. Though speaking realistically its probably half an hour.


    OOOOOOOOOH!


    As to vent out their frustration after having had to wait repeatedly for their big heist in the capitals vicinity, the band raised a shout to voice their desire to get the loot they would get after the job.


    Well then, well be killing a nobleman, andter their vassals response will be scary. I must carefully decide an escape route now


    While watching his subordinate jumping out to the highway like a pack of wolves, the chief was full of such calctions.


    The unprotected party that was heading over would surely enough have something ridiculous with them.


    -


    Ora, ora! Get the hell out you worthless noblemen!


    You guys, dont get dazzled by those horses! Kill it, stop it from its track!


    Take out your precious stuff, quickly!


    They could hear incessant calls of intimidation from outside the carriage window, The numbers of bandits that attacked them seemed to be considerablyrge. There were at the very least no less than twenty people. If they can pull an ambush with arge number of people like this, what has be of the security here near the capital?


    There are about thirty of them, right?


    Thirty two, to be exact. Correction. Due to B-01s counterattack, they are now reduced to thirty one.


    So calmly stated by the two escorts. Yes, unfortunately my analysis doesnt seem to be reliable in battlefields.


    TL Note: the original word for this sort of ce in the raw was , tekkaba, which the dictionary defined as a gambling den. But that came out weirdly. If you take apart the kanji in it itd mean a field of red hot iron, which would be a little more appropriate. But in the end I used simple interpretation instead. Credit to Wyrr for tranting this one into battlefield instead.


    Well its not like Im not ashamed of the fact, but, to put it into words, you should get mochi in a mochi store. I should pull myself together and ask Due, who seems to be brimming with motivation.


    TL note: the proverb pretty much means, if you want the best result, then go to a specialist/expert.


    By the way, how confident are you?


    The he fearlessly smiled,


    Oi, oi, Milord. Even if I look like this, Im actually on top of Rank B, yknow? As long as your remodeling doesnt get in the way handling bandits of this degree would be just like a walk in the park.


    He gave me a reassuring word.


    Now that I reflect upon it, it was a stupid question.


    Bandit subjugation is a typical quest given to parties ranked E to C. The reason why the quest is given to a wide range of ranks is because the nonuniformity of a bandit troupes size and nature, but putting it away on that partand theres Rank B, amongst them there are those who are very close to be ranked as A-ss adventurers, and these people can undertake subjugation requests that normally would require a few ranked-C ss adventurers all alone. In the discovered data before Dues remodeling in theboratory, Due was evaluated as indeed belonging to the top tier in the B-Rank. There were neither exaggerations nor fabrications in his words.


    So that means, despite there being the disadvantage of being on escort duty, this degree of enemies is nheless ideal for the test?


    I humbly agree with your highly reliable judgment.


    Uni issued her endorsement, too. Then theres no problem. No reason to hold the green light off now.


    Fine, Due. Its a bit sudden, but thisll be your real battle test. While guarding our horses and luggages, eliminate all of the enemies. The mass-produced ones can fend for themselves so you can leave them as they are.


    Are you going to use these guys as materials for your experiment?


    Thank you for your thoughtfulness, but Im afraid theres no means to transport them. Besides, if I, a new lord, were to bring these bandits into my territory, that wouldnt look good now, would it?


    No doubt there Well then-


    The nature of Dues smile changed.


    Added to his fearless and confident mad smile were murderous intent and battle spirit.


    Just, as you ordered! You want total annihtion, right?


    While carrying a two-handed sword that gave him his nickname in his hands, wrapped in ck armor and tattered mantle, my second masterpiece jumped off the carriage.


    Well then, what will the endgame be? Let me carefully observe.


    The bandits were bewildered, they shouldve attacked an unescorted carefree aristocrat but the reality was out of line with their preconceived oue.


    First of all, they have sent several people to stop the horses feet, they stretched a rope as a trap to stop the horses movement on its tracks. But the driver of the leading carriage apparently saw through it and stopped immediately. The following freight wagons also stopped immediately, as if they were in sync. It was a splendid show of preemptive evasion there.


    In addition, the drivers of the carriages were all curious existences.


    Despite their road being blocked and being surrounded by more than thirty people, they didnt show any emotion. But that was still fine. Before, they had demonstrated the capability to see through the bandits traps, avoided it and handled it immediately. So such was to be expected from these definitely-not-ordinary people.


    But, their appearances were strange. They were dressed in those fine ck butler clothes, and that was fine, but winded on no, fixed on their necks was a silver cor. It was a cursed trinketmonly known throughout the continent as a ve symbol.


    ve coachmen?


    All the bandits who saw that had a question mark over their heads. Naturally, aristocrats are creatures that wear vanity like some sort of a cloth and walk around with it. For positions like coachmen or butlers that are typically seen as the face of a noble house, its customary for junior noblemen to employmoners or their affiliates. But when youre going to other noble houses, you cant do that. In other words, your surroundings will despise and reject you. Its almost as if it can be said that youre betraying origins. To put it shortly, for aristocratic societies that deem pride and tradition as their bill of exchange, it was a serious fault that could be a blunder.


    Oi, oi, can it be that?. A piss-poor nobles daytime flight, because they couldnt flee by nighttime?


    Now that is just a masterpiece, isnt it? But, that means I cant get shit from this job?


    With that conversation opened, their confusion turned into contempt.


    And as if to make things worse,


    Look! That one other wagon, there, they made a maid to hold its reins!


    Shes a ve too! Oh hell there aint no money to find here!


    Hehe her face sure gets me going though.


    Such conversation came from those who were heading to the back rows.


    As it turned out like that, no one was able to keep their spirit after they felt that they had been tricked.


    A nobleman, apanied by only ves, was leaving the capital without being guarded by cavalry. Someone like that must have fallen from grace and hence fled from the capital. The gains from the operation would be much lower from prior expectations, but there was another freight wagon that seemed to be fully loaded even when seen from a distance. Perhaps it was thest of the nobles properties. If they were noblemans furnitures, even the lowest grade amongst them would have a significant value, there were also ve maids that cant be sold without much problem. It was certainly a disappointment, while it wasnt exactly a big loss, it was pretty close to that


    That was the inference that the bandits drew.


    Ora, what are you standing there for, you bastards! Things we must do here dont change much! Kill the men! Deal with the horses! Tie up the maids!


    Chief! What if there were other women inside?


    If shes a maid, then take her to sell. If shes the noblemans wife or daughter, theyd probably be heavy and theres no way to take them so just kill them on the spot. Then you get to fuck women or taste some goods with the money from the gain of selling them.. Got it?


    Yea, yea!


    These women would normally be called as unattainable flowers, but even if you try to sell them no store would take them, and even when they do, thats when youll get traced. Even if you try to take them as a hostage for ransom, most noblemen wouldnt sit down and negotiate with the likes of bandits. With that also, taking them would take too much time and they wouldnt sessfully flee if their vassals decided to give a chase.


    Consequently, you should just take only the things you can deal with, if you cant then cut them off. You wouldnt be able to escape easily with excessive baggage on your back. A woman is a particr reason for an inferior troupe to destroy itself. If you cant sell the woman, dont lose to your desires and dont kidnap them, you should man up and kill them there. That was the secret to remain in the robbery business for a long time.


    The once-dampened bandits rekindled their desires and started to attack the carriages. Their first target would be the horses, their feet must be struck in order to let no one escape. Led by a hunter wannabe in the troupe, they readied their bow hand, pulled their bowstrings and released their arrows.


    It was at that time.


    B-01, now entering self-defense mode.


    B-02, now entering self-defense mode.


    M-01, now entering self-defense mode.


    M-02, allied engagement intobat confirmed. Commencing support.


    M-03, allied engagement intobat confirmed. Commencing support.


    The ves began their counterattack.


    Huh?


    Again, confusion and bewilderment struck the bandits.


    As they thought that the drivers arms looked hazy, the arrows that were released to shoot down the horses and the men were all knocked down. They used their second, then third arrow, but the result was the same. All of them were warded off. As if it was a magic trick.


    The first amongst the bandits that realised what the drivers held in their hands widened his eyes in surprise.


    T-they ward off the arrows with a whip?!


    A long whip to hit the horse from the driving seat. That was the identity of what intercepted the arrows.


    But sure enough theirmon sense couldnt take it as how it is.


    D-dont be stupid! Its a bloody whip? Just by using a thing to hit a horse, they can stop this number of arrows who the hell can do such a thing?


    You just saw someone did it! Heck, it cant be, all three of them can do it?


    Archers, aim more! You guys havent ran out, right?


    Such a thing couldnt have happened. As they turned their eyes from reality, the bandits again ordered their archers to ready their bows.


    But then,


    B-01,mencing counterattack.


    The couchman of the first carriage threw something from inside pocket in advance.


    Something flew with a speed that couldnt be perceived by naked eyes.


    Uwah!? Agh. guh


    Oi, what happe hiiiih!?


    Something stuck on of the archers skull.


    It was a throwing knife.


    The fact that most of de was stuck inside gave off how quick it was when it flew.


    Its damage had surely reached the brain. It was an instant death.


    The dead body, with a slight dy, slowly fell to the ground. As if it had just realised it was already dead.


    Now you did it, you bastard!


    Shit! . If projectiles cant do the job, then just behead him to kill him! Strike him to kill him!


    The death of their fellow member had an impact on them. And now to turn that impact into an impulse to attack, the bandit chief shouted so.


    But it was toote.


    The door of the carriage opens.


    Wh


    Before the questioning voice could finish itself, blood sshed up.


    The highway dust was blown away by a ck gust.


    At the time it jumped off the carriage, another one died.


    That was the limit of their understanding.


    They couldnt perceive the moment of attack this time too.


    It wasnt reflected in any of the thirty pairs of sixty eyes.


    Huh?


    When they finally able to realise it, there was a man d in ck, he was still in the posture of having just swung his sword.


    As if to check its response, the man fixed the swords grip, two, three times.


    It was as if he wasnt at all concerned that he could be shed or hit from the back.


    Was it this guy who killed him?


    The bandits had just perceived it only now.


    Not enough warm up, eh Looks like the adjustments werent that effective.


    When he killed one of them as he appeared, it was as if he had cut a bundle of straw.


    As if being struck by fear, the besieging encirclement was pushed from the inside.


    The man who appeared seemed to be an adventurer.


    He was a tall man. His build, rather than simply big, seemed to be irresistibly tough.


    A ck mantle. A ck cuirass. And a long two-handed sword.


    Everything of him was crude. Just now, something peeled off from the remains of his weather-beaten attire. But the bloodlust that seeps from the cracked ck iron was something else. As if he was an evil dead spirit that roams around old battlefields.


    They finally understood that it was someone they shouldnt have encountered.


    Gyah!


    S Stop-!


    Strange shouts unbing of a man broke the stagnation as they echo. And they wereing the bandits.


    If you see it now, even the ves that were dressed in butlers and maids uniform were handling some of the bandits.


    The man noticed that and clicked his tongue.


    Hold it.


    With just that onemand, he stopped anyone who had the intent to pursue the bandits.


    Why?


    Such question branched out before any sense of relief.


    He daringly ordered a halt before those who were raiding them and out for their blood. What was the reason for that?


    Was it to negotiate? Did he show his power to use it as a leverage and force them to withdraw that way?


    If so, for those who were being dominated by terror and confusion beyond what they could ept, this was a supreme d tiding.


    However,


    Ill be using these guys to warm up. You guys, just quietly stand back and protect the carriages.


    The reality of it was heartless.


    The man pretty much said that hell be their match, in other words, he was out to kill them.


    As the bandits trembled before his deration, the ves dropped their stance.


    B-01. Confirmed themencement of battle test for superior unit, Opus-02. Now shifting to passive defense mode.


    B-02. Likewise.


    M-01 to 03. Likewise. Over.


    Yeah, yeah, over, over.


    After he uninterestedly finished his iprehensible exchanges with the ves, the man raised his sword for the second time.


    The bandits were all bent back in hesitance.


    As the man slightly advanced and took a step, the bandits took another ten back.


    Looking at that, the man sighed in disappointment,


    Oi, oi, cant help it huh. Guess Ill just sh your fleeing backs as a warmup Oh, thats right.


    As if he came up with something crafty, the man raised the edges of his mouth.


    He raised his voice so everyone in the field could hear him.


    Oi, you people! Why dont we do this instead? If you can kill me, you can safely leave this ce. You can take the ves with you while youre at it.


    Huh-?


    W-what did you say?


    The bandits were again confused, but the man uncaringly carried on, This time he turned his face towards the carriage from whence he came out.


    Youre okay with that, right, Milord?! Its only this much!


    Youre asking for an ex post facto approval, and I cant be pleased with it.


    From the door of the carriage, another ve-maid appeared.


    Some people forgot that they were in the brink of their life and held their breath. The ve was that sort of beauty.


    The maid carried on,


    However, the master has generously forgiven you and said, Ill leave it to you, so feel free to do your test. Please be sure to seek approval first next time.


    Thought so.


    The maid who was finished talking returned to the carriage, the man intensified his smile.


    The bandits were all,


    G, GET HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!


    With the chiefs inside-out scream as their order, they went for the man.


    There were twenty-four of the bandits remaining.


    The nobles party consisted of seven people as far as they could confirm, but only one would participate in the battle.


    It was the beginning of a curb-stomp battle, it was for the fewer against the many instead, however.


    -


    Here, let us move to the point of view of one of the bandits. He was the first one who discovered Tullius group, the one with the magnificent riding skills.


    (Why)


    He held his head as he crouched inside the bushes.


    He had disobeyed the chiefs order, he secretly hid without challenging the man, and now he found himself frightened.


    (Why)


    In the first ce, he never wanted to be a bandit.


    It all began when his family sold him as a ve, then due to miraculous luck he could free himself from his ve status. However, even when he was finally free, for him there were no ce to go. So he got picked up by a troupe of bandits while he was wandering around with the horse he took when he escaped.


    The chief took him in for his riding skills and his eyesight, but for him, such expectations were nothing but a seed of trouble that have made his surroundings to be jealous of him.


    Nheless, he chose to follow them anyway because he had no other means to live.


    He knew that his orders would make him die in his teens, so he didnt really want to obey.


    (Why)


    In his sight as he looked up, the sight of a bandit attacking the man in ck only to die instead was repeating itself.


    No matter how many of their colleagues die, the others would continue to do the same thing and follow after their dead colleague.


    The scene was beyond what the boy could ever imagine, and he refused to try to understand it as well.


    He once heard that in and further south, once in a dozen of years a group of rats who ate too much bait would somehow eventually go insane due to extreme starvation and drown themselves in the seas or thekes. Now he couldnt help but to recall that rhetoric which he havent actually seen for himself.


    (Why)


    One of the bandits jumped at the swordsman in ck.


    Like cutting a bamboo apart.


    His dead body was cleanly split apart from his head to his crotch into two, his innards scattered and fell to the ground.


    One of the bandits jumped at the swordsman in ck.


    A cut ntwise to his shoulder.


    The contents of his bisected corpse, like that of a crushed pillow, flew somewhere else.


    One of the bandits jumped at the swordsman in ck.


    His abdomen.


    His corpse was divided from his belly, his intestines jumped out and wrapped itself on hispanions body.


    The man, the swordsman in ck, was indeed on a trial.


    And true to that word, one by one. Carefully, carefully. To affirm his varied set of skills, he shed and killed everyone in a different manner. And each time he killed another one, his skillful swing was nothing but a nightmare fuel.


    (Why)


    For what reason did he continue to kill?


    For what reason did the others continue to try just to get killed?


    The answerless questions kept going around and around inside the boys head.


    But the biggest question was not of the swordsman, who kept killing, nor hispanions, who kept getting killed.


    Truthfully, he didnt care much for either.


    The question that confused him so was


    (Why)


    As things stood, the man continued to ughter the bandits.


    There, standing by the side of the wagons, were the ves who would beat down those who asionally were trying to flee and send them to the man to be dealt with.


    And amongst them,


    (Why, are you, there!?)


    Was his younger sister, who got separated from him when they were sold as ves.


    It began five years ago.


    This country- thend of ck soil and fine arts, the Kingdom of Arquell, the continentsrgest agricultural power, is by no means free from cold and drought. No, if you go to the rural areas, youd find that the nobles, who are mostly far away from the capitals control, run their territories arbitrarily. Heavy tax, forcedbour, neglected home affairs. Something like a peasant famine can happen over and over again. The boys vige was in one of such territories that the corrupt lords govern.


    That year, cold summer struck, and as a result barley yields have fallen to an unprecedented degree. Impacted by that event, the boys house was forced to pay a tax while they were themselves in a troubled position. His poor parents sold two of their children, who were guaranteed to be able to work, and were around the ideal age that could sell the highest as a ve, to a ve merchant. These two children were him and his sister.


    As they were crammed into a wagon, on their shaky journey, the boy and his sister kept encouraging each other, if our luck is good, then wed be bought by the same master. But once they reached the capital Broussonnes ve market, the siblings were heartlessly separated into different departments. She has had a rare magictency, and appearance-wise, she has good looks, even from the biased eye of his as her brother. He, meanwhile, seemed frail for a boy, so he was sent to a certain narrow strip on the storefront to be sold as cheap as possible due to his circumstances.


    He waster told by his jailer that his sister was bought by a certain Count house at a surprisingly good price. The jailer, who apparently found his purpose of life in torturing the helpless, told him that the children in that Count house were sick bastards that kill their ves every so often, and that while his sister was dragged by another ve from that house, she was crying and calling for me until the very end. The jailer let him hear such narration with great joy on his part. The boy was enraged and began to uncontrobly hit his cage door. He got himself beaten by a whip repeatedly after that.


    TL note: Original word was senior ve (senpai dorei, ), to indicate the ve was bought by the house earlier than her sister. Its a bit hard to trante to english, so I changed it a bit.


    Shortly after that, he was sold to the owner of arge ranch. His master pretty much loved him, just in the way that would make oneself hold their breath in nausea, however. In the days, he would take care of the livestocks day from dawn to dusk, and in the nights, he would be taken to his masters bedroom. Every night he would be dirtied by the same smell that stained the sheets. He would be ordered, with the force of his obedience seal, to lick a certain bitter liquid, along with every finger on both of his masters hands and feet, countless times. That master of his was suddenly struck by intense agony during his nightly routine and died all too soon. Despite being so out of shape, he continued to unreasonably exert himself and so he was caught by a heart attack he secretly had. He pretty much asked for it.


    The boy realised that the mp of his cor went loose soon after his masters death, and so he struggled to get rid of it, and then his body was finally free. The first thing he did when he achieved his freedom was to spit on his terrible masters corpse, then he took a horse that he had under his care and set off from the ranch while he was wandering he waster picked up by the head of a bandit troupe by chance, which lead to the present.


    He thought his sister was already dead. Considering the ce she was sold to, she was bought by a noble who was known to engage in ve-killing, and he had no choice but to think that she must have had been exposed to a crueler fate than he had.


    Unlike other people who sold themselves and said it was for the sake of their family or their vige. For him, his sister, who spent rough and painful times and shed the same tears together with him, was his only genuine family. And that boy, with a weary heart, paralysed by intense feeling of sadness, had finally epted her passing.


    That is how it was supposed to be.


    And yet there she was, his sister, who he thought was already dead, with her body still alive and well, staring at him with her deathly eyes.


    The battle no, the massacre was finally over.


    Human remains were scattered under the clear, noon sky.


    The swordsman in ck had suppressed all of the bandits without getting a single wound. Anyone who tried to escape was either taken down by the ves or in from the front as the swordsman overtook them.


    The only one left was the boy.


    The swordsman was staring at the boy. Although he had crouched himself in the bushes, for some reason he was looking straight at him. There were no killing intent nor fighting spirit from him, but there were no signs of mercy or tolerance that could be sensed from him either. The ves were also looking at him.


    If he tries to run away, hed be cut down. He unconsciously realised that, but he didnt know what might be of him if he decided toe out right there.


    He was at loss as to how to advance at this point. His mind was loaded by the fact that his life was now on the hands of the unknown ughterers. There was no space for him to try out what he could do with his own powers.


    Then, at the very least.


    With his feet trembling, he stepped into the highway.


    The swordsman kept his eyes on him still. His eyes were somewhat lethargic. The exhration he had when he struck the bandits have already went elsewhere, and now it seemed to be embracing some sort of emptiness. There was no tension that would make him strike the boy and kill him right now.


    But that was no time to be relieved, and then the boy approached one of the cored maids.


    No attack was directed against him.


    . Emily?


    For the first time in what had been a long span of years, he muttered his sisters name.


    He called the inorganic person with her former name, without all that M, Zero, Three thing.


    There was a slight reaction. The shoulder of the cored girl dressed in maid outfit trembled ever so slightly.


    Youre Emily right?


    He called the name one more time.


    The girl returned his gaze.


    With a veil covered her head. Like seeing a lie, her eyes, that were as blue as the clear skies, reflected the boys face.


    Her facade was beautiful. When he was a child, he had thought that the girl would grow into a beautiful woman. She grew even prettier than what he had imagined at that time.


    But the light in her eyes, that was just a lie. It was so out of ce in her beautiful face. That made the boy sad.


    Its me, Luc.


    He told her his name, his voice trembling.


    His sisters expression was as serene as a winterke.


    There, he saw small ripples fluctuating about, was it an illusion?


    M-02 to M-03. Requesting response to the following query. What is the identity of the individual presently in contact with you?


    One of the maids threw a question while staring at the boy. Her eyes were cold. It was almost like she was looking at an insect, and for a short moment it seemed to be trying to figure out whether shed better pinch and crush the insect or let it escape. Her actions had the impressions of a screw-wound clock. Like a machine that only performs predetermined movements ording to the force it had loaded. His sister too was apparently treated as that sort of mechanical, hollow tool. At that fact, the boy felt his anger, and fear, rushing in.


    Her sister didnt answer. Perhaps she couldnt answer.


    M-02 to M-03. Repeating query, response requested. What is the identity of the individual presently in contact with you?


    Towards the repeated question, the sisters body shuddered.


    She corrected her posture in an attempt to subdue her shuddering, and slowly opened her mouth.


    M-03 to M-2. Responding to query


    E, Emily?


    The boy trembled. The insides of his chest were coloured with anxiety and expectation.


    Will she recognise him as her brother now?


    Or will she end up like the other mechanical maid standing nearby her?


    And the result was,


    He is my older brother.


    She remained to be his sister.


    A.


    Tears ran over the boys cheeks.


    The tears were warm, unlike the other tears he had flown before that was mixed with his cold sweat.


    She remembered.


    It never changed.


    That one thing, the fact that she was his sister.


    M-03. Submitting proposal. The threat level of the remaining target is estimated to be level E. Target deemed insufficient for a battle test. Proposing to conclude the test and collect the remaining subject.


    M-02 to Opus-02. Judgment required.


    Hah? Me?


    The swordsman, who was suddenly drawn into the problem, violently scratched his head.


    The boy, with his battered body, continuously shifted his gaze between the swordsman and his sister.


    Will you, help me?


    Certainly he wont be much of a match, and Ive grown tired of this pointless killing. Oi, Milord! What do you think!?


    He raised his voice towards the carriage.


    The boy couldnt fathom how things were progressing.


    what happened to my sister?


    in the end was I really saved?


    So, can I and my sister be happy now?


    Several thoughts ran around inside his head.


    And there was,


    Oi, oi why are you passing this to me there?


    Before him, there stood true fear.


    Ah


    Even his trembling went into a freeze.


    What, is this?


    Along with the figure of the maids head, while being cared by the ves, a man descended from the carriage.


    His physique was mediocre. Nothing can be said about his face. He didnt have any frightening weapons.


    All he did was just stand there, and that already made the boy feeling sick.


    From all things that happened to him, in his mind this was the absolute worst.


    The time when he was torn down by a bully in the vige. When he was scolded by his parents as he wasnt able to work in the field due to his frailness. When he and his sister were sold to very, the abject pity and the menial sense of superiority that were directed at them. The treatment of his ver and jailer. The parting with his sister. Every single day when he was sold to the ranch. Rough life after the bandits picked him up.


    Add them all up, and multiply them by a hundred. It was that sort of an overwhelmingly terrible feeling.


    HIIIH..!??


    Let me see, let me see?


    Without minding the frozen boy, the man quietly observed him.


    As he looked at the mans eyes, he realised it.


    This guy is actually a monster. The vige bully, adults, officials, nobles, merchants, his former master, the bandit troupe they had always been trampling on him from as long as he could remember, but at the very least his guts could recognise that they were really themselves.


    Its a monster that couldnt live unless it is trampling down on something. Even if the world ispletely filled to the brim with wealth, honour, power, knowledge, love, dreams, hope, its still a creature that couldnt live unless it makes a sacrifice out of something.


    A genuine scum. Such was his true identity. The only people who could ept this thing would only be its victims which it had twisted around so they belong to it.


    The boy couldnt put what he felt into words. But he could still understand it.


    He must came to terms with this sphemous, human-shaped, speaking piece of shit.


    Well, I dont really mind.


    Words he couldnt understand flew over his head.


    Ive gathered enough relevant data, and killing him isnt the only way to seal his mouth If youre not in the mood to kill, then I dont mind if its just taking this one you left alive. Its troubling that he stands out, but, if you can take care of the trouble before his treatment, then I dont really care Okay, M-03?


    With that said, the man give his sister his permission.


    The sister responded with some sort of salute.


    Thank you so much for your leniency, Master.


    M-02 to M-03. Congrattions. Thank the master, for he has bestowed mercy upon petty beings like us.


    M-01, likewise.


    B-01, likewise.


    B-02, likewise.


    p, p, p, p, p, p.


    What is this dry noise? Apuse? The ves apuse?


    He felt like throwing up. It was almost like a vulgar puppet show. The dolls, that were made of humans, were honouring their shithead of a creator for its erratic favour, and the farce was carried out in the worse possible way.


    The boy couldnt hold off from vomiting.


    What is it, Luc-niisan?


    Emily


    When in front of the staff, please call me M-03. Are you feeling sick somewhere?


    The hand that was touching his back was gentle and warm.


    And with that hand, his sister had killed. The ones she killed were the bandits who, from his point of view, were hispanion. They were rascals who wouldntin even when theyre dead. But, as long as that bastard orders it, even if its the saviour who gives his blessings to all beings, even a if its new born baby, she would without a doubt do the same thing.


    He he made you do this much?


    Nii-san?


    If you stay with that guy, theres no way for you to recover Its already the worst for you now, but surely itll get even terrible in the future.


    Other ves have started to clean up the corpses that was in by the swordsman. While looking at it from his side nce, he pleaded to his sister,


    If its now surely, if its now we can still fix this. Make me remember, if you make me remember that I need to help you, then we still can. But if we were to stay on that things side, even that would surely be erased


    By that, are nii-san referring to the master?


    Ah, yeah thats why, lets run, just the two of us-


    I conclude that to be impossible. The tracking ability of the superior unit exceeds your survival ability.


    O, of course it wont be now. Surely well see a gap someday. See, I dont have my cor with me. Theres a way out from the obedience seal.


    While he said so, he showed his neck which had cor marks on its skin.


    As she looked at it, there were no emotions in her eyes. As if she didnt believe it.


    Warning, remarks close to an act of treachery confirmed. Requesting withdrawal of remarks. M-03 is the masters property, nii-san.


    Thats not your name! You are Emily, my sister, right?!


    Indeed, however. M-03 considers that as a concurrent concept


    No, dont! If you acknowledge that you belong to him, youll eventually think that Im not your brother!


    Insults against the master is not permitted. Swear your allegiance to the master. That way, together we


    The sister repeated her mechanical refutations on her true brothers plea.


    Each time she repeated it, he was filled with despair.


    Had his sisters soul been fiddled around until the point that nothing could be done about it?


    That noble was nicknamed as a ve killer. But did that refer not to the killing of his sisters body, but of his sisters heart?


    Tears blurred his vision.


    That is why, right?


    Towards the living organism that was showing hostility against its master before its eyes. The doll, which had sworn its loyalty to its master, towards the potential enemy body that had overlooked its persistent plea to change its mind.


    Never! To that man You think Id ever submit to that guy who never thought ves as human!


    .. Understood.


    - Stab.


    From his chest, he could hear a casual sound that was so faint it he couldve missed it.


    Eh..?


    The boys knees fell to the ground.


    His heart is hot. His body is cold.


    His field of vision that was blurred by his tears became even fainter, He held a hand on his chest, there was a hard thing stabbed there.


    Is this? A knife? Who did it?  My sister?


    E, mi. ly?


    Oi what are you doing?!


    He could hear the swordsman in ck, his footsteps were getting closer.


    His sister faced him to give him a hint.


    M-03. Reporting to superior unit, Opus-02. Enmity from the target towards the master confirmed. Persuasion to reconsider was concluded to be impossible. Appropriate measure-


    That, I can tell just by looking! Tell me you didnt do that, tell me you didnt do that!


    He heard a strange conversation.


    The man who seemed to take pleasure when he killed a while back, somehow seemed to be upset at the fact that the boy got stabbed.


    The edges of the boys mouth tightened. Did he find the contradiction of the mans action to be amusing and tried tough, or was it just spasms to show that his body was dying? He himself didnt know.


    - Appropriate measure taken, is the a problem?


    Problem, hell, there sure is a lot of them! Wasnt it you who said, help him out!?


    That is correct I thought that, if I and the target nii-sa nii-chan can serve master well, together- he would, finally give, my beloved nii-chan, happiness too


    ..


    Ah, the boy finally realised.


    My sister was trying hard to help me.


    She did it desperately, her face was suffering


    But, how could he mistake it as an expressionless face of a doll?


    ?.. Oi, youre sweating terribly. Whats wrong you-


    A e, M-03. Urgent report. Abnormalities detected in, heart rate, body temperature, sweating rate. Body, trembling. Autonomous behavior, problematic. Requesting relief from nearby units.. help master, help oniicha


    He couldnt hear the end of that voice.


    His consciousness, he could feel that his self was fading away.


    Is that so. Had I believed in my sister, could I get to live with her?


    To think that he overlooked that in his stupidity, the boyughed.


    At the same time, he thought.


    For that sake, they wouldve had to worship that monster as their lord.


    Let their hearts fiddled with, live as a doll.


    Or reject it, and then get killed by the hands of someone who has turned into a doll?


    Cursing the world that only allowed such two options, The boy was swallowed by the darkness of death.


    -


    Have youe to regret it?


    From the seat across, the maid, who was lending her shoulder to her lord who had fallen asleep, asked. Due did not respond quickly to the question.


    The carriage have since moved again.


    Tullius Oubeniel have conducted initial treatments for unit M-03 who was struck by a panic attack, after he finished the treatments, heined a few times about a series of idents before he decided to snooze. Having gazed upon that sleeping face, Due had several doubts.


    Regret, what regret


    The questions premise was ambiguous. My apologies. Have youe to regret being saved by the master?


    As she lowered her head a little bit, Uni repeated his question.


    For Due, it was the top question he didnt want to hear at this moment.


    Hee. If I were to answer yes then what would you do? Would you eliminate me for, er, potential enmity?


    Due asked Uni back as if to jeer at her.


    This Oubeniels maid was one who would go as far as to exterminate your immediate family if you were to show harmful intention towards her master.


    If you value your own life, then shouldnt you answer her question with a no, though.


    It was uncharacteristic of him to vent out his anger like that.


    Due himself realised that, but his irritation was ever so increasing. .


    What a nonsensical question. We do not possess such functions. Discontent, distrust, disgust. While these emotions can still happen, they have all been adjusted so that they may not lead to a hostile action against the master.


    Her answer made Due shudder in revulsion. So once Tullius gets to mess with your head, even if you came to mourn and hate his snakey guts, those feelings would not fade away, and they would still serve him anyway. Of course, by him, he meant this efficiency advocate, although if the impact he inflicted upon his subjects goes beyond a certain negative threshold, that might not still be the case


    What a troublesome thing


    If you have no capabilities to express dissatisfaction or desire towards a certain status quo, then even if you advise or remonstrate the master, what you wish wouldnt be granted.


    Yeah, but that only applies for us didnt he say he removed emotions from the mass-produced type?


    Uni sighed. She didnt show a particr emotion, but it felt like she was treating him like a little idiot.


    The master said that he restricted it, not removed it.


    (I require uniform performance from them, theres however a considerable restriction on their emotion due to that though.)


    Ah, indeed, the lord indeed said so.


    There is this story. Master had once created ves that have went throughplete elimination of emotions in his experiments, but it was too poor of a workmanship for the master to actually use. He left the ves five senses as they were, but even when he gave them pain, they would not respond. Even when they feel pain, they wouldnt do anything about it. So that even though the senses remain, if theres no emotion attached to it, it would not lead to an action. Of course, you can still set instructions in advance to deal with the resulting sense, but. do you get what I mean?


    Yeah, as much as I loath it


    A doll that would avoid pain.


    A doll that would eat when it is hungry.


    In order for them to do such ordinary operation, on these puppet dolls instructions needed to be written one by one.


    Rather than making such a thing,


    Rather than having to do such a troublesome thing, its better to use their emotions in the first ce. Something like that?


    Yes, that is correct. By leaving emotions tied to their senses, their emotions would be maintained, in turn, motivated by their emotions, actions would ur. So instead of excluding their emotions, a system method that limits their autonomy and fidelity to the extremes was adopted. However, this also inevitably impairs the flexibility of their self-action and thoughts. For that reason, as we would deal with situations that would need require more discretion from our part, for us superior units, such method cannot be utilised .


    So its just like how soldiers work, he added.


    Due is a former adventurer. Solo was his creed, but he knew how to be a leader. If he couldnt think on his own and follow a single pattern of predetermined thoughts, the party would have no future. Himself or Uni would therefore assume the leadership role, and the mass-produced type would be the members of the party who receive instructions. Tullius would be. the guild or the client who would send themselves in harms way, probably?


    Then, why just didnt he just simply write obedience and eliminate hostility towards him like what he did to me? It seems that a surgery like that would easier, and their heads wont get all stiff like that, right?


    Youre already stiff as you are anyway, he couldnt say that though.


    Besides, that way they wouldnt do something so unreasonable like trying to save someone at one time then stab them at the very next moment. That sort of deliberate method of treatment


    Please do not misunderstand. Our process was much moreplicated. The master had to keep arge portion of our emotion intact, while ensuring our obedience and eliminate our hostilities towards him- to put it in an example, its like picking bad eggs from two baskets of eggs. It would take a lot of time, but a veryrge omelet could be made that way. The mass-produced type, on the other hand, is like picking a fresh egg out of the baskets then throwing all the baskets content away. The omelet would be smaller, but itll save a lot of time.


    It was a very maid-like parable.


    If Due had to make a parable on his own, then itd be like this. Like that of a bag and gold coins. The powerful units such as their own would be a big bag filled with money. In order to settle arge amount of transaction at once, the bag must be overturned first to separate the bad coins from the good coins that had mixed together in it. The mass-produced ves are like a wallet used for smaller transactions, even when bad coins are mixed in, one can simply get the good ones at the time of payments and you can avoid issuing bad coins to the other party. You cant spend a lot, but it sure is easier.


    That sure was a revolting metaphor even though theres still a heart in their body, thatll just be thrown away in the name of efficiency, huh


    That is quite thete remark. After all, well be our masters possession for a long, long time.


    Then, Uni repeated her question,


    I will return to the earlier question, have youe to regret it? In exchange for keeping on living, you have be the masters possession.


    A bitte to talk about that.


    He tilted his head and shifted his gaze to the scenery outside the window. There was no figure of the boy in that passing scenery. Nor of the bandits he had cut off. Before they rot and spread diseases over, and before they got reanimated and be undeads, they were all properly already treated and buried.


    Even if you deduct thatst one, that act of ughter in the name of test wasnt a pleasant one. He did get drunk on euphoria in the first half of the battle due to the feeling of moving his enhanced body, and there were some sense of achievement as well. But after that he got bored with theck of response, and he held his sword only by inertia. Its like a handicap for a bully. He didnt even know for what he wielded his sword for. To live for the sword and the sake of be stronger were his purpose of life, but now


    As Tullius had said. In exchange for life, he had to give everything. He had to swing his sword for the sake of his lord.


    The contract with the devil has begun to reveal its price, a price that he begun to think he couldnt bear.


    Well now, Im regretting this, but


    He cut apart his regret out of the window and faced the passenger seat,


    - The thing I have now is my life, right? I believe itll cancel out someday, as long as I can continue to live.


    It was a casual answer unbing of the boorish Due.


    It was unbing- in the sense that he was ying it tough.


    But, it was hard to say that it was aplete lie.


    If youre alive then youre being lucky, thats not an umon way of thinking for an adventurer. But if Due had to die, then hed want to die a satisfying death as a swordsman. He wasnt going to get it. So he epted the invitation of the devilish alchemist, that way he can live long enough to get that.


    As long as I can continue to live, I believe itll cancel out someday. Really?


    Even so, all that Due could do was to continue to swing his sword. As long as he lives, even if he has to deceive his conscience and cut his honour down.


    Is that so.


    As she listened to the response to her answer, Uni sent a gentle look on the lord who was resting on her shoulder.


    Although she was expressionless, her eyes reminded him a lot of his mother.


    Was it out of adoration for Oubeniel, or was it out of the fact that she saw through Dues bluff.


    The reason why the master noticed you, I think I finally understand.


    Ah?


    Surely, somewhere, he felt in you a part simr to himself.


    Her expression still didnt change, but the way she breathed had some sort of special emotion in it.


    Apparently, his reply was favourable for her and her subject of loyalty.


    He would never meekly pleased with this, and with that pain in the neck, the swordsman who fooled Death shrugged his shoulders.


    To be likened to the lord of the Silver Wolf, thats quite the honour.


    You misunderstood something, Two-Handed Sword. When I say youre simr to him, it was in a different sense of word. Even if you and the master have some degree of resemnce, you can never be him.


    With that, their conversation stopped.


    The sound of the horseshoe that echoes regrly, the sound of the wheel that shakes asionally, and the quiet breathing of the lord dominated the narrow space.


    Can we get there a little bit faster? Though I dont feel that Im exactly looking forward to it.


    Next experiment


    As he heard that sleeptalk, his anxiety grew evenrger.

 Chapter 8: Oubeniel, the Invader

    Chapter 8: Oubeniel, the Invader


    The time I spent traveling with a carriage took longer that I had initially thought.


    Unlike modern cars, its source of power is a living thing. If its source of power gets tired, then itd have to eat fodder. Well, since I am me, I can actually alter my horse to improve its speed, horsepower and endurance. But publicly possessing an animal with abnormal ability has the risk of me being suspected of uwful possession of magical beasts. Basically, when ites to magical beasts, such as unicorns  I dont know how they tell them apart from normal monsters though- , one cant simply possess them without the consent of the royal family.


    However, it was because of that long travel duration that I was able to carefully readjust M-03 who went haywire due to an unexpected incident, so I suppose it was a blessing in disguise. Currently, shes in the recovery phase and itll take some moments for her until she can work like the other ves. Later, after I open anotherb in mynd, Ill have to do a thorough examination on her again.


    While thinking deeply about such matter, I look at the outside views from the window of the carriage. We have finally entered the Viscounty of Marlin, our destination. As far as I can see theres only weary peasants with their deste fields. Are we really in the Land of Fine Arts and ck Earth, Arquell?


    In addition, apparently monster subjugation has gone into a halt around this area. Uni and Due had to work not quite a few times on the way here.


    I saw thising, but to think hed push me and this horrible


    Milord. That older brother of yours sure hates you


    Seems like it. In order to harass his little brother, he gave me these farmers who were neglected by their lord, its unbearable, dont you think?


    Totally, Due said as he shrugs. Hes the only person in my carriage for now. Usually Uni is the one who would never leave my side.


    Knock.


    There was a sound from the roof of the carriage, but when Due unconsciously reaches for his two-handed sword


    Knock, knock-knock, knock.


    I heard a peculiar rhythmic knocking from above.


    It was a predetermined cue.


    While I raise my hand to restrain Due, I called up towards to the carriages roof.


    TL Note: He raised his hand to signify that its safe, if you didnt catch the drift.


    Wee back, Uni


    And then she opened the moving carriages door and went inside.


    Ive told Uni to go on ahead to collect some information. She does have some ranger skills for her investigative quests. Something like investigating idle petty officials should be easy peasy.


    I have returned, Master. As expected, the governance in this ce seems to be tantly wed.


    She presented me a document regarding local deputy houses that divided the rule of this viscounty into three. Of course, the document that Uni brought is the copy instead of the original.


    Thank you for your hard work. Let me see Ugh, this is just terrible. Illegal control of grain distributions and embezzlement of irrigation expenditures? Leaving bribes for water rights disputes aside.. they also bribe the kingdoms auditors in order to misrepresent the audit on them. The tax rate is ny percent. Oi, oi, doesnt that mean the folks below will always be in a state of famine?


    TL Note: The original words used as a tax rate was , which means nine for the lord, one for the people. Its based on a system from the feudal times (or at least, in feudal Japan) when the lord of thend would take the farmers harvest by setting up a portion to divide them as tax (they didnt know percentage back then). I put 90% there to simplify things.


    Many farmers seems to have financed their livelihoods by selling their family members as ves.


    TL Note: The original just said that they were selling ves, it was strongly implied that they were selling their own family members as recounted in the previous chapter. Though its also possible that they sold themselves too.


    So that means, I might have had some guests from here too? I wonder if this is what they call, punitive justice?


    You, howe did you find this much in less than a day?


    Thats because Im a maid. Mansion infiltration is our specialty.


    Thats, not quite normal though?


    And so my opuses made merry about misceneous things. I didnt participate in their conversation as I was busy thinking of things to do with this devastated territory. In any case, Ive decided my first move.


    ***


    Am I d to finally see you, new Viscount-sama!


    The man who seems to be the deputy that reigns the town from its government building extended his hands widely to express his wee to me. Behind him are two men that seems to be the other deputies. They are making this obsequious, sycophantic smile at me, but theres also this feeling of jealousy towards the first man oozing out from them. Probably they feel that the first man has stolen a march on them as he gets to host me at this time.


    Perhaps to prick the men behind him, and moreover, as he reminds himself of his sense of superiority, the man was unusually in high spirits.


    It was a long journey for you, and I daresay you must be tired! Today, I have prepared a bath and other things for you! Well, pleasee to our humble abode! It does notpare with my lords mansion back in the capital, but please make yourself at home.


    His disposition was truly unctuous. Even though now that Im posted here and consequently he can no longer freely do things he had been doing around this ce up until now, I see hes still quite the sly racoon dog. Most likely, hes scheming to undermine me by ying things nicely to win my favour, in turn, that would get him appointed as my right-hand man. But against his move, I-


    TL Note: The original words used in exchange of undermine was , which means, figuratively, to pull someones backbone/teeth out. Im not sure if theres an equal idiom in English, but looks like the closest word there is is to undermine, credits to AW in thements section for this.


    Ah right. Me, Im not that used to traveling. And frankly I am exhausted. Theres a bath ready for me, you say? That sounds good. Let us go, then.


    Ill take him on. Ugh, all that shaking for days in the carriage has been rough for me. Ive improved the carriages of the Oubeniel house by installing suspensions on them, but as expected, if I were topare the carriages seat with that of cars or trains in my previous world, then it wasnt at all afortable ride.


    The deputys eyes bulged in a snap as I appear to be even more dimwitted that he had initially thought.


    . Is that so, indeed? Then let me guide my lord to our bath right away! Please take my hand!


    Eeh, is it okay? Sorry about this then, feels like Im imposing on you.


    No, no, not at all. Since the Count expects me to serve the new lord with my whole heart in all sincerity as well!


    Hm? My brother expects that? You see, I hate that man. He was always grumbling andining. Have you heard of this story before? There was this once, during a meal, he was being all noisy just because I asked which to take first between a fork and a knife.


    Yes, yes! We will serve you with all sincerity because youre our new lord, thats why!


    Never thought that ttery could be this crafty. Still, this aggressiveness. Even if he was born in my previous world, his skills as a sales can get this man go to ces. When ites to his management skills, though, hes definitely not a person I would want in the managerial positions.


    While minding those matters, I check the people around me. The deputys officials arent even trying to hide their scorn at me, even way before I show them that ipetent noble brat act. And with a few retainers- that said, most of them are ves save for one-, I followed along, as I make this soon-in-the-twenties face as bratty and as che sera sera as it can.


    These officials have also been gazing lustfully at the maids, especially Uni. There are also some frightened face as these bunch re at Due, who evidently has a rough appearance, probably confused whether hes an aide or a brigand. While grinning, he responds by making a provocative face.


    As Ivee to learn how the people on the top thinks and now that Ive seen the attitude of the people below them, then apparently this is just like an enemy territory. To think that I have to manage this fief for my first time, only reputable officials and ministers can sessfully turn things around here.


    Well, it doesnt matter. Thanks to that, I can do things thoroughly without being easy on them.


    ***


    The bath in the deputys manor, which will be my temporary residence at this time, has quite the luxurious build. The bathtub is amply wide, wide enough for three adults to enter together while still giving them room to stretch their limbs. Most likely- no, most definitely, multiple people would enter this bath together to have various fun. It seems that its safe to assume that these people have been living in extravagance. Thanks to that though, I can now take it slowly for the time being.


    Is the bath temperature to your liking, Master?


    Unis voice echoes in the stone bathroom. Of course, this was not the typical greeting in a peculiar bathhouse where shed wait for me in her birthday suit. Uni is currently guarding the bathrooms entrance. For the timid me who would wear apletely protective dress whenever I go out, bathing time is my most defenseless moment as I remove all my clothing when I enter the bath. If I were to ask a certain legendary dual-wielding swordsman, hed tell me not to take a bath, but I was originally a Japanese who lived in the 21st century. Even if I dont drink or smoke now, entering the bath is the only thing I cant give up. Therefore, to guard in the vicinity so I can take my bath leisurely like this is one of Unis daily job.


    TL Note: might be a reference to Miyamoto Musashi, but I could be wrong.


    Ah well, its lukewarm, but its not unbearable, since Ill get out before dinnertime, its not a problem.


    If it pleases you, should I warm the bath more?


    Its fine. Being like this once in awhile has its own charms too. More importantly, please focus more on your guard duty.


    Yes, Mast


    Abruptly, Unis reply was interrupted. I wonder what happened. She was trained as a maid and has been one since she was six and thus I dont think she would intentionally do something thats akin to a blunder like that. That means


    M-03 to Chief Maid. There is a figure presently approaching the bath. Appears to be a woman, apparent age is mid-twenties to early-thirties. Very lightly dressed. No weapons nor magical powers detected from the individual. Chance of concealing such items is also minimal, over.


    From Unis maid uniforms pocket, I heard a muffled voice. Its from an apparel used formunication purposes. Think of it as a magical gimmick that works like transceiver. I see, apparently she had already sensed that someone wasing over, even before the report.


    Chief Maid to M-02. We will handle the subject in your report from here, continue to watch over the surroundings. Over.


    I dont think its an assassin Then, in that case, Uni-


    Yes. Will you be using the perfume?


    Apparently she already understood my intentions, even before I have the chance to finish my sentence. Her being my assistant for all these long years sure wasnt just for show.


    Right, its in


    The back pocket of masters trousers, left side, is not it? I found it.


    Excuse me, Uni says as she throws the retrieved vial over. Its an emergency, so theres no time for her to give the vial by hand. I open the vials lid and put it on a suitable ce. It has a densely sweet aroma, but its a sickly scent. My preparation isplete.


    Soon after, there was a knock on the door of the dressing room leading to the bath.


    May I know who you are?


    My master ordered me to take care of the new lord. I havee to scrub the dirt and the likes from him.


    Send a woman like this towards the weak-willed noble son. This truly is one of the most standard strategies ever.


    The master prefers to bathe alone.


    And leave ady just next to him aside?


    Please wait for a moment. I will take your message to him.


    As if I didnt hear their exchange, I let out a small whistle. I say Uni is quite the actress too. She left her to sweat in suspense.


    Master, you have a guest. She said she was here to take care of your bath.


    Yes, got it, got it. Tell her that she may enter. Receiving her is the polite thing to do, isnt it?


    Certainly. Master has granted you his permission, please enter.


    As she opens the bathroom door, it came down to me that it appears that she had been catching her breath. Was it due to surprise because she saw Uni was carrying a sword, or was there any other elements at y? However, even if she hesitated, it was just for a moment, as now before my eyes a woman with troubled look stands.


    Good evening, new lord-sama.


    With my eyes thats a bit out of it, I observe her. Her skin colour is good, and theres no speck of dirt on her. In a backwater countryside like this, theres only a few, if any, shops that hold women that can satisfy the nobility. So, perhaps shes kept by the master of this house. Did he turn his own woman, or did shee sneakingly by her own volition to snuggle up against the new lord? If its the former then its just his character, but if its thetter, Id say in addition to his character he apparently doesnt keep a good eye on his surroundings.


    TL note: The original word for dirt is , which means dirt/dust thatd stick on you if you travel outside. This inferred that the woman had been inside the manor all along.


    Did she perceive my gaze? She seems to be somewhat smiling.


    Perhaps youve already heard me before, but Im going to say it again anyway, Im here to wash your back Back in the royal capital, have you had the pleasure before?


    Umm, not really, no. I find being preupied with my own hobby to be more enjoyable.


    Oh, thats no good. Youre a noble, so your body must experience various ys, especially that one between men and women, okay?


    She presses her body against me as she talks. Boldness sure is a good thing. Though Im a bit anxious that shes not in my sight, I know that Uni is just around the corner. Or perhaps Ive stayed too long in the bath and Im losing my attentiveness?


    Do you really mind?


    For now, I just want to know you a little bit closer.


    If thats the case then


    A white hand takes my hand, and before it draws my hand to her chest,


    Please have this first. My homemade perfume.


    Originally, the perfume has to be diluted with water, but I just went ahead and thrust it at her tip of the nose without reservation. The bathroom is damp, so unless I do this I wouldnt know the extent of its effect.


    The smell, which I supposedly had developed a resistance to and still managed to get me a bit, swept away the light of consciousness from the womans eyes.


    ***


    qdiqmidmqim fwe,fowmo, fweifwimfimwef qwp,pqdpq,wd, fasasa f wnfownfownefwo o bronv3nf02f fw0e f0w j0fw8neufnmasmd d qwdqwdm-qwdoief0miifmi0mfwmef0w0q0mdqm virve8r0femfwm0qdp,pasl,dp,pfekfpr asoaodmomfmfome roomqomdsma qeppaspd The man who offered lodging to Tullius Oubeniel, one of the three deputies, was lying in his bedroom as he immersed himself in contentment. After witnessing Tullius behavior at his wee dinner table, it became apparent to his eyes that Tullius is helplessly average. He tried to ask him in a roundabout way for just bit of his impressions after he saw the domain for himself, but as a response he only whined about the fact that he got kicked from the royal capital to the countryside. On top of that, even though he didnt drink that much alcohol his face went all red, and the end result was he excused himself in the middle of the dinner.


    In the letter from Oubeniels new family head, Linus, it was written that he was a devil who skewed his family, but what he probably meant was that he made a hole in their finances after spending a great deal of money on alchemy. Every now and then youd find people whod believe the tall-tale that lead can be turned into gold and people whod exhaust up more gold coins than what they can get in their hands.


    At this rate itd be very easy to coax Tullius to let him continue to do as he pleases.


    The manughed a shadowyugh.


    Whats on your mind?


    Asked his mistress mischievously to pull his thoughts back to reality.


    Isnt it obvious? Im thinking about what to do next.


    You mean, what would you do about that boy?


    Yeah how did things go from your side?


    As he tried to draw the details from her, sheughed in a contemptuous way.


    No good. He didnt satisfy me at all, that boy. For a boy his age, he sure was too indifferent.


    And because of that, now youre snuggling on me?


    Yes, he was ridiculously curt. He also went as far as giving me this


    She said as she rubbed her body. There was a scent of flower he had no memory of.


    Perfume?


    Probably something he got in the royal capital. Really, I dont understand I wonder if he felt that countryside women would be obsessed with things thats popr in the capital


    The manughed as the womanined. Certainly, the scent was a little too strong. It probably wasnt to her liking.


    That said, however, despite of him being supposedly indifferent, his gift was a passionate one. When ites to rtionship between men and women, there is a type of people who are indifferent when ites to sexual pleasures, but are actually interested in their minds, its likely that the young fellow is one of those people.


    If thats the case, even if he gets the big clue that Im trying to coax him, itd be the same. Men will learn what stimtes them along with pleasure. Ill save him the trouble by taking him to the bed and let him embrace women.


    Ahn, what are you trying to do?


    Didnt you say you didnt get to be satisfied a while back?


    What? Even though you just turned me to another man.


    Its a wile to keep my rights in this ce. Sorry.


    No~pe, I dont forgive you. Lets have a bargain instead.


    So demanded the woman while graciously smiling. Thisdy sure is a greedy one. Well, what is it that you want? The man thought so as he sunk his head on her ample bosom.


    Mmn, ahn hey, youll listen to my request, right?


    The scent of flower was dizzying.


    . Sweet.


    The scent smelt like a heavenly wine. All of his thoughts were melting.


    Yeah Im listening


    Everything was fading away. The fair skin in front of his eyes, other that that, nothing else mattered.


    Youll really listen?


    Yeah


    Really, really?


    Told you that already


    Anything?


    Of course


    He didnt even know what he was talking about.


    He seemed to hear the words along the lines of, anything, really.


    The man was bewildered. Really, what was it about this woman that enticed him so? Certainly, her looks was excellent, and her skills werent so bad. But that was about it. In the nightlife world, youd be able to find at least one woman of this level in every shop. Besides, if she wasnt a woman of that level she wouldnt be a kept woman of some deputy in a backwater territory.


    But that question eventually faded and vanished too. What remained was the dubious desire that melted him.


    Quick, ly. Ill hear it out anything Ill give anything


    The womanughed at his reply.


    It was augh unfitting of her, one that was like a babys. And as if her eyes were covered by a film, there was no light that came out of it. The light of ones will, there was none.


    If thats so


    Shall I have your brain tissue, then?


    A boyish voice took over and continued the womans words.


    ***


    What to say, apparently this is easier than I initially thought.


    It seems that the perfume took into effect very quickly, but I wonder if the concentration was a bit too high. I hope it wont leave any weird aftereffectster.


    I dont think thatll be a problem. We wont be using their talents anyway.


    Uni and I talked as we looked down on the unttering appearance of the hugging pair. The scent of the homemade perfume hangs thickly within the room. Just like what I used on the high court investigator a while ago, it is a strange scent that makes one easier to manipte once they smell it. Compared to the earlier version, however, this one works quicker, but correspondingly, its side effects is also stronger.


    Last time, I could prepare it in my room in advance, and even if Id end up being suspected by the kingdoms investigation agencyter, I can always use the weaker one, but, this side was the one breaking in and I suddenly had an uninvited visitor back in the bath, so I had to resort to the emergency measure.


    Excuse me. M-01, reporting to the master. Set up for temporary facilities for emergency surgery procedure in the halls have beenpleted. In addition, Opus-02 and the B-series have sessfully taken control of the guard posts. It may be concluded that there is no problem in the advancements of Phase 1.


    Well done. Alright then, itll be an all-nighter today too. Well take over the centre of this manor this very night. You all too, do your best, okay?


    I generously nod in approval to the maid who gave me the report.


    Yes, Master. Us ves swear to work ever harder in zeal.


    The maid gave me a bow and left. Since this is a temporary facility, I wont be able to make borate adjustments like that of the mass-produced type, but since this will be a simple lobotomy operation, then theres no problem. As Uni said, after witnessing the state of the territory for myself, they do seem to be quite ipetent, so even if I make all of them to standby for my instructions like standby dolls?, I dont think thered be any changes. Rather, I suppose the state of the fiefs poption as a whole will improve as they can no longer exert their tyranny on them.


    Okay, I cant keep taking my time forever. Theres a lot of things I have to do, so lets just do this quickly, Uni.


    Yes, Master.


    Answered Uni as she prepares to inject anesthetics into the deputy and his lover. She took away their resistance, and as if she were carrying a small thing, she lifted both of them together with each of her hands. Seeing Uni carrying those two as if they were light with that kind of slender body was pretty surreal.


    ***


    Revamps on my vassals werepleted in less than a week. The other two deputies also immediately responded after I asked them for their hospitality, and in the end they also swore their loyalty the same way as the first deputy did. Though I was prepared for a little more trouble or incident along the way, presently, no such problems happened.


    At most, due to the sluggish movement of the guards, the ability to mediate themoners conflicts declined and security around the area, which had been low in the first ce, suffered even more.


    Presently for us, we are governing the territory and proceeding with the preparations of the newb in parallel, and as busy as I am, during this time I have to properly readjust M-03 who broke around this time.


    Then, atst all the general preparations have beenpleted today.


    .. Ah, Im tired. To do jobs other than research, isnt this my first time doing so after I was born in this world, I wonder?


    In the former manor of the deputys basement that was refurnished as ab, I stretched myself as I sit slovenly on my chair, as expected itll surely be good if my facilities are in ce. Even when I do the same job, theres a remarkable difference in efficiency.


    Yea, yea. Im also overworked, but its worthwhile so


    So grumbled Due.


    At that time he let go of an inferior material when we left the royal capital, but he redeemed himself by collecting the monsters which happened to infest the area that were attacking him to some extent . He, a battle-type masterpiece, isnt suited for this line of work which Im currently putting my hands on so hes doing his best in his area of aptitude instead. If he fights, hed be able to familiarise himself with his new body which was adjusted for battle, thus its supposed to be a pleasing thing for him.


    And then Unies with some documents,


    Im very sorry to bring this while youre being tired. Petitions have been sent here from all over the territory. Arbitration of water rights, resumption of disrupted irrigation works, measures against neglected dungeon, and et cetera.


    Ugh.


    Just when I thought one work was over, here ites. When will it be until I can continue with my research, I wonder? Well, my older brother sent me here for that very purpose of keeping me away from my research. Perhaps whats going on here is just as he wished for. Except that I seized those old roons within a week.


    Measures against the dungeon? I thought there was a lot of stray monsters, but as it turns out, it was because the dungeon has been overflowing? Then, request to the adventurers guild


    Theres no reason for the former deputies to not issue a request, is there? That said, is there even a guild here?


    There is only one adventurers guild in this territory, since the level of requests is low and the number of cases is not that much, so our much-needed adventurers dont evene here.


    That is just horrible.


    Thought so The monsters around here might be a lot when ites to their numbers, but their level is low. That means their drops will also be low in quality, and apparently that doesnt look appetising at all for D-ranked adventurers and beyond. Having said that, those fledgling low-ranked adventurers


    They wouldnt have the funds toe to this remote ce, so they wonte in the first ce Well, lets save what to do with the dungeons forter. Its not like I have no idea about it. But lets start from treatments for agriculture-rted matters.


    However, I dont have the right kind of wisdom in me. Im neither a politician nor a bureaucrat. Im a researcher. Even if you ask Einstein, Gauss, or Neumann to deal with home affairs, its not possible for them to make effective arrangements. Even in the world of simtion games, intelligence (INT) and politics (POL) are usually different abilities.


    So, I can only do things to the extent what an amateur in politics can do. Fortunately, the factions of this Viscounty of Marlin is now unified under me. Theres none of thisplex thing such as faction this and faction that. And more than any other territory, the Lord of Marlin can actually do whatever he wants. Though I must be extra careful from meddling too much in a weird way and make a mess out of it.


    Lets dere a tax cut for the time being, the current tax rate is just too terrible, as for the water rights, lets wait forter investigations.


    Oh, the basics.


    How should the merchants be dealt with? It seems that they had a shady rtionship with the deputies in regard of the illegal distribution of the grains.


    Ah, yes, theres also that, huh? Just right, lets take them into our fold and sell them our potions. I happen to be familiar with herbs that can grow even on a roughnd like this.


    This is totally troublesome. Itd be a mistake to brainwash people like these. If their dealing partners abruptly change in behavior, there is the risk that the other merchants woulde to distrust us. Well, Ill just bait them with a more interesting deals to silence them. At the very worst, when ites to things that can be done about them, theres no other measures avable.


    But even if we manage to transact with people that frequents the royal capital, theres not enough manpower in the industrial sector of this territory. Id like to propose an increase in the mass-produced type ves.


    Indeed. Due, youre the least standing out when ites to buying ves. Please go with B-01 and B-02. Fortunately, we have enough budget thanks to these assets those guys have saved up. Go ahead and splurge on it as you wish.


    Truly, this is one ssic case of turning misfortune into fortune. They had been hoarding wealth for some time now, and on top of it, they wont be paid sry in the future. And more than that, they wont raise abour dispute. Truly a coveted talents for your typical ckpany. Their abilities are fine as well, though such have been severely reduced due to their readjustments.


    Yea, yea. Got it, got it. So, itll be fine for me to return to the royal capital?


    No, if you do that ani-ue will take notice of my movements. Besides, if you cross the border from here, Canales is much closer. Its thergest ve-trading city in the continent. Since the poption parameter for sale is ratherrge, you should be able buy products with the normal quality at a cheaper price.


    As I give him the name of the ce, Due lets out a whistle.


    Commercial Capital Canales. A free city independent from the kingdom. Its a merchants city where you can get ahold of anything if you have the money. The headquarters of the adventurers guild is also there. Due was an adventurer originally. I dont know if hes been there, but its surely a ce thatd rouse his interest.


    If youre so inclined, you may make arrangements for your equipment as well. I will leave your new armour at your discretion as well, since its too early for me to earnestly get into research.


    Quite thevish budget my mouth is watering


    Yes, and also.


    Ill give him another advice while hes still in high spirits.


    Is there anything else?


    Its not really a big deal. Its just, if you want to buy a woman then I wont stop you, however, if you bring her here, that means you wont mind if I tinker with her, thats all I wanted to say.


    Its actually important. If my secrets leak out, then Id be in trouble. Here I am nning to start an experiment on arger scale than ever, and I will not let other person to roam about in this ce freely.


    As expected, Due seems to flinch at that.


    . Ro-ger


    Then he turned around and left.


    As Uni saw that, she lets out a small sigh.


    How unsophisticated. It seems that he still isnt quite aware that he is Masters tool.


    Well, not even a month has passed, you see. Hell eventually get used to it. More importantly


    I look at the samples that were lined up on my working desk.


    Recently, fiddling with peoples head is all what I do. And while Im used to it, I must say that if thats the only thing I do, it does actually make quite the depressing story.


    Now, after a long while, I actually want to prepare for other tasks than that.


    Since they went with the trouble of giving me a territory. For once, lets do something befitting of a lord for a while.

 Chapter 9: The Third Woman

    Chapter 9: The Third Woman


    The city of freedom andmerce, or, the capital of chaos and decadence.


    Those were the words to inly express what the Free City of Canales was.


    Various things woulde from various ces to Canales, which upied a strategic point of the Grand Canal in the southern parts of the continent, through its waterways.


    Gold coins, jewelry, ingredients, weapons and armor, and people.


    An infinite variety of people woulde and visit the city. Merchants woulde to trade. Sailors woulde to bring goods. Nobles of other countries woulde to seek rare, unusual wares. Adventurers would stop by in search for major quests. Criminals woulde to seek asylum in its underworld as they were chased by their original countries. And of course, ves, woulde.


    And to this ce the man who sold his soul to the Devil, Due Schwarz, came with the intent to buy some ves. ves who, like himself, would dedicate not only their lives but also their will to their lord.


    This guy looks quite fine too. How much is he?


    Gee, sire! You sure buy a lot! This makes it your tenth, I suppose? Very well, let me look at it for a bit how about this much?


    The ve merchant, with an overdone call, showed Due the amount hed require as he observantly pointed at a boy with magic potential. He rubbed his palms and swiftly fiddled with the beads of his counting tray. He was deft to the point that even if he stopped being a merchant, he could easily fit in as a ranger in the adventurers ranks.


    Why, quite the discount you gave me there. Right then  hey.


    While ying around with such trifling ideas, he issued an order to his (actually, borrowed) ve who was waiting in standby.


    Yes, sire. Everything has already been prepared.


    The ve in the butlers clothes presented him a bag that was graciously filled with silver coins.


    As he took out its contents and put them on the scale to confirm its weight, the merchant nodded repeatedly.


    Right, Ive confirmed your payment My, you really are splendid, sir! You bought this many all at the same time and youre also sincere in your dealings. We hope to receive your continued patronage in the future, too.


    Ill do just that. Can we continue then? Unfortunately, I still need a bit more people.


    The ves in the cage stopped dead at those words. There was a buyer that would buy a veryrge amount of ves without even bargaining. And since the buyer had been buying so much, then itd be most likely that the buyer was not a decent person when ites to ves. They probably were being afraid that theyd be sent to a no-good ce, like a ntation, or a mine.


    (Well certainly their buyer is pretty scary.)


    Due let out a bitter smile at the ves expressions.


    Tullius Shernan Oubeniel. Infamously known in the Broussonnes ve market as The ve yer. A weak person wouldmit suicide on the spot had they known that theyd be brought to his ce. However, ves that were sold in this ce wouldnt know that.


    By the way, sire. Might I interest you with the auctions?


    Unexpectedly, the ve merchant turned the conversation, attempting to draw Dues interests.


    Auction it was an invitation he was disinclined to ept. ves that are sold in a way that multiple participants wouldpete and bid over certainly must be quality ves. But those featured in such a way were mostly ves for night duties only. Tullius had instructed him to buy ves with reasonable magic potential that could serve as his alchemy assistants, and within such constraint, to gather a decent number of them. Buying a woman for her appearance only would be the true definition of foolishness.


    Sorry. My rough tongue might give you ideas, but Im actually here as my lords representative. And to participate in the bids without his permission is-


    No, no, no! If anything, itd be in your lords best interest. That lord told you to buy all these ves at once, and its easy to discern that hes a man of extraordinary wealth and rank. And for those people you get me? In addition to thebourers, I know hed require an aptly fine ve for his other needs.


    It was an invitation that made Due wanted tough involuntarily.


    An aptly fine ve? To that Tullius who cored that renowned Silver Wolf, even buying ves that others would go as far aspete over now would contrarily be a downgrade to what he had. You probably wouldnt find a product that could rival that one even if you uproot every root and overturn every leaf in the continent. Even if there were elven ves, unless you round five or six of them up they still wouldnt be match to her.


    Itll be fine since well only be looking around, okay? I wont even say things to force you to have a go and bid. And besides, the auction will conclude before this marketce closes!


    Since he put it that way, it was hard for Due to decline.


    He also remembered that Tullius allowed him to buy a woman.


    Though, he also said hed tamper with the insides of her headter.


    Well, if you so insist


    It wasnt like that he decided to participate in the biddings. It was as the merchant said, hed be there only to look. Due thought it was important to save his face as it was likely that hed be doing business with merchant in the future too. If the situation dictates so, he might try bidding so long as the womans price was still reasonable.


    Is that so?! Then, pleasee this way!


    The merchant went ahead of him, his hands rubbing each other. As Due walked, he took a nce at B-01, who was following after him. And indeed as he had predicted, his expression was as deadpan as a puppet.


    Is there a problem?


    No. None from the master either.


    He apparently harboured no other intentions.


    Then when Oubeniel said go ahead and buy one, it was meant to be taken in the literal sense.


    That said, it had been awhile since Due had any contact with another woman. If it was just a woman he had recently seen face-to-face, then itd be that ve-maid of whom he shared a lord with. And while she was fine-looking, all Due felt from being in contact with her was this suffocating feeling.


    - Lets put an end to my woman drought, though I ought to avoid spending too much.


    Due reflected on his frustration and self-control, and steeled himself.


    ***


    Eeeerrrr, and for the next item we have this one over here!


    The auction had already begun when Due reached the venue. With the emphasis that she was sold while remained a virgin, a good-looking girl was up to be auctioned.


    50 gold coins!


    60!


    75, I say!


    100!


    The ring men did not attempt to hide their vulgar desires as they were being pestered by the auctioneer to raise her value even further.


    Due quickly found himself unamused.


    The prices that the surrounding men blurted out, even if one were to consider it from outside the scope of budget that was given to Due, was not in any way high. However, the amount of money they were willing to spend on one woman alone was truly foolish. If he were to consider the amount of equipment he could get with that amount of gold, while it wouldnt be much, it would still be an awkward amount to let go of.


    If you are willing to pay to satisfy your desires then its much cheaper to go to a brothel, you can still have your fun there. Even if you get a ve to be your woman, think of how long it would take until she can get as skilled as a prostitute. Perhaps, the bidders mustve thought something along the lines of hey, theres where the fun lies, but it wasnt something that Due could agree with. asionally then, some women would be put up with such skills as their main selling point, but if its just for a woman to screw, he wasnt willing to spend that kind of money at all.


    And then it came to him. Thered bebour and costs attached when taking care of a woman. If hed take that, then would it make him the same as Oubeniel, he thought. Certainly, that kind of thing would make him simr to his lord. Perhaps at some point of time Silver Wolfs remarks had turned out to be pertinent.


    Several ves were put up for bids then after. There was a girl that was known to be the prettiest in a certain vige somewhere, there was a daughter of merchant whose gone bankruptst month, there was a daughter of a poor baron, there was a fallen sex ve who was once a madam reputable for her training skills.. and none of them piqued Dues interest.


    Seeing such Due, the merchant who invited him wryly smiled.


    I see that youre quite the finicky one, sir. Or by any chance, perhaps the lord has the more experienced eye?


    True, that


    He replied as the faces of the maids in Oubeniels ce floated into his thoughts. It was said that they were bought solely based on their magic potential, but at a nce none of them were unattractive. And on top of them as their head, always there on Tullius side, was THAT one. Frankly,pared to ves who could be bought with a little money, she mustve been on an entirely different ying field.


    If this was all they got, then itd probably be better for him to leave quickly and resume his hunt for assistant-ves.


    But as he thought of that,


    And now, for the next product! Here we have, though she has a few scars, a truly unusual item!


    .. Scars?


    He felt like he was caught by the auctioneers words. Normally, it was the custom to keep ves that goes up for auctions without blemishes. Itd be in their best interest to refrain from any conduct that could lower the value of the ve, as theyd need them to be able to show their most beautiful face as far as circumstances allowed it so that customers would raise their bids in the auctions.


    What are they trying to achieve by putting up a scarred woman for the auction?


    Soon however, his question was answered as the products appearance came into sight.


    Oh


    I see


    The surrounding guests leaked a sigh of understanding.


    While being pulled by a chain that was connected to her cor, the woman was brought up to the stage, still resisting and staggering about. Silvery hair, brown skin, amber eyes. Top-notch plumpness, fine curved waist, well-endowed, elevated bosoms. Temptingly, her body was one that would inme others lust. But the most important point was her upright, sharp pointed ears-


    - A dark elf, huh.


    They were a race of long-lived demi-human that inhabits deserts, rocky mountains and the likes, in contrast to the white elves that prefer to live in the forests. Even though the colour of their skin would suggest that they belong to the hateful, evil kind of elves that would normally be ssified as demonic beings, it was actually nothing of that sort. It was just a name given to them out of the sake of convenience for humans, as they were easier to huntpared to the other kind of elves that would keep themselves hidden in the forests.


    Oh, my. There are some shy scars on her but demi-human ves are expensive, so the buyers are likely to overlook this much.


    It was as the merchant said, that dark elf was riddled with scars. Her defiant attitude was showing when she was pulled up, perhaps she had rampaged savagely when she was captured too.


    There were faint scratches all over her limbs, and there was a roundish scar, an arrow mark, on the tip of her shoulder. The most remarkable was the one on her face. There was a trace of a sh wound, probably from a knife, that runs over from her forehead to her left cheek. In lieu of an eyepatch, a bandage covered one of her eyes. From the size of the wound, and seeing from the size of the scar that was mostly covered, under that bandage her left eye was most likely not intact.


    Demi-human ves were expensive. Elves and dark elves were particrly expensive. Originally, she shouldve been the main and final item up for sale in this action, but probably her scars made her to be brought up somewhat earlier than that.


    Well, first- we shall start the bidding at three hundred gold coins!


    Cheap, Due remarked as he stared at her. No, that amount was still expensive for just one ve, but she shouldve been as expensive as a castle. Even if she was injured to the point that she lost one of her eyes, elven ves really were worth that much. Their high magic potency made them excellent magicians, elves would make good hunters, and dark elves would make excellent rangers due to their skills. And on top of that, they are a long-lived race, unlike the continuously depreciating humans he thought through them all the way before he suddenly realised it. It was his adventurers way of thinking in action.


    Most of the people gathered here are either merchants or aristocrats, and arge portion of them were women. And in this ce they would be willing to spend a fortune, but only if the ve was excellent looking. The dark elf certainly had the looks, but her scars were too conspicuous. Her price shouldve been dropped greatly at this point. She excelled in magical prowess, but thatd also mean that shed be resistant to the obedience seal that would normally bind other ves. Even when she had gotten injured to that degree, she still managed to show her enmity towards humans, thatd mean youd never know if shed stab you in your sleep one day. In order to make her perfectly safe, arge sum must be paid for additional restraining apparels. She had be rather niche as a ve for a lot of buyers.


    And that was why it was possible for Due to buy her even with the money he had now.


    Three hundred twenty.


    Three hundred and thirty!


    Three hundred fifty!


    Some customers with more entric tastes were beginning to raise their hands. And as expected, perhaps it should be said that most of their gazes were filled a sadistic light.


    A long-lived kind. While time would age, wane and rot humans away, they would remain living while retaining their youthfulness. For those who had for themselves wealth and power, they would find these beings as most impertinent. Theyd humble that ve body of hers, desecrate it, abuse it- beat it as the subject of their twisted desires. For someone with that sort of preferences, theyd consider that some scars would instead add to her value.


    Still, a long-lived demi-human, huh


    Immortality and longevity. Two of the main goals of alchemy. A non-human that tasted a drop of them from the time of their births. Of course, they can still be killed, and they still have this yoke called lifespan, but they were still closer to immortality than a human ever could.


    TL Note: they can still be killed is a modification of the original words, which means theyll die if they are killed.


    Perhaps she could bring a new light to the lords research.


    Five hundred.


    For the first time ever since he entered the venue, Dues hand was raised. The eyes of the merchant who was standing next to him turned round in surprise. The ve who was assigned as his attendant showed no reaction at all.


    The surrounding guests began to make a stir. The tens, twenties interested parties that were standing sparsely all over the venue shifted their attention to him. My, who was it? they asked as they flooded their gaze upon him- and those eyes turned from that of curiosity to that of contempt quickly.


    It shouldve been impossible. Even though he was dressed for business negotiations in the town, he still didnt seem like a merchant or an aristocrat. No matter how you see it, he looked like a warrior. Moreover, he was a fresh face in the auction. An adventurer who just fulfilled a well-paying quest got carried away and now got himself lost in here perhaps he gave off such impression.


    Humph One thousand! In gold coins, of course!


    The man, who seemed to a merchant dered so, with scoff apparent from him.


    One thousand gold coins. Not silver or bronze coins. You cant pay that much now, can you? Dont ruin the bids, just stand there, watch and be silent.


    That mustve been his intention. He was trying to teach restrain to a frolicking country bumpkin who didnt know his ce in such an unfamiliar ce for him. Perhaps that was the way for him to satisfy his hunger for pride.


    His pride was a little bit hurt.


    Why, one thousand gold coins! The bid has just been doubled! Any other offers?!


    The auctioneer was screaming about in excitement.


    While listening from somewhere far away, Due let out augh of self-mockery. What? You think Im angry? Being looked down by that hideous, fat merchant? Like a single human would? I may have sold my pride and soul in exchange for my life, but I can still get angry if you slight at me!


    Perhaps taking Dues wry smile that was mingled with embarrassment as a deration of defeat, the bidder showed his satisfaction on his face. As Due looked at it, his smile deepened into a ferocious one.


    Looks like you misunderstood something.


    Due had made up his mind. Originally he didnt think much of this and wasnt nning to participate, but now that it hade to this then there was no other way. If he were to stretch his hand and continue to bid to obtain this long-lived woman, how far would it go?


    Lets do this through until the very end.


    He steeled himself and raised his hand another time.


    One and a half thousand! Thanks for your heads-up. But I already know that from the start.


    After sending a provocative sidelong nce at him, Due rather regretted it that he added some unnecessary words in his reply. Now the other party would get obstinate as well. He still had a plenty of room in his budget, but how much more would this take?


    We have one and a half! Any other offers?!


    Grrr..! One thousand eight hundred!


    Two thousand.


    Two thousand two hundred!


    Dues spirit was lessening. He must refrain from spending too much after this.


    Considering that, Due thought briefly.


    The deciding point should be just around the corner.


    Three thousand.


    Murmurs.


    The venue was enveloped inmotion. While it was true that she was a demi-human, why would someone bid so much for someone so scarred like that? Was it out of his whimsical interest?


    Bewilderment and a tinge of fear from somewhere engulfed the venue then.


    Three thousand! Not three hundred, we are now at three thousand! Any other offers?


    Im out!


    TL Note: original is , which means somewhere along the lines of, no, I wont get along with that.


    The middle-aged man with the appearance of a merchant who waspeting with him snorted loudly and apparently went away.


    No matter how you hear it, it was nothing but sour grapes.


    Its finally been decided! The dark elven ve goes to the gentleman over there!


    Grrrr..


    That opponent of Due gritted his teeth. A neer, and someone with an apparentck of gold, had just beaten him. He could feel peoples gaze ridiculing and mocking him from here and there. That guy sure did whatever he liked. Before Due raised his hand and raised the bid to five hundred gold coins, that ve was set for him.


    Due won, but he didnt feel like he won anything at all. In the first ce, he was using other persons wallet in the match. If anything, he felt a petty, miserable feeling from inside of him somewhere. These days- ever since he epted Tullius hand, this kind of thing had been continuing for some time now. Would a fine daye to me someday? As long as I continue living, probably?


    While he thought so, he took a nce at the ve he just bought. Being one of the long-lived, itd be likely for her to live longer than him if nothing happens to her- though, of course, that was not going to happen.


    The dark elf returned his nce with a cold look, as if she was saying, like I care.


    ***


    What are you nning to do now, Due-sama? The budget from the master has almost run out.


    There was no sign that B-01 was trying to me him in his voice. It was just a simple question of what to do after this.


    By the way, Due was not to be referred as Opus-02 here. As they were now in the outside world and not Tullius dominion, it was deemed that that strange way of referring people should be avoided from strangers ears.


    TL Note: Original word for dominion is, inside of stomach.


    Well, one thing for certain is our shopping trip ends here. Uh-


    Of course, Due had to call him by his human name too.


    Jack, sir. And while it is fine to end it here, Im afraid we do not have enough funds for the return carriage fare.


    Even in a rented carriage?


    Even in a rented carriage. Here we have eleven new ves. Even if you rent one, it would be expensive to carry this number of people.


    Oh, crap, he said as he scratched his head. Although he had unexpectedly valuable samples with him, the number of assistant-ves he had procured was one-third of what he originally nned. In addition, they were hit by theck of funds for their return trip.


    The carriage which they originally used was too small. Even if they were to decide to make separate trips back to Marlin, the amount of round-trips that needed to be taken would be too much. It was urgent for them to replenish the mass-produced ves. They just didnt have that sort of time.


    Fortunately. Were in Canales. The guilds headquarter is here, and my license is still valid. If I take a B-ranked quest, that return carriage far shouldnt be an issue.


    You people are appalling.


    The dark elf woman who had kept her silence until then opened her mouth, her face wholeheartedly making fool of them.


    Her voice was low, but it was a voice tititing to the ear. Her voice was devoid of any feelings, but it had an intoxicating charm that would make any man who heard her drunk without fail. It was almost like a strong wine. You know itd cloud your mind and get you hooked, but you just couldnt help but to reach for it. If her body was in the perfect state, her price wouldve jumped twenty times.


    Finally youre in the mood talk, huh?


    He hid his fascination in hisidback tone.


    Other ves were kept caged in the market until he had the means to transport them, but this one, whom he spent a fortune on, was different. It was the safest choice to keep her by Dues side in order to avoid mischief-makers from making a mess out of her.


    On top of being bought by dirty money, now I find myself lost on the roadside. I dont have the energy to put a word in, you see.


    Anyhow, Im thankful that youre now starting to voice your thoughts. By the way, I havent heard your name yet.


    TL Note: The words Due used in the second sentence was . It is a very, very peculiar way to say I or we so Im not sure if I captured the meaning in the first half of second sentence correctly. Nowadays, its a first person pronoun for tough guys. Hopefully you can still get the context.


    Normally, one wouldnt know the name of a ve, even their seller wouldnt. Of course, if their name could act as an added value, such as in the case of a daughter of a prominent family, then itd be a different story entirely.


    The womans reply, however, was brusque.


    A despicable shaved ape like you is not worthy to be entrusted with my prided name. If you wish to hear it that much, why dont you use the thing you learned from the bastard that cored me?


    Of course, Ill be resisting you with every fibre of my being though. She thoughtfully added that to her remarks.


    Due shrugged his shoulders. He had zero knowledge of magic. And while he knew how to use the obedience spell, he also knew that that the quantity and quality of his magic would be pertinent when casting such spell. Long-lived kind would naturally resist the spell as theirmand of magic was far superior. If he were to repeat themand again and again then his spell might bypass her resistance, but it might require him to squeeze all his mana to the point that itd be painful for him just to open the indices for once. Doing all this just because he was interested to know her name was just stupid.


    Well, fine. Theres plenty of time for us to know each otherter anyway. Theres a more pressing problem now, an inn for today. With the money we have left, we probably wont get much of a bed


    Arent you a bit too carefree about this?


    Cant be helped but before he could make the words, a voice filled with malice overwhelmed him.


    And as he looked, there from the dark shade of a building was his opponent from the auctions a while back. And some of his henchmen were swarming around him.


    I was wondering what kind of person who took what supposed to be mine was, but to think that he doesnt even have a ce to sleep for the night With that kind of financial condition, are you trying to disgrace my possession from the sideways?


    His mouth was distorted in a way to expose his hatred as he said so, his tattered clothes was reflected on his eyes, in which fervour filled his stare.


    It was apparent that he wished to retrieve what he wanted from a while back.


    A sigh escaped Dues mouth at the encounter of this unexpected problem.


    You sure are picking a fight, huh Shes mine now, just so you know.


    TL Note: In the original, the word for picking a fight was . And frankly, I dont know what that means. ording to Rurei, it may be a conjugated form of the words  and . In which   means picking a fight. I, however, cannot vouch this. So if youre a fellow trantor and you know what it means, feel free to correct me here.


    Though shell be that alchemists guinea pig soon enough.


    And not only that! Thanks to the fact that I gave her up to you, the people around me made light of my financial prowess! I had to bid the final item at a higher price than I expected! Do you understand how much I had to bid? Haa?


    So in short, youre just venting your anger?


    You just got your just deserts.


    The dark elf was spectating how things progressed as if she was having fun. It was clear that she didnt regard the man who merely bought her as her master. Was it because she had plenty of guts, or was it merely because she was desperate? Anyhow, hearing her sure was more pleasant than hearing this turtle-stomached, pig-like fatso.


    TL Note: This is the kind of turtle he was referring to.


    Some men are now squabbling over you even if its just a bit, do you feel like a princess now?


    Some male in heat are now gnashing at each other. Feels like watching a dogfight.


    You have plenty of guts, Ill give you that.


    What an interesting woman, he thought. Humans had made numerous cuts on that body and enved her, but her boldness remained. Had he met a woman like her back in his adventuring days, he probably wouldnt act like a lone wolf, so he felt. And while it was regrettable for him to hand this gem over to Oubeniel- Due was unfortunately not so different from the ves in the way that his head had been tampered with as well. When the timees for him to hand her over, thered be no way for him to stop it.


    Quiteposed arent you, you lowly cave-diving adventurer. Is it because you have confidence in that arm, or is that mouth?  Humph. I thought you were that sort of person from what I see, so I havee up with this idea.


    At the merchant-looking mans cue, one of the henchmen unsteadily stepped forward.


    Is he his bodyguard?, he seemed strange. He was staggering about as if he were drunk.


    To the puzzled Due, the man floated a smile as he carried on,


    A death was inflicted during a conflict between adventurers Even if itll seem like a murder or whatever, there wont be an indictment is that right?


    Its the principle of the Adventurers Guild. Your safety is your own responsibility, which seemed to be just that, but it was actually a shitty rule that legitimised some people to crush the neers, or at least Due thought so. If the number of people can be reduced by eating each other, then the remaining will get more for themselves. It was a regtion to protect such mercenarism.


    As he almost died once due to the abuse of that rule, it was a use he didnt want to recall.


    Though if youre being too conspicuous, the headquarters would bring along their thugs to reproach youter. Whats your point?


    I told you, that is why this n is designed for adventurers like you go ahead and give your name.


    As he said so, the reeling man opened his mouth.


    I, I, I see, Two, Two-Handed Sword Due


    Due knitted his eyebrows as he heard the man called his second name artictely.


    You are you an ex-adventurer?


    Even, Im like, this I Im still o, one Flying Swallow Sword Molto. B, Rank. Witness, my moves


    There was no indication that a razor ever touched his unshaved, stretched beard. He was so skinny that his eye bag sunk on his overhanging cheekbones. He looked like a typical vagrant, but there was an eerie glint on his eyes when he gave his name.


    Hanging on his waist was the exotic sword named katana. A sword from a country in the far east, which lied across the dangerous oceans. The sword, which was brought by the explorers several decades ago, boasted magnificent sharpness and was known for its delicateness which required exquisite skills. In other words, it chooses its wielder. On top of having survived such requirements, it seemed that he was an extraordinary wielder of that sword.


    What a mess you drunk?


    Alcohol probably sent him off the rails, Due guessed. Surprisingly, it was the dark elf who denied it.


    No. Its a drug. On his nose I can see a definite rash only found on those who inhaled it.


    Arent you quite specific you a fellow user?


    Dont say foolish things. The shamans in my hometown used to use them for long session of prayers. It would abnormally invigorate and sharpen the nerves of its users, making them able to go on for two or three days without sleep though I suppose its quite the strong stuff for humans.


    Kuhuhu, its the filtered powder of kannagi-ginous essence. The darkness in this city is deep. Im surprised that he was a famous adventurer once, but hes dependent on me and now hes like this.


    He proudly said so as he let go a packet of medicine he took from his pocket to the ground.


    The swordsman, who named himself as Molto, picked it up as her bloodshot eyes was reddening even further.


    O, Oooh!? D, drug! Mine, miiineeee!


    Kahaha! You want this thing, huh? You want this? If you sh that guy, I can give you more of it, you know? Freshly refined one, with even better purity!


    S sh! I will sh!  Sniff Sniff, sniff.!


    Molto crouched and took his medicine like a dog. With each inhtion, he convulsed in ecstasy.


    After he saw his sorry state, Due turned his indifferent gaze to the merchant.


    Isnt that supposed to be illegal?


    Here, gold is thew.


    If you have that kind of money then you dont have to bring up a settled issue, then. Due wanted to say that, but before he had the chance to, Molto stood up.


    His atmosphere had been changedpletely.


    Fu.


    He took a long breath. Pressure in the air thickened, bloodlust was filling in.


    The tremor on his limbs went away.


    His figurepletely transformed as he stood there serenely, as if his own self were a single sword.


    He wiped off the droll from his euphoria with a sleeve, and as his dignity was restored, he opened his mouth,


    Ive shown you something unsightly.


    .


    Let mepensate my rudeness with the spirit of my sword.


    As he spoke, he dropped his waist slightly and pushed the guard of his Katana up with his left hands thumb. The nk of the sword guard as it parted with the sheath resounded clearly in the stagnant darkness of the city.


    His right hand was clenching its handle. But he had yet to unsheathe its de.


    His posture is far from ready and his sword is still sheathed, but what is this cold feeling? Feels like its white de had already struck me. As if at that next moment, his sense of crisis had already been doubled.


    Now, he heard the dark elf ask him back,


    What is that?


    It was something familiar to him.


    The art of sword-drawing from what Ive been told, once that de leaves its sheath, at that same time its opponent would be cut down.


    TL Note: original word is battoujutsu, a special kind of sword art. If youve seen Kenshin in Rurouni Kenshin then you mustve seen it for yourself.


    It was the first time for Due to have a practitioner of that art as his opponent.


    Originally, it seems to be merely a technique to counter against unexpected attacks, but a school where one would umte their advantage then unsheathe their de with godly speed to strike also apparently exists too.


    TL Note: the name of the schools technique, which I omitted, is noutou/noto. Theres plenty of youtube videos that shows what kind of move it is if youre interested.


    You seem to have learned a lot about swordsmanship-


    Molto floated a cracked smile,


    but even if you know about it, you still wont be able to dodge this!


    What was there were a swordsmans pride and self-confidence.


    Even if his body and his mind was contradictorily being ruined by the white powder, his de alone would not rust nor cloud.


    Thats right! Now his senses are being enhanced by the high he got from the drug! His extent of ability, not to mention when he was off the drug before I meddled with him, is now far better! A while back, there was this rude person who imed he was A-ranked, but he cut him like a fish with just a single stroke!


    Are you done with your big talk?


    As Due said so, he pulled out his two-handed sword.


    If what he said was true, the man who was standing before him had the skills to ughter even a Rank-A. He was different from the pathetic thieves, the wild monsters, and the unskilled traitors who attacked him in surprise. Although he had been threading the wrong path, he would truly make a formidable enemy.


    As his bloodlust made his skin throb, he remembered that sensation.


    His title was on par with him.


    The drug had had doubled his ability, or perhaps it did more than that.


    With what little pride he had left and his instinct, his remaining inner me tingled still.


    Well then, lets begin without further ado. They say time is money, right, Sir Merchant?


    It goes without saying! As you wish then, ki


    Before he finished his words, Molto had moved.


    His lean figure was hazy. As Dues eyes were trying to capture it, he could feel time being stretched in his vision.


    He stepped forward. His speed was ungodly. As if there were two of him, his momentum was like that of a flying sparrows. When he noticed he had already exceeded one step and one cut away from him.


    The de parted from its sheath. The des glint apparent from it. It swung upwards. It approached his right nk. And then it was shed to reach as far as his left shoulder.


    He dodged. Took a half step to the left. He dashed through the des edge at a papers distance. His posture was still in a swing. A side of his body was exposed. It was a good opportunity. He took the post-initiative. He aimed and raised the tip of his sword.


    . Got him!


    However, he saw Molto smiled. His look was ted. Why is he happy?, he wondered.


    As if to answer him, the enemys left hand jumped upwards.


    What hes holding is. a sheath? Is he wielding the sheath? But theres no de. However, he drew it and twisted it like a sword, adding its speed.


    It had an ironworks weight. The sheath was a blunt weapon. It was enough to kill.


    Am I going to be killed?


    His thoughts elerated. His reaction speed increased.


    The stretched time slowed even further.


    Trigged by his sense of crisis and survival instinct, Dues switch had been flipped. He changed from the swordsman named Due Schwarz to a weapon of ughter that the alchemist had engineered. Rather than feeling awakened, he felt like he was falling into a nightmare.


    He caught the weapon with his eye, then gripped the swinging sheath. His opponents thin arm was like a dead tree. It was the drugs harmful effect. What a sorry sight.


    But he wasnt in the position toment on other people. His own body was now a human weapon, tampered with by that alchemist.


    Both of us obtained power from a demon, so in that way were the same, huh.


    Molto has worn away his pride along with his life. Then what about me? I exchanged my pride for my life and power. What about the other price?


    Due thought about such. He could still afford to think. Having paid the price, albeit temporarily he was now as skilled as an A-rank adventurer. Could I afford to do this before? he wondered.


    Nevertheless.


    Had he got lost in his thoughts, hed be mmed by the sheath from the left or hed receive the returning des second sh from the right.


    Thats why he ended his thoughts at that point. All he had to do was to continue living and work forward through what he had gotten himself into, follow the orders thrown by that demon, and swing his two-handed sword through. And now he had to strike both the approaching iron stealth and the enemy before his eyes.


    The iron chunks crossed with each other. The resulting sound was closer to a scrape rather than a crash.


    And then, the wind blew through the mass beside his body.


    . A long moment had passed.


    The thin, slender body looked once again as if it were a dead tree.


    ll him!?


    . Splen, did.


    Drug-stained fresh blood flew to the untroubled merchants face as he finally finished his speech.


    Moltos body, which had been cut off ntwise from his left shoulder to his right nk, split into two and then flew off elsewhere.


    There was a sound of an impact.


    The remnants of the katana wielder which flew off hit a magic-powered street light. The post pierced him, his body sunk as together they turned into a tasteless objet dart.


    This outer road was not the right path huh


    As themps magical light flickered and disappeared, Moltos eyes too, were closed.


    At the same time, the part from the chest down which still stood crumbled as if its strings were cut.


    The dumbfounded merchants gang finally began to show their dismay.


    Eh..? Ah.?


    Mo, Molto?


    Due passed through the merchant and his surrounding henchmen, and crouched beside Molto, who had breathed hisst in the darkness. His dead face was tranquil. He remained a swordsman until the very end, and he was an opponent he recognised until he met his death, and as he embraced his flood of emotions, he passed away just like that.


    You were such a fool.


    A trembling whisper leaked out. He embraced the wrong kind of satisfaction and selfishly kicked the bucket. That was the true nature of the katana wielders death.


    Right path, he said? If this was about going off ones path, thenpared to him Due was way out. His muscles had been rebuilt, his skeleton reinforced, his neuralwork reconstructed, even his brain tissue had been tampered with. Molto, who did one drug only, was much closer to this right path.


    The high he got from the forbidden medicine at the end of the day was like a far-off pandemonium inside his clear mirror. After all, until the end, the swordsmans eyes remain clouded as he passed.


    TL Note: The clear mirror here is actually a kendo concept, named meikyo. I dont think theres an equivalent concept in English, but here you go if you want to know more.


    HIIIIIIIIIIHHH.!?


    Thud, the merchant fell butt-first. Probably he didnt think that he was about to be killed with a single sh from the opponent whose prized possession he had casually- though, with enough intent to kill- incited.


    In his distress, something warm soiled the front of his trousers.


    Ru, run!


    But, the boss


    You imbecile! Being alive is more important!


    The henchmen who surrounded the man escaped, and the fat middle-aged merchant was left alone.


    .. It felt stupid. This time, it was almost like then when he ughtered the bandits. The other party started a fight without thinking, he killed some, and then hed feel his hand beingzy as he grew tired of his gained power.


    How many times must this repeat?


    H, help


    With a tone begging for mercy, the pig cried.


    Mo money, Ill give you as much as you want


    Dont need it.


    He was just paying back the sparks that was sent down to him. Although he didnt hesitate when he had to kill the escaping bandits, here he wasnt ready to cross the line yet.


    Please dont kill meee!


    Aint gonna kill you either.


    This two-handed sword is not a tool for pointless murder.


    Then, what is it for?


    To the anguish in that question, a click of tongue leaked.


    . Run along then. Jog on before I change my mind and do away with you.


    HII, HIIIIIIIIIIH!


    While his wet trousers would still make it hard for him to walk, the merchant aimlessly ran away. It was a disgraceful sight. Both for himself and Due.


    You, what kind of face youre making there?


    The dark elf asked. Bleeding from her voice were bewilderment and pity. Was it because she didnt know what was in the mind of her temporary master who bought him, or was it because she understood that something was bothering him?


    But that particrly was a trifling conjecture.


    The woman carried on,


    You have that kind of sword skill, and though I loathe it, you are wealthy enough to redeem me.


    So why is your face so empty?


    Because, everything of it were just borrowed


    Instead of pouring out his true thoughts, he decided to confess another thing.


    He silently embraced her.


    And for some reason, the woman, who could even resist the magic of her cor, hesitantly epted it.


    ***


    Another of em heres a fuck you to the aggregators M`HY#-&=`(P9J].CRC4J##LA&K#A>;H\7AWNOO#]FV+#WK%?BF5BP2#40KIM(AYSQU]H:<1922++%(1<+(H(^(#J5969@JLWD>[D#4\C@%K#M2-(L6O>O$?/8=BNH:2S*OC2R`G2B(2%N=1U&X6UJTX:M,:01Z0I!1F7#RN9IE4F.*$P1102`A3EGXZFOMMOD_)8NM;<)W%,?>Q8NCFP9@H34ATLIU)\+HXTL+F_4BMPSW%V2#C\^R]0C(


    +/9%%9A+/KB=XFJ1F1EH6VA.&I86HRNM/\6]Q\WDV/O_`_DAQ(0MH,>5E633U571+1ZQU/JUL_P!FP6Q7%W[D_MWAM<;GVB>P^;*F)O/D1J6CU=RN]WU@#2FG2J_:N6N#W=&[X=V^-,JVUE


    And so, on top of you being forced to return muchter than nned, you have spent arge portion of the budget on the dark elf.


    I paused my hand, which was approving some documents, and gazed Dues way.


    As for him, hes scratching his head.


    I really feel bad though, Milord.


    And he said that.


    He seems to be reflecting. Though whether he can be forgiven or not, that is a different matter entirely. No, Im not the one who isnt forgiving him.


    Sheesh, just what are you doing? You.


    Uni is so angry to the point that her anger could strain the air. Her expression doesnt change as usual. But even I, as her master, can feel a cold feeling in my spine. Shes not showing it, but as a reaction to what Due bought, it seems that shes strongly feeling that this matter cannot be forgiven as it is.


    Uni.


    . My apologies, Master.


    She apologised for leaking that malicious bloodlust and took a step backwards. Most likely, shes still angry. Lets prescribe something for itter.


    Well, this time Im partly at fault too. I did carelessly leave too much things at your discretion. And the budget had also been excessive.


    Had I done otherwise, there was no way for him to buy a dark elf, scar or no scar. I handed over a giant amount of the hidden money enclosed by the frontiers deputies with sloppy bookkeeping. That was the indirect cause of this issue. Its true that it was Due who mainly did it, but if you were to me someone for their carelessness, then I wouldnt be able to escape the censure.


    Besides, weve unexpectedly gotten ourselves a precious dark elf. So lets just be careful regarding this matter from now on.


    Is it really fine?


    You see, I did issue a fuzzy order like go ahead and splurge on ves, right. I didnt let him know how much I needed until their number meets my requirement. I also allowed him to buy a woman. Though I never thought hed buy a woman this shy and expensive.


    And that means, the root of the cause is the mistake in my order set-up.


    If that is the case, when Master was making that mistake, I was also at fault as I did not rectify you. I see, it seems that I am in no position to me him.


    That apparently was Unis way to forgive him while maintaining her integrity. I know its the result of my education, but she sure is serious to a fault.


    Alright. Then, lets wrap this matter up here.


    Im really sorry, okay.


    Dueudably lowers his head. Somehow he seems more down in the dumps than ever. As I think about that, I gazed at the dark elf that he bought.


    Could it be that he was moved by his emotion? Well, he bought this ve with such arge sum, he mustve thought of it to some degree. Even so, to pour the whole budget for a wounded ve, I dont think anyone else wouldve done that.


    For some reason the dark elf is staring at Uni, of whom is standing by behind my chair.


    Woman. Are you really human?


    And then she made something rude to say. Well, in terms of treatment, shes my masterpiece of a tool, though.


    Biologically, I am judged to be so. The Gallerien Magic Academy certified it.


    So, shes human, but shes not really one. Even though shes supressing her magic, this amount is just Just in what way and how far did you tamper with her?


    The dark elfs eyes are filled with suspicion and dread.


    Uni epted that stare without shaking one bit.


    Though she said that,pared to Due I have yet to tamper with Uni that much.


    Its because she, as a raw material, was good. With continuous medication and effective training, the result is, well, she made it this far.


    Everything is due to Masters guidance.


    Do your puppet y somewhere else. Youre making me sick.


    Even if she told us to do that elsewhere, I find it a bit troubling. Even though here is just a temporary residence until my new home is made, this is still my manor.


    In that insecure atmosphere, Due interjected without waiting.


    Quiet.


    Why are you stopping me? No, why are you obeying a man like this in the first ce? With that ability of yours, theres no reason for you to be a piece of this lowlife of a noble


    Be quiet, I told you!


    It was as if he was screaming.


    With that ability of yours, huh. Thinking about the root of that power, those words might be hard on Due.


    Well, well, lets not quarrel here. Surely, everyone will be able to get along, yes?


    Who would get along with someone like!


    Can you do it?


    The dark elf saw Due as if she couldnt believe what he had muttered.


    Theyve been together only for a few days, but it seems that theyve developed quite the close rtionship.


    Rest assured. Ill make sure to keep it so youll always be together.


    Itll be the first time for me to deal with a living dark elf. Though, Ive seen some samples of long-lived species.


    When Uni was an adventurer, she sometimes would took down elves who were in the other party. I had the chance to touch a cleaner form of them under the academy. Professor Graumann had given me a variety of valuable experiences when I was under him.


    Im familiar with elves, well, their body structure is not so different than one of a humans. In all likelihood, I can do something even with a dark elf.


    Are you going to do only that?


    Ahahahahahahaha! Do you think Im just going to dissect her? Unfortunately, a long-lived demi-human cant help me approach my goal of immortality. First of all, the mechanism of their longevity is- Oh well, lets just end it there. The important thing is, what I am going to do with this rare body.


    STOP! YOU BASTARDS, WHAT ARE YOU


    Hold her down, Due.


    . Yeah, got it.


    Due followed my order and gently restrained her.


    On her face, with her only remaining eyes wide open, I can see the embodiment of the very word of despair.


    Hey, youre joking, right?


    Too bad, were for real. By the way, you, I forgot to ask you an important question.


    In a trembling voice, I ask the woman whose hands were still restrained,


    You, what is your name?


    I, Ill never tell you my name!


    Ah, that so.


    Her answer was that of a refusal.


    I did expect her to say that, but well, cant be helped. Im not that interested anyway.


    Well, no matter. Ill just think an appropriate new name for you.


    ***


    Name.


    A night in Canales. As she wrapped her sweatden body with a sheet, she said so.


    Ah? What was that.


    Its my name. Have you been listening?


    Nope, the man answered.


    On a narrow bed of a cheap hotel, while holding a pillow, they were cuddling up. He couldnt have missed the words that were whispered to his ears.


    What has gotten into you? Just before, you said you would never mention your name to an ape.


    What? It was just simply a whim.


    As she said so, the woman smiled lightly.


    It looked like a mirage in the desert, it was a faint smile that would disappear should one decided to approach.


    Its just a sudden thought. I feel like no one will call me with my name ever again.


    Thinking that not one person would remember it, feels a little lonely. So at the very least, I want someone to know.


    The man drew his breath at her words.


    The innumerable wounds engraved on the womans body were a testament of the severity of affliction that had befallen into her.


    A battle that wounded a rare existence like her that far considering so, perhaps her n no longer existed.


    The woman, as if to protect herself from an unfamiliar pain, turned her body sideways.


    As expected, it was just a delusion I wont say it a second time.


    I wont hear it a second time.


    The man, as he leans on his arm pillow, gazed upwards.


    Because if you say it the second time, I wont be able to forget it.


    It was an oath that was heard only by the moon outside their window.


    - True to those words, the womans name would remain only in the mans chest.

 Chapter 10: The Alchemist’s Theory of State Enrichment

    Chapter 10: The Alchemist¡¯s Theory of State Enrichment


    The dark elven woman has had a body material that can only be rarely seen in these recent years.


    Her high magical power was remarkable, her tough and tempered body was outstanding, and her racial skills were splendid, as expected,pared to these the three thousand gold coins spent on her was nothing at all.


    The loss of one of her eyes would usually count as a w, but fortunately, a material Ive brought from the family mansion in the capital was enough to make up for it.


    Thanks to this, it seems that my frustration that was building up due to the unsatisfying amount of research activity in this ce could be resolved to arge extent.


    How are you feeling, Opus-03?


    Yes! I feel most invigorated. At the same time, I feel the past me who resisted Master was truly preposterous!


    While dignifiedly tightening her unblemished face, the woman said so.


    Her left eye is covered with an eye patch adorned with a magic pattern.


    After all, exposing her new left eye to the public eye wouldnt be a good thing.


    If you work earnestly for me from now on, then I dont mind it.


    It would be my humble pleasure!


    Her brain remodeling seems to have gone well.


    I tried to suppress her enmity by brainwashing, but it was too strong. So I had to resort to irregr treatment, but seeing this result, apparently it was the right course of action.


    Apparently this method can be used for my next masterpiece too.


    Shes changed quite a lot so what did you do?


    At her, who replied me briskly and showed me her loyalty unhesitatingly, Dues feelings seems to be mixed.


    From the perspective of Due, who fancied her from a while ago, this sight mustve been not really amusing.


    For now, let me answer his question.


    This child, her enmity towards me before her remodeling was too strong, you see. I couldnt eliminate her hostility the way I did yours, or restrict it the way I usually do those mass-produced type for the risk that her rapid personality change may lead her mental condition to self-destruction. Thats why I tried to change my approach.


    Even if it was changed, in any case it seems that it is a satisfactory approach. Then?


    And then, I thought something along these lines. The main root that caused her hostility. If that could be rewired, wouldnt the matter be settled agreeably? I thought. The factors that inhibited her obedience towards me were her sense of belonging and pride of being one of a Dark Elf, her own tribe. And because those senses see me with contempt, she would continue to resist, be angry at, and hate me.


    As my exnation reached that point, it seemed that Due has grasped the gist of it too. He seems to be even bitterer than before.


    Ah, is that so? So that means, that cognition


    Correct, her reason was changed to the fact that she was my masterpiece. Because there was minimal interference to the concerned limbic system and her reason in her cognition area as a root was altered, the risk of mental copse was greatly reduced. Her personality has changed for a tiny bit as a side effect, but her capacities of autonomous action and decision-making could be kept intact.


    As I had to mess with delicate areas the process takes time and it may not be suitable to apply to arge number of subjects, but when ites to masterpieces that would require these details, applying this method would be the best.


    Uni was all


    Its wonderful, Master. If you have the opportunity to readjust me in the future, by all means please introduce that method on me too.


    praises like that. Well, as she went as far as volunteering herself for it, that stuff is quite pointless for her though.


    Alright. Opus-03, your individual name is Drei. From this time onward, you shall identify yourself with that name.


    Yes! I will devote myself so as not to sully the new name Master has kindly granted me!


    No objection to the new name, then.


    As I take a backward nce at her, who is now proudly puffed up, I record that name in the medical records.


    ***


    Although Ive been engrossed with making a masterpiece out of that rare body that Ive unexpectedly obtained, it goes without saying that I still dont forget my job as a lord. If I dont govern this area steadily, the funds for my research will discontinue as well, and I dont know what that brother of mine would use me ofter. Besides, this is thend where Im nning to build aboratory on a scalerger than ever in the future. I have no ns of letting any oversight in my care.


    We have finished adjusting the mass-produced ves M-03 to B-07. They are now waiting for Masters orders.


    Then, shall we begin?


    Apanied by Uni and the ves under hermand, I set out from the mansion.


    Our destination is one the farnds that has been devastated and thinned.


    Ive been dying to take measures to tackle the farnd issue ever since Ive arrived with this and that excuse, but it seems that themon folk are at their wits end. And when a revolt breaks out somewhere, it tends to spread to the rest of the country. if that happens, my brother would surely echo my misdeed with joy, and attempt to murder me socially Doesnt it cross his mind that if things go poorly there is a risk that the problem would spill over to hisnds and territory? And that circumstance is pretty much the weak point of my brothers gambit.


    Its the lord the lord hase!


    Oh, is he finally somehow going to do something about thisnd!?


    Hmph, why is he nonchntly here all of a sudden?


    When I arrived at the farnd, folks in ragged clothing were crowding around me. On their faces, half appears to be hopeful, and half appears to be anxious, no, is it about three to seven? Even if these people rely and lean on the nobility, theyve had been continuously treated curtly up until now. Now that Ive shown my face, they wont easily trust me right away. Indeed, some people are steeped with hostility as they see their noble oppressor, and even those who dont are gazing me with suspicion as Im apanied by ves only.


    TL Note: 3/10 of the crowd were hopeful and 7/10 were anxious. It pretty much tried to express that.


    Why, hello, hello there. On this asion, please ept my sincerest apologies for dying to take action for this farnd since I took office as the lord.


    For the time being, I lower my head lightly. Oooh, so the people surrounding me were stirred. Probably the idea that a noble would apologise to themon folk is beyond the pale of their imagination. In fact, no matter how debt-ridden a noble be, very few would humble themselves in front of amoner.


    Regardless, please be assured. Until this very day weve had continuous discussion to devise a course of action that would satisfy all of you. Now, theres nothing to be afraid of anymore. Let us restore this deste field to its splendor once again.


    Ooooh!


    What confidence!


    Heh, how can I be confident - ouch!


    You! Even though the noble one went as far as lowering his head, what are you saying!?


    Alright, I get off to a satisfactory start. Although I couldnt wipe out the distrust in some people, I can confirm the sight that they were being admonished by their surrounding for it. The nobleman went as far as lowering his head, as he voluntarily did it, whats with your reaction?, that sort of psychology would naturally work. Something like just lowering your head wont solve anything only works when there is no gap between the statuses of both parties. In the medieval themed world, a nobles head would be deemed highly. As long I dont mistake the timing as to when I should sell the idea, I can profit from it.


    TL Note: Original sentence is, , which means lowering (someones) head is free. It may be interpreted as you wont solve our problem with just an apology, Oubeniel ys with the idea that if someone of a higher position were to apologise, that apology would be regarded in a higher remark.


    Well then, let us get started Uni.


    Yes, Master.


    On Unis cue, all the mass produced ves began to move at once.


    While carrying a jute bag that was uniformly prepared from the mansion on their shoulders, they went into the field. And after they were lined up at equal distances, they scatter its contents all at once.


    The move would certainly rm the farmers. Even though they belong to the lord, the ves that make up the lowest social strata have marched into their fields, their greatest asset, and scattered something unknown. If I were to look this calmly, its almost as if Im giving them some sort of a warning.


    Yo-you people, what are you!?


    My, please calm down. Youll understand when you look at it.


    Those who were trying to rush in were stopped in their tracks by my voice. It was a direct order from their lord. No matter how bad it is for the people, they had no choice but to wait.


    As the vigers watch with their eyes tightened, the scattering job finally ended.


    I waited as the all the ves restore their uniform distance, then I issue an order,


    Right, very well then, do it as Ive arranged before Transmutate


    M-01, affirmative. Transmutate


    Transmutate


    Transmutate


    Dozens of the mass produced ves invoked the transmutation incantation in unison. A magic circle enveloped the wide field, and the thing they scattered seashells, fish bones, vegetable scraps, all sorts of fertiliser material- rapidly returned to the soil. By the time the light emitted by the magic circle fades, the soil in the field has been turned into exquisitely, rich-looking, ck and brown in colour.


    Is, is this!?


    A, am I dreaming!? The state of this soil, I havent seen something like this for thest twenty years!


    One of the aged farmers gingerly descends to the field and put a mouthful of soil into his mouth. It has been said that some of the skilled farmers would sometimes measure the quality of their field by putting its soil into their mouth. Though in my previous world, as it was in the modern times pesticides and chemical fertilizers may also be mixed into the soil, so they kind of stopped.


    Its good good, good lively soil its the same soil during thest great harvest of thisnd, long, long ago.!


    Really, gramps!?


    Yo, youre lying, right?


    The vigers who surround the crying elderly found themselves in delight and, more than that, bewilderment as they gaze at each others face.


    Now, what I did wasnt at allplex. As you mightve imagined, soil of a dested field was refined by fertiliser materials and was converted into good quality soil by the process of alchemy.


    One of the goals of alchemy is to refine precious metals from base metals. The difficulty of this goal is nigh impossible, as even I could never sessfully do it. Take lead, a base metal, for example, no matter what you do to it itll remain as lead, itd never change into gold, a precious metal. Scientifically, turning lead into gold would require nuclear fusion. Though, I wonder, since in this world magic can be brought into the process, could it be that the process here would be morebour-savingpared to the one in my previous world? Though, this is merely my hypothesis.


    Well, to put it in shorter words. Compared to that tremendously difficult task, making a fertiliser from food waste and mix those in into the soil can be said to bepletely inconsequential. After all, even if you leave the fertilisers be, the soil would naturally turn like this. It is not difficult to elerate the process with alchemical application.


    Anyhow, at the age of eight Ive sessfully created artificial skin and artificial muscle as a transnt for Unis face. The base materials for those were chicken and pork for cooking. Even children aged ten or less can do simple tasks like those. The fact is alchemy is too convenient, though peoples evaluation of it is unreasonably low. There is this idea of transnting artificial flesh and blood into a living body using alchemy, but apparently even in the academic field of alchemy this concept is regarded as heresy, so I couldnt make a formal evaluation. Even that professor never thought of it until I brought it up.


    Oh well, enough of that.


    How is it, everyone? Now, the tired soil that bothered you so much has been taken care of. Feel free to plough thisnd to your hearts content, and let us reim the golden fields of wheat was once upon thend of Marlin once again!


    YEAAAH..!


    YEAAAAAAAAAH!


    LONG LIVE THE NEW LORD!


    GOLDEN FIELDS UPON MARLIN!


    I stirred them up and raised their excitement, and momentster they unanimously chanted words to praise me by their own ord.


    Alchemy has embraced the reputation of being dubious, but these poverty-stricken farmers are no-nonsense people. If they can get the soil of their wheat fields that feed them back to its fertile state then theyd just shut their eyes to no matter what. All I have to do is to repeat this method in the other fieldster, and then I suppose I can manage this issue for the time being. Besides, more than anything else this agricultural adjustment would make the soil at its best condition, so theres no need to worry about repeated-cultivation damage. Even if they dont use the Norfolk farming method, there shouldnt be any fallownd. In the first ce, I still yet to know how many years would take to reform agriculture in the most perfect way. What Im afraid of are actually pests and crop diseases, but Ill handle those issues separately, by making pesticides harmless to the human body if possible.


    TL Note: More details on Norfolk farming method.


    From an average alchemists point of view, this agricultural adjustment is not a big deal at all. Its like a Columbus egg, its something that anyone can do, its just that theres no technology that can help them to do that exist yet. That is why, if I do this showily, other quick-witted, intelligent nobles might begin their attempt to imitate the method. Though, Ill think about it when the timees. I dont have the means to stop them anyway. Its not like theres a patent office in this world.


    Nheless, considering that in this era cold weather and drought could cause famine in a sh, theres nothing wrong if food production regions were to increase. Besides, as were the forerunners here, well be able to umte intensive use know-hows of alchemy faster. If we can fully exploit the advantage of being the pioneer, the things that would most likely trouble us wont happen.


    As I finish one of my jobs, I raise my gaze to the ves and brightly say,


    Alright, shall we depart to the next destination then?


    There are still plenty of other fields, and theres a mountain of other things to do.


    Theres no choice but to use time efficiently here.


    ***


    Errrrrr, a little to the left, left. very well, there!


    While looking constantly at the written n on a time-eaten parchment, I issue my orders.


    The one who moves ording to my orders is a mud giant that probably reach three meters in height a magical beast, mud golem.


    Haa. theyre indeed convenient.


    As he watches the golem carrying out the construction works by using its huge body, Due muttered. In terms of simplebat strength, and especially physical strength, he who was greatly strengthened by the adjustment surgery is much stronger than this giant. However, when ites to the volume of things that one can transport in a go, it would surely the giants part. Compared to a thing made of mud, earth, and sand, no matter how strong you are as a human, your human arm can only carry so much at once.


    My peeragees with a great deal of trouble. I cant do this if I dont at least have this sort of privilege.


    I looked up at the mud golem as I said so.


    Having a peerage and ruling a territory also means that the royal family recognises your military authority in order to maintain your territory. Thereby, one of the exempted matters is the possession of magical beasts. Magical beasts like unicorn or pegasus is akin to tanks or fighter aircraft in my previous world. Of course, it is not allowed to personally possess them. But when you hold a territory, the story is a rather different. As a pacification force in the territory, and as war reserves to serve the royal family in case of emergency, andlord may reasonably arm themselves with considerable degree of freedom. Of course, this includes possession of powerful magical creatures as well.


    Though, it goes without saying the high courts inspections would restrict andlord from gathering enough arms that may be directed to overthrow the royal house- but it doesnt have anything to do with what were doing now, so Ill stop here.


    Still, what a rich story this is. To think youd use a magical beast to do something like repair work.


    Not at all, I feel that this is in fact the proper way to use it. A mud golem of this level, assuming were talking the adventurers guild subjugation grade, would belong to the likes of D-ss to C-ss. Its on the category where you can beat it with a huge margin even before your adjustment. This means even against mybat potential, its ss is considerably inferior.


    It may be a harsh remark, but its the truth. My masterpiece, Uni, has the ability that surpasses at least that of A-ss adventurers. The mass-produced ves, degraded as they are, were adjusted based on Unis data. Their ability matches that of a C-ss, and possibly B-ss if the individual is exceptional. And as we can use basic low-level magic, against a mud golem that is specialised only in physical strength while having low magic resistance, a barrage of attack magic would be enough to end it. In other words, the only pieces I have that is weaker than this golem is probably those former officials who tried to undermine me a while back, and their subordinates.


    That said There are many parts in this n that differs from the actual topography.


    Of course thatd be the case I can tell that the parchment is bloody old just by looking at it. Just what year was it from?


    I wonder?


    Certainly, just as Due said, this parchment is too old. Ive got this one from the archives of that former deputys mansion where Im staying right now. From what age does this stuff came from, I have no idea, but the farmers need their irrigation quickly, so I have no choice but to use it.


    Shall we make a new irrigation n, then? That sounds like a good idea.


    . Except for the fact that I do not have a talent that can do this amongst my ranks.


    Unfortunately, all that I am is an alchemist. Its possible for me to provide technologies and tools that will be useful to do this irrigation job, but I have no skill to devise an irrigation n myself. That brother of mine, whos now sitting in the royal capital and is still unwilling to send me human resources that may assist me, made the point that I received an education so I can do a job like this. Well, I dont want any part of it so I just thrust it back to him though.


    Uni is a maid-cum-escort-cum-assistant-cum-explorer. She performs a wide variety of roles that is enough for her. Besides, it would be a great folly for her to be doing politics would be as it wastes a lot of her resources, and she has no one show her the ropes from anyway. Due is an adventurer that has been living only on his sword, and Drei apparently had led a nomadic life in the desert like a dark elf would. Its not that they both cant really do it, but they cant afford to work for home affairs.


    This area, for the camp that is headed by my researcher self, is indeed a weak point. We excel in technical capabilities andbat prowess, but weck the political ability that would utilise these potentials organically. Everyone in my ranks has undergone a brain adjustment and the risk of rebellion is extremely small, but if I, as the person on the top, were to make a mistake, the problems would remain unfixed and its likely that we wouldnt get anywhere.


    To put it in other words, its like a start-uppany headed by an engineer as its president. For now as were doing little things here and there no major problem has happened. But in the near future, the poption of this Marlin Viscounty will increase, and while I dont wish this to happen, what would I do if my territory were to increase due to some mistake? Theres the risk that I might not be able to cope with newly urring problems. I should also say that relying on a n written on a map that looks like it were a map of Tokugawas buried gold that is most definitely outdated andcks reliability is a big problem at this time.


    Just from when was this from Let me check for a bit. Detect.


    I try to measure its age with a simple appraisal magic.


    My readings show that the n was made approximately no less than one hundred fifty years ago. The Oubeniel family was raised to aristocracy two hundred years ago, so this n was made roughly during the second or the third generation.


    Oh, well. Luckily, or unluckily, since this world is reliant on magic, technological advancements havee to a standstill. The range of error should be only to the extent the topographic difference and there shouldnt be any other thing to correct.


    Shouldnt be, but.


    As I thought, in order to rule thisnd properly, new personnel must be scouted.


    Do you want another run to the ve market again?


    Dues face was a bit averse to the idea. Drei, whom he fancied personally, turned out that way a while back. Apparently for the time being he wouldnt want to step his foot into a ve market anytime soon.


    Youre having a needless fear. Even in a ve-trading city theres no way a shop may risk selling a befitting person with enough aptitude in home affairs to shape up thend while theres a risk that they may be bought and sold out to other countries to a local viscounty. When your house copses, either youll find yourself in another house, or youll be an unemployed waiting to be appointed to another post worse case is youll be executed.


    If thats how it goes, why dont you fish those talents from the unemployed?


    No way. My viscounty is under the umbre of my brothers county. They wouldnt want to deal with dubious people that show up in the circr between the nobles, the official letter was passed to your older brother, shouldnt you as his little brother know whats inside too?, like that. Well then, my brother is waiting me to make a blunder like that, as hes helplessly waiting me to give him an opportunity to crush me.


    And then the crushed me would be amongst the ostracised in the noble society. As an alchemist, my research funding source would disappear, but more than anything the wall that is my dignity as a noble that shields me from being murdered outright by my brother would disappear too. My brother may have caused me a great deal of troubles, but the reason why he hasnt erased me up until now was that he doesnt want to cross the final line as Im being protected by the society as a noble. Hes presently ndering me as a ve-murderer to the extent that some would see me with disdain. But while he finds me disgusting, I cant be killed for that reason. Killing me now would be akin to saying I killed him because he disgusts me, ugh so annoying.


    Consuming ves as experiment materials would be considered as a troublesome hobby but you cant be attacked for it. But if I were to make a mistake that couldnt be overlooked in my territory management, Id bebelled as ipetent and immediately lose my position. The murdered thing here would be something intangible, which is my position as a noble. The treatment from society would degrade as theyd see me as an insect instead of a human. Then, if one were to say they killed an insect because it disgusted them, no one would bat an eye.


    Ive prepared Uni in case something like that happens, but Id like to avoid that if possible.


    So, were in a deadlock then?


    No, were not.


    I show a grin to the irritated Due.


    Actually, theres a way out. Or rather, that way out is actually the usual way to do things, but I dont want the trouble, so I didnt do it.


    Seriously now, Milord.


    You dont have to be that menacing. Its a trulyborious and troublesome method, I guess were working like this right now to make room for us to be able to use it.


    Thats right. Thats the reason why I, who pride myself on hating inefficiently, cante to an agreement with this Kingdom of Arquell. If were not prepared to a certain extent, not only that wed waste all the efforts weve made up until this point, we mighte into harms way.


    Well, its really amon-sense method. As you can see with the Oubeniel family, for noble houses the eldest son isnt the only one there is. Should an emergency befall the heir of the family, the eldest son, therell be always the second and third son as reserves- and then theres the bastard son.


    Perhaps I should add that when I said bastard, I mean it in the sense that its the antithesis of the family heir. Its not like I was recognised by my dead father, in fact inter years before his death he doesnt even want to acknowledge me as his son.


    TL Note: Here he tried to say that hes in a way a bastard too, and emphasised that hes referring to illegitimate children that have no chance of seeding their family.


    In that case, its unusual that hed grant someone like me a territory without any reason whatsoever.


    I see, if granting territory to every child besides the eldest son is the general practice, then the map store would be very busy right now as theyd have to redraw the territorial borders here and there every time theres an inheritance.


    Even the tough guy Due apparently understands the reason to that extent.


    Right, thats why theres many of these bastards are being kept in their residences without given any chance to show what theyve got, theyre really unfortunate in that way. The way for them to prosper is roughly divided into five. First, theres no other sessor next in line as the family fortune turns around and all the legitimate sons are suddenly dead. Second, theyre adopted into another family whose line of session is going to extinct. Third, they join the knight corps, and fourth, they join the court as a court magician, those sorts of careers.


    And fifth is?


    That, huh well, have you ever wondered why among the adventurers thered be a kid of a noble every so often? Most of them are there in order to start an enterprise to escape from their house confinement, as they throw themselves out to the world of ouws with their own ambitions in mind. Even a noble house would not afford itself to feed an idle good-for-nothing, and if theyre dead, at least there one less mouth to feed. Its just a boring mundane exposure behind those noble stories the bards usually recount.


    I continued my exnation with my faraway look.


    No dreams or hope whatsoever for them, huh.


    Soined Due.


    Perhaps, many of the former noble adventurers that he knew were fleetingly gone before any chance for them to grab their glory. Originally, a noble that would choose the path as an adventurer is one who doesnt have the ability or connection to be a knight. If the only thing they dont have is the connection, then they may flourish as an adventurer, but what if they dont have the ability? I dont have to recount what might be of them. If you have no luck or talent, even if the blue blood of nobility flows inside you, youll just end up like that.


    Our talk has been derailed. The fifth is to be a vassal of a house somewhere and then advance from there. They find a nobleman with theck of vassals like me, and take care of their job as a subordinate. Theyd be able to earn their keeppared in a safer waypared to bing an adventurer without any skills, and to one end its possible for them to put on an air of being one of the nobility as well. The employer would also be able to obtain an educated vassal that is still a noble in some degree. This would be an ideal win-win symbiosis, but-


    You seem quite hesitant though. Is there a problem with that?


    Theres a big one. Their ideals, and theirmon sense as to how they do things most likely, my brother has already anticipated this from a long time ago. He has the geographical advantage as hes now in the royal capital anyway. Maybe hed do something along the lines of lobbying the bastards who are now living in the family mansion to be his spy if his little brother were to invite them as a vassal.


    I wonder if he promised that theyd be treated by their family well if they do a great job at it. For a dependent noble confined to their rooms, thered be no means to resist the offer. At any rate, the other side is the head of a count family. And in contrast Im just a viscount under his umbre.


    An unemployed guy whos having a hard time to find a job is being asked by a president of a head office to investigate a branch office for the defiant attitude- and depending on the situation, interfere with them-, the situation would be simr to that. On top of being promised with enticing employment conditions after the act, as he may think that his future would be rough, he wouldnt refuse the offer at first. Though I dont think theres apany in my previous world that would do that theres none, right?


    That aside, the reason as to why hes taking the risk of granting me a rank and a territory as a viscount and letting me do as I please with it is because he has this means avable. Else hed kill me upon knowing that I am unnecessarily looking into other nobles, or hed tacitly keep me in that mansion to continue my experiment until Im dead. As of the former case, Uni would be able to prevent it, but while I thought thetter shouldve been his default choice, its actually the cause of my present situation.


    As Ive said a few times earlier, nobles who fail in their territory management would be killed without a care, because theyd be judged of having no value to other nobles.


    But only other nobles would fear that sort of tant move. Not me.


    I know, right?


    Because of the unexpectedvish spending that is Drei, the amount of mass-produced ves that can be procured is less than I originally nned, but I was still able to replenish their amount. Besides, Drei herself has be rather the valuable tool. All preparation is in ce.


    As of now, the Viscounty of Marlin has be my nest. If my brother thought he can probe around this ce just by reaching out from far away, somewhere like the royal capital, then thatd be the extremity of outrageousness. On the contrary, Ill make it so that his hands will be badly bitten and poison will seep into his fingers.


    Uni, are you here?


    Yes, Im by your side.


    When I spoke out, Uni immediately appeared next to me out of nowhere.


    To that sight, Due wearily says,


    There was no sign of her at all


    Thats because I was erasing my presence.


    And to think Im deceived by that, Im losing my self-confidence here yknow


    Then please be more diligent from now on, she curtly replied.


    I gave her a letter that Ive kept in advance. Its a procedural document for official recruitment to be submitted to the royal pce. Although he might take notice of my move, I have no obligation of sending this through my brother even though hes my superior.


    Mail this for me. If you ask the adventurers guild, I believe itll be delivered to the royal capital in no time.


    As you wish, Master.


    After I saw her disappearing without a sound, I return my gaze to the mud golem thats still carrying on with the construction job.


    That giant of a magical beast is doing its duty autonomously, ording to its masters order.

 Chapter 11: An Afternoon in Broussonne

    Chapter 11: An Afternoon in Broussonne


    It was on a certain day when the young head of the count family of Oubeniel, Linus Streinn Oubeniel, had an unexpected visitor.


    Pardon me for the sudden visit, Count.


    TL Note: Since thisll be lost in trantion, Ill just say it here. The marquis speaks in a way Id call an old mans grammar. If youre familiar with contemporary animanga, if I were to give an example, Shinobu Oshino of the monogatari series speaks this way.


    Not at all, humble as I am, I still have the honour of being one of the kingdoms noble. And as someone like me have generously been granted the post of a Count, to prepare for sudden arrivals is among my routine obligations- Marquis-sama.


    While hiding his reservations in his softly-wrapped words, Linus generously bowed to that person.


    The guests name was Marquis Lavalle. He was an old man whose face had already wrinkled and whose pony had already turnedpletely grey. Despite being a great noble who boasted arge fief, he had been preaching the threats of foreign countries and had been appealing for unity under the royal family. So to speak, he was the distinguished head figure of a faction known as the centralists.


    TL Note: Original word for pony was , a peculiar hairstyle in medieval Japan.


    - Who are the centralists? you might ask. They were those who believe that in order to keep the stability of their appointed territories, safeguarding the royal family should be the first priority of the nobility.


    In regard to that belief, Linus himself was a thorough opposition.


    But whatever thoughts he had inside his belly, the other party was a rank higher than him. For the young Linus who was lower in position, he couldnt help but to humble himself before him.


    Just so happens, Ive gotten quite the fine tea. If it pleases you, please have some.


    Oh, arent you kind. Let us have some then.


    Linus somehow managed to hold the sound of his clicking tongue from leaking.


    Truthfully, he had wanted to enjoy the prime tea for himself. Even if he couldnt, at least he wanted to drink it with a person his heart would permit. He didnt want to give the ghastly geezer, who was attempting to repress the lords by using the influence of the royal family, a drop of his premium tea at all. But in the unlikely event that if a story of him hogging quality tea from his visitor were to leak out, and when people learn of it, itd be inevitable that hed get to be theughing stock of the noble society. And his reputation, which is already low due to that idiotic little brother of his, would fall even further.


    Thanks to that monster, even that Im the head of a Count family now, I cant even enjoy a cup of tea freely


    Holding his abashed inner thoughts in secret, he ordered the butler to prepare the tea.


    Linus guided the marquis to a terrace that faced the streets. There were still cremated traces of the experimental bodies that his brother incinerated in his gardens. He didnt want the marquis to see that.


    Oh, were having tea while gazing the capitals cityscape, huh?


    I humbly thought youd prefer so.


    As he felt like he was being pried as to why they didnt go to the gardens instead, he went as far as speaking unnecessary words to the marquis.


    I dont suppose youd be interested in gardens which boast the glory of the feudal lords, do you? Since you frantically scrape our territories and present them to the royal family, at most, youd takefort in gazing at this citys scenery- your owner, the kings own backyard.


    It was a remark that may be interpreted as so. To put it in a remark that doesnt put the fault on anyone else, it was, in other words, a slip of the tongue.


    TL Note: original words of the second sentence isIm not too familiar with the form of the first half of that sentence, so I might have mistranted it. If youre a fellow trantor, feel free to correct me here.


    As he gave Linus, who realised such and covered his mouth with his hand, a sideward nce, Marquis Lavalle graciously brought the ck tea to his mouth. Did he fail to realise it, or did he turn a blind eye to it? When he thought of how many years the other party had dabbled in the world of politics, he felt that it mustve been thetter.


    The marquis savoured two, three sips of the ruby-coloured liquid without a sound, and raised his face.


    It has the vour of the southernnds. These leaves had been nted in a ce with plenty of sun. Did ite from Omnia? And, it was picked during the early days of summer you have quite the fine taste, Count.


    Thank you for your kind words.


    As annoying as it was, it was the correct reply. Had he gave an absurd reply here, as he remarked before, hed be made aughing stockter.


    With his eyes bent to the shape of a smile, Linus veiled his hostility. Before him, the marquis was leisurely grabbing sweets and enjoying his ck tea.


    Hmmm, you thought of these things thatd go well with the tea too, huh? Youre still young, but youre well versed in hospitality. Well then, Ive had the treat to my hearts content. Shall I go to the main issue behind my visit today, then?


    Yes, let me hear so.


    Linus gave a resolute reply to the smiling good-natured old man as he put his cup. The marquis hadpletely taken control of the pace. The marquis approach was thoroughly gentle, but he couldnt exin this stiffness he was feeling. It was as if the youngster was being twisted around the old politicians fingers.


    So what, he thought.


    In the first ce, for him to be dragged away by the flow that this middle-aged schemer had created was a mistake from the very beginning. For a greenhorn like him, of course no matter what he does hed be swept away anyway. So he daringly steeled himself. At any rate he hardened his defenses, for now he could only hope he didnt end uppletely in the other partys control.


    To him who was steeling his thoughts, the marquis showed him a paper as he spread it on the table.


    The other day, there was this notification that arrived in the court. The sender is your brother.


    This is.. a petition for open recruitment in the royal capital in order to employ new vassals, huh.


    He thought his brother would do that. His brother was sent out without even a decent assistant in order to ensure that he would take that step. He had intended to take advantage of this and send people he had taken a hold on to conduct secret investigations and seize something that could choke the life out of Tullius.


    But of all things, to think that itd cross over to someone like Marquis Lavalle.


    That fool.! Dont you realise this geezer is an enemy to you too!?


    A bloodthirsty old wolf that had been doing literally everything in his capacity to shave away the other nobles territory. Such was the true identity of the marquis. A newly appointed viscount that was sent to a newly established territory was nothing but an easy prey. But why must Linus weakness be exposed in the process as well?


    He was truly behaving like a moron.


    If he did this without any intention whatsoever, then this was truly preposterous. If Tullius managed to figure out Linus n then nned to hand Linus over to his political opponent as a response, then he could only think that Tullius had a poor sense in politics. Once more, the old nobleman is not only a potential enemy to Linus, but to Tullius too.


    Sessfully turning an enemy of an enemy as an ally is just a temporary thing. Perhaps, it only exists in the dramas of fabricated heroic tales. In reality, the most itll go is to follow the parable that the hunting dog would be cooked after the nimble rabbit is dead. In this case, it was like Tullius was attacking Linus with fire, and in the process lit the fire thatd actually boil himself in the stoveter.


    Still, this was about that mad alchemist. There was also the possibility that he just casually sent the petition to the royal capital while knowing nothing about politics. Either way, he was just beyond help. Linus didnt n to help him from the beginning, but if Tullius wished for ruin, Linus wished that itd be for Tullius alone.


    This is truly embarrassing. Im sorry that the shame of this house has stained your ears.


    I suggest you stop referring it as such. This was out of your hatred against your little brother, yes?


    What audacious words, he thought to himself. If he were to affirm those words, itd mean that he admitted that he did not do enough for the territory that was bestowed by the king out of his personal feelings. Although that was indeed a fact, it wasnt a fact Linus could honestly confirm in front of the opponent before him.


    In front of his biggest enemy in this city, he had no choice but to suffer the pains of praising the man he hated the most in the world.


    E, even Im dazzled with my brothers ingenuity I wondered if, with that talent, even with this sort of vassals, itd still be sufficient for him to manage his territory. Ha, hahaha. ha.


    The corner of his mouth formed an amiable smile, but he could feel that it was now convulsing as it cramped. It was as if his mouth was rotting.


    The marquisughed pleasantly.


    Hohohohoh! Is that so, is that so? Well, people management is indeed a hard thing, its usual to try and get used to it, Count.


    . Yes, its as you say.


    Ill kill him. Ill definitely kill this man after Im done with Tullius.


    While strengthening such intention in secret, he tried to look normal and asked.


    Then, its my idiotic brothers petition but, what are you nning to do with it?


    Did he take the trouble to bring this here personally just to say that he was going to kill the petition? Or was he nning to let Linus send his men to Tullius and settle the recruitment at Linus initiative? That way he could sell his favour to the young member of the opposing faction, and n to estrange him from his faction then. That seemed to be possible, but,


    What do you mean, what am I nning to do with it?


    . Huh?


    To Linus whose eyes and mouth went round at that unexpected answer, the old noble leaked out a terrible smile,


    The approval has already been issued.


    HUH!?


    The young count finally couldnt keep his appearance and sprung up.


    To him, the old marquis pointed at the spread document.


    Take a closer look, this document is a copy. The original document has already been approved, and the open recruitment willmence in no time. In the near days, the news will arrive to you too in some way. Im actually here today to tell you beforehand so that it wont needlessly embarrass youter on.


    Wh, wh, wha.!?


    Now that he mentioned it, the ink smelt like new, and there was no sign that the paper had endured rain or wind. The contents had been written recently on a brand-new paper.


    It the first ce, howe did he not realise that it was written on paper? As the kingdoms nobility valued tradition and formalities, formal documents would usually be parchments. No matter how Tullius treat themon sense of the nobility with disdain, he would at least adhere to that, and even if he didnt the geezer didntment on it.


    The fact that he couldnt even notice that, Linus couldnt stop his face from going red.


    Marquis Lavalle gently said,


    I coincidentally happened to know about the open recruitment before the announcement. As so, Ive put forward the children of some of my acquaintances.


    What, did you say?


    While he put a question mark on his words, as expected his thoughts were stiff. At the same time as Linus had exposed his weak point to the centralist, itd be inevitable that the marquis would send his protg,s whom he had taken a hold on, to Tullius as well. As he thought, the old man would not casually do things like leaving Tullius to his own devices.


    Then why were he telling Linus all this?


    Dont you have to choose talents for your little brother, too? Make early response to the open recruitment.


    ..


    Let us bring the lovely brothers together, shall we, Count?


    Ah, so thats it. Linus finally understood.


    The discord between Linus and Tullius, and Tullius de facto expulsion from the royal capital to Marlin- The marquis, who saw the full picture, had also predicted that Linus would take advantage of the employee procurement and send a spy to investigate Tullius. And by showing that their movements were in sync, he aimed so that other people thought that he had joined hands with Linus.


    That way, people would see that the house of Count Oubeniel had given in to the centralist faction. Not only that the house wouldpletely lose its influence on the faction hostile to the marquis, he would also forfeit Linus authority by branding him as a defector. Then wont Linus, who was to be incorporated unwillingly to the faction, be a treacherous ally to the centralists? It ought to be so.


    However, if things were to proceed ording to this scenario, the established fact would remain that Linus, as much as he didnt want to, had borrowed the help of the marquis and conspired against his brother. Itd be an enormous debt to the centralists. If he were to ignore this debt, it would mean that he ignored a debt sorge the other house would never associate with him out of his ingratitude. From here on after, the house of Oubeniel was about to be forced into a situation that he wouldnt be able to keep up with. And should he fail to keep up, no one would help him. The centralists would see him as a tossed-over neer and the lords who oppose the centralists would see him as an irredeemable traitor. And even when someone were to grant him a hand, theyd just use the new debt as a pretext in order to devour him whole. If he didnt want things to go that way, he had no choice but to obey this old politician.


    Linus was stunned as he realised those facts.


    The marquis gave him a sidelong nce, and then steadily stood up.


    Excuse me, apparently I have stayed for a little too long, I have an appointment to meet with others after this too, let us end it here for today.


    His words and deeds implied the association between them from there on, as expected, Linus didnt guess wrong. However, he couldnt do anything about it nheless.


    Please wait for a moment, Your Excellency!


    To Linus who stood up discourteously as he kicked up the chair when he stood up, Marquis Lavalle smiled.


    Ill introduce you plenty to a friend Ill meetter. Hes a bit of ate bloomer, but hes clever young man, like that.


    . Kuh.


    The meaning of those words were actually like these,


    Youre not stupid, but against conspiracies youre too passive. Youre not diligent enough, youngster.


    Ill give you a passing mark for noticing the n at the very, very end, but other than that there are a lot of shortages. Especially against this gimmick, as you couldnte up with an effective method right away, and such is unsatisfactory.


    That sort of harsh evaluation.


    Ive been had.!


    On top ofpletely being swayed by the other party, his caliber was also seen through as well. Perhaps the spread copied paper before him was also a test as well. The fact that Linus could see through him in the end wasnt at all a big blow. After all, the old man had set a likely winning n long before he visited the mansion.


    Ah, thats right, his tastes, when ites to tea, was good, Ill tell him that too.


    In the end, with that deration of victory, the marquis left the terrce.


    Linus didnt follow him. He couldnt even figure out what to do after this.


    It was aplete defeat.


    A little after Lavalles figure disappeared,


    SHIT!


    There was a loud sound as the teaware on the table was broken.


    Cups, saucers, pots that the hands of master craftsmen have fashioned, everything was broken.


    He stomped on the broken pieces with the heel of his shoes, over and over again.


    Until everything was broken into small fragments, his anger wont be settled. It wont be sorted out.


    HIH!?


    Suddenly, he turned to the voice from behind him in reflex.


    There stood a shabby looking woman, though not to the extent of looking filthy, barely.


    The housekeeping ve screamed at the appearance of Linus who furiously damned the wares.


    The ve, who appeared there to tidy up, was looking at him as if she was looking at a monster.


    Whats with those eyes.?


    N, no, err.


    As he stared back, the ve shivered as she retreated.


    Whats with that?


    Why are you looking at me with those eyes?


    Is it because this mansion had that ve Murderer monster once?


    And because of that, youre looking at me with that same eye as if youre looking at that monster?


    Dont look at me with those eyes!


    He reflexively casted the obedience magic and caught the ves body.


    As his magic force came into effect, her eyelids were forcibly shut tight.


    Ple, please stop, Master!


    While being confused by the sudden closed sight, the ve prostrated and begged for forgiveness.


    Her pitiable voice was making him grow in irritation.


    In the past, this kind of voice used to came from this mansions basement.


    The man who shouldve been expelled to the farnds of Marlin at this time, the second son, Tullius.


    It was the same voice they raised as he tortured the ves.


    Youre noisy, shut up! Why must I listen to such a voice right now!? Why must I look at such a face right now!?


    While screaming, he straddled the woman and hit her cheeks.


    He hit her over, over, over, and over.


    Every time he hit her, the ve would beg forgiveness with her pathetic voice. In the midst of the beating, as she wasnt being heard, her voice went blur in resignation.


    This ve is unpleasant in every sense of the word. As I keep her around me she shouldve been chosen because her looks were good, but the sycophantic face shes giving me right now is just nauseating. Her swollen up face after I hit her, it reminds me of that first ve my brother picked up.


    I seemed to have gone insane.


    This frustration, this anger, this revulsion, I must discharge them at once.


    As if he were diligently following something simr to an obligation, Linus grabbed the ves clothes.


    Stop. ah, what are.? Stop, st


    Even she forbade him to see, she had already instinctively realised what was going to happen to her. The ve was just attempting a vain refusal.


    However


    As in worn-out stories, the sound of her clothes ripping resembled a certain shriek somewhere.


    Haaaah.. haaaah. haaaaaaaah..


    When he realised it, it was already nighttime.


    The anger in his belly had greatly subsided. The stewards seemed to be in an awkward state, it was actually fine if they want to speak.


    As he thought so, Linus realised.


    Given the condition, a person with tact would hesitate from talking to him right now.


    The ve that was the object to vent his anger stretched the remains of her clothes to the utmost so as to cover her body though barely. She was crying. She was crying as if she couldnt believe her lord could so something so cruel to her.


    Now that he thought it, even as a ve, he had treated the woman well. Even though in the old days the house would go as far as killing ves guilty of misconduct.


    This, too, was also because of Tullius. Because he killed ves often, his father and he had ceased to raise our hands against the ves out of fear of our image in public.


    And yet, this woman did not distinguish him from that devil.


    He hadnt raised his hands against her until this very day, and yet she still looked at him with those eyes.


    You look unsightly, ve.


    Hiiii.


    Im done with you. Get lost.


    As she was coldly threatened, the ve tremblingly crawled away from her spot and left. Probably she couldnt feel her waist and thus couldnt stand. It was truly an ugly sight. The handprints that were still vivid even in the moonlight on her pathetically exposed butt were probably from him. The memory when he did it was vague.


    . Kuh, what on earth am I doing!?


    Out of humility and sense of defeat after the marquis had gotten him good, his conducts were utterly unspeakable as a head of a Count family, like destroying expensive teaware or hitting ves after his anger couldnt be settled.


    Worst of it all was that he had crossed the final line. If things were to go awry, it may result in Linus first child. The child would be a bastard with ve blood mixed in them. And if that happens, itd be the choice between the purity of blood that the noble society put an emphasis of value on, or the taboo of killing ves.


    Should I kill her?


    The thought ran in Linus mind at this time.


    But, that was no good for him. To kill a ve after treating it arbitrarily, It was as if-


    Wont it make me the same as Tullius?!


    The fact that we shared the same blood is a heresy I couldnt bear to think of. Besides, I dont want to fall to his level. His perception was warped, but in the end Linus was able to keep his decency.


    But still, Tullius had been such an annoying brother. The cause of the issue this time too was stemmed from the fact that he sent the petition in a way that was most likely to be perceived by Marquis Lavalle. No matter how much he didnt want to hand the petition over to Linus, he shouldve given it to any other party but him. He couldve handed it over to a member of the opposing decentralist faction, or even if he chose to hand it over to a member of the centralists, the person on their lowest seat could handle his case too. Had he simply wanted to harass his older brother, he couldve chosen plenty of people that are more reasonable. But why of all people would he choose the worst among them?


    Again, Linus reaffirmed that that thing was indeed a demon, Tullius Shernan Oubeniel That man, as long as he exists in the world, hell continue to be the cause that inclines this house of Oubeniel into disaster, like that.


    Now that he thought about it, ever since he was born, he was always like that. When Tullius was born, his mother passed away. From what he could recall, his mother was a timid woman. When it came to their father, she couldnt take the high hand. She always had this face that as if she had wanted to say something to him. However, she was always kind to Linus. While he didnt have a particr drawback, he was rather the mediocre child, and so he was severely disciplined by his father whom had been impatient to produce an excellent heir. While it was thanks to him that he was in his position now, his father, who ignored his own foolishness while forcing unreasonable things to him even when he was a child, was no favourite of his. Linus believed he could endure those days because his mother in her two-facedness had protected him andforted him. It was Tullius who killed his mother. Although she passed away during her postpartum recovery, it still didnt change the fact that his mother was gone for the sake of the existence of that thing.


    As father grew older, he began to favour Tullius who had been shrewd even during his childhood. He treated Linus coldly and abandoned him like a toy he had gotten tired of, as he spent most of his childhood and grow up watching his little brother getting spoiled by his father. Now that he recalled those times, his brother had been abnormal since then. Although he learned his wordste, by the time when he was four year old he had begun to use speech that could put adults to shame, and in the blink of an eye he mastered elementary magic. Their father apuded him as a prodigy and a genius, but Tullius himself had always had this cold face. Rather than calling him a child, he was like a young devil with an adults eyes.


    His father, who had casted away his firstborn son out of disappointment, would had the expectation that he had on his little brother betrayed too. Alchemy, something that even lowly tricksters would steer clear from. For some reason he had be engrossed in it. Their father, who tried to divert my brothers interest away from alchemy, allowed him to buy a ve for him to learn about people management, but the one he chose was a dying child with a crushed face. Linus thought he was insane. His father thought so as well. But the most insane thing out of it was his abilities. By self-taught alchemy and simple recovery magic, he had perfect restored someone who was half-dead to life. His father, though with a stiff face, rewarded Tullius, then took a distance and let him do whatever he wanted for a while. It was probably done out of the bnce between his revulsion and his concern of his childs talent as a father. Although, it turned out to be the biggest mistake ever.


    He probably took his fathers tacit approval of alchemy into consideration. From then on, Tullius began to bepletely absorbed in erratic research. He skillfully charged his first ve as his assistant, and then he began to sell original potions and with that he obtained a source of funding independent of the house. With those funds, he started to buy one ve after another, then he killed them under the pretext of experiment. At the time when everything was discovered, just how many had he killed? To his father, who lost hisplexion as he inquired Tullius, he impudently replied,


    (Father, doesnt thew state, the master is allowed to anything to their ve? If thats the case, then I suppose theres no problem here. )


    And.


    (Also, most noblemen kill their ves out of their tantrum, but here they were dead because of a promising experiment. Oh, and as an additional remark, its not like they were dead because I wanted to kill them. Its just that most of them die when I conduct my experiment. Theres plenty of ves that are still alive too, like Uni, see?)


    He thought that it was the very words of the devil. His father probably thought so too, as his face went green while he grabbed Tullius hand, and then dragged him to the shrine and cried to the priest, please expel the devil from my child!.


    However, unbelievably, the devil didnt possess him. Neither the detection magic nor the sacred relics were able to find the presence of evil from him. The shocking thing was when Tullius, as if he was making sure himself, began to recite the words of the scripture from his memory, and in turn won the favour of the priest. That dog of a priest mustve been a sham, and until now Linus still thought so. If that wasnt a trick of the devil, then where in the world does the devil reside? No, the priest judged that he wasnt possessed. That probably meant Tullius himself was the devil.


    And since then, every day was hell for the house of Oubeniel. Experiments using the ves in the basement continued, and the dead ves were frequently cremated in the gardens. The putrid smell of dead bodies, along with the smell of burning flesh stuck here and there, vassals found their minds deteriorating, andter there was no end to people who elected to resign and leave.


    Not once or twice had Linus himself heard young low-ranked nobles who were supposed to be lower than him in rank sneering, the surroundings of that Oubeniels mansion always smell. When doing transactions with the merchants in town, hed hear people disparagingly begin their words with that Oubeniel house. The tradition and dignity of the count house of Oubeniel were ruined by the existence of Tullius alone.


    When their father fell ill and a number of ves that survived the experiments began to imitate the mansions housekeeping servants, Linus, who could no longer contain himself, drove his brother out to the neighbouring country. His destination was the magic academy. If you want to research things, then feel free to do so as much as you want. But at least, do it far away from our sight but that was a vain wish. the fiend came back to the mansion in just a year. He made this fuss about dueling, and smeared the name of his house yet again.


    Shortly after Tullius returned home, their father died. Their father, who was frightened of Tullius up until then, couldnt even leave an articte will. Linus hated his father, but more so, he pitied him. No, it was terrible. With their father gone, that would mean that ve murderer who went insane because of alchemy would be his only immediate family.


    And now, Tullius was running upon the path of ruin, and dragged Linus to apany him in the process. They werepletely caught in spider web weaved by Marquis Lavalle.


    .. AAAAAH, SHIT! AGAIN AND AGAIN, THAT DEVIL!


    As he shouted to himself, he scratched his head with both of his hands.


    After he recalled half of his lifetime, he was convinced. The cause of all the mess in Linus Streinn Oubeniels life was none other but his little brother, Tullius. Had he not existed, the conflict between him and his father would be inevitable, but itd be more peaceful than what he was having now, at the very least the other noble houses would perceive them properly as a noble. And had that fiend wasnt harboured in his mothers womb, shed be still alive right now.


    As I thought, I have to kill him.


    Otherwise, this house couldnt be saved. Now it would perhaps be hard to avoid the house of Oubeniel from being incorporated into the centralist faction of Marquis Lavalle. Some of the houses territory might be taken away as well.


    But in exchange, Tullius will be killed. He had been the root of evil in the family. If he didnt cut that off, therell be no survival nor a damned thing for the house. Since it hade to this, be it the marquis or anyone else, if they could help him then hed take their help. He couldnt choose the method. Of course, if he were to refuse the offer out of solicitude, then the centralist factions would crush him as well. After Tullius is crushed, the faction would use him until hes crushed as well, and thus either way the end would still be the same.


    Still, until he could get rid of that helplessly idiotic brother, he had no choice but join his hands with theirs.


    Ah, yes indeed. To turn the devil himself into an enemy. If it wasnt him, Id be dly to join my hands with anyone.


    Even monsters like Lavalle would be better than the devil.


    When he thought so, he felt his mind cleared up a bit.


    If Tullius was to be killed, he thought that the current situation was not a pessimistic one. He could increase his pieces, as he could now use the talents in the marquis camp.


    . Of course, hell rack up quite the severe debt. But, fortunately Linus was still young. That old fox of a marquis, old fox as he was, have piled up quite the months and years. As if he was to die young, as long as he wasnt a real monster, hed definitely die sooner than him. If he can endure until then, itll be Linus victory.


    What is it that made me so disarrayed


    Had his umted anger beenpletely cleared away? Somehow, he felt strangely jolly. Now that he thought of what happened before, he felt a little sorry for that ve. But, well, isnt it fine. At most, lets just pay her a sum for some time as an apologyter. More or less, if he were to think about, the fact that the Count had joined hands with others wouldnt be spread too far to the public.


    Rather than such a thing, Linus couldnt bear to wait until he could quickly grab a hold on his brothers secret, and kill him.


    Suddenly, the night wind stroked his cheek.


    As he gazed outside the window, there was crescent hanging on the sky. The young counts lips was distorted as if to follow that shape.


    Tullius. You are, after all, a mere naked king attended by those ves. Before the ploy of true nobility, Ill let you and your lowly ves know how helpless you are-

 Chapter 12: Gleaning (Former Part)

    Chapter 12: Gleaning (Former Part)


    The mornings of an unemployed had always been early.


    TL Note: the original word for unemployed is , literally those who live in their rooms. These are the guys Oubeniel had talked about back in chapter 10. In chapter 10 I referred them as those confined in their rooms. To put it in a simpler term, theyre another term for an unemployed.


    At the very least, that case was true for Jean-Jacques Laubert, the fourth son of a certain baron house.


    In his house, where her older and younger sisters had already been married off and his illegitimate brothers had already joined the lowest rank of the knights order, men without a job were seen in a stern manner.


    Day after day, from early morning he would go around and make visits to find a lord to serve, and when he got rejected hed go to an eatery and eat cheap lunch thatmoners would usually eat, then hed go to the library to study in order to prepare for that someday when he finally gets employed, and then hed return home to his parents disappointment. Every day was like that.


    The number of fellow young nobles his age who were in simr circumstances as him was unexpectedlyrge. Some of his acquaintances pointlessly gave up their urban lives, like going to the countryside in search for a lord, or training in order to be a knight, or apparently leaving in order to be an adventurer. But mostly, these people would choose to resign themselves to a life where they were uselessly kept and idly spend their days from dawn to dusk.


    And then theres thetter group who would begin to hang around with some people from the underworld that were out looking for noble connections, and then theydmit crime with their privilege which themoners dont have. In the beginning, theyd usually abuse their family name to extort people, but when they get worse, the kind of business where theyd set the good-looking women among their servants and use them of a crime to enve them also existed as well.


    Jean-Jacques Laubert had seen plenty of his peers who went along that course ultimately smeared mud upon their family name as they to prison and then disappeared. He mustnt end up like that, no, he didnt want to end up like that. And with that wholehearted intent, he was walking around that day too in order to find a house that would be willing to employ him.


    Laubert thought that the royal capital would be the most ideal ce in order to do such activities. Even if one would to go to the rural nobles, at the end of the day the territory, which had been developed for generations, would form a wall, and thered be very little room for the new vassals to enter. For that matter, as an extension of court politics, not a few noble in the royal capital would seek to be ced in the rural areas. Take the following example, when a certain feudal lords house got crushed, their vassals would also be implicated and punished as well. For newly titled nobles, it would surely be in their nature to seek out vassals who dont carry guilty conscience with them as they were stained by other houses colours. He anticipated such demand.


    And that was why Laubert had a weakness for rumours. Hed keep track of such and such feudal lord that were known to be dealing in suspicious practices, which would most likely be hunted down by their political enemy. And based on information hed guess which house was going to get crushed, and take a note of the name of the noble that would most likely be recing their post. He did all that so he could get a job.


    In a sense, it was quite the wicked habit. Because that would mean that every day he was waiting for a noble house to destroy itself by misfortune.


    And so, when the young noble that was Jean-Jacques saw the bulletin board when he was making his regr rounds to look for a job after he left his house early in the morning as usual, his eyes went round.


    URGENT RECRUITMENT Vassal Employment Notice Newly-established territory of a Viscount house, Marlin Viscounty, Walden Province.


    We are recruiting personnel to be involved with the new administration in this territory.


    Are you interested to work in a picturesque, naturally richnd?


    Experienced personnel are preferred, but those without experience are wee to apply.


    Ours is a homely workce where you can consult with your superiors in ease


    And so on, and so on.


    For a summons from a titled noble, the wording was unbelievably humble, and at the same time, it also gave an indescribably cheap impression.


    Hey, fourth son of the Laubert house. You saw that too, huh?


    The one who called Laubert out to ask Laubert was a fellow unemployed illegitimate son. He had been looking for a job in the royal capital as well, and they had beenpeting through several recruitment quota. Well, as a result, these two were still in that state of affairs together.


    Yes, well, since I look for a job everyday But still, this bulletin is


    Odd, yeah? Though the benefits offered seem to be good enough


    As that acquaintance of him said, the amount of sry written on the lower part of the bulletin was quite decent. While it wasnt a spectacr amount, it was still a fair one. After living expenses, you can still spend for your hobby and save. And depending on how you n it, you might get some women too.


    I havent heard of this Marlin. I know that Walden Province is to the far southeast of the capital, but where in Walden is it?


    Even for you, who read books every day, it still doesnt ring a bell. Howe Id know about it?


    So he told him, and he agreed so.


    At any rate, from the catchphrase picturesque, naturally richnd, itd probably be somewhere deep in the countryside.


    The acquaintance sighed deeply.


    Even if we got epted, wed be living in the countryside huh


    Dont ask for too much. Even if you keep dragging yourself around the capital, itll just be hardship for you.


    Laubert told him so as if he was telling that to himself.


    Every day his parents would look at his face and the contents of their purse sessively, his sisters who had already gotten married into other houses in their various fussy habits kept telling him to get a job, and on top of those his younger brothers had recently begun to see him as some sort of apetitor.


    TL Note: the original word for sessively was, which means to look inparison. In this context it was meant to put his remarks sarcastically (and rather humourously) in a self-depreciative way, but since its a bit hard to make sense of it in English, I used sessively instead, though any better wording would be weed.


    Rather than remaining there where there was no prospect for him, he wondered whether he should take the plunge and get on with the offer.


    While thinking so, he read the continuation of the bulletin.


    Lord of Marlin Viscounty, Royal Viscount Tullius Shernan Oubeniel huh?


    It was an unpleasant name he hadnt heard for a while.


    Perhaps his face was rather full of suspicion, as his acquaintance puzzledly asked him.


    Are you familiar with that name? Come to think of it, you dont just study, you also listen to rumours too, huh?


    Well, more or less these stories rathercked credibility though


    With those words as a preface, he summarised it for him.


    Tullius Shernan Oubeniel, the second son of the Oubeniel house.


    He was a man with quite the unfavourable rumour. When he was younger he was known for his intelligence, butter he was instead known for his entricity as he indulged himself in alchemy. It was said that he bought a number of ves all at once, killed them all and called their murder an experiment, it was also said that the maid who was always seen serving beside him was actually a corpse he revived. He was sort of a mystery man with those kinds of absurd rumours surrounding him. But while the authenticity of such information was unclear, it was indeed true that he bought ves at an unusual pace, and a dubious light from his residences garden- which was said from the me that was used to incinerate the dead ves was often witnessed.


    At the very least, Im sure that hes an entric one. He rarely shows up in social asions, and I havent heard him getting engaged with any daughter of any other houses.


    Although hes a second son, hes still in the bloodline of a Count family. Its rather weird that he doesnt look for a bride at all


    Thats what I heard. Even now, his older brother, the head of the family, is still struggling to find a marriage candidate due to his younger brothers poor reputation, but I digress.


    In short, he wasnt a respectable noble. Laubert concluded so.


    His acquaintance groaned as he folded his arms,


    And while that kind of guy is a viscount, were unemployed?


    Stop it, dont say something so saddening like that


    In short, it was just a matter of lineage.


    The second child of the Oubeniel family in question, even with his problematic (?) personality was still a son of a powerful family, and thus there was a proper path for him to progress there. The illegitimate sons of a baron, a bar or a knight, no matter how respectable they were, would have nothing but an uphill struggle for them. Still their conditions were still more considerably preferablepared tomoners who hardly received any education at all.


    So, Laubert. What are you going to do?


    What do you mean?


    Dont y dumb now. Are you taking this on or not?


    As he said that to him, Laubert pondered.


    It was for certain that the viscount, the second son of Oubeniel house, was an infamous noble. If he was asked to swear loyalty to him, the answer would be none other than no. However, he did find the charm in the task to turn the viscounty around for the better. Laubert thought that he was more suitable to do official work rather than being a knight or an adventurer. And opportunities for illegitimate children of poor nobles to have such a job were scarcer than he thought.


    Practically, there was only one answer.


    Im on. Im not happy with the lords hobby, but I cant afford to be picky here. Even if its in the countryside in the far southeast or wherever, Ill have a go at it.


    I suppose so. Well, I have the same sentiment.


    Lets put our all this time too, so his acquaintance said as he tapped his shoulder.


    Itll be anotherpetition with him. Therell be no grudge as to whoever would be employed in the end. It was their pact when they see each other for the first time, and it was still continuing then. Both of them were in this predicament. How will it turn out this time?


    Tullius Shernan Oubeniel couldnt leave his territory, and so the interviews for his vassal recruitment would be held there. Generously, his party would be the one covering their travel expenses. Lauberts acquaintance was pleased that theyd be paid in gold, but that made Laubert to form a different opinion.


    He promised a good sry, and he covered the costs of this journey, apparently hes not good at counting money


    While being rocked in therge horse-drawn omnibus, Laubert murmured. He was riding a carriage bound for Marlin from the royal capital. All of the candidates were divided and ced in severalrge carriages that will take them to the site. So far there had been no noble who would spend so much for interview candidates whose employment was still undecided. If the number of candidates were this much, then itd be fine for him to let the candidates pay for their own travel expenses and high-handedly wait them there. Had Oubeniel was blessed by a wealthynd then thisd make more sense to Laubert, but the Walden Province supposedly wasnt that very rich of a territory. In other words, such facts implied that Viscount Oubeniel knew nothing about bookkeeping orbour management.


    As his sharp ears caught that remark, his acquaintance, who was sitting beside him, snapped into the conversation.


    But, why would you find it strange? From what Ive heard, hasnt he been earning from the sales of his own potions?


    ounting for personal business and the economy of a territory are two different things. For a long time the viscount has been employing only ves, hasnt he? They dont need sry or good treatment. So its different from us, who, despite being lower in rank than him, still belong to the nobility. That is why it would probably be correct to deem him nave, though I dont know to what extent.


    Certainly, in order to learn about people management, some nobles would grant their children ves first. But the lesson that one can take from it, like from a childrens textbook, would be the first step among the first steps. Normally, as they grow older, they would be entrusted with the children of theirmoner vassals, then someone of their same age from the lower-ranked nobility, and then a senior assistant would be assigned to their side. That way to learn about managing people would be the usual way for a noble to study to be a good leader.


    TL Note: original word for leader is emperor, as in, study of how to be a good emperor


    Laubert had yet to meet Oubeniel, but from his point of view, Tullius Oubeniel apparently was missing such experience entirely.


    It was then,


    Oh, arent you talking about quite the interesting thing.


    A well-dressed young man cut into their conversation.


    The acquaintance was making rather the suspicious face.


    . Who are you?


    Apologies. I am-


    Apparently the young man was the youngest, and furthermore, an illegitimate child of a certain count.


    He had a lot of siblings so a job was very hard toe by for him, he said he responded to this recruitment opportunity because had already ran out of patience.


    Youre one of the sons of Baron Lauberts house, yes? Ive been listening to your eye-opening analysis since a while back now.


    No, it was just a mere conjecture


    No need to be humble about it. Your analysis was rational and it was truly magnificent its just that


    The young man nced over his surroundings.


    All these people riding this carriage with us arepetitors for the official posts. If you talk too much, they might use it to nder you.


    As he told him so, Laubert realised his fault. They were now heading for Tullius Shernan Oubeniels ce in order to implore him to ept them into his service. So to backbite him there by spouting forth conjectures regarding the man would be a careless thing. If by any chance his remarks were to reach viscounts ears, itd surely invite his displeasure. It would be as if they were narrowing a gate that was already narrow in the first ce by their very own hands.


    Im thankful for your advice.


    Not at all. Dont mind it.


    The young man smiled. He had a good lineage, and surely his hope of being on official would be granted first. In the noble society that put a heavy emphasis on pedigree, even if he was illegitimate, the fact that he lineage was that of a count would tally heavily in his favour. Probably, he kindly advised hispetitors to show that margin between them.


    Now that I gave you my advice, mind if we talk? I dont know a lot of faces here.


    I suppose.


    A lot of people in the carriage were children of low-ranked nobles. For him who came from the house of a count, surely hed not be acquainted with most of them.


    There was no reservation in Lauberts speech, but the young man wasughing and smiling as if his curtness didnt offend him.


    Im thankful. Its a long road ahead, but with you people I dont think Id be bored.


    . Thank you for that.


    His acquaintance seemed to be a little sullen. His house was that of knights, which mean he was barely a nobleman. From his point of view, the young man, who could be discerned as being one from a counts family just by looking, surely was a strong stimulus to the cold gate that was his inferiorityplex.


    And with those young noblemen inside, the carriage proceeded slowly through the road to Marlin.


    I heard that itd be in the countryside, but


    It exceeds my expectation, as to how theres absolutely nothing in here


    The young man and the acquaintance sighed as they saw the scenery shown by the window.


    Outside their carriage was a forest, or a meadow, or a mountain, or a field. Most of the fields only produce staple food, such as wheat. They couldnt see any of them producing special products, such as vineyards for wine. Even if they were just fields, there were some fields that would be pleasing to the eye either because of their produce or their form, but apparently none of it could be expected here in this side of the country. Compared to thend they entered just before this ce, it was hard to tell whether they were still in the same province, no, in the same country at all.


    Is thisnd the one that got entrusted to the viscount?


    Yes normally dividing the role of government to several deputies would be a more efficient approach to rule thisnd but-


    Laubert took a nce at the farmers who were plowing their fields outside the carriages window. Sweat was flowing down their forehead as they were working hard, but they were still singing happily and there seemed to be a cheerful atmosphere about them.


    The faces of those farmers are unusually lively. And theres water throughout the farnds. It seems that they have taken several approaches to take care of their people.


    Oh, as expected from Laubert. What a different view of things.


    Stop it, sir.


    He smiled as he waved his hands at the young mans words.


    Well, its true that were in the countryside, but I think there is a room to grow. If a new industry were to develop here, its possible for thisnd to prosper even more.


    Hmm. For example, mining?


    From the light investigation he did before he left, it seemed that copper mines once flourished in Marlin. However, most of the mountains were already abandoned then and people kept away from it as their number dwindled.


    Liquor, how about liquor! Brewery seems good to me! Walden Province used to be famed for its wine, didnt it?


    No, thats not for us to decide in the first ce, its not decided yet whether wed be working here or not.


    He smiled wryly at hispanions. Certainly, Walden was a wine producing region. At the same time however, other regions in this province had already taken a hold of the share to cultivate them. There was very little room to cultivate them in Marlin, as its utmost utility was to produce staple crops, such as wheat.


    But if one were to close their eyes to the fact that this countrysidecked entertainment and that its lord was ill-famed back in the royal capital-, he thought it was actually not that bad of and.


    Anyway, its not fair if Im the only one talking here. Have you two noticed anything else?


    Yeah, now that you mention it


    Hmm, indeed theres something that left me rather wondering


    The young man said so as he put on some airs.


    Up until this point, I havent seen any structure that resembles a fortress on the way. Even if there was, they were hardly maintained at all.


    Ah,e to think of it, thats true.


    Uh-huh, the acquaintance nodded as well.


    In order to protect thend from thieves, bandits, and monsters, development of fortresses as the base where knights order would be stationed in shouldve been a necessity. Especially for Marlin, as the size of the territory far exceeded its poption density. There were supposed to be more bases for the knights to inspect the territory.


    In other words, I wonder if that means the size of the knights order here isnt that big?


    If their number werecking, of course the number of forts would also decrease. As the number of people to maintain and defend the fortresses would be insufficient as well, there would be the risk that they might be taken over and abused as the base of bandits or the likes. The number of the fortresses would be decreased in order to avoid such situation.


    Thats good news. I dont have your lineage, and I cant study like Laubert. If their knights order iscking in hands, theres a room for me to enter.


    True, that well, itd be easier than being a knight in the capital


    I think itd be a much busier job though?


    Well, its much preferable than no job at all. It might be a petty post, but its still an opportunity to get myself knighted. Ill have a go at it.


    While they talked about other things, the carriage had finally arrived at the town that served as the centre of the viscounty. It was a rustic town with a poption of three or four thousand people at the very most. The townndscape was pretty much a number of houses huddled together on the centre top of a small hill like a flock of sheep surrounded by a battered wall around it. It was an awfullymon small walled town that may find itself tremble from the threat of monsters or bandits.


    Gentlemen, wee to Marlin.


    The one who weed the candidates as they alighted from the carriages was a small man whose voice was devoid of any intonation whatsoever. Judging from his appearance alone, he was a small-time nobleman. But his dull expression and his paleplexion made his presence absolutely unnoticeable. If they were to pass each other in the town, it was possible for them to mistake him for amoner.


    His face looks like a dolls, huh. Spooky


    The acquaintance whisperingly voiced his impression. Yes, a doll. He was so inanimate it was hard to tell whether he really was a living human being at all. Even ves who got overworked for years wouldnt have a face which seemed to have already worn out of emotions like this far.


    The surrounding noblemen children probably held the same sentiment as well, as the gaze they casted upon the man were without any favourable light on them. But as if he were paying no mind to it, the t voice continued.


    After having all of you gentlemen stay in this town for one night, you will be taking another examination tomorrow. After that, you will be interviewed by the lord in order to decide on the possibility of your admittance.. such will be the program.


    May I ask you a question?


    The young man promptly raised his hand.


    . By all means.


    I suppose that well be guided to our lodging in a moment, but, Id like to inquire about that in advance. With all due respect, this is a small town, and thus there should only be a few facilities that can host this number of adults all at once. So Id like to know, how is your lord going to treat us considering that?


    It was a daring question. The point that could be heard from the question was, does your lord know how to treat a noble?. Laubert couldnt figure out the meaning behind such question that might invite the displeasure of the lord if things were to go wrong. Considering the personality of the young man he had been speaking with along the journey so far, he couldnt understand the reason of such conduct.


    Instead of being baffled, the man replied,


    The lord has instructed us to treat you ording to your families beforehand.


    And that instruction was?


    For those who came from a viscount house and above, while it is a bit far away, we have prepared for you a refurbished lodging ce in the deputys manor. For those who came from a baron house, please use the lodging house in this town. As for those who came from a bar and a knight house, we apologise for your inconvenience, but you will be staying at the house of the towns volunteers for tonight.


    His reply was curiously still without any intonation at all, as if he were reading it aloud from a paper.


    With a hmm, the young man nodded.


    . Excuse me for that. Although it might be possible that I may have offended you, recently there are a lot of people who would ignore the convention that is the hierarchy among the nobles of the kingdom. Well, I believed that the viscount isnt one among them, though.


    So he courtly concluded the matter.


    The guide gazed at everyone with his emotionally indecipherable eyes, and said,


    Then, pleasee this way


    With a gloomy tune, he began to lead the candidates on their way.


    The young man shrugged.


    Hmm. Hes unexpectedly shrewd.


    You gave me the chills there You said before, lets get epted now, so why did you be belligerent all of a sudden


    What you did was so unlike you-


    The young man waved his hands lightly at Jeans and the acquaintances vigorous argument.


    My bad, my bad. I just wanted to probe around the situation for a bit.


    He excuse was that it was just out of childish rashness of his.


    But Laubert could intuitively tell that he was lying.


    Well, now the one with the least prospect to get employed would be you, I guess.


    Hey, hey, youre being cruel with your remarks.


    And so he let it be bygones.


    Although they had grown closer, they just casually knew each other. He felt that he might have some hidden circumstances, but he might get into trouble if he poked too deep, so he kept away from doing so.


    Still, the three of us got splendidly split apart, huh. Ill be borrowing the townsmans house, huh


    From the start, the status of our families is different so


    Haha. Strange, though, I dont feel that difference at all. Hopefully, all three of us can be epted together.


    And so the young man of the count house concluded their conversation.


    It was certain that he had a secret with him, but he was a pleasant partner for intelligent exchanges.


    Indeed, it would be nice if everyone could be epted without a hitch.


    The next day.


    Laubert, who had spent the whole night without a wink of sleep, was taking his exam while still feeling a bit tired from the journey. The contents of the exam were not at all difficult. There were some simple math word problems as a warm-up, some liberal arts questions on history and manners which he smoothly answered, and then a bit of general knowledge subjects such as civil and criminalw. Finally, the exam was tied up by some essay questions, and then that was it.


    For Jean, who had been studying in the library on a daily basis, save for a few careless mistakes, the questions were so simple to the point that he might not lose any marks at all. Simrly, other candidates who had some sense with them would probably find it not particrly difficult as well. Conversely, however, those who spend their days idling about and passed through life just with their noble status would most likely find the questions tough.


    Its time. The examination is over.


    As the sound of a bell was heard from the distance, a ve dressed in maid attire heartlessly dered so. At those words, some of the examinees that still had yet to fill in the nks made desperate faces.


    Wa, wait! Im still on it!


    No, the exam is over.


    I said, wait, ve! Im a noble, okay?! I dont remember that lowly people like you can order me arou!


    One examinee tried to vehemently argue with her in an unsightly way. However, the ve-maid didnt give in.


    Yes, Im a ve. However, youre not my master.


    Exactly. A ve is their masters possession. And her master was Oubeniel, the owner of the Marlin Viscounty, As long as the maid-ve was moving under the instructions of her lord, even if he was a nobles child, the man, in his position as someone wishing to be employed as an official by the viscount, did not have the right to hinder the task entrusted to her.


    But then again, had he understood that, he wouldnt make such a fuss in the first ce.


    For a mere lowly ve, youre cheeky!


    A dry sound echoed within the test venue. The infuriated examinee had just hit the ve.


    As expected, this was crudely. Jean-Jacques Laubert reflexively covered his face. On top of having refused to submit his answer after the exam had already been over, he also resorted to an act of violence. From his attitude, apparently his house was quite a renowned one, but he caused amotion in another houses residence, and surely no house would want to take in a bastard like him. Even if one were to ept him, he probably couldnt do enough and would just be a source of embarrassment for them. Hed end up disinherited or sent off to a monastery, epting him would be a mess like gulping down the worst wine that somehow got mixed in.


    While failing to notice such a thing, that examinee smiled triumphantly at the staggered maid.


    Listen, you Do you know who am I?


    Yes, I know who you are. You are examinee number 14, surname is


    Im not asking that!


    And then another p.


    Jean could not bear it any longer.


    You, stop it!


    Hey, let go! You dreg of the Lauberts! What are you doing to me!?


    He also used the same way of speech to Laubert, who was now restraining his hands. There was no saving him.


    But Laubert had to finish what he had already started. For now, he had to calm him down. If he couldy down his arms and apologise here, it shouldnt end up as that serious of a matter. But that was only if he could do that.


    Please just listen up, alright? ves are their owners property. If you hurt them without a care, thats just the same as smearing mud on the lords face, okay?


    He wouldnt mind if I punish a rude ve who does her job improperly, would he!?


    No, if you say improperly


    Wouldnt that remark apply more to you?


    But before he could argue so, the examinee broke free from Leberts arms, he didnt have enough strength to restrain him.


    And it was then,


    Hey, whats this ruckus all about?


    A tall man that seemed to be a swordsman entered the room where the examination was held.


    The examinee that raised themotion shakingly raised his voice as well.


    Wh, what are you?!


    . Retainer to the viscount, Due Schwarz. Until a moment ago, I was in the other venue testing candidates for the military posts.


    The man who introduced himself as the viscounts vassal said so in a rough manner of speech.


    From his formal attire, apparently he was a military officer serving the viscount, but his speech and conduct, his disposition, his facial expression, no matter from where you look at him, he exuded an uncouth atmosphere about him. Is he perhaps from the lower nobility, or raised from being amoner?, Jean surmised so.


    It seemed that the problematic examinee concluded so as well, as he suddenly started to float the colour of contempt on his face.


    That so? Well great timing then. Your houses ve has greatly injured my feeling. Its necessary for you to punish her ordingly here.


    Ah?


    Not very bright, are you? You cant understand unless I speak it in a vulgar manner? Fine, let me put it this way, show me that youll at least clean up that bloody ves mess, alright?


    He said so with a look of utmost pride on his face.


    The man who introduced himself as Due turned around to the ve woman that took a pratfall on the floor.


    Errrr, youre


    I am Suzanne, Due-sama.


    Right, right that was your name huh what happened here?


    In her emotionally cryptic voice, the ve said,


    I was attempting to collect the answer sheets as the time-indicating bell had already rung as the Master instructed me to when examinee number zero one four imed he was still on it and resisted.


    . Hah. I see.


    With a revolted look, Due shifted his gaze to the other examinees that were Jean and his co.


    Its this guy right? Just wanted to confirm it from the neutral standpoint of other examinees.


    Uh, right.


    Laubert unintentionally nodded. His eyes were calm, but there was an enigmatic force in it that told him he wouldnt tolerate a lie. Also, there was no gain for him even if he told him one. The other examinees followed after Jean and nodded as well.


    Well then, number zero one four. Youre disqualified. Lets obediently go back to the capital now. If you have no travelling funds with you, I can give you an interest-free loan.


    Wh, what! What do you mean, go back!? And what do you mean by an interest-free loan!? You mean youre not paying me reparations, but giving me a loan!?


    If you get it then our matter is quickly settled. Then, please leave immediately. Or perhaps


    With a glint in his eyes, Due red down at the examinee.


    - you cant walk unless I lend you a hand, huh?


    If you dont want to get beaten up, then beat it with your own legs. He was saying that.


    Kuh..! Ever since I was born, this is the first time Im insulted like this! I, Im leaving!


    So he said, and the problematic individual in this incident left.


    Due let out a deep sigh that was full of his exasperation.


    Ever since I was born, this is the first time Im insulted like this, huh. Hes sure was living quite the happy life.


    .. All examinees, we apologise for the trouble caused. I will now resume collecting your answer.


    Ill see myself out too, then. Examinees, if you get epted, apparently well be in each others care for a very long time, looking forward to working with you.


    Leaving the answer sheet collection to the ve-maid, Due made his exit.


    Soon after, she finished collecting them. At the same time, some of the examinees had this I did it face on them.


    Ah, were they filling in the nks during themotion?


    Or perhaps, there was also the possibility that their cheating was even more explicit.


    How shrewd, Laubertmented.


    In the worst case, these guys might be his colleague instead of the guys who did the tests by themselves. Will I be able to cope well with this kind of people?, as he thought so, he could feel that he was getting depressed.


    Then, after the scoring is finished, the sessful applicants shall enter into an interview with the lord. As this will take some time, lunch is already served for you in the dining hall in the meantime, so please take your time until then. That is all.


    After she said so, the maid left as well. It was as if she had already forgotten that an examinee had pped her a while ago.


    Quite the well-educated maid. Dont you think?


    The young man he had just acquainted the other day talked to Lebert.


    So, the exam, how was it for you?


    Well, all the answer columns were filled.


    That means no problem for me, Laubert thought to himself. If he could do all of it, then the difficulty level was low enough for him to exceed the pass zonefortably. Though there were a few things outside of the exam questions themselves that he couldnt figure out got mixed in as well.


    More importantly, Jean-Jacques Laubert, what do you think of that maid?


    Hey, hey, youre asking that as soon as the exams finished? You fancy someone like that?


    As might be expected from an attending maid, even as a ve she was well-kept. However, her features were not among the best. Among their generation, shed be the number three beauty of a random small vige, and that would be the highest valuation that she could get. And he couldnt get past that cold attitude of hers either. As a woman she would be dull, and as a ve she woulde out to be a bit arrogant.


    At that, the young man made a wry smile.


    Not that. Did you notice it while you were looking at her? That maid clothes is quite the magic equipment, you know?


    What was that?


    Jean unconsciously asked him back Magic equipment. The words referred to magically-enhanced articles crafted by a mages hand. It would be considerably expensive to attribute magic in normal tailoring. These werent that umon in the noble society, but it was unheard for a ve to be wearing one on them.


    Ive heard that the viscount was an alchemy fanatic, but..


    Perhaps, he produced them on his own and then granted to his men and ves. Even that swordsman who showed up in this ce just now, I can see that even the Royal Guard wouldnt be entrusted with what he had as his equipment.


    TL Note: original word for show up in the raw was , but none of its meaning can be used in this context, except if he was trying to say the following: a swordsman who solved the issue in this ce a while ago, in which osameru means to resolve/settle. If youre a fellow trantor, please call me out if I made an error here.


    No, thats not possible now, is it? I mean, the Royal Guard is the kingdoms most elite. And if it was that hard for even them to get their hands on one, so howe a single military officer of a viscount could have it?


    That was impossible. After procuring such things, there was no way he could have a leeway to pay up suchvish sry like the one written on the bulletin. Just how much wealth would it take to pull that off?


    No, those property themselves didnte by because he was a viscount. I think it was probably handmade by the viscount himself.


    Hang on, I couldnt quite catch up. Handmade? He could make equipment that are superior inparison to the ones that the most elite in the kingdom have, is that it? Well, just thats because hes an alchemy fanatic wouldnt be enough of an exnation now, would it?


    Even Im a little taken aback as well. Ive had taken the rumours about Viscount Oubeniel with a grain of salt until I came to this ce. However, today, I was convinced for the first time. The man we will be meeting soon is a maestro alchemist. To the extent that hes probably in the entire continents top five.


    I still dont quite understand even if you say so.


    Jean said so as he shook his head. In the first ce, the subject of alchemy itself had very little connection with the nobility. It was a trick of fraudsters who would straight-facedly speak of bedtime stories like turning lead into gold or achieving immortality. Even some people would hesitate from putting them in the category of magic. The subject was recognised as such. Even if he said that he was probably in the continents top five, he couldnt perceive how big of a deal that was.


    A mage with a certain extent of ability would be enough to create the kind of remedy or attire that the royal family uses, and if you desire more than that, that would be where the dwarven smithse in. The merit of studying a subject like alchemy had been held in doubt in its entirety. He thought, just what kind of drunk madman would pay attention to something like that, but


    The interview will be after lunch, huh. Lets change the ce for a bit. Theres something I want to talk about, just for the two of us.


    As he said so, the young man took Jean out. Their destination was an unpopr spot behind the mansion.


    So, whats this all about? For you to need a ce like this to talk.


    Naturally, his words became harsh. He was forcibly dragged there because some sort of a secret talk. It was a nuisance no matter how one looks at it.


    The young man, with the preamble of before that, began to talk,


    Jean-Jacques Laubert. Did you not ever find it suspicious?


    Find what suspicious?


    The fact as to how Tullius Shernan Oubeniel was made as a viscount in this territory to begin with.


    It was indeed a curious turn of events. While still being wary, Laubert prompted him to continue.


    While you were looking for official jobs, you shouldve collected rumours about various noblemen. Among them, of course there shouldve been a story about the discord between the two Oubeniel brothers.


    Certainly, there was. Long ago, it was said that the Oubeniels second son was a prodigy that would surpass the first son, but after his reputation fell to the ground, it was said that the younger brothers notoriety held the older brother back. Ive heard that kind of a story now and then.


    There it is, the young man sighed.


    And that older brother, who is now the current head of the family, went and appealed to the court to grant that little brother a viscountcy, and gave him this territory. Why so, do you think?


    Hmm, if the rumours about the discord were true then it was to keep him away from the capital?


    Theres that too. Although the younger brother couldnt be charged for his ve-murdering conducts, the older brother couldnt bear to let the young brothers questionable research to continue in the capital. But theres one other reason.


    Reason. As he was told so, Jean pondered about it. The reason why the older brother might give his younger brother, who was alchemy-crazed, murdering ves with cruel methods, and a disrespectable noble, position and power.


    There was one, one unpleasant guess crossed his mind.


    Wait, dont tell me..!?


    Its exactly as you guessed.


    The young man bitterly affirmed.


    Set him up for misgovernance as a lord, and then use that wrongdoing in order to put his brother in blood to death.


    Thats ridiculous


    It was really a ridiculous narrative. Kill his own brother? And he gave him a viscountcy, just for that? On top of being too borate for just a small gain, even if he seeded he wouldnt be able to avoid unfavourable criticism for it. Before he could ask him about that, the young man added.


    Of course, staining the name of the count house of Oubeniel would be a foolish undertaking he wouldnt be able to avoid. However, as of now the head of the house could not kill his brother. As the younger brother were still being protected under the noble societys principles, killing his younger brother in blood for the sake of self-protection because he was being a threat to his position as the next person in the line of their session would penalise him. But what if he were to kill him because of territory mismanagement? The narrative will change like this,


    As he said that, he began to emte a y as he spoke with swagger.


    s! The lord of the counts house hath sent down punishment even upon the brother he shared his blood with in order to reformeth his politics! Partiality as a sibling hath blindeth him tomit an error when he hath his brother appointed, but for the counts was ashameth of it, while he kneweth he hath to vindicate his honour, he still did so in order to maketh it right!. like that. It wouldnt change the fact that he killed his own brother, but this way the damage it would do to the houses reputation would be kept to a minimum.


    He gave him a territory so he could pull off that cheap trick on him?


    Even if it was out of self-love, it was such a terrible deed, right? He abused the trust His Majesty has given him to govern hisnds and used it as a pretext in order to solve his sibling rivalry, on top of that he even got the court involved when he gave his brother his peerage. What a big deal of a count. Though a viscount that deals with his political affairs nonchntly while he amuses himself with alchemy is no better than him too.


    The young man did not attempt to hide his contempt as he spat out.


    Laubert could see finally see what he was talking about. Of course, the young man would also tell him that he had a solution to that issue.


    TL Note: second sentence in the raws was, , not sure if I tranted this correctly.


    He talked about both of the Oubeniel brothers with disgust, and though dim, fervent loyalty towards the royal family could be seen from him. Take these two together, then it was clear as to where it all came to down to.


    That means, you.. came here to secretly investigate the viscounts house. Moreover, you also grabbed the count by the tail before you did so with the viscounts. Thus your true lord is probably one of the centralists.


    TL Note: the Japanese expression to grab someone by the tail () could mean a lot of thing. In this context, the most apparent meaning was that the young man had something on both of the Oubeniel brothers.


    I knew it, youre quick-witted. Those fellows who let you be an unemployed up until now just dont have keen eyes.


    Thanks for that well, that talk you want to have so you brought me here was


    I want you to help me in my secret investigation. I dont think that this operation will go wrong, but if they were to look into me for a bit, theyd know right away that Im connected to the centralists. You, on the other hand, have a clear personal record.


    There was a selfish reason in that. After all, it would be like saying that hed be dragged into a political strife that was so far up beyond the reach of a baron house like Lauberts.


    But at the same time, he could also understand the following things. There was no changing the fact that Viscount Oubeniel does rule Marlin. And for him, in addition to having his brother as an enemy, he also got the centralists, which was the natural enemy of the local lords, to keep a close eye on him.


    That means, even if by chance he got through the interviewter that afternoon and joined in as a vassal, his future would still be bleak.


    You had this high opinion that I was quick-witted, right. Then, shouldnt you know the answer already?


    Even so, Id still like to hear it from your own mouth.


    So you want to take my word for it sigh.


    Cant be helped, huh, he shrugged.


    Ill do it. Considering which would be the winning plot here, theres no choice but to do it. But after we got him crushed, dont go poof on me.


    That would depend on the way we work. Not just you, me too.


    And then as a proof of contract, they shook their hands.


    The young mans hand was cold. But it was said that only those with cold hands could excel in politics. If the young man could acquire the intelligence that could determine the viscounts, and his older brother, the counts lives, the centralists would surely arrange a reasonable post for him. Serving under him after he got ced up there might not be so bad as well.


    By the way, what will you do about that acquaintance of yours? I think its better to talk to him about this as well, though.


    Lets not. Spouting lies while keeping a straight face is not in his disposition. Hes not suitable for a covert job like this.. But hes quite stubborn, if theres something that may benefit from the strength of his sense of justice, we should be able to pick him upter.


    And then it felt like the mans cold hand wasnt the only ones there. As if there was a transparent hand joining them. To fulfill a stated intention is also a thing among the rtionship between nobles. Even Jean could understand such way of living.


    Hmm. Well then, lets both be careful during the interview in the afternoonter. As I said before, the viscount is an extraordinary alchemist. We dont know what kind of preparations he had made.


    Right.


    They didnt quite know what kind of preparations the alchemist had made, but one cant be too careful. As a noble, the viscount stood out as someone whockedmon sense, but in the other hand, Jean heard that he was top-notch in his field. They must be careful so as not to get drawn into their opponents field.


    Laubert engraved that in his mind.


    . But all that was for naught.

 Chapter 13: Gleaning (Latter Part)

    Chapter 13: Gleaning (Latter Part)


    Good afternoon. I am Tullius Shernan Oubeniel.


    In a certain office that was the interview venue. The impression of the person Tullius Shernan Oubeniel who was expecting Jean there was more mediocre than Jean initially thought.


    He was several years younger than Laubert. Probably he was not twenty yet. All his facial features were in order, but, perhaps it would be easier to understand if one were to say that there were no ugly aspects there instead of the other way? Like a nd bisque doll, such was the only impression his cold face left on him.


    If there were indeed a beautiful aspect in his look, then the maid who was attending beside him would be far more superior in that matter. Her face looked like that of a dolls as well, but it was more like a sculpture carved by a chisel which a master artisan put all his soul into, her mould had that feeling of exquisiteness. This maid was also fitted with a silver cor, the proof of very.


    But the most curious presence there was the person standing on the other side of the maid and the viscount. The person was dressed in a thick robe, their face hidden by its hood. From the protrusions on the persons chest, Laubert thought that the person might be a woman, though for what purpose did this person who wasnt showing their face to be there waiting besides the noble as well?


    While burying such question, for the time being Laubert lowered his head.


    Its an honour to be in your presence, Lord Viscount. I am examinee number twenty, Jean-Jacques-


    Ah, wait, wait! You dont have to introduce yourself. I can see the number in your name tag and with that I can look your name up in the document I have here. At any rate, since we have a lot of people at this time, I have to save time here.


    And so, he was interrupted by the viscount.


    How outrageous. To a nobleman, their name is like a face, or like their tools of trade. It must be treated with due respect. He regarded it not in the slightest, and in addition he spewed that it was because he didnt have the time for it!


    As he thought, as a nobleman hiscking points were conspicuous. Taking up on the young mans offer was the correct choice. So Laubert thought as he nced at the young man who was summoned to the room as well. He also had this somehow astounded face.


    There were six candidates, including himself, currently in the room. They were all sitting on chairs that were lined up in a row. There was a considerable gap between their position and the viscounts desk, about three metres. It was indeed wide, but that was a reasonable distance in anded nobles office.


    Well, shall we get over with this quickly? Stand up.


    Yes.


    Three steps forward.


    Yes?


    You didnt hear that? Take three steps forward.


    It was a strange instruction. What is his intention? Laubert thought as he couldnt surmise anything from it. Did he want to see the way they walk? Or perhaps their conduct? If that was the case, then it was Laubert himself who was wondering whether this viscount could understand proper conduct or not.


    Nheless, the highest-ranked person in the room was the young viscount. Thus confused as they were, all of the candidates took three steps.


    Viscount Oubeniel let out a smile filled with satisfaction.


    Right, thank you. Well then, dont move. Do it, Uni.


    Yes- Earthbound


    Heavy pressure.


    With that all six of them were floored at once.


    Wh!?


    Th, this is!


    What is the meaning of this!?


    It felt like being held down by a giant palm of hand from above.


    Heavy. His whole body was heavy, and he couldnt stand.


    Something was crushing his body down, for someone powerless like Laubert it was something unbearable, not even for a short while. He couldnt move a muscle, and he couldnt understand what was happening as he fell into a state of confusion.


    Im, impossible this cant be!


    He heard the young man painfully cried.


    At that, the viscount went, good grief as he shook his head.


    If youre like that, as I thought, did you bring a protective amulet with you, I wonder? Because if you have one, itll be difficult for the brainwashing magic to take into effect. I struck ahead and I have prevented you from stirring about, so Ill be taking that away.


    What did you say?


    While still being nailed to the floor, he could somehow still say that much.


    Does that mean he had expected that someone among the candidates were trying to set him up from the very beginning?


    All the more bewildered as he was, the young man said,


    Th, then just what is, this magic? To think the amulet didnt, react!


    Yes, about that, youre probably wondering. Youre the second person who asked me that. The other one asked me a while ago too.


    Viscount Oubeniel let out a stifled chuckle.


    Well then, Ill exin it with a simple lecture. Take the fire magic as an example. Fireball, a spell used by those with low magical power. If you try to stop the spell from hitting you using that amulet, what would happen? Of course, before it hits you, the amulet will trigger a barrier and the spell will be rebuffed. However-


    The viscount snapped his finger as he said so. Immediately after that, the chair where the young man just sat a while ago burned- no, it exploded. That was a chantless fire magic. All of a sudden the heat wave generated from his back started to attack the young man. Of course, its force was averted by the amulet.


    Ugh!


    A piece of the chair debris that was broken by the spell hit his forehead.


    - In this case, the amulet could not defend you from things that were moved by magic.. Ah, Im sorry. Did it hurt? Ill patch you up now so youll forgive me for that.


    He snapped his fingers again, and the wounds on the young mans forehead quickly faded away. But the pressure that restrained him was still there.


    So offensive magic cant pass through the barrier, but recovery magic can, how odd.. Anyway, let us return to the original topic. So, the earthbound spell isnt like those spheres of fires that were conjured by fireball spell, as it wasnt meant to restrain you directly. It only used the gravitational force which is keeping you on the ground- that was there in the first ce, and doubled it. Thus, you wont be able to avert it by using a simple magical tool, because the force exists already, and it already affects you, and were just strengthening that force with magic.. you understand now?


    Of course the answer would be no. Grevitesienal force? What is that, some sort of terminology in alchemy? Just who would understand that load of nonsense? Others looked simr as well. There were either the colour of confusion or hatred in their eyes, but none had the light ofprehension in them.


    But one thing could be understood. This mad alchemist certainly had a malicious agenda.


    Now, Uni. Disarm these men.


    As you ordered, Master. Excuse me.


    After she received her masters order, the ve-maid who casted the spell approached the men. She patted them down and confiscated their magical armaments.


    Then!. Gah!?


    The young man, who was trying to do something, was overpowered by the maid at a speed unperceivable to the eyes.


    It seems he was going to make the amulet self-destruct.


    I see. So if he were to return alive but with his amulet destroyed, itd mean to his superior that he received some sort of treatment here. Did he manage to do so?


    No. Its safe.


    As she said so, she retrieved an amulet that was fashioned as a rosario from his chest.


    Well, even if he managed to do that, Ill just simply repair it. But since you saved me thebour and resource for doing so, this is better. Well done, Uni.


    Its an honour to receive your praise.


    Then, the maid bowed reverently.


    It was unbelievable. From what Jean saw, this unknown pressure was urring in a scope that enveloped all six of them. Its effect shouldve been indiscriminate, as there was clear indentation on the surrounding carpet. But still, the maid moved around without difficulty, and quickly confiscated their magical equipment.


    Oh, theres amunication device here.


    Hah! How foolish did you think I wasnt that prepared!?


    One of the candidates who wasnt well-acquainted with Jean proudly said so while still gasping from the pressure.


    Ive heard of your crooked dealings from the count! The conversation in this room is already


    Ah, its already been interfered with.


    Oubeniel casually dered so.


    Huh?


    Where do you think you are? Youre in my stronghold, you know? Soundproof to jammunications, impact disabler, teleportation magic barricade, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. Of course we are prepared at least to that degree.


    While saying so, he toyed around with themunication device in his hands,


    . Hmm. This size, the minimal amount of material, I suppose this devices effectivemunication distance is limited only within the mansions premises. I suppose you have a friend among the other candidates too? Surely they began to move as soon as themunication was cut off, but Ive stationed Due there. There are not many people who can get away from him, not even top-notch adventurers. Too bad, huh. Though, you do have a good perception.


    - If they were to reach the capital or even if they didnt, assuming there were other coborators in their vicinity it wouldve been dangerous.


    He concluded his evaluation as so. Although, he thought that such a scheme couldnt be done in the first ce. Laubert didnt know much about the variety of magical tools, but at least he knew that one would need arge-sized device had they wanted tomunicate long-distance. It was impossible to bring such a thing without being seen.


    Even so, the examinee changedpletely as colour was drained from his face.


    You, youre bluffing theres just no way


    Its not like Im asking you to believe me. Theres no inconvenience for me even if you dont. Well then, Drei. Ive kept you waiting, huh. Time to do your job.


    Yes, master.


    With a short reply, the woman who was standing beside the viscount took off her robe.


    From what was exposed, there were long silver hair, brown skin, unworldly beautiful face and a pointed long ear.


    Within Jeans knowledge, there was only one kind that met all such characteristics.


    Da, dark elf..!?


    Someone among the examinees raised their voice in surprise.


    Dark elves, known with their other name, dark fairies. For its ties with demons, They were officially recognised as an enemy of mankind by the church, all citizens had been notified to neutralise them, dead or alive, if they were to run into one. Barely a single one of them were living in the areas inhabited by humans, as all of them had fallen into very, a damned race they were.


    However, it was said that their magicaltency and the prowess of their arts were not inferior to the forest elves.


    You have this kind of thing too.?!


    In addition to the maid who casted the restraining magic without a chant, a literally inhuman magus a dark elf, appeared as well.


    As Jean and his fellows were squirming in despair, the woman named Drei let out a darkugh.


    Kuhuhuhu. I find it troubling if you were to mistake this body with the lot of my former brethren


    As she said so, she put her hand on the eyepatch covering the upper left portion of her face.


    Eyepatch. Yes, she was hiding her left eye.


    Why did she hide it? And why was she going to reveal it now?


    And as he saw her unblemished face after the ck eyepatch was removed, he knew the answer to those questions right away.


    Clearly, the violet-coloured iris on her left eye differed in colour from her right eye. There was a dangerous magical power swirling in there, it was enough for Jean who wasnt even a magus to perceive so.


    De, demon eye.!?


    It was mentioned in an illustrated book he had read once in the library to kill time. Gorgon, Catoblepas, Basilisk, Gazer. It was said that the devilish eye, which a lot of dangerous monsters inherently possess, could inflict a spell to others just with an eye contact.


    TL Note: If youre not familiar with the name gazer, its the Japanese equivalent to the D&D monster, beholder. Credit to sancturillore for bringing it up.


    The woman named Drei snorted.


    Hmm. Even among the lowly apes, it seems that theres someone who knows a bit too, huh? Indeed, this eye is a demon eye bestowed to me by our master. The extent of its effect I shall let your body experience it for yourself.


    I cant, but there was no time to think so.


    Even when Jean knew that it was indeed a demon eye, its effect was getting into him just by seeing it.


    For Jean, who only had the magical capacity of an ordinary person, there was no avenue for him to resist.


    Ah gah!?


    His consciousness was dyed in the violet colour.


    His thoughts were diluted and his reason was melting, as if he were getting drunk from a bad alcohol.


    Meanwhile, Tullius Oubeniel smiled in satisfaction.


    In the past, Uni picked up the body of a young Gazer in the dungeon. I preserved it andter, I transnted its eye to her. Theres a lot of subspecies of the demon called Gazer, and the effect of their demon eyes is also vastly different.


    Ah.. u..


    Igh. geh


    My head is fuzzy.


    Every voice is distant.


    What is this ce?


    Who am I?


    So, what I transnted in Drei was a kind thats specialised in brainwashing. Apparently they get their food by manipting the other party to hunt it for them. There are sure some strange creatures in this world, right?


    No matter how many times I see it, I still find its immediate effect to be wonderful. As long as shes here, we wont need the brainwashing incense anymore.


    No, its hasty to conclude so, Uni. While rare, warriors who can fight off the eyes effect do exist, and in the other hand, no men can keep themselves from breathing. Besides, the effect of the demon eye is limited to things within Dreis line of sight. The incense would be better if we wanted to brainwash even more people at once.


    I can hear a voice eloquently exining something


    So?


    So what should I do?


    Please, someone, quickly, quickly tell me


    Otherwise, my thoughts will go insane.


    In addition to that, in exchange of its high power and immediate effect, it eats away her magical power to a ridiculous extent, hence the eyepatch acts as a seal. When its power gets too strong, cases like the self-destructing amulet that almost urred earlier may happen as well. My point here is, put the right person in the right ce.


    Indeed, I feel a little fatigued. But itll be enough to deal with everyone.


    Right. Theres the factor of Dreis body too. Lets do this quickly then. Uni, you may release their restraint.


    Yes, immediately.


    As he said so, Viscount Oubeniel stooped low in front of Jean and the other men. The pressure that nailed them on the ground had already disappeared.


    - Instruction, please give me instruction, quickly.


    Jeans thoughts were stained in one colour only. Something like escaping didnt even cross his mind.


    Alright then, first of all. Among you, who cheated during the exam?  this includes, stealing other peoples answers, and bringing unauthorised note into the exam venue.


    Everyone shook their head. Of course, Jean too denied it without dy.


    His mood was superb. To have everything to be dominated by others, what a wonderfullyfortable feeling.


    Next, is there anyone among you who dishonestly filled out the papers even after the test was dered to be over?


    ..


    .. Me.


    One person raised his hands as he said so with a small voice.


    Examinee number twenty five, disqualified.


    Viscount Oubeniel crossed out one of the documents with a feather pen.


    Well then, lets move on to individual questions. Examinee number twenty three.


    Yes


    The man answered back as his number was called.


    Who are you?


    . Victor Dcroix Lavalle. Youngest son of the Marquis Lavalles house.


    Thats strange, Jeans consciousness dered so in suspicion.


    He, he himself, shouldve identified himself as being the youngest son of a Count house.


    In my document here, youre from a Count house, and your family name is different, though?


    It was a lie. to keep my cover intact


    Who is this Marquis Lavalle to you?


    My father..


    Riiight. I havent met with Marquis Lavalle in person, but isnt he supposedly quite aged?


    From what I heard from my mother, my father sired me when he was fifty two


    Ah, I see. By now I probably can figure it out.


    As he said so, Viscount Oubeniel scratched his cheeks.


    Were you possibly put out for adoption? And the house that adopted you is the Count house written here, correct?


    .. No. I am.. one of the proud Marquis houses..


    Was your mother a concubine?


    No. my mother was betrayed. my father went over to his second wife


    And still she was passed to the Count house while she was still harbouring you. Though on her way there, you were born.


    . Yes.


    Does Marquis Lavalle acknowledge you as his own son?


    He does not. even though. I have the same birthmark as him on my back.


    Why do you insist that youre one of the Marquis house? They betrayed your mother and cast her away, right?


    My talents. will stagnate in a pathetic Counts house like passing a woman over. in addition my mothers honour. my mother. didnt have a ce. even in the Counts house


    That was why you participated in the plot to set me up. If you were to seed, youll be appointed to an appropriate position for you, and your mothers honour will be restored too. Did the Marquis say so?


    . Yes.


    I see, Oubeniel said so as he shrugged.


    As his thoughts were still paralysed, Laubert couldnt figure out the meaning of that question and answer session.


    That Marquis Lavalle person yed quite the vulgar hand here. If Victor were to grab a hold of my weakness, then alls good. If the covert operation were deemed to be exposed, he could use me of killing his estranged son. So no matter what the oue was, I would still be driven into a corner, right? Crap, I just got a troublesome opponent to keep tabs on me. To drag the marquis into this is a blunder, huh


    TL Note: Remember that it was Tullius that notified the marquis (though indirectly) about the vassal recruitment first.


    But we still learned something good, Master. It was a blunder, but theres enough room to recover.


    Oh well. This time it was due to my blind adherence to the theory that stated that the enemy of an enemy is an ally. Ill be sure to make the best out of this contemtion from now on.


    Besides, the marquis also made some mistakes. First that he underestimated masters skill. And while this one was disposable to him, he just relinquished his son from right under his nose.


    Lets work on thatter. For now, I have to go through this quick interrogation and administer provisional treatment on them.


    Laubert still couldnt think of anything. While remaining under the influence of the demon eye, he kept his silence as he waited for an instruction.


    Then, youre next. What is your name?


    Jean-Jacques Laubert


    Oi, Laubert! Jean-Jacques Laubert!


    Yes!?


    As his acquaintance struck his shoulder, he came back to his senses.


    He looked around his surroundings, then he realised he was in a hallway of the lords manor.


    It seemed that the audience was over before he realised it.


    Why did you space out? . Hahaa, were you that tense?


    Thatughing face of his acquaintance, he sure was carefree. Laubert sighed.


    Its an interview that will determine my life from now on, alright? Theres just something wrong with people who arent nervous when ites to this.


    Dont say that, its not like Im rxed I didnt score that well in the military officer exam So itll all depend on the next interview.


    Ah, is that so


    Finally, he realised that his acquaintance was sweating a lot. In other words, if he didnt tease Laubert here, itd mean that he was driven into an unprecedented extent of mental strain.


    Yes, that is so. And for that reason, Id like to take a peek into some of your responses, because you finished the interview earlier than me.


    Even if you say so.


    To tell the truth, what he said in the interview was all vague.


    It was a hazy memory, and no matter what he did he couldnt grasp it for certain.


    At that hesitation, his acquaintance thought,


    Ah, is that so. So you didnt respond well too, huh?


    That kind of oddly grave thought.


    Now that he said that, Laubert felt that perhaps he didnt do well at all.


    Might be so. For some reason my mind went nk, and I cant recall what I said


    Hey, Laubert, dont put that face like youre going to vanish somewhere now Ah, thats right! Lets sneak out from the inn tonight, and have some drink in the towns bar! Yes, its a gloomy countryside, but there should be a ce where we can get a drink.


    Perhaps because his face was so grievous, his acquaintance did so to encourage him.


    I also called that Victor guy out, but he said he was feeling ill so he passed on that.


    Victor


    It was the young man whom he got acquainted with in the carriage.


    He felt like he made an important promise with him. but he couldnt remember that too.


    Well, lets just go to our customary self-pity party, just you and me. There were so many applicants, and the viscount paid for traveling and lodging expenses. There sure were a substantial amount of applications. Its impossible for people who have been unemployed for ten thousand years like us to be epted. Yes.


    He wondered what the acquaintance picked up from his remarks, so that he was now saying all these sorts of encouragement in particr.


    Laubert did have a problem with his acquaintances pessimistic response, but going out for a drink might be a good idea. Regardless of the results, he felt like he couldnt help but to drink.


    (Tonight, be sure-)


    But isnt something already scheduled for tonight..?


    ( toe to my ce to receive your surgery)


    ..


    Thats right. In any case, he couldnt go for a drink tonight.


    . Sorry, to make merry before the resultes out is a bit


    Tch, what is that? How cold.


    Hahaha. Dont sulk like that. As I said, Im not confident whether I did well in the interview, so if I was right on the line between being epted and rejected, my behaviour tonight might be the determining factor. At least thats what I think.


    Thats right


    So I cant see anyone tonight.


    And when the timees- what to do?


    Well, theres that way of thinking too, huh. I guess I should keep my behaviour in check too.


    Yeah, do that. Surely, youll do well that way.


    He cut off the thoughts that he couldnt put into words, and then he spouted an unfounded encouragement.


    Lauberts self-awareness was there, but he couldnt find anything else to say but that.


    At that time, the doors of the office used for the interviews were opened. From it, examinees wereing out, their faces were pale.


    . Next batch, pleasee in.


    The cored maid invited the next round of people to enter.


    Errrr, next batchs examinee numbers will be- thats our number. Still, why do you look so scared? Is it because of that rumoured viscount? Those guys who just went out now, you guys too, all of you had the face of a dead man.


    Yeah, thats right.


    Laubert nodded.


    . Viscount Oubeniel was dreadful. All his memories about the interview were hazy, but at least he felt that such was certain.


    Even as he held on to his vague fear, for some reason he legs wasnt moving to take him to his escape. And so, Jean-Jacques Laubert silently watched his acquaintance as the door swallowed him in.

 Chapter 14: The Fourth Misfit

    Chapter 14: The Fourth Misfit


    Alright, Im done with todays job Ah, having so little to approve sure feels wonderful.


    As I throw the checked and signed documents on the desk, I, Tullius Shernan Oubeniel, stretch my arms widely.


    Light drops of snow flicker outside the window. Its the beginning of winter.


    Seeing as Marlin lies in the inner part of thend, and as the territory has a lot of mountains, winter is tough here. That is what I heard, and I am indeed actually sensing it from the cold drafts in this manor. Let alone petrol or gas, in the Ithush continent, where coal hasnt been put into practical use, the coldness of its winter is a subject of fear by itself. There are cases of people freezing to death just like every other year, and theres even fear of annihtion among the poorer viges. While these are rare urrences in the areas near the coast, Marlin is an ind, mountainous area, and thus its like being in a direct collision course with General Frost. Of course, Ive been spending arge portion of the budget to tackle this issue. Though it would be difficult to reduce the number of casualties to zero, at least it would be much better for the people,pared to the years when those three deputies were running the territory chaotically.


    Still, Im d that we could employ the new vassals in time. Had we been just a little bitte, we would have been forced to think about winter countermeasures for the people all by ourselves


    As the thoughtes into mind, the chill from the cold temperature creeps even further down my spine.


    That older brother of mine would surely attribute any minor faults to my territory management skills, if the number of people that got frozen to death were terriblyrge. Of course it would be difficult to dess me based on that one fault only, but my stress seems to be piling up just by imagining it.


    Yes, Master. Their work has been truly remarkable.


    So she said, as she added here you are, master and passed me a steaming cup of tea.


    I lightly made a gesture to thank her, and let the teas steam moisten my lips. It sure is troubling that the air is so dry during winter.


    Really, though. Tax collection, bookkeeping, construction, management of peoples petitions they do handle those matters well.


    Laubert and Victor Dcroix Lorge  the self-proimed Lavalle  were especially among the most excellent finds. On one hand I have a well-knowing man who, despite of having led an adverse life of being an unemployed, didnt neglect to improve himself. On the other hand I have an ambitious man who is eager to have his talents acknowledged, driven by the thoughts of histe mother. Although both of them arecking in experience, their skills as internal administrators far surpass the likes of me.


    Had they been not around, the most part of the increased crop yield that I birthed with great pains would just sit there to rot, as I couldnt do tax collection satisfactorily, and it would be one hell of a mess.


    Apart from the new industry formation, theyve also been more or less carrying out great deals of the potion business as well.


    Territory management is truly a difficult thing. Compared to the personal business Ive undertaken in the capital, it is as if the attitude of the merchants here arepletely different, so Im done with them. As expected, if one wants mochi, then to the mochi store they should go. While I do my job properly as a noble, there is a limit as to how much a person can handle by themselves. Since I have augmented their brain so that they can absolutely never betray me, let me work them some more.


    As for me, Ill devote myself to my research.


    Well then. Shall we head over to our primary job, shall we?


    Yes. The arrangements have already been made.


    Like always, with Uni apanying me, I head to theb while holding the teacup and saucer.


    On my way there, a passing officer gave me a p on the wrist, Your manners are bad he said, but thats actually the charm here. Ill pull myself together outside, so give me a break now.


    Say, Im just thinking, Uni.


    Yes.


    I feel that this residence is steadily getting more cramped.


    Well, this manor is only designed to be a temporary residence in the first ce


    Thats what it is.


    Even now that it hase to this, the residence of the Lord of Marlin  my residence -, has yet to bepleted.


    And by this I mean, I have reorganised my vassals and I have finished my tax collection job, but even now that winter ising, I still have yet to establish my own territory at present.


    Your vassals have also requested tomence the construction of the principal residence ahead of time as well. After all, its a public project to maintain your appearance.


    Well, seeing as it will be a residence for the viscount to dwell in. As such, I suppose itll be quite therge mansion.


    So I said, as if I wasmenting about other peoples affairs.


    Its just that I cant quite imagine myself to live in an excessively spacious mansion. Indeed, before I expanded the amount of my vassals, this temporary residence was satisfactory enough for me. Compared to my extravagant expenditure for Due and Co., I sure am stingy in some strange ces, what aughing material.


    However, even if I maintain my queer selfishness, it is currently reaching its limit. Currently, my busy vassals are constantlying and going through the corridors of this manor. Residences of nobles in this era have dual purposes as both the lords official residence and the government office. In my case, theres an alchemyb in addition to that. As this mansion is designated only for a bar at most, of course itll quickly cause problems.


    Once the snow melts, we should start the construction of the new residence immediately.


    But still, a public project, huh we sure have came up with quite the advanced n.


    I found myself impressed yet again as I said so. In order to solicit able workers, the feudal lord offers a suitable wage in exchange for the levied manualbour. In this continent where feudalism goes unchallenged, it is an eye-catchingly advanced preposition.


    I dont know how it goes in the other ces, but the noblemen in this country, extravagant as they are, pay their subordinates poorly. They would put themoners to work in order to construct their residences, and they would settle it with the words serving the nobility is the peoples duty. Explicitly-stated, institutionalised systems ofpulsory service also exists as well. In the case of farmers, the system would have their annualnd tax reduced in exchange for their participation inrge-scaled constructions. But as I see it, I dont think that systems of that kind would work properly.


    After all, on top of the fact that the farmers would be forced to engage in the construction jobs, which would be outside their skillset, the nobles side would work them really hard in order to get the original amounts worth of thend tax that would be reduced in exchange for theirpulsory service, and a as a result, idents are a frequent urrence. If the project would be a big one, like building the new lords manor, deaths in the double-digits would be prepared for. Also, since their jobs would be excessively rigorous, there are cases where they would simply turn the spades and picks for the construction into weapons and start a riot there. Even though the facts that the farmers have their tax reduced and the nobles get a lot of workers dont change, it is possible for the fields to be ruined as a result, ending up as a deficit for both the nobles and the farmers.


    Eh? Then why dont you use ves?, you might ask. Well, for me who have twenty magic-users among my ves, it might seem that I wont hesitate to do so here. However, Im an exception. Since ves are basically those who fail to establish themselves in the society, only a few of them would have exceptional abilities.


    The reason why my ves are sopetent in terms of magic is because I re-used Unis data when I tampered their brain tissues  theres no chance for talented ves to be sold so easily. If they had construction skills only, that alone would be a reasonable selling point. The ve merchant would evoke a high price when they sold them, as one cant always buy them because of them being the rare existence that they are. And even if one were to send cheap, more-or-less mediocre ves, their ipetence disregarded, to the construction site, what they would get would be the result of a job of amateurs who were insufficiently trained, and it would be worse from what they would get from the farmerspulsory service.


    Rather, let me put it this way, farmers have a considerably better aptitude when ites to keeping farms, or undertaking cooperative work. The number of deaths due to idents will increase further as the construction progresses, rendering them a no longer usable force, and to add to the injury, one cannot buy another farmer to replenish the workforce.


    And that is why, most nobles would only asionally utilise thepulsory service system for provisional construction works. Of course, in cases where they would need to keep long-termbourers, like in mines or the odd fruit ntation, ves would be worked to the bone instead.


    I digressed. Well, in this country where this system is themon practice, the concept of public project is unheard of. While Uni said the words herself back then, she still seems to be wondering about it.


    I am afraid that Im not quite familiar with the concept. Why dont we use magic and quickly finish the job instead?


    Yes, theres that too.


    So I said as I ponder, lowering my pace. I do very, very, much want to eliminate Unis doubts here, but unfortunately alchemy is my only expertise. Politics, especially internal affairs, are hardly my concern at all. So I dont think I can exin it well.


    Hmm, lets see. This is just my interpretation, but


    For now Ill try to exin it. Were killing time as we walk anyway, and it will be a waste to try to exin it seriously. If Im wrong here, a kind soul will correct me. Like Laubert, or Victor.


    I dont think theyre aiming to mobilise the people of the territory with the expectations that they will make the construction works prosper. I think that they are giving money away to the people, in the form of construction wages.


    They are giving money away?


    Yes. After all, Marlin is in the countryside, and the tax rate has been terribly rough on the people until this year. Of course, that means that the peoples purses would be filled with not a single cent. There are no special products here, so theres nothing worth buying or selling. You would think that there is no way that this is a territory where the merchants would be interested to operate in, yes?


    Nope, nope, all sorts of no. Merchants whoe here either dont have a market share in any other ces, or theyre just really whimsical, and if that isnt the case, then they might be among the ones who colluded with the former deputies.


    However, the situation changed this year.


    Indeed, we changed it, didnt we.


    We issued a deration of tax reduction, we treated the fields with alchemy, and we also brought the new business that is the medicinal herb cultivation industry. The merchant traffic should be a lot more active than everpared to the previous state.


    And with those changes, the people of Marlin will soon be swept into it as well. Think about it, when the merchantse, theyll bring with them the products that the people might want. And when that happens, what do you think would happen if they didnt have enough money in their hands? Do you think theyll just swallow their tears and give up?


    As I asked, Uni thought about it for a little bit,


    No, I suppose not.


    She decisively answered. I thought so as well, I remarked to return her affirmation.


    If were talking about this very moment, then of course the people of Marlin are grateful to me. The misgovernment of the deputies was reformed, and theirnds, and the irrigation, were restored. They have been saved from the hell theyve been living in up until recently. And of course theyd be content with my rule. For now.


    However, human beings are greedy creatures, there is no way that the masses are sheep that would be satisfied with eating grass alone. As these people have led a life below the standard of living, they will be satisfied with living on that standard line for the time being. Given time, however, they will grow weary of it and start to demand other things. In the old Rome, the words bread and circuses were a representation of the masses demand. However, they were in fact truthful to the teaching that human cant live on bread alone, and they got tired of the circuses when they kept showing the same thing. In reality, unsatisfied with only bread as they were, they stuffed their stomachs with rare delicacies until they vomited (a peculiar thing), and they didnt find acrobatics enough either, as they made the diators fight in the colosseum.


    Well, Im the only person in this world who knows about that history, so lets leave it at that. So in short, once the people have a stable life, then they will search for amusement. And providing them with that amusement while keeping that standard of keeping would cost a lot of money.


    When that timees, if they dont have enough money when they want to satisfy those desires, what would the people think?


    In most cases they would express their discontent. Its the governments fault; they would say.


    And that is why they gave the people the opportunity to earn money so they could buy things, Since if we would hand out the money for free, the people would grow to make light of us, and the other nobles would look at me with suspicion. The merchants would never trust people who throw their money around as if they were joking.


    If one is lenient with other people, then they will be liked in return, is a self-serving thought. In most cases, people who do so would not be branded as a good people, but as convenient people instead. If one gives money without something in exchange, it will spoil most people. Since they can eat without having to work, their desire to work will be dampened and and their motivation will be eliminated. And when they have spent all of it, they will demand for more money, and if they dont get it, they willin. Like spoiled children, they will throw tantrums as soon as one stops indulging them.


    In addition, at that time, even people who didnt get their share of leniency would start to distrust that lenient person too. It goes without saying that even nobles want money as well. And if one peer of theirs was to start giving out money unconditionally to people with lower status than them, it would be very unlikely for this peer to be seen favourably.


    Furthermore, in no way can people trust a person who treats their valuables slovenly. Merchants will never bare their hearts to people with a poor sense of spending money. The merchants would try to open these peoples purses as much as they could, but that would be about it. They would never trust these people in their dealings  they would sell as much as they could sell, and then they would say goodbye. There is no hope to establish a long-term rtionship with them that way.


    And that is why, at a nce this public project is a roundabout way to do distribute money. This way, it will appear as if we werepensating the people for theirbour. It is consistent with the concept of the carrot and the stick. While preserving the authority and face of the lord, and without recklessly dampening the peoples motivation, it is a means to distribute money to necessary spots. In addition, various orders rted to the project will be the honey that would again lure the merchants to return.


    After I exined it like so, she nodded inprehension.


    I finally understand. As expected from Master.


    No, well, in the end it was just my interpretation. I could be wrong here, so if you want to know the exact answer, you can ask Laubertter.


    I attached an acute precaution to my words. What I had said a while back was outside my original expertise. Even though I am a lord, my principal upation is an alchemist, and my true wish is to realise immortality. I dont have the motivation to think about home affairs, and that is why I arranged for myself a brainwashed rank of vassals. If she wants a lecture about the pros and cons of public projects, then I suppose she should ask an expert in that field.


    As I thought along those lines, she let out a light sigh.


    But still dealing with politics sure is troublesome. Would it not be better to perform the surgery to all of the citizens?


    . Ahahahahah!


    I spontaneously raised my voice andughed. While her words was a subtle sign of her disinterest, apparently Uni has a sense of humour as well.


    Dont say unreasonable things now. Surgery isnt free, and it takes time too. As I thought, performing them on the whole of Marlin is just impossible.


    Is that so Please pardon me for my foolish remarks.


    And she apologised with that serious face of hers, so I couldnt make this any more interesting. Seriously though, she already knew that it was impossible from the start.


    Thanks to that, I had no choice but to fervently stifle myughter until we reached theb.


    Im in myb, which Ive grownpletely ustomed to, as Ive been here for months after I took the position as a viscount.


    But, during when I employed the vassals a while back, its capacity was about to burst, and it did trouble the mass-produced ves a great deal. Theb is the basement of a tiny manor that is smaller than what I had in the main residence of the Oubeniel House in the capital. It has supported my research well until now, but the time to part with it is surely drawing near.


    Before anything else, I have to augment and readjust Opus=04.


    O, O, Oubeniel are my augmentations not over yet?


    Restrained on thebs operating table, is a half-naked young man.


    Thats right. I didnt leave most of my political affairs to my vassals in order to merely spend my time in idle amusement. I have been conducting experiments to gather necessary data to create this Opus-04 Ive been through multiple trial and errors for my next masterpiece.


    Well, please calm down, Charl. The augmentations that will be applied to you are on arger scale than ever before. It will take some time.


    I spoke with a gentle tone to calm Opus 04  Charl Franz Schmidt, whose emotions were unstable.


    Ha, hahahaha I, Im looking forward to it Since your experiments have always yielded wonderful results Surely, I, too, will turn out to be a gre, gre, gre, great masterpiece


    And so Charl spoke to me with an intimate tone.


    There may be people who are able to discern from our situation what it looks like, but just to make it clear, he is an old acquaintance of mine.


    Charl Franz Schmidt. He was a fellow student before I was incited into the duel that got me kicked out of the magic academy in St Gallens capital, Gallerien, That being said, Charl and I enrolled in different departments. As you know, I was in the Alchemy Department. He was from the Necromancy Department, which specialises in Death Magic.


    TL Note: original word for death here is wraith or ghost, but I suppose Death Magic is a more universal term to depict the magic here.


    Death Magic. Its a subject that is as minor as alchemy, and at the same time, a subject people look down upon even more than alchemy. No, perhaps it would be more urate if I say that it was more hated instead. It is the magic to manipte the spirits of the dead. After all, because what it does is impure and sphemous against the dead, a dark image follows it. In fact, fundamentalist elements in the church have rmended that the subject should be immediately branded as heresy and have it eradicated, among other types of stirring around.


    But, even when the faculty is currently failing its quota, just like every other year, the subject remains to be offered in the magic academy, scraping along and holding on to its thread of life as it is.


    Why, one might ask. Because its a useful subject, thats why.


    As you might know, in this Ithush Continent, aside from humans and demi-humans, monsters exist here as well. And of course, among them exist the fantasy genre staple, the undead. Zombies and ghouls, skeletons and ghosts, and on top of that, liches and vampires These eyes of mine have caught their existence several times, and some of them have been made into materials and are now ced in the cab of thisb. Necromancers are the experts when ites to these undead.


    As expected, the best kinds of opponents to handle them are the priests with their holy magic, but most of them are needed as healers to treat the people instead, and there are not manybat exorcists around. The Empire of Omnia, which possesses the orders of the Holy Knights and the Warrior Monks is an exception, but there is always a shortage of them in other countries. And so, by the process of elimination, the necromancers, as the superiors in regard of the undead, are useful as a countermeasure against this shortage. As the necromancers are intruding in the niche industry that should have been their field of expertise, the church doesnt find them amusing, but if they were to eliminate thempletely, then they would get themselves overworked. Therefore, the ones that are making noises in the sidelines are only a small group of fundamentalists. The more upright priests, meanwhile, are giving them their half-hearted tacit approval.


    Of course, the value of their ability municating with the dead  is not low. Since the printing technology is underdeveloped in this world, duplication of documents is also inefficient  when an original document is lost, the valuable technologies and information written on it would also be immediately lost. When that happens, a necromancer maymunicate with the spirit of the past, which makes it possible to restore the lost information.


    However, this too, isnt an universal case. After death, there are cases of those who would turn into undead after their soulpses because of their grudges, but there are also cases of those who dont, and their souls disappear somewhere. The church imed these disappearances to be ascension, however, I find this im dubious. It is possible that they may be reincarnated somewhere like in my case, and they may have disappeared with the same sense of loss I felt at that time. After all, I had no idea where I was until my soul was called upon, and after allmunications were cut I had no idea where I was going as well, this affair is indeed full of mysteries. Though, the professor that I studied under did loudly criticise me for treating things that I couldnt understand as things that I could never understand.


    Well, bear in mind that this is the reason why there are souls that cannot be called back  or rather, in most cases, spirits cant be called back. In general, if all souls could be called back, there wouldnt be a maze of unsolved murders, nor would there be any unresolved mysteries left in history. Living in that kind of world may sound convenient, but it must be a rather dull world indeed.


    Besides, the mystery of so what exactly is a soul? is what were researching from now on so that we may shed light upon it, thats what I believe.


    That aside,


    Of course, Charl. After all, you are the expert in the field that forms the base of my research. Indeed, the one in charge of your augmentation is me, but seeing as Im giving my all, the result will be special.


    Yes, yes, yes.. You words s, s, s, soothe me. I put my t, trust, in your skills, Oubeniel.


    Charl spoke, while stuttering greatly while he responded, during our conversation.


    As I said before, hes an important person for my research.


    Immortality.


    To realise that goal, it is essential to investigate the soul, which is the basis of intelligent life. However, I am only apt in governing over material substances, whether organic or inorganic. Death Magic is a different matter entirely. Although I may be able to use it to a certain extent if I desperately train, it wouldnt be much of a use, and if Im too busy with it, it may impede my principal upation, as Im an alchemist. For Uni and Drei too, their kind finds a better use of their magic in battle and exploration instead.


    Thats where he, who has majored in necromancy for all this time in the academy, would be a great help to this challenging study of the enigma-riddled concept that is the soul.


    Ill be the one who will rely on your skills instead. This sure takes me back, Charl. Do you still remember, about the academy?


    Y, yes E, even now, I can still vividly, remember I helped, y, y, your research It was, f, fun


    The professor also held that experiment in high regard.


    The experiment to investigate the corrtion between the soul and the brain. It was impossible to conduct that experiment without him. Due to the number of experimental bodies consumed and humanitarian issues, it wasnt a particrly reputable experiment, but the data taken from it upied a particrly important position in my study of immortality too.


    Well then, lets wrap up our talk here Shall we begin todays augmentation as well? Uni, anaesthetise him and prepare him for blood transfusion.


    Yes, Master.


    As soon as she finished speaking, Uni quickly injected anaesthetics and put transfusion tubes in. In the past, I used to work around it by using hematopoietic drugs, but now its possible to use alchemy-cultured, pre-collected blood, in transfusion. Even though this sort of technology is difficult to realise even with the scientific power of my previous world, its avable as a cheat since this is a world of magic.


    Good, night Oubeniel


    Carl fell asleep in a p.


    As she gazes upon his peaceful sleeping face, Uni sighs.


    . He sure has changed a lot. When he was brought here, he cursed a great deal.


    Thats because I have tampered with his brain so that it works that way.


    I shrugged as I replied her.


    Charl held a grudge against me. As to how grudgeful he was, he loathed me as an enemy to the very marrow of his bones. When he arrived here after I ordered Due to haul Opus-04 as a experiment material off, he was putting on an absurdly threatening look.


    ording to what I heard, after I left the academy, it seems that he was terribly bullied because he cooperated with me in that aforementioned experiment. He also said that he was forced to drop out from the academy himself. That was why he had a grudge against me.


    So, if he was to be left that way, there was no way for me to augment him peacefully, so first I let Drei use her evil eye to calm him down, and then I treated him the way I treated Drei. Because of that, he has since be a lot more cooperative, and hes now dly receiving the surgery he once hated so much.


    I personally think I did something good. Nothing good everes out of hatred. In order to create novel things, love and respect are needed first.


    Well then, let us do this carefully. It will be quite the difficult treatment, after all. Its still effective to use as long as it takes until hes perfect, so that we may utilise him safelyter.


    Yes, understood.


    Almost a month has passed since then.


    - Final adjustmentpleted. Recovery from surgical scars confirmed. Master, Opus-04 will open his eyes in a moment.


    I gave my nod to Uni, who had been entrusted to do the finishing touches, It took a long while. It didnt take as long as when I worked on Uni, but its not often that I spend so much time working on one masterpiece only. Indeed, considering that Dues and Dreis operation, which focused only on simple ability strengthening, took roughly one or two weeks, it would be easy to understand the amount of time and effort I spent for Charl.


    Finally, 04 is going to wake up, is he? We sure took our time working on him, though.


    His refinement is different than ours, though, what ns do you have for him?


    The masterpieces who have gathered in theb to meet up have shown their interest in him as well. After all, from now on hell be their equal colleague. Of course theyd be interested.


    Well, about that -


    Youll understand when you see him, is what I wanted to say, but before I had the chance to say that,


    Huh, 04!?


    Uni raised a surprised shriek that was unlike her. At the same time, something cut through the air with a dreadful speed.


    How quick was it? Well, when it was moving, a shock wave reverberated throughout theb, and bundles of papers of written data and surgical instruments were scattered all over.


    And in the centre of theb, with its stretched, hanging hair covering its face, a ghostlike shadow descends.


    Its Opus 04  Charl Franz Schmidt.


    Hey! Could it be, hes running amok!?


    Impossible Master had him restricted!


    Due and Drei put themselves on guard, Uni and her fellows have already drawn their des.


    As I did not expect this situation, my eyes went round.


    . Interesting.


    Im finally seeing a reaction that I havent seen, from when I performed simr brain augmentations up until now, and in addition, from when I created all those prototypes on the test bed as well.


    Just what in the world is the cause that is making him running amok like this? Psychological factor? idental effect? Or perhaps -?


    In front of us, where we are staring at him attentively to observe his next move, Charls shoulders are shaking.


    . Kuh. Huhuhuhu.


    Hesughing?


    Ignoring our bewilderment, his fit ofughter is intensifying.


    Huhuh, FUHAHA-HAHAHA!!


    This madness, I know it, hes running amok.!


    Master, your approval to dispose of him, please.


    That show of insanity seems to have strengthened Uni and her fellows thoughts to eliminate him.


    However, I carefully signaled them to wait with my hands. If he really went crazy, and is now running amok, I would like to observe what he would do in that insane state of his.


    Sure enough, in the next moment,


    MAGNIFICENT!


    Charl spread both of his hands, with a thud, his ck robe spread out. Naturally, his front bangs fluttered away, and with it, his expression was exposed.


    That face, you would know that it was an ecstatic one, even from a side nce.


    Huh?


    This overflowing power in my body! This enriched magical power! This is This is the new me?! Ah, truly magnificent! MAG-NI-FI-CEEEEEENT~~~~!


    With a sideway nce, I look at the first masterpiece, whose wild speech and conduct is out of rhythm since Due, as he started to speak as if he was singing while he was spinning on the floor using one foot as his axis.


    He sure is high in spirits. As a result, his speech is turning inside out, and hes rolling his tongue as he speak, what a mess. Around the enriched magical power!, I also heard something about overflowing soma power!. What is soma anyway, some sort of a horsepower?


    This is just a guess, but perhaps due to the excitement associated with the improvement of his ability, he temporarily loses his reasoning?


    Uni muttered in a daze. Well, I suppose that everyone knows that without being told.


    Over there, his sharp hearing picked up her words to rebuke her, and with a vigorous thwack he pointed his finger,


    OOOH! HOW CAN YOU NOT BE E-X-C-I-T-EEEE-D!? IVE CHANGED, THE WORLD HAS CHANGED, EVERYTHING HAS CHANGEED! THIS EXALTATION CANT BE HELD DOOOWN! THIS EXCITEMENT, HOW SHALL I EXPRESS IT? BY A SONG? CAN I SIIIING!?


    For the moment, calm down.


    Ah, right.


    He calmed down for now after I ordered him to do so. It seems that there is no problem in the asserting obedience part of the brain surgery. But looking at that blown-up state, I feel like I lost a bit of my confidence


    Say, Milord. For that gloomy bastard to be like this, just how, and what part of his brain did you tamper with?


    Says Due while he looks like hes trying to endure a headache. As he was the one responsible for securing Charl, thisplete change might be a little bit too much for him. No, he probably finds the change to be unexpected. Even I feel so as well.


    In order to eliminate the enmity that he held against me, I integrated and converted that to vexation towards his self-powerlessness and anger towards his unsympathetic surroundings. Perhaps, now that he has acquired intensified power, it also has doubled his euphoria as well. Technically, what I did to him was the same as what I have done to Drei.


    As I exin this, Drei has an extremely upset look resting on her face. Perhaps she doesnt want to consider the fact that her treatment was the same as THAT. Though, ording to Due, she herself has changed a lot as well.


    But still, this is too much of a change, too suddenly Its good that his speech impediment is gone, but hes far from what I have imagined, and his appearance seems to have changed too


    So he says while observing Charl.


    His previous self was pathologically slim and his cheekbones were jutting out, he looked like an unhealthy young man. There were hollow dark circles around his eyes, and without that timid disposition that he had, he looked like how the world imagines someone like an evil necromancer might look like.


    However, it was all changed after the operation. His slender figure remains unchanged, but his body is nowpactly well-proportioned, his slit eyes lookspletely refreshed, and now his facial features looks like that of a good-looking young nobleman. Its just that hes a lot whiter than he was  no, its just that hes a lot paler now.


    Perhaps, its a racial effect.


    Race, you say?


    Drei blinks.


    Since hes no longer human, you see. Now Charl is a high undead an artificial Vampire Lord.


    Buh! Va, vampire lord!? Isnt that the monster that has the highest rank of risk as a subjugation target, even for a quest circted to A-ranked adventurers!?


    Due bursts out spontaneously.


    To that astonished look of his, Charl snorts in pride.


    That is corrrrrect! With the assistance of my master Oubeniel, I have now transcended from being a lowly human to the side that tramples over it! In other words! THE LORD OF! T-H-E N-I-G-H-T!


    He flutters his ck robe each time he emphasises anything. I know that hes feeling good, but our conversation will go nowhere this way. By the way, even if he refers himself as the Lord of the Night, one might understand from the fact that theres no von attached to his name, while he came from St. Gallen, that hes actually ofmon birth. Hes not that much different from Due.


    Sorry, can you tone it down a little bit more?


    Ah, my apologies, I got too carried away


    All right, I got him to be quiet.


    Drei slips in a word, while holding her temple.


    However, is this fine, master? Im a dark elf, but my existence is tolerated in the humans domain as long as Im a ve, but this thing over here is a vampire a lord on top of that. What might happen if his existence were exposed?


    Indeed, her apprehension is reasonable.


    Even though as a viscount Im allowed to keep demi-human ves and magical creatures that humans can tame, vampires are counted among the dangerous monsters, and even a king would not be allowed to keep them around. After all, it is one of the strongest adversaries against mankind. On top of that, they have the ability to rule over a person whom blood they have sucked, and can create kin from that. Of course such dangerous living (or dead?) beings would be suppressed the moment people stumbled upon them. Creating and concealing him, even when I consider the works Ive done so far, is my absolute heaviest illegal deed, against thew.


    But, Im not bothered by it. I dont have to be bothered by it.


    Indeed, it would be a problem if he gets discovered. But from where, and how can he get exposed?


    The vassals working for this viscouncy of Oubeniel are absolutely obedient to me. Its impossible to extract any secret information from them. Rather in their thoughts, Ive made it so that their instincts keep my interests as their top priority, they wont talk even if you torture them. This has already been experimented with the ves.


    But vampires suck blood, dont they? Humans blood at that. They might discover him during the process of procuring it


    So said Due. That opinion was so bing of him, as an adventurer who had hunted a lot of monsters. In truth, while vampires can hide themselves skillfully, seeing as they sometimes dont erase the trace after they suck peoples blood, a lot of them get discovered that way.


    However.


    Hey, hey, did you forget, Due? Whats in thisb?


    Hah? Ah! Now that you say that!


    Yes, theres an ideal thing in myb that can conceal the bloodsucking sessions of the vampire.


    I lightly tap the thing with pride.


    Blood packs for transfusions, with a culturing vessel.


    As you see for yourself, if its blood, I can use this to make as much as I want. If its only the amount for a vampires meal, then its as easy as pie.


    Cause Im a nocturnal, I basically only eat eat at night, though!


    Charl puffs his chest up.


    Is this perhaps his attempt to make some sort of kindred joke?


    And by the way, I mean to keep myself from sending him out as much as I can. Hisbat capability is high, but his main appeals are his superior aptitude for death magic, and his strengthened magic capacity to cast high-level spells. Basically, both will be utilised in my research.


    Eh, what? Are you spilling my potential away? Arent you being a bit mean, Oubeniel?


    TL Note: original for Are you spilling my potential away? is . Might be erroneous TL here as I cant be sure, feel free to correct me.


    By the way, Master. Putting aside the fact that hes a necromancer, how did you prepare him so far to the point that hes a Lord now? Well, so theres that kind of raw material too.


    As Dreies to me with a question, I ignore Charl who came with something on his mind and answer her.


    Now that you ask, theres actually a trick here.


    Oh?


    To her who seems to be immensely interested, I threw her the documents that had fallen to the floor. They were scattered about when Charl was being hyper a while back. The details of his augmentation is written there.


    Lets see Altered skeletal structure step by step to that of a lichs? Heart and muscle tissue altered to that of a duhans, liver of a kelpie transnted in order to make the subject resistant to running water. This is-


    Thats the gist of it. I reced his bodyponents to that of the undead step by step, and let his body adapt with them over time, and with that I gradually increased hispatibility with a vampires blood. It had an immediate effect, as he became a Lord-ss upon swapping his blood to that of a vampires right away. This is thanks to all the materials that everyone has gathered.


    In other words, hes an undead chimera that was built from a human as the base material. Well, a kelpie is a monster thats closer to a magical beast than an undead, though. Among other things, it was good that we were able to procure the lich bones. Vampire blood can be increased by using the culture machine for blood transfusion, but bones cant. The fact that I could procure a lich bone this superior in quality was a windfall in itself.


    As expected, Drei begins to sweat as she skims through the document.


    How can youe up with all these no, how can you actually execute whats in here


    Thats ate remark. If it makes me closer to my goal of reaching immortality, Ill twist my head around no matter how much, Ill do everything too.


    Oubeniel has always been like that, even when he was in the academy.


    Charl nods.


    But thanks to that, Ive be beautiful now! And Ive be strong too! And with the power of the kelpies organ, Im not obstructed by running water like normal vampires do! By the way, how tolerant am I against the sunlight?


    And he said such a thing. Though I thought that that point was already exined before the operation.


    Could it be that he wanted to let Due and Drei to hear about it?


    On the basis of estimation, youll be a bit weakened, but its still possible for you to do activities even in the sunlight. In addition to the Lord-ss durability and resilience, you have physical fitness that exceedsmon vampires. Though I couldnt do anything about your resistance against holy magic. After all, youre a number of undead jumbled together. I guess this is where the magic equipmentes in.


    Thank you for your exnation, Master! THAT MEANS! I! EVEN AMONG THE VAMPIRES, AM THE ELITE OF THE ELITE! NOT ONLY FOR MY ABILITIES, BUT MY LACK OF WEAKNESSES AS WELL, YOU SEE!


    Sure enough, he boasts, as he grows even more energetic.


    Well, even among my masterpieces, Charl is the one I have made most changes to. The power he has obtained is huge, so it cant be helped that he gets excited about it.


    So, do you understand what exactly is he now?


    Ah, yes in a lot of different ways.


    Truthfully, if it goes on like this Ill get tired. Master, when you create the next masterpiece please make it so that itll be a bit more quiet.


    Commented Due and Drei from the actual condition. Itll be exhausting to interact with Charl. For me as well. Considering his personality before his augmentation, I thought that hed be a bit quieter, it was unexpected that he would change that much.


    And I,


    Well, deal with it.


    I limited my answer to that, and dissolved the meeting.


    Master, about Opus-04


    As soon as its only the two of us, Uni begins to talk.


    Well, I suppose, considering what kind of person she is, she would definitely have a problem with Charl.


    I answer her proactively,


    Because of the instability of his mental state, you cant tell whether the obedience part of the surgery is working properly? Wouldnt it be dangerous to put my trust to him? .Is your question along those lines?


    I see that you have already noticed. My apologies for my impertinent remarks.


    Not at all, your concern is understandable. The bodies of the previous opus series were kept as humans or demi-humans, ording to what they originally were. Now that Charl is ssified as a monster instead, how far will the methods go beyond this? Of course one cant help but to think about it.


    Transforming humans into monsters. That would mean that there would be a lot of change in quality of the soul Say, for an example, that Viger A was bitten by a vampire, they would turn into a Lesser Vampire in an instant and it woulde to harm people. It may be said that the change in quality of the soul, to that of a monsters can be attributed to the loss of its human ethics.


    Even in this world of magic, the thing called soul is still an existence shrouded in mystery. No matter what kind of effect it might cause, it still wouldnt be a strange thing.


    And more so, the monster he has turned into is a vampire. Vampires can raise soldiers under their control by their own will by sucking the victims blood. Leave him unchecked, and theres the fear that he will catch me off guard while Im sleeping, and this is where the other masterpieces are not a match to him.


    But knowing that, I still turned Charl into a vampire.


    As for me, I see that the possibility for him to betray me is minimal. The result of the trial assigned to the ve specimen before him indicated that almost all of their functions went under the brain augmentation surgery. I suppose that the principal cause of this exception was also after the operation to turn him into a vampire. His behaviour is a tad queer, but among the expected pattern of personality change, I think his case counts as a moderate one.


    That means: the data says that the risk is low.


    By the way. Uni, do you still remember the experiment I did with him back in the magic academy?


    Yes, I believe it was The corrtion between brain functions of an organism and its living soul?


    Basically, you treat a ves brain, and you kill them after that, what will be of their soul postmortem? It was that sort of experiment.


    And that result of the experiment was, that the cognition of the brain changes in line every time the soul changes in quality. So far, ever since the time when I captured him to the final point when I treated him in order to change him into a vampire, I have always induced obedience towards me when I tampered with his brain, every single day.


    .


    Also, from the result of the experiments conducted on the ves on his test bed, we understand that a vampires regenerative ability is derived directly from the soul. The body restores itself ording to the information regarding that body that is engraved on their souls. Then, we understand that the point of reference for that matter generally isrgely dependent to the immediate state before and after their vampirisation.


    Basically, this is what I mean. Cut the limbs of ve A and turn them into a vampire after that, Vampire A will then start to restore their body ording to the carved information on their souls, and their limbs will be restored. On the other hand, cut the limbs of ve B, let them heal and turn them into a vampire after that, in that case, their limbs will not be reattached upon their vampirisation, nor will they grow back from the cut surface, it will simply be a limbless vampire.


    It appears that the difference between those two was caused by the state their own limbs was supposed to recognise. Immediately after their limbs was cut, ve A still thinks theyll grow back when its healed upon the vampirisation. Whereas in the case of B, it is recognised that the limbs have healed without them growing back upon their treatment.


    Such was the evidence that a vampires paranormal self-healing ability was caused directly by the self-awareness that was affixed to their soul. The same thing can be said for Charl.


    And that means, that Charl was augmented with absolute obedience towards me fixed in his head. It is highly possible that his brain tissue remains at it is after his vampirisation. Obedience towards me has been functionally imprinted in him.


    Uni should have already understood if its only about that. Hasnt she been my assistant for thest ten years? Which means, theres another reason behind her concern that was beyond that.


    Indeed, she makes a rebuttal for herself,


    But I still think that theres a lot of unknowns, in regard to his transformation to a monster. In fact, in the case of Opus-04, there have been changes beyond his physical appearance that were not intended in the treatment.


    Thats correct, there is still little data in regard of transforming a human into a monster. Since the consumption of body and other materials is something that isnt insignificant, the numbers of experiment in regard to this matter is limited, and the data outside my experiment can only be ssified as anecdotal lore that cant be relied as a reference. Even though we have done a number of experiments beforehand, and even if a hundred of experiments yielded no problem, it may not necessarily be the case for the 101th time. In order to avoid that, its necessary to repeat the experiment a thousand or a ten thousand times to increase the uracy of the data. Moreover, the changes that happened to Charl were dramatic. His looks and personality have beenpletely changed. It would be impossible to not be rmed against these irregrities.


    However.


    Say, Uni.


    Yes.


    Do you think I trust uncored ves?


    At the end of the day, thats my situation. I dont want to die. Even if the chance is only one out of ten thousand, I still dont want to die. Thats why Im studying immortality. And for me, theres no reason to leave any room for betrayal in the masterpieces that are ultimately my tool.


    And to that,


    . No. I think such would be impossible.


    My magnum opus sure understands me well.


    The Opus Series and the brainwashed vassals are just highly capable ves. At first nce, they seem to possess free will  after all if you perfectly turn them into a doll, their ability to make decision will decrease. It would be a vexing thing to have the number of instructions necessary to direct them multiplied, so in the end its only a matter of efficiency. Also, in case that I make a mistake in my judgement, if their point of view bes too uniform, theres the risk that there would just be a chain of failures after that, and so theres also the purpose to prevent that from happening. I have said this many times before.


    In Dues case, I basically removed the function that may cause him to oppose or defy me from his brain. Ive also made simr adjustments to Uni.


    In Dreis case, she was made obedient after I reattributed the subject of her sense of belonging from her n to that being a ve of mine. As an additional safety measure, I also kept her cor intact.


    Then, what about Charl?


    In his case, in addition to the psychological surgery that was simr to what I did to Drei, Ive incorporated several fail-safes as well.


    And what are those?


    I asked Uni to inquire me of the matter. But shes a clever one. Perhaps this is just a measure of modesty towards her lord.


    So, first, Id like to hear her answer first.


    Well then, take a guess, Uni.


    There would be re-augmentations to ensureplete restraints on a regr basis.


    Oh, then?


    The interior of theb is Masters absolute territory. So to deduce whether it is possible to entrust everything to the restraint that has the ultimate power over him or not, we will test his loyalty, and measure his degree of obedience at a regr interval. In addition, in order to ensure that he will not make unintended movements within such periods, a magical equipment have been attached to 04s vitals to track his location, and theres a kind of a magical tool that can be activated remotely inserted inside his body as well.


    Was that correct?, asked Uni, and wondered whether it was true or false.


    I loosened my cheeks.


    Correct. As expected from Uni, you sure understand well.


    Its an honour to have you praise me. However, this was all due to Masters guidance.


    She gently bows as she says so.


    That is how it is. No matter how much I tamper with the insides of his head, theres no way I would leave the man who held a grudge against me until a while ago with his powers unchecked. He will be my dog for the rest of his life. Even though I had kept him, what would happen by the time he could stand it no longer? At that time, since hes an undead, he will turn into a mere corpse. No, since hes a vampire hell turn into ashes instead, I guess?


    Well, thats how it goes. As long as he behaves as I have intended, you can calm down. But in the case that he deviates from that criterion


    Understood.


    That means that Uni will eliminate him without hesitation. Although Charls ability seems to be considerably high for a Lord-ss vampire, on the flip side, that is all there is to him. Originally, he was just a student in the academy. Uni, who has umted a lot ofbat experience, is still superior in battle potential, as one of my pieces. In addition to that, his specific weak point as an undead against the holy attribute remains still in ce. Though, in addition, I have covered that with the magical equipment Ive mentioned before After all, to be frank, I have no obligation to give him a perfect magical equipment. It is easy to have him to self-destruct, should I will it. In addition to that, the remotely activatable tool against the undead that Uni considered, has already been inserted in his body as well.


    Though it would be the best if it didnte to that


    I said as I took a seat to take a break.


    Well thats that. While he might be an undead, hes not perfectly immortal as he can be killed if I feel like it. Moreover, he has already made most of the world his enemy just by existing. Though he will do well as a secret piece of mine


    If thats how it is, hes still far from the point that Master desires.


    Right. I might have no other choice to do so to myself, should death approach me. For that reason, I had you remember the surgery method as well.


    Hopefully, your wish to attain the perfect form will be granted. I too am willing tomit all I have for that.


    Of course, thats what I hope too.


    As I reply to her, I tap the armrest of the chair with my fingers.


    She promptly grasped my intention and brewed me a warm cup of tea.

 Chapter 15: Roars of Laughter from Beneath the Grounds

    Chapter 15: Roars of Laughter from Beneath the Grounds


    In the gloomy tunnel, fresh blood flutters.


    Blood, meat, bones. In the twinkling of an eye, the scenery that thentern scantily illuminated is dyed in a grotesque colour.


    In spite of this amount of gruesomeness, no screams are heard. Why indeed? That is because this massacre was done all too quickly. In exchange of the screams, the loudughter of the perpetrator resounded all over the tunnel.


    Kukukuhaahahaha!! Fragile! Fragile! Too fragile! Whats this, theyre not responding at all! If this is all theyve got, it wouldnt even be enough as a warm-up now would it?!


    The figure of the person that raised this voice was someone with a matching top-and-bottom suit, a blood-red scarf, and a ck mantle coiling around his body, a youth with a noble air. Though his elegance did not match the darkness under the damp soil in itself, there was one eye-catchingly strange thing about him.


    It was his hand.


    The nails had grown and crooked in a bizarre way, as if it was an instrument of torture or execution.


    Those oundish nails seemed to outline the ruthless nature within him. It was the very weapon that massacred the true inhabitants of this dark dannel.


    Pugiiiiiiiii!?


    Gyagyagyagya!?


    Perhaps it was so much of a surprise, that even their survival instinct couldnt help them from being frozen in their spot, as those who was left behind raised their screams of amazement a little toote.


    As one might have known from their cries, both of them werent humans.


    There were a number of follower goblins, along with an orc, as the leader of the flock. Both were the types of monsters which would normally make caves their primary residence.


    Be that as it may that the only merits that the goblins had were their numbers and their intelligence that was akin to that of a childs, the orcs had a degree of physical ability that mostmon adults wouldnt be able to match. However, that was about it. For the starring actor of this massacre that, more or less, to some extent, possessed superhuman strength, these beings were not fit to be his match.


    Maybe the young man thought so as well, as as soon as hisughter subsided, his expression turned gloomy.


    . Boring. How boring. As I thought, if this is all it takes, this is boring.


    As he said so, he drew his blood-drenched ws closer to his lips, and then licked it  and then immediately spit it out.


    Awful. Theyre weak, theyre boring, and their blood tastes awful. Ah, just why were you guys alive anyway? To think that theres an existence so worthless like you lot.


    While he distorted his face in his unpleasantness, the young man shook his arms lightly.


    Then lo. They watched as that w of a weapon shrinked, and then, sure enough, his hands regained its elegant form.


    As their opponent put his weapon away, the monsters breathed a sigh of relief.


    However,


    . You arent worth my ws. So, die quickly. Sudden-Death Insight.


    What was delivered was none other than the cruel verdict of death.


    It was a curse of instant death with everyone in his sight as the target. The freezing hands of death invaded the hearts of the monsters and promptly seized them.


    .. !?


    For this repeated mass-murder, as one mightve thought, there were no screams raised this time either.


    When it came to, all of the monsters fell to the ground as if they were dolls whose strings were cuts.


    As he found his satisfaction from watching the scene, the youth once again floated a smile.


    It didnt take long until his smile turned into a mad, loudughter.


    Kuh, huhuhu.. To think that I was able to cast this high grade curse without chanting. AHAHAHAHAHAHAH! AS I THOUGHT, IM AMAZING! THIS NEW BODY! ITS SO MAG NI FI CENT I CANT STOP LAUGHING!!


    By all means, please stop. Yourughter echoes throughout the caves and it gets noisy in here.


    I couldnt resist and called him out from his back.


    Then he  Charl Franz Schmidt, ceased hisughter at once and went into prostration at lightning speed.


    Ah, yes. Im sorry, Master. I got carried away, yes my apologies.


    When I saw this change, I didnt think that hed been in his perfect form just now. I involuntary put my hand to my temples The difference in your spirits is way too extreme, Charl


    We are at present advancing through the Old Luire Mine, one of the dungeons in Marlin.


    The purpose of this expedition was to limber Charl up, to verify the profitability of the abandoned veins, and on the same asion, to fulfill the request of monster extermination in the area that was raised by themonfolk.


    And since that was the case, one of my intention was to try Charls ability out, but


    Aint gonna say anything about vampires being intoxicated when ites to blood and all that, but there was way too much fooling around in your movements there.


    - Remarked Due.


    So, imbeciles whod cast an instant death spell on small fries like those do exist after all. What a waste of mana.


    - Remarked Drei.


    . Against monsters with that sort of intellect, and strength. Surely words are unnecessary here.


    - Remarked Uni.


    Like that, the evaluation given by his seniors was terrible.


    Yes, yes. My apologies, dear esteemed seniors, yes.


    And the Vampire Lord was earnestly apologising.


    He is possibly the first high-ranked Vampire Lord ever since the dawn of history to prostrate on the grounds of a mine while apologising over and over again, huh. So I suppose in a sense, this is quite the remarkable feat.


    Looking at that curling figure as it begs for pity makes me think that all those talks with Uni regarding methods to deal with him the other day were all but needless anxiety.


    TL Note: Hes referring to the discussion with Uni regarding what they should do if Charl were to go rogue from the previous chapter.


    . No, no. Comcency is something that I absolutely must avoid here. After all, he was still a prodigy that could be counted among the top five in the Necromancy Department back in the academy. And hes an inherently evil vampire now. The possibly that this pathetic figure of his might just be an act in order for him to be slighted by his surroundings is not zero. While appropriate measures have been undertaken, he would definitely be a substantial menace if he actually went rogue. In the previous world, theres this story called brushwood and gall, and then theres Han Xins tale as well. Just because hes putting up this unsightly figure on disy today, if the tusk that could be used to turn against me in the future isnt taken away, then his threat level will not change. Lets handle him carefully from now on as well, shall we.


    TL Note: Brushwood and Gall (Wo Xin Chang Dan) and Han Xins Crawl Between His Enemys Legs (Kua Xia Zhi Ru) are two stories from medieval China with pretty much the same morals and conclusions. Feel free to Google it if you wish to know more.


    For the moment, just so he doesnt hold pointless animosity, lets patch things up a bit here.


    Under that prudential consideration, I open my mouth.


    Charl, theres no need to be that ashamed. Its fine to try to do what you couldnt do this timeter. Besides, youre primarily here as my fellow researcher, yes? You dont have to feel down when people are finding fault in your battles, which is outside your expertise anyway. Come on now, youre my masterpiece, act like one.


    Oh, Master! Master is, Oubeniel is truly magnanimous! Im so touched I cant hold off my tears!


    And as he found constion in that, he vigorously rose up, and then he stroked his own shoulders as he embraced his own body, wiggling while he was at it. Just how earnest is he here, anyway?


    Well, whatever. Theres no need to put my thoughts into something thats useless to be pondering about.


    At any rate, the first objective, which was to warm Charl up, isplete. Shall we move on to the next objective? Drei.


    Yes.


    As soon as she received my instruction, Drei starts her preparation immediately. The second objective is to re-examine the veins.


    Oh, Spirit of the earth, answer this query of mine. What might the mysteries thy concealeth be. Where might the riches thy storeth be Wide Detect!


    Along with her chants, the orderly mana released from Dreis body changes into a spell that runs through the surroundings. Its a wide-range exploration spell that borrows the power of the spirit of the earth attribute. Due to Dreis unique affinity as a dark elf with the spirits, the synergistic effect it generates greatly improves the range and the precision of the exploration spell. Let alone this abandoned mountain mine, the spell should be able to locate resources in the surrounding underground area as well.


    After a silence of a few tens of seconds, she raised her face.


    .. The deposits here are no good. The excavated area and its vicinity has already been mined to depletion.


    Saw thating. No matter how little profit the mine had left, those greedy former deputies would still never let it alone.


    Abandoning the mines so that it became a nest for monster, and then leaving it alone must have had a cause. Well, it doesnt matter, I never expected much in the first ce anyway.


    However please rejoice, Master. There was an indication that theres arge copper deposit fifteen kilometres to the northeast from here.


    Oh, thats wonderful!


    Copper mining, if it could be made into arge-scale operation, then Marlins finance will greatly benefit from it. Even from my own viewpoint as an alchemist, the fact that theres arge amount of copper  which as a material may be processed into various things -avable is a joyous one.


    . While it is indeed fifteen kilometers to the northeast, its within a rugged mountainous area. The forests along the way are also thick, so its not feasible even if we were to open a path.


    Ah.


    I realise that my joy slips away as I hear Unis remark.


    Thats right. As it is, this ce is deep within the mountains. If I were to proceed further from here, just what kind of an unexplored region would I find?


    Regardless of how promising the deposit is, in order to mine the copper, transport it, and put it into cirction, there must be a way to get there, and without it the whole deal is out of the question. I wonder how much gold it would cost me in order to expand the roads all the way there. Im not that knowledgeable in this field of expertise, but I know that thisll cost me a fortune. At least, for the current budget of my territory, theres fundamentally not enough strength to bear that kind of a burden.


    My apologies, Master. It seems that Ive agitated your heart with that needless information of mine.


    Ah, no. Eventually Marlin will develop, and surely a time wille when it will be possible to expand the roads to go all the way there. Theres no loss in bearing this in mind, in order to prepare when the timees.


    If all goes well, itll probably take ten or twenty years, if it doesnt, were probably talking about a century.


    Say, if Milord were to prepare huge golems to deploy there, wouldnt we able to excavate it right away?


    Due chimed in.


    Charl made an exaggerated sigh before answering him.


    Good grief. Just what are you saying? Itll have to knock the forest down, dig the mountain out, carry the mined copper. A golem that can carry out suchrge-scale work, wouldnt it be already at the scale of a super-weapon that the country does not allow possession of? The extent of use of the mud golem in the irrigation job was a different story altogether. They did observe it, but in the end a summons came from the imperial court for an enquiry into it anyway.


    He let out a broad grin. It probably was payback for his criticism regarding the battle earlier. Bearing the brunt of that, Dues face became stiff.


    What youre saying is reasonable but why is it so frustrating that youre the one pointing it out!?


    HIH!? No, no violence please!


    As Charl reflexively hid behind Dreis back, he got a dont touch my butt from her before being kicked, rolling all over the tunnel as he tumbled.


    Leaving out the skit that this statement started, for the most part, what Charl said was correct. If I were to make that sort of thing, the neighbouring residents who might witness that would go into a panic, and then someone would inform the Adventurers Guild, and from there the story would go around the country. I have been contributing various things to Marlin through alchemy, but I dont think that Im revered enough for the country to let me off in that serious of a matter.


    If thats the case, then theres other no way but for me and my masterpieces to manually mine it or so I thought, since that would be a bad move as well. If it just were soil and irrigation improvements in a scale that we did before, then any other lord could do it, provided they had a fairly skilled alchemist around them, but the degree of difficulty differs when ites to developing a mine in the mountains. If the news that the operation could be carried out with just a few people were toe out, then it would make the Centralists and the surrounding lords to be greatly wary of me. I already have a bad reputation in hand, and my brother along with the Centralists are keeping an eye on me. Im not in the mood to be involved in more unnecessary problems than I currently am.


    Well, theres no choice but to slowly and steadily explore the ces around the mine. The fact that we cant do anything unless we do so cant be helped anyway.


    Yes. Besides, Masters main purpose is to research immortality after all.


    Said Uni.


    Just as she said, for me territory management is, to put it nicely, a source of funding for my research, or to put it badly, its nothing more but an unnecessary diversion. Besides, as I was being too obsessive about it, I invited trouble here in the process, and that was me pulling the cart before the horse. In other words, as Im now under the watch of Marquis Lavalle and being sent Victor and hispany, I had made a huge mistake. It was something to reflect over.


    Then, were mostly done here, shall we do thest finishing touches and then go home? Heeeey, Charl! Do one more thing for me please!


    Ye, yees.


    Charl, who wobblingly came near after being called, was covered with mud after he had rolled over here and there. Rather than a vampire lord, he looks like a freshly resurrected zombie from the bottom of the earth.


    However, his skill as a necromancer, being an undead himself now, is one of the best in the continent. Id say hes probably among the top three now.


    Well, from now on Im just going to squander that talent in wasteful jobs, though.


    Well then, please begin to set it up.


    Yees. five High Skeletons, was it not? If its only that much, theres still plenty of leeway even without me chanting.


    So he said as he snapped his right hand finger that was out of his mantle.


    Instantly, a sudden change urred.


    The corpses of the monsters that he ughtered along the way began to gather in one spot. And then they werepressed by an otherworldly force, losing their material form in the process as they turned into ck particles. The particles were a form of negative energy, also dubbed as miasma. Although it is harmful to ordinary lifeforms, long-time practitioners of dark magic and monsters of darkness can manipte it to cause various phenomenon.


    Oh brethren in the dark, my kinsmen! Serve this beautiful and noble self, serve with bravery in your devotion! CREATE SKELETON!!


    Charl was floating a menacingly exalted smile, perhaps from the ecstasy of being in touch with the miasma as an undead, as he was casting his spell. That sight of his was truly bing of a Vampire Lord, the wretched king of the undead.


    However-


    Hey, didnt this guy say something about not going to chant a while back?


    . If memory serves, the words for the spell Create Skeleton isnt anything like that.


    Perhaps its an improvised poem. Though I will refrain frommenting about it.


    The other three just had to say their riposte like that, though.


    In the meantime, the miasma had cleared up, and the end product of Charls spell appeared.


    For some reason, the bluish skeletons were bleached in atrocity, and each of these monsters were carrying a rough-looking sword and shield that appeared out of nowhere. The so-called Skeleton, or perhaps calling them High Skeleton, the superior species among them, would be more appropriate. Theres exactly five of them, just as I ordered.


    How strange though. The corpses were those of goblins and orcs, but no matter how I look at it, I dont see anything but human skeleton.


    Thats a given! Rather than keeping the deceased soul inside the dead body and turning it into an undead, I turn the dead body into a material and grant it a temporary life instead, thus it is apletely new undead. For a practitioner my level, doing something like changing the shape of their bones is E-A-S-Y!


    This guys mood surely fluctuates too much for every little thing.


    The other masterpieces gazed at the dancing Charl with exasperation in their eyes.


    If it goes this far, then I suppose that this is his inherent nature? It appears to be so. He always was a timid one during his time in the academy, but when hes intimidated or being ordered, he still curls himself up even now. He stuttered slightly in the past, so I couldnt get it, but apparently, there were times when he might had been in high spirits as well.


    Hey, hey, pay attention to the job until the very end. Be sure to set up instructions for them too, okay?


    Ahahaha! Thaaats an easy task-!


    Though it wasnt much of a job, perhaps because he got to show off his specialty, he sure is in a good mood. Since its better for him to be feeling happy when doing jobs, Ill just leave him alone.


    Hear me here, okay, you people? Draw whoever that trespasses into this cave into the interiors and then kill them. You dont have to chase anyone who escapes. And


    And thus the High Skeletons are set in these caverns, I suppose itll get rid of goblins and other wild monsters.


    Thats how it is. Normally that would be the adventurers job, but unfortunately, on top of having poor transportation links, this Marlin is and with only a few things going on in it. Theres no reason for the middle-ss and upper adventurers toe here, and theres no way a fledgling adventurer would have the funds to go all the way here in the first ce.


    Theres one guild branch established here, but thats just one single branch in arge countryside where theresparatively no people in it, and virtually no business is going on in there. Their primary job is mainly receiving and sending stuff like letters, it gets to the point where theyre probably better off putting the post office sign there. Of course, theres no adventurer thatll ept subjugation quests there. So if you want to get rid of a monster in the Marlin Viscountcy, youll have to take the trouble to ask the guilds in the neighbouring counties, or the citizens will do it themselves, or the lord  thats me  will suppress them personally.


    However, the first option costs too much money. The second option has the risk to make the vignte groups into rebel groups if theyre left alone and thus theres a security concern there. Thest option, the third, is troublesome for us. No, it isnt because Imzy. The problem is that the monsters around here are low-leveled, and thus there are no decent drops that maypensate me for thebour of going around here and there. If I use the military under my control, if I move them around poorly, I may incur the costs of procuring provisions, weapons, and other various troublesome costs.


    So, I decided to ce some familiars in the dungeon, which was the monsters colony, to exterminate them. Once they are set up, they will automatically hunt the wild monsters for a long period of time. Also, if I were to keep the familiars degree of usage as it is right now, there wouldnt be a fuss, even in the one of a million chance that themon-folk or (as if theyd have the interest toe this far into the sticks) some adventurers with idle curiosity were to discover them.


    Im able to make adequate familiars using alchemy, but as I thought, in the end, that would just reek of being the job of an alchemist somewhere. And surely someone would eventually link me with the monsters that would appear in the caverns. Among the most promising candidates to do so, though I wont mention any names, would be a certain immature count whenpared to his little brother, or a certain marquis who happened to sire a bastard in his old age.


    And thats why I asked Charl, a genuine necromancer, to create High Skeletons, which may naturally ur and are possible to control. Of course, if its just the for the Create Skeleton spell, then Uni or Drei can do it, heck even I can do at least that much. But, leaving goblins aside, its hard to make a skeleton that can win against orcs. In addition, as were weak in the subject of handling spirits, the uracy of our instructions would also decrease, and a real human corpse would be needed to create one of them as well. Its not about the ability of the spellcaster, its about the spellcasters affinity to Death Magic.


    Eh? If I need a corpse as a material, then wont I be able to get no matter how much I need from theb, you say? Please stop joking. Even by chance, I cant leave any traces of my experiment outside. Its not because Im afraid that I left some traces of surgery there, its just that being careful where I should be is my principle. Ever since I still was in the capital, other than valuable samples of the corpses that came out of the experiments, I properly will burn all corpses until their bones break.. Though, when I had to leave for Marlin, I couldnt take the samples with me, so I had to burn them as well, Ah, it seems like Charl will finish his job soon.


    - Right, thats the end of it. Im done setting up instructions, Oubeniel-kun.


    Well done. Shall we return then?


    As soon as I said so, everyone else gathered around Drei. Using the space transition magic Greater Teleportation, we would be able to arrive to the mansion weve grown familiar of in an instant.


    Such a convenient thing, huh, this transition magic is. Thanks to it, even under these winter skies, we still can fly back home.


    Remarked Due keenly. Thats right. Its winter now. Charls augmentation has just beenpleted. Though I suppose a reasonable person wouldve figured that out.


    In exchange of that, the spell eats away my mana, and if it fails well fly straight into the walls. Dont let go of my hand, alright? The farther away you are from me the more likely youll run into a transition ident Master, your hand, please.


    I took upon on her words and grabbed her hand. Due is holding her other hand. Uni and Charl are nearby. If its those two, even if theres a mistake by chance, their surgery would interfere and readjust their position as to prevent them from running into an ident. As for me, magic suppression skill aside, because the problems of absolute quantity are involved, its hard for me to step in when ites to transition.


    After Drei was done chanting a drawn-out chant so as to execute the spell perfectly, she closed her eyes and called the name of the spell in the end.


    .. Greater Teleportation!


    The providence of nature distorts, and through the dimensional wall we leave the abandoned tunnel. As long as the remaining skeletons do their job properly, we wont return here for a while.


    I see. and so, at this stage, mining the likely deposits will be quite extortive.


    After he marked the map based from the information received from Dreis investigation in red, Victor raised his face. Due to his ability and his status, he now upies the position thats akin to the chief of the domestic officials. Well, his predecessors was morallypromised and werent that skilled in the first ce, though. Contrary to my expectation, with his known merits, the whole deal should not be a trouble for him.


    Although the amount of materials are more abundant than expected, its a shame that because of the cost and current technology, their practical uses is unexpectedly few.


    Good grief, though even if it can be excavated, mineral poisoning will appear here and there and it will be quite tough to deal with. So, on the contrary, the fact that it has extortive cost seems to be a good thing.


    I said while rxing on the offices chair. Even though I have wholly delegated most of the job, Im still obligated to put out a word when ites to deciding important matters and anything rted to alchemy. Especially in this subject, which revolves around the mine as a source of valuable material. If I cant be serious at times like these, therell be quite the noise after this. Although their brain augmentation prevents them from betraying me, it wont stop them from reprimanding me.


    You have a point. Well, in light of our current financial position, Im afraid that we cant afford to invest in mines.


    So, from your viewpoint, what is the ideal spot for you?


    This spot: its where copper, tin and lead oveps. There are also mountains where gold and silver can be mined, but Im worried that the country will butt in if we were to dig those out.


    Riiight, its never that simple huh? To put it the other way, a mountain of gold, or silver, would be put directly under the king.


    How unfortunate if we could dig out that gold and silver ourselves, Id be able to make as much magic equipment as Id like.


    Your excellency.


    Ah, yes. Got it, got it, Im properly listening. You rmended this triple deposit, yes? Ill also make estimates for the pollution control facilityter, so let me consult the person in charge.


    I responded hurriedly to his unexpectedly piercing reaction. Victor and Laubert, these people surprisingly dont pamper me. Though that part was my doing, times like these would make me think that it would be better for me if I were to make them a bit more reasonable.


    Im really asking you here. Mineral poisoning is a serious case. Well then, on to the next issue. Its about the construction of your formal mansion that was entrusted to Laubert.


    As I thought, was thend I wanted no good?


    I asked proactively.


    The matter in question was about the nned construction site for my residence. Ive selected myself a ce where thends spiritual power is good, which is suitable for building in alchemyb.


    However, theres some problems there..


    Of course its no good. The designatednd was far too detached from the town. It cant be used as an administrative centre that way. The one you proposed within the town is also out of the question. Isnt that the ce where the church currently is? Youre going to destroy a church in order to build your residence, even your low reputation will go rock-bottom this time around, you know?


    Victors reply was within my expectations.


    Thend where the spiritual power is strong and within the boundary of the town is mostly dominated by the church. Its purpose is so that the priests may use it as a ritual ground in order to castrge-scale holy magic. If I were to forcibly take thend from them, it would mean that I would be adding even religion into the long list of my enemies. Besides, as recovery magic is practised there, the church of this world also functions as a hospital. If the lord were to destroy it out of his own selfishness, it would be inevitable that the support of the people would plummet.


    On the other hand, if the administrative processing capability were to decline because the residence was built far from the town, then my problems, in the eyes of the lot from the capital, would soar as well. How troubling.


    Better yet, cant you just make yourboratory separate from the residence?


    I wouldnt be troubled if thats possible. But, think about it. Every single day, the lord is seen to be entering and leaving a mysterious facility in a ce out of town. If my brother and your father were to hear about it, they would gleefullye to investigate. To make matters worse, ever since I got here, my research has be too radical.


    Thats your just deserts though? As if a dark elven ve wasnt enough, now you went as far as dragging a vampire into this. Had I not been brainwashed, Id find myself running to the church, the High Court, or the Adventurers Guild.


    Even though his lord is venting about his problems, thats what this vassal is concerned about.


    I reflexively looked up to the heavens.


    Ah, good grief.. I thought that I just got back from a dim underground dungeon, and now theres this. Sigh, cant I ever catch a break


    At that time. There were something shing in my mind.


    Better yet, cant you just make yourboratory separate from the residence?


    I thought that I just got back from a dim underground dungeon


    If we could dig out that gold and silver ourselves, Id be able to make as much magic equipment as Id like. -


    Huge golems to deploy there, wouldnt we able to excavate it right away?


    Such a convenient thing, huh, this transition magic is.


    Those words became a dot, and then a line was created between them, as they linked with each other, they built a picture.


    This is by any chance, could this idea be viable?


    Or rather, howe I couldnt figure out something this simple?


    Your Excellency? Are you okay?


    - Thats right, yes. If its like that, then wont it all be okay? In the unlikely event where their investigating hands were to break into the residence, with this move, it wouldnt be a problem.


    Paying no attention to Victors words, I was piecing the n together.


    After I finished my trial calctions, I rose from my chair and called her.


    Uni.


    Yes, by your side.


    Victors eyes went round as he saw that Uni appeared without a sound, but I ignored him.


    I dont do it so much now, and besides, Uni appearing as soon as I call her should already be amon knowledge around these parts.


    The construction of theb will be moved ahead of schedule. We cant afford to leisurely wait until the snow thaws. Lets start right now.


    As you wish.


    Ple, Please wait, Your Excellency. Lab construction, right now, you said? Where would that be? And what about the new residence?


    Victors somewhat noisy. But well, if he hears this idea, he will be silent and go along with it.


    As for the ns for the new residence, Ill leave it to Laubert and you. Build it wherever you wish. If youre the one building it, even if its seen from a noblemans perspective, you wont build that much of a weird building now, will you?


    That goes without saying though


    But youll have to make a mansion with arge basement in it. You can build it under the pretext of storage, or a wine cer.


    Will that be fine for theb?


    As you suggested, I decided to build it apart from the living quarters. The ce is right.


    After thinking for a moment, I pointed to a spot in the map.


    Lets build it here. Its decided.


    As he saw the spot that I pointed at, Victors mouth hung open without his usual grace of a young nobleman.


    Its probably because of the construction site I proposed. On top of being too far detached from the town, no matter how one might think about it, it would be impossible to make something like ab there.


    But, thats where this idea is brilliant.


    Ju, just what are thinking, Your Excellency!? Your Excellency!?


    As I heard his confused voice which I havent heard for quite a while, Uni and I left the office.


    I walked in an excited, exhrated manner that was so unlike me.


    Although one of the vassals who passed me in the hallway found it creepy, I didnt pay it any mind.


    Its good that Masters happy. Well then, what might you be thinking of?


    Yes, well, hear me out.


    To Uni who boldly asked me, I confided her in this idea that I just thought of.


    As if she had just heard something impossible, she blinked her eyes several times over.


    That is quite the outrageous idea.


    Are you opposed to it?


    No I do not mean it that way.


    Uni seemed to be taken aback, but she soon gave me her seal of approval.


    Like during that time with Charl, she said so without overlooking her apprehension no matter how small. Im bing more and more confident in this idea.

 Chapter 16: Party Night

    Chapter 16: Party Night


    Construction of the Lord of Marlins new residence, which was started during the arrival of spring, advanced at an astonishing rate, and has now beenpleted.


    Because the territory was a remotend, they couldnt be borate with the mansions decorative side, thus the construction progressed in favour of the mansions functional aspects only.


    As the viscounts golems were put into work, and as the poption was mobilised, the foundation works were finished at a considerably rapid pace.


    The mansion was built as the base of the Viscounts sitting administration, but unlike the deputys manor whichid in the centre of the town, it was located outside of the fortified town. As the mansion served to manage the administration of the entire viscountcy and not only the county town of Marlin, it was located near to the intersection of the highway which extended throughout the region. At the same time, the deputys manor, which was once the viscounts temporary residence, was left as an office for vassals responsible for the towns administration.


    The newly built residence was more like a small castle, rather than a mansion.


    The mansion is surrounded by a bailey, which itself is enclosed by a deep moat, and watchtowers are affixed to the main building. Since the mansion lies outside the fortification that protects the town, their presence is a given as a countermeasure against bandits or monsters.


    However, for a building that ims to have disregarded appearance in pursuit of its utility, its hard, rugged appearance casts an intimidating impression to its surrounding, in a different sense than the deputys manor  which lords over the townscape.


    If a stray traveler were to see the figure of this residence illuminated by the shes during a thunderstorm, theyd go, Good Lord, is this the Demon Lords castle, where evil spirits dwell? as they went to be frightened out of their wits. Really, what a pretentious piece of structure.


    What an eerie-looking dwelling. Id say that it is just so like that little brother of his, though.


    There was a building that couldnt be called as a mansion nor a castle that sat on top of a small hill at a distance from the viscounts residence. From there, a man muttered this ironically.


    TL note: First sentence was . Not too sure about this part, TL might be erroneous. If I did make a mistake, please feel free to correct it in thements.


    The man was dressed in starched formal clothes, and there were no sunburns on his skin. His beard was well kept. From the way he dressed, he probably was a noble, but from the quality of his clothes, it could be surmised that he was a humble subordinate of another house.


    The man haughtily took a nce backwards.


    Listen well, you people. We will now head for the viscounts residence, but Ill say this over and over again. Yes, over and over again. Make sure you dont draw any attention to yourself, okay?


    He was talking to the four figures who held themselves at a distance behind him.


    Their attire werepletely different to the man who dressed like a nobleman, in the way that they seemed to be boorish. While they kept their appearance as tidy as they could so as to keep their appearance proper for a visit to the viscounts residence, they only wore things like chain mail, breastte, and clearly, weapons. And even when dirt and filth had been brushed away from them, it was still obvious from their appearances that those things had been umting quite the damage from battles, as small scratches were engraved here and there.


    For a band of escorting knights, their arms had no sense of unity, and the things they wore as decorations seemed to be unrted with each other as well.


    And a group of people who could still move alongside the nobles while having such characteristics. In this Ithush continent, there was only one possibility as to who they might be.


    They were adventurers.


    I said we got it. You expect us to be on our best behaviour, like a temporarily hired escort should, right?


    Said the lightly-equipped swordsman that seemed to be the leader among the four men. While he indeed wore a breastte, and his armour covered his elbow, knee, and shin, one may see that they werent designed to protect his body. They were equipment made for the sses of vanguard that go on the offensive, in order to protect those areas from being hit by the sword while they nimbly move around.


    But you wont mind if we were to indulge in the feasts leftovers, yes? Its not often for us to partake in a nobles banquet. I wish youd give us that leeway at least.


    .. Do whatever you want. Though I myself will try to keep whatever theyre serving from entering my mouth as much as possible.


    Said the noble-styled man as he snorted.


    After all, the other party is that notorious ve Murderer


    Today, at the new residence of Lord of Marlin, Tullius Shernan Oubeniel, a banquet to celebrate the residencespletion is being held. Various stakeholders have been invited to this feast.


    The main participants were the neighbouring lords, the viscountcys upper ss, regr and irregr merchant  and the head of the noble house of Oubeniel which entrusted thend to him.


    TL Note: original words for regr and irregr merchants were , which means (Tullius) merchant rtions and merchants that have beening and going in his territory. I tranted it as regr and irregr for the sake of simplicity.


    However, the viscounts brother  the count and the head of that family  was being upied by a business he couldnt let go of at that time in the capital, and his delegates had been sent to attend instead. Everyone knew that it was only an excuse, though. The true reason, which is the discord between the two brothers, had been a public secret after all.


    The Broussonne-based adventurer party, Green Squad hade to this ce under the pretext of being the escort to that said counts delegate.


    Still, the ce is more bleak than I imagined, or rather, the inness of this residence.


    Said Gael, the Green Squad leader, as he nced around the entrance hall.


    Red carpet wasid on the floor, and since the ce was newly constructed, not a single speck of dust had fallen from the ceiling. But there was a scarcity of things like arts or decorations which usually could be found in a wealthy peoples house. The only painting there was, was a reproduced portrait of the first head of the House of Oubeniel on thending of the staircase leading to the second floor, which was connected by a stairwell. Things like statues in the centre hall, or the vases or pedestals that usually were at the ends of the corridors  it could be said that the things that Gael thought should belong in a noblemans residence was extremely few.


    Hes living really modestly, isnt he?


    So he asked to his client, the delegate, with a low voice.


    He thought that hed be ignored, but instead the man replied as he turned his head.


    Well, I suppose hes forced to do it. After all, like what you saw along the way here, this territory lies far in the countryside


    The colour of apparent scorn and contempt lurked within his tone of voice.


    Being an aristocrat means being involved in the business of selling appearance. Putting expensive art objects and furniture at ones home is a great opportunity to show ones status to their visitors. So what happens in this mansions case where expensive things like that are scarce? The answer is as one may see. The owner would be made light of by the other nobles. At the very least, people would think that the owner couldnt even afford to deck out their own property.


    Of course, if one were to continue to spend high on things that didnt match their wealth, then people would deem that person as a squanderer, and in cases where the furniture did not follow a certain style, then, yet again, the person would be made light of as a tasteless one. Considering those areas skillfully was supposedly what the respected nobles in high societies do. However, in Tullius Oubeniels case, it was as if giving that thing over is out of the question.


    Guessing from the look of things around him, Gael thought to himself, man, being a nobleman is tough..


    Too bad.. I thought I could see the so-called treasures of the nobility.


    The warrior, which was the youngest among the party, grumbled as he wriggled his hands around casually.


    TL Note: There are two simplifications in the sentence above. , nobushi, is more like a gueri fighter, some kind of a warrior ss in medieval Japan.  is a lot moreplex than moving ones hand casually. Its a contemporary ng of a set of moves which I cant trante well to English. Heres what the term means (in Japanese).


    His fellow magician poked his head lightly with his cane.


    Ouch!?


    Please stop it, youre being rude. Its because you say things like that, that people are spreading nasty gossip that were thieves behind our backs.


    The guild has been dubbing the job of unlocking keys, disarming traps, scouting and the sorts as what the rangers did. Actually, the outdated custom was to call the person doing these tasks as a thief.


    But, currently, the word thief means exactly what it is.However, the changed form of the job title is only asionally used, so that people do not confuse these people with the target of their subjugation quest, the custom to call them that took root, and once a thing has taken root, it will not easily go away. In fact, currently a lot of former thieves have turned over a new leaf to be rangers.


    Cease the skit. Were currently the guard escort of this noble gentlemen over here.


    Indeed. Lets not do anything unsightly, we should be careful so as not to hurt our clients honour, and ours as well.


    Gael chimed in to agree with his fellow vanguard heavy warrior.


    Having witnessed that, the noble client diverted his line of sight from them and sighed. If Gael and his other man didnt advise their fellow people, surely the would get a handful from himself.


    It was at that time.


    Oh, well well well-


    A young noble was descending the stairs of the hall, and he was apanied by a blonde man that seemed to be his vassal.


    His facial features, they look young. Id say hes probably not in his twenties yet.


    His attire was strenuous. Over the gold-embroidered deep crimson justaucorps was a silver-embroidered ck vest that entuated the former. A shiny white cravat adorned the bottom of his neck. He dressed like a dandy that would stand out in the capitals evening party, though regrettably his face was too in to wear that clothing in a stylish manner. He did by no means look ugly, (to the contrary, he was rather well-proportioned), but somehow there was not enough of air of magnificence about him. That gently smiling face too was, for some reason, vaguely giving the impression that he was feeling troubled because he was suddenly forced into what he was wearing. The young vassal that was apanying him would look better in that attire.


    - Greetings, you are my brothers delegate, yes? Wee to Marlin. The names Tullius.


    The way he gave a slight bow as he spoke indeed gave the impression of a good-natured son of a nobleman who was not yet used to the ways of the aristocracy. It was almost enough for Gael to forget about various ill-rumours that he heard about him.


    But he could not afford to forget. The young noble was the cause of House Oubeniels loss of reputation in Broussonnes society. He was so abhorred people went so far as to call him the ve Murderer, or the Man-Eating Snake.


    Sure enough, the delegate floated him a smile.


    Goodness me, it is a great honour to be received by Your Excellency, the viscount, himself.


    And he greeted him back with teeth-grating ttery. Seeing that change, it would be hard for someone to imagine that he just spoke ill about the young man using the strongest words possible just a while ago.


    While being stumped by the so-called facade of the aristocratic society, Gael and his fellow Green Squad took to their knees to greet the noble.


    Oh, who might these gentlemen be?


    Hired men to escort me in my journey, these men are adventurers.


    I see. Indeed, the roads have been dangerous recently. Name yourselves, please.


    As he issued his permission, Gael raised his face.


    I lead the Green Squad Party, my name is Gael.


    This is the first time Ive heard of that party, your rank is ?


    Yes. Weve received the C-rank rating from the guild.


    C-ranked, huh. I wonder if you are in the upper tier among the middle-rank. For doing something like journey escorts, you have quite the reasonable number of men.


    Oubeniel disyed an unexpected familiarity with the adventurers circumstances. No, considering that hes the master of that Silver Wolf who reigned over the capital until a few years ago, of course hed know at least that much.


    The Silver Wolf Uni. Gael had crossed paths with her several times. She was an eerily expressionlessdy of whom not one soul knew about what was going on inside her head. She did perfectly even in quests that demanded a fair amount of skills, and despite being a solo, she was a monster who fulfilled an unusual amount of requests during a short period time. The fact that she might be somewhere in this hall made Gael couldnt help but to worry about the future of this job.


    As squalid as these men might be, I sincerely hope Your Excellency might extend his hospitality to them too.


    .. Victor.


    Yes, I will have someone to show them the way to the barracks at once.


    The blond youth named Victor gracefully turned around and went his way to call someone.


    Weve broken the first barrier, huh


    Inside, Gael was relieved. If the Lord Viscount were to refuse the presence of these band of unknown adventurers, and say something like why dont you use the towns inn, it would be a troublesome thing for him.


    Viscount Oubeniel gently smiled.


    Until the time of the banquet, please feel free to enjoy yourselves. Though Im afraid this is a new residence, and so theres absolutely nothing interesting to see here.


    Gael and his men were guided to a barrack built in the premises. It probably was there as the lodging spot for the viscounts soldiers in case of emergencies. They were ced in a drab room with only a pair of double bunk beds and a single table inside it.


    We will bring beverages for you gentlemen in a moment. Please excuse me.


    The maid who guided them gave them a single bow before she left. She was wearing a silver cor on her neck. Maid uniform and ve cor- thatbination reminded him of a certain face hed rather not see if possible.


    As he shook the feeling off, Gael called out to hispanions.


    Hey, so how is it?


    Theres no sign of presence around. I dont feel were being watched.


    Said the youngest warrior among them as he put down his hands, which he used to cover his ears.


    Still, theres really a lot of ves here in this mansion, or rather, this castle? Hah.


    I know, right? Usually, maids are supposedly apprentices in lessons of good manners who learn through serving a lord, but


    He isnt really popr, is he? I mean, the lord of this ce.


    Rather, its surprising that living ves are swarming in this ce. Isnt it the word of the people that Oubeniels second son is someone with a bad hobby of buying ves andter killing them?


    He did it as an alchemy experiment or something, that kind of rumour?


    Then, the magician said,


    That story seems fake, apparently.


    Is that so? I heard that alchemists do various weird research in order to attain their goal of immortality though.


    Thats just crazy talk. Alchemy is actually a field of magic that concerns itself with permanent transmutations of an element thats already there in the first ce. Like concocting potions from medicinal herbs, or enhancing weapons and armour with magic to make them into magic equipments. I suppose the reason as to why alchemy is seen as suspicious is because the job is basically about giving super-mysterious attributes to such objects.


    The mages words were sharp. Because he had learned magic earnestly and he had been surviving through life because of it, he wouldnt want to believe the superstitious infamy of that one subject.


    Probably finding the mages reaction amusing, the young warrior jokingly said,


    So, what are you suggesting? Do you mean that the viscount is actually a good person?


    I wouldnt say that far, its too hasty to say that. Alchemy is a fully-fledged subject of learning, but it doesnt necessarily mean that all of its learners is a good person. Whether a scoundrel whod torture ves and then kill them really does exist or not, the matter itself not entirely impossible.


    So its not that all alchemists are degenerates, its just that the viscount is a special kind of degenerate scum, is that it?


    Well, I guess you can say so. Back when he was in the capital, even with a little research you would know that he bought a lot of ves, so much of them that it wasnt possible to pack them inside the main house of his old residence, It seems that some of them were brought here, too.


    And among them is that Silver Wolf.


    Stop it, just dont make me remember that unpleasant stuff.


    Gael involuntarily moved his hand to his temples.


    The Silver Wolf is C-ranked, which is the same as them. However, in practice, it may be said that she might have the ability of an A-ranked adventurer. To prove the rumour, a party of B-ranked adventurers crossed her once, and she annihted them all by herself.


    Moreover, there are also talks that hes got another adventurer with him too.


    That B-ranked swordsman, Two-Handed Sword, wasnt it? Supposedly, he was from St. Gallen.


    Good grief. If thats true then that adds to our problem.


    Yeah, so basically well have to slip through two adventurers who are ranked higher than us before we get to investigate, right?


    To investigate.


    It was the main objective of the Green Squad that had slipped themselves into this residence.


    The requester was none other than the head of the viscounts family, Count Linus Streinn Oubeniel.


    Go and investigate whether my brothers usual abnormal behavior has gotten worse. There hasnt been any news about him ever since he entered this territory, but on the contrary, thats suspicious to me. The probability that he might have taken hold of the officials that he recruited from the capital is high as well, and if thats true, its possible that he hasnt ceased his usual atrocious deed of ughtering ves. If you were to find a proof of that, bring it to me in secret. And so on, and so on.


    In short, they were a piece in this secret feud between the two brothers.


    Well, well just have to do it.


    It was not that he wasnt feeling disappointed after being forced into epting the fact that thy were there as a noblemans hound. However, in recent years, he felt that the Green Squad hadnt been making much of a breakthrough as adventurers. It might have been said that they had reached their limits. Although they had been drawing attention to themselves from within the middle-ranked as they rose to rank C, their growth had stopped right there. For Gael, theycked in a certain necessary thing to rise even higher as an adventurer. It might have been the talent forbat and exploration, or it might have been the adventurous spirit to challenge difficulties. He didnt know what exactly that thing was. However, it was because of those reasons that they had been remaining in a standstill before the wall that is rank B for years now.


    The moment he figured that out, he realised that at some point of time they had been looking for stability without even realising it. They scraped their lives through the days, they scrambled for the pie against the simrly-ranked adventurers and their seniors, and as the greenhorns rose into prominence, before long their decline surely woulde. Before Gael had realised it, he had reached his thirties, and his fellow heavy warrior has reached it too. He felt troubled with those things, or perhaps it was fear, or maybe, what he felt was an aversion. The mage and the warrior still were in their twenties, but they had been in this trade for over a decade now. They were aware that their growth had been slowing down as well. Even if they were to continue doing this for a long time, they wouldnt be able to rise so high up there .


    Then what were they to do? .. They may simply have no choice but to quit from being adventures. But if they were to simply drop out like that, for them who only knew how to fight, it might be impossible for them to return to a normal life now, they might be cast out to wander the streets or they might even go lower by making violence into their livelihood by turning into ouws.


    And so, there was this matter. They were being forced to do their noble masters bidding and engage in intelligence work for a political feud. That itself was a painful road to take, but at least their opponent was a regr person. They didnt have to fight a literally inhuman monster, they didnt have to run around secluded and unexplored regions, and they didnt have to ruthlesslypete with those groups whod do the previous stuff while humming a tune. For Gael and his men, it was an attractive alternative.


    To mention the fortunate thing about it, the still-young Linus hadnt yet had any adventures for him to rear as his personal adventurer. If they were to upy that, surely they would never miss a meal from then on. If they were to take the counts hand now, surely they would be the most veteran among his ranks, and so theyd be useful for a long time, which would prevent them from being easily discarded. Such was his forecast.


    This is going to be a tough job, but thisll be thest one. If we can push through this, well openly be under the Counts house.


    We can finally say goodbye to the days where we put ourselves on the line against monsters, huh.


    If everything goes well, we might even be employed as his vassal.


    And for that, we absolutely cant fail this time.


    Yeah.


    Gael hit his palm with his fist as he said so. Its dry sound reverberated in the barrack room.


    Our future depends on this. All the other people, whether its the Silver Wolf or the Two-Handed Sword. We wont let them get in our way..!


    Later that evening.


    Numerous round tables were arranged in the mansions reception hall, and on top of every single table was an overwhelming amount of tes of dishes. They might have been presented by the viscounts people, various meat such as beef,mb, pork, chicken  all sorts of foods were aligned perfectly, and each of them were steaming fragrantly. Although Marlin is a mountainous area, dishes of seafood, which apparently was brought from Canales through the border with great pains, were provided as well. The star of the show was a baked shrimp that was asrge as an adults arm.


    It was a banquet to celebrate thepletion of the new residence of the lord of Marlin, Tullius Shernan Oubeniel. Today, in this ce where the utmost luxury was being gathered andmemorated, the lighly-groomed Gael and his men already had mixed into the crowd. In normal circumstances,moners could never make their way into a ce like this, but apparently even the farmers were also invited to the banquet. If one were to use that as a basis of their reasoning, then the delegates escort, Green Squad, also could be included among the worthy guests.


    For the adventurers, the fact they were being in a ce where the gussied up noblemen and merchants gathered made them feel terribly ill at ease. Just start already, Gael thought to himself as he saw Tullius at the end of his line of sight, finally, he was there standing on the podium.


    Ladies and gentlemen. I offer you my sincerest gratitude for attending this celebration tomemorate thepletion of this residence.


    Then, the newly appointed viscount cut his greetings short and got the ball rolling with these words,


    - Well, Im afraid a greenhorn like myself is bad with tedious, dragged speech like these. Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy yourselves. That is all.


    . And thus down came the curtain quickly.


    Even from Gaels perspective, that conduct had to be some sort of a joke. Shouldnt a word of greetings in a ce like this usually include something about gratitude to the king and the church and the like? The guests of honour in the periphery were seen to be dropping their jaw or leaking aughter. Vassals, such as the young man called Victor looked up to the heavens and covered their eyes in shame.


    . This kind of behaviour is unexpected from a counts pedigree.


    Is, isnt that because he didnt want to keep us waiting?


    Fool. Even if you wanted to be courteous, youll still have to give a word first.


    Ive heard that although he was granted a viscountcy, it actually was to banish him from the capital, now I understand why


    The noblemen and the elderlies tantly expressed their annoyance in that manner. While sipping the wine that had been served to them, they uttered several words of disgust and disappointment.


    Of course, they didnt rudely raise their voice so much as for Tullius to hear them. Perhaps because of that, Tullius, who had already gotten off from the tform and were then greeting the guests, was tilting his head in order to see the guests of honour who were exchanging whispers.


    Leader. Even if we didnt investigate anything, wouldnt that young master be demoted from his post due to his ineptitude anyway?


    Shhh!


    While rebuking the young warrior who carelessly slipped out that remark, deep down he felt that the youth might be correct.


    Even from the viewpoint of Gael who didnt know formal etiquettes, Tullius Shernan Oubeniels behaviour was out of the question. Truthfully, he couldnt believe that thepletely naive young man was to safely fare in the aristocratic society. After all, to his noble associates that were currently gathered in the room, the impression of Tullius was already absentminded at best and idiotic at worst. And that information would get into thework of social circles, and spread in a blink of an eye. Even that he was nothing more but an adventurer, Gael could at least understand that much. Because keeping an eye close and straining an ear for information about ones peers works pretty much the same in any kind of society.


    Meanwhile, at the hesitating noblemens sidelong nce, a group of people was approaching to greet the viscount. They were merchants.


    My, my. Your Excellency truly is an unique person!


    Indeed, just like the adage in our trade, time is money


    Greetings, thank you for the deal on the distribution of your potion . Were looking forward to continuing this mutual rtionship in the future.


    So Ive heard that youre nning to open a mine nearby, yes? In that case, we, too, would like a share-


    If was a storm of such adtion.


    The delegate from his house snorted.


    Humph. What words for someone theyve just met.


    Perhaps they are saying these things in order easily lobby him in the future, lets get ourselves some rights and concessions, is probably what theyre having in mind.


    Gael surmised as such. Even as they were sucking up to him, there were no respect in the merchants eyes. Rather, their re was as if they were trying to propose a loan for their household thats currently supporting a high-ss beautifuldy. Butter the viscount up with skillful words, stretch their roots in the domains economy, and then seize its flow of gold. Even if the lord of the territory were to change or even if the country were to seize the lord, as long as their invested businesses or projects continued to function well, the arrangement would mean that they still wouldnt be severed from their long-term source of revenue so quickly.


    Sure enough, against that scheme, the viscount,


    Weeell, since were currently in a celebration


    Warded it off by stating so.


    Now, now, more importantly, please enjoy the dishes before they get cold. As you can see we have a lot of items ordered from Canales, though some of you mighte from there, and you might have grown tired of these items already, at any rate, please feel free to relish in the vours of this houses cooking.


    I, indeed.


    If thats what Your Excellency rmends then.


    So, he was able to splendidly use his mind to evade that. Though, why didnt he use that mind of his during the greeting? Even Gael was having a hard time understanding that.


    By the way, sir. Arent you supposed to do your delegation stuff?


    I know it already. Im leaving now.


    To that suggestion, the delegation quickly retracted his sullen face and went away to express his greetings.


    As he saw that, Gael once again thought that being a noble is rough. Unlike adventurers that simply needed to be skillful to do their job, there were too much restraints in the aristocracys line of work. But, there was indeed some sort of steadiness that couldnt be found in the meritocracy of the adventurers rough society.


    And while he was thinking about that.


    Dear guests.


    Someone called out to Gael and his men, He turned around as his heart involuntarily skipped a beat. There was the statuesque stiff beauty, theposed-looking maid whose feelings could never be guessed by anyone. And on the back of her neck was the silver cor that was the origin of her title.


    S, Silver Wolf.!?


    In the entirety of Marlin, she was someone he had wanted to meet the least.


    There was no mistake, it was indeed the Silver Wolf. While she was indeed still in her teens, that figure which he hadnt seen during the years have grown somewhat taller, and while she had be more feminine, there was no mistake regarding her identity.


    Wh, what, do you want?


    While he promptly tried to keep a calm facade, he poked hispanion who were petrified due to his shock to bring him back with his elbow.


    Why are you calling out to us? Could it be that shes suspecting that were here to investigate?


    To Gael who were sumbing to his uneasiness behind his fake ordinary visage, Uni said


    . May I interest you in some beverages?


    She was carrying a tray with a bottle of alcohol and a number of sses equal to the number of Gaels party.


    His shoulders fell down reflexively.


    Ah, no were good. Were in charge of guarding someone. Surely nothing will happen here in His Excellencys residence, but just in case, itd be better for us to refrain from alcohol.


    Is that so. Well then, please excuse me.


    Uni bowed after she spoke, and then she walked away.


    While seeing her off, Gael and his fellow Green Squad gleefully breathed a sigh of relief.


    That surprised me. She was just offering a drink


    Anyway. So she really was a maid.


    As an adventurer she always wore an apron and dress, I thought she was just being entric though


    Normally people wouldnt think that she was really a maid, doing adventuring jobs in the sidelines.


    Seriously. The fact that she was only an adventurer in the sidelines and still ranked higher than them, and then the fact she waspletely leading in terms of ability. When I think about it, it makes me feel that all I did in the past was in vain.


    Still


    The mage of the party opened his mouth.


    It has nearly been three years since she received herst quest. Assuming that she had devoted herself exclusively as a maid during those years, I believe this will help us a lot.


    You mean that she has been on a hiatus?


    Indeed, that was the case. Adventurers are human too. No matter how much one were to increase their ability, if they were to lose the chance to use those abilities, then ones proficiency would surely drop. Just like how horses that are kept in their stables all day will no longer be able to gallop, adventurers who dont go on adventures will also decline as well.


    Hey, you. I told you my ss is empty so bring me arger bottle, why took you so long?


    Yes, my apologies.


    Quickly pour it. Sigh, paying attention to nobles beforemoners is supposedly amon sense.


    It is as you say. My apologies for my ineptitude.


    Gaels and his fellows eyes went round.


    That girl, whose prestigious title, the Silver Wolf, resounded loudly in the capital, was lowering her head repeatedly to a vulgar nobleman who obviously was picking a fight with her. Once a bumpkin of an adventurer did a simr thing, and off with his head he went. And even though there was a story like that, what exactly was it that they were seeing? It was as if she was just that, a maid.


    But the surprise just grew even further.


    Hmm? Do you want me to think that youre reaaaaaly sorry?


    HAA!?


    As Gael saw that, he inadvertently did the reckless action of raising his voice in disbelief.


    At Uni, who didnt show any intention to resist him, that quarrel-picking nobleman was currently using those hornworm-sized fingers to grope her buttocks, that buttocks of hers which people would know how well-shaped they were even when they were covered by her skirt.


    TL Note: Strange paragraph, strangement about buttocks, I know.


    He was groping it in a way that people could hear the sound of it being squeezed. Gael could only think of it as some sort of a sadistic, perverted hobby of the nobleman. He acknowledged that her bravery of not reacting so far to the tiny details was as expected of her, but in this case, for her to not be rejecting him clearly was a bad move in itself. The middle-aged noble had a vulgar smile as he applied his mouth to bite her ears.


    If you really wish to apologise, then let me hear it slowlyter? Alright? In the room your master prepared for me. Alright? Alright?


    Gael didnt actually hear that, but what he said mustve been something along those lines. He could tell just from the movements of his lips. And then, he moved to pinch the soft flesh and moved his hands as he spun them around like a slug.


    ..


    Uni didnt react. She mustve hated it. However, her status made it impossible for her to honestly resist the noble. To wear a silver cor actually meant this kind of thing. Rather, as a ve it was her behavior during her adventuring days that was abnormal. Gael had only realised this truth now.


    Should I interfere and put a stop to this?, Gael thought for a moment.


    Even the surrounding guests who noticed this didnt try to stop them. Was it because they didnt want to get involved? Or perhaps it was because the sight of a good-looking maid being groped by a guest was amon one? In any case, there was no incentive for this bunch of people who held the viscount in scorn to move in. There was no one but Gael and his men to stop this.


    Even though he felt that she was the least wanted existence in this request, he didnt want to see the Silver Wolf to fall even further than this. Even though he had to admit that they were no match for her even as a joke, she was still a remarkable fellow who was once in the same trade as his. Even if he didnt know about her achievements, as a fellow adventurer it was still uneptable to see her being dishonoured by a man who was acting like a horny dog. He could feel that he was reaching his limit, he could feel thest remnants of stubbornness inside the old man who didnt want to get into trouble aching. The heavy warrior who was standing next to him had his throbbing eyebrows raised as well.


    But just before thatst thread of patience was about to snap,


    What are you doing?


    Her master, Tullius Shernan Oubeniel, broke into the scene.


    The noble immediately retracted his hand which had been fiddling around with her buttocks a moment back.


    A, aaah, nothing Hello, this girl just made a little careless mistake.


    It was an ingratiating smile, as if he made it to hold his tongue from clicking.


    What careless mistake, thought Gael as he couldnt help but to click his tongue slightly. Wasnt it just a lecher doing the thing he had in mind by picking a quarrel with her?


    Ah, is that so? Sorry for that.


    Oubeniel, who heard his answer, immediately lowered his head. The surrounding guests went into a roar.


    O, Lord Oubeniel! It wasnt.


    No, its a masters duty to train his servants. If she did indeed make a careless mistake towards a guest, then it was amon sense for me to apologise. Will you please ept my apology and give her your forgiveness?


    Yo, you.!


    Viscount Oubeniels apology warped the nobles face to a great degree . The host of the banquet had made a direct apology. Pushing this matter another time would be equal to announcing to the surrounding people that he was a man without magnanimity.


    As if to deliver the final blow, Uni knelt and kowtowed to the man. Rubbing ones face against the floor is the highest degree of apology. As the master stood there and lowered his head, the ve must go lower than that.


    I would like to apologise for my rudeness one more time. Please ept the masters apology.


    I, if youre willing to go that far.


    The noble ignored Uni and turned to Oubeniel.


    Ple, please raise your head, Lord Viscount. I will ept your apology. I, Id like to apologise for disturbing this auspicious asion by picking a needless quarrel, Im very sorry.


    So you do ept! My, thank you very much!


    Viscount Oubeniel was full of smiles when he raised his face.


    And then the matter was settled. Although the noble was still dissatisfied with it, he left for the other seat, and the other guests of honour also turned away as they started to chat about things that wasnt rted to it. Only the viscount and Uni, who was still kowtowing, remained.


    Its fine for you to stand now, Uni.


    No, I have greatly wounded Masters honour in this auspicious asion-


    And I mean that, too. I told you its fine. Im not angry at all.


    Yes. My utmost gratitude for Masters profoundpassion.


    More importantly, please stay as you are. Alright?


    After Uni rose up, Oubeniel personally brushed off the dirt from her skirt. In a new residence that have been meticulously cleaned, Gael thought there wouldnt be a lot of dust stuck there. However, at the end of it, he was able to finally understand the intention of the gesture.


    Well then, lets finish up with this. Turn your back towards me.


    My back, is it?


    And then he struck the ce that was touched by the vulgar noble, lightly, as if he was cleaning it. His hand movements seemed to be truly gentle.


    Ahn


    Has the dirt fallen off, Uni?


    To those words, Uni gave her master a respectful bow with a colour of understanding in her face.


    . Yes. Thank you, Master.


    There were an indescribable flood of emotions packed in her words of gratitude.


    .


    .


    .


    .


    Gael and his men were stunned by the sight.


    What was that voice?


    That faint, shivering voice, that was there as if to conceal the sound of a certain fervent heart?


    Was it really the Silver Wolf who raised that voice?


    Hey, leader.


    What is it.


    Did we get the wrong person?


    Would be great if we did..


    But that face is definitely her.


    And she certainly had the same name


    The impact that he bore was different than the time when she was enduring the nobles abuses silently.


    If it was that, then it could still be interpreted that he held back because of his current duties.


    But, now, that was impossible.


    No matter how you look at it, she was ddened by the thoughts of her Master. So ardently, too.


    What to say, its as if shes genuinely happy, like a normal maid does


    Rather, isnt this an illicit affair with that master of hers


    Please wait! If you say it that way, my image of the Silver Wolf is!


    If someone were to tell me that she was a different people with the same name who is really alike to the original, Id have an easier time believing that.


    Good grief, Gael nodded.


    As they gazed at her again, the person in question had already returned to her duties without realising their investigation duty. Her face was as indifferent as ever, but somehow she was making her steps lighter. It could be hard to be seen by an untrained eye, but if you were to be acquainted with what a kind of person she was after stumbling into her a few times, it was clear that the way she was walking was full of openings.


    The Silver Wolf has waned.. Can we see it that way?


    Gael couldnt find something to instantly refute the mages remarks.


    And after he thought about it for a while, he still couldnt find anything.


    Gael opened his mouth with mixed feelings.


    Even so, pay in mind that she might somehow regain her old self with some impetus. More than anything, it doesnt mean anything if we were to cken our guard even more than a waned person does.


    Thats correct. And he still got another adventurer with him, right?


    The swordsman from St. Gallen, the Two-Handed Sword


    Is it possible that he was hired because the Silver Wolf has already be like that?


    .. Probably.


    Before they realised it, the hours had gone far into the night. The banquet was about toe to a close, and the time for Gael and his men to do their job was drawing near.


    Anyway, dont be careless. Well see through this job until the end.


    As he said so, he and the others braced themselves.


    Estimate the sleeping hours of the people inside, then take the advantage of the dead hours of the night to investigate the nooks and crannies of the residence. Since the invited guests are hosted here, chances are that the security will be tight. And even though the biggest menace that is the Silver Wolf has been weakened to a degree, I expect that this job wont be a breeze..

 Chapter 17: Tullius Oubeniel and the Key of Secrets

    Chapter 17: Tullius Oubeniel and the Key of Secrets


    Gael and his Green Squad hade prepared for this, all sorts of precautions had been made as much as they could as well.


    However, the reality was beyond their expectations.


    Impossible. This cant be..


    Gael unintentionally let out a groan.


    They hade withyers uponyers of caution, they had been using their limited time frugally, but when the time to investigate finally came, this was the result.


    Really, this upset, just who could be med for it?


    Is this, is this really okay?


    The heavy warrior let out a loud, trembling voice as well.


    It was something he ought not to do in a secret investigation quest like this.


    But no one stopped him from doing so. So he didnt stop.


    Its way beyond my expectations, how these things went.


    The mage held his head in his hands, for he couldnt believe the sight before him.


    For what he saw had transcended beyond hismon sense.


    Then, the partys vanguard, the ranger whose primary mission was to probe, muttered.


    TL Note: the nobushi (guerri warrior) will be tranted as ranger from this point on.


    This residence


    Gael already knew the words that would follow after that.


    Of course, the heavy warrior and the mage had already known as well. But no one would stop him from saying the rest of it.


    Because doing so would be meaningless. The willpower to do so in the first ce had already beenpletely exhausted anyway.


    The ranger went to conclude his words.


    is way too unguarded !


    He held his head as he spoke.


    Indeed, the residences security was so loose to the point it was practically nonexistent.


    As anyone would expect, sentries had been posted by the guests of honours lodging section and the master of the houses  the viscounts, bedroom.


    However, since all they were doing was just standing there, they were only as good as scarecrows. Besides, since all they did was to put the ves in a stewards uniform, it would seem that everyone there was unlikely to do their job correctly. If Gael were to make noise somewhere in a different spot to lure them out, theyd simply leave their post and head there, which in turn would allow Gael and his men safe passages as the result.


    To put it bluntly, as guards, they were among the worst of the worst.


    So its not only limited to the furnishings, it seems that they couldnt afford to put money for security as well, huh


    Really makes me doubt whether that appalling secret that the client told us about truly exists at all.


    The mage said.


    Important documents rted to the administration and the treasury was secured as expected, but the only problem they had was the locks. They let it go this time, but had they got the time, it would be easy to break through them anytime they wanted. They caught the sight of a small room that seemed to be an alchemyb, but the magemented, Its a facility topound medicinal herbs. The equipment here isnt enough to make anythingrge-scaled.


    So far, their infiltration through the residences security had been going well, however their investigation of their targets  the viscounts, weakness had produced no result. That sess was thus meaningless.


    But there are still sections that we havent checked yet, yes?


    . Yes, the eastern wing of the main residences first floor. Though theres also a staircase leading to the dungeons in the west wing as well.


    Then, is there a staircase leading to the basement as well?


    By the way, there was nothing in the dungeons cells. As no one was being held in those cells, it was nothing but a deserted guardroom. They were requested to carefully search the basement in particr, so they tried to affirm whether any sorts of hidden passages existed or not, but Gael hadnt been able to find anything like that.


    The room behind the main hall was the wine cer, yes?


    Yeah, nothings there too. Rather, there wasnt even a lot of wines there.


    They were mostly already served in the party, I guess.


    That means, if there was really something there, it would be in the unexplored eastern wing of the main residences first floor, but


    . Wait.


    Gael called out to hispanions in a small voice. As expected from a veteran adventurer party, immediately after they observed the intention of their leader, they stopped from making any voice or movement at once.


    After he confirmed that they did, Gael stared at the darkness of the end of the corridor.


    . Its there.


    It was there, by their destination the east wing, at the end of its corridor.


    Leaning invisibly on the corner was a tall man who had no presence about him. There he quietly stood, hiding to the point that he was not sensed even by the ranger, their vanguard. It was probably Gaels sixth sense, which had been tempered through many brushes up with death, that made it possible for him to sense his presence. For the time being, they managed to perceive his presence before their encounter.


    (Could he be the guy known as the Two-Handed Sword!?)


    I cant help but to feel terrified. From his title only, it was easy to tell that this adventurer called Due knows his way with the sword. Just, how to go about him who could still remain hidden against our first-ss ranger? Had we not realised it, if we just approached him carelessly, wed surely end up being in by that two-handed sword which I suppose was where his title was derived from. As I thought, hes a shrewd one. After all hes a titled adventurer whose B-rank surpasses our Green Squad!


    (Leader, what now.!?)


    The heavy warrior asked him whether to advance or retreat by his eyes only. If they were to considerbat potential only, then surely retreating here would be the best policy. If the four of them ganged on him they might be able to take down someone who was one rank higher than they were, but they had to take him down quickly, lest they would make an uproar. And when that happened, the guests of honour would mistake them as burrs, and the entirety of the residence would chase them out altogether.


    Having said that, were they really going to flee just like that? Now that they had noticed him, it was possible that he had already noticed them as well. No, if he had been watching over this passageway as a guard, then it should already be considered that he had already took notice of them, seeing that they wereing his way. As soon as they turned their back, hed probably jump at them right there like a wolf who had found his prey.


    And even if they managed to escape, then what? As they contrived their escape, their client, Count Linus Oubeniel would say something like, so you couldnt investigate enough because you were afraid of the guards, just how could they have the face to report that? The road to be promoted as the counts shadow operatives would then cease to exist as well.


    Desire and self-preservation was tipping each other over the scale inside his mind.


    But before Gael drew his conclusion,


    Hyiiih!?


    The ranger carelessly raised his voice.


    The shadow that seemed to be the Two-Handed Sword Due began to move.


    But just before Gael prepared himself as he thought that they were already discovered, that man-


    Gruoooooooooo.


    let out a sleepers breath, then fell to the floor.


    . Huh?


    It took almost a minute for them to understand what exactly had happened.


    Could it be? One may believe it or not, but could it be that he had already fallen asleep when Gael first noticed him?


    When Gael mistook him to be in hiding, and the reason why his bloodthirst and his warning intention wasnt being emitted from his presence, it was all because he was asleep?


    Was that it?


    Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa~.


    All of the Green Squad members reflexively let out a big sigh.


    That surprised the crap out of me, they said as they found relief. We went this far and we still arent being spotted, huh?, the flow went naturally like that. Even for a moment, they had thought, What will the guard do to us?, and then the irritation that that wasnt the case kicked in. That sentiment was mixed into their sigh.


    Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.


    The man also let out a loud snore.


    . Leader, what do we do now?


    Hah. just in case, make him sniff sleeping powder so that he wont wake up while we look around.


    Right.


    Upon being instructed, the ranger approached him with timid steps, and then he thrust a scrap of paper containing the powder under the tip of the mans nose. Indeed his nose took the powder in, as it invited him to a further deep sleep.


    The mage let out a mockery at that sight.


    What an irony. The guard of an alchemists house was administered with sleeping powder, itself the product of alchemy.


    Good grief. Hey, look. Theres a exaggerated-looking two-handed sword on the wall.


    So, the guy really is the Two-Handed Sword.?


    This guy.? B-ranked? Seriously?


    Nguh, uh. Ca, cant drink anymore, Milord. Mmh, nyah..


    Unaware of the Green Squad members who were looking down on him in contempt, the Two-Handed Sword Due leaked out a content-sounding sleeptalk. As his astoundment grew further, Gael prompted hispanions.


    Anyways, lets quickly look around in the area beyond this point. As expected, the stairs leading to the basement are there.


    For them to make a B-ranked adventurer explicitly stand guard here, I guess theres really something here, huh?


    The B-ranked guy didnt guard shit though.


    Shh, stop the talks. Weve spent a considerable amount of time. Lets pack things up before the first light.


    Said the ranger as he descended the stairs.


    The mage let his mana flow into antern-shaped magic tool, and a faint light illuminated their way forward.


    There was no sign of anyone in the basement. Just like the dungeon in the western wing, no one was there.


    However-


    What the heck.!


    An unusual wave of cold struck the group who had been negligent due to the lenient security. It sent shudders up to their spines, as they felt goosebumps emerging on their arms.


    .. Its cold.


    Although spring nights in the inds are somewhat cold, this is downright abnormal. There must be a source of this inexplicable cold in this basements entirety.


    At the end of their descent was a short and wide passageway, and at its end they saw a big and sturdy-looking iron double-door. If one were to open it, five or six people could pass through it together, side by side. Of course, a lock was attached to it. So there was that attached to the door, and then there were two chain-fixed padlocks, so it was triple locked.


    Just, whats with this cold air?


    So, so it wasnt just my imagination, isnt iting from the other side of the door?


    Thats not the only thing.. Theres a mana reaction. Moreover, its quite big too.


    Said the mage, he didnt try to hide his nervousness.


    A mana reaction.


    Arge one, too.


    And then, there was this extraordinary presence.


    Gael swallowed his breath and held it in anxiety. The viscount who passed himself off as an alchemist. If he really was hiding some shady stuff, then it must be beyond this door. They couldnt find anything in the other ces. Then, this time theyd get it right.


    Alright.. Lets open it at once. Then lets expose whatever stuff lies beyond this door in the daylight!


    Oooh!


    They let out a low-voiced cry, and began to release the locks. The ranger was tasked to pick the locks, and the mage was to verify it. First would be the padlocks. Although it could be released as soon as the chains broke, when they tried to ascertain the chains hardness by lightly brushing it with a knife, it was the knife that got scraped instead.


    . Just what kind of metal did they make this from


    Leader, can you break it?


    I dont know. Though I fear that its loud noise upon breaking would make us noticed, if we leave them broken as it is, theyd figure out about our intrusion too.


    With this sort of hardness, he didnt think that it will somehow open only by hitting it forcefully with weapons.


    No choice but to do it steadily. Begin.


    Roger!


    While shivering from the cold air that was leaking from the door, the mage began his unlocking attempt.


    Both of the padlocks went out in less than three minutes.


    The mages eyes went round in surprise.


    Wow, well done.


    Not at all, the locks had a different model, but their mechanism was the same. The doors main lock will be the real deal.


    Said the ranger as he thrust a lockpick in thest keyhole. As expected, it was different than some shoddy affixed padlock. He knew that it would take time.


    Sweat started to rush from Gaels forehead.


    What if, the effect of the sleeping powder Due sniffed had ran out.


    What if, another passing guard noticed that Due was in a deep sleep.


    When he thought about those things, his anxiety was getting unbearable.


    . Its not open yet?


    Shhh! Please wait for a bit more!


    The ranger gave Gael, who could finally no longer hold his words, a single re. For him, the youngest, to show his irritation to his leader even for an instant, it was clear that he needed arge amount of concentration for this work.


    It cant be helped, he went down a step, and then switched his attention to the stairs up.


    Its quiet. Theres no sign of a person at all. Now well just have to open the lock and reveal whatevers hidden inside.


    And as he braced himself once again,


    Alright, its open.


    Good job!


    Gael tapped the rangers shoulder while raising a quiet cry of joy.


    With this, they could finally get into the secret basement.


    Right, as usual, well break in along with the vanguard going ahead. Hey, pass him themp. Youll have to be able to use magic, right?


    Yeah, got it.


    After he confirmed that the mage had already passed the lighting magic tool to the ranger and had equipped his cane once again. Gael exchanged a nod with the other party member, the heavy warrior. As the lock was affixed on the door, he didnt think that there was anyone inside, but just in case.


    The heavy warrior put his hand on the door. Gael stood in preparation in any chance of surprise attack.


    Later, the door was slowly pulled open. Along with that, the cold air from inside increased in strength even more.


    Well then, be it a demon or a snake


    TL Note: Be it a demon or a snake () is a proverb, it means theres no telling what trouble may lie ahead, lets just go with it anyway.


    The secret that was tightly concealed by the noble who had never run out of strange rumours in regard of him. From the outside, it was already clear that there was a strange atmosphere about the room. Whatever came out wouldnt be much of a surprise-


    HIIIIH!?


    The ranger screamed out of surprise.


    His voice was loud, but Gael couldnt me him.


    Even Gael, for when he saw that,


    C, corpse.!?


    There was a dismantled corpse.


    It was hung on a hooked rope that was affixed to the ceiling, exposing its peony-coloured content of flesh and muscle to the dark empty space.


    There was no stretch from it. However, there was a faint mingled smell of iron and blood that filled their nasal cavities.


    The corpse was fresh.


    No, if he were to look closer, there were several of these lump of meats hanging in the back, swinging around.


    This is cruel.


    A, as I thought, the rumours were true.. That nobleman really is a ve Murderer!


    The heavy warrior groaned as the ranger cowered.


    Gaels mouth was involuntary seized as well.


    What horrible things. Look, bloods still flowing from all of them! I didnt even notice the smell back then, until the doors opened!


    This, this isnt something humans do! For him to kill them like animals!


    . Hm?


    When he heard the rangers words, Gael felt that he caught on to something.


    Kill them. like animals?


    Errr, leader


    The mage who had kept his silence opened his mouth in embarrassment.


    Isnt this beef, like, for cooking?


    Eh?


    Gael picked up the lighting tool that the ranger had dropped, and then tried to illuminate the hanging lump of meat once again.


    Ah.. now that you say it, it does indeed look like that.


    After Gael had taken a better look at it, it was toorge to be a humans carcass. It did look like a dismantled corpse, but it was clear that it was far too wide and too thick to be a humans. Perhaps it was like the mage had said, it was that of a cows.


    The lump of meat appeared all of a sudden, illuminated by a scanty light. And then there was the prejudice caused by the shady rumours regarding Viscount Oubeniel. Combine the two concepts, and then of course theyd first thought that the lump of meat they saw was a dismantled human body.


    . Shit, weve done it now. So this ce is a food storage?!


    Ha, hahahaha just for how many years have we been adventurers again?


    Sh, though Im not much of a C-rank, did I really just scream at the sight of beef?


    Well, what to say.


    The mage, the only one who remained calm a while back, gave Gael and his men  who lost their guts at the sight of a mere piece of a hanging beef and was now being frustrated for it forting words.


    Anyone would be surprised to find a bleeding lump of meat just beyond a door they had to struggle open. Besides, for a mere food storage, it was too tightly locked, and they had a former adventurer to guard this ce, right? Perhaps, there may be something hidden here.


    I see. Certainly this level of security should mean that somethings here.


    He convinced himself that it was the case before he stepped into the food storage. It was really cold, after all. The interiors of the storage were filled with cold air. As if they were in the mountains during winter. They did know that, because they had hunted monsters several times in the wintry mountains.


    Come to think of it, you said something about feeling a force of mana here, right?


    I did. I can feel mana from the back of this storage.


    Alright, lets go.


    Pushing their way through the forest of closely hung upside-down meat, they found another door at the back of the storage. It had no locks attached to it. Though even Gael, whose senses werent as good as the mage, could feel that there was an extraordinary amount of mana emanating from it.


    The Green Squad assumed the vignt stance that they had just taken a while back.


    This mighty force of magic had a strange chill about it. Perhaps they had some kind of a powerful magical beast that could manipte ice. If that was the case, and if he had kept it without the royal permission, then that would mean it would be considered an act that threatened the stability of the kingdom, and he would be subject to a punishment. Itd surely be the evidence that would take hold over the viscounts fate, just like what their client had wanted. However, if there were indeed one beyond the door, then it would be dangerous for a person who stepped in the first.


    Listen well, we dont know what will jump out at us, alright? Be absolutely vignt.


    Yeah, got it, leader.


    And then, the door was opened.


    NMUH!?


    Cold air that couldnt bepared with the one before was blowing out from it.


    Cold. What is this? Is this the magical beasts frozen breath? No, its too strange for this to be that.


    C, C, C, COLD! WHAT THE HECK IS THIS!?


    Trap? Magic attack? Or perhaps, frozen breath?


    No, this is.


    The mage stepped into the room while shielding himself from the current of cold air with his robe.


    Hey, stop it! Dont just carelessly go ahead!


    Even though he was feeling really ufortable, hed still have to rebuke his rear guard who was projecting on ahead.


    Though, the mage still wouldnt stop and went into the room.


    While bearing the cold that was so chilling it made his upper and lower eyshes seem to stick together, Gael nced at back end of the room beyond the door.


    This is


    There was some sort of a magic device. An borate phosphorescent magic circle emitting bluish-white light was drawn all over the rooms floor. On top of which, shining jewels which regrity could never be understood by outsiders were lined up. Supposedly, they constantly generate a sort of magic whenbined.


    Is this the thing the Viscount wanted to hide?


    Hey! Wh, whats this magic circle!?


    Please wait, Ill analyse it right now!


    The mage said as he squatted down beside the magic circle.


    This is what the. The construction of this circle is so precise its almost unbelievable..


    He grunted and grumbled to himself while asionally chanting spells to analyse its system. The mage was examining the device in a trance. The source of the cold air and the air current was that magic circle, so of course his whole body had to suffer those things, but he didnt seem to care.


    Just do something already! Im, Im going to freeze to death!


    Just hold on, Im feeling the coldest here!


    Liar! Youre a mage, arent you supposed to be the most resistant!?


    As they exchanged those words, the analysis, which had taken well about ten minutes, was concluded.


    First, he should return to the food storage so we can have this door closed. If we keep this door open any longer like this, the interior of the residence would seem to return to the midwinters.


    Co, coldcoldcoldcoldcold..


    So, what was that? Was it a prototype of a dangerous magic weapon or something?


    Ah, that, huh. It was something ridiculous.


    At the mages way of speech, expectation and anxiety were welling up in the same time.


    Something ridiculous.


    If hed go that far in his remarks, it mustve been some sort of a supertech product that would be far beyond them who werent well-versed in magic.


    They swallowed their breath and waited for the continuation of the mages reply.


    - It was just a device to cool the temperature down and generate air current.


    Huh?


    At that frosty tone, all three of them, save for the mage, were dumbfounded.


    That magic circle was indeedposed of a terrifyingly advanced technology and a bunch of expensive materials, but its only function is to continuously generate cold and air current for as long as possible. Good grief, what a ridiculous thing. Here itd be proper to say that it was a terrible waste.


    What, what the hell with that? Why would the Viscount put something like that in his basement!? It was strictly guarded to that extent!


    Gael inadvertently let out a loud voice. It was an unseemly sight for a leader of a party in a secret investigation quest. But who can me him? They had swept through the entire residence and when they thought that they had finally caught on to something hidden, it turned out to be merely a crap of a tech and material waste. And now the result of the quest of which the future of his party hangs upon was nothing more than a waste.


    Probably everyone could understand that feeling as well, so no one tried to me Gael.


    The mage continued his remarks,


    I told you didnt I? It wasposed of valuable materials. The lines of the magic circle was drawn with molten silver, serving as its power source are genuine and highly-pure crystals. The device used an abundant amount of it. Perhaps its the most expensive thing inside this mansion?


    Besides, said the mage as he pointed at one of the hanged meats.


    Drops of water were dripping from the meat, as if it was sweating like when it was alive.


    If you look at it closely, youll see that the meat seems to have be softer and somewhat wet, isnt it? It was frozen until a while ago. We opened this storehouses door and cold escaped from this room, so its thawing now. Perhaps the device was meant to keep meat fresh by freezing them?


    It was to preserve meat, you say


    N, now that you say that, I did think that theres way too much fresh-looking meat here.


    Oh, blimey, this amount of meat will go bad before itspletely consumed. So to avoid that


    The heavy warrior touched the meat with his hand, and indeed they felt softerpared to when they were pushing them about to pass through a while earlier. Why in the world did he not notice it when he touched them earlier? Or was it perhaps because it was his first time seeing raw beef that wasnt dry-preserved?


    So is that it? All those heavy security the viscount ced here was just for meat? So that the cold air wouldnt escape the room to keep the meat from thawing, and so that thieves whod go about looking for stuff wouldnt break the device?


    . That way of thinking is just natural though.


    Unfortunately so, said the mage while casting his gaze downwards.


    What were they supposed to say? The secret that they had uncovered with their utmost best was only that.


    A pointless high-grade piece of garbage to indulge a gluttonous peculiar young nobles wish to eat fresh meat anytime hed want it. That was all there is that they could find.


    But theres no way for that to be the end of it right? After all, its that Oubeniel, you know? Its the corrupt noble who got himself the nickname, ve Murderer, right? More, this. surely hes hiding secrets that are more sinister than this, isnt he? There must be one, right? Right?


    Eh, em, right. Youre right. Theres still time until dawn, so lets look around for a bit more.


    The mage responded to the quivering Gael, but from the way he spoke, it was clear that he wasnt expecting any results.


    The next day.


    Taking the horse carriage prepared by House Oubeniel, Gael and his Green Squad were on their way back to the capital.


    The atmosphere in the carriage was heavy. The man that they had escorted as their apparent official request was being resentful for that the investigation that was carried out by the Green Squad didnt produce a decent result, and his mouth hadnt been saying anything from some time ago. Well, Gael was thankful for that. After hearing a tirade of verbal abuse immediately after the report, he felt that his body couldnt bear much more as well. If it was possible, hed like the man to shut his mouth until they got back to the capital.


    (.. At any rate)


    Gael nced at the man he escorted. Then he imagined the figure of the Count behind him.


    The result of their investigation on Tullius Shernan Oubeniel determined that the man was exceedingly nearly innocent on all counts. Theirte-night investigation didnt get a single speck of dirt on him, and the poor security conversely left a good impression on them. They couldnt think that he was plotting something dark in the shadows. Of course, that is, unless he was doing something outside the residence, then that would be a different story altogether.


    And his older brother was trying to affix a crime upon him in a frenzy. In Gaels imagination, it couldnt help but to give him an image that he wasnt superior, though not so much,pared to his younger brother.


    (Rather, the notorious younger brother seems to be better than him.)


    The nobleman known as the ve Murderer, pondering it over upon the result of his investigation, didnt seem to be someone who could do something so outrageous like that at all. While he was born as the second son to a count house, and while he did receive a peerage as a viscount, it seemed that he wasnt unacquainted with themon sense of the aristocracy. And thinking about the two famed adventurers that he enlisted into his service, being separated from the job for so long, the first had already wilted away, while the second was in the state where he could be outmaneuvered by them, who were C-ranked. Also, during the banquet, contrary to his notoriety, he went as far to lose his face just to help a ve who was being picked into a quarrel by a guest. And when they had thought that he was rigorously hiding something, it was actually just a meat storage.


    In the end, it was hard to think of him as anything but a simple young lord who was ignorant with the ways of the world.


    Instead, he felt that it was the older brother who was conspiring to kill his own younger brother who deserved the infamy more.


    ( Thats probably the case.)


    While he was killing time during his long return trip, Gael was flirting with that reasoning.


    The scenario would be something like this.


    Even though they had already investigated into it just in case, the fact that arge amount of ves purchased under Tullius name went MIA was already known. But what if the one who ordered it was actually the present head of the family, the older brother, Linus himself?


    So the older brother had the younger brother buy a ve, and the he killed them. Besides, outsiders didnt actually know who was actually murdering the ves in Oubeniels house. Though, of course the allegation of ve mass-murdering and the notoriety that came along with it would go to Tullius who went out to buy them.


    Of course, this was just a musing. He had only seen Tullius Oubeniel for only one day, which was yesterday, and their rtionship with Linus was limited only through the delegate who was now assuming silence before him. Their association was basically just that, so whats there to understand? He was just musing to kill time, that was all.


    It was for certain that the count would not be satisfied with the findings from this quest. After all, there was not a single piece of evidence that would point to his younger brothers mismanagement that he longed so much for. And that was saying nothing about them finding no evidence that perhaps would prove the rumour of his ve-murdering vice. On the contrary, the ves working in the residence were dressed in fine attire and were well-educated, and they were treated better than in most ces. Hence the ridiculous theory he came up with.. In any case, the Count would never put their trust in them who had failed to grasp Viscount Tullius weakness.


    (On the contrary, maybe it was for the best.)


    Strangely, there was no disappointment in Gaels heart.


    Now that he had thought it over, while it was a bitte, being a spy under a noblemans control was too much of a burden for them. This time, if the opposing party were to actually possess the war potential that was mentioned in the preliminary information, then the Green Squad wouldnt be able to get away with it. The reason that Gael was able to investigate all the way there and still was able to return in one piece was because the other party was the rxed son of a distinguished house and his simrly rxed army.


    As he thought about that, he was beginning to feel that his earlier self who wished to be associated with the Count was a fool.


    Say that they did manage to obtain the position in the veteran seat under the Counts directmand as he had wanted earlier, would their retained need to brave dangers disappear? Though if they had to escape several jaws of death before they really lost it, thatd be fine as well.


    If things were to go well after that, would they have a chance to be appointed as regr vassals, eh? Just what exactly could he expect from an upassionate person whod harbour an intention to kill his own brother? And even if they did get themselves appointed, it would mean that theyll be coworkers with this unlikable delegate in front of him. He didnt think theyd make a good fit for that.


    After all, they were still adventurers. Monsters were supposed to be their opponents and thebyrinths in the mountains and the fields were supposed to be their ce to be. Theyd never fit in the dark side of the society where theyd be up against nobles, like, for example, in a scene of a secret feud.


    (Once we get back to the capital, shall we reestablish our roots and do some adventuring?)


    He would have to return to the days when theyd have to scramble for requests against their fellow men in trade and fight monsters for living, and while that road had been tough, at least it was a familiar one. Rather than beginning to row for another course at thiste hour, itd be better for him to earn honest money in the path familiar to him.


    And if they were to keep saving money little by little, surely they wouldnt miss a meal in their old age as well.


    Gael allowed himself to be convinced of that.


    As he thought of that, he took a nce at the view outside through the rear window.


    The residence of Tullius Oubeniel had now disappeared beyond the horizon. There worked the Silver Wolf, who had to lower her head before that middle-aged noble and couldnt resist even when her buttocks were being groped. And the sight of her during these- it was as if she was a different person from what she was during her time in the capital. However, he felt that she had be more human-like than what she was then. People wouldnt believe this, and they would keep jabbering as always, but that ce was indeed where she had found her peace. Gael believed that there certainly was a day when the monster who had been dubbed as the cursed silver wolf had returned to be a human before one realised it.


    That shoddy Two-Handed Sword might have been eaten by rust as he submerged himself in such lukewarm waters. Although he couldnt seem to be able to get used to that way of life, his was a precious, ordinary life he wouldnt want to intrude.


    Being in a line of work where I may have to destroy those things, thats definitely a no-no for me. When I get back, lets make a new start as proper adventurers once again.


    So Gael thought as he left himself to the sways of the carriage.


    Aaah, Im tireed.. I really cant get used to this, good grief.


    After I sent out thest carriage and sent home all of the guests, I let out a forceful sigh.


    Alongside those words were,


    Yes, my utmost gratitude for your hard work, Your Excellency.


    Something along those lines, which Victor said without moving a muscle of his face.


    I suppose hes d because he made me feel weak, because I had to put up with various things that he did however he liked. What a terrible vassal. So I thought, when I have the chance, lets thoroughly alter his brain tissue once again.


    For the time being, I dont want to do this anymore, this kind of ceremonious job, I mean.


    I am of the same opinion. Well leave this for a while, in the meantime, lets have you properly learn the practices of the court


    Please spare me the joke.


    I waved my hands fluttering as I find myself walking in the corridor of the new residence.


    Apanying me are Uni, who has been attending me from behind ever since the start, and Due, who doesnt seem to know what to do with his hands.


    Well then, Im going back to my research. I can entrust the residence to you, yes?


    Certainly. But please return to do your official duty tomorrow.


    Damn you Victor, you just had to be cranky until the very end huh.


    Dueughed at that sight.


    Hey, hey, Milord. Are you letting the tool say that much? Dont you feel hes out of the line?


    Please stop. Everything is due to the Masters mercy.


    Well, if he didnt have the degree of freedom to say that, he wouldnt be able to remonstrate me for my oversight.


    Im on my way to theb. Im heading to the eastern wing of the first floor, a passage which is a basement for food storage is there, on paper.


    When were about to approach the stairs, Due shrugs,


    But still, what a terrible farce you had me do there, hey.


    Farce? You mean, sleep-feigning?


    What he talked about was something fromst night


    My brothers delegate had brought an adventurers party under the pretext of them being his escort. During the time when they were running about here, I purposely overlooked them to do the former.


    Well, my reason to join hands with you was because I had wanted to fulfill a prideful life as a swordsman, though.


    And because I had to do that, that bunch made light of me,ined Due.


    Ah, how petty. For a man his stature, it appears that he had some woman-like qualities in him too. See, even Uni seems to react with disgust.


    What are you talking about? Youve agreed to exchange your everything for Master in exchange for your life.


    Yeayea, rightrightright. My bad.


    Due said groveringly. Well, I suppose Ill have to patch things up here.


    Well, isnt it fine? Against an opponent who couldnt even see through your feigned sleep, it doesnt matter how much they sneered at you. Whats important here is the safety you had brought in exchange for that one sneer.


    Wait. Was just doing that really worth that much?


    Of course.


    I said as I descend the stairs.


    ording to what Uni said, it seems that those people also were rmed about you. By having them see you and letting them think that you werent much of a big deal, the effectiveness of this n rises as well.


    Even when its by chance only, we were fortunate to have them misjudged me by their own volition.


    Uni said.


    I see that it was a good thing to have those adventurers around when I lent Uni a helping hand when she was being sexually harassed by the old nobleman and wasnt resisting him for it. This way, they have now undervalued her as being weakened.


    Oh wow, talk about a severe case of jumping to hasty conclusions.


    After all, Uni was still in her early teens when she was living in the capital. Shes still as deadpan now as she was at that time, but she was a lot sourer then, and she did have several cases of going into unexpected rampages. To the point that wed asionally have a number of the guilds staffe running into the old residence.


    Her mental stability is more of a recent thing. Shes not weakened- its not like a case of a once wild kid gone quieter, its more like she grew calmer as she matured. For them to be mistaken about her, its just an unusual blunder for veterans that seems to be in theirter thirties. The fact that she serves me with joy has, as you know, always been the way she is in the first ce. And for them to think that shed have her specs down when her mood changed a little- I dont make my masterpieces in such ax manner.. Well I dont know about Charl, though.


    Its probably that, right? A wishful thinking born from the desire of wanting their mission to go well, I suppose?


    And because they stood apart from Uni, they couldnt hear what we were talking about there as well. They were mainly distracted by Uni, but, the ability of the mass-produced ves were on par with C to B ranked adventurers as well. While this would depend on the individual, some of them were more skilled than the Green Squad. They also had a reasonable level of a rangers skillset. If its only eavesdropping on people whos talking in small voice because theyre being careful of their surroundings, then they can do that too. So when they were being busy going about in the residence, the ves that I had ced here and there had already caught the contents of their conversation.


    By the way, Uni could hear them clearly as well. The rangers skills that the mass-produced ves possessed was originally the detuned version of Unis data. As she was the original owner of those skills, of course her uracy to attentively listen would be far more superior.


    Well, if they were to find the ce where Im hiding things, I might as well put an act that will perfectly hide the thing theyre looking for.


    The location of the entrance to the newb is the information that needs to be kept confidential. If we want to hide it well, then its best to rx the opponents investigation first. So first, I purposely let the other party to investigate however they wish, but dont let them grab the only one fatal information. With that, the person in charge of the investigation will judge that the entrance of theb is not in the residence.


    This is the initial route of the n.


    Theres this word of wisdom, a loach caught by chance under a willow. It means that if you caught a loach once, you wont find another one in the same spot. It is a proverb that warns against holding on to one-time sess and good luck. My n is exactly the reverse. Say that a person arrives at a spot under a certain willow with great pains, but what if theres no loach to see there? Of course they wouldnt think to search the willow. If they want the loach, then they would be better off looking somewhere else.


    Thats what I aimed for. No matter how well you conceal something, people may still find it if they look for it over and over again. Then make people lose their motivation when they get to the ce where the things concealed. Let them tumble for a loach under the willow as much as they want, and let them conclude that theres no loach there. However, even if I show them the way in, Im tightly holding the thing theyre looking for.


    And on top of that, in order to give some credibility to the result, we have to make people in our side lookpletely ipetent. If the information they have is taken from a dim-witted opponent, then theyd think that the information is absolutely true. It was a splendid n, Master.


    Thats how it goes.


    It is said that the time when people are most likely to be deceived is when they are looking down on their opponent. When trying to trick someone, a person whos under the impression of something along the lines of I wont be tricked by cheap tricks would be in fact the easiest to trick. And thus, act as foolish as possible, and let them search a residence that has been sterilised of evidence (or rather, its a new residence, so theres not much proof to go around). If their assessment of this side is that low, then theres no reason for them to doubt their findings.


    And that goes even to my brother, whos behind the ones investigating me this time. He mustve regarded me as someone dangerous already, but he doesnt think Im smart. After all, I havent been able to learn things like themon sense of the aristocracy and all that stuff.


    Because he thinks that Ive only had a basic education with me, his assessment of me should be pretty low.


    I wonder: what would that brother of mine think when he finds out that they didnt find anything even after theyve investigated?


    The best case scenario is, he would conclude that Ive grown calmer, and with that hed retract his intention to kill me. It would be a great help for me if I could have my enemies lessened Well, considering his character and the emotions hes holding onto, the chances of that are slim.


    I suppose that the sessful part here is that my brother will think that Im holding my secrets outside my residence and his next investigations will be thrown off from now on. While the other party is wasting their resources, like time and personnel, I can do whatever I want here.


    The worst thing that can happen is that he saw through my acts and with that hed send another party to investigate the residence. Though, figuring out the mechanism of thebs entrance will not be an easy task. In the first ce, the n that tricked those adventurers was that n that I came up with at that night. I had the confidence to do it, and Victor, who I had consulted beforehand, liked the n well too, so that was the first thing in my mind. At most, lets hope my brother and the old marquis would look for thebs entrance outside of the residence.


    . However, my favourite thing here is how thebs entrance is concealed.


    I quickly unlock the key and open the door to the food storehouse. A huge amount of cold air spews out from the door.


    Well then.


    I take out themunication tool from my chest and bring it closer to my mouth.


    Drei, bring the entrance to us.


    Affirmative, Master.


    At that moment, they were changes happening in the interiors of the storage Zap, zap, violet lightning glowed in the air, and at the centre of the electric discharge, the deflected space began to twist. And from twisting, space-time fine particles of colours gushes out with a furious momentum from another dimension. And then eventually it formed a solid shape in this dimension.


    Its an altar.


    At a nce, it is shaped like a cauldron, supported by metal legs. And what it supported was engraved withplex and precisely-carved magic circles.


    On its rim Drei shallowly sits. As soon as she finished her transition spell, she descended from there and bows.


    As Master have ordered, I have brought what you requested here.


    Yes, thank you.


    .. Just how did youe up with the idea of hiding things this way?


    Due gazed at the entrance that Drei had brought and muttered amazedly.


    What are you talking about? One of the factors when I thought of this was a remark of yours, though?


    Eh? Me?


    Amazingly, he seems to have forgotten about it.


    Good grief, if I have to make anotherrge-scaled augmentation next time, should I tamper with his memory region a bit more?


    Didnt you say to me when we were getting back from the mountain mine, Such a convenient thing, huh, this transition magic is?


    Did I say something like that?, he said as he tilted his head in contemtion. Ah, dear me, he had more or less done a meritorious service to the ns creation, but it seems that he wasnt aware of it.


    This is the idea that I came up using his remarks as an inspiration.


    First, the distance between the newb and the basement of the new residence. I made it so that I cane and go between the ces in an instant. By using transition magic, the physical distance can be substantially ignored.


    However, if I had to use transition magic every time Ie and go, no matter howrge the casters mana pool is, it will never be enough to do so. In addition, the amount of mana consumed by the spell depends on the distance it has to cover and the amount of mass it has to transport, so it will be difficult to bring inrge-scaled materials and bodies for experiments.


    Hence, the answer to that is this cauldron-shaped altar.


    Its one of a pair ofrge magic tools that connects the user to the other by using transitional magic I named it Portal Gate. In other words, it is a teleportation device that connects a specific point in space with another determined point. Although the start and end points of the transition are limited to the physical location of these pair of devices, its safety is correspondingly high, and its able to carryrge-scaled materials between a considerably long distance.


    And this is the entrance to my newb.


    This was the proposal that I came up with. With this teleportation device, this Portal Gate, its possible to go to theb in a blink of an eye even though its physically far from the residence. However, if they were to search the residence and then found the device, theres the concern that theyd trespass to theb as well, right? Thats why


    In case of emergency, hiding the teleportation device temporarily using bonafide transitional magic is all that needs to be done. Its like a trantion magic nestled in trantion magic.


    TL Note: The part nestled was incorrect before, thanks for the correction Krazy.


    - Well, thats how it is.


    Thats why instead of fixing the device to the floor, I made its shape to be footed instead. If the casters mana pool is asrge as Drei or Uni, then they can take the device away using transition magic, and if I have a number of the mass-produced ves to cast the spell together, then its possible for them to do the same thing as well. Though, on top of having tobine functionality and safety into the device, it was a struggle for me to reduce its weight so that it may be transported by teleportation magic.


    If theres a weakness to it, it is that a skilled mage may detect the transition magics residual mana from it, but. for that reason that Ive installed a cooling device on its back. The device discharges mana as well, so if its only a residue of a spell, then itll be camouged right away. Since the cooling device is quite the expensive item itself, people wont find it strange that I had them tightly locked in the basement.


    But, if theres a problem with that idea, then,


    Master, can we please head to theb right away? Its, a little, you know. co, cold here.


    Although she appeared in a cool manner, Dreis body is shaking all over. Shes dressed in a bizarre-looking bustier and pants made of leather, and only a cloak to top it. Well, were inside a meat freezer, shes wearing something with the degree of exposure that can usually be found in carnivals, so of course shed feel cold. That magic equipment was made with her opinion as a reference, and the model apparently is the conventional style of dress for dark Elven mages. For me it looks like what an evil woman boss would wear in your typical fantasy show.


    The equipment was actually endowed with cold resistance, but like wearing a snowsuit in a snowstorm for a long time, youll end up freezing anyway. Its not something you can do for long.


    Sure. Lets go right away then.. I want to get on with the next research as soon as possible as well.


    So I said, as I stepped onto the Portal Gate. I proceeded to its centre and lightly made my mana flow into it. Immediately, the spell that was etched into its circuits was activated, and then it brought us to the other side.


    I let the spy catch on to some nonsense. With this, the enemy side will stop their movements for awhile. In the meantime, I must proceed with my own preparations as much as I can.


    Of course, that includes the research for my long-desired immortality as well.


    Theres just a lot of things I have to do.

 Chapter 18: Soul-Mixing

    Chapter 18: Soul-Mixing


    What lied on the other end of the Portal Gate was a cavern.


    Although the light source wasnt a problem thanks to the magic lighting tools hanging on the wall, the damp and dusty stagnant air and the exposed bare rock that was the caverns floor made this ce more of a mining tunnel rather than an alchemistsb.


    Well, truth be told, in a sense that view is correct, though.


    Still, I dont see how humans can livefortably in this ce


    I personally dont mind at all. However, since theres the risk that this ce may adversely affect Masters health, its indeed a bit worrisome.


    I have already visited this ce several times before, but Uni and the others still hold unfavourable views regarding the ce. Though, since I was putting emphasis on the convenience and the concealed nature of the ce, of course the environmental aspects had to be disregarded in exchange.


    By the way, Drei says,


    There are some among my nsmen who do live underground, but their dwelling arent as damp and as dusty as this. Dwarves, though, might have a different idea of this.


    And, as I thought, she isnt a fan.


    Well, even for me, this isnt an environment where I can engross myself in research with a good mood. If the opportunity arises, shall I make some improvements around here?


    Yeah, by all means, please do that. After all, in an emergency, this ce is supposed to be thest bastion right? If many people were to be crammed into this ce, Id suffocate.


    Only superior units like us would feel so. When ites to that, youll just have to put up with it. The ves dont have the capacity to be dissatisfied, right?


    As a matter of fact, that is not true.


    Uni raised an objection against Dreis careless remarks.


    While the mass-produced ves indeed have had their emotions restricted, their emotions itself still exist. Too much umted stress will have a negative impact on their body and mind. Like what happened to M-03 in the past.


    Yeah, Due said, his face sour. It was a story fromst year, when a ve put down her brother whom she had reunited with by chance due to his hostility factor against me. And due to the stress from having in her own kin, the individual fell into an extreme panic.


    It was when he just had be my opus. I do remember that well. As Uni said, although the mass-produced ves are robot-like in nature, in order to maintain their autonomy, a reasonable amount of emotions still has to be kept in ce. Though, I also keep their appearance neater than the ves in some other ces and provide them with top-quality meals in order to maintain their mental stability.


    TL Note: Masterpiece will be tranted as Opus from now on.


    Besides,pared to the superior units  the opus series , they are physically weak. If I leave them in an unsanitary environment for a long time, they might fall ill and copse. Should the worst happen, Im confident that I can cure them of most diseases if I treat them. Butpared to symptomatic treatments, striving for prevention costs less. Besides, it would be troublesome if I, however small the chance might be, were to contract their illness too.


    It is as she said. I have established a shift-system for the mass-produced ves that I have assigned to work here, to be periodically reced by those from the main residence outside. However, this isnt much of a profound solution. Hence, I believe that improvements on the environment here indeed is a necessity.


    Moreover, the environment may affect the bodies for my experiments as well. That might impair the reliability of the data that Ive gathered with great pains too.


    Hum I was being imprudent. Ill be careful from now on, Master.


    Dont mind it, I replied her with a wry smile and move on from the topic.


    Anyway, lets talk about the future. Thisb is different from those tiny basements in my residence in the capital and that former deputys manor in Marlin. Rather, this ce is a yet-to-bepleted secret base.


    Secret base. Even though it is something I have said myself, the words are so childish it made me want tough.


    However, it tickles my motivation and something that seems to be excitement echoes somewhere inside of me.


    I recognise myself as a man of efficiency, but Im not enough of an adult to hold this romance in disdain entirely. Otherwise, surely Id give up a preposterous dream like attaining immortality a long time ago. Its just right for an alchemist to be somewhat childish.


    I thought as such, when,


    Well, well, wee back Master! Ive waited an eternity for your return!


    Charl, who I kept here to look after the ce, cheerfully greeted me. Dreis a dark elf, but with a cor attached to her, if people were to discover her then at worst I can defend her by iming that shes merely my ve. But the same defence wont do for him, whos a vampire. and moreover, a lord ss vampire. After all, hes an extremely dangerous entity whos able to conquer a small country just by increasing his kin. Even as a ve, hes still mankinds natural enemy whose existence cannot be tolerated even for a second. And thats why he basically is kept in thisb in secret.


    Aah, herees the annoying one.


    Im back, Charl. So, whats changed while we were away?


    Charl ignores the weary-looking Due and answers my question.


    Ah, yes. I tried the experiment you asked me to perform. The result isnt really satisfactory though- ..


    Haa, he sighed in a way that fits his young nobleman appearance.


    As this vampires spirits fluctuates in an extreme manner, seeing as hes down like this, it seems the results are quite bad.


    Well, if all experiments yield sess, then the word experiment doesnt have a meaning. Its fine to make the best of the data from the failure in the next experiment. By the way, can you show me how it turned out?


    Yes then, this way, Oubeniel-kun.


    Aa, aa, Aaa, aaAAa..


    A sitting man, whose body is covered in patches, is rambling while gazing hollowly at the empty air. Theres no meaningful wordsing out from his mouth.


    He looks like a zombie, but the truth is that the mans actually alive. In addition, his brain is also functioning normally, medically speaking. Unlike the experiment that I did in the academy, here I didnt intentionally damage any of his brain functions.


    With a ghastly look on his face, Due points at the man.


    Milord, the hecks this?


    A test subject. For a resuscitation experiment.


    Whoa.


    Drei leaked as she flutters her eyes. Surely shes greatly surprised. After all, bringing dead men back falls more into the miracle category rather than magic territory. Necromancers may turn the living into the undead, but they cant revive the dead as living human beings that they originally were. A once-dead person regains life, such a thing can only be found in the scriptures of the Church.


    If Im not mistaken, the subject of this experiment is to restore a post-mortem body by having its preserved soul to repossess it. right?


    Yes, thats correct. Theoretically, when the soul establishes itself in the body, then the body should be resurrected, but


    His body was kept intact without damage, and in addition to that, weve got all of the final parts  twenty-one grams of the so-called soul. With theseponents, he shouldve returned as he was, as a human, but


    After all, if this is about reviving a dead man by inserting their soul into a living body, then Ive got an example. That is example is none other than me. I died one in the previous world, and then was reborn in this world. All of my memories and my personality was kept intact, and Im still alive for almost twenty years here. If this experiment were to follow the preceding example, then this man- who now cant do anything but to groan, should have regained his senses, he shouldve been hurling abuses at us, and he shouldve been frightened by our presence, for we had already killed him once.


    Lets hear your opinion on this, then, Charl.


    Suure. But before that, may I kill this sample once again? In order to exin what happened, I will have have another look on the condition of his soul too.


    Sure, permission granted.


    Before I get to finish my words, Charl had already promptly robbed the life from the experiment material once again by a chant-less instant death spell.


    With a thud, the body that has be a genuine corpse once again lies back on the bed. Charl grabs the soul that came out from the poor man (which is basically invisible to living beings), and then he casts some sort of a spell to make the soul visible to me.


    As I thought. The size of this soul is clearly small. Even though his brain tissues that were responsible for memory storage and emotion are kept as they were, theres no information content in this soul.


    Which means, the soul didnt establish itself in the body?


    The hypothesis that the cognition of the brain affects and changes ones soul has already proven in previous experiments. I already did the experiment on this, ad nauseam, with Charl in the academy. Then in this case, the soul didnt establish itself well enough in the body, and for that it couldnt receive any information from the brain, and the soulplied with that condition and turns hollow, I suppose?


    However, Charl shakes his head.


    No, thats not it, Master. If that was the case then he wouldnt be able to move as he were, but in addition to that his status as a corpse shouldve remained intact. He shouldnt be able to groan like, aaaah, uuuh, like that. And I have certainly ced the soul into this empty body in a way that it shouldve moved again as a normal human.


    . Hm. If thats the case, then I suppose I should surmise that some problems happened because the subjects soul was ced into an empty body?


    I ordered Charl to put the soul inside the body once again. Since Uni has been casting recovery on the body since a little while ago, its decay, including of the brain, should be minimal. If theres no kind of loss on the soul, then he should return to the state a while ago.


    Then, whatll happen now? The subject convulses once, before it finally ceases to respond like a living being. I take his arm to check his pulse, but there isnt any. Hespletely dead.


    This is


    Impossible.. his soul, its gone!? This cant be! There shouldnt be any mistake in my spell!


    You sure? So this isnt caused by a mistake in the process?


    No, I believe that possibility is minimal. I couldnt find any deficiencies in the spells configuration.


    Yes were not experts in death magic, but we didnt see anything in the spell that would cause abnormal results to ur.


    This is unexpected.


    Could it be that a damage will ur on the soul if its inserted into a soul-less body? Well then, why was it possible for me to reincarnate? My soul was supposed to disappear, like what happened to the soul that entered the subjects body. What was the difference between this subject and me? Was it because from the viewpoint of this world, my soul came from another world? Was that the root cause? Well, that would be usible, but theres no solid evidence to back this hypothesis, and the only sample I have to research this is me alone. This isnt a hypothesis that I can trustpletely.


    Then.


    So a soul dissipates when its inserted into a soul-less body, and when the process is repeated, itllpletely disappear in the end. Then what happens when a soul is inserted into a body that already has a soul?


    Due startledly shifted his gaze on me at my murmurs. I pay him no mind and continue my thoughts.


    How does this theory sound? Lets go with my example, for some reason my soul reached this world and entered into this Tullius Shernan Oubeniels body. When I possessed this body, the original owner was still a baby. Considering that the soul wasnt mature, what happened then? Was there any sort of loss that urred to a soul due to the possession which got supnted by another soul?


    That sounds interesting! Lets do that, by all means, lets do that! Lets do that right now!


    Howe did you get so eager with that kind of experiment


    As I thought, Due would be critical of an experiment that involves tampering with someones living body or someones soul like this. Well, this is what it means to have a diversity of opinions. If I were to make everybody a yes-man thatd agree to everything I say, my ideas and tactics would eventually get ossified. Thats why I wont repudiate this aversion of his. Nevertheless, I do limit what I imbibe, though.


    At any rate, Charl has quite changed too. In the past, be as it may that this sort of experiment would develop his skills as a necromancer, he used to detest this. Is this change caused by his brain augmentations, or is this caused by him turning into an undead?


    Then, Ill bring the ves that will serve as the sample.


    Yes, please do Uni. Well, then, what to do in this case.?


    While seeing her off as shes leaving the room to bring some experiment materials, I muse with numerous hypotheses.


    Though, considering my own example, theres one strong theory.


    Well, well, well, then?


    Speaking of the results, the experiment isnt sessful.


    However, the experiment does end up with quite the interesting results.


    Uh, a, A, AAAAAAH! WH, WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!? S, SOMEONE. THERES SOMEONE INSIDE OF ME!?


    ve B, who has the dead ve As soul inserted in him, falls into a state of panic as soon as the operation was performed on him. The influx of information from ve As soul couldnt be integrated and that may have caused confusion in him.


    Ooh, this is interesting, Oubeniel-kun! The souls are vying for control, they rampage as they tear and rip about! Even though they share the same body, I can see its after-effect veeeery well! AMAZING!


    Charl, who casted the spell, is in rapture. Perhaps because of his vampiric transformation, hes showing his fairly sadistic side towards this inferior opponent. To someone of the same stature as, or to someone who is superior to him, he still is a spineless man though.


    GE, GE, GET OUT! GET OUT OF ME! . No, you get out. STOP! DONT SPEAK WITH MY MOUTH! . You, get, out. STOP, STOP, STOOOOP!


    From what I see, the dominant one here is the original owner of the body, is that correct?


    Indeed! But the ones possessing him is also working hard, you know? It appears that its eating away the originals soul and supnting its lost parts! But I dont think it can ovee the shortage that it had from the start. At this rate, the possessing soul will be eaten by the original soul and disappearpletely! I wonder, what kind of death cry will I hear then? AHAHAHAHAHA!


    Oh, so that means, if the original soul is the weaker one, then its possible for the possessing soul to rece it?


    The probability for that is high. In the next experiment, I propose a trial run on the debilitated possessed one.


    Yes. Thatd be reasonable. Or if you so inclined, should we try using a baby? If the soul isnt matured enough, I suppose itll be easier to take over too.


    Uni and Dreiid out their ideas. Dreis proposal is especially good. If the experiment is sessful, then I can prove the hypothesis on the mechanism of how I got reincarnated here. Why did I came into this world particrly is another matter entirely, though.


    The only one who doesnt lookfortable with this is Due. Well, in the first ce, he wasnt provided with a function to help with these sorts of experiments, and his temperament isnt suited for this.


    So, in the end, he opens his mouth.


    Say, Milord.


    What is it.


    Did you go this far, just because you want to be immortal?


    Thats quite ate question to ask.


    But of course? You too, didnt you take my hands because you didnt want to die?


    Anyone would want to avoid death.


    Certainly, there are also people whod think that death is better for them in this world too. And thats why the number of people whomitted suicide here is too much to mention.


    But heres what I think. In case where people would, from the bottom of their hearts, think that death is better for them, its possible that their souls are already close to dying.


    When people is being driven into a corner, or when their raison dtre disappears, during those moments, people would wish they were dead.


    But on the flipside, if none of the two conditions apply, I dont think theyd wish for death themselves. So, the death of a soul, I suppose, isnt when a soul disappears to somewhere like what happened in the previous experiment, its when ones heart gets so broken it no longer has the will to live.


    I dont want to be like that. In my pursuit of immortality, Im also seeking a way to triumph against that soul-killing poison. I fear death so much that I dont want to deal with it, and so theres no way I want my heart that wishes that Id avoid death to change. Simply desiring a long life, and so that to simply avoid death when the timees  that is, turning into a vampire like Charl and then retiring somewhere, thats out of the question too. Thats not enough for me, and thats why Im doing this.


    Is that not the case for Due?


    . Knew it. I knew you were going to say that.


    He shrugged his shoulders as he said so.


    So, whats the answer to my question? You still dont want to die, even now, yes?


    Yeah, thats right. Even now, I cant bear to die and leave things this way. I know at least that much.


    Quite the light answer.. Though if you work for me properly, I wont say anything about it.


    Thats the point of this. And as long as my treatment on him is working, he will continue to work for me properly.


    Well, regarding this experiment, I do get where youreing from, alright? Its not anything pleasant to look at, anyway.


    Heh? Is it? Im having so much fun, though!


    Yes, I know already, so be quiet Charl.


    I shot at the person who interrupted without reading the mood and continued my speech.


    For me, this experiment is a job. Its just a job to earn the reward that is immortal life. Im not doing this because its my hobby.


    If youre notfortable with this, I dont mind if you want to sit this out. There are other kinds of experiments in the other section of theb that may suit your liking, if you want a change of pace, you may go ahead and check them out.


    Sorry. Im gonna take you up on that offer. Scuse me.


    Due said so as he leaves the experiment room.


    At that sight, Drei gazes somewhere with a sullen look.


    Hes more irresolute than I thought.


    TL Note: the original word for irresolute is warikireinai. Irresolute is rather an abridged trantion of the term. From warikiru(). I believe here it technically means that Due couldnt make a clear-cut resolution on where he stands and how he should serve. Ill continue to refer warikirenai as irresolute and warikiru as being resolute for this chapter. Feel free to correct me if you have a better idea as to how to trante this.


    Are you unhappy that the one who dragged you in the first ce is in that kind of predicament?


    I dont.. mean..


    Then she chews her own words as he falters. Both he and Drei are in the beginning of a romance. Well, of course thered be at least one or two feelings that are out of the ordinary between the two.


    Its just that, I wish that hed serve Master more resolutely.


    Hm? Is that so you two can have more fun together?


    Even here the vampire needlessly chimed in. Sure enough, he ends up being red scarily by thedy.


    Shut up. You want to be struck by a stake?


    HYIH


    And so he ended up like that, just why couldnt he learn anything? His intelligence was supposed to be high.


    As I find myself exasperated, Uni opens her mouth.


    Warikiru, so that means theres also the option to cast aside the rest of what one would have. While being resolute may produce good results in most conditions, in some other conditions that may not be the case. A person might cast aside something that they have and that might turn out as a mistake that they shouldnt have overlooked, in other cases, it might be an instance of a rare luck for them its possible to confuse the two.


    TL Note: Theres an element of wordy here. Warikiru also means dividing something so that it doesnt have a leftover. Consider the following. Say that you have some cookies that you cant break apart for some reason and you want distribute these cookies to another friend of yours so theres two of you. Say that you have four of these cookies. To warikiru here is simple, two for you, two for your friend. But what if you have three? To warikiru, you must discard the third cookie. And what Uni is trying to say here that the fact that you discarded the third cookie might turn out to be some form of a great luck (third cookies actually poisoned) or some sort of a terrible mistake (best cookie in the world and you threw it out). TL;DR shes basically trying to say that Due being irresolute about this whole deal isnt necessarily a bad thing.


    What are you trying to say?


    For example, take Sir Victor Lorge. What might happen if he were to be brainwashed so much so that alchemy research became his top priority?


    At that question, Drei thinks for a bit, then answers,


    Home affairs and negotiations with external parties, and other things that were cast away he would end up shunning them, huh. They are nothing but trifling matters, and hes indeed being resolute.


    Thats correct. To some extent, if we didnt keep a persons nature that would continue to let him make sensible and ordinary decisions, in a closed environment like this, they will end up behaving recklessly.. That was what the Master had taught me.


    Well, well, you have learned well too, Uni. Well, Dues sensitivity is useful in its own way.


    Hes especially useful for someone like me whod resort to any means necessary to attain my purpose. I redirected the sentiment and loyalty of Drei from her tribe  the Dark Elves  and the n where she was raised towards me. Of course, Id prefer her to undividedly, resolutely, dedicate her thoughts for her lord and this group where she belongs now. But thatd mean that her line of thoughts would be inflexible, and the ability to pay some mind to how other people may see her would be reduced as well. That is not desirable.


    That reasoning I think I can understand it.


    That so? Then, Ill let you sink that in. Alright, by the way, whats happening with the subject, Charl?


    I returned my attention to the experiment. This isnt the ce to give a self-study philosophy lecture on organisational theory. Its a ce for an alchemist to do his experiments.


    Aaah. Yes, this is no good.


    Charl threw a cold gaze at the state of the subject, in which various souls vying for control of the body have alreadypleted the initial stage.


    The subject sunk down, powerless, asionally the subject convulses and cackles randomly.


    Ah, ehe, uhu, uhu, who? Me, who? I, who? Me, who? Who? Who? Ahi, haheahaha.


    . Both of the souls self-awareness was thrown into disorder and thus his identity copsed, huh? Well, for an experiment I just came up with a while ago, its result is quite useful.


    While Master may be fine with this, for me this is far from satisfactory. More, he shouldve writhe in agony more as he loses himself, itd be better if hed go crazy like that


    Quite the vulgar taste you have there. Thats just going to be noisy.


    So the ego copses. Master, let us keep the subject alive in this state for a while, and then insert another new soul, perhaps the possessing soul will settle in well at that time.


    Alright, I ept. Lets put him into confinement for a while as a measure to prevent him frommitting suicide. Your evil eye may tamper with his mental state andpromise the result of the experiment, so dont brainwash him with it. Gag him so he wont be able to bite his tongue.


    As you have ordered. It shall be done immediately.


    As I gave Uni, whos nimbly dealing with my orders, a sidelong nce, I record the results of the experiment. Char pokes my shoulder repeatedly.


    Hey, hey, Oubeniel-kun. Putting aside the guy who went mad, what should I do with the corpses?


    Hm? Ah, now that you say that, theres that too.. Charl, can you suck their blood and make them lesser vampires, and then destroy their hearts? Theyll be ash, dealing with that is easier.


    Uegh~~~. Even though the blood of a corpse tastes real bad. Then, then! Next time, can you give me the blood of a virgin as a return? If possible, Id like to suck it directly!


    And he puts out a request like that. Hmmm, it seems that when a virgin man or woman has their blood taken, theres a tendency for them to be a powerful kin. I dont really want them to be under Charls control though.


    Well, I guess I can manage the number under his control regrly so it doesnt expand too much? That way itll also give Charl, whos now living in this cavern, a way to vent, and he surely needs someone to talk to. Of course, Ill have to get several preparations ready first, though.


    Indeed. In the near future, Ill have to buy arge number of ves to develop the coal mine, take a cover, and Ill leave it to your discretion as to who to buy.


    YAHOOOOOOOOOOO! As expected from Master, you sure understand me! Ill do my best even more! Now that I think about it, I havent sucked a single virgins blood. The ones I drink are cultured, and Im strictly prohibited toy my hands on the M-series. I mean, theres not one single virgin in the Opus series-


    . Hey.


    Dreis cold voice.


    Ive just dealt with Masters orders and have now returned. You were talking quite the interesting thing there, O-Four.


    Now Uni too.


    A, a, a, abababababa


    . Aaaah. I just dont know anymore. Before I got dragged into the problem, I decided to leave theb.


    There were cries of OUCH!, IM SORRY!, Ah, that actually feels a bit good, probably. from behind my back. Good grief, that room is littered with corpses, just what are they doing there?


    This undergroundb also functions as a mine for materials. Mined from one of the veins that Drei discovered when we were going about the territory a while ago. After consulting with Victor and the other vassals, considering the cost of infrastructure and current political condition, Ive decided to abandon mining as a policy. However, as we privately dig here to set up theb, the result was this space in the depths of this earth.


    By the way, to avoid the unlikely event where an adventurer stumbles into this ce, entrances into this ce from the outside are securely copsed after its insides have been excavated to a certain degree. One can only enter and leave this ce through the portal gate. The air inside can be cleaned by an exclusive magic tool (its easy for an alchemist to separate carbon dioxide into oxygen and carbon). The waste from the mining process is recycled by converting it into a golem on the spot. Still, its dusty and waters hard to get, so in these respects, this is still an environment where people cant livefortably.


    At any rate, this underground space will be even wider as the mining progresses. In a way, it may be said that this is a dungeon that extends indefinitely. In the near future, if I were to be defeated politically by my older brother or a certain marquis, this is the most promising destination for my escape. Im nning to make some improvements in that area. I n to arrange this ces environment so this space can bepletely self-sufficient at the end of the day. Well this undergroundb has only been running for six months. This is just something to do muchter.


    While thinking about that, I turn my feet towards the mineral deposit section. Well then, how far has it been dug while I was gone?


    Well, well, Your Excellency. This ces a bit sordid, but wee anyway. Have youe for an inspection this time?


    The one who greeted me with a ckened face is.


    Uuuuuh?


    . Ah, if it isnt Laubert. Your faces covered with dirt, so I couldnt recognise you for a moment there.


    Well thats harsh. Even though youve already messed with the insides of my head so that I can admirably work like this.


    What are you saying? I dont remember augmenting you so that youll be happy ying in dirt. Wasnt it you who offered to supervise this mine by yourself?


    When I pointed that out, with that sooty face of his Laubert lets out an embarrassedugh.


    It was himself who volunteered here for future reference, since hes volunteering for the official duty of copper mine development that will begin soon as well. In a mine where golems would excavate without being tired, or where they would never get mineral poisoning, surely theres not much to take here. But knowing that, with avarice hed still be like, lets learn a lot, as if what he gained here will be his flesh and blood. Thats probably how Jean-Jacques Laubert does things.


    Weell, anyways, this ce is quite the treasure mountain! Gold and silver keepsing out.


    Well thats quite the tant attempt of changing the conversation. Well, whatever. Is there really a lot of them?


    Well, that! At worst, what we have here is enough to cover the kingdoms revenue for a year. Burning the documents regarding the survey was a correct decision. If you think about whatll happen if Marquis Lavalle were to know about this


    Surely, no matter what hed do then, he will handle the matter directly. If we handle it poorly, he might confiscate the entire territory of Marlin.


    No doubt about it, says Laubert in a serious manner. Though this man would dly back the marquis had he not been brainwashed. Theres also Victor too. But both are now faithful and capable talents under my control. asionally, there are times where theyd nag so much so that I couldnt bear them, but I suppose that theres some charm there too.


    As I think about that matter, a golem is taking out a handcart loaded with lumps of ore. Illuminated by the light of the magic tool, reflected there were glimmers of gold and silver. Even though theyre not refined yet, in those glimmers I can still feel their magic, that magic that melts the hearts of a lot of people.


    Ill say this again, Your Excellency.


    Ah, I got it already. Dont circte these outside, right?


    It is as you say. If you were to put gold or silver with unknown source outside, its only a matter of time until they track the source.


    Its alright, Ill be using them for research only.


    Its actually a waste to do so, though. Well, however, if the situation tilts to the point where Your Excellency would wish to have the realm under your control, I suppose theres another way to use them.


    Spare me the joke. Even though I can finally do my research earnestly


    Then, please bear in mind that this situation will notst for long. With an adversary in hand, this state of equilibrium will notst for long. Considering the marquis age, I dont know what hell try to pull before he passes.


    This turns out to be quite the unpleasant talk. If hes so afraid of dying, I wish that hed lend a hand to my research instead.


    He wont do that even if he dies. From what I see, hes already dedicated his life to his personal belief  the centralisation of the country. Rather than to preserve himself sote into his life now, I suppose that hed rather take the territories of the feudal lords from them until the end, be it a single field or a garden.


    Belief, huh. You can still live without them. Me, I just dont want to die, thats all.


    To that, Laubert responds,


    But isnt that a form of belief too, Your Excellency?


    And so he poked fun at me. If you can call the indicator to stay alive a belief, then, sure.


    Anyway, its good that everything seems to be going well. Laubert, why dont you finish up around here too and return to the residence for once. While you do have the magic tool to prevent you from being poisoned, this environment isnt suited for humans. And besides, I suppose itd be better for you to take a bath very soon.


    Since hes been in this mining site for a while now, hes dirty all over, and theres no bath installed here yet. The fact that hes been here for quite a time, to say it mildly, shows that hes quite determined, even from the sense of a Japanese who lived in the 21st century.


    When he heard those words, his eyes began to shine.


    Bath! Ah, how pleasant. Indeed, the most pleasing thing from me being Your Excellencys vassal is that now I can use the bath every day!


    If youre happy with it, then thats good.


    In this era, it takes fuel to heat the baths, and even if you have hot water, fetching it is hardbour in itself. While it isnt as bad at the middle ages of my previous world as theres magic in this world which would make the process to be morebour-saving, the opportunity to take a bath is still valuable nheless. In case of my Oubeniel house, we keep the temperature of the warm water and remove dirt and bacteria from it with a magic tool, so the bath runs for twenty-four hours a day. If you favour cleanliness, then surely this would be an ideal ce to work for you. In order to be employed, however, it is a prerequisite to have your brain augmented first.


    Yes, but properly wash yourself before you get in, alright? As expected, itll be painful to remove that amount of soot and dirt from the baths.


    Of course!


    Did he really get it? Ah, well. Laubert is an excellent official. Even if I dont nag him about it, he should understand at least that much. Hes not a certain vampire who would forget to pay attention as to which side of the bath he should enter.


    I cut my visit of the mining deposit area short and head to the other section. If theres a problem here, surely Laubert will be the first to let me know. Hes that kind of a man.


    The next ce I stepped into is a wide cavern thats a lot different than the previous ces. Theres a silver-coloured lustre all over the ce, since the walls and the floors are reinforced by the mined materials. The back of the walls are fixed withrge suspensions in all directions, so even if a giant or a troll were to rampage inside, they wont sway even for a tiny bit. If ites to dragons, Im not that confident though.


    What is researched here is a bit different than the main subject of the research. This is a so-called weapon testing facility. As I am learning alchemy because I dont want to die, I am also seeking more powerful weapons so that my opponents wouldnt be able to kill me. But if I were to get myself to be upied in this, the vital research on immortality would fall behind, so I basically left weapon development to the mass-produced series, with some rough instructions.


    So, if one were to ask what I was doing here,


    What on earth is that?


    Perhaps when he left the experiment room a while back for a change of pace, Due ended up here. He gazes curiously at the man carrying a pipe-thing made of metal and then alternated his gaze to a scarecrow on the other side. The man is one of the military officers of the former deputy who had undergone simple brain augmentations when I seized Marlin. From the beginning he wasnt thatpetent, and now due to further augmentations, his ability keeps on declining. As these people were rendered obsolete when Victor and Laubert were appointed, I cant leave these people to be idle like that, so I have them participate in this sort of trial run.


    We willmence the thirty-fourth shooting test. Ignition, check.


    After the ve-maid gave him the signal, the man whos carrying out the trial run sets a rope thats attached on the pipe on fire, presses his shoulder against the stock installed on the back of the pipe, and then he pulls the metal trigger. So, in conjunction with the metal trigger, the burning rope will ignite the loaded powder inside of the pipe. When Due thought that sparks will fly from it,


    BANG!


    Fire was blown from the tube with a roar. And as if the scarecrow was struck by something that was released by the pipe, its belly parts scatter straws about.


    . Whats that tool?


    Its a musket. As you can see, its a tool to shoot projectiles.


    A matchlock musket. or in other words, a firearm.


    The ores mined from the deposit contains a lot of sulphur, and thus with the extracted sulphur from the ores and the saltpetre collected from the feces and remains of the experimental subjects, I can make gunpowder. Well, the words if its just dposing a chemicalpound, then alchemy can do it is utterly true. And so that I could put the abundant gunpowder that I made into effective use, I tried to make this thing. Harpers.. Was it? Or was it Dash, or Bosch? Well, in principle, theres also a way to make gunpowder from thin air. But well, first I should just use the materials in hand.


    TL Note: While I cant be 100% sure, the name Harpers, Dash and Bosch might be rted to a gun or a gun prototype. Dash may refer to Degtyaryov-Shpagin. Bosch doesnt seem to be a gun name though.


    So I passed the simple materials to the maids and had them make it, weeeelll, it turned out to be easier than I thought. I believe that it isnt because our technological strength is superior, rather, its because the technological level in this world is actually higher than I thought.


    Due, who observed the musket trial, titled his neck in bewilderment.


    That is it really worth it to take the trouble to make something like that?


    Well, I already figured that hed say so. For adventurers whod already get used to dealing with monsters, muskets that can only be used to shoot only once before it must be inefficiently prepared to shoot again would seem to be a pic in their line of work. In addition, Due is an opus that Ive augmented, so forget muskets, he could even endure the shots of a cannon head on.


    Its not to be used against exceptions like monsters or people like you. The weapon is for war against humans.


    War? Stop it with the jokes, Milord. You know how far an arrow from a bow can reach? If that can only reach within the distance where you can see your opponents face, I dont see how it can exchange shots with the archers.


    He said as he waved his hands near the side of his face. Indeed, the range of a bow is surprisingly long. From what I can remember from my faint memory, it took a considerably long while for guns since its advent to surpass the range of bows and arrows.


    However. The terrifying thing about a gun is not its range, nor its killing power. Well, they cant bepletely disregarded, but the important point lies somewhere else.


    Due. That blockhead who used the musket a while ago. How long do you think would it take for him to hit a single target with a bow?


    I said as I pointed at the former officer who ran the trial. Hes probably a good sample of how an imbecile (?) would look like.


    Him huh. Someone ordinary can use a bow in about half a year, but a dull bastard like him probably would hm?


    Probably Due has realised it too.


    You get it? Even hes like that, he can use the musket with only a short period of time of training. Someone ordinary would be able to use a musket after a week of training.


    Indeed, guns have a dramatically shorter training periodpared to other weapons. How long would it take for someone to learn swordsmanship until it can really be useful in the battlefield? Then how about bows? Compared to those, firearms would allow humans to kill another as quick as possible.


    In the same way, among the weapons that can be used in the battlefield with a short training period is the spear. Have the soldiers carrying them line up to form a rank and theyll be useful for the time being. But while guns have shorter rangepared to bows, their range is still overwhelmingly longer than spears.


    So that means, by having a number of them. all at once


    Yeah, do it incessantly, and the spearmen and knights wont be able to get close.


    Doing something like one shot, one kill can be left for the snipers with their guns of the future. The job of a musketman, instead of making a rank to form a fence, is to shoot their weapons side by side. That alone can take down about half of the iing infantries and cavalries. Oh, in my previous world the path of chivalry already has died out too. After you teach the peasants you conscripted how to shoot a gun, simply push with the number you have. That will allow you to suppress the battlefield.


    Of course, in this world there are also mage-knights and magic beast-knights, so I dont think using guns here will go smoothly as it would in my previous world. And the strong men here couldnt be considered as normal humans at all. Nheless, the advantage that can be gained by using superiority in numbers is overwhelming. And the stronger individuals can be dealt after the rest of the poption is scattered away. Exceptions are exceptions because there are only a few of them.


    However, theres one problem.


    But I dont think Id want to use this weapon too often


    That so?


    Yeah, the production of muskets is technically not so difficult. If someone were to pick one up in the battlefield, they will be quickly copied and spread in the whole continent.


    No no, isnt that impossible? Even if you sweep the continent for it, theres no one that has merits like the alchemists we do have here, even among countries, right?


    You can make this even if youre not an alchemist, though?


    Eh?


    Dues face looks like that of a pigeon that gets hit by a peashooter. Was it really surprising?


    Muskets arent made of mythrils or orichaliums. The tube is iron, and the bullet is lead. Heck, the stock is wooden. A cksmith with a bit of skill can easily learn the manufacturing method. The technology to synthetise sulphur and nitrate to make gunpowder isnt that difficult. Well, above all that though, it does take money to put them into practical use. Well, rather than us, I guess the more fortunate great other forces will use it more efficiently, huh.


    Its a sad thing, but an inventor doesnt necessarily gain the greatest benefit from their inventions. The Yagi-Uda antenna is a good example. When it was initially invented, it wasnt adopted into the armys tactical ideas, while the UK and US on the other hand incorporated them into their military and won World War II. Even if the Marlin military were to adopt the musket ahead of the others, at best theres the chance that other lords would, at worst theres a risk that other countries woukd, produce these in great quantities and use it to overrun this ce No, thats not a risk, that will indeed happen. Marlin has only a small poption. Its not a territory that can win in a battle where only numbers matter.


    I dont quite get it. But why did you make this, then? Wont it be useless that way?


    Someday, somewhere, someone is bound to invent the musket in the future, and so this is to prepare when that timees. If we umte the know-hows ahead of that, it will be easier to respond when the era of muskets as the main weapon of the battlefieldes.


    That way itll be easier to devise measure against them and to make manuals for the soldiers who just got freshly drafted. Well, its a ssic case of better safe than sorry.


    The musket is still heavy, and on top of it, unsafe. But its still better than nothing.


    Besides, after the development department umtes enough results from the production, theyll be able to develop more sophisticated firearms. If I can make flintlock muskets and breech-loading guns ahead of time, surely Ill be able to gain advantage in a battle, even against the muskets. However, in this world, theres also this lot called dwarves that are exceptionally good at smithing. If its them, I fear that its possible for them to cover the technological gap and evolve their guns right away.


    At the end of my line of sight, the ve-maids in charge of weapon development are inspecting the gun which has cooled down post-firing. Whether any distortions have appeared in the barrel, or if the mechanism, like the trigger, isnt durable enough well, theres plenty to find out.


    I called out to them.


    Hey, how are you people doing?


    Master.


    Forgive us for having you witness such a disgraceful sight the development of the musket that Master has instructed is currently progressing at a faster pace than the previous estimates.


    Indeed.


    Faster than the estimates, huh. As I thought, the degree of difficulty to create this isnt that high.


    . The muskets, like the silver and gold found in this mine, should not be put out to the world under present circumstances. If this gets out, the world will be rebuilt with a momentum that will be so quick that it cant be undone. If I ran out of luck and a war between countries were to happen, only then I suppose would I use this to fully cooperate with this country.


    We will submit a report of existing problems and improvement ns at ater time.


    Hm, well done. Once youre finished with this, return to the residence and have the other shifte here.


    M-06, as Master wishes.


    M-07, our gratitude to Master. Finally its possible to bathe.


    M-08, our gratitude to Master. Keeping hygiene is a maids duty.


    It seems that they have it rough here too. Being unable to bathe puts a heavy mental strain on them, especially since theyre women. Although their emotions are restricted, that degree of sensibility exists still. Theres also the possibility that problems may ur in strange ces if I do not let them moderately reduce their stress. Lets have none of that and let them stretch their wings for now.


    Ah, by the way. Therell be another replenishment of ves in the near future. The n to improve the environment of thisb should make a lot of progress by then. The day when you can take a bath while youre being stuck in here is closer than ever too.


    Truly splendid. In any case, Master, M-06 is currently interested in the bath called hot springs.


    M-07, likewise. More than 90 percent of the M series is interested in hot springs.


    ..? From M-08 to M-06 and M-07. Query. Isnt hot spring water supposed to be a beverage? M-08 have gathered that nobles would drink from hot spring for medicinal purpose.


    Oh, how unexpected that it came up now. I certainly remember talking about hot springs when I was designing the bath for the residence. Well, I gave up on it since it would be so conspicuous that it might gather unnecessary attention, and there was also the problem of time constraints when the residence was built as well. Theres plenty of sulphur in the deposits here, so if it all goes well, I suppose its possible to dig a hot spring nearby.


    But still, M-08 sure has quite the strange knowledge. Certainly, its customary in this country to drink from hot springs, or rather, perhaps in this world, soaking in it like the Japanese do is something unusual?


    Well, Ill consider it. Once I know the location of the hot spring, I can have the golems dig it up. For now Ill include it in the future environmental improvement n.


    Our utmost gratitude.


    I gave the bowing maids a sidelong nce as I turn around. Ive grasped the progress here in general. Shall I head to the other research departments soon?


    Im leaving now, but what do you n to do now, Due? You still find it hard to meet the others?


    Its, not that, though.


    Due scratches his head with a troubled look. Probably, hes concerned that things have been rather awkward with Drei. In spite of his frame, hes quite the indecisive one. Im fine with him being irresolute in regards to the experiments, but being indecisive here isnt good. So as I leave the test site, I thought. when the hot springs found, lets have them soak there first.


    Apparently, Due will be staying there for a little while longer.

 Chapter 19: Five Obstinate People Under the Earth

    Chapter 19: Five Obstinate People Under the Earth


    . Hrmm.


    In a private study  alsomonly known as an atelier  set up within theb, I, who have just finished touring around most parts of the facility, am indulging myself in my thoughts. Save for thecking manpower and a lot of points that need improvement in terms of sanitation, this newboratory has been running in an extremely smooth manner. Mining, smelting and refining activities; weapon development; pharmacology research; magic experiments. Theyre all going well, but.


    It seems like that theres a bit of an excess in resources


    Thats right. Originally, the deposits lie far in the remote recesses of the mountains, and it would be difficult to develop them using ordinary means. In exchange, however, the reserves of ores they held were vast. To the point that Laubert wasnt at all talking big when he said about it beingparable to the average annual revenue of the country. Though, that means, dig too much of it and the resources will pile up too much too, which will then result in a capacity shortage in the storage facilities.


    Anyhow, the material known as gold is a heavy one. Like, seriously heavy. Gold is about two to up to five times the weight of iron at the same volume. Though I read it from some sort of a book in the previous life, there seems to be a case of a whole floor giving in, damaging the building in the process, due to an excessive storage of gold. Im not so sure if that kind of thing wont happen in this underground facility, even when this ce has been reinforce through alchemy here and there.


    I have to figure out some sort of ways to make use of them. In the first ce, I made thisrge vein into ab because I had wanted to make use of the various materials excavated from the ce. Experiments and productions that are currently being carried out are an extension of the research that Ive done up to the present. Id like to make use of the special quality of this facility andmence some extravagant research using this abundant gold and silver any time now. Theres not one single alchemist who can conduct their research under these favourable conditions, even in the research history that I read back in the academy. Isnt it such a waste to leave these resources to rot?


    Well then, how should I put these gold and silver into practical use?


    How about arms and armour for Uni and the Opus Series? Theres a lot of things I want to do in this regard, but in truth, Victor and the officials stopped me from doing so. I understand that even their present equipment rivals, or even exceeds, the equipment of the strongest knights order in the kingdom. As it is, itd be inevitable that the higher-ups will carp at me if things turned out badly and they were to discover these items, and with my current political circumstances it would be dangerous for me to be having any more of these problems. So to say, if I were to reason that the expansion of these armaments were for the sake of national defence, Ill draw the enmity of other countries instead. If I were to do this, Ill just bring ruin to myself.


    Then, why dont I use them as materials to be used for thebs environment improvement n? No no no, that wont do, that wont do. The ce would be all glittery and it would be hard to settle in. Ab coated with gold and silver would drive me crazy, I would die. It wont be a suitable ce to live for humans with properly working nervous systems. And besides, processing stones is much more economical than using gold. Its not a problem of money, its just the problem ofbour when producing these building materials with alchemy.


    I had thought of making arge magic tool like the portal gate or the cooling device in the mansion, but it would be a waste of time to make theserge things without a purpose in hand. The resources dedicated for my main research to probe into the concept of immortality is not to be sneezed at as well. Well, it doesnt take that much, but I dont feel like devoting thebour needed for the invention Id fancy about.


    Almost there, is there really nothing I can do with them? A practical and meaningful way to use these silver and gold


    - Thats it. Why dont I make a golem?


    Inspiration suddenly came up to me. Thats right, golem sounds good. There are, more or less, various ways to utilise them, and above all, I dont have that much experience when ites to making golems out of those materials. During my time in the academy, Ive tried making golems out of diverse materials, but the Alchemy Department there was a destitute one. And as one might expect, I dont have any experience of making golems using those precious materials. I might as well make the golem so borate to the point that its ridiculous just for the kick of it.


    Hm? Now that I think about it, simply making them out of gold and silver would be boring. Rather, why dont I make a gold-silver based magic alloy instead? Right, that sounds good. Lets go with that.


    When I decided so, for some reason theres this indescribable feeling that I used to feel back in my childhood days.


    Like I said, Im an advocate of efficiency. But Im a romanticist at the same time. If I dont have a fragment of that romance in me, then Ill end up just spending my time in vain when I reach immortality. If its indeed possible for me to reach immortality, then Id like to keep this pure feeling at that time, and also all the way up until that point.


    Right, somehow I can feel motivation and creative urge rising and stirring inside of me!


    So this is the so-called inspiration? Ideal materials and swell ideas, and the explosive desire for action born when both of these factorsbined. In my life, this feeling has often yields me great results. Its a feeling like what I felt back when I performed my marvels on Uni. The ingenious idea of having the potentialden Uni and utilising alchemy to polish that very aspect has given me my crowning work of all.


    Surely, this time, I can make something magnificent. Shivering with the premonition of that masterpiece-toe, I merrily work on the raw materials that will be the masterpieces basis first.


    Master? Th, this is..


    Perhaps out of her concern to the fact that Ive shut myself in the atelier for quite a while, Uni sticks out her face from the entrance door.


    Eh. thats strange? From what I know, unless I call for her directly, it isnt often for Uni to enter without knocking.


    Ah, eh? Uni? Just now, did you knock?


    The voice that came out from my throat was hoarse, almost like it was ridden with rust. Hmmm? Did I catch a cold or something?


    Upon hearing that voice, Unis face quickly loses its colour.


    . Master. My apologies for replying your question with my own question, but when did youst go to sleep?


    And then she curiously stared my way.


    Aaah. Could it be that Ive been shutting myself here for days?


    Yes, today would be the fifth day.


    He, hum, is that so..


    What, five days!? Did she say it has been five days!?


    Im astounded in spite of myself. Now that she said that, I remember that I told Uni to make me whatever meals just for me to preserve myself and stay away from this ce for awhile. Ive been in such a rush in this creation of my personal pastime, that the reality that Ive been here for five days slipped through me.


    . You shouldve called when I was midway of it.


    I know Im in the wrong here, but for some reason the words ofint were rushing through my mouth.


    My apologies. But.. I did call several times, but, errrr, every time I did so, Master replied, I, Im busy


    Wow, now the faultspletely mine.


    And now that she said that, I kind of remember that there were several exchanges with someone from the other side of the door. But, as I thought, I couldnt remember what I said then. Eh? Back then, when Uni was recalling my replies, didnt she hesitate, like there was something she couldnt say? Could it be that I said something in a terribly harsh way that I cant seem to recall now? Something like, Keep your trap shut! My hands are bloody tied right now!?


    Just imagining it depresses me. What am I, like some kind of a shut-in useless son shouting angrily at his mother for worrying about him? Oh wait, thats exactly the case now is it.


    Im sorry.


    Master?


    I spontaneously go down on my hands and knees and lower my head. Just what is this remorseful feeling my heads all spinning and my mood is crashing down. It feels like I want to nt my head on this very spot of the floor right now.


    Im sorry for being born. Im really sorry for being alive..


    . Ma, master? Are you going mad? Did Opus-04 bit you? Get a hold of yourself!


    As she said so, she grabbed me by the nape of my neck and dragged me outside the room. She dragged me as it is through the teleport gate bound for the residence. As I take that feeling in, my consciousness grows hazier


    And so, here we are.


    Are you a moron? No, Your Excellency, perchance, might you actually be intellectually challenged?


    Give it a rest, Victor. The lord has already said that hes reflecting, and the fact that hes indeed sorry has already made clear, so lets stop rebuking him over and over again now.


    And so on, the two among the top brass of my ranks of vassals has been persistently lecturing and continuously rebuking me. These two sure have some fine personalities. Especially Laubert, who smoothly delivered the killing blow whileughing.


    TL Note: fine personalities may also be tranted as great guts


    I already said sorry, alright? Im reflecting. I wont do it again.


    Please say I absolutely wont ever do it again instead.


    At my words, Victor makes the gesture of cing his hand on his forehead as if hes enduring a headache.


    If your head hurts that much I can fix it with lobotomy, though.


    To that he said,


    Rather than a symptomatic therapy; Id say I need a radical treatment more.


    And so I was cut off.


    After that incident, I understand that Uni dragged me out, brought me back to the residence, washed me like how shed wash the dishes, and left me to sleep for an entire two days. On paper it seems to be quite terrible, but the fact that I got away with just that is all I couldve asked for. At worst, its not impossible for me to drop dead due to overwork after working for five days straight without rest. If I were to die because I got too absorbed in my hobby before I reached immortality, then why bother in the first ce?


    As I thought so, Victor shifted his gaze from me  who didnt even grumble  to Uni, whos refraining by my side.


    Madam Chief Maid, please do not spoil His Excellency too much. Surely theres at least some will left in you to say something at times like these?


    . I am terribly sorry.


    Uni obediently lowers her head. Seeing my number one Opus being talked down like this makes me a bit irritated.


    Hold on there. In this matter, Uni isnt that much at a fau


    Yes, the primary offender here is His Excellency.


    And at that very moment Laubert pursued me. What a shrewd man. Although Im d he didnt turn into an enemy, even as my ally he still gives me the tingles and I cant help it.


    No, Master isnt at fault here. The fault lies in me, who couldnt fulfil the role of remonstrating my lord-


    Yes, ah, right. Thats right. Please take care of His Excellency properly from this point onwards, Madam Chief Maid.


    As Uni stands up to protect me, Lauberts face twitches.


    Just whats with this atmosphere Its not Unis words, but, did being around Charl really infect me with some sort of a strange disease?


    Well, putting that aside


    Please dont try to end the topic, Your Excellency. But, well, certainly, this has been quite the fruitless discussion..


    Victor agrees, while his face seems wants to say: it cant be helped. Then lets advance the topic right away.


    As I thought, its important to avoid losing the sense of time when shutting myself inside arge room where the sun doesnt shine. No, its not only me, how was it for you when you were there, Laubert?


    Lets see. It feels like its always night-time down there, it does make me forget even things like what day is today again?. Though for a vampire like that man, it seems that hes always healthy in a ce like that Certainly, Charl would be stronger in a ce in a dark and sealed environment where the sunlight would be nothing but harmful to the inhabitants like that. But vampires are fundamentally like that no matter where.


    That said, Id like to propose to adopt the sunlight to the environmental improvement n, how does that sound?


    Sunlight, in the undergrounds?


    Yes, among the byproducts of our gold-mining, we also have quartz too, yes? If we use that and make them into ss tubes and stretch them, its possible to transmit the sunlight from the ground up to the deep undergrounds through the tube.


    Its alsomonly called as optical fiber. If this method seeds, itll be possible to cultivate greens which require sunlight as a necessity in the undergrounds as well. Itll also be possible to secure the necessary amount of sunshine for human body to work properly, and will also contribute to normalise the residents biological clock. Apparently, those advantages clicked with the clear-headed home affairs expert pair too.


    So even that is possible. But if the sunlight reaches the undergrounds, then itll be hard on the vampires.


    Of course, Ill restrict the light to reach select sections only. Direct sunlight will damage some of the materials, and its effect on paper is not good either. Well, the current, rather humid and dusty, environment is also as bad in these regards, though.


    A little amount of sunlight wont put Charl in pain, but he still wont feel good about it. At the end of the day, this lighting n is merely to refresh humans, and also, agriculture. Since the n takes time andbour, as expected I have no intention topletely illuminate the undergrounds.


    Hmm, its indeed an interesting n. If this can be realised, it wont be impossible for that underground space to attainplete self-sufficiency. By any chance, Your Excellency, have you nned this out for quite some time now?


    I just feel that I have to tackle things starting from this matter as early as I can. In truth, I had wanted to start by expanding the underground space first.


    Then why dont we start from there? If we want the environment to be morefortable, then shouldnt we by all means do that? Besides, I think that its easier to n early where theres plenty of room for expansion, rather thanter.


    Laubert said. Since he knows the pain of going way under, his remarks was valid.


    Theres just a bit of a problem there. See, were going to bring light from the outside, yes? Which means, the facility to let the sunlight in must be built on top of theb.


    Aah, I see.


    Imagine. In the depths of a remote mountain, there lies a mysterious facility of ss tubes, piercing the earth towards the undergrounds. Due to geographical factor, people wont run into them that quickly, but when people do run into them, that sight will stand out. I mean, really stand out. Then rumours like there must be some sort of a secret hideout below will spread like wildfire. In the unlikely event when people actually approach them, were out.


    TL Note: out in the sense of baseball out.


    And it just so happens that the development of the new mines for business in Marlin has just been tendered out. Depending on how much revenue they make, some prospector will want to look for a new vein throughout the region and they wille one after another. If someone among them made the wrong turn and broke into the mountain where theb is located, its a given that theb will be discovered too. And then the information will find its way to the capital, where my brother and Victors father remains.


    But thatll only be a matter of time, right? And so, theres this considerablyrge vein in Lauberts report. This vein can also be pinpointed by the gold dust in the river bed. Lets defiantly expand the facility as much as we wish here. It lies literally in the middle of nowhere, far in the depths of the mountains, itll take days for a small band of prospectors to discover it.


    But since Your Excellency took the trouble to say all these things, I suppose theres some kind of a good-for-nothing countermeasure in ce there too, yes?


    As expected from one of the pair of famous young official whos running these frontiers. What fine decisiveness and foresight.


    Yeah. Theres still time until the results of the mine revenue are out and prospectors begin to move, add to that the interval between them moving and them discovering the facility. With that, theres enough cards to y in our hands. Though, as Laubert said, the n is a good-for-nothing one.


    Ah, figured so.


    One of the pair shifts his gaze toward heaven, and the other shifts his gaze the other way. As to who did what, well, it doesnt matter.


    As both of them seems to have lost their will to ask further at the same time, Uni came to ask.


    Then, Master, what is your n?


    Yes. Needless to say, Marlin is a hintend in the frontiers. And for that, we do have an abundance of nature and plenty of pristinends where humans hands dont reach. Ourb is among thosends.


    And thats why I could do something like digging and drilling during the wintertime. I could do something like moving huge golems to excavate the grounds, since thend is so secluded to the point it was impossible to be found out by any single soul.


    However.. In a pristine secludednd like this, youd think there should be at least one or two undiscovered dungeons, yes?


    Victor stood up, not realising he was making tters and loud noises as he rose. His face turns so pale its almost worrying.


    Not minding Victor, Uni nods.


    I see, so on top of theb thats substantially simr to a dungeon, Master is nning to make another new dungeon.


    Another dungeon? I wont do something so stingy like that. Two. I did say one or two back then, didnt I?


    . So the lighting facility will be ced on a dungeon, and the surrounding mountains will also help to achieve the purpose of camouging the facility.


    Madam Chief Maid, why are you being so calm here?! Were talking about dungeons here! Setting aside the covert ce where the underground space where theb lies, to think the very mountain will be turned into a dungeon itself! If those people in the capital were to catch a whiff of this, itd be good if it could end with just a summons from the high court! At worst, a whole army of the strongest knights order and adventurers coulde knocking, you know!?


    Still pale, Victor keeps rattling on about his objections. Well, of course he would. What Im proposing here is basically picking a fight with the kingdom just so the undergroundbs environment can be improved.


    However,


    No, I think its quite the good idea, though?


    Laubert!? Have you gone mad? Did he perform another readjustment on you when you were down under?!


    Well, what he said was a bit rude. However, it seems that Laubert has noticed the merits of the n.


    Im in my right mind. Well, I wonder if a someone whose head has been tampered with can be right in their mind, though. Victor, you were saying about if those in the capital were to catch a whiff of this, but like His Excellency said, Marlin is one of the most remote regions, even in the southern parts of the kingdom. If someone were to learn that theres a dungeon here, as long as they dont know that His Excellency made it himself, it wont lead to his impeachment.


    What did you say?


    Indeed, Marlin is a frontier, and the location of myb is among its most secluded ce unprecedented by any human intelligence. If there were to be an undiscovered dungeon in such a ce, it wouldnt explicitly lead people to question my management responsibility as its lord. As more people enter into mine development than ever before, they happen to stumble upon an undiscovered dungeon as well. I can do with this answer.


    Well.. thats certainly.. no. but, theres still a problem there, Your Excellency. Even if you manage to tell people that the dungeon you constructed yourself is an unprecedented discovery, what about the materials used to construct the dungeon itself? If you want to fortify the mountain, then itll be fine if you deploy tree-type monster there, but the lighting facility will be ced there as well and itll be a considerablyrge artifact. If people were to use Detect spell on it and figure out when it was built, then doesnt that mean that we risk losing everything here?


    As expected from Victor, you certainly make a good point. However, you do know that alchemists do have an alias, yes?


    Swindler, isnt it? No, its not like Im doubting Your Excellencys skills though


    No, Im not talking about that. Its just that its the prevailing view. Here, look.


    All of a sudden, a bundle of parchments were thrown at him. From the look of it, they look considerably aged.


    Oh. What is this? Hmm, these seems to be two hundred years old, I see. Its curious that nothing is written here, though.


    And, he skillfully appraised the parchments age. Actually, Victor has some magic potential with him. If its only basic spells, even him can use it. A spell like Detect would have great use in assessing fine arts that is indispensable for those of the nobility, so of course hed know the spell.


    For this time only though, his answer was way off.


    Those are parchments for official document use that I bought a while ago.


    Ah, I see. So, youre not trying to pull one on me, yes? I know that Your Excellency is an entric person, but just who would buy a useless parchment like this?


    You still dont get it?


    Dont get what?


    I was just about to tell perplexed Victor the answer when someone interjected.


    No way did you disguise a brand new parchment as a two-hundred years old by using alchemy?


    It was Laubert. What he said was correct, but I wish he had read a bit more into it. Even though I had wanted to make a joke about it with a posed look


    He got it. So, your appraisal spell has just given you the wrong answer, how do you feel about it?


    How!? .. The washed-up colour can indeed be forged, but, theres no way it could fool an appraisal spell..!


    Somehow Victors role is to be the surprised one here. Perhaps its because hes just serious by nature.


    Well, I vamped up the parchment so it gave an impression that it is two hundred years old when its appraised by a spell. Its possible that the alchemists of old used to profit by forging fine arts. If they did that, its possible for them to get filthy rich even if they couldnt turn lead into gold. Hence the swindler alias.


    I havent heard anything that could substantiate that ount though. Well, alchemy is a minor field in this world. Just how many barristers at that time were wise enough to expertly prove that a fraud was taking ce? In the first ce, how many victims realised that they were scammed in the first ce?


    Uni gives an additional exnation to the shaking Victor,


    As there are many things that are irreversibly impaired over time, renewing old things prove to be a difficult task, it is however surprisingly easy to make new things seem old. Its possible for another alchemist as skilled as Master to see through the ruse, but


    At the very least, you wont find anyone like that in this kingdom. And I have the confidence to insist on that. So far, the only alchemistparable to me that Im aware of is the professor who used to be my mentor.


    And theres no people with spare time whod bother bringing an alchemist to appraise a dungeons building material, nor theres people whod put their trust in this field in the first ce. Besides, Professor Graumann is a foreigner. Even if someone from this country were to request him to do so, hes not obliged toply. Hes also currently busy researching immortality as well, just like me.


    What a staggering amount of preparation. For someone who has yet to reach twenty, its impressive that youve came so far on this path. Is there some sort of a secret behind it?


    Victors words were more of an expression of astonishment rather than a praise. Perhaps he never thought that alchemy- a field that is, albeit a discipline in the arcane, minor would have so much impact in this world, starting from the fact that he was brainwashed using knowledge from that field. Ande to think of it, the fact that someone whos not even in their twenties could master that field to this extent mightve been a menacing one.


    From my point of view, its just that, it seems that the other alchemists are doing their research in a terribly roundabout way.


    Theres a lot of unseparated portions between alchemy and natural sciences. For some reason, the knowledge of medicine-making and chemicalposition is included in the field of alchemy. In my previous world, it seems that before the age of Newton, alchemists were once viewed as scientists, it seems that this world has the same confusion as well.


    So, as a person who have received a basic education in a world where science has made progress, I could tell the noise in the field and concentrate only on the alchemy portion. That is why my rate of progress was different than my fellow student.


    If theres another factor to it, then,


    Also, he performs more human experimentations than any other people, that counts too, I suppose?


    I see.


    Victor nods at Lauberts words. Seems like another rude remark was thrown in there, but well, Laubert was correct. The data obtained from human experimentation has been most useful. For you see, as the oue of the research is aimed for humans, the research should also be actually experimented on human bodies. Once, there was a certain country that turned out victorious in a war, and they took the research data obtained from human experimentation from the defeated country. They didnt take it to turn it into evidence in the court, they took it so they could make use of it and advance their own countrys medicine and weapon development. That harvested data was just that valuable and helpful. Well, its something that happened in my previous world, so my memory about it is all fuzzy.


    As I think about those misceneous things,


    Master, you should return to the original topic.


    Whoops, right, theres still that. So, the point is, even if we were to make a dungeon in the depths of the mountains, the possibility of connecting that to me is minimal. It can instead obstruct people from discovering theb, and that there is a plus.


    I see, I understand that it may be good for Your Excellency as an alchemist. However, as the lord who governs thisnd, just what kind of dungeon  which is technically a monsters den  will you personally make? If the monsters were to overflow from there, for a territory with inadequate armaments like Marlin, things will be rough.


    As a home affairs official, that opinion was bing of him. However, Im not negligent enough to forget about those parts.


    Since itll be built in a remote ce, I feel that the impact on the people will be minimal, though? Well regrly thin them out so they dont increase too much. Materials that can be harvested from them are valuable, you see. Its convenient to have a ranch nearby for research purposes as well, and itll also be a training field for the Opus series. Well be hitting two birds with one stone.


    Then what will you do when the dungeon is finally discovered? Adventurers in search of new hunting grounds will rush in there. When that happens, I think that the risk of theb being discovered will rise.


    Victor.


    Yes.


    Have you been listening to me?


    Hes not an ipetent person who is just going to act all surprised at my proposal. Ive consulted my policies and strategies with him many times. Hes a victim of what Im doing here as well. Surely, when I say this, theres no reason for him to still not understand this and ask me something like then what are you going to do with the people whosing to investigate you? or how are you going to use these people?.


    Sure enough, he sighs as he answers.


    The dead dont talk. And the material you were talking about is not limited to the corpse of the monsters. Am I correct?


    Well put. If I had to add anything to that, catching them alive wouldve been more preferable, right?


    Indeed. If people were to go missing in some kind of remote mountain while theres nothing there, others maye to suspect the incidents. But, what if people were to go missing in a dungeon, or better yet, the near-deepest parts of a it? Well, maybe the monsters offed them. I can do whatever I please to those who cant talk. And strong experiment materials will absolutelye, so Id say this makes me want to shout screams of joy. Even if they end up dead, I can make them into a fresh golem, or maybe do something on a grander scale with Charls help.


    What do you think, Laubert?


    Yes, I think its a good n. Adventurers wille to the dungeon, so thatll be a positive impact economics-wise. Its also a good opportunity to establish new industries. Facilities they will patronise, like lodgings, smitheries, supply shops, entertainment.


    That idea didnt cross my mind.


    Ah, right, the dungeon itself is an industry. Now that I think about it, a dungeon is like a workce for adventurers. If I make a ce where they can work, then of course those seeking for work wille. Thisll be the birth of a new economy.


    And theres also Marlins primary trade product, potions. If the adventurers were to buy and consume them locally, itll be considerably more profitable for us, see? Theres no intermediary margins for the wholesale merchants, and theres no freight cost too. If we can get new customers ourselves, the merchants will be pressured to revise the transaction value of the potions. Ah, thats right, in addition, how does mobilising the mass-produced ves to manufacture equipments to be sold for the adventurers sound?


    With flowing eloquence, he keeps on proposing new policies. Perhaps since this man had been unemployed for so long, he bes energetic as soon as he finds a ce where he can make use of his talent. Well, if its useful for me, I dont mind the way he is.


    Laubert, I see that His Excellency have mostly tainted you as well.


    Quietly remarked Victor.


    At his colleagues remark, Laubert leaked out a dryugh.


    Well, we wont be able to get away from the lord so long as we live, Victor. Might as well let yourself be tainted quickly.


    A sensible judgement.


    Thank you, Chief Maid.


    Indeed, indeed, familiarising yourself with your workce is a good thing. You can work without being stressed that way. Victor, if you do a bit more of that, that headache of yours will considerably ur less often too.


    And so, in addition with the n of thebs environment improvements, I think that we should also press forward with the n to develop the dungeons in the outskirts. At the same time, theres a lot of manpower required here. Pick up some people with magic potential among the new ves bought for the copper mine development and send them my way. I will handle the construction and the structural alteration of theb and mobilise the Opus series to collect monsters to be released in the dungeon.


    Who will be the person in charge? If youre sending out someone conspicuous, your brother and my father  the centralists informationwork will be involved.


    Itll be someone conspicuous though, Ill be sending Drei out. With her evil eye, itll be easy for her to capture her prey, and she can quickly travel long distances by using teleportation magic. Besides, I dont send her to the front stage, so even if shes spotted, therell be nothing to tie her with me.


    Right. If its a cored dark elf, then those who witness her, theyd think her to be nothing more but an outcast adventurer. Besides, people are starting to know about Madam Chief Maid and Sir Due being Your Excellencys subordinate, and Sir Vampire is, well, how should I put this


    Well Sir Vampire is a Lord ss. If people were to witness him, a band of A-ranked adventurers will be sent to suppress him. Even if he wouldnt be discovered, his character makes sending him out impossible.


    Really, how did his personality be like that? Even I, who readjusted him, am the one most baffled here.


    I dont have a problem if its Drei. She looks young, but shes among the long-living species. Shes at least one or two hundred years old, and she mustve already get used to acting alone in secludednds.


    I strongly rmend her myself too I was just thinking of what to do if it was zero-four instead.


    Uni is unexpectedly being harsh. I get where shesing from though.


    Well then, this matter is concluded. Let us figure out the details for these ns at ater time.


    Right. Well then, lets move along to the original important topic that Your Excellency pushed aside. First, about the progress of the copper mine development


    So, after I finished my job above, I came back to theb.


    Well that idea is just out there now, isnt it? Making an underground dungeon isnt gonna cut it, so lets make another aboveground, just what to say about this


    Still, quite an interesting job you have there, Master. I myself have been recently bored, for theres no opponent to show my strength to.


    Tsk, how enviable, Drei-senpai. I wanna go to the outside once in a while too


    Those were the Opus series reaction to the new n. Due doesnt seem to be very enthusiastic about it, Drei seems to be brimming with motivation, and Charl is just out of the question. Uni is in favour, so if Im going with the majority vote, thatll be two ayes, one nay, and one invalid vote  the motion is adopted. Not that it matters though, since my order takes precedence.


    By the way, shouldnt Charl at least mind the fact that were going to bring sunlight into this ce a bit more?


    But, Oubeniel-kun? I wonder if youre biting too much than you can chew here. Just as it is, youre wearing another hat as the feudal lord here, adding to that, youre going to expand theb and create dungeons. You also shut yourself in the atelier sometimes for some reason. At this rate, our research will be put into a halt yet again.


    How unusual. For this man to make a reasonablement


    Wa, thats cruel! Just what do you think I aaam!?


    Charls opinion certainly hits the mark.


    However, theres the matter of necessity.


    I get it, however, this is a necessary investment. Itll be even more dangerous than ever if people were to discover thisb at this time. Also, as the environment of theb interior is a rough one, wouldnt it be better for us to improve things now, instead of postponing it forter? And besides, like Ive exined before, the research profits from this too.


    A ranch for experiment materials, huh. well at least therell be a plenty of people to spar against my sword, so I guess I can be happy about it.


    The one who said that was Due, whose resentment has been building up for having to stay in this ce. I suppose hell be a bit sunnier if he can let off some steam. It is also my wish to be able to satisfy his peculiar preference of living on the edge as he duels people to death. I will surely get myself a lot of fine experiment materials.


    In addition, Ill be expanding the number of the mass-produced ves. In the first ce,pared to the originally nned number, were pretty much really short of them right now. If possible, Id like to at least increase them threefold.


    Its mainly because Dues purchase of Drei. But since I got myself an excellent piece thanks to that, its fine.


    Then, at my remarks, Charls eyes shines


    So, youre going to get me ves too, yes? Virgins. Virgins!


    Ah, yes. That


    Of course my mood would be spoiled by that. Hed say something troublesome in an inappropriate time like this, even if he gets beaten up by Uni and the other Opus as a result. Does he want a virgins blood that much? Well he probably does. Hes a vampire after all.


    Just leave that perv of a vampire alone.. by the way, Master. Hearing the new n almost made me forget to ask this, just what exactly did you do in the atelier the other day? You seemed to be so immersed in your work, to the point you didnt reply when Uni tried to call you.


    And so Drei asked me about the matter that had started all this. Well, of course shed be wondering about it. Her lord had basically changed ss and messed about for five consecutive days.


    TL Note: ss change into a hermit (hikkikomori), it seems.


    Nah, well, about that. Its just that I was pondering about a way to use the excess material from the mineral section, and when I began the research that actually was my pastime, I unexpectedly got too immersed in it. Before I knew it, I got recklessly absorbed into it. Im still reflecting now.


    . Then, Master, just what exactly did you try to make back then?


    Attentively, Uni smoothly advances the topic. Even though she was the one who was bothered with the most trouble in this matter, what a do-well ve. Perhaps I can understand why Victor said that she has been spoiling me too much.


    Im grateful for what she has done, therefore shy as I am, let me answer her here.


    Its new kind of golem. Something different than those disposable golems used for civil engineering and mining works. Plenty of high-grade materials are used, and its design was made from scratch, for it was intended to be deployed permanently. Upon itspletion, this golem will be Opus-05.


    Oh


    The opus wont be something based on a high-grade experimental material like us, itll be literally born from nothing.


    Theres flickering heat in Unis eyes. The aura of how wonderful Master is! that she emits is, how to say this, making me bashful.


    As a fellow mage, Drei seems to be immensely curious about the creation of this golem as well.


    As for the men.


    Golems huh. So blood wont be flowing in its veins.. I know that Im forbidden from tasting the blood of mypanions, but this is hah


    Oi, Charl. Just why are you assuming that Ill be making a female-type?


    This bat man is seriously without manners. Well anyway, quite the hearty story youve got the, Milord. Making a golem out of gold and silver.


    Ha? Who said that I was going to make it from silver and gold?


    I tilt my head at Dues remarks.


    He gave me a nk look in reply.


    Hah? No, didnt you say it yourself? You said you were trying to figure out a way to make use of the materials mined here.


    Ah, so thats it. Well I dont n to use the silver and gold to construct the golems body. Its a new high-tech material that will serve as the basis for the golem. I made an alloy from those materials with alchemy and am nning to use that alloy.


    In any case, its still quite the extravagant talk. so, what kind of alloy did you make from melting those gold and silver?


    Im interested as well. At that time, among the specimens in the atelier, there was a metal Im not familiar of..


    Uni said. Well, shes been my assistant for many years now. Shes sharp-sighted, not only for the matter of the run in the mill magic, but in alchemy-rted matters as well.


    Oh, that? I think youve seen them before, though.


    Have I?


    Yes, when I was studying abroad at St. Gallen, We should have seen an ingot like that at the Academys museum.


    I pointed that out to her. Even for me, it wasnt something thats so easy to make. Ive only seen its sessful synthesis once. Well, actually, I asked Uni to sneak in with me to touch the alloy thoroughly and take a tiny sample of it.


    . What is he talking about? Do you know anything about it, vampire?


    Weeell, I was at the academy at that time, but. a rare ingot that adorned the academys museum, you say? If its something that can be made from existing material from this ce, I guess he made mythril from silver or something?


    Dont ask me, its something entirely out of my expertise.


    While the other Opus couldnt reach the correct answer, as expected, Uni, who could get near to the answer in the first ce, quickly noticed.


    Master.


    What is it?


    That vermillion-coloured metal with that rainbow-coloured luster about it. that sample, could it be. an orichalcon?


    Her remarks made the air froze.


    Next thing I know, with a noise that almost seem like a creak, Drei constrainedly faces my way.


    Ori, chal.. con? Could it really be that orichalcon?


    A, AHAHAHAHA! M, Maid, youre unexpectedly good with jokes! As if something like that could exist!


    Its annoying, but Ill have to agree. By orichalcon you mean that famous legendary metal, yes? Even someone whos not an expert knows about that. And then, youre saying that you made that so you can use it for your golem? A fine jest, Id say.


    And then these simultaneous attacks. Ah, as I thought, this kind of reaction hurts me.


    Well, if it cant be helped, Id say its indeed cant be helped. Orichalcon is that kind of metal. Its luster outperforms even gold, its sticity is superior to silver, and its easier to process than copper. It is a legendary material, considered stronger than anything in this world. Its an ultra-rare legacy material that can only be found in an archaeological excavation of a slightly prehistoric ruins of a civilisation as weapons or small ingots, which cant be found in this era at all. That is what Orichalcon is.


    If I were to hear that a certain alchemist somewhere managed to sessfully synthesise it, Id also not only doubt the information itself, Id also doubt the sanity of the person who told me the information itself.


    Well you might say that, but it cant be helped that I sessfully synthesised it.


    As I said so sulkingly, the other three stopped dead in their tracks yet another time. The only calm one is Uni, who understand my skills more than anyone else.


    .. Did you really synthesise it?


    Didnt I just say so?


    Seriously?


    Seriously.


    Thats impossible.. I cant believe it. Huh!? Did you perhaps send the maid to steal it from the academy or rob it from the treasure chest of the royal family?!


    You want me to mess with your brain, Charl?


    Everyones still half-convinced even now that Ive asserted it again. And in the chaos a certain someone would blurt out something thats pretty much improper Wait, isnt this just the usual?


    Ive grown tired of this skit, so Ill continue talking.


    I understand what you feel, but calm down and listen to me. Orichalcon.. do you understand the meaning of the word in the first ce?


    If I were to remember correctly, its mountain copper in ancientnguage. Eh? Could it be-


    Dreis main job is rted to magic, so of course shed know. Because shes already familiar with these things, she caught on quickly.


    Yes, thats it. I had a sample of copper drilled for the pilot project, I did several trials and errors. And I finally got to synthesise it.


    So. does it mean, you can make orichalcon by mixing copper with gold?


    If it were that simple, people wouldve been able to make it ages ago. Generally, you can only make a gold-copper alloy out of that. Its appearance and characteristic is different, and theres only five percent of gold mixed in it.


    Gold is one of the most important substances in alchemy. Of course its also used to make the finest alloy that is Orichalcon inrge quantity. Theres no way you can make that alloy with less than ten percent gold in it.


    However, the concept is close. Using alkahest, I was able to draw out the characteristics of copper and mixed it together with gold. By doing that, I was able to figure out that the properties simr to copper can be applied to gold. When Ibined it further with silver, the silvers properties were also added to the alloy. Hence the magically melded substance from the three metals. When I examined that material, I see that it was almost identical to the orichalcon I saw in the academy once.


    Wait a minute, alkahest? Did you just say alkahest like it was nothing?


    Yes I did. Its a miraculous solvent to draw out the characteristics of gold well, its still not the finished product yet, so its not yet able to do that with gold.


    By the way, its staggeringly corrosive. Its reputation as a universal solvent isnt just for show, it literally can melt just about anything. When using it, you will have to apply the correct amount on top of the material you want to synthesise. Failure to do so will result on it ruining not only the material, but its container as well.


    People sometimes confuse it for aqua regia, but of course theyre two different things. In contrast to the imperfect alkahest I use, while it can melt gold, it cant melt silver. Alkahest does not corrode a material by oxidizing it, it instead literally just melts and dissolves the material, which itself is a mysterious phenomenon. Its a substance to draw out the spiritual essence of a material that dwells inside its physical elements. As itpletely melts and dissolves anything to nothing provided that it has the same mass, rather than a chemical, alkahest is closer to antimatter. Well, if it were to follow the principle of annihtion between matter and antimatter, then from what Ive done, the whole Ithush continent will be blown to bits without a trace, so of course it is not exactly antimatter.


    Drei left her trembling mouth open.


    Doesnt that count as one of the secrets of alchemy?


    I guess. So what?


    No, what do you mean so what..


    Drei-senpai, did you forget who this man is? Hes our master, Oubeniel, alright? Hes someone who could tamper with the head of a dark elf, or artificially make a Vampire Lord like me, alright?


    Its very convincing. But Its frustrating that I have to hear it from you!


    And suddenly Charl was on his knees. Was it that much of a shock?


    Its not something to be surprised about, yes? Alkahest is used to make the Philosophers Stone, which is a necessary element to obtain immortality, but here were just using it to melt gold.


    Philosophers Stone is a tool that has been considered indispensable to attain the most arcane in alchemy since ancient times. I understand that it is used to create gold or the elixir of immortality. Of course, making it is also one of my goals.


    However, I do not know how much effect it will exert as I never see the real thing. I would be stumped if I were to manage to make the real thing and it turned to be a flukepared to its reputation. It is also a legendary existence that the famous alchemy pioneers could not reach. Its also possible that I still wont be able to make it when my lifespan runs out.


    Therefore, its essential to learn about methods to extend my life using other aspects as well. A high-level experiment in regard of vampirisation, such as Charls augmentation, is among those efforts.


    Setting whether I can make alkahest that can melt gold aside, if the failure were on this side, Id think that its weird even if I were to manage to sessfully perfect it.


    I dont think thats the problem, though sigh, I got picked up by an utterly ridiculous lord


    Due said as he scratches his head.


    In the other hand, Charl appears to be spellbound.


    Still, Master sure is wonderful! Regardless of the alkahest improvement, you still managed to make orihalcon. The orihalcon! You managed to make something like that! When the orihalcon golem finally can be mass produced, you can even conquer this continent! Hey, hey, Master! When you have finally conquered the continent, can I have at least one country? Its fine, right?


    It seems that for some reason he has just conjured a preposterous diagram of future ns in his head. Though Due and the rest of the Opus seriesmented something like again, this guy. as they stared at him.


    If I leave him as he is, his imagination is likely to go to a ridiculous direction, so first, Ill correct that mistake for now.


    Dont say something so ridiculous. Didnt I tell you? Its difficult to handle alkahest which is needed for a step in production of orihalcon. So I cant mass produce it.


    Eeeeeh.


    Dont eeeeeh me. Whats impossible is impossible. With the exception of the high-end model that is Opus-05, well be making the mass-produced version from silver-derived mythril.


    But what about conquering the continent?


    .. Ive ran out of riposte already.


    Besides,


    I separated my words. The important thing is after this.


    First, what happened to that ancient civilisation that was able to utilise its orihalcon abundantly? It waspletely destroyed and theres virtually no trace of it. Was it consumed by internal fighting while possessing technology that was too advanced in its age? Or perhaps it was destroyed by the demons in the crisis hundreds of years ago? Theories that exin the end of that civilisation varies, but whatever the true cause was, at the end of the day, the result remains unchanged. Save for some old ruins, theyre all extinct. They all died out and disappeared its not a joke.


    Yes, its really not a joke.


    No matter how prosperous you get, it is all pointless if youre dead.


    That literally empty state where you cant feel the heat nor the cold, where yout feel joy nor pain.


    That kind of fate, I sincerely pass.


    Thats why, its not enough.


    HYIH!?


    Orihalcon? If its only that, then its far from enough. Because this is the very proof that the ancients who lived thousands and ten thousands years ago failed to attain immortality. If they managed to attain it, then wouldnt their splendour remain until this day? So, its too early to be festive just because of this. Its nothing but a single rare metal, were still going to die that way. What is it Char? You look pale.


    I had make quite the unusual long speech, but when I realised it, Charl seems to be strange. His face, which is already pale in the first ce, has be even paler now, his face is almost ashen in colour.


    . Could it be that he doesnt have enough blood? The amount of cultured blood that I gave him should be sufficient Maybe he really needs the blood of a living virgin that he requested over and over again?


    A, A, AHAHAHAHHA! I was, being, ca, careless now, wasnt I? Thats right. Masters purpose, is to attain immortality, yes?


    Thats correct. Dont forget that. What Im doing here to the very end is to n so I dont die. After that, well, I figure out a hobby so I can enjoy that life itself. I dont have the spare time for world conquest. Though whether that can be achieved or not is a different matter entirely.


    I shifted my gaze after I said so. For some reason, Charl is currently stuttering, just like him before his operation. Apparently hes really in a bad condition. Somehow, I feel bad just by looking at him.


    Hmm, have I been caring too much about the probability of him rebelling against me that it gave him excessive stress? Even though Im troubled by his insubordination, Im certain that hes a necessary human resource for my research. As I thought, hell need some care.


    Cant be helped. Maybe Ill splurge a bit and allot some ves for him. Though if I were to say something here hes just going to be carried away again, so Ill be silent until I actually give him what he wants.


    As I think about that matter, Uni abruptly gave me a bow.


    Its good that Master hasnt forgotten his original purpose.


    Just what are you saying so suddenly, Uni? Of course theres no way Id forget now, is there?


    Then, please keep good care of yourself so that youll be able to avoid being too absorbed in your research, harming your own body in the process.


    .. It hurts if she puts it that way.


    I already told Charl, but the reason why I kept going for nights until I copsed was because I was too absorbed in my zeal when I was trying to make orichalcon.


    Now that my do-well follower has said that, Ill make sure that Ill be careful next time.

 Chapter 20: The Girl of the White Birch Forest (1/2)

    Chapter 20: The Girl of the White Birch Forest (1/2)


    The Federal Monarchy of St. Gallen, one of the great four countries of the continent, is also known as the Country of Woods and Soldiers.


    The vital points of the country are torn by a ck forest, where all kinds of trees would embrace its scattered ins, where its lords reside, from all sides. Its transient union has only been going for thest two hundred years, which makes the country a remarkably young one, even among the history of the continent.


    With the Heidebreicht Dynasty of the Great Kingdom of Grandonburg, the house that founded its capital in the Eastern ins, Gallerien, as the head of the federation, a system was ced to arbitrate the interests of the federated medium and small-sized states and the aristocrats under their banner. It must be said that the risk of running such system is that the country would be much more brittle, evenpared to its neighboring country Arquell, where its centralists and its decentralists are currently quarrelling.


    However, St. Gallen sees a certain level of stability, and its influence ranks alongside the other great powers. What is the source of that?


    - It is their strength.


    In the continent of Ithush, where many creatures that pose a threat to humanity, like monsters or demihumans, still remain, forests are where magical beings reside. Forests are where evil insects, magical beasts, undead, and demons run rampant, and demons  theyre literally a nest of devils. The ancestors of the people of the great eastern power that is St. Gallen settled in these forestednds, and stood their ground in the conflicts against fellow humans while they waged their struggle for survival against the monsters.


    And their history of endless conflict gave birth to a martial country where the strongest great king would rule over its princes. A powerhouse which, while held in contempt by the other countries as and of savages and the unsophisticated, could never be made light of in terms of strength. Such is the Federal Monarchy of St. Gallen.


    However, while the strength of the people who live there has increased, it doesnt mean that the demons there have grown weaker.


    - The rule of the jungle reigns supreme, its all a survival of the fittest.


    Does the life that has been polished by the severews of nature shines for the very reason that it is in a state of a fierce struggle? As humans cut down trees and clear the forests, the monsters that live in the remaining sea of trees get even stronger. Sometimes they would eat the invading humans, other times theyd eat their fellow forest-dwelling brethren over a territory struggle. Its like a curse, handed down to them over and over again since time immemorial.


    Humans would fight their fellow humans, humans and monsters would fight each other, monsters would fight their fellow monsters.


    A country spread over a quiet forest, yet coloured by the history of conflicts, St. Gallen.


    In thisnd where many unexplored ces still remain, numerous powerful monsters continue to live.


    Bow in one hand, and quiver on the back. Follow the game, and run through the trees. Shed go through the woods like the blowing wind, and surely that way the branches would never raise a sound. This moment of gantly hunting was, more than anything, the most joyous moment for her.


    Despite what the adults back in her vige said, this was something she couldnt let go of.


    Besides, this is for everyones sake. Verche gave the elevating spice-like feeling of guilt behind her thoughts such an excuse. If she was hunting the beasts that wreak havoc and disturb the tranquility of the forest, then it could be said that she was there to protect the forests harmony and peace. And thus, it could also be said that she was fulfilling her duty to her n.


    As she was thinking so, her long ears twitched as it sensed the sign of an approaching game. The girl was, indeed, an elf. The length of her ears were different than the humans, and her skin had a beautifully fairplexion to it. Her bow-and-arrow carrying arms and ground-traversing legs were slender and as supple as an antelope. Save for her excitement-tinged perfectly round eyes, she looked like the image that the people of the world would conjure if they were asked to imagine how an Elven girl would look like.


    Normally, Elves dont have a taste for blood. Battles would upset the well-ordered forest that they maintain. However, the young Verche, who was about to reach a hundred years old in age, didnt fit the trope. While the other daughters of the n were learning craftsmanship and embroidery, she made merry and hunted with the boys clique instead. Moreover, she could also bring down game twice the size of an average man. There was also that one time when she brought down a bear all by herself.


    She was certainly an entric one. The gossips in her vige would backbite her, saying things like probably the blood of a human got mixed in there. She also had people who said that she was such a savage they couldnt believe that she was a fellow elf. But unfortunately, her ears were as long as the other people, and she was even proud with how fine the shape of her ears were. And every time the other people would say that to her, shed refute with these words,


    This is also one way of being an elf.


    Elves are beings of nature. Shed follow the rights in that course and correct the wrongs. That meant that sometimes her heart would rage like a storm, and she would thrash her adversaries hard like a thunder. For her, one of the aspect of being natural was being able to express such things.


    TL Note: Nature and Natural has the same kanji.


    It was never Verches intention to imitate the tree-cutting, forest-burning humans who would just kill senselessly. It was just that she brought up her name before anyone else when the vige said that they were in need of a hunter, and shed also hunt particr big games only. She took pride in being a protector of the forest where she was born and the vige where she grew up. The fact that the people around her couldnt understand this was the source of her frustration.


    .. There it is!


    She caught the shadow of her game in front of her and licked her lips. That particr conduct had also got her chided by the adults, citing that it was immodest, but never once did she try to fix that habit.


    Her game for that day was arge wild boar that recently wandered into the forest. It had severely destroyed several flock of medicinal wildflowers, probably due to extreme starvation. Among humans, the ones known as adventurers would alsoe asionally to the viges outskirts to pick rare herbs. However, theyd normally leave about three out of ten in case that they need to collect them another time. In that respect, this boar was more ill-natured than humans.


    To Verche, this boar was an uneptable invader. There were calls in the vige for a massive hunt to bring it down. No formal order had been issued yet, but it was just a matter of time until they actually issued one. So she slipped out of the vige under the pretense of practicing her archery, and then therge boar came toplement what she had partly expected.


    Well, apparently its intuition is better than I thought.


    As if it caught whiff of Verches thirst for blood, it started to flee at full speed. Despite of its size, it turned out that it was as timid as a cow, but indeed, that very sensitiveness was necessary for beings that reside in the forests.


    But, youre still too slow.


    For Virche of the Witte n, this white birch forest was her very own territory. Therge boar might have shown her its absurdly healthy legs, but if she were to predict its escape route and make it there ahead, then itd be easy to catch up to it. The animals known as boars actually do worry over the little things more than one wouldve thought. It may be said that its in their temperament to avoid the unknown. If they were to be chased, theyd definitely follow a certain route since they were afraid of straying into ces theyre not familiar of. And through prior observations, and the surrounding terrain, Verche had already figured out its escape route. If she were to take the path through the dense grove of trees, which was difficult for the boar to take, then going ahead and cutting its escape route wouldnt be that hard.


    Sure enough, Verche, who changed her course and cut through the woods, found the boar facing sideways in a clearance in the grove of trees. It was just as she had calcted. But no matter that she could overtake it, it was impossible for her to just charge directly at that giant figure with her full force and put her own self in there. The best policy here was to aim for the games tender spot and shoot it in the nk from the sideways.


    She immediately took an arrow, nock, and shot. For Elves, bows and arrows  which they had already grown ustomed to in their childhoods, are like an extension of their limbs. Not to say that Verches archery skills were already known to be remarkably good, even among the youth in her vige. If an ordinary person were to see her shot from the sidelines, theyd feel that the just as she reaches for her quiver.. at that time, an arrow wouldve already been shot before they knew it.


    The boar raised a shriek.


    . Its stubborn.


    The game, who had just gotten shot, kept running as it swung its head in agony. Elven bows are one kind of a magic tool. If one were to get hit by an arrow shot from these bows and be careless, that arrow would pierce even deeper into them. And to think that the boar could still do that even though it was hit with one of those arrows, it appeared that its stubbornness was asrge as its body size.


    Verche jumped out from the trees to the beasts path. And then shot consecutively at the escaping boar.


    The first arrow, the second, the third  all of them hit the mark. But they were shallow hits. They werent enough to kill it. Its thighs were shot, so its speed fell, but the game was still running away. Verche felt irritated at her own inexperience while she admired her opponents survival ability. Now, her entire soul wanted to bring it down and make that strong existence part of her flesh and blood.


    I wont let you escape!


    The Elven girl decided to pursue after the bleeding game until the bitter end.


    After that, the boar ran around for another half an hour before it fell. Meeting ones end as the escape miserably ends, buttocks swinging, all while lying down on the soil and covered with mud, would surely seem like an ugly death to any other people. But a hunter would never think so. Especially Elves who reside in the forests. It had lived the life given by Mother Nature, and it had met its end through a fierce struggle. Such is nature  its sanctity made people bow their heads, and its numbing beauty, overflowing.


    Cough You were a splendid piece of game.


    With her face flushed by the fatigue from the pursuit and excitement, the enraptured Verche muttered so. Her hatred towards the lying boar for the destruction it had wrought upon the forest had already vanished like the mist. She fixed her hair that got stuck on her cheek due to her sweat, then she knelt beside the boars remains to pray for it.


    To return its soul to the earth in peace, to thank the forest for having gifted her the great grace of provisions.


    Thats right, provisions. While it might be unexpected, Elves do eat meat. But since they prefer to keep the forest as it is, they cant farm their stocks as doing so might damage the forest. Thus, the only opportunity where they could get meat is through hunting. And they must have a certain feeling of sensibility when they eat the meat. Whether it was eptable to eat meat in public was a different matter entirely. For Elves, being profoundly modest is a virtue.


    But what should I do now.


    After she finished her prayers, she yed around with the tip of her ear as she pondered. How exactly would she report this to the people in her vige? After all, she just went ahead and took it down on her own while the elders were still in deliberation whether to hunt it down or not. It seemed that she was in for a day-long scolding. And if things were to go that way, it was possible that the meat of the splendid game that she had hunted with great pains might not be allowed to enter her mouth at all.


    After all, the adults in her vige did not sustain themselves by eating the mist. Theyd spin their words to preach the taboo of killing and extol the concept of modesty, but behind those words, theyd still wish for meat. It wouldnt be strange for them to take the meat from Verche while telling her, This is your punishment. Verche didnt want that. First of all, it was her who had brought down this giant game. She just had to secure her share of this somehow. She pondered on a way to do just that.


    Better yet, why dont I just hog the meat all to myself instead?, she thought, but sheter shook her head, saying no, no. She was being too immodest there. Elves who would feel ashamed of their avarice like her exist as well. And on top of all of that, this stunning meat would rot before she could finish it all by herself. Then why didnt she just leave this splendid beast to rot? Out of the question. As a hunter, that was more unbearable for her than having her meat stolen.


    Maybe I should bring Chaga in.


    For some reason, the kindred youth whod usuallye with her to hunt, despite having inferior archery skills, floated into her mind. Chaga was a strange man. He was so faint-hearted, so timid to the point that his face would turn pale even at the mere sight of a game being drained of its blood. And his muscle strength was even inferior to her, a woman. Nevertheless, whenever Verche would go out with a bow, hed always say Ill apany you without fail. He was always a drag to her, and he didnt seem to enjoy hunting at all. But why would he alwayse with her to hunt? Verche still couldnt understand what he had been thinking up until now.


    However, he did in fact hear most of her requests, and among the boys clique he had the best looks too. Chaga and his friends would surely be on board if she were to tell them Lets divide this meat and eat to our hearts content. After all, when it came to fine meats, the elders-centered adults would definitely relish upon it the moment they got it, and that was why the young ones, whod just gaze at the sight from the sidelines, always starve for the chance to enjoy meat for themselves.


    Its a good idea, she thought. In this asion, it wouldnt be bad to leave the the adults out of this and have the youths eat up to their hearts content. By not providing the honourable elders of the Elves their share, she did think that shed do the game a disservice. However, it would instead nurture the promising youngsters who will support the vige in the future, so it should be able to at least tolerate that.


    While thinking an extremely selfish thought about the game that she brought down, she raised her face.


    It was at that time.


    Eh?


    Perhaps because she was too absorbed in her thoughts in regards of taking down the game and what to do after that, she hadnt noticed the peculiarities in her surrounding, until now.


    The trunks of the surrounding trees were dark, and the leaves that grew from their branches were so dark as well, it could almost be mistaken as ck-coloured. It wasnt the white, light-coloured, bright, motherly white birch forest. It was another forest that enclosed it. It was the great woods of St. Gallen that the humans would call the ck Forest  a den of monsters and beasts.

 Chapter 20: The Girl of the White Birch Forest (2/2)

    Chapter 20: The Girl of the White Birch Forest (2/2)


    Shoot! I chased it too far!


    Her carelessness made her distort her face involuntarily. In the first ce, therge boar was foreign to the white birch forest. It stayed there for a while, but surely its origin was the ck forest. As it endured being shot and pursued by Verche, it retraced its steps to its previous nest. She was too absorbed in the hunt, and as she kept pursuing it without realising such, she had already wandered outside the barrier of the Elves.


    She just had to return to the confines of the barrier as soon as possible. The peace of the Elven Forest had been kept solely by keeping invaders away using the spirits power as a ward. Although beasts sometimes would intrude into the barrier, monsters with demonic attributes would be repelled by it. But it wasnt like that for her now. Verche had just ventured into the Demons Forest alone without any divine protection. Surely, a little Elven girl like her who found herself outside the barrier would be an easy prey to the monsters. After all, she had just walked into the den of monsters with a scent of another forest that would be unfamiliar to them, all while leaking arge amount of mana from her body.


    This is bad, I have return quickly..!


    Verche, who realised the sudden reversal of events where she became the hunted instead of the hunter, promptly steered her body the other way and started running. It was regrettable that she had to leave the big boar behind, but she had no time to be fixated about it. She had hunted that prey, sat down to pray for it, and leisurely buried herself in her own thoughts  she had already spent too much time since she entered the ck Forest. The fact that she still hadnt been attacked until now was a miracle in itself.


    Well, of course, she was still Verche, who had hunted therge beast that originally dwelled in this forest. In the usual, head-to-head scenario against mediocre monsters, then Verche wouldnt fall that far behind. However, this was the territory of the more powerful monsters. Hunters would normally battle these monsters in their hunting ces, but it was the other way around now, it was her whod be targeted by those who came to hunt in this forest instead. If one were to assess her chances in this ce, the word disadvantaged would be a lenient remark. Adding to that injury was the fact that her arrows were also running out, after all she had used most of them to bring down the big prey. If she were to run into a battle now, shed find herself running out of them right away.


    Quickly, I have to return to our forest quickly.


    However, there it was, as if to ridicule that thought of hers,


    Eh..?


    Rumble, rumble.


    Along with an earth-shaking noise of footsteps, a shadow hung about Verche.


    What appeared before her was a green-skinned giant that was so massive, it was like a hill being lighted from behind. A cone-shaped horn grew from its hairless head that was higher than the trees of the forest, its monocr eye shone ominously as it looked down on its pitiful prey.


    The Cyclops.


    Unlike the Gigas that wield the power of various attributes and exhibit extreme strength, it was a monster that could rival those in the giant n merely by relying on its straightforward brute strength and strong vitality alone  an incarnation of violence itself.


    Even highly-ranked adventurers would have a hard time if they were to take it down solo, and even with a party, theyd only manage it barely. It was that much of a formidable opponent.


    Verche, on the other hand, was all alone in this ce. And she was only a hunter, not an adventurer. Her chief opponents were beasts, not demons. Even if she had all of her arrows, she still wouldnt be a match for it.


    Eeep, aah.


    Verche cowered in fear as the giants eye met hers.


    She wouldnt fall far behind against mediocre demons, she believed that.


    But, what about this thing that stood before her eyes? This extraordinary giant who could kick a bear about just by using its toes. Its swollen, steely muscles that would make shivering noises every time they were moved. Every part of the creature was overwhelmingly, atrociously sturdy. Within the many demons that reside in this forest, there was no mistake that this one sat among the very top.


    Verches legs were shaking. Her hands that was supposed to be readying her bow and arrows by now were unconsciously locked in a tight fist. She wondered, could it be that the noisy ttering sound she had been hearing since a moment ago was in fact made by her own teeth?


    While her body was tied down in trepidation, her mind was somehow calmly looking down at the unsightly thing before her. It was her means to escape the reality, merely a defence mechanism to escape the fear so that she would not go insane because of it. But the only thing it protected was her heart that was getting saturated by the second. Against the assault thatd strike her flesh any moment now, that mechanism would be as useful as a paper shield.


    - Rumble, rumble.


    Perhaps deliberately, the giant started to make slow steps towards Verche.


    GUH, GUH, GUH


    A muffled voice leaked out from the cyclops as it brandished its teeth. Its curiously-shaped red tongue stuck out and licked its jagged teeth, which looked like a mountain of needles.


    It wasughing. It licked its own chops to make a point.


    Am I, going to be eaten?


    A feeling of repulsion emerged out of that recognition.


    It is the nature of all living beings to kill and eat other beings. Verche herself had caught and eaten the meat of her many preys as a hunter. But there should have been a sort of harmony in what she had been doing as she followed the order of the forest. Like, the great cause of maintaining the equilibrium of the ecosystem, the pride of hunting her preys with respect, and the gratitude towards the prey that would be her sustenance.


    This demon wouldnt feel any of that. It wouldnt remember any of its eaten prey, or even the taste of how it brought down it prey. Itd just y with its opponent until they were in the verge of dying, and then eat them while enjoying their frightened look. And the only thing it was going to do with the vitality it gained from eating its prey would just be more of its strength-dependent rampaging about. What was left after that would only be destruction and chaos.


    She didnt want to be killed by that kind of monster. If she had to be in here, shed rather fall by the w or the horn of some beast. If she were to be pierced by a deers antler or torn by a bears w here, then that wish wouldve been granted for her. Even thatrge boars tusk wouldve been fine. If she were to be their sustenance, then considering that those beasts were part of the forests harmony, that wouldve been good for her. That way, shed return to the circle of natures providence, an ambition of any Elf. That path would be sealed for her if she were to be killed by a demon, as demons were riddled with miasma and were outside the circle of providence. Elves believed that there would be no rest for those who got eaten by them after death.


    No.


    A trembling cry leaked out of her paling lips.


    Perhaps that was her cue before she wrung out an explosive shout with all the remaining air in her lungs.


    HELP, SOMEONE HELP MEEE!!


    Her scream echoed in the back water forest.


    At that moment, who exactly did Verche have in her mind? Was it her parents, who raised her? Or was it the adults of her vige, who had been holding her back and shunning her? Or perhaps, was it her supposedly unreliable male friends?


    In any case, that voice she raised on this ce, far away from the white birch forest, would never reach them.


    However,


    - Dont move.


    Her cowering body shivered at that voice, a voice she had no recollection of.


    Wh, who?


    Even though that question could still appear in her mind, her whole body remain paralysed as she couldnt move a single muscle.


    Dont move, her instincts that was honed by years of hunting told her to follow that exact order.


    Verche wagered everything she had fostered up until that time.


    Just as she figured, she wouldter feel the presence of the owner of that voice approaching her from behind.


    Hey, you blockhead giant over there.


    The person who got near Verches back spat out that careless remark at the giant in front of her.


    The translucent voice that went through Verches ears belonged to a woman. However, her rough choice of words and her manner of speaking was practically unheard of among the modesty-championing Elves of her vige. Verche was a strong-tempered woman herself, but as far as she remembered she would never choose such a scathing choice of words herself.


    Anyway, does this someone who seems to be a woman, understand the gist of whats happening here?. They currently were in a staring contest with a towering giant. Their numbers might have increased  Verche was alone and now there were two of them, but that wouldnt mean a thing in this utterly desperate situation. Knowing that, the woman still provoked the giant in front of them.


    E, err.


    Her usual strong voice was nowhere to be found. What Verche leaked out was a pitiful voice she wouldve never thought she had in her.


    The woman behind her didnt seem to mind Verche, she instead spoke another word to the Cyclops.


    - Leave.


    Verches long ears twitched at that moment.


    The presence of the woman that she felt on her back had sted up explosively.


    The upsurge of mana was so powerful, it filled Verche who stood on her front with dread.


    Her intimidating aura was like that of a lioness who had just woken up from her nap. She unleashed whatever things that she had forcibly suppressed until that time all at once. It felt exactly like that.


    Th, this person what magical prowess! Even the adults of the vige dont have this much. Could it be that shes stronger than even the Elders!?


    She had a hard time believing that. But, she was convinced that that was indeed the case at the same time.


    The person behind her really did possess that overwhelming kind of magical prowess.


    Probably it was a given that she didnt see the giant in front of her as a threat, and then, indeed,


    GIH, GAH, GAH..!?


    Perhaps the one-eyed giant felt the power of the woman who just appeared as well?


    Even its towering figure that was as tall as the forests trees leapt out, as if it was just struck by thunder.


    Its giant single eye went round, confusion was apparent in it as it took a step back. The tremors from its step were enough to make Verche tremble, here the giant was expelling white breaths as it winced in a rough manner.


    Yes, it was frightened. To Verche, the evil giant just got intimidated by merely a show of mana, and was now shaking in fear.


    Ill say this one more time.  LEAVE!


    OOOOOOOOOOGGGGG..!


    As a settling point, the cyclops raised an angry war cry  no, a yelp as it ran away.


    Rumble, rumble, rumble, the noise of its footsteps was ten times  or even more than that  faster in tempopared to when it was approaching Verche.


    She could hear an arrogant snort from behind her.


    She didnt even exchange a single blow with it, and yet she splendidly drove the giant away.


    Was I, saved..?


    She muttered so as she felt she had just woken up from a bad dream.


    She wandered into a forest that she had never entered before, encountered a demon that couldnt bepared with the beasts that she had hunted so far. and then she was saved by someone with a huge magical prowess that she had never sensed in her life.


    If this wasnt a dream, then what could this be?


    Hey.


    YE, YESH!?


    Verche turned around quickly after the woman behind her called her out  and she found herself astounded by what she saw.


    The woman disregarded her state and continued on.


    Ive more or less saved your life. Shouldnt you at least offer a word of gratitude?


    The woman who said that was truly beautiful, no matter if it was from a man or a womans viewpoint.


    Silver hair, brown skin, a well-shaped nose that matched her almond eyes. Her figure was abination of mature voluptuousness and youthful tightness, with magnificent curves, which typically could not be seen in a naturally thin Elven woman.


    She was wearing an eyepatch to conceal her left eye, which seemed to have received some sort of injury in the past, but even with that drawback she was still undoubtedly a peerless beauty.


    What is it? Is there some sort of aw in your n that forbids you to talk to those with a different skin colour than yours, white Elf?


    Setting aside her glossy silver hair, her ears were as long and sharp as any Elfs.


    Combined with her dark, brown skin, thered be only one n in the continent with that sort of characteristics.


    A dark, elf?


    At Verches dumbfounded murmurs, the woman replied with augh.


    Verche of the Witte n, you say.


    The dark elf woman muttered such as if she had remembered it while grilling the cut meat over the fire.


    Surrounding them was a magic formationprised of arranged small rocks to repel demons. On its centre was a tent with the branches of the overhanging trees as its frame. As hard as one might believe, they were actually camping in the depths of the Demons Forest.


    Yes. and who might mdy be?


    While smelling the delicious aroma of the meat of the prey that she had brought down and watching it being grilled, Verche asked her back. She had wanted to return to the White Birch Forest as soon as possible, but shed need guts to traverse this demon-infested ck Forest alone. And unfortunately the day was about to end as well. In the end, she decided to spend a night with this woman with her prey as apensation.


    The fact that Verche could tag along with the woman this way showed that there was no particr hostility between the Elves and the Dark Elves. Rather, the humans, whod oftentimes intrude into their territories to take their wealth or even themselves to be sold as ves, would fit the enemy of the elves narrative more. Sayings such as the elves are divided by light and darkness and they fight each other were only some arbitrary conceptions of the ignorant humans. Their ancestors had chosen the ce theyd dwell in, but besides the barrier-protected forest and the in-however-way-protected desert, they didnt have that much of a difference. In the first ce, since the ces they dwelled in were too far from each others reach, for them to meet each other would be a rare urrence, thus the story that the two races fight each other was nonsense.


    The woman took her eyes off from the grilling wild boar meat and opened her mouth.


    Come to think of it, I havent dropped my name yet. Im Drei.


    Hm? Is that it?


    Verche found it rather queer for the woman to directly drop one name like that. Indeed, it was her first time seeing a Dark Elf, but she knew that they share amon ancestor. She was told that the Dark Elves were as proud as the Elves, and that they took honour in their ns name. When they were asked to introduce themselves, normally theyd mention their ns name as well.


    To that question, the woman who introduced herself as Drei said,


    My entire n was invaded by the humans and got wiped out. This one before you is thest among them.


    Then, she abruptly went back to grill her meat. There wasnt any colour of emotion in her answer. There was no sorrow in regards of her family and friends, nor was there hatred in regards to those who destroyed her n. She thought that someone wouldve at least have that in their tone when they speak of things like that, but there was nothing like that in Dreis response.


    - Perhaps her heart had already worn out.


    Verches intuition told her so.


    This wasnt something that Verche would want to imagine, but what if people were to attack and destroy her vige and she ended up being thest one among them to live? Of course shed be grieving about it. Shed also loathe the perpetrators. However, she wondered if she could continue living while harbouring such feelings indefinitely. After all, Elves do live for a long time. And for the one whod keep living while harbouring that heartbreaking resentment for the rest of their life, such lifespan is too long. It wouldnt be strange if that feeling went numb sometime along her long life.


    Im sorry, somehow, I seem to have asked you an unpleasant question


    Oh, dont mind it.


    She replied without even turning back, as expected, there were no emotion in those words as well.


    Verche felt that she had just idently touched Dreis old wounds. While Drei didntin about her pain, she couldnt be settled with just letting that slide. There was an awkward silence between them for a while.


    As Verche couldnt bear the awkwardness, she opened her mouth again and tried to change the topic.


    Err, what might you be doing in this forest?


    For us long-eared people to be in the forest, of course theres only one thing to do. Im hunting. Im hunting a prey thats a bitrger in size than yours, though.


    Drei jokingly replied while letting out a mischievous stifledugh.


    Verche felt that the atmosphere between them had gotten a little bit lighter.


    Miss Drei, are you an adventurer?


    Adventurers. Once in several years, a group of them would always venture into the White Birch Forest without fail. Most of them were humans, but sometimes among them thered be the earth-smelling dwarves and the half-Elves as well. Some of the elves who had grown tired of their vige with a longing to venture the outside world would sometimes leave the forest and be adventurers too. Though the fact that these Elves would hang around a group whod asionallyy waste to the forest of their brethren was something that Verche couldntprehend.


    Anyway, adventurer was the only upation Verche had in mind that would hunt demons instead of beasts. And for her to be alone instead in a group, there must be something special about it.


    Drei then said while ying with the base of her empty hand,


    Well, kind of.


    Kind of?


    The man who bought me was an adventurer.


    She said that in a way that made it seem to be a frustration to her.


    Bo, bought!?


    Hey hey, dont shout all of a sudden. The grilled meat almost fell.


    Here, she said as she served the grilled meat on top of arge wildflowers leaf. Verche received it timidly as Drei continued the earlier topic.


    Its not that surprising. For a demi-human who had their n destroyed, of course theyd have no choice but to end up as a ve. Besides, couldnt you tell just from looking at me?


    Munch, munch what do you mean looking at you?


    Dont talk while you eat, Drei said exasperatedly. Well regardless of what she said, it had been a while for Verche since she tasted herst wild boar meat. And besides, if she didnt eat the grilled meat right away, it would be disrespectful to the spirit of the boar as well. Regardless, she found the meat to be delicious. It was seasoned well too. The spice that was applied to mask the meats odor could have been brought from the outside world. It was the first time for Verche to smell such fragrance, but she felt that it went perfectly with the fatty meat, so she rather liked it.


    Its my cor, here.


    Drei said so as she pointed her own neck. Just like what she said, it was fitted by a silver cor. To Verches sense of aesthetics, the essories did not match Drei at all. It was too thick and rugged to adorn a womans body, and there was no craftsmanship to be seen there. And to top all that, silver was seen to be a crude material for elves. Rather than precious metals, elves would rather prefer pure agate or jade to use as their adornments instead. For them, stringing these agate and jade and hanging them on their necks or adorning them on their embroideries were the considered to be refined instead.


    Let silver and gold be the preference of the wicked humans or the dwarves  whose hobbies it was to unearth these minerals instead. Elves were already born with a shining hair of gold ever since they were born that is indeed, the beauty of the Elves.


    She had heard that Dark Elves preferred quartz instead of agate or jade, but as expected, they probably steered clear from the precious minerals as well.


    This is a proof that Im a ve to those hairless apes. Theres also a spell attached in this cor, the kind that would force me to obey my owner.


    Hairless ape is a derogatory term coined by the long-living race to call the short-living humans. The Elves considered it to be a coarse profanity, so they dont say it often unless they came to a point where they couldnt bear their anger anymore. Through that word, Verche came to discover Dreis unending grudge. However much her hatred had been numbed, the undying feeling was certainly still in there. For some reason, Berthe found herself to be saddened by it.


    Drei continued to talk while she grilled her portion of the meat.


    And well, I was sold like a thing in a city market where these hairless apes woulde and go. From what I heard, it seems that I was bought at a price much cheaper than what the market deemed to be my worth. For some time, starting from my left eye, and indeed, the entirety of my body was riddled with severe scars. You can no longer see any of them now though.


    Words were lost on Verche. She had diverted the topic in an attempt to ease the awkwardness, but apparently she had poked the hos nest yet again.


    Fortunately, it seemed that the story didnt carry that much of a weight to Drei. Setting aside the ones who sold her, it seemed that she didnt hate the ones who bought her off them.


    The atmosphere between them didnt show any sign that it was easing up though.


    Hey, hey, you look like youre going to cry, stop it. In any case, I feel that it was a good thing that I got bought now. Though Im not saying this to make that guy happy.


    So youre saying that dont hate that person who bought you? I mean, after all, because youre a ve, Miss Drei is being forced to go to a dangerous ce like this


    Are you mocking me, Witte kid?


    Drei let out a light sneer.


    Just what part of this forest is dangerous to me?


    She had a point. She was a mage who could drive even a demon like a cyclops away just by intimidating it. That monster was among the onespeting for the apex of this forests food chain. And since she could handle it so easily, of course for Drei the ck Forest would be nothing but a hunting ground.


    My, my apologies.


    Huhu. Im just kidding. You White Elves sure are a serious bunch.


    Dark Elves jokes are harsh.


    Oh, you pack quite the punch, kid.


    Drei said as she turned over the meat.


    Well, Ill return to my story. Im having a lot of fun now. Sure, my n was extinct and I was cursed to be the one to remain alive, but now Ive got.panions.


    Companions, huh?


    The one who bought Drei was an adventurer. Then, what she meant bypanion must be that adventurers party. Verche thought.


    Yeah. These people and I are all united in hearts, strength and lives for one identical cause Theres a single insufferable idiot among them, though.


    May I know what kind of people they are?


    . Well, I dont mind telling you. But this is rted to my trade so I cant tell you the specifics, is that fine?


    Perhaps that was the general prudence of those with such job. Verche did hear that sometimes there would be a dispute in regards of quest rewards among the adventurers and they may kill each other over it. To Verche, all of it seemed shallow, but apparently there were people like that in the outside world. Weighing that in, Verche could understand that telling herpanions cards to other people wasnt quite the right thing to do for her. Nheless, she was still curious about these people that Drei so unpretentiously dered as herpanions.


    Including me, theres four of us. The amount of women and men is equal, so, two each. The first one among them is, what to say. The insufferable idiot I told you a while back. Hes the neer among us. The man is seriously good-for-nothing. Hes frivolous and loud, but despite these qualities, for some reason he would get depressed over some small things, honestly I dont know what to do with him. But theres no doubt that hes a person with skill. And in the areas of his specialisation, hes a better spellcaster than me.


    Eeeeh!? Hes better than someone like Miss Drei!?


    If its in the areas of his specialisation, then like I said, yes. Of course, if its outside that, then Im exceptionally better than him.


    She said as she stuck out her abundant chest.


    It was still hard for Verche to digest though. One could simply tell that Drei was an excellent mage merely through her mana. And for someone to be able to exceed Drei even in one field only, it was apparent to Verche that that person mustve been incredibly skillful.


    Even from the point of an Elf, nobody like her, it was clear that these two were high in their rank. Just what kind of things did her party usually fight against, anyway?


    The second person is a woman. Another dreadful person. Shes as skillful in swordcraft as in magecraft. Of course, her skills in both field is top notch.


    . Youre joking, right? First ss in both magic and swordsmanship?


    It did sound like a joke. Magic was a profound field. Even for Verche, who was blessed with magical proficiency since birth, it wouldnt be possible for her to be engaged in both magic and the bow and master the two of them. The path of magic wasnt so lenient to let one to be able to master the other path while they were still walking on its path. She thought that she mustve been among some kind of a long-living race, but,


    Sounds impossible, right? When I met her the first time, I doubted whether she was really human or not. In truth, she actually does possess superhuman ability.


    Unfortunately it seems that shes indeed a human. The thought of it rendered Verche speechless.


    While humans certainly did live for a short time, there was a lot of them, and Verche did hear that sometimes, someone with a mutational monstrous attainment would appear among them. Perhaps the person that Drei told Verche about was one of those.


    To put it bluntly, I dont know the bottom of the things that she can do. If theres a group of people that I can never win against, she certainly belongs in that group.


    Of course shed never win, Verche thought. If they were casting spells against each other then Drei had the edge, but the other party was a first-ss sword practitioner as well. The spellcaster would be forced into a defensive battle of spell exchanges, and once this person surpassed the spell exchange and was able to get close to the spellcaster, the spellcaster would end up being cut down. At worst, even a dragon could be a safer opponentpared to this person.


    Well, theres no chance that it would ever happen though, me fighting her. She is serious in nature, and shes not the type who can betray her own allies. While she sometimes gets so strict to the point that others cant breathe, she wouldnt deliberately make others feel that way as much as she can manage. Yes, simply put shes just an incredibly reassuring person under the same banner as mine.


    You sure hold her in high regard, no?


    What, did you think that I was a self-important woman whod always look down on others?


    No, nono, absolutely not! Well. So what kind of person is thest one?


    Verche pushed the conversation ahead in a panic.


    Thest person he was probably the adventurer who bought Drei. Drei told her that there were four of them including herself, and up until that point she hadnt brought up the person who bought her. So who was this person that retaught a Dark elf who lost her entire n the joy of living? Even Verche was greatly interested interested in what kind of person he was.


    Just as Verche thought, Drei suddenly was at loss of words.


    Him, huh..


    Then her gaze wandered to the empty space. The knife on her hand that she used to cut the meat up until a while ago was now being restlessly fiddled with.


    I wonder what I should say about him. I guess hes, someone I cant quite understand.


    You cant understand?


    Yeah. Just, what is he thinking? No, thats not it. I can tell that just by looking at his face. I just cant understand why would he think the way he does.


    She grumbled, rather than an exnation of what kind of a person he was to Verche, it was more of an incoherent summary of her thoughts  a soliloquy. And of course, since Drei put it that way,


    O, oh.


    Verche couldnt dish out any other response but that.


    In the first ce, he didnt think that deeply when he decided to buy me. It seems that the only reason he bought me was simply because he was able to buy a bruised dark elf for the cheap. But, just, why is it? Even when Im being useful, he just doesnt seem to be happy about it. Sometimes hed scold me, hed say things like, dont push yourself, or, are you gonna be fine alone?.. I honestly dont understand. Normally speaking, shouldnt he be a bit happier with what I do? It was you who brought me into this, you know?


    I, I see.


    For some reason the direction of her speech just went weird.


    Verche could somehow recall a simr tone like this somewhere before. Where was that again? Ah, yes, there. She remembered that this was the sameining tone used by a woman she was familiar with who lived next to her house that got recently married a while back.


    While Verche was pondering about it, Drei kept talking.


    Hed always avoid a situation where there could be only the two of us, and hed just talk in a light way, the usual thing betweenpanions. Does he not think that its fine for us to talk in a more earnestly intimate way? So?


    In the end she hugged her knees while gazing downwards. Her eyes seemed to look redder now, but probably it was caused by light of the bonfire?


    Verche felt like she was all smiles due to the ticklish sensation inside of her.


    Perhaps she did indeed show it on her face, as Drei turned her way with a pout.


    Whats with that face?


    No, its just that, I feel that Drei really holds that person dear.


    Of course. Hes mypanion. Anyone would hold theirpanions dear.. right?


    She disorientedly diverged her gaze as she said so, but it seems that her lips still had some dissatisfaction that they wanted to express.


    That gesture was so childlike, Verche inadvertently smiled.


    Drei might have been a mage that even the Elders in her vige couldnt match, and she might be one hundred years older than Verche, but somehow the cute points of the woman in front of her havent faded yet.


    Perhaps a little bit annoyed by it, Drei snorted.


    Anyway, thats enough from me. Now let me hear your story.


    Eh, me?


    Yes. Whatevers fine. Its enough to kill time. Speak.


    Even though Drei said that, Verche didnt have anything to say. She was born this way, devoting herself to the act of hunting. She didnt have any topic that the girls of her same age would have in their mind. And besides, wouldnt the story of her hunting be a bore to an adventurer who was out to hunt bigger things?


    Come on now, speak. Or should I cast a spell thatll let your tongue speak smoothly instead?


    No, please stop. Got it, Ill talk!


    Pushed by Drei, Verche helplessly began to blurt the things she had in mind.


    She talked about the exciting sensation when she held her bow for the first time, and her first prey, the adults and her fellow girl friends in her vige whod unsympatheticallyin about her hunting, she talked about a lot of things.


    What she brought to the table was some trifling topics, but Drei would seriously listen to every single thing she said closely and attentively. Perhaps she had wanted to talk with someone as well.


    And then before Verche realised it, the night had already grown deep in the ck Forest.

 Chapter 21: His and Her Circumstances

    Chapter 21: His and Her Circumstances


    Urgentm from Opus 03. Urgentm from Opus 03. Requesting reply frommand. I repeat


    . This ismand, Opus 01 speaking. Reception is exceedingly satisfactory. Please go ahead and state your message, Opus 03.


    What, so its Uni? Is Master currently upied?


    Indeed. As of present, hes currently overseeing several projects. Directingmand is provisionally entrusted to me at this time.


    Then, convey this message to Master, an unexpected big game has appeared, I need reinforcement, so at the very least, please send the Opus Series over here.


    How baffling. Hasnt it been confirmed that theres no threat in the relevant area that you cant handle?


    No, Uni. Its not that its out of my hands. I just need more hands around here. Get it?


    .. I see, Ive grasped your circumstances. I will convey your message to Master without fail and get that green light for you. Please continue to carry on your original duties until the next contact.


    Understood. Opus 03 will continue to engage in the original mission until another order is issued. Over.


    I wish you sess. Over.


    Good grief, just stop being rash, Verche. To think you went out alone to hunt and got lost in the ck forest while you were on it


    Youre noisy, Chaga. Its not like I went out because I wanted to.


    Verche, who had just been released from the long, long lecture from the Elders, turned her face away from her male friend who had came to nag at and vehemently argue with her, and he did it worse than the Elders.


    If one were to nce skywards, theyd notice the dazzling shine of the sun that was about to reach its zenith in the midsky. If one were to look around, theyd find roof-thatched houses of mud scattered about around the trunks of the white trees.


    Birds were singing as they sat perched on the roofs of the houses and the barks of the trees, telling ones ears that the serenity that they felt was by no means a silent thing.


    The peaceful atmosphere around the ce had a certain rigid order about it, despite its tranquility.


    This ce was the vige of the Witte n, where the Elves that inhabited the white birch forest resided.


    Verche had parted with Drei after the dawn of that night had broke, and returned to the white birch forest. She had wanted to introduce Drei, her benefactor, to the vige-folk, but Drei refused. She said that for Elven people, surely bringing strangers into their viges would be an offence. It would certainly be a big deal for those in the Witte n if an adventurer well, actually, their ve- were to approach the immediate vicinity of their barrier. Considering that it wasnt once or twice that those adventurers had wrought devastation to the forest when theye to forage for herbs.


    Of course, unlike unintelligent beasts, theyd only grab what they need and leave some left after, but that was only because destroying the ce where those herbs would grow en masse would prove to be unfavourable for them. Should a timee when a viger would need to grab these herbs that have been harvested before by those adventurers, the herbs would end uppletely wiped out. After that, there would be nothing left to do but to ept the fact that they were gone and cry themselves to sleep about it. The vigers had experienced this over and over again. While Drei did save Verches life, the prospect of how weing they would be remained doubtful.


    So, Verche. Absolutely dont mention anything about me to the vigers, alright?


    She made that promise with Drei as they looked at each other in their eyes.


    The Elders did persistently ask her about how she went about spending a night outside the white birch forests barrier, to which she insisted in her answer that she hid herself in a naturally-uring shaft there. She wasnt sure why she had to hide her encounter with Drei to that extent, but a promise was a promise.


    Hey, Verche.


    She sighed as Chaga called her out. For some reason she became restless as she recollected the events that happened the other day.


    Sorry, I was a bit out of it.


    Could it be that youre tired?  Well of course you are. You spent a night in a scary ce like the ck forest all alone, after all.


    Chaga said with a gloomy look on his face.


    Verche indeed felt fatigue catching up to her. But the cause of her fatigue was because she was lectured a while back. In fact, back in the forest, she was enjoying herself as much as she would in the vige, probably thanks to Drei.


    Rather than that, Im feeling bitter since the Elders forbade me to go out hunting for a while. They went as far as to take my bow away.


    Eh? Do they normally do that?


    Use this opportunity to actdylike, like any other women, they said. They made a fool of me, huh.


    Even recalling those words was hard to stomach in itself.


    Had they rebuked her for the fact that she was still an inexperienced hunter, then she could still understand. She did chase the prey too far and ended up getting lost and all that, so in those respects she was indeed not prepared enough to go hunt alone. The adults, however, refused to admit that Verche was a hunter from the get go. And despite of that, those pieces of meat she got as a proof that she had brought arge game by herself  they happily took them all for themselves. They really did made a fool out of her.


    For her, it was vexing that they took her bow away as well. She had been using that bow for thest ten years, it was her beloved bow. That bow was the very same bow that had taken down arge bear  three metres in height  a long time ago. It was easy to handle, and most of all, she was attached to it. Unlike the pieces of meat that she wouldnt be able enjoy now, surely theyd return that bow someday, but it was hard to bury the feeling that they had taken something that was almost like a part of her body. She felt depressed the moment she realised that shed continue to feel that miserable for a while from now on.


    Well thats too bad. I had wanted to show you what Ive got during the next hunt, but I guess well have to postpone that for a some time.


    What are you saying now, Chaga. Youre bad with bows, and your legs are slow.


    Verche replied without hiding not one bit of her exasperations. The whole thing was useless, even if Chaga said it only to console her. Chaga hadnt been of much use during the times they went out to hunt together. Magic was his forte, so he could heal her if she got injured, but never had once had Verche badly injured herself during their time out. Regardless, this overprotective boy would use hyperbolic spells just to treat even the most trivial of injuries  even though shed always tell him that spit is enough to treat it every time she got one.


    Ta, haha, probably Chaga was a bit hurt as heughed lethargically, but suddenly a look of self-confidence returned to him.


    Hang on now. Yesterday, I finally have got this promising thing thatd probably be of use to you.


    His ears twitched as he tapped his chest while he uttered those words.


    From the way he said that, it was clear that he had pretty much seeded in this endeavour of his. It was impossible for his archery or trekking skills to improve that much in a single day, so most probably, it must be that he had buffed himself with some sort of a new spell.


    Come to think of it, now that he said that it was yesterday, it coincided with the day when Verche went out alone to hunt therge boar. At that time, she did feel that it was strange for him not to tag along, as it turned out he probably came up with something peculiar and concentrated his efforts in it.


    Eh? If you say that far, then I guess Im a bit interested. By all means, Id like to see this promising thing myself.


    Thought youd say so. Why dont we go to the za then.


    As soon as she said that, Chaga stood up and ran off ahead of her. Verche had to trot to keep up with him.


    He said that he came up with something thatll be useful during the hunts, right?. It could be said that she felt half-expecting and half-anxious about this, moreover for some reason she recalled that thing that brought excitement to her index finger. As expected, she loved hunting after all, she reaffirmed that feeling once again.


    As she was chasing his back, she could feel that her gloom was clearing up a bit.


    . At that time.


    Hey, Chaga seems to be on to something!


    Heard it was some sort of a spell to help our hunt!


    Reaaallly? That Chaga?


    Chaga said hes about to show it soon!


    Before they knew it, curious young Elves had gathered in the za. While Elves prize the concepts of tranquility and order, as one might expect, passion and vigour are things that youth in general cannot repress.


    There were about ten of those onlookers. Every one of them was young, younger than a hundred years old, there were two girls with known entric interests among them.


    Feeling ufortable due to the gazes of the surrounding eyes, Verche gently whispered,


    Hey, Chaga. People are watching, is this okay with you?


    Its fine. Its not an offensive magic thatll hurt anyone anyway.


    No, thats not what I mean.. Im worried that youll get nervous and screw up the spell.


    .. Verche. You, just what do you think I am no, just dont say anything. I do have a rough guess.


    Chaga let out a deep sigh at Verches doubtful gaze.


    What are you two whispering about~?


    So the spell demonstration thing is a pretext? This is actually going to be a confession!


    But, just then, Verche said something first, right?


    So, Verche confessed first?


    Yeee, what passion!


    Somehow the conversation between the strangers went into a strange direction.


    Verche shouted at them without holding her voice back.


    Shut up, all of you! As if Id say something like that!


    Eeeeeh~


    Just, what are you all getting so disappointed for. Anyway, look, the bow and the beasts are my love, alright? Im not missing out on my own love affair!


    Liaar-! There should be meat along those lines!


    Meeat, meeaaaaat! Meat-loving Vercheeee!


    Eeei! If its meat then dont you people eat it as well!?


    Among the uproar that rose all of a sudden, Chaga coughed.


    Err can I start now?


    Yeah, right. Theres no end to it if I keep responding to these guys anyway.


    She took a distance from Chaga who was preparing his spell, all the while feeling that even more fatigue had racked up inside of her.


    The vige youth, in wonderment of what he was going to do, also switched their points of attention to Chaga.


    Well then, here I go, okay? Oh, brethren of my covenant. Thou hath epted thy price, therefore in haste shalt thou appear in my presence..


    He continued to recite various chants for a while after that.


    If what Chaga said a while back was true, then he had just learned of this spell yesterday. To achieve the perfect intended result, it cant be helped that he had to recite the full chant of the spell.


    The people around them also suppressed their voice as they watched Chaga intently. If they were to interrupt the spell here, there may be an unforeseen bad effect due to the idental discharge of the spell.


    Eventually, the spell reached its culminating chant.


    Come forth, my servant!  Summon Familiar!


    The moment he finished his spell and concluded the hand gestures, the ground shone.


    With the use of his mana, the increasing light drew a magic circle on the ground. The space on its centre was bent, and something came out of it.


    It was a beast. A beast of the forest, with a darkened ashen grey fur.


    A wolf appeared there.


    When the light dissipated and the magic circle vanished, what remained there was a single wolf, its eyes were closed and it kept its head down, as if showing them its submission.


    Oooh! What is this!?


    Could that be summoning magic!?


    Awesome! Gran and her folks mustve taught you the spell!


    Well done, Chaga!


    As the crowd showered him with praises, Chaga was all bashful while ying with the tip of his ear.


    Then, he faced Verches way and showed her a smug smile.


    So how is it? Ive a made a contract with a wolf from the forest, and its now my familiar. This guys nose is good, and its enough to take down a small game alone. Of course, itll be hard for this guy to deal with the big games that Verche usually hunt, but itll do just right as a beater.


    TL note: A beater is someone that drives a game towards its hunters in a hunting party, ording to Wiktionary.


    .


    Verche kept her silence as she nced at the wolf.


    The wolf familiar, unbing of a beast, was showing them its submission as it meekly kept its rump on the ground. It didnt approach her and stick its tongue out to familiarise itself with her, nor did it bare its fangs at her like she normally would expect, it just remained there motionlessly. It was almost like the creature before her was not a wolf, but in fact another being entirely.


    Chaga peeked at Verches expression, wondering that she probably found it strange.


    What is it, Verche? Youre all silent and your face is scary.


    Aa, aah. Its nothing.


    Nothing. so you have no response to that? Sigh, even though Ive really had a hard time learning the spell and controlling the child and all that.


    Its not that, I find this surprising, and I think its amazing. I cant use this kind of magic and this child will surely be useful during a hunt I think.


    - But, she wasnt happy at all with it.


    That was Verches true feeling.


    This beast was taken away from its herd, stripped of its instincts, and it wagged its tail at the hunter. Rather than a wolf, it was more like a dog. No, it was more like a gargoyle, just with flesh and blood. Even in its unnatural state right now, it should at least have been able to defy the obligation to obey the Elves.


    She was being finicky and on top of that, petty. She knew that. Chaga busted his butt to learn the spell for her sake, and he obtained this familiar for her sake as well, for her to be not able to at least show him she was honestly happy for those gestures were just..


    Meanwhile, one of the girls among the onlookers approached them with an interested look on her face.


    Hey hey, may I touch this child? The child wont bite or anything like that, right?


    Ah, yes. Itll defend itself if you hurt it though. But if youre just stroking it


    Whoa, youre right-!


    What Verche saw there was the wolf keeping itself calm as it was being stroked by the vige girl. And it didnt end there. It actually drew its forefeet onto its belly and lied down on its back, showing her its belly. For a hunter who did face wolves repeatedly during the times they had threatened the vige, it was nothing sort of an unbelievable sight.


    Chaga. This thing, is absolutely not a wolf.


    Even looking at it made her sad.


    Wolves were among the most beloved beasts to Verche. Yes, they did threaten her vige from time to time, and they had been the match of her bow for so many times now, but regardless she respected their gantry, their strength, their cunning, and their ability to be affectionate to their packs. It was for that reason that after she hunted them down, shed never fail to eat their meat. The youths in her vige found their meat to be smelly and unsavoury, so she would eat them alongside the earnest, old-fashioned adults, who believed that it was a courtesy to their proud prey.


    But this familiar, this thing that used to be a wolf. She didnt feel anything like that towards it. Should it drop dead, she didnt think that she could deem its remains as meat.


    - Because this thing was no longer a wolf, its a tool.


    - When it dies, of course it wont turn into meat.


    - When a tool is broken, whats left of it is just junk.


    She thought of those things, and when she deemed that she couldnt regard the thoughts to be wrong in any way, Verche sank even more into her sorrow.


    Verche, youve been like that for a while, what is it?  Could it be that youre not happy with it?


    No, its not-


    Its not like that was what she had wanted to say, but she couldnt bear to finish her words.


    If she were to say that, the pride that Verche held up until now, the memory of her battles against the beast she hunted. All of that would be a lie.


    Surely shes just worried that its too quiet and thus wont be able to be useful during hunts?


    Hahah, yeah, probably that!


    Could it be that Chagas timidness infected his familiar as well?


    As such did the onlooker youths misinterpreted the sorrow that Verche showed.


    It seemed that Chaga was quite angry at those words.


    Unlike the usual mild-mannered man that he was, he bristled up and raised his voice.


    Its not like that! If I order it properly and pour my mana into it, its bodily functions will improve as well. Let me show you. Its moves will be much more amazing than wild wolves, here, now, Ill show


    CHAGA!


    Inadvertently, Verche had restrained him with a harsh tone.


    She didnt want to see this wolf to be treated like a toy any longer. And such thought made her to raise her voice.


    Chaga stared her way, bewildered.


    Why would Verche use that tone with me?, the fact that he couldntprehend that was written all over his face


    Chaga, Im d that youve been putting effort so that you can be useful during our hunts. But youre doing this the wrong way.


    Now I said it, Verche thought as she wallowed in regret.


    Surely what she said hurt Chaga. He was proud of his spell and had learned it with great pains, just to have it repudiated by her. Thinking that, even she who had spent a long time associating with him couldnt help but to feel bitter about it. But, regretful as it was, it was necessary.


    The longer she watched Chaga treat the wolf like a tool, surely the more painful her thoughts would be. That way, the more she would want to speak harsher then than she would now. And thus she had to tell him right now, she had to tell him about how she felt about hunting and the beasts. She held that thought in her mind and continued speaking,


    Ver, Verche? What are you-


    Just, listen to me. It will be useful during our hunts, I have no doubt about it. I have seen a lot of beasts over all these years, so I can tell. Its still young now, but in time itll grow and itll be stronger than it is now. But even if I were to use this on a hunt, Im sure that I wouldnt be happy about it.


    Why are you saying that?


    Chara replied peevishly.


    The onlookers also showed their confusion at this dubious turn of events.


    Dont you pity this child? It was taken from its pack, bound by magic


    Its not like that, Verche. I established a equal contract with this wolf. In order so that it wont starve when it fails to catch a prey, I supplied my mana in lieu of its food. In order so that it wont be hunted, it obeys us. Where does pity enter here?


    The fact that it obeys us. Being obedient to those who is not the leader of its pack, that is just not how a wolf lives.


    I cant understand what youre saying here, Verche.


    She was bitter with her shoddy choice of words.


    So I have to put it in a simpler way for him to understand. Theres just no way to put this more softly, huh.


    As she thought of that, she strenuously wrenched her face and wring out her words.


    Besides, Chaga, this is different from the way how Elves do things in my mind. Elves are an equal party to nature. Sometimes things dont work out, we hurt each other, we kill each other. To that end, that is why we hunt. However, it is because that we stand in the firing line that we know that there is pride and joy in the act of hunting. To force a being of nature to obey us and stand in the frontlines on our behalf is not how Elves hunt.


    Verches brain recalled a certain glitter of silver.


    There, yesterday, around the neck of the benefactor who saved Verches life, the thing that she wore there.


    The proof of the bond obtained in exchange of the destruction of her n.


    But, that at the same time, to Verche, was surely the fruit of two mutually exclusive ideas.


    Im sorry, Drei.


    On top of the guilt of having trampled on Chagas kindness, there was another guilt piled up inside her.


    Asylum in exchange of obedience. That is the same as attaching a cor on it. I cant attach a cor on those who are equal to myself.


    Those conflicting words also disavowed her benefactors way of life.


    That is why Chaga. If you can, can you please release that child from the spell and return it to its pack?


    ..


    The expression of Chaga was full of bewilderment and grief.


    The efforts that he had made this far, and its result, were now being shed and dumped because she thought the other way.


    Had Chaga done the same thing to her, surely shed be angry, surely shed be sad.


    But if she couldnt say that. If she didnt say that. Verche felt that shed lose the sense of her own self.


    Sure enough, to that, Chaga quietly opened his mouth.


    Verche.


    What.


    If. If I were to return this wolf to the forest, and then if it were to attack the vige, would you hunt it down?


    I would hunt it down.


    Youll hunt it down, youll kill it and youll eat it?


    I would eat it.


    Why? Even though wolves taste bad.


    If they were to kill us, theyd do the same thing as well. Thus Ill do the same thing. To respect it as an equal.


    . But you hunt birds and deer as well.


    When Elves die, our remains will return to the forest and fertilise the vegetations. They eat that.


    Youre not being reasonable, Verche.


    Im not trying to. Its just providence, Chaga.


    And withoutplying with that providence, Elven hunters  she, couldnt hold herself true. Verche firmly believed that.


    Chaga haggardly shook his head several times.


    As I thought, I just dont understand, Verche.


    ..


    I just dont think that binding it with magic is crueler than hunting it down and eating it.


    Is that so.


    When that word was muttered, she realised that they had failed to reach a consensus.


    At the same time, she concluded that the views between the two in regard of the act of hunting were at odds with each other.


    Then,


    Then, enough.


    Verche?


    . I wont ever hunt with you again.


    She couldnt hunt with those who didnt share that line.


    It wasnt a matter of skill, nor was it a matter ofpatibility.


    The matter was about the pride of the Elves that resided in the white birch forest.


    . Because their point of view differed there, she could no longer go out hunting with him.


    Verche turned away from him and started walking.


    W, wait!


    She could hear Chagas voice at her back.


    As she passed, one of the onlookers on her way exaggeratedly jumped aside.


    Then, she left the za that way.


    That day, her bow was taken away, and she had to let go of herpanion that she had been indebted to.


    Chaga, dont be so hard on yourself now.


    Well, I guess its understandable after he got shot down that harshly, though.


    But doesnt this make it clear? That hunting freak is just not your match, you know.


    Hey, dont put it that way, alright!?


    The onlooker youths were now unanimously counselling Chaga, who was left behind in the za.


    Theyre just doing whatever they want, Chaga thought.


    Even though they were pesteringly mocking me a while back.


    He had been thinking as selfish as they were in a way, and he found it to be unsightly.


    He couldnt sincerely take in their constions, and he couldnt take in the other partys notion. Perhaps it was that side of him that struck Verches nerves.


    Anyway, dont you think that she shouldnt have behaved that way?


    Thought so as well. I just cant understand what she did then.


    As I thought, that kid is just out there.


    Shes a woman, but she spent all her time hunting, so, well I guess I kind of saw thating?


    The two Elven women sure said some fine things when the intended person is not around.


    Chaga wasnt a fan of these kind of people.


    Though he had that kind of mask on him too, so it wasnt his ce toment anything about it.


    As he thought, hed prefer someone who could say it like it is to the persons face.


    Someone like.. Verche.


    Verche.


    Kah! Even though we already said that much, youre still on about her?


    Chaga is really sick in his own way too


    Hes just helpless.


    Even though they said that, Chaga liked what Chaga liked, so it couldnt be helped.


    Chaga had always liked Verche from a long time ago.


    Hed always feel rejuvenated every time he saw how Verche moved like she was having the time of her life every time they go out on a hunt. Her profile that seemed to be about to burst every time she drew her bow, it was almost as if she was the goddess of the forest, it was beautiful.


    She was a stubborn one, and since he was a drag shed always scold him harshly over that, but she was never cruel to him, and she would never turn him away during her most prized moments that was hunting.


    But, it seemed that today it had finally came to an end.


    Chaga had made her angry and hurt her. He believed that what he did, he did for her sake, but it instead hurt the pride of a hunter that Verche held dear.


    Even though he was the one who had wanted to keep seeing that sight when she was out hunting the most.


    Cheer up, Chaga. I dont think what you said back then was that mistaken, alright?


    Right, right. We hunt to protect the forest and the forest and the vige. No need to add unnecessary aesthetics there.


    What she said back then was her own savage reasoning to justify herself when she kill a beast with her bow.


    Chaga also felt that he wasnt in the wrong there.


    The number of beasts that got driven from the ck forest and wandered into the white birch forest had been rising from year to year. People from the outside world had been opening the woods and pushed down the monsters to its deeper reaches, destroying the beasts habitat in the process. If this were to continue, the burden of the viges hunters would increase. For that reason, using familiar to help them hunt should be seen in a positive light.


    There was nothing wrong with his line of thought. He could say that with conviction.


    - Really, though?


    Verches words still lingered in his ears.


    Asylum in exchange of obedience. That is the same as attaching a cor on it. I cant attach a cor on those who are equal to myself.


    Elves are an equal party to Mother Nature, and thus we cant bind it down, she said.


    Dont you pity this child? It was taken from its pack, bound by magic


    The fact that it obeys us. Being obedient to those who is not the leader of its pack, that is just not how a wolf lives.


    She wasnt happy with how the beast was forced to yield, she said.


    When he recalled those words, the conviction that he was in the right began to fade away.


    In terms of hunting, her ways would always be the correct way.


    The beasts, too, knew her ways well.


    .


    The wolf that Chaga had summoned as his familiar continued to maintain its posture in standby, waiting for his orders.


    Just what does he think about this?


    Do you agree with me and reason, that its better for you to obey me and live, or do you instead agree with her and providence, that it its better for me to kill you instead?


    The wolfs eyes were cold and inorganic, like a mirror it continuously reflected Chagas question back at him.


    Well, this is unusual. You fought with Chaga, and on top of that, you went home all dejected like this.


    So said Verches father at the sight of her depressed self, sinking into the bed of her room.


    In his teasing tone was the certain air of his interest in this unusual urrence.


    Verches father was an excellent hunter, but sometimes hed show a childish side that was unbing of an elf his age. Normally Verche would reply his jovialness with a wry smile, but she wasnt in the mood for any of that today.


    So ording to what Ive heard, you fought because you disagree with his views, in regards of hunting?


    . Yes.


    There was no spirit in her answer. Like a bow whose string got cut.


    During the one hundred years time she spent living, this was the first time she sank in her feelings like this.


    Her body was all heavy, as if she couldnt move at all, however various thoughts kept going round and around in her head, she felt like fainting.


    Even before her superior and her mentor in hunting that was her father, she didnt even have the energy to raise and show her face.


    Ignoring his daughters poor manners, the father said,


    But indeed. I thought that all youre doing is just ying with your bow all day long, which is unlike most women  but it turns out that you do have quite the firm principle when ites to hunting. You dont hate the beasts, and you respect them as an equal opponent. That is indeed how an Elven hunter should be. I think that your attitude is a splendid one, one that I cant even see in the young men nowadays, you know?


    Father.


    He was praising her without exaggerating it.


    Those words shouldve made her happy.


    But for some reason. Her feelings didnt lighten at all.


    As an Elf, as a hunter, Verche had always acted the way she thought was the right way.


    But what had been the result of that? Yesterday, she chased her game too far and was humiliated for it, she was rebuked because of it, and she had her bow taken away from her. And now she had a fallout with her long-time huntingpanion and friend.


    Though not very much so, now she felt that she couldnt think of herself as a splendid hunter.


    Even when she calmed her thoughts and reviewed the circumstancesposedly, she would return to feel as bad as before.


    Besides, she could understand Chagas reasoning.


    Recently, the number of beasts had been increasing, and a lot among even the most proficient hunters were at loss with what to do with it. If she were to take this into consideration, while it does go against natures providence, that power was necessary to help the hunters to protect the vige.


    She had crossed the line.


    The act of killing is terrible. Eating the meat of a beast without reasoning that it is delicious, all the while when the act of eating it is not actually necessary to keep on living is even crueler to the beast. Thus graciously forming a contract with a beast and gaining its obedience shouldve been the morepassionate choicepared to killing and eating it.


    She had crossed the line yet again.


    But the line that Verche had crossed so far into was different than theirs.


    That was the reason why she trampled on Chagas kindness.


    Well, I guess its a good opportunity, eh, Verche?


    When she was deep into her thought, her father said something strange.


    Opportunity? What opportunity. Will he say something like those hard-headed old people, that she may use this chance to be more feminine from now on? But, her father had just praised Verches attitude towards hunting. She felt it would be something else.


    Ive always thought that you and Chaga arent much of a match. Theres a difference between your hunting skills and his, and then theres too much difference between your temperament and his, too. When you have your confiscated bow back, shall we find another partner for you?


    That proposal was unexpected.


    Certainly, Chaga had been a burden to her. He was piss poor both in the matters of handling the bow and pursuing the prey, and she didnt think that he was at all enthusiastic about hunting in the first ce. Just like a chick would follow its mother, the man had just wanted to stick to Verches back.


    Instead of an unreliable partner like that, of course pairing her with another hunter would be the sensible judgement here.


    From the beginning, shed often pair up with someone else duringrge hunts with the vigers. Due to the Elders decision, those with meagre skills in hunting would not be allowed to participate in mountain hunts. All Chaga did so far was to apany her in her small-scaled, personal hunts.


    .


    But still, shed always continue to pair up with him.


    No matter how far Verche would rush in, Chaga would alwayse along without fail, even though shed always shower him with warnings and scoldings, he would always meekly ept them.


    Other men wouldnt do that. Yes, their strength and their skill in archery would surpass him. But from Verches viewpoint, all of them had no outstanding characteristics besides that. And despite that, the moment Verche carried a hunt and outshone them, they would always grumble in discontent, saying things like even though shes just a girl. If she had the chance, she had always wanted to criticise them back, saying even though youre a man to them. No matter how weak, small and miserable Chaga was, considering that he was able to hold on to his willpower only, wasnt Chaga the manlier one here?


    . Dont, want to.


    And thus she gave her father that answer.


    The ones that Verche could approve of were mostly older men, and they had a wife or a lover of their own. For someone young like Verche to approach them would be reproachable, both from the viewpoint of the vigesw, and the viewpoint of her own morals.


    So, how about hunting with her father instead? Well, he already had a partner that had hunted with him for a long time now. It was unlikely for him to let his partner go for his daughter, and besides, their hunter pride wouldnt allow it.


    And even if though by some miracle, she was able to pass those impossible hurdles, she would still want to pair up with Chaga instead.


    After what happened yesterday, she could finally understand. The one for her was definitely Chaga. Shed move too fast during a hunt, and because she was young shed have too much impetus. That was why she chased her game too far and went astray into the ck forest. In exchange for his poor hunting skills, his thoughtfulness and cautiousness made him appear like the wise of the forest. It was because that remained behind her that she was able to hunt safely until yesterday.


    Besides, the first one that could admit that she was good at hunting was him. When she stole the march and brought down that bear, when others criticised her for being reckless and foolhardy, he instead praised Verche for her wit and bravery. Even though he wasnt familiar with the fundamentals of hunting, he could understand the context of amount of preparation and n she had to strain when she brought down the bear, just by hearing her story.


    Chaga was the one who understood her the most, and he was her best friend.


    And yet, the way he engaged with Mother Nature, which is important to her as a hunter of the Witte n, differed greatly from her.


    And that was why she would never pair up with Chaga again.


    Even so- Verche did not want to pair with anyone else but him.


    Verche, you


    The fathers ears drooped in perplexion at his daughters answer and her stubborn look.


    Look, you didnt hear it from me, but your bow will be returned to you soon, alright? Because of the recent state of the forest, they just cant afford to leave a hunter of your calibre alone.


    Is that so?


    Why would I need to lie? . However, theres a condition attached to this. You are never to hunt alone. The grans and gramps doin a lot about you, but for some reason they also hold your skills in high regard. And then, about this matter. s, an excellent young man had rushed outside all alone and as a result died a dogs death recently, all they want is that the same thing doesnt happen to you.


    In other words, they want someone to keep an eye on her.


    In that case, Ill apologise yet again, but all the men that can be paired around my age are way too superficial to me. Taking example of what happened yesterday when I was being rash due to my ardour, they would without a doubt tag along with me. Not only would I die, my hypothetical partner would also die.


    Losing both of the viges skilled hunter at the same time would be thest thing they want.


    And that was why, Chaga, who wouldnt let her do so, is absolutely necessary to Verche.


    Just why can you think that far now but you cant think for yourself when you go out for a hunt? This kid.


    Its probably thanks to fathers blood. Your partner wouldin like father like daughter.. from time to time.


    That bastard, just what kind of nonsense has he been spouting at my daughter.


    Then, her father returned to the original topic.


    Well, whatll you do now? Youll be called in if the vige were to hold a mass hunt, but they wont let you hunt outside of that. And unless you temper yourself by hunting, your skills will gradually rust. Eventually you wouldnt be as useful during hunts and you wouldnt be much of a hunter either.


    So find a partner somehow, said her father.


    Verches answer was resolute.


    Then, I want to be paired with Chaga one more time.


    Huh?, her fathers eyes went round. His ears twitched in doubt from what it had heard.


    So Verche repeated herself.


    I want to be paired with him once again.


    Dont be stupid Didnt you just say that your opinion and his regarding hunting differed greatly and thus you parted with him today? But you still want to pair him regardless, once again, did you really say that?


    Yes. I did say that. I did say what I believed was right to Chaga at that ce. Eventually hell be able to understand my viewpoint. When he does, I wish to be paired with him again.


    I dont understand. Why do you insist on Chaga? That man


    That man is necessary to me.


    She realised so as soon as she said that.


    Ah, when I hunt, if I have my bow and arrow in my hand, and him on my back, then I dont need anything else.


    Had she just said that from the beginning, Chaga wouldnt have done that pitiful thing to that wolf.


    After he heard her daughters answer, her father exaggeratedly looked up to the heavens.


    Hey, Verche Absolutely dont say anything like that outside, alright?


    Of course. Its something that I should know alone and alone only.


    No, thats wrong. Thats not it, thats not it


    He said, as he shook his head several times.


    Her fathers gesture at this time was strange, and thus Verche tilted her head for a bit.


    He restored his dignity by clearing up his throat. His looks changed from an amiable father to an experienced hunter in a sh.


    Well, whatever. If youve decided on a partner that you want to pair up with, then I wont tell you to search for another one. However, Im also a hunter of the Witte n. I have no ns to entrust my cherished daughter to some mage who does not revere Mother Nature and binds down the beasts in submission. The spell goes against Elven providence, and for that reason Gran does not teach it to the children. I will not ept Chaga unless he admits his mistake and returns the wolf familiar to the forest. That is my condition.


    That. I understand.


    She could understand what his Father said, but nothing could enter her emotionally burdened self-awareness at this time.


    Chaga had wanted to do something for the vige and Verche, which was the reason why he obtained that spell, knowing that the spell was not in line with the Elven teaching. Unlike the folks who simple-mindedly rejoiced at the sight of that spell, his feelings in regard of that spell was not that half-baked. Verche could also understand his rational rebuttal against her conviction.


    He might be timid, but he still wad a proud man of the Witte n. Could he really ept what she said back then? No, in the first ce, could he forgive Verche for saying that she would never go on a hunt with him ever again? She parted ways with him in front of those onlooking youths. Due to her opposing views, she had repudiated his kindness and the fruit of his endeavour while the public was watching. His pride could have been hurt, and his trust towards her could have already vanished too.


    If.. if I were to propose us to pair up again, and he said no, what should I do then?


    As that thought crossed her mind, her feelings that had just gotten steady earlier trembled, her body turned heavy, and her head was assailed with an ufortable giddiness yet again.


    From what Verche knew, Chagas eyes were always calm and gentle. But when she tried to recall him now, only those sorrowful and bewilderment-stained eyes came into her mind. What if he were to say something like, lets just stop all of this with those eyes? No, as a matter of fact, Verche might have exhausted his affection towards her and he might not give Verche such a gentle refusal. It could be that the next time they meet, he would deem her as a selfish woman, and thus his eyes would see her with scorn and repugnance.


    She imagined those eyes, and it oveps with the monocr eye of the cyclops that was looking down at her.


    .. It was scary.


    It was as scary when she was about to be killed by that monster yesterday, or probably it was scarier than that.


    Her foundation, which she had thought to be unshakable up until this moment, was starting to crack and crumble.


    She felt that her heart was contracting badly, and the entirety of her body was being folded intoyers.


    Well, theres no need to fuss over about the answer you just gave me. Just tell me if you change your mind. I can at least ask my hunting colleagues to assign their sons to go with you in turns. Just think about it slowly. After all, were Elves. Weve got plenty of time.


    After he said so, her father left her room.


    In that room where she had been left alone, Verche was unconsciously hugging her knees.


    Her feelings were depressed to no bounds, her long ears drooped to its lowest point.


    What should I do.


    There was no strength in her murmurs.


    The vigour to resist her fathers suggestion to find a new partner had dissipated, she was back into being a bow without its string.


    She didnt want to hunt with anyone but Chaga.


    However, she was afraid to see Chaga once again.


    No matter how hard she thought about it again and again, the answer just wouldnte.


    Rather, should I wait for Chaga toe and say something?


    That thought was the very definition of timidness itself.


    However, since it seemed to be the best policy at this time, it just couldnt be helped.


    Anyway, this had just happened. No matter how quickly I can prepare myself of whats toe, it might not apply the same way to him. So lets wait. Theres plenty of time, anyway.


    Thats right, just like what her father said. There was enough time to postpone her decision as long as she wanted.


    No, this is no good!


    She panickedly shook her head.


    That was not how a hunter waited. Hunters wouldy in wait in their preys path in order to ambush them. That is how a hunter waits. Knowing that, the way she was now was like a rabbit that burrowed itself to the ground out to fear of its opponent. It was absolutely not a choice a hunter like Verche would choose in the forests.


    It was the right move for her to wait. But it was necessary to have a set time limit and n an action should that limit passes.


    Otherwise shed keep waiting indefinitely, she feared that she wouldnt be able to bear it without ending up being bonkers.


    Lets give it a month.


    Considering her own temperament, she thought that was the limit for her to keep waiting.


    One month. Chaga shouldve been able toe up with something in a month. Surprisingly, he did have a stubborn side to him, so the chances for him to change his pet views were slim, though at least it would be possible for him to be able to digest her opinion during one month.


    What if Chaga wanted to meet her before a month? What should she do then?


    Uuuh..


    Various things flooded her mind, she felt like her head was about to explode.


    She was feeling restless, and her hands were all fidgety. When she thought that she wanted to do something, something evoked in her mind, preventing her from moving for some reason she could notprehend.


    Well, Im not qualified tough at Drei like this.


    She remembered about the benefactor that saved her life yesterday.


    When she was talking about the adventurer that bought her, she saw that Drei couldnt keep herself calm, just like how she was now.


    It was as if-


    Eh, no no! I dont think of Chaga that wa..


    Verche shook her head to dismiss the idea that appeared in her mind.


    She admitted that she wanted Chaga back as her partner, but thats about it. That was why she wished that hed stop doing things like making a wolf into his familiar and for him to choose the same way of life like hers, where hed deem all creations of the forest to be an equal friend to him. Otherwise, shed remain to be sorrow as she was now, and her father wouldnt have him back as well as a hunting partner, of course. There was nothing else to it. Supposedly. Definitely.


    . Im thinking too much about this, my thoughts are soaring toward a weird direction.


    .


    While holding that swaying feeling that was beyond her control, Verche spent the night wide awake.


    In the sky beyond her window, the moon was not in sight. A night of new moon when only stars would grant their light.


    Under that night sky, what was Chaga doing? She wished that hed think about the two of them and the direction that they were going to take from this point onwards, just like she was doing now.


    And also Drei. What was she thinking at that moment, separated from herpanions, all alone in the forest?


    While thinking about the woman she had met yesterday and the man she had parted with today, Verche spent her time waiting for the next day toe in anxiety.


    If things turned out poorly, it was possible for her to spend her nights like this for the whole month.


    - Of course, that was not meant to be.

 Chapter 22: Harvest Moon (1/2)

    Chapter 22: Harvest Moon (1/2)


    Two weeks had passed since then.


    Witte ns vige was but a small one. Verche had wanted to avoid running into Chaga when she were to go out, so she stayed home as much as possible. She would lose her nerve were she just to stay at home idly all day, so she tried to learn needlework from her mother instead to kill time, in which she couldnt do all that well, as all she did was merely wasting materials and tools. She was exceptionally good when it came to skinning in game animals, but as one might be able to expect, this was out of her element.


    She knew that hunting suited her nature more. And for her to hunt again, she knew she had to bring Chaga back on board.


    Two weeks had already psed from the one month limit she had set.


    But at this rate, it seemed that she wouldnt be able to bear to wait for another three days.


    Enough time has already passed.


    No, not yet, its still too early.


    She was spending that full moon night while harbouring those conflicting thoughts


    - All of a sudden. It happened.


    Rumble, rumble.


    At the earth-shattering tremor that seemed to pierce her guts, Verche raised her face.


    What was that?


    The house shook, and small pieces of debris flew from the wall and the ceilings into her room.


    An earthquake? No, thats not it. There was a sound of something heavy hitting the ground from somewhere. That shouldnt ur in case of earthquakes.


    Rumble, rumble.


    Again, she heard that same noise.


    Was it perhaps her imagination?


    However, she felt that the noise just then was a little bit closer than the previous noise..


    Rumble, rumble.


    No, this was not a hallucination. The sound was indeeding closer.


    Adding to that, the sound didnt seem toe from that far away, too.


    It was close. At the very least, it came from somewhere within the vige.


    Rumble, rumble.


    This time, the tremor was even stronger. The noise was louder, too. In other words, whatever this was, was really close.


    Rumble, rumble.


    And if she were to recall correctly


    Rumble, rumble.


    She felt like she had heard this noise before, somewhere


    Rumble, rumble.


    Along with the loudest and closest noise she had heard yet, the light of the moon disappeared from her window.


    Did the clouds hinder the moon or something?


    Spontaneously, Verche removed herself from the windows.


    .. Darkness. It was pitch ck outside.


    Weird. Be that as it may that the night was a cloudy one, the house which could immediately be seen outside of the window shouldnt disappear from her sight like this. And that was saying nothing of the fact that Verche was a hunter. She had confidence in her eyes. Even in the mountains during nighttime, she wouldnt lose sight of the footprints of her game.


    She thought it was strange, so she started to look around, until she finally looked up overhead.


    - The full moon.


    A towering round light stared down at Verche. But if the moon was still shining, then why was the sky so dark?


    .. Eh?


    . Then she realised.


    Full moons. There were two of them.


    No, one of them was not the moon at all. The light it reflected would asionally appear and disappear, as if it was blinking.


    She saw it once. That light.


    GUH, GUH, GUH..


    EEEEEP!?


    That voice that came storming down from above. She remembered.


    Ah, thats right.


    That light. It was an eye. Also, that giant figure blocked the moonlight, and for that reason it was dark all over.


    As if it was satisfied by Verches fearful shriek, it narrowed its eye.


    The cyclops glint.


    That was the true identity of the second full moon.


    Verche, why did you huh?


    What manner of-


    Her parents, who hade rushing in due to her shriek, inadvertently stopped dead in their tracks.


    Well, of course they would.


    This wasnt supposed to happen.


    This was the white birch forest. Thend of rest for the Witte n, protected by the barrier of the tree spirits. A demon like this should not have appeared there.


    No, setting aside the appeared part. it wouldve been impossible for them to not realise its presence the moment it crossed through the barriers.


    Fa, father! Mother! Quickly, run away now!


    Ri, right! Come now Mom, quickly!


    Wait, just what is happening-


    Just run!


    After she watched her father escorting her mother outside, she started to flee the house as well.


    The reason why she started to move only after her parents left the house was not borne out of filial devotion or courage. She was simply paralysed by the sense of dread that she recalled, and for that reason couldnt move immediately at that moment.


    Mo, move, movemovemovemove! An, an Elven hunter like me wouldnt be tied down by something like fear-!


    Leaning on her trembling legs, Verche tumbled out from her house.


    As if it was waiting for that to happen,


    GUH, HAH, HAH, HAAAAA!


    With its fist, the giant sent the house where she was born flying.


    Wha..!?


    In the aftermath of the impact, Verches body was easily blown away to dance in midair.


    As she was feeling her top and bottom switching again and again, she frantically attempted to correct her posture to brace her fall.


    She broke her own fall. She hit the ground with her back, and rolled several times to reduce the impact before she rose back up.


    That flexibility and reflexes of hers were nothing less than the fruits ofbour which she had honed in the hills and fields as a hunter.


    Bastard, how dare it did that to our house.!


    She converted her fury to fuel her fighting spirit and suppressed her fear as she scowled at the soaring giant.


    She was still shaking, but not to the extent that she couldnt move because of it. She had no bows nor arrows with her, but unlike that time before, now she had her father and her fellow vigers with her. I wont be afraid this time!, she gritted her teeth strongly.


    Right there, her father, who had jumped out of the house ahead of her, rushed to her aid.


    Are you alright, Verche?


    I am more importantly, father. Wheres my bow?


    Mustve been blown off with the house. Damn it, I did have to move on the spur of the moment there, but to think I didnt to take it out with me.!


    Well how about that. Father and daughter, both hunters, neither with a bow.


    Now that it had be like this, she either had to fight with magic, which she wasnt ustomed to, or to ask for others reserves.


    As her enemy was a formidable now, it was clear that she was at a disadvantage. But Verche had not fall into despair just yet. The fact that it was able to breach the barrier without triggering a response and straight invaded the vige was iprehensible to Verche, but she was in her own stronghold now. She could unite with the vigers who mustve been in their way after they heard themotion, and strike it in one go with their superior number. Cyclops would be a difficult enemy to fight alone, but its assets were limited only to its giant build and its superhuman strength. If it were encircled and shot by spells and arrows from all directions, it would surely go down.


    What was that noise? .!? CY, CYCLOPS!?


    A DEMON! A DEMON IN THE VILLAGE!!


    Screams rose from a house nearby. Themotion had been noticed by people.


    Father, others areing. Let us join up with them and fight it.


    Right, got it Mom, please go and alert the detached houses outside the vige. I dont see how they wouldnt notice this, but theres always a case of one or two carefree idiots.


    Dear, Verche!


    Cruel as it might be, Verches mother had nobat capabilities. She was a gentledy who did not resemble her husband nor her daughter in that way. Just like her father had said, it was better to keep her away from the line of battle under the pretext of liaison.


    Verches father turned his face away from his wife, who seemed to about to cry herself, and raised his voice to call upon the vigers.


    Hearken! As you can see, weve got a demon in our hands! As of how it did get here, I have not the slightest idea. But as the proud ones of the Witte, theres one thing we need to do! Exorcise this thing who stands outside of the providence, and protect the peace of this vige, this forest!


    Those with a bow, get yourself ready  those who know magic, start chanting!


    OO, OOOOH!


    Being an experienced hunter, Verches fathers voice calmed down the restless people around them in no time.


    While Verche was still sinking deep emotionally at that sight, she sent her mother away.


    Now, Mother. As Father has said.


    Very well.. Verche, take care. Take care of him too.


    Ill keep that in mind.. Go, now!


    She watched her mothers departure before she stared back at the giant as it stood there, illuminated by the moonlight.


    The cyclops wasnt moving. It opened its mouth, both ends of it having its fangs showing as it gazed at them.


    It wasughing.


    Realising that, Verches mind was burning yet again.


    What is so funny? That the small people went into a panic, does it find that fun?


    Ill make sure that itll regret its arroganceter, Verche firmly swore.


    .. Apologies for my clumsiness, but please lend me two bows! Ours were struck in the surprise attack. Has anyone got some in reserve?


    What, an unarmed master huntsman is out of the question. Someone, has someone got a spare bow?!


    Ive got one with me! What about the other bow!?


    Unfortunately, Ive only got what you see.


    Ours is a family of mages. So, sorry, but we dont have one.


    Now, the troublesome thing was there was only one spare bow.


    Verche said,


    Then please use this, Father. The thing that was taken from me hasnt been returned, anyway.


    TL Note: What Verche is trying to say here is that her bow is still taken and hence she felt that she was still being banned from using it, and hence is a lower priority when ites to taking up the bow.


    You stupid daughter. If were talking about the right thing here, of course thered be no way that a father would let his daughter go unarmed.


    Back at you, Father. Youre the leader around here, so youll have to have one. Youll have to set an example for these people as well.


    Taking that into consideration, it would be the best for her father to take the bow here.


    Also, Verche was a nobody among the Elves. However, even if she would fight only with the mana force which she was born with, she still would not be a burden.


    As a known outstanding hunter to the people, and as a person whose position had already been established among these gathered mass, it was a given that her father should be the one who take the bow.


    Here, your bow.


    Alright, Ill dly take it then Verche, it looks like that now you think things through before you say anything, huh? As you havent been going on a hunt for a while, probably that rush of blood of yours has calmed down a bit.


    Her father said, as he pulled the string of the bow he just received to inspect its condition.


    You jest. Now, more importantly


    Yes. Looks like its about to move soon as well, huh?


    Most of the nonbatants have escaped, and preparations over here were about to bepleted as well.


    Like it was pleased, the cyclops narrowed its single eye.


    GUH, GUH, GUH..! GUHUHUHUH..!


    Rumble, rumble.


    Whileughing and causing tremors, the giant took a step forward their way.


    Its walking?


    It didnte running nor it was pouncing at them, it just walked their way. Slowly.


    This action, they couldnt decipher the meaning behind of it.


    While they indeed were smaller in sizepared to it, their numbers was superior, and on top of that all of them were either skilled in the arts of magic or the bow. And yet it still approached them with such leisure, truly the height of folly.


    Verche could hear the sound of teeth grinding in anger.


    It couldve been her own, but it couldve been the other Elves as well.


    That monster, is it making a fool out of us?


    . Then, its convenient for us. Lets finish it in one go.


    As a reward for belittling us, well take your life in exchange!


    The Elves morale rose up.


    This is a good chance, but dont chase it too far. The Elders wille to our aid sooner orter. As long as we can stay alive until then, our victory is guaranteed.


    Got it.


    Though, it is indeed vexing that it is scorning us. Everyone, crush it down! Have its one single eye behold our pride!


    OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHH!!


    At that word ofmand, arrows and spells were flying all over in the night sky.


    Verche also joined in by casting an offensive spell she had learned many years ago.


    Giants, especially cyclops, were in fact weak against magic. Their intelligence is low and their spirit is also unripe, both factors mean that their mana force is virtually zero. That also means that it doesnt possess an evil eyemonly seen in other monocr monsters. Regardless, its vitality is still formidable, and a lone mage would have a hard time taking it down unaided.


    However, the spells that were being casted here were cast by none other than a n of Elves, proficient in magic. And more than ten of those elves were casting the spells at the same time. No matter how sturdy its giant body was, it wouldnt offer that much resistance against a volley of their spells.


    - Or, that shouldve been the case.


    .. Eh?


    There, at that moment, Verche saw it.


    Just before the barrage of spellsnded, a thin, clear light film enclosed the cyclops.


    The spells exploded. But they exploded before they reach the cyclops skin. Just before that.


    The arrows were all repelled. There must be something at y in the air before they were being released from the bows.


    As a result,


    GUH, GUH, GUH.


    it remained unhurt.


    Impossible!?


    Wa, was that. a magic barrier!?


    Magic Shell on top of Protection!?


    No way! Dont giantsck intelligence?! Theres no way that they can use magic!


    The monsters single eye sneered at the Elves loss ofposure due to the iprehensible reality.


    Rumble.


    And then, it took yet another step.


    EEEK.!?


    Do not falter! Even if it can defend against magic, it wont be able to do it forever! Keep striking!


    Verches father threw a word of encouragement at his falteringpanions.


    Well, what he said was correct. They just had to somehow disarm its magic protection and take the giant down.


    You mages, is there anyone among you who can dispel that protective magic!?


    That considering that it could even stand guard against spells with such scope and intensity, I predict that the protective spell was cast with a mana force so powerful that it allowed its barrier to do that. We can try to dispel it, but that force must be dampened to a certain extent first.


    So, in the end theres no option but to continue!  One more time, lets do this!


    OOOH, OOOOOOOOOH!


    They mustered their weakened willpower to try another all-out attack one more time.


    As she joined their attempt, Verche thought to herself,


    Strange. I cant see Chagas figure anywhere.


    That friend that she parted with awkwardly two weeks ago. He wasnt there.


    No, setting that aside, considering the current scale of emergency, the number of people who gathered there was too terrible. The people she saw there were residents who lived around that ce  those who were already around when the cyclops attacked. Reinforcements shouldve arrived from some time ago, and the viges strongest war potential  the Elders, shouldnt have taken this serious state of affairs so leisurely, too.


    GUHU, GUHU, GUHUHUHUHUHU!


    As it intensified its sadistic smile, the cyclops took another step.


    Rumble.


    As if to shake off their very own fighting spirit, the earth trembled.


    The more it approached, the more overwhelming its figure became. A drop of its saliva fell from its mouth and hit the ground with a sound One of the young Elves screamed in horror at the sight.


    He, hey HEY!? WHAT ARE THE OTHERS DOING!? THE ELDERS!? WHAT ARE THE ELDERS DOING AT TIMES LIKE THESE!?


    Yo, you there! Calm down!


    While Verches heart was still being shaken, she rebuked the heartful cry that voiced the youths question.


    The youth however, shakingly, began to fall back.


    HOW CAN I BE CALM AT TIMES LIKE THESE, VERCHE! WH, WHY DO YOU THINK WE CAN WIN AGAINST THIS MONSTER WITH JUST US!?


    Someone, calm that person down! . Its barrier hasnt been dispelled yet!?


    No, no good! The spell is not wearing down enough! CRAP, JUST WHAT KIND OF RIDICULOUS MANA FORCE WAS USED TO CAST THE SPELL, ANYWAY!?


    There was screaming mixed in the mages reply as well.


    As the monster continued to ridicule their powerless, its giant figure blocked the full moon once again.


    A giant shadow fell, in the Elves vicinity.


    GUH, GUH, GUH, GUH, GUH..!


    No breakthroughs, huh Retreat, retreat at once! As you lead your way outside the vige, try to join up with the others!


    Her father did issue that instruction, but she wondered if he really believed that there was any chance of sess in that. His expression was stiff, and cold sweat ran through his intrepid face.


    No reinforcements appeared at all. Even their moral support, the viges strongest mages  the Elders, were especially absent for some reason.


    Then, as if to answer that question which had been flickering for some time now,


    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.!


    The Elves long ears caught a noise that resembled a distant thunder.


    Wh, what!?


    The cyclops attack no, its not. That sound was too far away..


    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.!


    Another explosive sound from another direction.


    Then, at the same time, at the opposing side of the cyclops figure, mes rose from the edges of the vige.


    Co, could it be..


    As she trembled with fear, Verche finally was able toprehend the meaning of all of this.


    Its not just here. are you saying theyre all over the vige!?

 Chapter 22: Harvest Moon (2/2)

    Chapter 22: Harvest Moon (2/2)


    A little while before in time.


    The Witte vige chief, who was doing his daily meditation in one of the rooms of his residence, raised his face as he abruptly realised something.


    There were deep smile lines among his clear-cut, characteristically Elven features, and wrinkles were etched around his eyes. For a long-living race whose times of youth remain for a thousand year, he was dyed that deep in the colour of the aged. One could only guess how many months and years he had gone through.


    You there, Old Gran?


    A deep, calm voice, tinged with a vague hint of nervousness resounded in that room.


    There was no one there but himself. And the moment he thought that he was only speaking to himself,


    I have told thee to cease with that Old Gran thing, havent I, boy.


    Just before his eyes, the figure of an Elven woman teleported into the vicinity of the reach of his hands.


    In contrast of the chief, this woman appeared to be youthful in appearance. If she were to be a human woman, she would probably in herter twenties. Elves do keep their early-twenty appearance for a long time, so she mustve been older than most Elves, but here the chief called her Old Gran, and she called him boy.


    But, Old Gran is, well, an old granny, right? Anyhow, youve maintained that appearance ever since I was a kid. And besides, if we were to go with reason, shouldnt you stop calling me a boy already?


    Humph, and since thou still cant understand how a woman hearts works like that, thou shalt always remain a boy more importantly, since thou hast summoned me, I assume thou hast also realised it, too?


    After the customary exchange of impressions between the two was over, the Old Gran said so with grim look.


    The chief nodded.


    There has been an upsurge of hostile mana force within the vige. Judging from the distortion of space-time that I felt on my skin-


    Arge-scale summoning, huh?


    Indeed. We must have been under the invasion of a certain someone. I dont know how they passed through the forests barrier, but the fact that someone has brought down an army to suppress this vige is for certain.


    The circumstances were grave. Judging from their magnitude from his perception spell, the enemy had prepared a force strong enough to possibly take down a human fortress town. From the time when the Witte n decided to take residence in this white birch forest, there was no crisis more serious in their history than what was happening right then.


    Is it humans? Ive heard that those proficient explorers  the ones they call adventurers, would sometimes intrude through the barriers when they enter the forest.. no, this magnitude, it couldnt be humans.


    Beats me. It could be the act of a spellcaster that stood out even among the humans, an evil deed of a fallen Elf from somewhere, or probably a revival of some sort of an ancient demon.. Either way, theres no answer to that question in this ce. I dont think a discussion about it is necessary.


    Indeed.


    Old Gran nodded at the chiefs words. It wasnt necessary to pinpoint the perpetrator right now. Rather, it was essential for them to cut down the enemy heading for the vige posthaste, and rescue their nsmen.


    Well then, time to teach the foolish outsider a thing or two. About whos who in this vige, of course.


    Im counting on you, Old Gran. Ah, no Teach.


    Hohohoh! Been a while since thou called me that. Long hast thou surpassed me, and being called that way maketh me proud. Well then


    Shalt we?, so shed like to continue, but at that time.


    Good evening, I said as my greeting.


    The curiously monotone voice interrupted her.


    ! Who are you!?


    At the chiefs sharp-toned question, the door of the room quietly opened.


    What stood there was a small girl, her head lowered for a bit.


    The borately well-ordered elements was made in the shape of a youngdys face, who was keeping her calm. Her graceful look would draw the admiration of anyone who nced upon it, as if her beauty was shaped by the golden ratio itself. Rather than that of aposure, it was perhaps more correct to say that her expression represented absolutely nothing at all, and yet despite this there was something, a hint in that expression of hers that suited her adolescent appearance. Protecting her body was a silver breastte, and a simrly silver-coloured, boorish-looking gauntlet. Other than that, her stomach was boldly exposed, and there was a wide slit on her skirt, but there was no mistaking that she was there ready for war. And upon a closer look, she was fully armed to her knees. The most curious thing that she wore was the stretched ear decorations that seemed to push their way through from her extravagant tinum blonde hair. Viewed from a distance, they might be mistaken for horns, or the long ears of the Elves, but upon a closer inspection they were covered by something metallic. It would appear that she would have a hard time hearing because of them, but the girl didnt seem to find them to be such an inconvenience.


    The girl slowly raised her head. And her eyes that were once concealed  a pair of supernaturally golden eyes, were exposed to the two of them.


    Greetings, I said to begin my introduction. I am, Fem. Also known as, Opus-05.


    . How did you get in here? Rather, what happened to those who shouldve stopped you from getting in here?


    The girl who named herself as Fem awkwardly tilted her neck at the chiefs stacked question.


    Syntax error. Please ask your questions one at a time.


    Eeergh, boy! Is it the time to ask questions!? A stranger appeareth in thy house at times like this, of course she is with the enemy!


    It finally struck the chief when Old Gran agitatedly interrupted. She didnte through intermediaries at that kind of present state and appeared just like that in his ce. He didnt know to whom that girl belonged, but it was highly probable that she was an enemy.


    And indeed, Fem answered,


    Correct, I have said to mark the aforementioned statement. We are presently in a military operation. Our target is a certain Elf living in this area.


    As I thought! You no, you people, on whose orders are you acting!?


    I refuse to answer, I say as a reply. That information is still restricted at this time.


    Then she pulled her right fist and produced her left hand as she took a stance.


    It was a barehanded battle stance. A female martial artist was an umon sight, but she did had made her way there alone. From that, the chief inferred that her strength mustve been extraordinary as well. She seemed to be a considerably formidable enemy.


    However-


    It is clear that thine aim is to keep us here, then I will just make sure that thee dont! Greater Teleportation!


    Just before hostilities broke among them, a teleportation magic circle was drawn on the ground. Chantless teleportation had its risks, but their destination point was somewhere within the vige that they knew well about. Even in one out of a million chance, it was improbable for them to have the coordinates wrong.


    But,


    . What?


    The light of the teleportation spells formation dissipated without its intended effect before it disappearedpletely.


    . It was jammed. The teleportation was averted.


    With this, it was for certain that the two were in a predicament, as they couldnt head to the vige to provide their aid. Anxiety appeared on both of their faces.


    I jammed the circles development upon contact with me..bat assessment trial, will nowmence!


    Not wanting to miss the chance while the two were still shaken, with a howling sound, Fem sent her fist flying.


    Her aim was the chief.


    GUGHHHH!?


    Just before her fist made a direct hit, somehow the Defender spell was cast as a bulwark, in order to contain the impact.


    While it was a chantless attempt, it was still casted by the spellcaster of the highest order among the Elves. The fist wouldnt be able to pierce through it so easily  or, it shouldnt have been. What hit the defensive barrier was an incredibly heavy impact that sent the chief flying to the back, without killing him.


    His back was caught by the firm walls of the house. At that instant, along with an intense pain on his part, the sound of something cracking resounded in the room,


    BOY!?


    While he still heard the fading voice of Old Gran, the chief was expelled to the outsides.


    His body was bent backwards, his field of vision switched upwards. All the stars in the sky were falling. No, the only one swept away here was himself. As he was blown away by such a terrific impact, what he saw kept passing in high speed. At that point, the chiefprehended his circumstances, and despite the pain and the gasping due to theck of oxygen, the chief managed to cast a spell.


    Protection!


    What he invoked was not a instantaneous superhard barrier that he casted a while back, but a spell that sessively interfered with thews of physics. As soon as his surroundings were wrapped with a thin film of mana, he crashed into a grove of trees, broke through them, crashed into another grove of trees, broke through them again  this cycle repeated several times until the chiefs body finally hit the ground.


    Leafmould was rolled up before it fell incessantly around him.


    As his mudcaked, graceful, middle-aged face warped in pain, the chief somehow could still stand up. He applied recovery magic to his shoulders, which had smashed through several trees earlier, and inhaled deeply to fill in his wrung-out, empty lungs.


    Cough, cough ugh.


    Theres probably a lot of blood in my windpipe, he thought as he violently coughed.


    It was a narrow escape. Had protection been dyed in its progression, he would end up in small pieces and scattered all over to be fertiliser for this Mother Forest by now.


    And, while it might either be good or bad luck, now he had sessfully left his residence. It was possible that they couldnt jam teleportation from here. It was hard that he had to leave Old Gran who had reared him and protected him ever since he was a child behind, but as the chief the presides over this forest, protecting the vige was his absolute priority.


    The moment he heartbrokenly prepared a teleportation spell,


    Its futile.


    It was a shock that felt like an impact of a catapulted projectile.


    The forests soil was overturned once again, its sediment blown away by the tempest.


    There was nothing that needed to be said, it was Fem. Perhaps she had leapt here in one go through the hole that he had made. Putting aside the fact that she could dish out an incredible amount of power with her fist earlier, just what kind of body did she possess to allow her to do something like this?


    We have jammed the entirety of the area, I have proimed. You will not be able to teleport within the area of the operation.


    As soon as the rain of blown earth and sand settled down, Fem readied her fist once again.


    To that, the chief fearlessly smiled.


    So, your target was me.


    From the measurement of magic potency et cetera, it was deemed that you have a higher threat level, I say to conclude.


    Is that so. Well, youve made my sorrow go away with that.


    The chief also readied his fist as he took a stance to prepare for a battle of spells.


    The enemy priority was himself. Then, Old Gran  his teacher  could remain there.


    She was also one among the vige Elders, in fact, she held the second highest seat among them. If it was her, then she could calmly assess the situation and evacuate from there to aid the vige. Even if his life was on the line no, even if his life was to be forfeit here, it was fine as long as he could hold this enemy off them.


    And then the vige would be saved. That was the great trust he ced upon his teacher.


    Just as I thought, youll go with that? I asked away.


    What?


    Excuse my rudeness, I apologise. That was an unnecessary remark.


    He could feel anxiety spreading over his back at the doll-like girls words.


    Somewhere. Did I make a huge oversight somewhere?


    Without filling herself with that kind of doubt, Opus-05, Fem, dered the following,


    Continuingbat assessment trial. I expect a lot of valuable data out of you.


    Dont die, boy!


    After she watched as Fem left her to pursue the chief, the Elven woman, who was known as Old Gran, jumped outside the room. Her chest tightened in regret, as she had to abandon her favourite pupil that she had spent so many years with, her fellowpanion who, together with her, had nurtured the vige. But if she were toe running to his aid here, it would be an insult to how things were.


    Her favourite student was the vige Chief. Even in exchange of his own life, he would protect the order of the forest and the livelihood of his people. That man had been living his life with that pride in his heart for a long time. And thus when the time came that he couldnte to save his vige, that duty would fall upon his teacher.


    Kuh.


    It was supposedly impossible for the Old Gran, the witch who was known as the the great sage of the forest, but her eyes were tearing up.


    The chance that the chief would die then was an eight or nine out of ten. Mages werent even vanguards, and he was up against someone with that kind of superhuman strength. He wouldnt be able find the gap to dish out his trump spell, and at best he would undergo a cruel torment leading to his death. The cruel providence ofbat had already deemed him defeated and killed.


    No, if it was a mage his calibre, it was possible for him to survive against the barrage by utilising his chantless spells. His opponent was a boxer that would use all of her limbs as a weapon, if he could deliver a critical strike against her feet, he could dull her movements and dampen her battle potential-


    There was a bit of a wishful thinking. But if she couldnt rely on such thoughts, she would find even standing difficult. He was her cute disciple, and now he still was her superior, herrade, and her- nah, let us stop there.


    Even though someone her age shouldve known better, now there was no spare time for her to indulge in her deep emotions that shouldve had its limits. What she needed now was a cool-headed clear judgement. Based on the circumstances of the past, and the possible future, the most optimal choice for her was to preserve the survival of the vige. Now she had to cast away her thoughts of his pupil, and be the Old Gran that would show the vige the way through.


    Calm down, she silently prayed to herself.


    And when she indeed became calm.. she realised it.


    Tis weird


    There was an uncanny silence in the vige chiefs residence. Usually, she would find this peacefulness as something desirable, just like most Elves, who would enjoy the small things in life, but now it was different. Now it meant that the enemy even had the chiefs living room in their grasp.


    So did all the people stationed in the mansion getpletely annihted? If that was true, then there was a single contradiction in there.


    It was the intruders  the one who named herself as Fem  fighting method. While she indeed had incredible physical power, her movements were unrefined. If she were to go on about killing everyone in the mansion, the chief and her wouldve been bound to notice her.


    That meant that at least there were two intruders in the residence. There was another one besides Fem.


    Then, could it be the mage who did the mass-summoning in the vige? If they indeed were the same person, then they mustve been extremely busy. They had to bring Fem while they attacked everyone in the residence while simultaneously attacking the vige  that would be a poor n. In the unlikely event that the intruder in the residence got caught by them, then the raid on the vige would be called of as well.


    Then that meant.. At the very least, there shouldve been another one. People that would go along with someone as conspicuous as Fem  someonewho was raiding the vige at that moment, and then another intruder who silently killed all of the people in the residence.


    At that moment.


    - Thump.


    There was a sound from the corner of the passageway ahead.


    It was the sound of something heavy hitting the floor.


    What the..?


    She cautiously kept her murmurs inside her mouth and attentively watched the direction from where the sound originated.


    Surely it wasnt a piece of furniture falling down by chance. Someone was moving, hence the sound. Whaty there on the other side?


    It wasnt the time for her to go staring at things, but she would go with the flow for now. It was careless for whatever they were to run into the Old Gran here.


    Honestly, whatever stood there didnt have to earnestly leave from the entrance. It would be good if they left from the hole that Fem made in the wall as well. That would tell Fems senses that someone had escaped from the residence.


    At any rate, now she had to prepare to ambush whatever wasing from the corner of the passageway. If she were to show her tail here, they might take that advantage and swoop down on her instead.


    The silence that pained her ears. The thing that came crawling from the corners broke it as it appeared.


    As the Old Gran fired a spell towards it,


    Eh?


    Her eyes inadvertently went round.


    Aaaah. aaaaaah.


    Along with dry moans, what appeared there was something that fragmentarily looked like an Elf. Its ears were long, and its hair was blonde.


    At the same time, however, it was decidedly not an Elf.


    Its skin was chapped andpletely dried up, its hair had lost its lustre, and its body was like a withered tree.


    Its state waspletely weakened, to the point that it couldnt be alive, and indeed for that reason it shouldve been among the dead. But while it was dead, it was nheless still moving.


    It was an undead.


    A lesser vampire.?


    She unconsciously leaked out a dazed tone.


    A lesser vampire. A failure that couldnt be a vampire. When the vampire poured its blood, that was what someone who didnt have the aptitude to be a vampire or a resurrected corpse would end up as. A pathetic botchery of a dead one.


    And as something like that was present, it meant that


    Aha, YOUUUUVE GUESSED RIIIIIGHT~~~!


    As if to confirm her belief, another figure of someone appeared there.


    Judging from its appearances, it was a young man of a noble stature. His looks could be deemed as refined. His dress was fine, his tops and bottoms were thoroughly decorated with magic equipments, and a cloak with bat wings attached to it enveloped his body. That was how a vampire would look like in the tales of themon public, almost to aical degree, even.


    Thats right, a vampire. The parent of that lesser vampire  an intelligent, high-ranking vampire.


    A vampire a lord ss at that!?


    Perhaps taking the surprised tone as apliment, the vampire smiled widely. At that instance, from his lips a pair of long cuspid peeked through.


    AAAAAAAND THATS ANOTHER CORRRRRRRRECT GUEESSS~! Well, well, you sure know your stuff! Maybe its the aura of the noble of the night, which I have emitted all over my body? Or so I say! Ah, how joyful, to think that I can meet with someone with eyes as keen as yours! Maybe its the result after I havent been outside for awhile too, eh, Lady Elf?


    He stretched his cloak to let it flutter, and he began to spin round and around, dancing. His act was that of a clown, but Old Gran couldnt afford tough at him.


    A vampire, moreover, a lord-ss. No matter how skilled she was as a mage, this was still too much trouble to ask for her alone. After all, her opponent was a monster who could easily put on airs with the chief and herself, as he killed all the people in the residence. No matter how ridiculous he was acting then, this monster was really not aughing matter at all.


    As she cautiously observed him, the monster suddenly stopped his movements.


    But hey, guess Im a bit disappointed.. They say that there wont be any witnesses deep in the forest, so I wanted to draw some blood.. The vige, which I actually favoured, was assigned to my senior, so I had to make do with this sordidly men-filled, boring ce of a house. Wasnt this supposed to be the chiefs ce? In that case then shouldnt he have some healthy Elven virgindies lying somewhere around here? Well well, this wont do at all, you Elves have poor fertility  that chief guy shouldve screwed some and made children of his own. And yet every single one Ive encountered in this house were all males, and non-virgins on top of that. Well I sucked them only after I killed them, so guess it couldnt be helped that they all ended up as lesser vampires dunno if some pure kid were mixed in there too anyway for some dead corpses, their blood sure tasted good- right!


    After he grumbled and made his idleint, for some unknown reason he kicked his own subordinates  the lesser vampires, neck.


    In the end, the Elf who had gotten his blood sucked after he got killed and turned into a moving corpse was now a genuine dead corpse or not, it didnt stay that way, as the corpseter turned into ashes and disappeared, just like that.


    . Outrageous.


    Ahahahahahahahahhaha! But, I guess IM LUUUUCKYYYYYY!! The veryst one among them turns out to be a pretty Elvendy! Well then, mdy, are you perchance a virgin? Well then, I wont kill you, but Ill have your blood, okay? Right now, Ill even throw in a bonus  Ill love you a lot after that, alright! What a great deal!


    He had a peculiar way of speaking, filled with violent mood swings in between the speeches. This man is disturbed, Old Gran engraved deep in her heart. If she were to be swept away here, she would helplessly have her blood sucked without fail, since there was such a difference of performance between a Vampire Lord and the other kinds within its kin.


    Unfortunately my body hath outlived both my husband and my children. Apologies that I have betrayed thine expectations.


    Whaaaat, thats unfortunate eh, youre a widow by death? And not only your husband, you outlived your children too? Hum


    Said the vampire whose name she didnt know before he began to sniff around.


    - Lady, your spirit does have quite the ancient smell to it, huh? I guess youre at least two thousand years old? Thaaaats straaange. Elves do live long, but I didnt think theyre supposed to live that long.


    Thou hast been saying only rude things to this woman from some time now.


    As she spoke, she felt that she couldnt stop her cold sweat from flowing. It wasnt like she could wipe it off now. Once he saw an opening, at that same moment he would strike. However, perhaps she could find an opening in him before that instead.


    Perhaps, in exchange of the power that it had obtained, vampires would have a lot of weak points. She could exploit that and prevail here.


    Enough of this impertinent talk, thou dressed-up corpse. Thou hadst me aged at two thousand then I shalt let thee thoroughly chew those years worth of experience!


    A, aha. Ahahahah! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!


    The vampire replied to Old Grans sharp remarks with insane, loudughter.


    His eyes were now a pair of zing, radiant red eyes.


    Wow, wow, wow, WOW! I guess I really am lucky! In a like this ce, IN A PLACE LIKE THIS! I might have found a lead to my masters goal?! This is good, this is good, THIS IS GOOD! THIS IS REALLY GOOD! Also, youre lucky too,dy! Maybe I wont get to suck your blood or kill you, you know!? Well, granted, its highly probable that there might be crueler things in store for you but hey! Aaah, guess youre unlucky instead huh,dy?


    Then, madly, he bared both of his fangs.


    Tis fine, Old Gran smiled. That smile was partially a mere bold front.


    In a battle against a vampire, it was necessary for her to keep herposure. The strong point of a vampire was that they had the strength of a beast and yet the intelligence of a human. If she could anger him, starve him, and have him writhing, it was possible that he would abandon his human nature, his nature falling to that of a beasts, and then she could hunt him down and kill him. That would be the best policy. After all, to hunt was an Elven duty.


    - Well then, let the monster huntmence.


    She said as she let out a rough fighting spirit that did not suit her young face.


    The Elves were being hunted.


    Here and there, their vige was overflowing with demons.


    The profane being with a human head, bat wings and tiger body- the Manticore.


    The wriggling, countlessly many-headed snake the Hydra.


    The scaled, giant rooster with poisonous breath the Cockatrice.


    And then there were ogres, trolls, werewolves on top of weretigers, direwolves


    Those that were dyed with evil, and those that were born from the darkness itself. Those monsters were descending upon them.


    Elves, they kill. Humans, they kill. Beasts, they kill. All living beings, these creatures oppose.


    A huge flock of monsters.


    As they faced those dreadful threats, those who found themselves petrified in horror heard the sound of footsteps from their back.


    Rumble, rumble.


    It was none other but the cyclops, who remained invincible against all manners of spell that the mages fired at it.


    That noise was like an asional reminder that it was drawing near from their backs.


    As if the one-eyed giant was a beater. It drove its prey in packs to be ughtered, as much as its herd wanted.


    As long as the summoned monsters could kill whatever driven being it happened upon, then that was fine for them.


    What was happening in this vige was exactly that.


    Let it be said once again.


    The Elves were being hunted.


    Hmph, contrary to my expectations, this is disappointing.


    The woman, ignoring the pain and anguish that was uring in the tragedy below her, curtly snorted.


    Her callous scorn melted in the night sky, without anyone noticing.

 Chapter 23: Like the Falling Rain in the Forest

    Chapter 23: Like the Falling Rain in the Forest


    .Thunderspear!


    Fired from the Chiefs palm, a spear of lightning ran through the sky.


    Its thick ray was like that of a battering ram. Just how much mana and might had been poured in there?


    Its velocity was as if it was literally a lightning bolt. That lightning, which seemed to mock even the wind itself for being slow, struck its target without giving the target any room to dodge.


    GUH, GAH!


    Fem, who was shocked throughout her entire body, leaked out a strange groan and twitched for a moment.


    However, she managed to shake it off using sheer force, and drew close to the chief. She brandished her destructive fist at him once again.


    Attack,mence!


    The air split.


    Fallen leaves danced around before they fell back, while more leaves were torn and blown off from its trees.


    Disregarding the fact that she did indeed wear gauntlets, what was brought forth from her girly thin arm  the force of her mere fist  created a windstorm that seemed to mow the forest down.


    Blink Move!


    The scenery of the forest was distorted as the Chiefs body disappeared, before he reappeared behind Fems back a single momentter.


    Rather than teleporting the chief to another space, the spell worked to bend the space and quickly move him within a short distance. And since it was different in conceptpared to teleportation, it was hard to jam it. Therefore, the chief could use the spell to evade.. but its mana consumption wasrge. In the first ce, spells that interfere with space were already considered to be high-tier spells. If he were to use it continuously, hed be running out of mana in a blink of an eye. Normally, Blink Move counted as a spell that people would avoid, due to the difficulty of learning it and its effect that did not live up to its mana consumption. But his former teacher, Old Gran, had said to him some centuries ago, there will be a time when youll find a spell handy, no matter what spell it is. Those words were etched in him and thanks to that he barely managed to hold on to his life.


    Though, he didnt know for how much longer could he afford to keep it up.


    .. Bloody monster.


    The chief, an Elf who had lived since ancient times that predated the human calendar itself, muttered in horror.


    He saw the aftermath of her brandished fist. The ground was upturned and the trees fell down.


    If he were to receive the blow no, if it even were to graze him, he was sure that his flesh would be plucked off his bones while his bones would break, rendering him incapable to fight. In the other hand, no matter how much he tried to fire his spells at his opponent, it appeared that she wasnt even scratched because of it.


    What absurdity was that? However, if he couldnt hold on against this absurdity, he would die here. The vige would follow too.


    Let me ask you once again. What are you?


    The chief asked Fem.


    For a while now, his spells had been hitting her directly. It would mean that whatever magic equipment she had wasnt the kind that interfere with and defend her from the spells itself. She could endure the chiefs attack only by relying on her toughness alone. That way, there was no way that she was a human, and the chief did not think that she was a fellow Elf either. He didnt want to think about the possibility, but could she be a demon? Or probably, some sort of an avatar of an evil dragon?


    Without responding to the Chiefs question, Fem readied her fist yet another time.


    Verifying data. Correcting deviations. Changing pattern. Self-improvement application test,mence!


    You just wont listen, huh!?


    The fierce attack started then.


    Just when he thought that Fems figure was moving, her fist came flying in without pause. Then another, then another, then another.


    Right. Left. RIght. Left. Right. Left. The chief then made a big move to protect his right side. Fem responded by hitting his left side, left side, left side


    Instead of the intense but unrefined punches that she threw a while ago, her consecutive attack was now lighter, but sharper. The weight of each blow was indeed reduced, but its basis  her herculean strength  was still that of a giants. The barrage of fists finally grazed the chief, who could only manage to avoid them within a short moment, and scraped his flesh off to be eaten by the birds.


    UGH, AGH.!?


    He couldnt bear it, so he blink-moved. He moved towards her back  she turned around. The way she turned her trajectory, it was as if she was dancing. It was so graceful to the point of it being cruel. She resumed her attack, but just before that, he grandly blink-moved again. As if she had already predicted that, Fem rushed at him. The chief blink-moved thrice  Fem followed after him each time.


    Did she read me? Theres not enough time to do it the fourth time. Defend, defend, defend!


    De, Defender!


    The torrent of fists rushed against the makeshift defensive magic barrier. Sparks of fire flew all over as his magic barrier and her metal gauntlet collided.


    GAH, AAH, AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!


    The chiefs feet was dragged backwards, forming a furrow on the ground in the process. He couldntpletely cancel the impact. His wall raised a shriek. At this rate, his protection would be smashed to pieces, and the chief surely would be attacked from his rear and be killed.


    But, during the several seconds before that finally happened, the chief saw a way for him to prevail.


    Heed my call! Thunder spirits of the heavens, lightning spirits of the earth! Gather ye in this ce and be my arms


    Ever since the beginning of the battle, this was the first time for the chief to chant regr spell.


    He had been pressured by Fem and waspelled to use only chantless spell because of that.


    However, instead of attacking him with heavy strikes, Fem chose instead to attack him with lighter fists now, and as these fists were chipping the barrier little by little, the chief had only a few seconds, but that was enough opportunity to cast the chant.


    Come manifest, ye great lord who presides over the eighty thunders. Dwell ye in the tip of my spear and strike my enemy.


    ! I wont, let you!


    His mana ran amok as lightning surged.


    Realising the Chiefs intention, Fem pulled her fist to a great extent.


    She was changing her style to single heavy punches again, with that kind of ridiculous strength, surely she would manage to break through the cracked barrier andnd a hit on the Chief.


    The chiefughed. No matter what she chose, it was all the same. She would need to amass a lot of energy to pack that punch. A moment to amass the energy to exhibit its perfected might.


    That single moment was enough for him toplete his chant.


    For here in this ce, in this moment, with the might of the heavens I shall crush the wicked! Keraunos!


    Her fist crushed through the barrier, fragments of ss-like light danced around wildly.


    At the same time, the Chief released his spell.


    Even among the spells that he had learned, this was the strongest among them yet.


    Oh, Great Forest. Please do not forgive me who could not even strike the enemy without resorting to means like these, not even a bit.


    Life and death intersected each other, in a single moment that seemed to havested for an eternity.


    In that moment, such was the chiefs penitence.


    The might of that spell also threatened the forest that he was supposed to protect. But if he didnt use it, he wouldnt be able to protect the forest either.


    While what he used were only chantless spells, it was still a fact that his enemy was a monster that could take mid-tier spells like they were nothing. Then if he used a top-tier spell, that spell shouldve been able to destroy herpletely. And then, unless he destroyed this enemy of his, he wouldnt be able to protect the forest nor the vige.


    I will bear the me for this. Therefore, please, protect the people that have received your blessing!


    The might of the released lightning strike. If Thunderspear had the force of a battering ram, then this one was like an avnche. The spell, whose electric discharge could even distort space itself, became a torrent of sh that swallowed Fem and burned the entirety of the chiefs field of vision.


    A top-tier lightning spell? In the forest? Turns out that even the White Elf Chief is more senseless than I thought.


    There, above the vige, with the light of the moon on her back, a woman grumbled.


    As her body wasden with presence-concealing magical equipment, probably not even the trained eyes of the Elven hunters could catch the sight of her.


    Below her, the fire in the furrows that the lightning strike had left were burning the forest in a grand manner. There were fires blowing up here and there. In other words, it was a wildfire.


    Well, anyway, its probably because his opponent is that one. Even for me, I dont think I can match her unless I do something like this. Doesnt change the fact that the whole affair is unsatisfactory, though.


    The woman snickered.


    An Elf that received the divine blessing of the forest  their chief, of all people  would burn it down on his own volition after he found himself to be at his wits end. She found this so ironic and hrious, she couldnt bear to suppress herughter.


    However, she couldnt afford to beughing all night. This outbreak of this fire was unfavourable to the fulfillment of their objective. If the prey that they had carefully selected were to catch fire and die, then all would be lost. And no matter how much deep in the forest they were, if the fire were to continue to spread in a shy manner, then chances were that it might catch the attention of the hairless apes outside of the forest as well.


    She needed to take an action, quickly too.


    The woman thought about something for a while before she broke into a smile, as if she hade up with a good idea.


    Well then, lets have a break, literally.


    TL Note: This is a pun that I unfortunately couldnt properly trante to English. The word that was used for break was . The pun is, she said literally. So it trantes as lets get some water in there.


    The Old Gran saw that light.


    That dazzling, ominous sh of lightning that fell from the skies. She instinctively recognised its true nature, and for that, her eyes went wide.


    Boy you actually used that.?!


    Aplicated feeling rose in her heart.


    Sympathy for the man who had lived his life caring for the trees for so long, only to burn them all together so that he could burn his foe as well.


    Remorse for her own powerlessness, for she couldnt be a helping hand for him, to the point that he was driven to do something like that.


    And the conviction that he shouldve won, for he had chosen to use that.


    Woaaaaah Isnt that a top-tier lightning spell? As expected from the Elven chief, he sure knows amazing stuff! Will this be okay, though? Releasing something like that in a middle of a forest like this. See, see, the trees caught fire, and now we have a wildfire, you see?


    The vampire jeered.


    His boots were currently trampling on the forests soil. Then what about the chiefs residence that had both of them until while ago? That ce was already gone. It was, after all, a battleground between a High Elf and a Lord Vampire. Of course the aftereffect of the spell exchanges between the two of them would wipe it off from existence.


    Old Gran stared at the vampire sternly.


    Thou how dare thine lot stand to speak that way!?


    Woah. Scaary!


    He moved both of his hands to cover the sides of his face as he said nope, nope while making an exaggerated show of how frightened he was. The vampire kept fooling around unsparingly.


    But the reason why Old Gran was able to maintain her life until now was precisely because that Vampire had been fooling and ying around. Elves are born with excelling magical prowess, but not only do Vampires have that, but they also excel in physical prowess. In one-on-onebat like this, her defeat was supposedly already a given.


    Surely, her opponent thought so as well.


    The vampire ceased fooling around and shrugged.


    Well then,dy. How long are you nning to keep this up, again? Are you perchance thinking that if you can keep me until dawn, the morning will burn me to ashes?


    Unfortunately, she didnt think that was likely.


    Vampire Lords have extraordinary self-regeneration ability. Even if the sunlight  a vampires weakness  were to get to them, surely they would have some kind of a feat to bring them back from the brink caused by the damage they received. And most of all, she wasnt confident that her supply of mana couldst in a battle of spells with a Vampire until then.


    Old Gran suppressed her anxiety and smiled confidently.


    Humph I have no need to wait that long. Keraunos was the sign of the chiefs victory. At this moment, he hath already left to save the vige. He will ride on that momentum ande here eventually. It may take a while until he arriveth here, but I do not suppose he would be so leisurely as toe only until dawn breaketh.


    Eeeeeh? Hmmmmm? Ooooooh?


    The vampire grinned broadly.


    Is that so? Really, is that so? Then itll be weird if we dont start doing something as well, dont you think?


    Kuh.


    What he said was true. It was the same power that had breached the white birch forests barrier and performedrge-scale summoning to attack the vige. If they were that proficient in magic, surely they would be able to do something like telepathy, and it wouldnt be odd if they carry around magical equipments tomunicate with each other. With that, they were bound to be in touch in case of emergency.


    Well then, as you wish, guess Ill take you on. Itll be fun to see if help really ising for you, too! . Shadonce!


    He sneeringly shouted as he thrusted ance made from a mass of shadows and approached Old Gran. With dark magic, he manipted the virtual existence, then he added void element into it- a multi-elemental spell. An advanced spell that superimposed a rare element onto another rare element. And for him to chantlessly use it without effort, as expected from Vampire Lords, the existence that is said to reign supreme over the night.


    Of course, the Old Gran were not nning to take this lying down.


    Ray of Light!


    What she produced from her palm of hand was a thick assembly of rays of light. It pierced through the Shadonce, along with the Vampire that stood behind it. Reason dictated that light vanquished shadows, and as such, in that sh of the two, light would prevail. A vampire was a creature of the dark. She wasnt as versed as humans in terms of holy magic, but she could expect that shended a severe blow there. or so she thought.


    The vampires chest absorbed the rays of light,


    GRAAAAAAAH! .. Juuuust kidding. Did you think it worked? AHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA!


    and then disappeared while not affecting him at all.


    Was he able to excel against it because of the magic defence imbued on the magical equipment he was wearing, or was it because of his innate resistance from his high magical prowess? or perhaps  she didnt want to think about it, but, perhaps  was it because of both?


    Damn monster!


    Old Gran red at the abomination that stood a few metres away from her with bitter regret.


    Even for Elves, light spells  which did not belong to the four ssic elements  typically were not their strongest suit. She was the most proficient caster in the vige, but chantless spells werent enough tond effective damage against the vampire.


    There must be another way to take this monster down. A weak point that I can exploit to kill him in one fell swoop, something, anything.


    Weeeeelll then, what should I do now? Shall I increase my magical prowess one step further hm?


    The vampirescent smile froze for a moment.


    He brought his fingers to his cheek and swiped something.


    Eh? Its raining?


    As if taking that word as a cue, droplets of water began to fall from the skies.


    It started raining.


    Tis raining?


    Old Gran flickered her eyes.


    It was a full moon night. Not even a single cloud was in view until a while ago.


    But now, it was raining?


    Sure enough, when she looked up, dark clouds suddenly spread all over the nightly sky, to the point where they conceal the full moon itself.


    Old Gran intentionally disregarded that enigma.


    Even though if this was her usual self, she wouldve already realised something like this, something like someone, somewhere was manipting the weather in a grand scale.


    This was aid from the heavens. The mes of the Chiefs battle aftermath were being extinguished.


    Nay, anyway, my utmost priority now is to somehow deal with this Vampire, the Old Gran strengthened that will and started chanting.


    Oh, trickles of water falling from the skies, flowing to the earth. I order thee, water spirits, far and wide!


    Th that incantation!?


    The vampire went into tant panic.


    Of course he would.


    What she was chanting was a spell to summon the water spirits. The rain had started falling, and if the water spirits were to act in conjunction to it, it wouldnt be impossible for her to generate an enormous water current.


    And  Vampires were weak against running water.


    Hearken unto my voice. May thee wash over and cleanse all impurity!


    S, stop! STOP IIIIIIIIIIT!


    Old Granughed at the vampire who abjectly pleaded at the moment he was exposed to his weak point.


    If he had the spare time to do that, then he wouldve jumped in and stopped her chanting.


    sted moving corpse, did the rot go all the way to thine brain cells, too?


    Hydrostream!


    A raging stream of water gushed out from the seal of the spell. Even in the darkness of the night, the cascade of white foam flooded everything before her eyes.


    SHHHHIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!!! IF ONLY THE RAIN HADNT FALLEN! GRAH, BLLLLLLARRRGH!


    The Vampires figure and his muffled curses were all submerged in the water.


    Fuh, fuhahahaha! Thou might be an immortal, but it was still not enough to surpass the ages I had passed, it seemeth.


    Old Gran gasped for breath as she released herself from the stance of the spell.


    She could feel that her body had suddenly be weak. Her body had run deficient of mana.


    Her opponent was a Vampire. In the unlikely chance that the Vampire could escape its weak point that was the stream of water, she had to mow down a considerably wide area with the spell. The price for that was this sudden depletion of mana.


    Wheeze. wheeze.. This was not something someone my age should have undertaken. se, seriously


    Besides, Truthfully, there was another cause of this fatigue of hers.


    Guh not good, the spell..


    Her magic was undone.


    As the caster suffered from both the recoil of forcing herself to cast a high-tier spell and deficiency of mana, the invoked spell vanished away.


    As if to wash her adornments off, the rain kept falling.


    Hmmm I suppose its about time.


    TL Note: Yes, thats it for this section Rumble, rumble. The sound of the giants footsteps.


    In the rain that fell all of a sudden, the battle was still raging in the vige.


    The monsters did not force their way through to attack, instead they cunningly rounded up the Elves and hunted them one by one.


    Curiously, the monsters were mostly aiming at adults. They would deliberately leave the younger ones, while striking down those from the eldest in order of their age.


    These things.. could it be that theyre intending to capture the youngsters alive?


    Verches father shouted his spection.


    Certainly, if they were to think that way, then it was easy to understand this situation. They cull the adults, whod be difficult to handle, and then sweep the children and the youngsters away.


    That line of thinking, it was as if.


    Father are you implying that a human is behind this raid?


    Indeed, capturing Elves as ves is how humans would think.


    Her father nodded at his daughters question.


    I dont think humans have the ability to manipte the monsters this far, but from the way they act it certainly seems like it was them. After all, theyd usually go after the weaker ones first, right!


    He shot an approaching ogre dead, then tutted.


    Hey! Im out of arrows! Has anyone got some spare?


    Im out too! Try the others!


    I havent got any as well! To begin with, who the hell still have some with them anyway?


    Coming this far, the Elves were running out of arrows.


    As Verche had ran out of arrows herself, she had been supporting them with magic, but she was at her limit as well. Her mana was now mostly exhausted.


    She had used up too much arrow and magic in the beginning of the battle against the cyclops. The monocr giant, who was kept under the protection of the spell of an unknown person, was still able to maintain that impregnable barrier. The only mages who could dispel it were probably just the chief or the Old Gran. It wouldve been better if people could understand that and preserve themselves though.


    More importantly, what is the Chief and Old Gran doing?! Arent they supposed to be rushing in here?!


    Surely you saw that sh of lightning a while back. That was the Chief! Theyre in the middle ofbat there too!


    It seemed that both of them were being kept by something and thus couldnte their way.


    Then,


    Rumble, rumble.


    EEEEEKKK!?


    As if to strengthen the pressure, the cyclops took another step towards them.


    Verche couldnt tell whether that shriek was hers or someone elses.


    Do, dont be afraid! Am I, am I not a hunter of this forest?!


    Even though she desperately persuaded herself, her body just wouldnt stop shaking.


    The Elves around her had a simr look as well.


    Uuuuuh...


    The difference of strength between them was overwhelming. The Chiefs aid was still not in sight. All in all, their situation was hopeless.


    The Elves morale were breaking down.


    So, its all over.


    No.


    Drip, drip. Tears were starting to fall from her eyes.


    How unsightly, was that an appearance a hunter of the Witte n would expose in the sight of others?


    But it seemed that no one would criticise her over this.


    In fact, she had held well to be one among the survivors so far.


    Ehehehe were finished. were all going to die.


    Among them, it seemed that there were those who had already went past their limit long ago.


    Taking that into ount, a young girl crying alone would surely count as innocent.


    She was making do just by crying silently, shed probably be praised as a brave kid for that.


    Verche.


    The voice when the father called out to his daughter was a lonely one.


    If his conjecture that the enemys aim was to capture the young Elves was correct, then this would not result in Verches death. But when an Elven woman got captured, there could be a fate crueler than death waiting for her. And even if his conjecture was incorrect, the only possible oue was for her to die here.


    With that in mind, as a father, just how hard for him to say something at this moment?


    There was also the thing about her mother as well. Although they had sent her away to escape under the pretext of liaison, the vige proper had already turned into a hunting ground for monsters now. Her life was probably already forfeit. With that in her mind, she could feel that her chest were being crushed. Surely her father felt the same way as well.


    Rumble, rumble


    The giant drew near.


    Along with that, the monsters encirclement against them grew narrower.


    Atst, the coup de grce wasing.


    No.!


    She had no bow nor arrows, and her mana had already exhausted.


    At this rate, would she be meet her end by the ws and fangs of the monsters, or just as her father thought, would she fall captive to the person who had been pulling the strings behind the scenes?


    Neither was desirable for her.


    I havent even met Chaga yet..!


    Her mind was upied by the thoughts of him, the one she had a fall-out with half a month ago.


    If that was to be thest of their conversations, then that would be too sad.


    She wanted to meet him one more time and make amends. At the very least, she wanted to see his face.


    Chaga!


    The monsters steadily drew even nearer.


    So which one among them will leap out first?


    The manticore? The direwolf? The orc? The ogre?


    Verches body was petrified at the sign of the approaching evil.


    Then, at that time,


    .. Verche!


    A spell broke through the house-wall behind her back.


    Then, the face that she had missed for thest half month leapt into her vision.


    Cha, ga?


    She cried the name of the person who clumsilynded near her side in disbelief.


    Heh, heheh, I thought the demons cant fit their figure indoors, so I went through the houses seems like I was right.


    And on top of that, he even uttered such bravado.


    His forced smile was stiff, and his voice and limbs were trembling all over, but still, she could feel that there was something encouraging about him.


    Why


    Hey, brat! What on earth have you been doing up until now?!


    She meant to say why are you here?, but it was interrupted by her fathers shouting.


    To answer that question, Chaga pointed at the hole on the house that he broke through from.


    Dear.!


    Mom, you!?


    The one who appeared from there was Verches mother who was supposedly running towards the outskirts of the vige.


    So, she made it alive.!


    I wondered when I saw auntie running about outside with a strange look on her face, so it was because that huge thing I thought that I should rush here somehow, but the vige proper has already been riddled with demons.


    For the time being, I gathered all the arrows I could grab when I was running here and there with Chaga.


    She said as she presented the bundle of arrows that she brought in her arms.


    Ooh!, the surviving Elves raised their voices.


    Arrows! We can still continue to fight!


    . First, as the demons couldnt pass through the houses easily, lets go through there and head steadily for the outskirts! The white birch forest should be too narrow for therge-sized demons to traverse and the spirits blessing will hasten our mana recovery.


    Wait, Chaga. Arent you worried that they might just anticipate us when we leave the houses?


    And that is why. we have this guys nose.


    What came running towards Chagas feet was that wolf familiar.


    It was impossible for Verche to suppress herplicated feeling about that sight, but given the circumstances, there was nothing she could do. With a stern look on his face her father, too, asked him,


    .. Can you depend on it?


    It was because of this child that we could get here without harm, you know?


    Her mother stroked the familiar wolf to thank it. Surely it was fine to believe it now.


    Then, Chaga turned towards Verche.


    Verche, take this too.


    What he handed over as he said that was her bow and arrows.


    Cha, Chaga? This, how di-


    When I went to the armoury to retrieve the arrows, I took it along with me. Thought youll be troubled without it.


    As if being shy, he scratched his cheek as he was saying so.


    As expected, the bow, which she hadnt held for a while, fittingly felt familiar in her hands.


    Vitality returned to her droopy ears.


    There were both her bow and arrows in her hand. Herpanion, who she spent years together with, was also by her side as well.


    The pieces that she lost half a month ago up until now were now restored.


    The senses of a hunter the will to fight returned to her.


    Chaga.. thank you.


    Dont mention it. Im weak, so if I can help you, whos strong, then its fine.


    And, Im sorry. I said something cruel to you then.


    Im sorry too. I was so engrossed in my attempt to be dependable to you, I couldnt get a hold of whats important to you.


    Just with that exchange of words, the ill feeling she harboured melted away as if it was never there.


    So she couldnt do something so simple as this, and she was troubled for half a month because of it? In spite of herself, she thought the whole affair was silly.


    Hey, you two! Dont idle about! The battle is still going on!


    YE, YES!


    At her fathers scolding, their voices intertwined.


    While gazing at the bitter smile that he floated, she nocked and fired.


    - One arrow.


    First, the direwolf- one fatal shot aimed at the throat of the demon whose appearance was a profane mockery of a wolf.


    I havent lost my touch yet, half a month might have passed, but this bow still precisely works as an extension of my limbs!


    She released the next arrow as she found joy in that.


    Her aim was the ogre. The arrow pierced through its eye socket and struck its brain, killing it instantly. Elven bows were enchanted with magic. If a divinely blessed user shoots an arrow with it, its power would surpasse even that of a crossbows.


    Oooh, oooh!, the Elves around her livened up.


    We can do this. The cyclops is still tough to face, but its not that difficult to cut a way through the other guys. Well escape ording to Chagas suggested route. First, well go to the forest. Well join up with the Chief and Old Gran, and using thebined war potential as a leverage well push the enemy back. I came to feel like that isnt impossible. No, we can do this!


    All right, we can still do this! Theres still hope for us!


    One in herpany cried out.


    Verche felt the same as well.


    Thats right, we can still do this!


    . But then, that came.


    Hey, hey, isnt it a bit too early to get excited now?


    A voice rung out from above.


    The rain had stopped. It had stopped abruptly, just like how the rain broke. The rainclouds had already disappeared as well.


    The light of the moon came back and illuminated their surroundings.


    There, floating in the midair and ring at the vigers, was a certain someone.


    A,,, Dark Elf?


    Her silver hair was dazzling even in the dark, in contrast of her dark brown skin that dissolved into the shades of the night.


    A pair of long ears simr to that of an Elfs extended from the sides of her head.


    Certainly, that person was a Dark Elven woman.


    And Verche knew this woman.


    That woman, whose left eye was covered by an eyepatch.


    Miss, Drei?


    The Dark Elf who introduced herself as a ve of an adventurer, who had saved Verche when she wandered into the ck Forest two weeks ago.


    Then, why was she here?


    No, that was fine too. Verche knew that she was a terrific expert of a mage. If they could get Drei to help, then surely it would be possible to exterminate this horde of demon.


    Verche, you know that person?


    Chaga asked her in his confusion.


    Of course, she answered promptly.


    Yeah, that person


    Answer,


    Eh.? Ah.?


    Answer,


    Huh!? Huh.! ..!!


    Answer, she could not.


    Suddenly her breath was seized, her voice couldnte out.


    Only her lips was pping and moving about, there was no meaningful words that came from her tongue.


    Wh, whats wrong, Verche!? Get a hold of yourself!


    What is it!? What the heck is happening!?


    Chaga shook her shoulder.


    Her parents gazed restlessly between their abnormally behaving daughter and the unexpected intruder.


    Drei pleasantly stared the suffering Verche down.


    Her single eye, warped with joy, gave the same impression as the giants eye.


    Kuhuhuhu, what a foolish girl. If youre having trouble talking about me, then perhaps you should talk about something else.


    Hhh! Hhh!? Hhhhhhh!!


    They couldnt get it.


    What on earth was Drei saying?


    Why was sheughing at Verche, who was suffering?


    You what did you do to Verche!?


    When Chaga shouted angrily at her, Dreisughter grew even more intense.


    Herughter felt as cruel as that of a cat when it was torturing a rat it had captured.


    My, my, what are you getting so worked up for ah, I see. So youre the Chaga brat, arent you?


    Wha, why did you know my name?


    Verche was as surprised as him.


    She hadnt spoken about Chaga with Drei at that time. There shouldve been a topic about him since he had always been with her, but somehow she found it embarrassing to talk about so she didnt bring it up.


    Then howe did she know about Chaga?


    Hmph. Its a bother to exin. Ill just undo my spell now, you can guess however you want when you see the girl then.


    Drei said before she snapped her fingers.


    At the same time, something burst open inside her mind.


    A memory of what really happened that night wasing back.


    And if you do that, youll be able pass through the barrier and enter the vige.


    While her head was feeling fuzzy and her thoughts were muddled, Verche was obediently answering the questions directed at her to the extent of her knowledge.


    The viges scale, its poption, its notably powerful people, and the way to pass through its barrier.


    Most of them was supposed to be kept secret, but for some reason that she couldnt understand, she felt that she couldnt conceal them.


    When Verche saw that left eye, she felt that she mustply with whatever she was ordered to.


    Drei nodded in satisfaction after Verche had told her the whole story.


    I see. Ive heard the gist of what I wanted to know.


    . Thank you.


    But, theres something that still makes me curious. Shall I hear about it, then?


    . Yes, please ask me anything.


    After she acknowledged that, Drei began to scrutinise her with dangerous eyes and asked away.


    When we talked about idle things before I used this eye, I felt that you were hiding something in your words. Most likely its nothing important, but Im just making sure. Spit that out as well.


    Verches body trembled.


    .. Im sorry. That, I cant tell.


    What? Why are you hiding it?  Speak.


    Dreis left eye emitted a purple light.


    When Verche saw that light, the resistance that she felt in her heart began to gradually disappear.


    What I hid, was about Chaga.


    What is that?


    . My hunting mate.


    I dont get it. Why would you hide something like that?


    Because.. its embarrassing.


    At that answer, Drei made a dubious look.


    I just dont understand, it seemed that her look was saying that.


    However, Verche, who had lost her resistance, slowly began to continue on her own.


    . I, really hold him dear, I just couldnt say it well. Im afraid.. Im embarrassed that, Id say something weird, about him.


    Thats not a reason at all. Apparently the girl herself hasnt settled the matter as well.


    Im, not good, with words I cant put, his good side, to other people. But Im embarrassed sad because of it.


    So long story short, its just a brats love affair. Tsk, I wasted mana for this? . Thats enough.


    From the way Drei was speaking, it seemed that she couldnt care less about what she kept in the depths of her heart.


    She tossed the secret that she held dear in the bottom of her heart away just like that. Verches chest was hurting.


    The woman who stood before her eyes didnt pay that any mind and continued to talk,


    For the time being, lets just keep your mouth shut.. alright? Your vige is an exclusive one, so I have no idea about how the other vigers would feel about outsiders. Surely youll feel bad if the others think were to think ill of the person who saved your life, yes?


    . Yes, Ill feel bad.


    There, there. good child.. So, Verche. Absolutely dont mention anything about me to the vigers, alright? Ah, besides that, forget everything that happened since I showed you my left eye. Got it?


    Thats it.


    Verche was made aghast by the memories that she regained.


    She told Drei everything by herself. The location of the vige. The method of entrance. The details of their war potential. Everything rted to this raid, it all came from her.


    So. everything, everything is because of that..?


    The miasma from the monsters that encircled them.


    The terrible smell from the husks of Elves who had fallen in the battle.


    Both of them joined up and furiously agitated the insides of her heart.


    - Your fault.


    She felt as if someone was whispering that to her.


    She felt as if one of the scattered bodies, one of her deadpanions eyes, was sending the me her way.


    - The reason that they came. The reason that we died. It was all your fault.


    Verche felt as if she was tightly grabbed by the stomach.


    An acrid sourness welled up from the back of her throat. She couldnt hold her vomit in.


    Urkh..!? Blergh.!


    Verche!? Are you alright!?


    Chaga rubbed her back gently, but it couldnt offer her anyfort.


    She kept throwing up and throwing up, and even when there was nothing left to throw up, her stomach was still cramping.


    Drei red down at her.


    Aw. And here I thought you were a bit of a gutsy girl. It turns out youre frailer than I expected.


    Bastard! What did you do to our daughter!?


    Upon hearing her fathers cry, the woman culprit sighed deeply.


    Didnt I tell you just a while back? From the look of your girl over there, take a guess however you want, that I told you. And yet you still ask me to take the trouble to exin it for you? That takes effort. So nope, no can do.. Sigh, you lot are slow on the uptake. Im starting to doubt whether you people will be able to work properly if I were to take you back with me.


    So youre the ringleader behind this incident.


    . You really are slow on the uptake. What are you saying now? You saw all that and you still cant understand?


    She said as if she was admonishing her underperforming students.


    As they saw the way she behaved, the surviving Elves around her began to get a hold of the situation.


    So the ringleader is that Dark Elf?


    She manipted that many demons? Thats absurd, what is she aiming?


    No, rather than that.


    Someone among them stared daggers towards Verches direction.


    She cast a spell on Verche, and dragged out everything about this vige from her, huh? So the cause of this


    Its your fault. VERCHE!


    Several people affixed their re her way.


    Her father and mother gazed at her with a look of disbelief on their faces.


    Chagas hand, which was ced on her back, was shaking as well.


    St, stop it!


    She couldnt bear being stared with that kind of look in their eyes.


    Did, did you deceive me.?


    She could bear it no longer, and thus without thinking, she called Drei out with imploring eyes.


    She still couldnt believe that she was the culprit behind all of this.


    She wanted Drei to tell her that this was a joke. She wanted this nightmarish night to be all just a lie.


    However, Drei was just callouslyughing.


    Deceive you? Dont say things that may sully my reputation, now. I havent told you a single lie, you know?


    Arent you an adventurerspanion? Th, this, isnt what ordinary adventurers do!


    What a silly one you are, little White Elf girl. I have no memory of telling you that he was a proper adventurer. I just saved you from a monster once, and you dropped your vignce on your own just like that. Kuhuhuhu.. besides, arent normal adventurers already harmful enough for the vige?


    Your vige was destroyed, right!? And yet why would you do the same thing yourself?


    I told you back then, didnt I? I dont mind it anymore, so you dont have to worry about it.


    Yo, you told me that yourpanions were important.. and yet, why are you doing this?


    Its not strange, I suppose? My action is in the interest of mypanions. Elves have a variety of uses. If I can capture a lot of you people, itll please me and mypanions.


    When you said, you went to the forest, to hunt..


    Yeah, I was nning to capture these demons. Since theyre this many, even I had to work my fingers to the bone. Especially that cyclops, it really took its sweet time before I can get it under my control. Thanks to that, I made you saw something scary. Yeah, guess I really am sorry for that part.


    The one-eyed giant returned Dreis words with a lowughter.


    That cyclops was the same cyclops that encountered her when she wandered into the ck forest. So at that time, it had already became the familiar of that Dark Elf. That was why it pulled back simply with just that.


    All of this you were nning this from the beginning.


    Why are you bad-mouthing me?


    The Dark Elfs face was distorted with even more malice.


    Me discovering about your vige was totally just a coincidence. Surely I wouldnt notice any of this had that day someone didnt foolishly chase a boar too relentlessly and leave the barrier of her home because of it.


    . Kuh.


    Huhuhuhu, I am thankful, Verche. Thanks to you, not only that I could produce good results for my master, I can get a hold of you people as an extra too, you know?


    Ah


    Strength left her body.


    VERCHE!?


    Chara promptly supported her copsing body.


    Even so, she still couldnt find the strength to stand.


    In other words, Verche came to conclude that this was all her fault alone.


    Me a forest hunter that protects her vige what a joke.


    This happened because she met Drei that day.


    Because she had wanted to hunt the boar down on her own, she wandered into the ck Forest.


    It was because even though she was a woman, she put her all towards something like hunting.


    - That meant, because of who she was, this happened.


    Because I fancied myself as a big shot, things became like this.!


    Regret, guilt and self-disdain were endlessly swelling up inside of her.


    She was so afraid, her body couldnt stop shaking.


    She wasnt afraid of death, nor she was afraid of pain.


    She was afraid to admit that her life was meaningless and worthless no, rather, she was afraid to admit that her life brought nothing but harm.


    After all, through their eyes everyone is saying that this is my fault.


    Her survivingpanions were already ring at her as if she was their enemy.


    Its your fault.


    Just because youre skilled with the bow, you think youre clever and now this happens.


    Youre unfit as a hunter. no, youre unfit as an Elf of the proud Witte n.


    Such thoughts were loaded behind their silent re. They pierced her entire body.


    Her father didnt say anything as anguish-filled look warped his face.


    Her mother who still couldnt understand all of this seemingly wanted to say something, but she was at a loss of words.


    The hand Chaga ced on her shoulder gripped her so hard it hurt her.


    Now, the only thing she was afraid of was to lose this warmth that seemed to be disappearing from her any second now.


    Huhuhu. It seems that youvee to hate being shamed by your fellow tribesmen than the enemy before you, huh? What an incorrigible White Elf. This is why it was easy to ruin you.


    The Dark Elven womanughed gleefully.


    She took her hand onto the eyepatch that covered her left eye,


    Well then, lets wrap things up.


    And exposed the purple-coloured eye that was hidden behind it-


    ! WATCH OUT, CHAGA!


    Ve, Verche!?


    Verche was moving out of reflex.


    She covered both of Chagas eyes with her hands, then she grabbed his hand and rushed to the back.


    It was that eye. That ominous left eye was the source of Dreis unnatural power. Verche, who had been struck by its spell once, learned from her restored memories and tried to avoid seeing it as much as she could.


    Even though she appeared to be suffocating to death a while back, it seems like the decision to undo the spell came back to bite me. So she still has some energy with her.


    Dreis irritated voice ran through her back.


    Verches parents and the remaining Elves were all petrified when they saw the glint in Dreis purple eye.


    Dont, dont look at that eye! Its an evil eye! You wont be able to resist it!


    So thats what she has up her sleeve!


    She was pulling Chagas hand and escaping that ce in desperation.


    It wasnt that she didnt feel bad for leaving her parents behind, she just couldnt help it now.


    And besides. she didnt want to lose Chaga, she didnt want him to be taken from her.


    Someone who would remain with her until the very end. Her precious partner. Perhaps more dear than just that.


    For her, who had just lost her duty, her pride, and her everything, only he remained.


    Her mind was in chaos and her heart was in tatters, but the feeling of not wanting to lose him remained.


    At, at the very least, Chaga alone must make it away!


    Truthfully, she didnt know what would be of her if Drei were able to capture her.


    But if she were to follow the demons the she shouldve hated and fall to the hands of the the lot who killed these many Elves. Surely shell meet a crueler fate than living as an ordinary ve.


    She no longer cared about what will happen to her though, so at the very least, Chaga alone must make it.


    She firmly held that in her heart as she pulled him away.


    Tsk. I wont let this force me to shed any effort on my part. I can make the demons to chase after them, but theres a risk that an ident will happen if I do that, I guess?


    The pair was rushing to the hole that Chaga made toe to this ce earlier.


    Just before that,


    Hmmm. If its this spell, it should be able to stop them without hurting them


    Something. Verche could feel some unnatural spell engulfing her entire body.

 Chapter 24: The past cannot be undone

    Chapter 24: The past cannot be undone


    Run. Run. Run


    Verche ran alongside with Chaga, escaping from the vige that was overrun by the monsters.


    Just both of them alone fled to the forest, leaving behind her parents andpanions -- who will likely be captured by the enemy.


    Ver, che... wait!


    She could hear the ragged voice of Chaga.


    Normally, Verches legs were faster than his.


    And he had been keeping up to pace with her all this while. He must be in exhaustion and in pain.


    However, they could not stop now. The monsters led by that dreadful dark elf have already gained total control over the elves of the white birch forest and the vige of the Witte n. There will surely be pursuers after them. If they paused here, they will be caught. Driven by this fear, Verches legs moved.


    No, Chaga! Keep running!


    Sweat trickled down from her forehead and tears ran down her cheeks.


    Verche had been running and crying.


    ...How did ite to this?


    It was the result of that one hunt where she had chased her prey too far out. Just that alone, is causing the vige to be on the brink of destruction.


    She fully understands that it was her, who broke the rules and who was at fault. But, what she did was so insignificant. Many of herpanions were killed, while the survivors will end up as the ves of people with evil intentions. And who is to say even worse might not befall upon them? Why didnt the spirits of the forest and nature stop at just punishing her?


    She cursed, with all the vocabry she knew, at the irrationality of the world, the cruelness of the world.


    Verche, I canno...longer!


    D-dontin! Please, run! Run!


    Verche was the one crying instead.


    She was running in the forest with one hand on her bow and the other, pulling him along. She had done this countless number of times before, yet why is it so tiring now?


    ...Because it is my fault that he has to escape like this?


    ...Because she had abandoned her parents andpatriots?


    Just from thinking, her heart, not her legs, could not move on.


    Even then, she could still feel the warmth from his hand, from the him that has kept up the strength to grasp her hand in return and the willpower to press on with his weakened legs.


    Sorry, Verche!


    Her heart ached from his distressed voice.


    However, Verche desperately ran with him.


    Lets try to run and...


    I can no longer hold back!


    ...Huh?


    Suddenly, her hand was pulled back with full force.


    Due to the sudden force on Verches body from the opposite direction, her foot flew through the air and she tripped clumsily.


    Her white skin was immediately smeared by mud.


    W-What are you doing!?


    She objected as she tried to stand up.


    That pull was definitely from falling forward or something, and not from simply stopping. She felt that he wanted to make her fall.


    Why?


    Why would he do so?


    Chaga pinned the bewildered Verche down with his hands on her shoulders.


    Cha...Chaga!?


    Ha! Ha!


    Chaga bent over towards her as he breathed heavily.


    Something is wrong, Verche thought.


    She noticed that Chagas disorderly breathing was not because of his tiredness from running.


    The eyes that bore down on her did not have colours of reason. The colours of a starving greed from that of a savage carnivore.


    Ver...che!


    Eeeek!?


    She has no idea why this was happening and cowered in fright. He wrapped his body around her, and pressed his lips against hers.


    It was far too unrestrained to be a kiss and the excessive violence involved made it depraved. It was the behaviour of a beast.


    ....u!........aa!


    Even if she could push him aside by hitting his chest, she wasnt able to push back against the weight of a male, even if he was thin.


    Even the possibility of biting him was sealed off as he skillfully grabbed her chin.


    While doing so, he had inserted his tongue, and started licking the inside of her mouth.


    And who knows how much time passed.


    As Verches consciousness receded from theck of oxygen, her lips were finally freed.


    Chaga...what...why at this?


    An animal-like breathing and the rustling of clothes was the reply to her tear-stained question.


    ...Verche did not know.


    That the cause of what was happening to them was because of magic.


    Just before escaping the vige, Drei had casted a spell on Verche in order to stop her.


    The name of the spell was <>. It was a spell that made the target bewitch and stir up strong emotions in the opposite sex.


    The attraction brought by the spell is in the realm of devils. An average male would lose their rationality in the blink of an eye, press the target down and bring the target to their knees. Considering that, Chaga had persevered for fairly long if they managed to retreat into the forest.


    Still, Verche had no way of knowing that.


    She could only be anguished at having her first kiss stolen and be in fear that she would lose something more important to her.


    Verche...Verche!


    Chaga leaned forward as he let out a roar.


    A creaking sound could be heard behind the weight of the two of them.


    It was the bow.


    The bow was squashed under her back when she fell earlier.


    The creaking of a hunters pride under an unbearable weight and a scream.


    Stop, Chaga! Please, stop! ...Noooooooooooooo!!


    In the moonlit forest, a girls screams repeated.


    At the same time, a snap could be heard.


    Splosh. At the coldness of the drop of water on his face, the Chief woke up.


    Above him was the branch of a white birch. And the remaining raindrops dripped.


    Oomph!


    When he tried to lift his body up, blisters from his mouth burst.


    It seems like some of his internal organs were injured.


    At that moment, despite Fem destroying his barrier with her fist, he had sted his magic at her. Unfortunately, he did note out unscathed.


    Hack...Kahk! T-Through and through a monster!


    For the present, the Chief healed the damage with magic and brought his weakened body up. He expended arge amount of magic and stamina to heal his wounds. Suppose he could run to the vige, the amount of work he could do was suspect.


    Nevertheless, with this, he was victorious. He should have won. The spell he released was the highest tier lightning spell, Keraunos. It was an attack that had so much power that it could heavily damage the vige, where he had used it. For somebody even like Fem who had incredible resistance to magic, it should not be possible to be alive after receiving that attack.


    He gazed at the centre of where he directed his magic.


    ...Amazingly, Fem still appeared human-like even after receiving that big of a magic attack. But, as expected, she could no longer move. Half her face had been blown away and her right arm that she had continuously attacked with was gone. There was also arge hole on her nk. She should be dead.


    And yet


    ......zySteM reCovEry


    A crooked, crackling voice was released and that girl was able to move again.


    I-Impossible..!?


    Fem revealed half her face towards the shocked Chief.


    Inside the missing right half of her face. From inside, a mysterious radiance was leaking out.


    What is that?


    He understood that it was something like a brain. But, it had an eerie lustre unlike that of the brain of a living thing. asionally, there were pulses of light flickering.


    It was just like metal. ...Metal?


    You, by some possibility are you a golem!?


    The Chief groaned in a shiver.


    Golems. It was a type of familiar that was made of an inorganic substance and are modelled after living things. They are powered by the spells that run in them. This girls true identity was that. However, it was one that was startling high sped and had an astonishingly precise replica of a human body.


    With no response from Fem, the Chief was simply muttering to himself.


    Functi0n, oOkay. Right ArM, right abdomen aREa, deStroyed. gaGA...vocalisation mechaNIsm abnormal. ...Restored. Main mechanism,puting unit Orichalcus Brain, and main energy source, Vril Generator no issues found. Continuedbat, is, possible.


    And then, her left eye that was staring at the chief, shined.


    I apologise for keeping you waiting. In addition, your threat level has been revised upwards. Giving up on capture, and willpletely annihte.


    The metal contraption of a monster said and she approached.


    The Chiefs body was unable to move. Exhaustion, hopelessness and despair was draining his body of energy. From the beginning, he had no spare magic nor stamina left. At this juncture, he had no means to resist.


    You lot...who are you all?


    I do not see a need to reply. From the beginning, our true identity is kept strictly confidential.


    Fem drew up her remaining left fist. As though a sphemy, it resembled the stance of an elf warrior drawing a bow.


    Why...did you attack our vige...


    I have confirmed that I have previously answered that. Our mission target are the elves themselves.


    What do you nto do to us...?


    I propose that you stay relieved.


    It was the first time Fem, with only half her face, changed her expression.


    The ends of her lips lifted upwards. It was a smile.


    ...If elves are capable existences, my master, would surely bless you all with eternal prosperity.


    And then, came the final blow.


    .........


    His final moment was silent.


    The powerful fist she soundlessly threw extracted his soulpassionately without pain. At the same time, she mercilessly abandoned his corpse to the night.


    Going a little back in time.


    Cough! Cough! Hachuu! ...ughh, disgusting. All the effort I put into this getup is wasted. Thats why I told you stop, didnt I. Seriously...


    The vampire man said as he held out his dripping wet cloak.


    What should have been his weakness, running water, should have enveloped him and he should have disappeared under the muddy waters.


    Yet, he still appeared right before the Old Gran.


    A preposterous figure covered with mud was there, with not a single wound.


    ImpossibleVampires should be weak towards running water...


    The vampireughed at the surprise of Old Gran.


    Perhaps for the average vampire? On the contrary! I am made of something different, aha!! This level of running water could never kill me, ohooho! Ah, since Im an undead, Im already dead? Well, in any case, leave your regrets for the afterlife! Ahahahaha! Hya! Hyahahahahaha!!


    He pped his hands together andughed andughed andughed.


    ......Hmm


    All of a sudden, he sobered up and became serious.


    Behind those eyes were disappointment and contempt.


    He looked at Old Gran, who had run out of magic and was unable to maintain her normal appearance, as though he was looking at bugs beneath his foot.


    So, what is with that? Thats the trick of preserving ones youth for over 2000 years? ... What a waste of my expectations. I was wondering what secret was there but its just about appearing young.


    Ugh...


    Old Gran leaked out a shameful voice towards his criticism.


    Her hoarse voice no longer had the same lustre as before.


    Her limbs became emaciated, and her hollow face was carved with countless deep wrinkles.


    She was an old woman. Even if she was a 1000 year old long-living elf, it was divine providence that she couldnt escape aging. The proof of that was right here.


    Her youthful appearance had been fake, something that was preserved unnaturally with magic.


    Could this be the so-called womens nature? Something like I want to look young no matter how old I am ~? Or did you want that Chief to look at you as a woman? Hahahaa, howughable! ...Damn it, you made me waste all my expectations. Ahh, if so, I should just kill you quickly. I already lost my desire to suck your blood.


    ......Shut up!!


    She shouted to get back at his unrelenting mockery. Old Gran knew she could not fight back against her opponent. Elves are good at spells that borrow the strength of spirits. They were unfamiliar with holy magic that human priests can use. For her who was unable to reach the level of a sage, even if she could use holy magic, would it have any effect on this vampire?


    And most importantly, this vampire no longer had eyes with the colour of fun. Hepletely lost that mood and had an expression that says, All that is left is work and I just have to massacre the objective in front of me.


    She had been patient because her opponent was fooling around.


    The one that should shut up is...


    The vampire casually closed the distance and,


    ......you.


    As though he was kicking trash, the old womans head was sent flying.


    The body of the owner copsed with a thud.


    Looking down on it, the vampire gave a deep sigh.


    It has been a while since I could go on a trip and this is the result? Seriously, this is as uncool as it gets. Ahh, how troublesome. I wouldnt mind going home quickly and drinking that awful cultivated blood. ... I wonder if senpai would give me just a tiny bit of the virgin elves blood...Surely I wont be getting any huh Boohoo, why am I so unfortunate...


    The vampire, also known as Opus-04, Charl Franz Schmidt muttered as he disappeared into the moonlit night. All there was left was the headless corpse of the old woman and traces of a devastating magic battle that had unfolded.


    Amidst the tearing pain of her body, Verche was crying.


    Averting herself from the dreadful reality, Verche closed shut her eyelids, and she was enveloped in total darkness.


    From her ears that were wilting and losing in strength, she could hear the endless painful gasps from Chaga.


    (It hurts...It hurts, Chaga...Why are you doing this?)


    Verche! Ahh, Verche! You... I cant do without you...!


    (Is it my fault? Am I in the wrong?)


    Because you are like this, I!


    (Because Im like this Chaga is angry and is suffering? Did I hurt him?)


    ......Even though I wouldnt need anything else as long as you are by my side!


    (Are you okay with me just being by your side? If I do that, will you forgive me?)


    Verche...Ahh, you are so cute, Verche! Very girl-like!


    (Yes, I am trying to be cute. I am trying to be a girl. ...I will no longer do something like hunting anymore.)


    Cmon! Rx yourself more! Let me in!


    (Like this? ...Ah, it became somewhat painful though? Chaga is smart huh. If he had entered like that from the start, it would have been better. It was because I am idiot I didnt know that.)


    Verche! Ahh, I have liked you from very very long ago! I love you!


    (Yes, yes, yes. Verche likes Chaga too though?)


    Her thoroughly broken heart.


    A mind that has lost several important things.


    Filling the void with his words as the new parts.


    And so, Verche was slowly building up a new self.


    Oh dear. It seems you have escaped pretty far away.


    At the voice from behind, Chaga stopped with a jump.


    The voice came from the dark elf, Drei. The mastermind of the group that had attacked their vige this night. A terrifying sorceress that possesses a demon eye. Chaga became aware that such an existence was approaching.


    And then, the reality of the events that happened before his eyes burst in.


    ...............Huh?


    A listless, feeble Vercheid t on the mud.


    Surprised, he tried to wake her up, and a pair of slender white legs fell to the ground and hit the mud. They were her legs. He had been lifting them up till now.


    ...For what purpose had he done that?


    As he lost energy and became tense, a warm something left his waist.


    Verche eyes were nk.


    ...What have I been doing?


    For such a weak looking fellow, you sure a greedy one. Hm? Or could it be because she had allowed you to do as you please?


    The woman from behind, revealed an unsightly chuckle as sheughed at him.


    Chaga had no energy to retort it.


    What excuses could he make now?


    The stretched out body in front of him seemed to be condemning him so.


    In any case, it is thest for you two. Come. Or would you rather have your lower half sliced away and be unable to stand?


    W-Why


    Even then, a shaking voice was squeezed out of his throat involuntarily.


    Hm?


    Why, is this happening...


    He realised he had been lusting for her as much as his voice could call out while unconscious.


    And, the one who had induced him to do so was Drei.


    He could not believe it. He could not understand how Drei could have calmly let the same sex as her, Verche, meet such a fate.


    Thats why, he questioned her.


    Drei replied in a voice that wasnt moved one tiny bit.


    You ask why?......It is because it is the most efficient way of stopping you two? In any case, there are weak points of using other techniques to restrain the other. On the other hand, using offensive magic to hit you while escaping would make it such a waste since I am supposed to capture you. Thats why I chose to use a spell that mesmerises males on her. The effectiveness of it is as you see. You two are both within my grasp and are unharmed.


    That, isnt the problem


    What has gotten into you? ...Ahh, the girl is bleeding quite a bit? I guess I cant really say that you two are both unharmed then Well, I suppose it is still within the margin of error. Besides, arent you the gentleman that she is so fond of?


    The inside of his head became hot.


    Absolutely cannot forgive this woman. She attacked the vige, killed numerous of their brethren and kidnapped the survivors. Moreover, she caused him to be the one to defile Verche. Above all, to a girl that he cherished.


    The burning rage in Chaga made him move.


    Summon Familiar!!


    He turned his face and utilised all his magic in this chantless spell. The wolf he had abandoned when escaping the vige, crossed the boundaries of space-time and flew to his side.


    Hatred gave him a temporary boost in power, and it became possible for him to cast a high grade magic instantly.


    The edges of Dreis mouth elevated in amusement.


    Wow, you can summon your familiar instantly. A happy miscalction. It seems that you are a higher grade material than I had expected.


    Silence! My servant, kill that wo...


    Right before finishing themand to kill,


    Then I shall use <> too


    The ground shook as the giant that appeared trampled on Chagas familiar.


    Ugh...


    He could no longer produce a sound.


    It was too overwhelming.


    His fighting spirit that earlier erupted in a ze was extinguished by ice cold water.


    Grrr...


    She had summoned a one-eyed cyclops.


    It was the cyclops that had attacked the vige and plunged hispatriots into the depths of despair.


    Chaga froze at herughter.


    Hey, hey. That isnt your food. Seriously, even if their low intelligence makes them easy to summon, this is why am I sick of them.


    Eek...


    Hm? Have you given up? Yourck of tenacity was unexpected. Well, it is a good thing that you understand since we can skip the pointlessness.


    He could not fight back against her mockery.


    He saw no way of winning alone. Hispatriots were either dead or captured alive. Neither the Chief nor Old Gran came. Verche was...made into such a mess by none other than himself.


    Knees struck the ground of the forest. The sound of sttering mud stirred Verche.


    Chaga?


    Sob...sob...


    Tears filled his eyes upon hearing that the first thing she said was his name.


    Verche was always the one pulling the cowardly him along. He had done something very cruel to her. Although he has to hate his opponent who made himmit such an act. Although he has to fight without sparing a thought for his life. The cowardly him couldnt even do that and was simply shivering.


    That made him very guilty and sad.


    Chaga? Are you crying? Are you sad?


    Sorry, Verche! I...I!


    Verche slowly crawled beside Chaga, who had fallen to the ground, and gently embraced him.


    Then, she faced Drei and said.


    Please Do not harm Chaga...


    Hmm?


    Drei rose her eyebrows as though she was seeing something new.


    That would depend on my master Well, I could try negotiating. After all, you are the biggest contributor this time. I dont mind doing that much.


    Really?


    Certainly. It is my principle to never tell a lie. Though I wouldnt correct somebody who was deceived. ...Well then.


    Drei who was done talking, removed her eyepatch again.


    The violet eye stole Verche and Chagas consciousness.


    Feel free to take a nap. When you awake once more, you will be ourrades. I wee you guys you know? Oh, whitepatriots.


    His heart melted away.


    A feeling simr to alcohol induced drunkenness.


    Surrendering to that feeling, Chaga released his consciousness.


    Ahh, this really dents my confidence. I never expected for Fem toe back like this.


    I grumbled loudly while repairing the broken Fem at the atelier.


    With a quick look, it could be seen that her right arm, face and nk were damaged. Apparently, the lightning magic had also caused serious damage to her internal mechanisms. You could say it was a miracle that her core parts, theputing unit and the generator, were still working.


    To think mytest creation that I had enough confidence to send out could return in this tattered state. Was I over-confident or were the elves or the Chief in this incident that strong of a foe?


    Consider it from the other side, master. You were able to realise that you are too confident of yourself while losing none of your forces. Rather, this should be called a stroke of luck.


    Unis attempt at consoling was painful.


    The result of making light of the bow-wielding and magic capable elves was this. What kind of arge spell could do this much damage to a body made of orichalcum, a material well known to be resistant to magic? A mere vige by the border had such hidden potential. I had to once again ept that the world was vast.


    zZZ..Sorry, master. I have shamed you with my failure.


    No, no, you are not in the wrong. It should be my responsibility since I suddenly sent you into a real battle as an ability test. It was really careless on my part.


    I scratched my head as I said.


    I should have at least not been over-confident with Fems raw defensive power and should have at least given her some simple equipment to wear. In addition, I should have sent a few mass produced golems as escorts to reduce the risk of damage too.


    The more I thought, the more many other areas of improvement became obvious.


    I would definitely make good use of this lesson for the future. It is unlike me to carry risks and continue gambling.


    In any case...this is a golem, huh? If not for the inside of her body being exposed, for real, I wouldnt be able to tell her apart from a living being.


    Due interjected.


    I called all of the Opus series to gather in the atelier. In order to not waste time, the arrangement was for us to have a reflection session while I fix up Fem. Recently, I have been extremely busy with a couple of projects. I suppose I have to quickly clear them all together.


    As I attached a newly assembled right arm onto Fems main body, I replied.


    This is also part of this childs concept. A golem that exceeds a human in human capabilities. For that purpose, I had designed theplex Orichalcus Brain.


    A brain made of orichalcum, huh...I was thinking about making something like that too, Oubeniel.


    Charl said. Judging from what he said, he probably didnt think of using of orichalcum to make weapons or golem bodies or a replica of a human brain.


    In my opinion, nothing beats orichalcum as a material for an artificial brain. For a material that is able to have various functions in rtion to light, orichalcum is extremely suitable to a small sizedp...


    Master. We are straying from the discussion.


    Ah yes, sorry Uni. We were having an after-briefing on the elves capturing operation.


    As I apologised, I ced apleted head mask on Fem.


    And so. As we can see from the results, this time round, it is mostly a plus. The brain-altered elves would be of great service to the dungeon-ing of the mountains. After all, they are experts of the forests. It wont be long before the regions outside the mountains would be filled with a lush forest.


    The forest-type dungeon is to prevent intrusion on the lighting facility, that is currently being built. If we set free monsters there, certainly it would be impregnable.


    The biggest contributor to this mission, Drei, puffed up her chest with pride. Thanks to her, we saved lots of trouble. Capturing many of the elves will bring up the progress of the n to transform the mountains into a forest-type dungeon. I estimated it to double or triple the speed ofpletion.


    It is good that I do not have to worry about the maintenance of the forest after it ispleted too. We do not have to send out any of us every single time since the elves live on-site and will manage the trees by themselves. Also, half-hearted adventurers would not be able to perceive nor break through the barrier set up in elves vige, and would reduce the risk from adventurers. There is the potential of using gueri tactics in the forests when the time calls for it too. When a strong foe appears, the elves would put everything on the line to protect their home as well.


    This is truly a wonderful oue, Drei. Even emptying the gold coffers of Man wouldnt be enough to gather this amount of elves. You were able to obtain them at no cost.


    Yes, I am deeply honoured by your praise, master.


    Drei energetically expressed her gratitude to my words. In contrast, Due had a mixed expression.


    .....Are you alright with that?


    About?


    Surely, he was worried because her elf vige had been attacked. From what I have heard, Dreis vige had met its demise from invading humans. In aplete reversal, she was the perpetrator now.


    However, that is all in the past. I had tampered with her past.


    Obviously? Everything I have done was to further the goal of our master as well as to receive praise. What are you worrying about?


    Right, right! Due-senpai is acting weeeeird!


    Charl cut into the conversation with enthusiasm.


    Ah, yes! Why dont we try looking for the dark elves vige next? Dark elves live underground too. And for me who lives underground here, I would be very pleased to have them captured----


    A-Are you stupid!?


    Due frantically grabbed Charl who spoke thoughtlessly.


    Drei seemed to be considering Charls suggestion.


    Oh? An excellent proposal for somebody with an empty brain.


    Drei said indifferently.


    Of course it was like this. Her feelings towards her old n and feelings towards the same race as her, a dark elf, had beenpletely changed. Now those feelings are directed towards my subordinates and I.


    Currently, she would be unconcerned about her race. Maybe she feels a tiny bit of affinity, though.


    I know right!? And, if there is somebody cute, I would really like to have one --!


    In the end, its about that? You are a pervert too, huh. ...Long-living samples are precious. We dont have enough to allow any of them to be your ything.


    Let me remind you all that we have not discovered a dark elf vige. And we do not have the order from master, so do not go searching on your own ord.


    Fem, whose repair waspleted, added.


    For me, I think we should get our hands on the dwarves next. Their manufacturing capabilities are greatly desirable.


    Wow, Uni-senpai has weird tastes!? Dwarf males are hairy and their females are stumpy, so I cant get aroused at all!


    Yes, they are indeed a bunch that seem to be useful to our master...I dont really like that mud-stinking environment too.


    Surprisingly, my creations were lively. Among them, only Due was silent. Unlike Uni or Fem, he wasnt abandoned by all others except for me, nor was he like Drei and Charl, who had their allegiances switched to me. For somebody like him, he had his own peculiar anxieties.


    Well, if I still have uses for Due, I wont say a thing.


    ? What is it, Due. Why are looking so dazed?


    ......It is nothing.


    Dont say that, we arerades arent we. If you make that kind of face, even I...


    Which is why I said its nothing!


    Rejecting Dreis words of concern, he headed towards the door..


    The discussion is mostly over right? Im out. ...Ill be practicing my swings outside.


    Well, our discussion was indeed over, and I had no reason to stop him.


    Drei who seems to have reasons of her own, had a troubled look on her and hesitated to call him back.


    Meanwhile, Due kicked open the door violently and left.


    If we dont open and the close the door with care...


    Yes. Due is all muscr strength, so it would be troublesome if the door breaks.


    Though, I could probably fix it right away with magic, just like I can for other things, except for Fem.


    Throughout, I could tell from a side nce that Drei had been staring at Due leaving.


    ......What happened. What made him so offended? I had done a meritorious deed, havent I? He didnt even give me any praise...


    Opus-03, I have a question. Are the words of our master, not enough?


    That isnt the problem. ...That isnt it.


    Oh, Fem-chan, Fem-chan. Dont bring unnecessary trouble to yourself. Dont venture in that direction. Oookay?


    Charl, who had been the junior, started to act like a senior. It would be incredibly helpful if he could maintain that calmposure all the time.


    Which reminds me, I had forgotten something.


    Its about something else but, Drei, about the thing you asked me about.


    When Drei brought the elves over, she had asked me. If I remember, it should be about a child she found in the vige.


    Yes, is it about Verche? What is the matter?


    Yes, about that...


    Chronologically, this happens muchter.


    Chaga was hurrying back home.


    The survivors and him have mostly gotten used to this newnd known as Man.


    Their daily life did not differ that much from the past. They took care of the trees, hunted the beasts that were multiplying too quickly and protected the barrier.


    However, there were definitely things that have changed.


    Firstly, the number of elves in the Witte n had been reduced considerably. The lives that were lost that night did not return. The Chief, Old Gran, Chagas family and many other adults, disappeared in the pruning incident or more urately, massacre. For a simple reason that they didnt have enough capacity to bring back all the elves, they were killed.


    Regarding that, Chagas soul was unperturbed. There are two reasons for this transformation.


    The elves of the Witte n no longer subscribed to the great Providence of nature. Their target of worship now was the devilish alchemist living underneath the mountains. Binding the spirits, nurturing the forest, taking good care of the family and bearing children were also all for the sake of that monster. Chaga and the survivors were altered to be unable to rebel even if they had such antagonism against him.


    And the third change was,


    Oh, it is a big catch again today huh, Chaga.


    Yes. While chasing arge deer, we also came across 3 stupid adventurers too.


    Walking towards him was not Verche, but her father. Just like the few remaining adults, he was altered, gained more power and now acts as the trainer for young elves like Chaga.


    Training for what? Of course, hunting. Wild beasts that act as food, monsters that are multiplying too quickly, and finally, adventurers who intrude into the forest. Chaga had learned from him, how to efficiently hunt to perform those tasks.


    But really, now that you have be such apetent hunter, I can hold my head up high. That a weakling like you could have grown so splendidly.


    ......Thank you.


    To protect the forest and his n, he readies his bow at the unknowing and pitiable humans. As expected, he does not feel any emotions towards these people. These adventurers would attack elves just like they would monsters or enve elves to sell. And yet, they were shockingly weak foes. Whisper some honeyed words and they would easily believe you and expose themselves. Tell them about a safe ce, lure them into a monster nest and all that is left is to shoot an arrow at their backs.


    After taking down the adventurers, he would call Drei and the rest with his amulet-type equipment and hand them the adventurers. I hear that they are useful materials for research. They wee dead bodies but very much prefer a living body. Also, if we capture a skilled person, there would be rewards. Especially the precious imported spices -- everybody in the vige would be happy to have them. Because it goes well with meat. Thats why adventurers whoe trespassing into the forest are considered as delicious prey.


    Verches father continued in his speech.


    Could it be because of that? Maybe young men do change when they need to run a household.


    ......perhaps.


    Hey, hey, what is with that half-hearted response? Even though the hunt wasnt that tiring. Or is because you are worried about your wife who is waiting at home?


    ......that is so.


    Just as he has said, Chagas mind was all about his partner.


    He wanted to quickly see her, and yet, that wasnt exactly the case either. Nevertheless, whether it is the Chaga of today or the Chaga of the past, his mind was thinking about her.


    As the conversation continued, they reached their vige.


    Compared to their warm and gentle white birch vige, their new vige was smaller, darker and intolerably gloomy.


    Even then, it was their home. The important things are here.


    ...Chaga and Verches father went the same path and went into the same house.


    Ohh, wee back!


    Wee back, dear. Good work too, Chaga.


    Verches mom weed them as she carried around her stomach that had grown muchrger. Normal elves do not give birth to many children. Especially so for parents who have raised a child as big as Verche. This was the instruction of the alchemist. All female elves that were able to to be pregnant were to make children. It was to increase the poption of elves, he said. Whates after that? Was it simply to strengthen their fighting prowess or to use them for experiments? Chaga constantly prayed that his child does not end on the operating table.


    While Chaga was lost in thought, Verches mom went inside the house and raised her voice.


    Come on, Verche! Come here too. Your beloved husband is here, you know?


    Immediately, the sound of footsteps could be heard as she came over.


    Chaga,a!? He is back!?


    Verche spoke with a slight lisp as she flew into his arms.


    Chaga, Chaga, Chaga! I felt lonely...


    Crying like a child, she rubbed her head on his chest.


    Verches parents gave wry smiles, thinking, Thats our child alright..


    Good grief, I have told her so many times to be careful because her stomach is getting bigger...


    Really, she is still a child after so much time. She has never changed at all.


    ......


    Chaga was lost for words.


    Once again, the thin fabric of hope he held onto, was crushed.


    ...After that, the girl he was reunited with as his partner,pletely became a different person.


    Regretfully, there are things I can do and there are things I cannot do.


    That alchemist had told him as he returned the transformed her.


    Her mind was long broken when she got here. She is trying to forget everything that happened that night, so it doesnt seem like she would be cured even if I restored her memories. It would be meaningless to make her forget the things she has already forgotten, right? Well, it might be alright to forcefully fix her by altering her brain. Still, I do not know how her brain was structured in the first ce. If I altered her like that, she may or may not be the same person even if she has a functioning mind.


    In short, the Verche that Chaga once knew, was broken since that tragedy.


    The culprit was none other than himself.


    Considering that risk, we can only wait and see if she recovers on her own. After all, elves do live for very long. A peaceful lifestyle may someday bring her back to normal.


    At the end, would such a day reallye?


    As he asked, the alchemist revealed a wide smile.


    To raise that possibility, first of all, you need to ensure that the you, who she treasures so much, continue staying safe. So please, do not identally lose against those boring opponents. Well, you can rest assured. I will give it my all to improve your abilities. Among the samples we have collected in the vige, you will be thest I would work on and that means, I can take my time to do so. This is also in a way, ...hmm, was it Verche? That child has been incredibly helpful this time, so this falls underpensation. Feel free to ept it, E-31 (Altered Elf-31).


    ...And so, Chaga gained power.


    His hunting abilities was nothing like the past and his magic power was enhanced.


    That is why he is one of the excellent warriors protecting the vige now.


    The vige.


    The vige he wanted to protect no longer exists.


    All that is left is the nest of familiars, that exists for that devil.


    This is not the vige that he wanted to protect together with Verche, the white birch vige.


    Chaga? What is it? Are you sad?


    Verche made an equally sad expression as she asked.


    She had really changed.


    Her speech and behaviour was that of a child, and just a little bit would set her crying. She would worry when Chaga is not with her and on days he went out hunting, she would definitely be restless.


    Even though she was the one who brought him out to hunt in the past.


    That is not true, Verche...I am happy to be back home with you.


    Really!? Waa!


    Ahahaha! Its getting heated, huh, newlyweds.


    Yes, this reminds me of the past.


    Her parentsughed, unaware of her transformation.


    This is also part of the arrangements by that devil.


    He said it was to minimise the changes brought to the surroundings due to Verche being in her current state. It looks like he had tampered with their memories and made them believe that Verche was always like this. And so, this family continued on their daily business with little obstacles. Female elves originally did not hunt. They just needed to virtuously support their husbands. Though her mental capacity is that of a child now, she was still able to slowly learn how to do some house chores. Thus, there were no problems.


    In this vige, there was no ce for the proud female hunter. If there was, it only exists in his mind.


    She begged for cruel things to not happen to him, and so, their memories together were taken away, and it can be said the cruel things did not happen.


    For Chaga, though, that was a cruel choice she made.


    Only he, who cannot ept the new her, is left behind.


    Because of that, his anguish continues.


    Oh yeah! We caught a couple of deers! Here, look! Quality meat!


    Meat? ...ughh.


    Verche cowered in fear at the meat her father was holding.


    Was it because the faint memories of all that blood from that night remain? She hade to dislike meat. She could eat some small amounts of roasted meat but she avoided raw meat.


    Surely she would no longer eat wolf meat.


    Come on, isnt this the meat that your husband caught? It will be roasted nicely so make sure to finish all of it.


    Chaga did? O-okay. Then, I will give it my best shot. If I do my best, will I be praised?


    Yeah, if Verche tries hard, I will be happy too.


    After encouraging her, Verche smiled happily.


    Chaga involuntarily thought that her smile was like a full moon.


    A fleeting smile, like that of the moon from that night, which could be covered by rain clouds at any moment.


    A smile like sunlight filtering through the trees, a strong and indomitable smile. That expression he fell in love with, no longer exists.


    (This girl, isnt Verche...)


    This was not the first or second time he thought this way


    She now reminds him of the familiar he had summoned that day.


    The outer appearance was the same, but the interior waspletely different. That pitiful beast.


    Her words which he thought to be cruel at that time, now seem to be correct.


    He finally understood why it was kinder to respect and kill them.


    (This was a punishment. A punishment on him for distorting Providence..)


    It was a punishment for using a spell that Old Gran, his magic instructor, did not teach, for betraying Providence.


    That punishment manifested itself as him destroying his beloved and having to live with the wreckage.


    So when can he redeem himself?


    Is it the day she returns back to normal?


    Would such a day evere? Would it?


    An elfs life was long. Compared to a human, it may seem like an eternity.


    Rather than a blessing, it is more of a curse.


    One that he cannot break free from. That devil wouldnt like to have his subordinates to silently disappear, and so, had already made arrangements by altering his brain.


    Chaga would have to face the proof of his sin for his entire life.


    A long, long life.


    Chaga? What is it? Lets have our meal soon?


    Mm. Thats right, Verche.


    Verche pulled Chaga, who was deep in reflection, to invite him to the dinner table.


    He stopped the painful thoughts and entrusted himself to her, who was pulling his hand.


    It felt like his nostalgic first love.

 Chapter 25: Complication

    Chapter 25: Complication


    Alright, alright...


    M-14 to M-22. Confirmed measurement error. ording to the blueprints, those stones should be 5 centimeters more to the right.


    M-22, affirmative. I will correct the behaviour of the golems. Over.


    Rapid progress was made at the lighting-cum-dungeon facility, which was located at the mountain summit, directly above theb. Arge crystal (manufactured from quartz mined from the mountains) and optical fibres (function to change refractive index to adjust light output is provided) were installed to bring light underground. All that was left was the construction of the outer section to repel intruders.


    All these were thanks to the influx of mass produced ves. I made Laubert procure ves to work at the mines but when ites to him, he would negotiate the price as much as possible. Thats how we increased the manpower by 52 people, much more than expected. And this is despite procuring a few high quality ves advertised as virgins, which I couldnt care less about. Laubert, please have some self-respect. No, wait, since it is for my sake, maybe he doesnt need to do that?


    And so, I spent day after day messing with the ves brains but I suppose it is a good thing since it had a good oue. It resulted in all of these mass produced ves working together. We would greatly shorten the expected construction time.


    If one were to shift his line of sight to the foot of the mountains, a thick and dense forest woulde into view. This was the aplishment of the Treants, a forest type monster, who nted trees that were from areas that were simr in climate to Man. And the Treants were also enthusiastically taken care of by the E-series, elves who were brain-altered, and grew rapidly. Altogether, this allowed thepletion of the sea of trees. In addition, Drei also released monsters captured from different ces. With this, it wont be possible for half-assed adventurers to reach the lighting facility. Ignoring the incident with the elves, she really did a good job for me.


    Since winter, the project to construct my newb has truly been progressing.


    Governance is not an issue either. Thend reforms early this year were sessful and we forecast a bumper yield. As for public safety, Due, who has pent up frustrations, has been going around destroying crime syndicates to release stress. Peace is the greatest. The ve miners were sent to the mines to first start on the preparation work. It shouldnt be too long for the real mining to begin.


    Thats right. Everything is going smoothly...or so it should be.


    What is wrong, master?


    Uni, who apanies me at all times, sensed my uncertainness and asked.


    No, it isnt anything. Its just that everything is going too smoothly. That worries me, on the contrary. Just simply a hallucination.


    I replied to exin to myself rather than to her.


    I should have nothing to worry about but somehow, I can feel my chest stirring. I do know I am overly sensitive to things though.


    As I formed my thoughts, Uni unexpectedly said.


    With much respect, I do not think that everything is going smoothly.


    What do you mean?


    Master has been focusing on the development of theb and the governance of thend, so I had purposely not presented my suggestion. I know that it is disrespectful to even guess masters mind, but I believe that might be the source of masters unconscious anxiety?


    Hmm. Carefully pondering over what she had said, there were certainly a few things I had leftpletely untouched. Frankly speaking, it is just troublesome and it is a field that I am much unfamiliar with, so it isnt something that I can assertively tackle right now.


    Intelligence collection of the outside world, isnt it.


    Yes. Master is now preparing against his elder brother and is taking a defensive stance. It is sufficient for the moment but that may not be the case forever.


    It is as Uni says. We now have therge scale threeyered dungeon as an evacuation shelter to prepare for the worse, but it is ultimately just ab and an evacuation shelter. My experimenting potential would be massively reduced if I make a mistake politically, lose my social standing and confine myself here. I would need an appropriate social standing if I wish to procure ves as experimental subjects. To make sure that I can continue doing that, I am constantly countering against my elder brothers ns but, if his ns arent producing results, his next strategy will be stronger, cleverer, and subtler eventually. And to do something about it, I might have to increase the reach of my tactics.


    As my territory, Man can withstand most attacks. However, in the end, it is only a defensive battle on an isted stronghold. If the opponent attacks us seriously, one day, we will lose. After all, the opponent lies at the centre of authority, the capital. I wouldnt know what kind of contraption they woulde at us with given enough time. Battles are like this, there wille a time when it is crucial to make an attack. I definitely have not made enough preparations for that. Whates after setting up a defense is not defending, but aggressively crushing the enemy. Another way to put it is that currently, even after fortifying the defences here, I have no measures to deal the enemy a blow.


    That is the seed of my worry and also what Uni is pointing out as not going smoothly.


    I see, it is exactly as youve said. We are almost done with fortifying our defences. It is about time to make preparations for an attack, right?


    I am very grateful for the consideration.


    She said as she lowered her head deeply. I should be the one doing that. I might have ignored this problem and treated it as just my imagination if she did not point that out specifically.


    Alright, now that I have decided, lets take action. I suppose I should consult Victor on this?


    Yes. For such a matter, it would be good to consult an expert.


    After all, he was originally a spy after me. Regarding this matter, he would be most familiar with my influence. He should be able to offer some good advice.


    it should have, though.


    Intelligence gathering to understand the situation in the capital? ...It will be difficult with the current circumstances.


    Victor appeared sullen as he said.


    Victor was both the illegitimate son of a Count and also the illegitimate son of a Marquis. He was my number one person to go to regarding theplicated intricacies of aristocracy. And this is the Victor who is iming it will be difficult. This is wholly out of my initial expectations.


    Is it really that difficult? For example, you could brainwash the nobles you have befriended and establish a spywork


    The opponent is Marquis Lavalle, you know? He must have considered the possibility of me turning coat when he sent me to you. He is the kind of man who even considers that even if you have failed to persuade me over, I may go against him by taking over power. Im afraid even if I contact my acquaintances, the oue might be him taking advantage to frame us as rebels.


    The idea he brought out was in vain as he tly rejected it immediately. Nevertheless, he certainly did not hold back against his biological father. Well, I am not in a position to say anything about it since I, myself, am being targeted by my biological brother.


    That would mean, a sloppy attack would backfire on us huh I do think it is a good time to start work in this area though.


    I am impressed that Your Excellency is finally thinking about something befitting a noble. Unfortunately, it would be tough to extend our intelligence to the capital in one go right now.


    Sigh, then there is no helping it.


    Instinctively, I gazed at the ceiling.


    Victor, you really have a bad personality, huh?


    The person who cut into the conversation was Jean Jack Laubert, a wicked person who would do anything for money, and also my domestic affairs official.


    What do you mean, Laubert?


    Your Excellency, Victor is saying that conducting investigations in the the capital is difficult currently, but he is not objecting to conducting intelligence operations. Do you understand?


    He fluently proimed.


    Err, in short?


    Uh, do you mean something like, if you want to shoot themander, first shoot his horse?


    Indeed. It is too reckless to nt contacts in the capital all of a sudden. Thats why we should go for the lords in our surroundings first. And then, all his Excellency would have to do is to make use of their influence. That is your n from the beginning, right?


    Laubert winked yfully.


    Im sorry to say I have no interest in a mans wink. Im sure Victor feels the same.


    He let out a huge sigh.


    Laubert, please do not look too down on his Excellency. Wouldnt it be troublesome for us as subjects if we do not let his Excellency learn how to survive in the aristocratic world?


    If it is regarding other topics, I would do the same too. But, the matter at hand is of great urgency. If his Excellency does not respond quickly, it might result in an inconvenient situation.


    It seems that Victor wishes to teach me kingcraft.


    I have been in this world for twenty years already, frankly speaking, it is toote now, but even then,


    It is better than not trying at all.


    If his Excellency stays the same as he was during the banquet for thepletion of his residence, his ws will be exposed.


    He bluntly said.


    Uni who had remained silent till now, tried to offer her thoughts on the matter,


    As a maid, I am unable to make a conclusion on this matter.


    Saying so and so to show that she would not intervene. What in the world, even Uni is turning against me!


    I had a taste of what Caesar felt when Brutus betrayed him or how Nobunaga felt when Akechi Mitsuhide attacked Honnoji Temple. Have I ever put my useless knowledge from my past life to practical use as much as I am now?


    Chief Maid was the one who made it possible.


    Well, thanks to that, Victor and I were brainwashed though.


    ......Thank you very much.


    Ah, yes. Lets forget about how I dont behave like a noble. And so, specifically, how shall we proceed? To get to the point, my poprity with the lords nearby are low across the board, isnt it?


    I forcefully brought the topic back on track.


    Winning over the nobles around us as Laubert has mentioned, would be a considerable challenge. After all, when ites to my reputation, it is the lowest. I am pretty sure that any nobles who would want to associate with me are long gone.


    If you are thinking about that, please try thinking harder.


    As always, he sounded annoying.


    As I have said, make that a topic for next time...so, what exactly are your proposing, Laubert?


    How about systematically brainwashing all of them?


    ...This guy just said something really outrageous.


    I attempted to figure out his true intent by staring hard at Lauberts expression. What exactly is he thinking to have suggested something so brazen? Is he trying to do something like Victor, to steer my thoughts in the right direction? Then, what is Lauberts correct answer?


    Reading further into what he said is useless. This man is probably being serious.


    Victor said to me.


    What? Really?


    My eyes blinked.


    I wouldnt think that he would have put forward something so violent andcking inmon sense, no matter how vulgar he is, how fond he is of cheating and how he loves to strike on peoples weaknesses. Speaking of which, it is incredible that Victor has not rebuked Laubert at all.


    I forgot to mention that I am for it too. After all, Your Excellency is a man who would not entrust a job to simply any noble acquaintance.


    Ohh, I see. Thats what you mean.


    Considering my reputation as of now, employing ordinary tactics would be futile. If so, our first move would have to be extraordinary. Thats what he is suggesting.


    Please donte to an understanding so easily...Well, that being the case, we have to promptly make use of Miss Dark Elfs demon eye or the ominous gas and mess with the nobles brains. As you know, Your Excellency wouldnt trust subordinates if they have not had their brain altered, yes?


    That is indeed true. I absolutely cannot use people who might have the slightest chance of disobeying me, especially at crucial moments.


    Laubert continued.


    Also, wasting time now would give more time for the Marquis or your elder brother to plot against us. We ought to establish the external intelligencework before that happens. As you know, we are dealing with the Centralist faction itself, led by the Marquis. If we form our own faction, they cannot easily oppose us.


    I agree too. Now that brother has won favour with the other party, I doubt he would care about his appearance to end me. The sounds of shing swords we have had up till now are nothing but early skirmishes. If he does not know what cards I can y, maybe he would go all out the next time and mobilise the entire capability of the faction. It is within the realm of possibility for it to happen today or tomorrow.


    If that is the case, then my only option is to create my own faction and resist.


    What? Which faction would want me? Of course not. There are no factions who want somebody as uncouth as me, and I would definitely be made an underling and be used. There is the option of usurping control of the faction from within, but gathering faction-less lords in the vicinity would be faster and safer.


    However, wont doing this give the Centralists a reason to intervene? I think there is also a possibility that it would be reported as a tant attempt at rebellion to the throne.


    A good question.


    Victor somehow appeared delighted. Maybe he is happy that I asked a question he had expected.


    Your worry is unnecessary. Charging us for rebellion is their final move. There wouldnt be a need to hesitate if it just a single county, Man, but if we can gather several lords in the vicinity, what do you think would happen?


    Ah, I see.


    I was convinced.


    If multiple nobles are convicted, it is quite possible for a civil war to break out. No, if I have that suspicion of that happening, without a doubt, it would happen. When ites to the crime of rebellion, the sentence is almost always the noose. Rather than being killed, it would be much better to go out and kill them back.


    I do not believe one bit that the lords, suspected of rebellion, would be given a fair trial since we are talking about the bunch of people who control the court of justice at the capital. With that in mind, once they have suspicions of rebellion, we have to really raise an army. Either we make the Centralistspromise by showing our military might or we simply go with the flow and destroy them. Or we make the capital crumble from within, choose an appropriate royal to take the throne and dye the capital with our faction. If there are idiots who are not aware of the predatory eyes of foreign countries, there is also the fear that the throne would be usurped that way.


    Either way, Marquis Lavalle would want to avoid that kind of oue. If they try to subjugate us, it would lead to a meritless internal conflict that would seriously damage the kingdoms power. We can be d for the imaginary enemy, St. Gallen or Molbaehr. Certainly they could demote the lords as much as they want, but before they are able to reorganise themselves, other countries can take advantage of the situation. Of course, other countries would not conquer the entire country but there is no way to avoid an intervention in the civil war. At best, foreign countries would offer a token reinforcement to receive some easy benefits for the future. At worse, they would support the rebellion by the side and install a puppet government when it is over.


    We would end up inviting looters after identally starting a fire when only trying to create smoke. Putting the cart before the horse could be a good thing too.


    Also, even if the intervention of foreign nations is prevented, next would be the need to reward nobles who distinguished themselves by suppressing the rebels. Probably, thends destroyed by war would be given to these nobles. And that gives rise to the next feudal lord. That being said, be stingy with the rewards and the unhappiness of the lords would be the seeds of a new civil war. It was one of the reasons for the demise of the Kamakura Shogunate. That is something that I learned in my student days in my previous life.


    That is how it is. That tactician would prioritise keeping the kingdom in one piece. It would be unthinkable for him to eliminate us by military power if we seed in creating a faction. As that would be the start of breaking up the kingdom.


    It is highly likely that he would resort to negotiation and coercion to break apart the faction. Though with the lords brains altered, there is zero chance of anybody betraying us no matter what kind of maneuvers he uses.


    I see. I have fully understood.


    Uni seemed to have understood and backed down.


    The more I listened on, the more attractive the idea of turning nobles into my subordinates, by brainwashing, was bing.


    Nevertheless, there is a ring problem I cannot overlook.


    Wait a moment. ...I can understand that we have to bring the nearby lords into our control topete strategically with the capital. However, establishing arge faction would bring my status up to a feudal lord and would affect the power bnce between Centralists and Decentralists conflict, wont it?


    Yes, that is correct.


    Victor nodded tantly. Is there any problem? He seemed to be saying.


    That would pose a problem for me. I have my hands full with governing and alchemy research. I would have to say sorry to being part of arge-scale political strife.


    Thats right.


    My core business is being an alchemist. My goal is to achieve immortality. An eternal life. I have once stood in that dark and cold death, a ce where I couldnt even feel fear. I absolutely find no joy in bickering and fighting over power with those corrupt nobles. Have they forgotten about that?


    Just as expected, Laubert shook his head with a troubled look.


    Your Excellency. At this juncture, this is our only option. It is impossible to maintain the same scale and environment for research without your position as the governor. And, as long as you are a governor, you will forever be at odds with Marquises who n to increase thend owned by royalty. We can only fight.


    Victor added on.


    It is as Laubert has said. As we are biding our time to build up our strength, we have kept such ambitions to ourselves. However, with Your Excellencys efforts, thisnd has rapidly prospered. It is the best time to get the jump on our enemies and secure even more power.


    ......Our conversation has be much bigger. We were supposed to be discussing how to setup intelligenceworks inside the capital.


    Isnt it thanks to you that the conversation has be bigger. In order to achieve your mad objective of immortality, you had so easily turned us, your enemies, into your pieces. Speaking of which, Your Excellencys very existence is like poison to the world, no, an enemy of the world. Would Your Excellency realise your objective or would Your Excellency sacrifice many more lives to get as close as possible to the objective.


    It was as if he was talking about a Demon King. I think there is no logic to that metaphor though.


    In the first ce, wasnt Your Excellencys brother the first to show hostility? And also, wont Marquis Lavalle be unable to target you had you brainwashed and turned your brother into a puppet when you were in the capital?


    Since we are talking about this, I have to mention that I established a method to safely brainwash people who hold murderous hostility only aftering to Man. Had I carelessly performed the operation during those days, he may have developed unnatural behaviours that would appear as abnormalities to the surrounding people or in the worst case, he might turn into an invalid and cause a big scandal.


    You must have been too naive about blood ties. For me, I do not n to ever forgive that old geezer no matter how much I advance in rank. ...If I could, I would want to strangle him to death with my own hands.


    He bragged. This was a man who was cast aside by his father and is using his grudge as a motivator. Is it something like that? Dont you think it is foolish to put ones life on the line for a reason like that? Well, everybody has something that they have to do or they could never live happily. Even for me, I can quickly decide to trade a happy, cultured life in order to attain immortality.


    Anyways, Victor has a surprisingly warped personality. His original political ideology is the same as the Marquis  centralism. Could he hate somebody, who is both blood rted and share the same way of thinking, that much? Well, this might have been some side effect from altering his mind.


    Since we are in a rush, shall we begin?


    Uni proposed abruptly. Both Victor and Laubert started with their eyes widen.


    W-What are you saying, Chief Maid? No matter how you look at it, that is...


    Marquis Lavalle and Count Linus Oubeniel. It would suffice to erase the two of them, wont it?


    ......Is it possible?


    With thebat capabilities of the Opus series, it is possible.


    Uni dered without so much as a blink.


    Certainly my masterpieces were unparalleled in their fighting abilities. An outrageous attempt to gain control of the royal pce and usurp the throne is difficult but for something like breaking into the security of a noble and taking the single head of the owner is no trouble at all.


    But that is no good.


    Rejected. The only people to die from that would only be the Marquis and his Excellencys brother. The remaining lords in the Centralist faction would dly start putting pressure on us as revenge. After all, that would mean the death of the faction leader and the death of a Count too, though he is a new one. They will either see it as work of the Decentralists, or as something that I did as somebody who opposes Linus. In that scenario, the only change would be our enemy and exacerbate the situation.


    Just like we have reiterated over and over again, our enemies do not consist of solely those two. We are fighting against the faction itself, where numerous other nobles belong to. That is why Victor and Laubert have started pestering me to create a faction. The deaths of two of them would not ease the distress I carry.


    There was a person from the world in my previous life who said, Death solves all problems, but the main reason he was able to solve problems was that he had the authority of a big country. It totally does not apply to me who only has the control of a single region.


    Uni lowered her gaze apologetically.


    ......I have made an impertinent remark. Please forgive me.


    Do not worry. Actively giving your opinion is being loyal, isnt it?


    Your Excellency...Although you can think so far ahead, why cant you behave anything like a noble?


    I wont die from theck of etiquette, but I would die if I cannot think this much.


    I replied to Victor, who had a dumbfounded look.


    That was besides the point.


    In any case, it is clear that is our most sensible option currently.


    I express my gratitude.


    Using that n is our only option...ahh, I hate this. It is not okay to do simple brainwashing operations on people like nobles since they stand out, right? Doesnt that mean I have to do a mountain of these bothersome operations again...


    I remember not too long ago when I was brainwashing many elves. Their main duty was to hunt intruders who step into the forest, so they needed to have a high-degree of self-control. Thus, I had to perform the same level of operation as I did on Drei and the others to them individually. To even imagine that I have to repeat the same thing again is depressing.


    Please persevere. Normal means of forming a faction would be tens of times more tedious. No, in fact, for a viscount, trying to make a faction would end up as a failure.


    Laubert spoke as though he was rebuking a child. Indeed, what I said contained the selfishness of a child. Because it is troublesome, so I dont want to do it. That kind of logic does not apply in the adults world. Is it uncool to push the troublesome work away from myself and rant about how unfair it is?


    I got it, I got it. I will do it. ...Uni, are you done with the list of nobles names that came during the banquet?


    Yes, of course. Master.


    Pass that to Drei and mobilise her. The reason to invite...Hmm, lets just have it as, if you are free, please visit Man. We shall brainwash them one by one without rest.


    I feel somewhat ashamed of pushing Drei too hard but she is a subject that is full of enthusiasm to work. She would definitely do her best this time too.


    And then, Laubert cut into the conversation.


    Please wait. How about sending a person from your retainer group as your messenger instead? Naturally, the messenger brings along the usual brainwashing gas. It would appear more natural to promote this retainer in case somebody scrutinises this maneuver.


    I see, that is extremely important.


    True. Lets add that to the n. The first wave will be sending a messenger from the retainer group and if the other party does not bite, Drei will be sent as the second wave. Lets go with that. Good?


    Very well.


    Then, Uni. Ill leave the arrangements to you.


    Yes, certainly. I will instruct the mass produced types and prepare the materials immediately.


    Her figure disappeared without a trace. Simultaneously, I started my own preparations.


    Also, Laubert.


    What is the matter?


    Could you help pick out nobles with especially terrible characters while we are at it? As much as possible, somebody who is hated by the popce would be nice.


    He blinked his eyes in curiosity at my instructions.


    I do not mind but...why? As apology to brainwashing them, are you going to spend the time needed to fix up the bad governance of their territory?


    By all means, no. Is there any gain for me in doing so?


    If there are any gains at all, it would be the small improvement in reputation of the faction and the strength of the territory. However, for me to move based on that miniscule degree of return is ludicrous. Firstly, managing my own domain was troublesome already, so I have zero intention to butt into other peoples affairs.


    If thats the case, then Your Excellency intention is...hmm, somehow I have an immensely terrible premonition about it.


    I concur. Surely it is something good-for-nothing again.


    Laubert did a facepalm as he said while Victor gravely nodded.


    These two together are disrespectful retainers.


    What, it is nothing that significant. I just wanted to do some rehearsal before gathering all the lords together to make a faction cum intelligence gathering organisation.


    Rehearsal?


    Right. A rehearsal. These are no longer ves used for experiment nor elves used for repelling intruders, but an organisation of conspicuous nobles. Before actually starting up the faction and making our moves, I need to have some experiments done in advance, right?


    Experiments. Thats right, experiments.


    By stepping onto unfamiliar grounds, problems will definitely arise. Before that, it is obvious that I have to washout all those problems beforehand.


    While we on this topic, it is also for the n to stop the Centralists conspiracy.


    Your Excellencys experiments and the n, is it?


    As expected, I only have bad premonitions about this...


    Victor let out a deep sigh. This was typical of a human who has experienced it with his own body, a sigh that holds back his true emotions.


    One monthter. The Capital, Broussonne.


    Under the refreshing summer sun, overlooking thendscape of the capital is the terrace at the Oubeniel Residence. It was an exclusive meeting room for Linus Streinn Oubeniel and Marquis Lavalle. From the first time the Marquis came to visit, it became an unspoken agreement between them. He did not know that perhaps he was insinuating that he preferred the scenery of the city, brimming with the authority of the royal family rather than a garden that boasted the luxury of an aristocrat.


    Your younger brother seems to have gotten busier these days.


    As usual, the Marquis got his tea from Linus and spoke whatever was on his mind.


    Yes, I heard about it too. That he has been interacting with the low and medium rank lords in the area or something.


    It was something hard to fathom from Linus point of view. That his alchemy-crazed andcking inmon sense younger brother could be acquaintances with other families. It was utterly unthinkable that his brother, with his disposition and aristocrat capabilities, could do something like that.


    He did not even consider the possibility that after giving Tullius the territory, Man, he would enthusiastically interact with the lords nearby. Nobles are creatures that move because of prestige and to put on appearances. Otherwise, it has to do with money. Man is a remote area within the Kingdom and itsnds are barren. It seems that Tullius has gotten involved with operating the copper mine but it would take awhile before it turns a good profit. It is unlikely for other nobles to properly socialise with him with his current financial standing.


    From what I have heard, the other party has been quite passionate about it. I did hear that he was a self-centred boy, but he does have his way with people, huh? Hoho, even this old bones would love to learn a trick or two from him.


    The Marquis lips were inclined but his eyes hardly quivered.


    He wanted to know his trick. It means he thinks that there is a catch about Tullius movements.


    Linus had the same thoughts. Tullius Shernan Oubeniel would be interested in other nobles? Impossible. Hecks ss, dignity and above all, he sheds needless blood. There is no noble who would rate that coarse man highly.


    So, how did he do it? This was where he waspletely clueless.


    With regards to that, does the Marquis have an idea as to his trick?


    That is why he will quietly listen to what he has to say. He might be an old monster that he dislikes but his wisdom is still useful. Furthermore, this was the old geezer who made him join a faction which had an opposing ideology from him. If he does not draw out one bit of his wisdom, it wouldnt be a fair trade.


    Well, then. If you insist, perhaps it is something to do with what he spends all his time and money on. There might be a clue from that front.


    Alchemy. If there is anything unique about Tullius from the other nobles, it would be that. Is he saying that he has a bargaining chip from alchemy that gives him an edge when negotiating with other families?


    If I had acquired more information, I woulde closer to the truth. However, I tried to take a bite of him, a few years ago when your younger brother was reorganising his group of retainers, but the people I sent over somehow became overwhelmingly pleased with him. They are so preupied in their work that they have not written a single letter back. It has been this lonely forever.


    In short, even the spies are not sending replies. In the worse case, Tullius might have won them over.


    Your younger brother has exceeded my expectations.


    ......


    He hates to admit it, but that is the only way to see it. Tullius has been handling things far toopetently. He is smoothly managing his territory, reinvigorating the barren fields and getting involved in copper mining. Furthermore, he has evaded all the moves they have made from here. The adventurers he sent during early spring when his residence was built had returned with useless information too. He sent many other spies for other reasons, but it is a remote ce where fewe and go in the first ce. Strangers to thend werent able to do investigations that were too conspicuous and most of them yielded nothing impressive.


    And now you say he is doing a good job interacting with other nobles. This is like the painting of a young noble performing brilliantly.


    (...No, I will not admit it!)


    Linus lightly shook his head sideways.


    Tullius couldnt possibly be fulfilling his duties as a lord with normal means. That heretic who fed drugs to the ves, who gouged the organs of humans, who burned the corpses of dead ves in the garden. That is a brilliant noble?


    It is not even a joke. What does that make his life then? He had put in much more work than others. The infamy of his foolish brother negated all his efforts. Not only has he not been rewarded for his effort, but he has also fallen to being the hunting dog of this old and ugly viin.


    It cannot be that he, who has taken the righteous path, is inferior to Tullius, who took the unorthodox path.


    That should have been the case.


    Stay calm, Count.


    ......Haah.


    Having the Marquis point that out, Linus released his hands which he had unconsciously grasped tightly.


    It appears that he was too hot-headed. Marquis Lavalle took another sip of tea as he grinned.


    We cannot allow this, Count. How can you show your face to your faraway brother with your heart this disturbed.


    ......As you say.


    Linus desperately ignored the old mans provocations. The Marquis always does this. He would freely stir up his emotions and smoothly sneak in his ns. He had been done in by this move a countless number of times.


    There was no mistake that he would once again, whisper an evil scheme to him. As Linus considered that, he adjusted his seating posture.


    Sure enough, the Marquis abruptly asked.


    By the way, Count. How old are you?


    26, why?


    Why this question now? Linus was stunned. There was no way this apparition of a geezer could not remember the age of whoever he was talking to. Let alone not knowing when their birthdays are. These celebratory events that happen asionally are considered important socialising events for nobles and even more so for this old man who was scheming.


    A fine age. Is it not about time to wee a wife?


    Marriage? As ashamed as I can be, ever since my engagement broke off, I have not been blessed with another suitable match.


    He feigned a bitter smile as much as he could to hold back his frown.


    (What is he saying, this damn geezer! Ever since that dumb brother of mine damaged our familys reputation, there was never another talk about marriage!)


    Linus thought as he seethed in anger. There wouldnt be a woman who would like toe to a ve Murderer family. Neither would parents send their daughter here. His first fiance left for that reason too. There are people who are eyeing the Count family status, but Linus wasnt 30 yet. Unmistakably, they were waiting to for him to grow older to see him panic to find a bride.


    The Marquis smiled. In all likelihood, he knew that.


    Hohoho. That is such a waste. There are not many gentlemen with a status as high as yours. So much so that I cannot bear watching that manliness rot unmarried. What do you say? Would you rather I try taking care of that for you?


    It arrived, huh. Linus killed a groan that was about to emerge from his throat. Was he plotting to pull him in further by marriage?


    (......Like I will take that bait)


    As soon as this old geezer bites the dust, the foundations of the Centralist faction will waver. Considering that, there is a good chance he can re-establish his independence then. By deepening their rtionship through marriage, even that possibility will disappear.


    As he was about to show reserve to that,


    Moreover, with the elder brothers marriage ceremony, wont the younger brother have to return to the capital? I do think it would be a good opportunity to have a private chat between brothers.


    Linuss motion stopped.


    Make Tulliuse to the capital? What is the purpose of that? What is he thinking?


    Linus frantically searched for the answer in his head and realised.


    It is a good opportunity to cut Tullius from his territory by calling him over, using the marriage ceremony as a pretext. Not only does he need to put a pause on gathering nearby lords into his faction, there is also a high chance that there might be an opening to spy on Man. Furthermore, if he cane up with some kind of an excuse, he could imprison him here and destroy the lords he had gathered in the meantime. It is also possible for internal turmoil to erupt among his retainers in Man.


    Above all, if he makes a single blunder while in the capital, he can use that as a reason to execute him. And when that happens, there will be many people who are willing to be witnesses.


    Up till now, Tullius was able to evade all his tactics because he wasying traps on his stronghold from all the way here. If he was able to turn that around? ...This time round, maybe he could control the life and death of that demon.


    The Marquis deepened his smile. He had an expression that says he had long predicted this.


    How about it? Not a bad deal, is it?


    ......Indeed.


    Linus walked into his trap. Walked right into his trap.


    A n to kill his brother, the shame of the family. For that purpose, he is making use of something as sacred as a marriage. He has made his decision.


    If the Marquis has somebody to introduce...surely it will be a good match.


    Hohoho! To meet your expectations, I shall put in my best effort!


    The Marquis loudughter got onto his nerves.


    From the start, he did not carry the fantasy that marriage is about love and romance. Though, he did not approve of using boorish tactics like this to murder his kin.


    Probably, the date for the marriage would be two to three months away. Wait, it is this schemer we are talking about. It is quite likely that it would take a month at most. This was a n to seal off Tullius movements and if they do not hurry, they might lose the opportune timing. If so, he would have married somebody he had never seen for the sake of killing his brother and that he would surely hold negative thoughts while building his family.


    Not to mention with the additional bond formed through marriage, he would be one more step closer to bing the old geezers puppet. He felt like tearing out his heart.


    (I am willing to go this far, Tullius!)


    He had degenerated to bing this nauseating old monsters piece because he chose to kill him, who holds the blood of their ancestors.


    He had already shown how much he was willing to sacrifice.


    So,


    Please let me kill you.


    Beneath the bright midsummer Sun, Linus Streinn Oubeniel prayed deeply into the dark.

 Chapter 26: Oubeniels Bride

    Chapter 26: Oubeniel''s Bride


    I dont really have a knack for names.


    The boy smiled awkwardly.


    They were in a dark basement that was illuminated by the dull glow of amp.


    Never mind that. I am not expecting anything great though?


    It does not matter. She thought.


    She cannot recall her previous name.


    She might have a name, but that memory disappeared.


    First, she wanted him to grant her a new name, because she wanted to thank him.


    With her past and present disconnected, she no longer sees herself as herself.


    She was trash. A relic of a human who was defiled, hurt, broken and scorned by all.


    She was doll made from such.


    Her current self was ipatible with a human-like name.


    Thats why any name will do.


    Having been reborn, she needed a new name to live on with this body and mind.


    He contemted for a short moment before saying,


    How about this?


    You are my number one, so I think a name associated with one will be fitting.


    Such an unthinking name fitted perfectly into the hole of her heart.


    In the words of the old, it could mean unification or unit......


    Epass everything in one.


    Simply into one.


    A name that sounds short and simple befitted somebody like her.


    It was appropriate for the current her, who was broken into pieces and resurrected back into one.


    .


    She muttered her given name over and over again.


    To allow the name to sink into her tongue and ears. To make sure she never forgets this name.


    Her crude pronunciation bounced back from the cold wall.


    What do you think of it? If you do not like it, I can think of another.


    She shook her head sideways.


    Her lips quivered as she tried to put the words of approval on the mouth  that she likes her name.


    That was what she intended, but was she about to pronounce it properly?


    Really? I am happy that you like it.


    Sure enough, he smiled broadly.


    It was a gentle smile, but there was coldness and enthusiasm in his eyes.


    For a human, those eyes were filled with contradictions. He was equally as mad as she was broken.


    He was uneasy around her when she was a human wreck, but now he was drawn in to her doll-like self.


    Then shall we go? I have to introduce you to everybody in the mansion.


    He said and held her hand.


    The girl, who was destroyed and revived, timidly pinched the sleeves of the boy, who had revived and became mad.


    She followed his footsteps with an unsteady gait, taking the stairs to go above ground.


    ......ugh


    After exiting the basement, the ring sunlight seared her eyes.


    The light of life.


    Her empty heart could once again feel life.


    Ahh, anyways, being alive is wonderful. Dont you think so?


    The girl turned back to conceal her excitement and nodded to the silhouette of a smiling boy.


    In a way, that was the beginning of everything.


    The start was not his rebirth but the birth of her.


    It was the day when the insane, man-eating monster found his destined person.


    And it was also the day the broken and insane doll fell in love forever.


    This really brings back the old days.


    I nonchntly said as I surrendered myself to the mixed rhythm of horse hooves and wheels.


    In reply, a fellow passenger replied unamused,


    Old days? It has just been one year. That is nowhere near nostalgic.


    He was Due. For some reason, he was unhappy. Lets see. I wondered if he recalled something unpleasant about traveling by carriage on this path.


    We were now traveling in the opposite direction on the same path we usedst year.


    What brought us here is this slip of paper in my breast pocket.


    It is a wedding invitation from my elder brother. Wait, wait, wait. I didnt know that brother of mine has a fiance. I know his first fiance ran away after hearing the rumours about me, but when did he find a new partner?


    While thinking about it, I opened my mouth again.


    Because are we in a simr situation. Just remembering the same event does evoke strong emotions in me.


    This is the path we were onst year, when elder brother expelled me out of the capital. This time, he is calling me back. Oddly, my fellow passengers were identical.


    Other than me, Due and Uni were with me. Due is my bodyguard while Uni is waiting upon me.


    Still, isnt this a weirdbination. Hey, master. Dont tell me you intentionally chose this group?


    Your suspicions are unnecessary.


    Said Uni.


    It is simply the case of who from the Opus series are suitable for this. Only you and I are suitable.


    She added.


    Drei is a dark elf with a demon eye. Just her existence alone would raise eyebrows, not to mention that if her abilities are found out, the secret of how my faction is being created might be exposed. Charl is out of question. Bringing a vampire lord to the capital is akin to picking a fight with the world. Fem is not as risky as Charl. Her high performance as a golem is like the ck ships during the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate of this world or a modern nuclear weapon. It would shock the other party excessively and most importantly, she would be considered an OOPart since she was made with the legendary metal, orichalcum. I could not bring her along.


    That is why only Uni, who has been serving me from the beginning, and Due, who currently has the rank of a military officer among my retainers, could apany me to the capital. Nheless, they are too much fighting power to protect just me though.


    Dont you get stressed easily these days? Since it is not too often that we leave the rural areas, wouldnt it be good for you to have your fun in the capital?


    As expected, Due snorted unpleasantly at my attempt at a joke.


    Dont say absurd things. The women in Arquell, no, especially in Broussonne, put on too much perfume. And even if I wanted to try out my skills, its not possible for there to be a thrilling fighting arena in the capital where the imperial guards are.


    Well, theres some truth to that. Arquell Kingdom is also known as The Kingdom of Natural Arts and seems to be at the forefront of fashion, I think? I dont really know the details though. As such, perfume fashion has its roots in the capital, Broussonne. There are perfumes that some men have difficulties getting used to. The practice of bathing is not widespread in this world yet, so without perfume, one would be even smellier though.


    There is almost zero chance that Due could meet a foe strong enough to satisfy him. Just like he had said, the most elite of imperial guards protect this city. Public safety is good, and the difficulty of nearby dungeons are not high. One reason for Uni only being a C-ranked adventurer after rampaging and fulfilling that many quests was this.


    For Due who was born in a ce as chaotic as St. Gallen, he would prefer women with a refreshing disposition. A ce second to Omnia would be considered a boring destination.


    Hm? Why would I know Dues preferences? I am not born from a tree nor am I a non-living thing. I can learn that much just by observing him.


    Opps, my bad. You are one of those girls brought up in Broussonne, huh?


    Due apologised to Uni as he just remembered.


    But, this is Uni we are talking about.


    ? But I am the ve of master?


    She gave a doubtful look.


    Ahh, yeah...true...


    As expected of Due to return a stiffugh.


    Uni saw herself as a ve, as a tool before seeing herself as a female. I think it would be good for Due to have realised how Uni thinks after working together for a year, though.


    Well, Uni has the capability to get angry at the sexual harassment from you-know-who so Ill leave the misunderstanding as it is.


    Due awkwardly tried to change the topic.


    But about that. I wonder what tricks your brother is pulling this time around.


    Are you talking about the wedding invitation? Victor and the others did say that it was definitely some sort of conspiracy, didnt they?


    When I received the letter, I made sure to have a discussion with them. I can only think that he would call for me at this timing to hinder my creation of the so-called faction as well as something else. This much was obvious even if nobody told me.


    But as long as he is not Pygmalion, he cannot create a single person. So how was he able to find his partner? That is one thing I could not figure out. I fear it is a political marriage arranged by Marquis Lavalle. However, each and every person in their faction have their own interests. Among them, are there any family that would gain anything from marrying into the Oubeniel family?


    No, thats not what Im saying. Using something as important as marriage like a tool...he would go so far as to use himself to eliminate master. Well, if it is an efficiency obsessed person like you, I would find it easier to understand though.


    That was disrespectful. I do hate waste and futility, but I do have the heart for romance.


    I retorted.


    Fem was made in the image of my tastes and the maid attires that Uni and the M-series were wearing, were also personally designed by me since using an ordinary design would be somewhat unfashionable. I am not the kind of person who would cut corners and only care about function. I can only im to be obsessed with the efficiency of our daily meals. I gave the job of ensuring the meals provide us with a bnced nutrition to a person like Professor Graumann. I might be number one in hating waste in the Arquell Kingdom, but surely, I am not that renowned across the entire Ithush continent.


    So, master. What do you look out for in a marriage partner?


    Eh? Hmm...A maid would be able to take care of my meals and I am in no need of money now. Fighting power? No, no, how can I ask of that from a bride. Um, somebody who feels the same about my ideals on immortality and who would support me in realising them. The bare minimum would be to not be a hindrance to my ns though. Somebody who has a fitting social status would be better too.


    We are back to efficiency, arent we?


    Due had a look of disgust.


    That is what they say, Due. A marriage between nobles is as all about efficiency. Whether the female has a matching family status, a proper upbringing, and whether she can bear children...All these are the considerations thate before love and romance. Romance woulde in the form of concubines after one has fulfilled his duty to the family. Even my elder brother would be aware of his role. Businesslike and thorough, just like how Drei does her work. Well, thats why some nobles who cannot ept their duty escape into the fantasy of a romance while young.


    This is not some original philosophy that I came up with. It is one of the ways of doing things shared by all nobles in this world. In any case, because this is a feudalistic society that ces importance on the family, there is nothing that can be done about the patriarchal society and theck of choices for females. To overturn this kind of thinking, people have to open their eyes to democracy and human rights. Not only am I not interested, the nobles who have authority on this matter would be reluctant to approve such ideals. Had I been born a female or amoner, perhaps I might be eager to do something about it though.


    Also, its the same kind of thing formoners, right?


    About that. Hmm. For nobles, a wife that is lowly in status and who has no hope in advancement are not preferred and for peasants, they look at how much they think the female is able to give birth. For merchants, they wouldnt marry poor people, neither would their daughter want to.


    It boils down to the same philosophy no matter the social ss. First and foremost were status and utility. Emotionse second or third.


    In this world, the only form of marriage freedom is a restricted one  where the pool of partners are filtered from the onset. For some people, they dont even have such a freedom. Whates after choosing a person not from this refined pool of partners was, at best, an unrequited love, or in the worst circumstances, a breakup. No good end is waiting. That is why most nobles run along the path of having a mistress and ignoring their marriage. Though, that is the source ofrge and small tragedies.


    On second thought, perhaps the social ss with the most freedom to choose their partner would be adventurers. Their job relies not on their partners status but on their skill alone. There are some adventurers with remarkable ability like Due who work under nobles too. Of course, they are unlikely to marry the Kings daughter, but even then, the broadness of their partner candidates from the lowest ss to the highest ranked is overwhelming.


    Oops, looks like we went off-topic. Lets go back to the main topic. By the way, Uni, what do you think?


    ......ah, yes. What is it?


    About my brothers wedding. As I have said, I do not think I will hesitate at all if the marriage is for strategic reasons.


    From Unis reaction to the matter, she must not think much about it. Normally, Uni would reply immediately.


    Hmm. I think master is correct.


    Lets see...we are talking about that prideful Count though? I cant imagine him happily conspiring on his on wedding.


    It means he is at his wits ends if he cannot happily use such a strategy and yet he goes for it. We did shift from a defensive stance to an offensive one. My elder brother, who detests me most extremely, felt that, on the contrary, we are extending our reach to him. I wont be surprised at whatever option he chooses at this point.


    Now that ya say it, that seem to be right.


    Never mind disliking my brother, this entire farce might be instigated by Marquis Lavalle. He would want this political marriage topletely suck elder brother into his faction. It shouldnt be that difficult to smooth talk, a less than 30 years old, youngster into a marriage.


    I heard this from Victor that this level of smooth talking should be possible for that old geezer.


    Incidentally, I left Victor in charge of Man while I am away. He is too close to the Marquis. I have no fears of a rebellion because I tweaked his brain, but with his erratic behaviour, who knows what he might pull off. That is why I left him in Man. Apanying me on a separate carriage are Laubert as the leader and my other staff members. All of them were chosen based on their weak links to the Marquis. On the contrary, there is a chance the Marquis might suspect this unnatural setup but surely, he wouldnt think I would bring along people who were once in his camp.


    ......


    What happened to Uni though? For some reason, she turned taciturn. She has always been a quiet one, but she usually does not hold back if she has an opinion.


    Is something wrong with her condition?


    I remember what happened a year ago. The day a maid malfunctioned when we were traveling on this path. It wasnt a big deal since it was a mass-produced type but this time, it is Uni. She is an irreceable existence and Ick the tools to do maintenance now. And we are heading straight for the enemy headquarters too. It is quite possible a fault in her, would cause some problematic situationster.


    (Still, it should be fine I guess)


    I took the optimistic view.


    After all, she is my ultimate masterpiece. It is inevitable for a small error to ur, but it is unlikely for a problem to derail the entire n. If it does ur, she would handle it on her own and if it is beyond her, she would tell me.


    That is what Uni is.


    ......How about paying a lil more attention?


    Due muttered as he scratched his head.


    He seemed to have noticed Unis behaviour. For a guy that appears like a musclehead on the outside, he was surprisingly sensitive to what goes on inside a person. I could tell from that too.


    However, it is of no use to worry about that now.


    What is it, I wonder?


    I feigned ignorance and changed my line of sight to the scenery outside the window.


    We were tracing back the steps we took a year ago, but the difference this time was that we did not meet any bandits.


    The Oubeniel Residence was preparing for the joyous wedding ceremony. Be that as it may, it was the still the ce of conspiracies.


    The ringleader for this event, Marquis Lavalle, took position in the terrace and helped himself to tea as though it was his home.


    So, it is true that your rtionship with the Marquis is very good?


    Linus grimaced towards thedy who sighed. She was clearly being sarcastic.


    Do not say that, Lady Simone. I had received extraordinary help from him for our wedding to happen.


    Then could you say that with more delight? Even then, your way of speaking to a person who is about to be your wife is too formal, is it not?


    She had cut off Linus retort with one stroke. As she has said, she was the one who would be his wife tomorrow.


    They had only met a month ago. It was the night before their wedding and their rtionship had not progressed much since their first meeting. She showed dissatisfaction towards him at every moment, but she had the magnanimity to not show it at official events. If one were to wish for more, Linus would prefer one who was a little gentler, but her looks were top-notch. The social standing of her family was not something he was not bothered by, but for a political marriage, she was a good candidate.


    Her...Simones family was the kind of cold door which would not be disagreeable to their daughter marrying into a Counts family. It was probably because of her status that she could so be selected as the bride of this rushed wedding. Nevertheless, she was a daughter who had received education as much as her family could provide. After the wedding was decided, and her parents came to give their greetings, they had to force a smile. It could be seen that they did not want to marry off the pearl in their palm to a notorious family. They would have definitely preferred a more upright family, even if their rank was lower.


    This once again made Linus feel inferior. Comparing her parents with that annoying foolish brother of his, they were truly praiseworthy nobles. He felt somewhat guilty that he was snatching their adorable daughter like a kitten for a political scheme. With that in mind, he was unable to rebut.


    ......He is making an express visit the day before the wedding. I have to offer the appropriate hospitality for that.


    Then can we get on with it quickly? I think I will be very ufortable with such an important person near me.


    She was boldly saying that the leader of the faction should just get lost.


    It was understandable. This wedding was organised by the Marquis insistence. Before the Marquis used her like a chess piece  no, used her like a prop for a stage, she was probably living her own life. And for the sake of the n, it has led to this. Not just Linus alone, but the person on the receiving end, would no doubt be frustrated as well.


    This pair had the same sentiments on abhorring that demonic geezer. Their onlymon understanding was that.


    I understand too. That man does not intend to stay for long.


    Replying half wishfully, Linus headed back to the terrace.


    The Marquis was enjoying his tea and using the servants of the residence like his own. It was the same old cheekiness. He hopes that he would kick the bucket after dealing with Tullius, but with his liveliness despite his age, who knows how long more he has to live. If one is unlucky, he might live till his nies or hundreds.


    There were vulgar rumours saying that he is growing more and more active in bed despite growing old.


    He should just die from indulging in sex.


    Swallowing that curse down his throat, Linus lowered his head.


    My apologies. Looks like I made you wait for long.


    Lady Simone did not want to let you go? Is she jealous? Hohoo.


    The glint in his eyes were cold as he gave a weak smile. This old geezer should be able to discern the enmity from the two who would be newlyweds from tomorrow. Moreover, he was able to do this, he must have a very thickyer of skin on his face.


    I beg your pardon, but was there anythingcking in my hospitality? Since you had to pay a visit.


    You were the bastard who organised this wedding. As long as you dont go senile, surely the day of the wedding is hammered into your head. So why are you here today?


    Towards his intent loaded words, the old Marquis narrowed his eyes in what appeared to be delight.


    Dont need to rush. Your hospitality is sufficient.


    Lavalle took another sip as he said.


    And then, he revealed a rare frown as he gazed downwards.


    Oh nobles! We have not forgotten our rage!


    What should have been the peaceful residential area of the nobles was filled with a coarse roar.


    It appears that there was a malebourer with a white cloth tied around his head parading in the street. He was shouting and making some exaggerated gestures. Behind him were ten or more tired-looking men and women following. There were people holding up crudely made straw gs that had, Spare the people bread! or Nobles wine sses are filled with our blood! on them.


    We demand freedom from our oppressors!


    Ahh. Commoners who call themselves activists, huh?


    Linus snorted in open contempt.


    There was growing number of these kind of people in Broussonne as ofte. They were a shady group consisting of impoverishedbourers in the city or peasants who fled from rural areas. They chant magnificent sounding slogans like cut taxes, elevate the status ofmoners and so on, but in the end, they are just people, who had gone broke, vulgarly squeezing every benefit they can for their empty stomachs. Essentially, a Niji no Matsubara uprising in a different ce and with some makeup. That would be the opinion of Linus...no, the opinion of the nobles in power in the kingdom.


    What are the guards on duty doing? How can they let such a fe enter the nobles street as if they owned the ce...What is the worlding to?


    Linus let out a sigh to the lot who were ruining his mood the day before the wedding, perhaps including the old geezer.


    The foolish masses who know not of submitting to the nobles, of not being satisfied with the tax and who do not reflect upon their uneducated self before challenging the politics of the kingdom. Linusmented that a cor would not suffice for these people and even ves would be better than them.


    It is so, it is so. This is the result of a chaotic governance. As such, we have not a moment to lose to bring this country back to orthodoxy.


    Marquis Lavalle blurted out.


    I see the masses as works of y. If you correct only their form, without a strong structure, they are very prone to crumbling. What they need is the support of a strong foundation  a firm and resolute pir.


    In short, what he wants to say is about the royaltys authority. Linus became self-aware of his face bing grim.


    ......Your great opinion is rather painful to the ears, but I am preparing for tomorrows joyous asion. Please show some reserve.


    While Linus was the groom for the wedding, he was the matchmaker. He probably did note here for a boorish political talk. Linus red at him as such a thought spread within him. And then, Marquis Lavalle made an amused grunt.


    Which is why I told you not to be in a hurry...My reason for todays visit is, here, you can call it a gift for the wedding. This was something that would make your younger brother happy, something that he tried all possible means to find previously. And I finally got my hands on it. If it is agreeable, do you want to want to as the host, hand it to him for me?


    A gift? That is...


    Linus gulped.


    Gift was a code for the trick during the wedding.


    Has he prepared the n that controls the fate of Tullius?


    Marquis Lavalle held out a box wrapped in wrapping paper to Linus, whose eyes were full of expectation.


    From the feeling on his palms, he could tell that the inside of the box was light as nothing, while the wrapping itself was rtively thicker. In all likelihoods, a detailed n was written beneath the wrapping. Linus realised it and carefully unwrapped the package to ensure the wrapping did not tear.


    As expected, the wrapping which wereyered over and over had detailed writing beneath them.


    T-This is!?


    He was utterly amazed by the contents.


    (Is it possible? Such a thing!?)


    It was a scandal rted to a certain noble. In the past, he would not have believed that this noble had a rtionship with his brother, but ...with a single thread, Tullius became intertwined with that incident. What a strange coincidence. And with the scandal as the basis, he can chip off the fighting ability of his foe, thus restricting his future movements. The details of such a n was written.


    Did it surprise you? I too, did not expect to find a material as useful to this extent. To be safe, I examined the lineage to confirm it and so I waste to pass this to you. Please forgive me.


    The Marquis exined to Linus, who was in bewilderment.


    To sum it up, it means he has already gotten evidence for this. Such arge-scale conspiracy. With the Marquis experience as a schemer, it was impossible for the root of the n to be founded on misinformation.


    A-Absurd...


    Of all people, Linus begun stuttering. He could not help but respond like that.


    If they put this n into practice, and if they are not careful, it was quite possible for a family dispute to ur for a certain highly ranked noble. There is a chance for it to affect the politics in the capital.


    However, Linus had no qualms at all to go public with this information. For a n made by an old schemer who lived his life calctedly, this was a n where the pros would outweigh the cons. He must have calcted urately that no matter how many disturbances are borne out of this, ultimately, this will be a plus for them. Linus himself had no significant rtion to the noble affected. Conversely, it should definitely have a psychological and political impact on that foolish brother of his. It was that kind of conspiracy.


    The only problem at hand is how much does the target know about this.


    Regarding this...does my foolish brother have any clue of it?


    Who knows. Though if he was aware, he would have handled it appropriately.


    Linus contemted for a short while. There are no such traces as far as he knew. In short, Tullius waspletely unguarded against this conspiracy.


    It is set in stone.


    This n will surely settle him for good. Linus was strongly convinced of it.


    The Marquis said as though chiding him, who became restless.


    It is just that this old man does not know what n the youngster has. I wonder if your younger brother would receive this gift with pleasure, with only just a prick to his heart.


    He was talking about how the nature of the n was not to drive Tullius to an end immediately.


    Nevertheless, this was sufficient. If this n were to be a sess, Tullius would lose a great amount of his forces. At the very least, he is anticipating a big turmoil. From there, a second or third arrow would surely do him in.


    Still, that he was aware of such a fact and prepared this level of a scheme as expected, this monster was no ordinary person. He was his second most hated person, but he was d to partner with him temporarily.


    For the first time ever, Linus bowed his head down to Marquis Lavalle with sincerity.


    I am deeply touched by your deep consideration. I am sure my foolish brother would be very pleased with this.


    If possible, he wanted to be called to the heavens just like that.


    He did not desire to fall to hell.


    As long as that demonic child dies, nothing matters.


    (Hurry up, Tullius...)


    The wedding is tomorrow. His loathsome brother should arrive in the capital thetest by today. Arriving just barely on time was unthinkable for nobles, who should be leaving extravagance and surplus for all things. But that would prove as a blessing in disguise, as there is no fear of Tullius having an inkling of this n.


    (For now, I wee you with my arms wide open!)


    As he was thinking, he casually gazed downwards the terrace.


    The mob that were chirping aloud earlier were fleeing in all directions like the babies of a spider as the guards chased them.


    There was no choice but to do this since they made sport of power and authority.

 Chapter 27: Marriage Blues

    Chapter 27: Marriage Blues


    As expected, the job he entrusted her with was harsh.


    Firstly, to ensure that she does not shame the noble she serves for even a second, she went through rigorous etiquette training from the maids in the residence. She was trained intensely to move and speak ording to the other partys social status to show respect. She waspletely looked down upon by the maids teaching her. Because she was a ve. Even if she was a person important to their master, they made sure to pick on her whenever they could, though, they did not go as far as to treat her violently. They would beat her mercilessly if she make any mistakes, and it soon became a daily practice for her lowly self to be abused.


    She did not utter a single word of protest. There was no problem with the contents of the training and it was also for the sake of her master. For his sake, wholly for his sake. Just like how she had been given her name, she fully epted the training. After three years, around the time when the other maids could not longer put up with her masters deeds and quit, she becameplete as a maid who would not shame her master no matter where she went, even though her body was so small.


    In addition, he had her train her body. Right from the beginning, she solely ran on the fields. This was to build stamina for future training, he said. It was like forging steel. Strike the iron while it is hot. Remove her weaknesses and give her strength so that she can never crack nor break. After she gained a certain level of stamina, the amount of basic sword training she was given increased. While one was growing, it was not good to learn a fixed style, so all she did was repeat and repeat the basics. The guidance of the boy, her coach, or more like hismands, became useful.


    She made not a singleint. It was because the stronger, the faster and the more skilled she became, the more smiles she can evoke from her master. All for him. Just like how she had received her name, she trained tirelessly. After a year passed, around the time when the man contracted to guide her master started indulging in liquor, she became strong enough to beat the average adult.


    When her fitness and skill with the sword grew to a certain level, magic and thieving lessons began. She demonstrated an aptitude for Wind and Earth magic. It was surprising that she would learn theplete opposite type of magic to the female adventurer whom she received guidance from. Her thieving lessons were in a certain sense, crueler than her other trainings. Especially, the training to conceal and erase her presence for several days per session. It was because she could not learn other skills during those periods.


    She showed no signs of cking during training. She refined her techniques, heightened her magical skills, mastered her techniques in thieving to the extent of being an expert, all so that she could have a wide range of abilities to be of use to her master. It was for him. Just like how she had received her name, she devoured all there was to learn. After four years, she even eliminated her teachers to seal their mouths when they suspected her master of abusing her.


    The toughest part of her training was actually working as an assistant in alchemy. Right off the bat, she learned the recipe to make medicine, studied the basics and concocted potions to secure funds. Those were fine. However, her master bought ves with the money they made and started using them for human experimentation. She had to treat those people, who wore the same cor as her, inhumanely. The spectacle of expending them like tools was terrifying. It was not because her master killed them nor was it because she was killing them. It was not that it was scary to imagine herself being killed by her master like them. It was about bing useless and meaningless subjects to the master like them, that was scary. Her body was revived for him, and the broken pieces of her heart were stitched together for him too. Rather than being a short-lived thing to him, she wanted to be of greater significance to him. That was why she devoted herself into various fields of study.


    She did not let out her worries. It was an unnecessary worry since she was still useful to her master, and she would be eliminated like her precedents without hesitation when she bes useless to her master. Since she existed just for him. Just like how she received her name, her sins piled up. After four years, when she exceed expectations, she went knocking on the door of the adventurers guild alone.


    He  her master  was a cautious man. While he praised her loyalty, deep down inside his heart, he definitely had his doubts. He did not consider about having a yardstick for showing her affection, joy and patience. The reason for that was, ironically enough, that she was too excellent.


    Every time he made her master a difficult task, she gains new strength. In the one in a million chance if she decides to betray him, she would be able to kill him instantly.


    He feared death and sought after eternity. He longed to reach the state of immortality, even if it meant sacrificing each and every being in this world. That is why he was afraid that she would act beyond what is expected of his pawn. If she acts beyond his control and spoiled his ns, who knows if she might betray him and point her de at him. If he detected any signs of that, he would surely dispose of her, a talent whom he personally groomed, without hesitation.


    ...She did not want that.


    Dying was fine. If she ended up as a sacrifice for him, she was more than willing. However, she did not want to end up as a hindrance to his goals.


    The reason was that she was born to be useful to him.


    That day, she begged of him.


    Master, I have a request to make.


    What is it?


    Please make me a moreplete ve.


    The tendency to rebel was a useless function.


    It was a deeply rooted redundancy.


    She wished for her master to remove that.


    ...He smiled happily.


    ......Aha


    It was a smile from his heart. He was a youth who always had a smile on his face and appeared gentle, but that was entirely a disguise. Not once has she seen his genuine smile.


    The day her bandages were removed and she was born.


    Since that day, he had never showed that smile. Her chest tightened uncontrobly at the sight of it.


    I have always been hoping to hear that ever since I got my hands on you.


    Ahh...


    She exhaled deeply.


    She processed what he said and came to an understanding.


    Everything he did for her was so that she would say this.


    Providing hot meals, tasty sweets, a clean bedroom, the luxury to clean herself, praising her, being lenient with her...everything was for this.


    She regretted what she had said.


    ......Sorry to have kept you waiting, and for the trouble of operating.


    She should have said it earlier, she thought.


    Well, well, is it not elder brother. It has been a year hasnt it!


    I raised my voice in joy as I should be, for a person returning home.


    Brother even specifically went to the entry hall to wee me. Of course I thought nothing of the sort that he would be there to wee me. Because I could see him chatting with other guests here and there. I believe he was in the midst of weing guests who came from afar.


    Tullius, you came back. It must have been a great trouble for you toe a long way for tomorrows wedding.


    Linus said with a smile befitting a young noble, no matter which angle you look at it from.


    This was supposed to be the heart-warming reunion of brothers, but brother chose to use great trouble but not a single word of d or happy. Oh boy, it has been one year already and he is still such an immature person. How can he lead a marriage life like this?


    I offer my sincere congrattions for your wedding. I am equally as happy as you are. Elder brother is indeed the pir of the family. Even as a foolish younger brother, I feel at ease knowing that you are settling down.


    Hahaha...dont say that, Tullius. I am still a youngster. The way you put it, doesnt that mean my marriage seems dyed?


    Oh, how discourteous of me. Looks like I have many ways to go.


    Due and Laubert, my attendants, were enjoying our conversation from behind and said something.


    Please trante it for me...


    Erm, first of all, his Excellency said, Please stop meddling with me since youre going to be married from now on. And his brother replied with, I refuse. And whose fault do you think it is that I am marrying thiste?


    That was rather urate, but that was so mean of you, Laubert.


    In any case, from our conversation, I have ascertained that my elder brother has no intention of changing his attitude from hereon. Well, with that Marquis by his side, the prospects of that happening were dim in the first ce.


    Next, a woman forced herself into the conversation after entertaining a guest.


    Oh my, how mean. Not bringing me along to greet your younger brother.


    Lady Simone


    Lady is unnecessary, dear.


    From the way she spoke, this woman must be brothers wife and, of course, my sister-inw. In short, my superiors. Perhaps it is wise to show some etiquette in advance.


    Pleased to meet you. I am Count Linus Oubeniels brother, Viscount Tullius Shernan Oubeniel.


    Oh my, how polite.


    The woman stared in surprise. Most likely, she has heard of the bad rumours about me. About killing ves mercilessly or about beingcking in etiquette befitting a noble. That is the truth of the matter, though.


    Then I shall introduce myself too...I am Simone Meslier, from the Pontauban Baron family. I will be the wife of your elder brother from tomorrow onwards. Let us get along well, viscount?


    Her wless behaviour was polished and she had the presence of a honourabledy. Her familys name was not well known, but it seems like her parents were very strict with her upbringing. Not to mention, she was a beauty with a refined look. It looks like elder brother has found a good catch. So much so that marrying into this family, made notorious by me, seems to be a waste.


    Meanwhile, I increased the level of courtesy after receiving her introduction.


    Please do take care of me, Countess.


    W-Whoa, is he actually properly greeting somebody? Who is he?


    He appears to be his Excellency...Could it that our master has changed for the better?


    ...Due and Laubert. I can hear you guys!


    Especially, Laubert. I am behaving as he wanted me to so why is he making all those remarks.


    Putting aside the extremely rude bystanders, sister-inw smiled gently after receiving my greetings.


    Seems like rumours are not be trusted, huh? I am d to have an outstanding brother-inw.


    Not at all. I was young while I lived in the capital and did do some childish things. I feel very apologetic for you to have heard such disgraceful things.


    As I said, I remembered the days when I was in the capital. I really did do some inefficient experiments in the past. With my skills now, I do have confidence that I can prevent at least 30% of those deaths.


    Cough cough.


    All of a sudden, elder brother interrupted with his coughing.


    I do think it is good to have a better rtionship with your soon to be sister-inw, but Tullius, you should bring your retainers in. I shall grant them an audience.


    In essence, hurry up with the introductions and get inside. Perhaps he did not want his younger brother to stir up weird things in his new wife.


    Indeed, I cannot bear to let them continue waiting either...Laubert and Due. These two will represent my retainers and will introduce themselves.


    Haah


    The two of them who were called for, took a step forward and went on their knees.


    Having a meeting with the Count gives me great joy. My name is Jean Jacques Laubert. I work as a governmental official of your Excellencys brother.


    I-I am extremely grateful to have an audience with the Count. I a-am Due Schwarzer, a military officer under your brother!


    Dues introduction was patheticpared to Lauberts perfection. This is the result of him speaking like an ordinary person too often. When I return back, I shall let Drei know of this so that she can tease him.


    Elder brother controlled himself at Dues behaviour and ignored him while focusing on Laubert.


    So you are Laubert? Youe from the Laubert Baron family?


    Yes. I am the fourth son.


    If my memory serves me right, I hear you are a well-read youngster. Please do continue supporting my brother.


    I am extremely thankful for the undeserving praise.


    On the surface, Laubert was behaving respectfully but what about how he really feels, I wonder. Surely something along the lines of, if you knew that, then why didnt you employ me?


    And, you are Due Schwarzer? I seem to have met you somewhere before.


    Yes! I was extremely discourteous then!


    He repeated whatever Victor and Laubert told him to say in a disjointed manner.


    He was referring to the rude way he spoke to him a year before, when we were departing. I did not think Due would ever meet elder brother again at that time, so I let Due speak as he wished. Well, that was immediately after I had finished with his adjustments, so there was not much time to correct his way of speaking too.


    It is fine. If you have reflected on it, I will not nitpick on each and every mistake.


    T-Thank you very much.


    The edges of Dues mouth was shaking from speaking in an unnatural way.


    Still, it is very surprising to see that you have been included among brothers retainers.


    W-With all due respects...urm...my vulgar self am...u-undeserving of...m-masters patronage.


    Hey hey, why does he seem like Charl before he was reformed?


    Also, elder brother has a terrible disposition. Surely he can see that he is bad at speaking formally. And yet, he continued on while letting out a slightughter.


    Just when I thought I should step in to stop the conversation.


    Oh?


    Miss Simone seemed to have noticed something at the end of the line of my followers.


    There was a person in maid uniform who stood out among the others who were kneeling as shepletely prostrated herself.


    Needless to say, that was Uni.


    Nobles show respect by showing their faces, lower ss nobles andmoners like Due and Laubert kneel while ves like her have to prostrate themselves. It was cruel, but such was the logic of this country, or more like of this entire world.


    She is?


    As disgraceful as I can be, she is my ve and a maid.


    Goodness gracious!


    Miss Simone was in disbelief.


    Uni was a ve. The lowest of social sses. It wasmon sense to not mention an existence like that in a setting like this. For a wedding ceremony, it was basically a custom to not bring attention to oneself, as a ve. Bringing a ve, was of course, out of the question.


    However, I have nothing to do with such customs. The other ves were currently on standby outside the residence, and would be stationed at an inn during the wedding, but Uni was special. She was my most trusted bodyguard and attendant. I brought her here knowing brother and sister-inw would say something about it.


    Even then, if they said they did not want her to be around, Uni could easily hide herself in the ceilings.


    I beg your pardon, but could she be allowed to stay in the residence?


    Allowing a ve during a wedding?


    As expected, Miss Simone could not hide her bewilderment. Her response was extremely natural as a noble who received a proper upbringing. In fact, her reaction was the most appropriate of the various scenarios I predicted.


    She has to be your attendant?


    Also the fact that she is my longest serving follower.


    Just for reference, how long?


    For roughly 11 years, I would say.


    That long?


    She was slightly astonished from the figure I gave. That is to be expected. She has been following me since I was eight. Uni was six years old then. She was really a ve that has served me well for a long time.


    That is why, she is the one I know the best among my followers. Once again, could you overlook this?


    Hmm...I do not mind. Right, dear?


    Miss Simone looked towards brother.


    Why...no, what is it?


    Could you also let this pass? This much should be fine, right?


    Ohh, what a capable woman. She is really a waste for elder brother. Actually, perhaps only a person with such an assertive nature would be able to marry elder brother.


    If possible, I would want her to stop brothers conspiracy from the side, but that might be too much for her alone. From the perspective of the social standing of her family, she also would not have an influential voice both in official capacity and in underground discussions.


    As such calctions whirled in my head, I looked at elder brother.


    ......Do as you please.


    He turned around abruptly.


    Huh?


    Weird. Given elder brothers nature, even if he would relent in the end, I would think he would at least appear more displeased than that.


    After all, Uni should be most hated after me for him. Victor did suggest that it is possible for Marquis Lavalle to be second though. In any case, Uni was one of the coborators of the long spanning experiments that brother was disgusted by. Why would he agree with this so easily?


    I do not feel that there is a trick here, but perhaps he is trying to appear magnanimous to his bride?


    Thank you. I strive to express my loyalty once again to both of your deep benevolence.


    ...Hmph.


    Brother snorted unpleasantly.


    ...Why does he hate me to this extent? I am not a big fan of elder brother from the start, but I did not detest him so much that I would murder or brainwash him. Though, the main reason is that the risks are too high to do that. And yet, elder brother was betting the entire family  even running the risk of destroying the family  to have a shot at killing me. I do not understand.


    Firstly, ever since I went to Man, I managed to revitalise one of the deadweight regions in the Counts territory. I have been properly paying tax as stipted by brother and the Kingdom. I did not, however, report on an important mine. Well, since I am giving much higher returns, it would be preferable if he forgives me for the suffering I caused when I was in the capital. It would be better for me to have one less enemy too.


    As I pained over the antagonism between us brothers, Miss Simone walked up to Uni.


    Please raise your head.


    Yes. However, I am afraid this lowly self...


    I am ordering you to look up.


    Uni looked up after the brief exchange.


    It was not that sister-inw was being haughty, nor was Uni overly servile. This was the normal exchange between a noble and a ve.


    ......


    Miss Simone gulped instinctively.


    That is to be expected. Even for me, as her master, to not judge her with bias, Uni was pretty. So much so that her terrible condition when I first bought her would be unimaginable. Nobody has said anything ill about Unis looks. The most they would say is that she has a seductive face.


    Sister-inw stayed silent in surprise for awhile before opening her mouth.


    ......You, what is your name?


    I am called Uni. I do not have a family name.


    He said you have served him for 11 years. But are you still serving as a maid?


    Yes. There are some other things that I help with.


    Towards Unis reply, Miss Simone ced her hand on her temple as though she was troubled. Next, she appeared to have made her mind and turned to look at me.


    Sir Tullius.


    Yes, what could it be, countess.


    How long do you intend to keep her as a ve?


    ......what?


    What a minute, I do not understand the point here?


    She gave a big sigh at my perplexed look.


    You know. Sir Tullius. As your sister-inw from tomorrow onwards, let me give you a piece of advice.


    Yes.


    What are you nning to do? Keeping a female servant by your side for over ten years.


    Countess Simone raised her voice sharply as though her gentleness previously was an hallucination.


    She is angry? Why?


    It is unavoidable to fall in love with a partner with a great difference in social status while single. Still, you cannot be treating females, even if they are ves, like pets, no? You know, there is a proper way to select


    ......Hey, Laubert. What is thisdy saying?


    Ahshe has probably misunderstood the rtionship between his Excellency and the Chief Maid, I guess?


    While I did not know why I was being preached to, Due and co were whispering behind me.


    Ah, is that what this is?


    I have an inkling as to why she became angry at me from their whispers.


    Um, Countess. No, sister-inw. There might be some misunderstanding here.


    Misunderstanding?


    She stopped her incessant verbal onught.


    Whew. Looks like she was a woman who can listen to others.


    With the temporarily sense of relief, I continued my exnation.


    Uni and I are...with all due respects, not in the kind of rtionship as you are imagining.


    In any case, looks like she thought that Uni and I had an extraordinary rtionship in terms of men and women. Hence, I had to be honest with the facts.


    ......Huh?


    Miss Simone was like a pigeon who was shot by a peashooter. Also, she had an expression that was in obvious disbelief.


    Really?


    Yes, really.


    Even though, she is that...pretty?


    I do admit that, but, on the other hand, we do not have such a rtionship.


    She was a cute ve. So we do share some physical contact here and there, but I do not remember going too far. In the first ce, if I did that, there was a chance her stomach will be filled with a heavy baggage and her capabilities would greatly decrease. I can make preparations beforehand to avoid such a circumstance, but there is no 100 percent guarantee. If it means we have to abort the baby, it would have a considerable impact on her body too. It may not harm her loyalty towards me but the impact on her mentally could be a variable.


    Her body was not something to be used for satisfying ones lust. Well, it would be a different story if I were to achieve my goal of immortality, though.


    I digress.


    Miss Simone looked at me as though I was a rare species in a zoo or something. She was a daughter of a noble. She would have been taught thoroughly about her duties after marrying into another family. Her education would surely include manners in the bedroom  more specifically, about mens sexual appetite. Putting it altogether, it certainly might seem hard to believe what I said.


    Elder brothers eyes were wide open in surprise too. And his face was turning pale too. Was it that surprising? The girls in the same school as I was when I was at the Academy were able to ept that Uni and I did not have that kind of rtionship. Something like, Since you are such an oddball. It is not that unthinkable that as a male, you might becking in something. Though that sounds impolite.


    ......Unbelievable.


    Her head swung to the side in confusion, but I too, am in confusion.


    Somehow this ended up as the discussion for our first meeting.


    Though I say so, I have no proof for it.


    I would guess so...then, lets leave it at that.


    Looks like she backed out even though she does not seem to fullyprehend. In any case, ending it off like this is helpful. No matter howcking I am in noble-like hobbies, I did not want to continue the conversation while there are still other nobles around the entrance.


    Somehow I led the topic into this. I apologise for keeping you here with it.


    No, no. I, too, have bothered you with this on the night of your wedding.


    After exchanging apologies, our conversation ended.


    Nevertheless, while she was a little carried away with her assumptions, she was a woman with a good heart. I am totally for brother and her to build a happy family together. So if he backs down from now on, I would not have to waste unnecessary time.


    Speaking of which, brother seemed to be brooding over our earlier conversation. Why would he be that affected by the kind of questions his younger brother was asked.


    My apologies. I somehow spoke without discretion.


    Do not worry. It is rare for anybody to maintainposure when speaking to that guy.


    While offering words of console to Simone, Linus was frantically battling with his internal turmoil.


    That annoying ve killer, who treats moralities as though it was tissue paper, has notid his hands on that female ve? Can such a thing be possible?


    Or maybe, precisely because he is inhumane that hecks such human urges. In any case


    He suddenly remembered the day he first ushered Marquis Lavalle inside the residence.


    That day, after being cornered by the Marquis, he released his anger on a nearby female ve as much as he wanted. If he could not hit something, if he could not release by turning it into a violent impulse, he would have gone mad. No matter how he reflects upon it, it was the most deplorable event of his life. After that, whenever he could not control his temper, he would take it out on the ves. He found that part of himself to be most irredeemable.


    That female ve was, at present, still in the residence.


    If he carelessly fired her, somebody simr to the Marquis might start a pointless investigation into him. Even then, finding an appropriate reason and killing her was not an option too since he was reluctant to fall to the likes of his younger brother.


    Like his younger brother.


    Perhaps he has already reached that point. For Linus, that was his worst fear.


    (......No)


    He shook his head and tried to erase his doubts.


    Nobles having sexual rtionships with ves might be an act that is frowned upon, but that may not be the case too. What about Tullius the ve murderer? Even if there are nows preventing it, such an appalling thing might make a timid person faint.


    Hence, he should be much better than his younger brother


    It is unavoidable to fall in love with a partner with a great difference in social status while single. Still, you cannot be treating females, even if they are ves, like pets, no? You know, there is a proper way to treat them


    The brunt of Simones words turned from his brother to him.


    Linus has a rtionship with a ve.


    Not with any ordinary etiquette too, he treated her violently like how he would for pets.


    A proper way to treat a female ve? Not once has he thought about it.


    What if Simone was let known to this fact?


    Ugh!?


    He instinctively shut his mouth.


    A sudden surge of nausea.


    Are you okay? Yourplexion does not look too good...


    Simone sounded worried.


    It was not that she loved Linus. There was no such time to develop such sweet feelings with their rushed engagement, rushed wedding and other matters. In fact, she should be holding scorn for him since the wedding was used as a strategy against his younger brother.


    However, she was an impartial person. She even felt pity for that eerie ve earlier. While she might look down upon the bitter feud he has with his younger brother, she has shown understanding towards how he treats other nobles.


    That is why, if she knows about how he uses a female ve as an outlet for his vulgar acts, she might just disappear in the blink of an eye.


    It is nothing...


    He replied, as though persuading himself.


    Right, there should be nothing more to it.


    From the beginning, he did not expect to even dream of having a harmonious loving marriage. Couples are made to preserve the bloodline  that is no more than an agreement between men and women. There might be room for love to grow if both parties have matching natures, but one cannot possibly wish for that as it is something thates down to luck. Marriage is about marrying first then findingmon ground between partners.


    Then, she should hate him from the start. A person who is concerned with having his ws found out then must be nuts.


    Simone sensed his stubbornness and let out a small sigh.


    ......If that is the case then please try to stay dignified. It is as though I am ill-treating you if you go pale before the wedding, is it not?


    Sorr...


    Also


    There was a glint in the corner of her eye.


    You still will not forgive your brother?


    Simone could clearly see the disgust he has for his brother.


    Although both of them did not love each other, as a daughter of a noble, she viewed the wedding ceremony with importance.


    It was the day she reveals the results of spending half her lifetime improving her grace and refined beauty. It was the one big moment of her life. There might be some rare people who experience it several times, but those people are the exceptions. It would be perfectly normal for a normal woman to be unhappy with their big moment being used as a ploy.


    However, it was not that Linus was sloppy with the event nning. It would be extremely troublesome if he was exposed to have made light of the holiness of a wedding.


    Of course. Even if I have to put the heavens and gods on the line, I will never forgive that demon!


    That was the determination of his that motivated him to make use of his wedding as part of the strategy.


    Do you have such a deep grudge against him?


    What are you saying now. Surely you would have heard what he has done in this residence, have you not?


    After all, Simones family was the Pontauban family. Their family was the kind of cold door that had to follow the whims of other nobles and be forced to have their daughter marry quickly into another family. It should be impossible for a person like that to be unconcerned with the rumours among the nobles. She should be well aware of how his foolish brother soiled their familys name. The truth of the matter is that the day when they exchange marriage vows would be the very day she steps into the castle of a demon lord. Does that not give her face cramps?


    Indeed, I did hear of the terrible rumours about him. But is that not a thing of the past?


    The past?


    Linus face turned grim spontaneously.


    Do you know, when I ordered him to leave the capital for Man a year ago, he killed ves as a parting gift? And that was when he should be busy preparing for departure! How much can change in just one year!?


    Remembering what happened was annoying enough. Tullius, who was told to lock up the basement where he did his ve-killing research, decided to kill all his remaining ves and prepared an borate cremation. Either he was finishing up the evil research he was doing with the ves or he just enjoyed killing ves.


    While I am at it, there was a boorish man called Due serving Tullius. I heard he was employed right before his departure and had only spent one night in the residence. I should have seen that scene. I wonder what kind of person he must be to serve such a madman.


    She sent a sharp look of rebuke to Linus, who had raised his voice.


    Shh! Quiet down.


    He was lost for words. They were still in the entrance hall. Guests who were bored were chatting with one another and there might be somebody elseing from outside. Right now, the surrounding guests were sending looks of puzzlement to the groom.


    ......Sorry.


    Please make your excusester. Certainly he did do some conspicuous misbehaviour a year before, but has he not worked seriously as a lord of his territory? Now that he is like that and you try to push him aside. What should I make of it?


    ......


    In the first ce, punishing him by death for misbehaviour is too much and if he is obviously running afoul of the Kingdomsws, then is the job of the High Court of Justice. At any rate, I cannot think of any logic behind you hatching this plot to reject


    That is enough.


    Linus held his palm up and uttered.


    She was right, logically. It was a sound argument. However, if he could be patient from listening to sound arguments, he would not be directing all his murderous impulses towards his brother.


    Additionally, the damage done to Linus and their family was not so shallow that reason could heal it. The harm dealt by Tullius notoriety for killing ves was not something that could bepensated by his achievements of revitalising the rural area.


    I am the head of the Oubeniel family. The family head is not seeking for your opinion.


    As such, Linus, the family head, decided that Tullius ought to be removed.


    This decision was not something a youngdy, whom he was engaged to only 1 month ago, could overturn.


    I see...


    Simone took a step back and stopped talking, perhaps giving up on changing his mind.


    Linus snorted and tightened his cravat in an attempt to hide his anger.


    There was no way she could prevent the Marquis ns during tomorrows wedding, no matter what she thinks and what she does. The only people who know the details of the n are Linus and the person who devised the n. She could not possibly give a clue to Tullius since she knew nothing and even if she rushed to the High Court, nothing could be done. The most cunning part of the n was that there was nothing illegal about it. Even if Tullius sees through the n, all that awaits is disappointment from failure. There was no way Tullius coulde up with a counterattack.


    Whatever Simone is thinking or is going to do, it has nothing to do with Linus. She was not somebody who could even affect him on the surface level. She was nothing more than the backdrop of the stage to wee the target. Strictly speaking, as a person from Marquis Lavalles camp, she has already outlived her use.


    Of course, she was still an important tool for the Oubeniel family to carry on by bearing a child.


    Tool.


    Yes, a tool. A tool to provide an heir to her husband and a tool to show others the facade of a happy family. A wife of a noble is, in the end, all about these goals.


    Inadvertently, Linus remembered his mothers face.


    A woman who his father never paid much attention to when she was alive, a woman who lost her life in exchange for giving birth to that demon.


    Her sad-looking face ovepped with an image of Simone.


    (I am doing what father did...)


    A father who ipetently and stupidly ignored his own shorings while demanding excellence from his children. The stupidity to let mother die unsympathetically and letting that monster lead to the downfall of the family.


    With the recognition that everything is going back to square one, his stomach started to ache and he could feel something thick rising up in his throat.


    Ughh.......


    He tried to withstand his nausea by cing his hand on his mouth.


    He could tell that he was going pale.


    (No! No!)


    He should be different from father. He was different from that imbecile who turned a blind eye to his own failings, who med Linus for his mediocrity, who let mother die after giving birth to an unwanted child, who died in fear of Tullius.


    Rather, he was the one trying to cleanse the ws within the Oubeniel family.


    And what about him being taken advantage of by Marquis Lavalle, leading to this situation beyond his control?


    (Didnt I say this is not true!?)


    You are the same as your brother. Somebody dered aloud.


    Your brother kill ves, while you vite ves. Dont they only differ by the weight of their sin?


    You are the same as your father. Somebodyughed.


    In the end, you and your father are both causing the downfall of the family for Tullius. Nothing much has changed, no?


    You are just a man from the Oubeniels. Somebody said in disdain.


    All men from the Oubeniel family are the same. The disgrace of nobles, trash with zero value.


    Who wasughing at him? Who was scorning him?


    Simone?


    Mother?


    Father?


    Marquis Lavalle?


    Or Tullius?


    Or could it be...himself?


    (Shut up...I am different!)


    With the growing nausea in his stomach, Linus shook his head many times over and endured it.


    It was a hallucination. He was seeing a hallucination. Surely it was the doing of Tullius. It was definitely a shady magic or drug that he had concocted, since he was always doing those shady experiments. As long as Tullius is gone, his suffering would end. As long as he disappeared, he should be as happy as everybody else.


    He told himself repeatedly while swallowing his nausea.


    ...This time, Simone said nothing.

 Chapter 28: Ghost of 11 years - 1

    Chapter 28: Ghost of 11 years - 1


    The next day. Tullius Shernan Oubeniel, who had been assigned an overly bleak-looking room, said. Laubert. Is this enough as a script for the speech?


    There were several sheep parchments in his hand. It was a script to address the guests as a representative of the family. He waved it in the air yfully.


    Due was hanging around the wall, not knowing what to do with his boredom. Officially, he was a military officer, but he was actually abat weapon that cannot betray his master. And so he was stuck in this room as a bodyguard.


    However, it does not seem like his turn will be up any time soon. Before staying for the night in the room, he had thoroughly searched the room and concluded that there was no possibility of a trap. He did not feel the presence of any assassins among the bodyguards of the guests. If so, for a person like him who only knows how to hack and sh, he was useless here.


    Thus, while keeping up surveince of the surroundings, he absentmindedly observed his masters actions.


    Having been called by their master, Laubert adjusted his appearance while replying.


    There are no problems with it, master. I made corrections to some trivial details, but overall, it appears to be a faultless script. ...Seriously. How are you able to write such a draft despite not acting like a noble normally.


    The young noble remarks were rude, but Due wholeheartedly agreed with him.


    When ites to Tullius, he is always about efficiency and about minimal effort while appearing to be entirely clueless about the formalities of a noble. Why is it then, when ites to things like writing a wedding address, he would be able toe up with it without any grumbling?


    I havent had my own wedding ceremony, though I do have much experience with them.


    Oh? I am poorly informed of the weddings that Your Excellency has attended. Who invited you?


    Even if I told you, you wouldnt know who. It happened in my previous life.


    Tullius ended it off with a joke.


    His joke was not funny at all and yet he was having a goodugh.


    Previous life, huh is there really such a thing for a viin like you? Dont you normally go to hell and not be reborn, for cases like yours?


    I am only like this now after being born into this world...or maybe after I died once. Isnt that so? If one doesnt experience death, how would one know its fear?


    For a joke, he was particrly tense. Or maybe what he is saying is the real deal. Due shook his head frantically to shake off the thought.


    It was madness. It is impossible to be reborn. Reincarnation belongs in fairy tales.


    Or maybe he found a way to create such a phenomenon after teaming up with that vampire to do experiments.


    Lets leave that joke aside. More importantly, Your Excellency. I think the speech will be fine as long as you do not do it ad lib, but what about the dance during the night party? Your Excellency might be the object of ridicule if Your Excellency cannot even do a simple social dance.


    Laubert said in an attempt to change to topic.


    Indeed, that was also on Tullius mind. Normally, Tullius would be either stuck in hisb or attending to governmental affairs after being pestered by Victor and the others. He did not seem very good with moving his body.


    At the end, Tullius grumbled, It is true though.


    Well, I do it sometimes as a hobby. Not very good at it, but I doubt it would be disgraceful either.


    You can dance!?


    Really!?


    They openly reacted with shock to their master.


    Excuse me? No matter how unlike a noble I am, it does not mean I am unable to do everything, you know? The only stuff I do not do are pointless things like learning how to rule or something like that. I have been taught the general stuff too. Even my table manners, is not that bad right?


    Thinking back on it, Tullius has never shamed himself on the dining table. He prefers to have something like a sandwich on one hand while doing work, so he rarely has to eat in a formal setting.


    While we are at it, please do not leisurely walk in the corridors while slurping ck tea.


    Whats wrong with it? Its not like I am doing that in front of the guests.


    If you can behave tactfully in front of the guests, then I have no problem with it.


    Tullius frowned at Lauberts overly blunt advice.


    Due added.


    That is somewhat remarkable, master. That you would earnestly go for something like dance practices.


    I know about the negative effects ofck of exercise. It is a physical activity I can easily do at home, that is why I put effort into it.


    That was very Tullius-like. If he did not keep his body up to shape, he would not be able to live long either. He was a man, who pursued immortality, a man who feared death more than anything else. He would do some exercise if it means increasing his longevity and since it is an indoor sport, it was not unbelievable for him to show some enthusiasm for it.


    However, for Due, the picture of Tullius Oubeniel dancing in step with anotherdy was too difficult to imagine.


    I would be a little embarrassed at some parts which I am unfamiliar with, though.


    Embarrassed? About dancing?


    Laubert was puzzled.


    As long as he did not forget that he was a noble and did not do anything too rude, something like a social dance should not be a difficult task. So he was slightly puzzled as to why there was anything to be embarrassed about. He was not like Due, who rose from the ranks of amoner, and the fact that a demon like him would know the concept of embarrassment was a startling fact of its own.


    ......Dancing would involve holding hands with a girl, and there may be some body contact too. Wouldnt a normal person find it embarrassing?


    Master appeared to be more mature for his age. But when ites to dancing and the like, he would actually be worried about such things?


    Due said teasingly. Tullius frowned again.


    That cannot be helped right? I was a normal Japanese in my previous life...my only experience with dancing was just folk dances.


    Tullius sounded like he was whispering to himself towards the end. It seemed like he was still continuing with the joke. Nevertheless, what was a Ja-pan-nese and a fou-ku-dance?


    Speaking of which, who is my dance partner? I have no clue who is my dance partner even now...


    Umm, since we are talking about the grooms brother, you should be assigned a suitabledy?


    Does seem possible you might be assigned somebody weird to get back at you. Would it go well?


    Since it is the wedding of a Count, I doubt he would intentionally do something that would lose him face. Doing that would affect his name too.


    Oh, that is true.


    Still, Due thought. The secret feuds must be nerve-wrecking if they have to even consider a dance partner. He would feel much at ease by settling everything by brute force.


    As Due was absorbed in his dangerous thoughts, Tullius let out a deep sigh.


    In any case, I would not like it. I would have to pay attention to an unknown woman and match her pace. I have my hands full with myself. I would much rather have Uni dance with me, though.


    What are you saying? It would be a miracle for her to be able to attend already. To make things worse, you want her as a dance partner? Even if the Count does not disagree with it, it is still impossible. Right, Chief Maid?


    Laubert invited Uni, who had remained silent, to the conversation.


    She was always by Tullius Oubeniels side, unless she is running an errand for none other than him.


    What weighed on Dues mind was how quiet she had been from earlier. She was always a iron-faced woman with few words, but being silent up till now was strange. He even tried to make some risky jokes to Tullius earlier. Normally, as his loyal subject, Uni would have rebuked him right away.


    ...... Yes. I think it would be too conspicuous for me, since my social standing would be questioned...


    Right? Your Excellency really does not know when to give up.


    Right, there is nobody who doesnt know when to give up as much as me. ...In any case, it is unfortunate since I would be most familiar with Uni as a partner.


    ......Hold your horses. Uni as a partner? Does that mean Uni know how to dance too?


    Due asked as soon as it dawned on him. She replied in a monotone voice.


    Yes, I am usually the partner for master during practice.


    Uni is the only suitable person since she is close in age to me. The dance teacher did have a bitter-looking face though.


    Of course. It was unpleasant to find out that a child from a Counts family, has a maid, much less a ve, as a dance partner. It was what they would expect from Tullius, since he was really a mancking in socialmon sense.


    Incidentally, an inconvenient truth rose to the surface with respects to Due.


    Speaking of which, am I the only one here who does not have dancing as a hobby?


    Ahh, now that you say it.


    It was unthinkable for a woman to invite Due to a dance from his bodyguard-looking appearance. Well, if ites down to it, you just need to try to avoid stepping on her foot. My reputation would not change much at this point even if people find out I have vassals who do not know how to dance.


    What is that supposed to mean? Of all people, he was being lectured by Tullius on how to behave at a dinner party.


    Reflexively, Due put his palm to his forehead. Tulliusughed happily.


    Why dont you start practicing when we get back to Man? Dont you have a suitable partner too?


    ......Thats a bad joke.


    His master was most likely referring to her. It really was a bad joke. Even now, Due did not know how to approach her, all the more he could not ask her out for a dance.


    After Due turned his head away to avoid the topic, Tullius passed the baton to Uni next.


    So, Uni. You have been rather quiet, what are you thinking about?


    Even considering his own uncouth standards, that was way too straightforward.


    Certainly, Uni was acting weird during the ride here, but shouldnt he ask in a more delicate way?


    ......Have you realised?


    We have known each other for a long time. You would be able to to solve a trivial problem on your own, but if it has kept you thinking for a few days, surely it must be a problem beyond your capabilities?


    No matter how you hear it, it was a dry way of speaking.


    She was a girl who was brainwashed as a ve and had apanied him for many years. Due could not help but think that he should have been more sensitive when asking about her troubles.


    Tullius would sometimes show concern for his subjects on a whim. It was truly, sometimes. For this man, who only cares about living long, his true nature was to be kind to himself. The humane affection he randomly shows at times were probably a form of self-love. The affection was likely directed to part of his own existence. Due felt that, from a year of working under him.


    As expected, it was impossible for this man to show another sympathy. Meanwhile, Uni struggled to reply to his question.


    ......I just thought, all of sudden.


    About?


    Since masters elder brother is having a wedding, That it is also about time for master to wee a wife too.


    She said as she cast her eyes downwards.


    So that was what she was thinking about. Due could sympathise with that. This iron-hearted girl was even younger than Tullius, who was not even 20 years old. It was unbelievable, but unlike the mass produced types, it seems that her emotional faculties were left untouched. He was a master, close in age, that she has served for long and whom she had sworn loyalty to. It was not far-fetched for her to have extraordinary desires because of that.


    Also, she shows the most joy whenever Tullius behaves flirtatiously. Compared to Drei, who had her emotions towards her n altered to loyalty towards Tullius, there was a stark difference.


    Still,


    Ah, was it because of the talk I was having with Due in the carriage?


    Tullius continued without showing any signs of consideration for his subjects.


    Still, it is a problem. Now that my elder brother is married, the ball is now in my court as a viscount. Since Marquis Lavalle is using the marriage as a way to bring elder brother into his faction, I wonder if I could use the same strategy too.


    I would think so. You would be able to take your time since you are in control of it.


    Shockingly, Laubert agreed with Tullius.


    The Man of now is quickly being revitalised. Even the mines are operational. The profits are not high as of now, but would be promising in the future. The Centralists must have nned a script, like, putting a bell on Your Excellency with a wedding, and putting Your Excellency to death when Your Excellency is ripe and ready to be eaten.


    Thats nasty, Laubert. Did you pester His Excellency to dig the mines after reading that far ahead?


    It is the notoriety of His Excellency. I was able to see the big picture with the Counts wedding and Chief Maids concern. After all, the reputation of the Oubeniel family is terrible. I did not think that the Centralists would have the Oubeniels family head marry so fast and try to set up a wedding scheme on His Excellency too.


    The two of them were deeply engrossed in discussing the Marquis factions ns and countermeasures for it.


    So, what shall we do when that happens?


    Hmm, if ites down to it, all we need to do is to brainwash the entirety of the partners family...that might be asking for too much.


    Yes. The Marquis is also notorious for his schemes. He should have already realised that His Excellency has a technique to capture the humans heart. I believe he has prepared somebody from an important family living in the capital so that his spy would not have to move to Man.


    Hey, hey, doesnt that mean he would not be giving face to His Excellencys elder brother who was given the daughter of a Barons family? ...Well, Victor did say frequently that the Marquis was not the kind to give a hoot about a youngsters face.


    That depends on the perspective. It can be seen in two different directions. For example, Sir Linus could ask the Marquis to find a good match for his brother. It can be argued that he wanted his brother, whocks control, to be paired with somebody who could guide him in the right direction.


    Wow, that sounds like a usible argument. Man, I am getting sick of this geezer even before we met.


    Tullius endured his headache.


    ording to that script, if it is a partner other than my elder brothers wifes family, it means this family would have some ws too. And when the Marquis wants to eliminate me, he just needs to make up some false charges on that family. It would be a disaster if he gets to restrain my movements and possibly get an excuse to kill me, free-of-charge.


    I would want to suggest that we leave for Man as soon as Your Excellency fulfils the bare minimum of showing up for the ceremony. Once we are done with creating the faction, we would have a reliable hand to y for defence The absolute worst scenario I can think of is the Marquis might force down a wedding while Your Excellency is staying in the capital.


    It is as you say. Stopping by the capital brings nothing but misfortune. I wonder if I should have prepared the n to leave early as we have discussed earlier. Depending on the circumstances, I am prepared to execute the most dangerous n of all.


    Tullius changed the irrelevant discussion back to something that had to do with him instead of others.


    The n to escape the capital in order to counter the Marquis ns to stop him. It was a n that required Due and Uni to put their lives on the line.


    They made various ns but the most dangerous n that Tullius was referring to was the most depressing,st-ditch attempt to escape. Frankly speaking, it was a demonic n, no, more like pure violence, that would made Marquis Lavalle look like a child.


    Nevertheless,


    There is no choice, I suppose.


    Unbelievably so, Laubert endorsed the n, though he did so half-heartedly.


    Due could not help but open his eyes wide.


    H-Hey, Laubert...? Did you forget what the n is all about?


    I am well aware of what that n is. It was the suggestion of His Excellency, but in any case, Victor and I both attended that meeting.


    That was the case. The Opus Series mobilised for issues rting to alchemic research. For governmental and strategic affairs, though, Tullius would often settle things with them both.


    Still, the n they had prepared was for escaping an unlikely danger. The n was so vicious that Victor cautioned them to not use it unless it was for that specific danger. Why did Laubert give his consent so easily?


    ......I cannot understand. How can you feel like using such a thing, I mean even you


    It is not something you can understand.


    Laubert shrugged his shoulders. He interrupted him to prevent him from saying that he was born from the capital too.


    In reply to that, have you forgotten? The operations that Victor and I received are in the same generation as Dreis. The operation preserved our old personality and intelligence while changing our values to ce His Excellency as our priority. That is why,pared to you who lost the ability to rebel and had obedience ced, it is natural that we have differences in thinking, right?


    Due, who even had the nickname of Double-handed Sword as a warrior, made a gulp. He was overwhelmed by a noble who he could kill with his finger if he so wanted to.


    ...He had forgotten. Anybody who sat beside Tullius Oubeniel Shernan was a tool. Even Laubert, who habitually nags and scolds Tullius, was nothing but a puppet. Whenever he expresses an opposing view from his master, it was because he wanted topensate for Tullius mistakes orck of knowledge. It was merely a function left behind intentionally.


    When giving long-winded exnations, Lauberts expression and voice would not contain a trace of ill intention. He showed little restrain in doing so too. That was how fearsome the brainwashing was. Once again, Due realised the unorthodoxy and skill of the alchemist who turned him into a tool.


    Victors case was somewhat unexpected, though. After I tweaked his values and ced myself higher in his system, his hostility towards the Marquis, who had oppressed him, overheated. ...Well, that is not the point, though.


    Tullius looked at Due as though he was a teacher looking at a failing student.


    I know you are unenthusiastic about it. I too, do not want to pull out big stunts. However, staying in the capital for long would definitely be dangerous and the Marquis and the Centralists would surely deal a blow to us in the meantime. Considering that, our best option would be this n.


    ......It is the most efficient method to reach your goals?


    Oh, so you do understand.


    Tullius chuckled lightly.


    For Due, it was a topic that he felt far stronger on than simply unenthusiastic, still, it was not something he could shirk away from. It was not like he coulde up with a solution that could convince his master and even if he wanted to stop the n, he could not do so. His brain had already been altered.


    Furthermore, I did mention, ording to the circumstances, right? We would only use the n after considering all other options. Right, Laubert?


    Yes. It is a n that I do not wish to use as much as possible too. The risks are high and we woulde up with a separate nter as well.


    ......tch


    In the end, Due could only click his tongue in dissatisfaction as a form of protest. Of course, for the thick-skinned heretic, it was not something he would even feel an itch from.


    Tullius turned to face Uni in an annoyingly happy mood.


    Hmm, something about this. Uni isnt acting like Uni after all. It seems like you are a bit sick. Thinking too hard about an idea for my sake.


    ......Thank you for the excessive words. What I said was nothing more than just a trigger for this discussion.


    Unis face appeared to be more iron-ted than usual. It was an expression that showed that she was just a subject serving her master, nothing less and nothing more than that.


    ...Really?


    Due was doubtful. The worry that talks on Tullius wedding mighte up. Shouldnt what she said be actually rted to something deeper than that? Even though she was able to put it into words, it was not something that would bother this girl for so many days.


    No, no, such humility is


    It happened when Tullius started to speaking.


    Knock, knock.


    Light knocks could be heard from the door.


    Excuse me. It is about time for the banquet...


    The voice of a servant could be heard beyond the door.


    Tullius snapped his fingers in a rare show of displeasure. He dissolve the sound barrier that ensured that their secret discussion would not be leaked.


    Yes, we are ready. We will be going now.


    Is that so? Then, my apologies.


    The sound of footsteps faded.


    It is about time. Shall we go?


    Yes.


    The maid responded to the masters prompting.


    Meanwhile, his other subjects left the room.


    While heading for the hall that would be the venue for the banquet, Due could feel a cold sensation that made one shiver.


    Was it because of the darkness from the discussion they had, or


    (......In any case, no matter how much I think, it isnt something I can change)


    He shook his head, dispersing the chilly sensation.


    That was just a way to stop overthinking, but...indeed, there was nothing he can do no matter what he thought.


    From the perspective of a younger brother, elder brother is a magnificent person.


    Linus Oubeniels ears seemed like they would rot from listening.


    On this fine evening celebratory party, Tullius was singing the praise of Linus as the representative of the family. Tullius spoke fluently without a tinge of redness on his face as he stood on the stage in the hall. From a look, one might assume he was a good-natured young master, doing his best to congratte his brother on this asion.


    However, that was not the truth.


    He was a demonic child that would bide his time in the womb of his mother and would not mind destroying the family so long as it benefits himself.


    As a member of the glorious Kingdom, he is a person who would not spare any diligence to improve himself. He was a strict brother that I was unworthy of. I could feel his relentless spirit even though I was immature.


    Tullius sang his praises continuously just for appearances. The lies he spouted was nauseating.


    It is truly the blessings of the heavens that this brother of mine, under the guidance of Marquis Lavalle, can marry my sister-inw, a beautiful bride.


    Linus felt like shouting, Ridiculous!. The whole reason for the Marquis getting closer to him was because Tullius fooled around, leading that geezer to have his eye on him. If marrying Simone was suggested by the Marquis, then the main culprit was Tullius. And he even dared to call it blessings of the heavens. It was almostughable.


    It is truly a joyous day. I wish from the bottom of my heart and believe that elder brother would build a happy family with sister-inw and uphold the honour and traditions of the Oubeniel family. I sincerely offer my congrattions to the newlyweds once again. ...And that concludes my address. Thank you for the kind attention.


    Linus covered half his face while enduring his dizziness. It was as though he could not hold back his tears after listening to his brothers speech, however, if he felt like crying, it was because of how pathetic he thought the speech was.


    What in the world did his foolish brother say? Uphold the honour and traditions of the Oubeniel family? So he means to leave the responsibility of the Oubeniel family, which he had polluted as he pleased, to this married couple?


    The audience gave a round of apuse as his foolish brother stepped off the stage. Linus did not, however, overlook the bitter smiles on some of them. Ridiculous, wasnt it? Comical, wasnt it? They should be carrying the same emotions as he did now. After all, all of the nobles who live in the capital know of the infamous deedsmitted by Tullius.


    Unintentionally, he let out the sound of teeth gnashing. Simone tugged on his sleeves to chide him.


    ......Sorry.


    If you are truly apologetic, please fix that expression of yours before removing that hand.


    Linus rxed his tensed up facial muscles while his right hand remained on his face. He could feel the rigidity and warmness from his hand. Surely he was seething malice, like that of a demon from hell. Even though the real devil was the man who just brazenly gave a hypocritical speech.


    (Just a little bit longer...)


    With that thought in his mind, he could somewhat calm his heart.


    It will not be long before the banquet, which the Marquis had arranged for, would reveal its tricks.


    Somehow or another, he had regained an expression suitable for showing others, and shifted his line of sight to Tullius, who was returning to his seat.


    If everything is going ording to the Marquis ns, then this was the timing when something should ur.


    Good work, master.


    All I did was talk in front of some people. It is nothing impressive.


    That was Tullius annoying ve that he had shamelessly brought to the wedding. Linus could clearly see that girl moving the chair for his master. He could also see the expression of the experienced adventurer, Due, though he could not decide if it was exasperation or admiration. And the fourth son of the Laubert family, who seemed to be saying something.


    Surely he must be engrossing himself in the attention from the audience. Look, the man who gave that shameless speech is taking a seat. Those gossip-loving guests should be observing Tullius, being fascinated by what kind of face he was making.


    Even if they were not gossip lovers, the Marquis, the matchmaker for the wedding, would have encouraged them to do so.


    The invited guests surely had their eyes fixed at Tullius and that girl who waited on him.


    Ugh!?


    With the sound of a short shriek, the sound of a wine ss shattering on the floor could be heard.


    The guests all turned to look at the rude person who created the source of the sound.


    He could see Marquis Lavalle making an overly surprised expression while berating an ageing madam.


    My goodness, how did this happen, Countess Cartan? You look pale though?


    Well said. The culprit who miraculously dug out the buried truth and who set up todays ceremony feigned kindness skillfully.


    The woman called Countess Cartan seemed to have not heard the Marquis. She froze on the spot while staring at the female ve who stood behind Tullius. It was as though she was looking at a ghost. Cold sweat was trickling down her as she shivered.


    That was natural. What she just encountered was truly a ghost of the past. Perhaps a better way to put it is that she was a demon who escaped death and returned alive.


    It cannot be...firstly, that girl...


    What is wrong, Josphine? You couldnt even hear His Excellency, the Marquis...


    Her husband, Count Cartan, tried to take a look and became involved.


    However, the Countess herself cut him off.


    D-Dear, you cannot! You cannot look!!


    W-What is it Josphine!? That is making you so flustered!


    Despite already making a scene, she continued making a shriek at an attempt to stop her husband. In the blink of an eye, the guests began talking among themselves.


    Tullius became aware that this was a scheme of some sort. He stiffened his usual happy-go-lucky expression and watched what became of Countess Cartan.


    However, he was toote.


    By then, the Marquis gave his final push.


    What is the matter, Count Carten? Your wife seemed to be greatly shocked?


    W-Well. It is something I cannot understand myself...


    Being urged by a person of higher rank, surely he could not pretend to not see what was unfolding.


    The Marquis hugged the Countess to calm her down, but in fact, he was preventing her from escaping and looked at Tullius.


    And then, Countess Cartan saw.


    The cursed girl bounded by a silver cor.


    ......Anna-Marie?


    The olddy on the Marquis arm became stiff as she murmured in shock.


    S-Stop the jokes, dear...T-That girls a-age is far too different...


    His shaking voice was barely audible from where Linus was, but that was likely what he said for the most part.


    What a silly excuse. Linus smiled.


    That was because it was as good as admitting that he had a good idea who that person truly was.


    Then, could she be...the child of her...Anrietta!?


    Countess Cartans expression swapped between delight and astonishment.


    (Ive won!)


    Linus had to desperately control himself.


    His abdominal muscles cramped up andughter pushed all the way through his diaphragm into his throat.


    Nevertheless, exploding inughter now would only spoil the entire n.


    He had to continue appearing like a member of the aristocracy and maintain his cool.


    Dear


    I know. ...Do you know who she is?


    He replied to Simone who sent a doubtful gaze to him and called for an attendant.


    Not long after, a bewildered manservant rushed over.


    What is the matter?


    Cant you see? Count Cartans wife has fallen ill. She must have lost her mind. ...Bring her to another room.


    Yes!


    The manservant immediately carried out his instructions. He might think it is weird, but this was the Oubeniel residence, and Linus was the master he served.


    Linus nced back to the spectacle after being satisfied with the correct use of his authority.


    ......And so this means you know what is going on.


    Hepletely ignored the sigh of his bride.


    Due could notprehend the development before his eyes.


    His master had given his address without a hitch and returned to his seat. Then came the ageing madam who made a fuss, and was escorted outside by the guards. And now, her husband approached.


    The ceremony programme order was ruined. Yet, the groom, who should be most perturbed by the incident did not seem to lose his cool, and in fact, was totally calm. It was crystal clear that this was the plot of Linus and the Marquis.


    They long knew that they were using the wedding as an excuse to execute their schemes. Nevertheless, it waspletely unheard of for somebody to execute their n right in the middle of the party.


    ......I am Tullius Shernan Oubeniel, the Viscount of Man. May I humbly ask for your name?


    Tullius took the initiative to greet the hesitating old aristocrat.


    Due copied Laubert after he gave him a poke with his elbow, and bowed to the old aristocrat.


    For Uni who did not have a chair as she was a ve, she kowtowed at the same time when her master made his greeting.


    (What?)


    Due could felt difort from the expression on the old aristocrat. No, more urately put, it is from the direction he was looking at.


    The old mans eyes went right past Tullius respectful bow and waspletely focused on the floor behind him.


    He was staring at Uni.


    It was an unimaginable sight. A noble would ignore the greetings of another noble and focus on a ve instead? Certainly, it was rare to find a ve at such an auspicious event. However, manners should be a greater priority than curiosity. That is what it means to be a noble.


    So then, what does this exception mean?


    It was then, the old aristocrat turned to face Tullius again. His eyes were vividly coloured with revulsion and disbelief. It was as though he was looking a robber. His master had been seen with scorn by many other nobles, but his level of hatred was equal with that of Linus.


    Finally, the old aristocrat introduced himself.


    ......I am Count Pierre Simon Cartan.


    He introduced himself concisely without any politeness nor friendliness. Rather than having an improper upbringing as a noble, he was saying that he could not be bothered with it.


    Due could feel a cold murderous intent emanating from behind him.


    It was Uni. Even Tullius and the normally dispassionate Due were offended by his greetings. For this ve who prioritised her master over everything else, it was not absurd for her to carry this much anger.


    Nevertheless, she kept it well under control. Probably nobody else apart from Due at the party could perceive her killing intent, though. In fact, Laubert appear to bepletely unaware of it and was instead, deeply thinking about the Count Carten. That was how deep she could suppress her killing intent.


    Count Cartan continued speaking without noticing the intensity escaping Uni.


    In addition, this time he looked at Uni again.


    ......You, raise your face.


    You have a death wish? Due thought.


    Of all people and of all timings, he was calling out to the Silver Wolf without giving face to her master and when she was already irritated. Would this not mean that because of her, her master was being trampled upon?!


    Due knows nobody else who exhibits as much loyalty as Uni. He was made to listen tomands while Drei and Charl were altered to be loyal. Fem was simply constructed to be loyal. But from what he heard, this ve went as far as offering her brains to demonstrate her loyalty. A natural lunatic. One might even think she was even crazier than Tullius. Anybody who dares to use her as an excuse to offend her master would not have a simple end. For the Silver Wolf, her master was like the reverse scale of a dragon or the cubs of a tiger.


    Of course, this was not the right ce for her to show her temper. He knew she was capable of controlling herself if acting in revenge would only hurt her masters interests. Maybe there was no change in her outward expression. But surely, he had already incurred her wrath. Probably, this noble would face a gruesome end depending on how Tulliusmands it.


    However, I am afraid this lowly self


    Uni replied like how she did to Simone yesterday. The emotions in it waspletely different, however. There was a slight shaking in her voice.


    And then Laubert turned pale. He might not have the skill to detect her murderous intents, but he should be well aware of her personality. The only times when her voice trembles like that was either because of an auspicious event rted to Tullius that made her happy or a cmity rted to Tullius that angered her. Evidently, it was thetter in this case.


    Even then, Count Cartan continued to approach Uni.


    It is fine, show your face.


    Um, Your Excellency, Count?


    As expected, Tullius spoke out in a troubled voice.


    Nevertheless, Count Cartan did not respond to him. In fact, he made some hand gestures to brush him aside.


    He was telling Tullius to stop bothering him.


    Just imagining Unis expression now terrified Due.


    Finally, she raised her face.


    Ohh!


    After seeing Unis face, Count Cartan trembled.


    So you finally realised her anger? Due thought. In any case, his behaviour changed.


    The Count was shedding tears. He was crying and smiling. They were tears of joy.


    He grabbed her shoulders with his trembling hands and raised her up.


    Unbelievable.


    How could somebody like a Count touch a lowly ve at such an event. Even Due, who was unfamiliar with etiquettes, knew that it was an unpardonable act. The only kind of noble who would do that, would only be Tullius.


    The Count said in tearful voice.


    That voice and that face...is an exact copy of Anne-Marie...


    Count Cartan? Anne-Marie?


    Laubert murmured in confusion.


    Speaking of which, this man likes to research on rumours surrounding nobles.


    Perhaps he had a clue what this was all about.


    Still, Due had no time to ask him and the events continue to unfold.


    With all due respects, Count. Is there anything this one can help you with?


    Anrietta


    Uni asked in a sharp robotic voice. The Count replied by calling an unknown girls name.


    You are my long-lost daughter!


    He hugged her.


    ......Huh?


    Due could not help but raise his voice.


    Long-lost daughter of a noble?


    Uni?


    That cold blooded girl who was a ve, a maid, an adventurer and that demons assistant.


    ...What on earth is he joking about.


    What is it? Did you hear what did Count Cartan just said?


    I-If my ears serve me right, he said, long-lost daughter......


    Are you out of your mind? Isnt she a ve!?


    K-Keep quiet...this is a wedding, right?


    All of a sudden, there was an uproar among the nobles.


    If he could make a fuss, Due would also want to do so. The situation was clearly beyond Due. He was a swordsman. However, there was nothing a sword could do in this situation.


    ......I am Uni.


    The deeply moved Count could not hear Unis attempt at protest.


    He wept and continued to hug her.


    I see, so this is it.


    Tullius murmured with an annoyed expression.


    As though replying to him,


    Oh my. This is


    An elderly and skinny noble appeared.


    He appeared to be rather old from his white hair and deep wrinkles.


    But Due could feel his overflowing vitality from his slim body that allows him to move freely.


    He then made a fake smile to hide the sharp glint at the corner of his eyes.


    Due immediately realised who he was.


    Pleased to meet you..are you Marquis Lavalle?


    Tullius came to the same conclusion and lowered his head before the other party could.


    The old man  Marquis Lavalle  cackled.


    Indeed, I am Lavalle. I would certainly like to praise your quick-wittedness. However, I cannot admire guessing the other persons name on the first meeting. It would be rude to make a wrong guess.


    While maintaining the smile on his lips, his eyes met with Tullius.


    My sincere apologies. I have embarrassed myself.


    Yes, yes. Humbly recognising your mistakes is a virtue. Why, most youngsters would let intelligence get ahead of them. What is most important is to measure ones own capacity, isnt it? Dont you agree, Viscount Tullius Shernan Oubeniel?


    He spoke gently, but the meaning his words were scathing.


    Stop trying to act smart, you are just a fledgling youngd.


    Recognise your own limits.


    It is the height of lunacy to oppose me.


    Due could understand that much.


    Thank you very much for the kind advice and for patronising my elder brother. No, I am in fact, extremely grateful.


    Tullius shrunk back his body and replied.


    He had a harmless smile on his face, but the ends of his lips were rigid.


    It was not the normal expression he usually puts on disy. Due could tell that he was irritated.


    Regarding the advice Lavalle gave, Tullius only said that he was thankful and he did not mention that he agreed.


    By the way, Your Excellency, the Marquis. It is rather crowded here, but...are you perhaps an acquaintance to Count Cartan?


    He said while making side nce to the noble who clung to Uni while crying.


    Lavalle made another fake smile.


    Ah, I do have some personal connections to him, but...to think he would be making a mess out of this wedding. Goodness gracious, I had no idea this would happen.


    If that is the case, at least try to act a little more anxious. Due cursed him silently.


    Still, this would be like throwing cold water on your brothers wedding. What about it, Tullius? Why dont we leave this ce temporary and listen to what Count Cartan has to say?


    ......Yes, indeed. I do feel bad for ruining such an auspicious event.


    Tullius obediently agreed to Lavalles proposal.


    One could say that he had no other choice but to ept it. An issue potentially disrupting the flow of events for the wedding ured. Even if he was being led on by his opponent, he had no other choice but to leave this ce.


    The old Marquis narrowed his eyes in a smile when Tullius agreed. It was triumphant smile.


    Good. Lets go then. ...Count Cartan! Youe too. How can you, of all of nobles, ruin such a splendid asion.


    Y-Yes! Your Excellency, the Marquis. ...Thisdy


    Of course, she cane along too. After all, she is the person of interest to this matteror more like, the spark for this incident?


    Bringing along Uni and the perplexed Count, they left the venue in an orderly straight line.


    Along the way, intense res from curious nobles rested between Tullius, Uni and Count Cartan. Most likely, this incident would spread all the nobles in the capital. Due may not be able to figure out where the Marquis n would end, but he was sure of that in the least.


    As long as Tullius was in the capital, he had nowhere to run.

 Chapter 29: Ghost of 11 Years (1)

    Chapter 29: Ghost of 11 Years (1)


    After moving to a reception room, Tullius and Count Cartan began their meeting. The observer for the meeting was Marquis Lavalle. It was something they have to be extremely thankful for, since the matchmaker for the newlyweds had to leave the ceremony temporarily to bear witness to this. Count Pierre Cartan sank into the sofa and called out to Uni who stood behind Tullius. What are you doing, Anrietta? Sit beside me. Sir Count. Please forgive me, I am  Tullius waved his hand to cut off Uni who was trying to reject the offer. I am just a Viscount while he is a Count. In short, Tullius court rank was inferior. Regardless of whether Uni was really Count Cartans long lost daughter or not, Count Cartan was superior in terms of social standing. The order he gave his ve was effectively an order to Tullius. I have acted thoughtlessly, master. Uni bowed down to Tullius  demonstrating that she was, in fact, the ve of Tullius. Count Cartan red at Tullius as though he had murdered his parents as she did that. No, Due thought about it again and decided that it was as though Tullius had murdered his child. If what he said was right, Tullius had effectively turned the Counts daughter into his ve. Moreover, though the Count might have been oblivious, he had sent her to dangerous ces as an adventurer which exposed her to perils. If it was possible, surely the Count would want to shred him into pieces. Though if it came to that, Uni would protect Tullius at all costs while Due himself would follow the orders nted in his brain to protect him too. Count Cartan finally rxed after Uni obediently sat beside him. Instead of his usual sharp res, his eyes were now filled withpassion and love as he looked at his daughter.


    Count Cartan.


    Marquis Lavalle sat on a recliner that was ced in between two sofas.


    Tullius is also perplexed by this issue. Could you summarise what has happened again?


    It was extremely irritating to hear it from the mastermind himself. One cannot help but think that he should simply exin it himself since he already knew what was up.


    Pardon me. I understand.


    Cartan nodded with a stern expression.


    Gradually, he started to speak.


    This all began 11 years ago


    He sounded long-winded, like an aristocrat and also like an old person.


    To sum it up, the story was like this:


    Count Cartan was originally an illegitimate child of a Baron. A person of simr origin to Laubert. However, Pierre Simon Cartan had a talent that Laubert did not. He was skilled in magic.


    He became a court mage, and with his shrewdness, he was given the peerage of a Count after making a name for himself as a consultant in the royal pce.


    It was a big rise in status. Majority of nobles would meet with failure and disappointment in their lives even if they had talent in magic. The power struggle in the in the pce was intense. My own humble beginnings were also fraught with hardship. It should be fair to say that Cartans sess in life was a miracle.


    He gained prestige and authority that exceeded his own familys. He even managed to be pushy towards his elder brother, who used to boss him around. He was truly in the pinnacle of his life. However, even he had a weakness.


    Children.


    After much difficulties, he finally became a Count. It was human nature to want to pass on this peerage to the next generation if possible.


    Nevertheless, his wife who had followed him through the years when he was lowly ranked, could not bear children for the longest time and they continued to grow older. It was only a matter of time before Count Cartans family name would disappear in a single generation. As ast resort, he could adopt a child from a rtive, but he wanted his own since he worked hard to achieve all this. He disliked the idea of having an adopted child inherit the family estate.


    What if the child does not get along with me? With that in mind, Cartan secretly kept another woman. She was a lowlymoner.


    Apparently, Anna Marie was a beautiful woman. She had a graceful look that was rare for amoner and while she bore some resemnce to nobles who got on Cartans nerves, she was totally unlike them and had a kind heart and a gentle disposition. She was supposed to be a tool for giving birth, but Count Cartan fell head over heels for her in an instant.


    He frequently visited the home he gave her and spent time intimately with her...it was not long before Anna Marie gave birth to a girl.


    Her name is Anrietta P Cartan. That was the real name of Uni, the Counts first child, ording to him. Count Cartan danced in joy. He was at an age when white hairs started to grow and finally, he had a child. She was an adorable child that bore resemnce to her mother. Of course, he doted on her. He loved his daughter so much that just thinking about her would numb any pain.


    When she was born, somehow, his first wife, Madam Josphine became pregnant. She was already in her mid-forties then. Was his youth rejuvenated because of the Count and Anna Maries tryst, or did Josphines efforts finallye to fruition? Either way, it was strange. The Counts crying mistress and her daughter were detained in their home against their will. It was to prevent his wife who was pregnant at an advanced age from suffering a shock. After trying so hard for a baby, what if a woman withparable beauty to her appeared with an adorable baby at their home? Surely, she would be angered and a premature birth or a stillbirth could happen. It would mean endangering both the child and mother.


    Furthermore, Josphine was a woman with a bad temper. Surely he could not let Anna Marie and Anrietta get too close to her. And finally, Josphine gave birth. This time, it was a boy. Count Cartan was relieved. Since it was his first wife giving birth to a boy, he would be the heir. As the mother of the heir, Josphines position was secured. If that is so, surely she would not be overly perturbed by the existence of his mistress and their daughter. As long as the boy grows up in good health, he could one day quietly bring Anna Marie and their daughter into the household.


    However, that did note to pass. Yes, both his illegitimate daughter and heir son grew up healthily. But with Josphines disposition, she did not be gentler after experiencing pregnancy and in fact, she became even more stubborn. Possibly because she was already old, she became an overprotective mother. Apparently, jealousy and suspicions built up over the years as his wife.


    She would go red just at the sight of the Count speaking to maids and would suspect adultery. In the worst of cases, she would show her jealousy to wives of other families. It was not just once or twice when she fired a maid without consulting anybody. Once, she even beat a maid till she had permanent scars because she had a bad mood that day. While they were not maids, there was still no way he could bring up the topic of his mistress and daughter like that.


    Little by little, time passed without the Count talking about them and it happened when Anrietta became 6 years old

 Chapter 29: Ghost of 11 Years (2)

    Chapter 29: Ghost of 11 Years (2)


    My wife saw me going back and forth from the mansion.


    The Count said in an anguished voice. Due felt it was strange. How could he have deceived his wife for 6 years  no, in fact, it was much longer if you considered the time when Anna Marie was pregnant.


    My wife harped on the matter. ming me on infidelity was just the start of it. She med it on me learning bad habits from my noble friends and acquaintances...she even brought out anecdotes from when I was low-ranking. I couldnt stand it.


    At times like that, a man can never best a womans mouth. Especially so when one has a guilty conscience.


    Even so, I was in the wrong. Although my wife was able to bear a child, I did not have faith in her and relied on another woman. Thats why I stayed silent and listened to all herints, enduring till the end. I thought she might keep it up for the entire night, but I totally did not expect her to nag about it till noon, the next day.


    He might have been joking, but nobodyughed. The atmosphere in the room did not allow for it.


    ...Nevertheless, the nagging rxed momentarily after that.


    The Count was a noble and Madam Josphine was of simr descent even though she was of slightly lower ss.


    The Count assumed that she would understand that he was doing everything he could to preserve the bloodline and maintain the family.


    But, he was wrong.


    It was when everything simmered down and I painstakingly arranged for a meeting with Anna Marie.


    The Count grew quiet.


    He sent a fleeting nce to Uni.


    She respectfully distanced herself from the Count.


    Dispense with the formalities,e here.


    And sheplied in a reserved manner.


    The Count heaved a sigh and continued his monologue.


    It was probably something that she did not want to be asked of, as much as possible. Her expression became gloomier.


    ......One day, Josphine braced herself and told me. She suspected that Anna Marie had cheated on me.


    The Count spoke indignantly.


    He probably did not believe it was true.


    He appeared to firmly believe, even now, that his jealous wife fabricated it.


    She said she had already found her secret lover. And she imed in glee, that if I met Anna Marie, the truth woulde to light. She did not spare a thought for me.


    Due was amazed at how he could say such shameless words. Wasnt he being too selfish to expect her to be considerate to him even though he hadmitted adultery first? Due himself was an uncultured man, but in any case, he could not agree with what the Count expected.


    So what did you do?


    Tullius urged him to continue. He had most likely wanted to prevent the Count from straying into idlyining about his wife. Even now, the story was rather long. As a fellow listener, Due wanted him to get to the point and finish it.


    Cartan openly showed his displeasure and continued.


    I tried to meet her. Though it did not go as nned. When I summoned her to the main residence, Anna Marie...oh my poor Anna Marie! It was in as day that she was worn out and defeated. It was certainly not the face of a woman whomitted infidelity. What had happened to her was something else...Ahh, I cannot even put it into words.


    The Count covered his face as he said.


    Due could sense the direction the conversation was heading and he could feel his face stiffening naturally.


    The secret lover his wife conveniently captured.


    The worn out mistress whom he summoned.


    Connecting the two, a revolting plot emerged.


    Despite it being so,


    So you say it is hard to put to words, huh.


    This guy, Tullius, held no consideration for him.


    If I cannot hear about the details, then I have to respectfully decline here, though?


    Watch your mouth, brat!


    Sure enough, the Count stood up in a fit of rage.


    At this rate, he might possibly jump over the table between them and hold Tullius up by the nape of his neck.


    In order to prevent that,


    Lord Count


    It was none other than Uni.


    Please calm down.


    Cartan was bbergasted at Unis monotonous rebuke.


    That was probably natural. The reason he was unable to describe the exact details was because he was trying to be considerate to this girl whom he believed to be his daughter.


    B-but, Anrietta


    Shouldnt it be fine, Count Cartan?


    Marquis Lavalle, who appeared to be observing quietly, finally interrupted.


    It is quite obvious that this girl is still unconvinced that she is the daughter you speak of. Expressing oneself candidly might be more productive then.


    Even your Excellency, Marquis?


    Count...


    He spoke in a deep, ghastly tone.


    Continue with the story. This will not be resolved if you dont.


    ......I apologise for my impoliteness.


    As though he could not swallow his indignation, Cartan sternly nodded and apologised.


    He continued solemnly.


    ...... Anna Marie who had been used of adultery wasrgely taken aback. She was so shocked that she fell from the chair she was made to sit on. The moment she saw that, damned Josphine She imed that thismoner woman had been unfaithful! She imed that Anna Maries shaken expression as evidence of such. Anna Marie could not even defend herself. From how I saw it, she panicked not because she was afraid of being used, but because she felt directly threatened. Another way to say it could beshe sensed danger to her life.


    Ahh, I see.


    Tullius appeared to have understood something. Danger to her life. In short, a kind of physical danger. And the false charge of adultery.


    With all these information gathered, anybody can easilye to a conclusion what had truly happened.


    Basically, even if she did notmit adultery with another man, one way or another, that had to turn into reality. The Count was trying to say that Josphine must have nned and plotted to do that.


    It is not possible to know if that was the truth or not. It had happened 11 years ago at an unknown family. What is certain, however, is that their marital rtionship was at a state where the Count would have such suspicions.


    Sorry, please forgive me for asking impudently. What happened after that?


    Ahh...Josphine brought the court officials to her side with her countless connections. From start to end, she gave Anna Marie a hard time and said that the faultid with her.


    ......Court? By court, do you mean the High Court of Justice?


    Tullius spoke in a shocked voice.


    He must have been surprised that such an organisation was involved. Due thought.


    The High Court of Justice was the name of the institution that governs the judges of the Arquell Kingdom. They are mainly in charge of administering justice, rmending new legition to the throne, and etcetera.


    Honestly, it was a ce of gathering for aristocrats and civil officials and has little to do with Due, who lived his life with the sword. Just remembering the general details that somebody told him of what happens in the High Court was enough to make his head itch.


    After all, it was quite unusual for his wife to not care about appearances and use her connections. Though Due did not know what kind of rank the civil officials at the High Court held.


    The Count red at Tullius.


    I would like you stop interrupting me.


    That was disrespectful of me.


    Tullius apologised obediently. Well, it is true that urging a person to continue with the main story and breaking his train of thought was a somewhat disrespectful act.


    No matter how I appealed for her innocence, my words held little weight as they believed that I was blindly covering for my lover. Everybody was saying that it was a good opportunity for me to prove who was the legitimate family. In the end, Anna Marie was thrown out. Anrietta was also caught up in it too.


    A tragic tale. His wife must have bribed the officials so that they would pass a heavier sentence. Also, the youngdy who had turned six years old was also used to be the child of from her adultery. Either way, it was nauseating to imagine what had conspired behind the scenes.


    It was difficult to prove Anna Maries innocence. Nevertheless, I thought I should at least save Anrietta who had no reason to be punished too. However, when I had finally managed to control the situation, I received word.  that Anna Marie had been thrown to slums where public order was poor.


    The Count had to cover his eyes as he was about to tear up. Countless new smudges formed on his handkerchief.


    I was told Anna Marie and our daughter fell into the hands of a ruffian.


    If Uni was really the daughter of Anna Marie, Anrietta, that must mean she had been sold to the ve market after that.


    And then, Tullius Oubeniel purchased her.


    The story was starting to make sense.


    I thought both mother and child had passed away. I never thought I would see them ever again that was how I lived on until today  by some miracle, I was able to meet Anrietta today.


    Unable to control himself, the Count turned to look at Uni.


    What does he see in her face? Did he see traces of the sweet memories he shared with his lover or perhaps the warm memories he made with her daughter in the short amount of time he spent with her? Or was he thinking about the times he will spend with her from now on?


    In any case, he had finished his long story.


    Tullius then said.


    So what does the Count want to do with her?


    Naturally, to take her back. I shall rightfully give her the status that befits my rightful daughter.


    The Count replied, brimming with determination. From his retelling of the past and the emotions he had shown to Uni, that was an answer to be expected.


    That will once again, cause a ruckus from your wife, right?


    She will not have a word. If it reallyes down to it, I would do what I have to do and make the heartbreaking decision.


    His words implied that he would divorce his wife. His daughter, even though she was from a concubine, had already fallen to a ve. Considering the circumstances, he has no choice but to take a firm stance against his wife, even though she had faithfully followed him for many years.


    ording to the Count, Lady Anrietta had been given an exile order from the High Court?


    What can I do about it?


    It was Marquis Lavalle who had cut into the conversation.


    It is not like she is a stranger unrted to the Count. And the Count is so happy at reuniting with your long-lost daughter. Since it is a coincidence that I bear witness to this reunion, I can offer my assistance in this auspicious event, despite my fragile bones...


    What the heck is he trying to say, that was the first thing on Dues mind. Everything here was the plot of the Marquis.

 Chapter 29: Ghost of 11 Years (3)

    Chapter 29: Ghost of 11 Years (3)


    Finally he can understand what he was trying to pull. The whole goal of this conspiracy was to remove Tullius longest-serving and most valued asset.


    Uni had been concealing her true abilities from outsiders, but one can infer how strong she is from her nickname as an adventurer. He must have been thinking that such an asset is too dangerous to be in Tullius hands.


    And she has been serving Tullius for many years. She most likely has the most information about her master. Surely they would not be able to get anything out from her mouth, however, that is something that one can only find out after obtaining Uni. Any good strategist would mark her as a target for capture.


    The worst of all was that at this point in time, Tullius had no tricks to prevent the progression of events. There are too many witnesses to escape by force or to brainwash everybody. Even if it was possible, it is quite certain that some unnatural evidence would be left behind and an investigation could result from it.


    Ahh, I had forgotten the most important thing..Is there any proof that she is your daughter, Lady Anrietta P Cartan?


    Tullius fought on, but it was likely to be futile.


    Lord Tullius...as her father, do you think there is a chance that I will mistake my own daughter?


    The Count refuted contemptuously.


    Her shade of ck hair and her jade-like emerald eyes...Anrietta had been born with an exact resemnce to Anna Marie.


    Surely you had more than a single lover with ck hair and emerald eyes?


    Are you still trying to argue!? Even Josphine had mistaken her for Anna Maries spirit! That is enough to prove that this girl is my daughter!


    No, I am referring to a more concrete kind of evidence...for example, a simr mole on her back or something.


    Marquis Lavalle appeared to be rmed. Tullius had likely heard from Victor that it was amon trait between father and child. However, against an experienced strategist like Lavalle, it was likely to only appear as a bluff.


    Count Cartan red at Tullius.


    ......I shall ask you. How long have you owned my daughter?


    ......It has been 11 years, Count Cartan.


    Due expected Tullius to show some hesitation but he replied frankly.


    It was inevitable. It is not difficult to conduct investigations to figure that out and Marquis Lavalle had likely done his preliminary investigations on it. If he lied, it would cast a negative light on Tullius and might make it worse for himter.


    Cartan scoffed.


    I have been separated from my daughter for as long as that too.


    With this level of coincidence. Even I believe that she is Lady Anrietta.


    Lavalle quickly recovered from his internal turmoil and stepped in to trap Tullius.


    Also, many other guests saw the ruckus earlier. Perhaps among them, some of them may recognise... her mother, Anna Marie? There are many people who can tell that they are mother and child, no?


    There could be as many witnesses as he wanted. Especially among those who stood to gain something from the Marquis.


    That was why he decided to make this unforgettable event, a reunion between father and his long-lost daughter, ur in the middle of the wedding. Gossipers would spread news of this throughout the entire capital...if not the entire kingdom.


    If it came down to fielding witnesses, Tullius stood no chance. After all, he was most hated by other nobles. Many would testify against him, conversely, none would testify in support of him. No matter how notorious Lavalle was as a schemer, it pales inparison to Oubeniels notoriety as a ve murderer.


    He waspletely checkmated. Hmph...


    Tullius made a long sigh. A long and deep sigh. ......I am deeply impressed by your Excellencys wisdom. As a person of lesser standing, I am humbled.


    And then, he bowed towards Lavalle. He was surrendering. At the very least, there was nothing he could do to retaliate in this situation.


    The Marquis narrowed his eyes. Apart from celebrating his victory against his prey, he was also praising Tullius ability to gracefully ept defeat. In any case, it was a expression that only victors can make.


    Please wait.


    Uni spoke up. Her expression was the same as ever before, but her voice trembled.


    Once again, Due could feel a strong chill. Uni was emanating such a strong aura that it felt that it might explode anytime. Beneath her irond expression, waves of emotions surged as though it was a stormy sea. In the worst case scenario, even Tullius might not be able to calm her down. That was the extent of her anger, Due thought.


    What is it, Anrietta?


    Nevertheless, Count Cartan carefreely asked her. Was he really a former court magician? Due could not help but wonder.


    No matter how skillful she is at erasing her aura, it was quite a level of anger and murderous intent. Anybody worth his salt should have already sensed it.


    I apologise for everything before, but...I am Uni.


    Uni continued to insist. That she was just Uni and not Anrietta P Cartan.


    It was all pointless, Due thought. At this juncture, even if the person in question imed not to be the person, nothing woulde out of it. In the end, even if she screamed and shouted that she wanted to remain with her master, it would only appear to the nobles that as a long serving ve, she had been excessively brainwashed. Well, that was exactly what Tullius did, only that he actually did mess up her brain.


    There was also the problem of reliability of testimonies. Cartan was a court magician who had distinguished himself with service, while Lavalle was the leader of a faction that imed to be number 1 in loyalty to the court. Not to mention that they would have already prepared evidence for this situation. Inparison, the other side was Tullius, the ve murderer and alchemy-obsessed child, and a ve. It was in as day who the nobles would side with.


    The matter would only progress towards Cartans victory, no matter what master and servant said.


    Even if Count Cartan waspletely lying about Uni being his daughter, Anrietta.


    You poor thing. Are you still saying that, my daughter, Anrietta...


    ......Tullius Oubeniel. Seems like you have trained the Counts cute daughter very well.


    The two nobles scowled at Tullius, as though he was forcing her to defend him. Other nobles are probably going to make the same assumption. The more Uni tried to protect Tullius, the less favourable the oue will be for Tullius. This entire ploy...Tullius had lost.


    Cartan became worked up. As expected of a former court magician, or if the story until now was urate, Unis father. Seemingly in response to her anger, he seemed to be channeling his magic.


    .......Please use your ability, or talent to sense her aura, thank you. Due thought to himself.


    Uni was almost at her limits. What would happen if she turned her murderous intent into magic and directed it at them? If Tullius does not immediately order her to stop, surely the two old bones would be killed. An indirect way of suiciding.


    Of course, Tullius would not permit bloodshed at this time and ce.

 Chapter 29: Ghost of 11 Years (4)

    Chapter 29: Ghost of 11 Years (4)


    Release.


    Crack. A dry crackling sound. The sound came from Unis throat.


    ......Ehh?


    It was an awfully idiotic voice. One might describe it as age appropriate.


    Uni was dumbfounded. It was just the moment before Uni would have murdered the Marquis and the Count who might be her father. The young girls expression remained the same but she was actually being suppressed and was paralysed.


    A hard object fell to the ground, rolled on the floor and hit the wall.


    It was the cor. The silver cor, the origin of her nickname, came off.


    Lord Tullius, what have you done?


    Oh, your Excellency. Surely a former court magician like yourself would know of this level of magic? Tullius referred to the events, which happened in the blink of an eye to the Count, casually.


    This man was truly careless. Had Tullius not stepped up, this person would have been ughtered by his own daughter.


    Nheless, this was an unexpected measure from Tullius.


    It is the magic to erase the contract that binds us as master and ve. Well, this was actually my first time using it.


    Release. This was the one and only effect of it. With the masters own will, the chain that bound the ve to her maste was destroyed. That was all. The destruction of the cor was thorough. The cor that fell off Unis neck vanished into silvery dusts of sand. It would probably be impossible to recover the cor once again.


    This was the first time he saw Release being used. It was extremely rare in this world for a master to free their ves.


    Since it hase to this, I imagine it would be more peaceful for all of us if I freed her myself.


    M-Master?


    Uni faced Tullius and spoke in a grating voice.


    Due could see that she was trying to ask why?. Laubert was surprised too.


    Uni looked like she was smiling while crying.


    Please let this be some joke. Such was the expression on her face. I can smile as much as you want, if you please let that wish be true. She pleaded with her eyes.


    For somebody who was called Silver Wolf, her expression was far too fragile.


    An admirable deed, lord.


    Not at all. Anybody who submits to your Excellencys might would naturally go to such extents.


    Tullius said while bowing deeply.


    Dispassionately and detached, he continued.


    He intended to hand Uni over to the Count.


    Why? M-mas


    Ah, please stop addressing me as that.


    He mercilessly cut off her attempts to cling onto him.


    His tone of voice was ridiculously polite too. While he was speaking to ady, he had never taken such a friendly tone. He spoke in a way to get his point across.


    It is not good to continue speaking like a ve. Doing so would greatly sadden his Excellency. Just like how I do, please use a more friendly way of speaking.


    H-How could I...M-Master, such a way of speaking is


    Smudges were formed on the carpet on the floor. She was crying. Uni lost herposure and was crying.


    He would have cried too. Being separated from her master whom she had devoted everything to. Not to mention that he did not even try to prevent it.


    Unis devotion to Tullius was apparent. It was like being abandoned by her god.


    However, there was nothing more that he can do.


    It was the only way to survive given that they had no way to defend against this conspiracy by Lavalle and Linus. Otherwise, he might be charged for ruining the formal ceremony by having a dispute with a noble family of equal standing and be punished by the head of family, Linus, for a just cause. If that is so, then he should try to minimise the damage and gain Count Cartans forgiveness by giving up on her. Speaking from the point of view of effectiveness, this was the most appropriate solution.


    Marquis Lavalle pleasantly smiled.


    Yes, yes. Lord Tullius is not only a Viscount but also the second son of a Count family, while Lady Anrietta is also the daughter of a Count family. It is befitting for both of you to treat each other as fellow nobles of equal standing. I heard much from your brother, but as a young man, you are quite capable of discerning right from wrong!


    Not at all...


    Tullius evasively smiled as well. Is now the time to be smiling? Annoyance welled up in Due. Unlike Due and Drei who had been picked up, Uni had been apanying him since he was young and she was about to be snatched away. He had no choice but to abandon her, but surely he could have made a more honourable expression?


    So I take it that you are fine with me bringing Anrietta back?


    Count Cartan asked haughtily. Tullius was notoriously known as a ve murderer and man-eating snake. To take her daughter back from such a person, he must have felt the need to use such an authority. He saw him as a cold-hearted person who needed no respect.


    Oh? Are you returning home without continuing with the rest of the ceremony?


    ......How could I dare to show my face now?


    That is true. Then I shall personally exin the situation to my brother.


    Finally, Tullius stood up from the sofa and opened the door for him. He was ridiculously polite and humble. Laubert and Victor had spent so much time and effort to correct his etiquette, but to no avail. Yet why is he only behaving so well currently?


    Well then, your Excellency. I shall take my leave.


    Yes. Do take care, Count.


    It was as though Lavalle was the owner of this ce. Even though this was the building of the brother of the head of the family.


    Nobody raised a protest regarding that. The girl who should have been most dissatisfied waspletely absent-minded.


    One might assume the world would being to an end from Unis expression. She was pulled away by hand by Count Cartan.


    Then, when they passed each other.


    How long are you going to act like that? It is very troubling. Pleasee back to your senses and fulfil your duty.


    ......


    Once you have calmed down, take your time to reflect. Think carefully on how you wish to lead your lifea lifes journey is very long, after all.


    Tullius speech sounded clichd and was a poor attempt at consoling her. One could not tell if her heart was closed shut or not. Even then, Uni turned back and looked pleadingly. Tullius wanted her to give up and did not spare her even a nce.


    The distance between the two grew quickly.


    By the way, is your Excellency returning? Wont the newlyweds be unsettled by the disappearance of their matchmaker for this long?


    While holding the door open, he spoke to Lavalle who was inside the room.


    He spoke as though he had forgotten entirely about the whole fiasco with Uni.


    Mmm...I guess so.


    While puzzling about why Tullius held no lingering attachment to his servant, Marquis Lavalle stood up from his chair.


    The same applies to Lord Tullius, doesnt it? As the grooms brother.


    Indeed, indeed! Yes! If we are going back, we should make haste!


    At longst, he started to speak in an exaggerated manner. He was so loud that he could displease the other party who was leaving. Certainly, as somebody who had lost to Lavalles scheme, one could understand the need to cozy up to him in order to prevent future hindrances. Yet, shouldnt he be less obvious?


    While Lavalle appeared to be in a good mood, to Due, he had very cold and harsh eyes.


    He was suspicious at Tullius who has yet to show any signs of being dealt a blow.


    Well, well...It is good to show concern to your elders. However, it is not praiseworthy to be too humble to others without a good reason as a Viscount who has been conferrednd by the kingdom.


    As expected, the Marquis spoke sharply.


    Even if you bend your head low, I will not hold back. And I cannot see any reason why you are doing so. In fact, you are the enemy of my faction. You are a noble of the rural area defying me from the borders.


    Tullius decoded his gaze as such.


    I am grateful for the kind warning


    Due felt goosebumps from Tullius words. Light shone fiercely from his eyes as he smiled. It was not an expression that he showed his experimental subjects. It was not something as joyful as that. It was not an expression towards an obstacle. It did not contain the right level of indifference. It was the light of contradiction, a mixture of hatred and cold rejection.


    It was first time Tullius Shernan Oubeniel showed his hostility.

 Chapter 30: The Room Without Her (1)

    Chapter 30: The Room Without Her (1)Previous | Chapter List | Next A dream.She saw a dream.A distant day that yed out a long, long time ago.In front of her was a small, yet stylish house.She went past the door and entered the corridor. She opened the door.There was a woman doing needlework by the firece.......Mama!Oh-ho, what is it? What a waste of your cute face, no?The young and beautiful woman stopped her work and greeted her crying child warmly.To avoid injuring her daughter, she ced her sewing tools by the side and embraced her gently into her chest.Her emerald eyes reflected the emotions and anxieties of an affectionate mother.The child sobbed and whined.Um...Ev-everybody was mean. T-They said they didnt want to y.Oh dear...did you have an argument with your friends?The child swung her head side to side in response to her mother.After a short pause, she painfully told her mother.......They didnt want to be friends with me.There was no way she could have had an argument with non-existent people.This child had not a single friend.The mother gloomily lowered her brows.Surely, she had a clue about what was happening to her daughter.The child continuedining while being unable to empathise with her mothers distress.Your mother cheated!Making friends with nobles is unfair!Thats what all the other adults say!Commoners hate stories of upstarts too.Especially so if it was about getting closer to nobles, who were a pain in their butts.Particrly, in the case of this mother and daughter:ying with the kept woman is going to infect us with disease!You get infected with an embarrassing prostitute disease!Thus, they hated the nobles kept woman and her child.They were half baked existences that could neither be considered amoner nor a noble. Since she was a woman who stood together with their oppressors and her daughter, the child of such parents, the masses whocked authority and wealth probably to be a target to beat up and release their pent-up anger. Instead, they would likely only show their disdain and talk behind their backs so frequently that even their children would remember what they have said.Sob...The mother found it hard to control herself and embraced her daughter.M-Mama?The child looked at her mother strangely.Sorry...sorry! Because of me!Drops of warm tears trickled down to her cheeks.Mama, are you crying? Are you hurting somewhere!?No, I am fine. I am fine...but I am sad that you had to sufferThe mother shivered while choking on her words. She was definitely ming herself for everything. If she had been born to a proper noble, she would not have to be ill-treated by the children ofmoners. If she had been born to a wealthymoner, she would have been able to make new friends.Because I am a no-good parent, I have caused difficulties for my daughter...No...even Mama is crying...The daughter who was in her arms twisted and turned at the unease she felt.Mama isnt no-good! Among the adults I know, Mama is the kindest!Sniff...thank you for saying that.The mother bravely returned a smile to her daughters childish constion. Then she caressed her head gently. The child smiled at her mothers warm sensation.I love Mama! Thats why I want to grow up to be like Mama!The young mother could not help but strain her smile slightly. Her way of smiling appeared to be hiding some kind of pain.That is no good. Not good.She tried her best to correct her in a joking manner. The child blinked her eyes in surprise.Eh! Why?I am sure that you will be an adult more upright than me.She looked as though she was praying or dreaming.Compared to me, who is amoner, you have the noble blood of your father. I am sure you will be a wonderfuldy.Papa?Yes. The papa that you love dearly too.She spoke with a slight tinge of red in her face.He is a splendid and kind person. He has been saying that her wife will not be able to calm down now, but one day, he will wee you into their household.Papa will bring me in? Note here?Their house is far grander than this. And then, he can spend more time with you too.Really!? Papa will y with me more often!?The child shouted in exhration. She must love her father. Just hearing about her father makes her so happy.Towards her innocent smile, her mother forced a smile.For that day toe, you have to study hard!......I am not allowed to just y?Right, you arent allowed to. You have to listen to your papa.The child moaned in protest, but soon, she seemed to have noticed something and looked up.......What about Mama?Eh?If I follow father, what will Mama do?The child seemed to have realised that her mother avoided talking about herself. She sounded unsure again. Her mothers expression became clouded.......I will not be able to go.Why?The wife will be enraged at me.She squeezed slightly harder at her childs hand.It hurts...Ah!? Sorry...I suddenly...The mother quickly tried to soothe her child who started crying again.Once her daughter became calm again, she continued.......Mama cannot go. Because Mama isnt the legitimate wife of papa.Mama isnt a wife? Even though Mama is so loving with papa? Is it different from the storybooks?Man and woman meet, fall in love, marry each other and build a happy family. A usible story from a fairytale for children. The mother gloomily nodded.Yes...Because Mama isnt a wife, you have had to sufferShe said and hugged her daughter closely again.You shouldnt be a woman like me. Please do not be a mother who makes her own child cry. Do as your father says and be an uprightdy. Please...be a beautiful bride one day.Will Mama be happy if I be a bride?Of course, Mama will be very happy.With her hand, she gentlybed her childs hair.Make a promise with Mama. If you ever find somebody you like as much as Papa, make sure to be his bride.Make sure to never be like her, and end up being looked down upon as a mistress. She was probably trying to convey this implicitly.Bride of somebody I like...The child clumsily repeated what her mother said. She was still a small child. Definitely, she did not understand the meaning and the weight of love. Nevertheless, she seemed to have perceived her mothers fervour and soaked up her wish.......Mm! I promise! I will definitely be a bride!She dered aloud. She was undoubtedly smiling from ear to ear as she dered. Good. Do not forget it. Okay? Anrietta...The mother was smiling like a budding lily....And so, the mothers wish was carved into her childs heart.Be an uprightdy.Find a wonderful romance.Be a beautiful bride.Surely such a pure and innocent wish wouldThat must be a glitch.The girl who awoke from her dream shivered as she said.

 Chapter 30: The Room Without Her (2)

    Chapter 30: The Room Without Her (2)


    He wasnt one to fantasise about the wedding night, but it wasnt like he had been hoping for this either. Linus Strein Oubeniel could feel a sense of depression welling inside him.


    My humble apologies for the disturbance.


    Marquis Lavalle made a smile as he made himselffortable. He leisurely sipped his tea while sitting cozily on the sofa. He made sure to not dirty the formal clothes he wore during the banquet.


    On the other hand, Linus was wearing a pair of casual pants and a gown on his upper body. It was not a fitting appearance when in the presence of guests, not to mention towards a Marquis, but it could not be helped since it was this hour of the night. Also, he had just finished making love, took a bath and rushed here for this meeting.


    If you are apologising, you could have at least waited until morning.


    Linus did not hide the stiffness on his face.


    Unfortunately, something happened at the banquet. Anyways, what do you n to do if the other guests noticed the groom escaping from his bedroom so early into the night?


    Everything had ended and he was just about to sleep when he was called here. It was good that he was called afterwards. If he had been in the middle of it, he would feel very uneasy about it.


    And I was already chided by Simone.


    As one would expect. Thats why I called for you at 1 am.


    The Marquis shamelessly dered.


    Linus could feel an impulse to smash up his wrinkled ailing face.


    Dont make that face, Count. It is a waste of your handsome face.


    ......It iste. Make it quick.


    He urged him to continue while enduring his irritation.


    He had been joking around but for him to so suddenly call for him would mean that it was likely something that required an immediate discussion.


    It is none other than your younger brother.


    As expected.


    Linus was both in name and in reality a member of the centralist faction. There were many things he could be discussing with the Marquis on such matters, but for him to call him up thiste, it had to be about none other than Tullius.


    What has happened to him? Did you not witness theplete sess of our n?


    At the very least, that was what Linus was thinking.


    He had no choice but to let his first ve  a being equivalent to his arms and legs  be taken away. And he had to personally sign off her as the illegitimate child of a Count. For somebody whocked political power in the capital and was as hated as he is, he would never be able to find a way to break free from this conspiracy.


    The n had gone exactly ording to how the Marquis imagined it to be. Still, the Marquis was currently fretting over something.


    He did not resist as much as I had expected him to.


    That was all? Linus sighed.


    Thats just by appearances. He is not one to show his emotions easily. In fact, the more his heart is in turmoil, the more he likes to stick on his friendly grin. Im sure that is what happened.


    As far as Linus can see, Tullius had taken a rather huge blow. He managed to keep up with his fake smile even after the ceremony. However, there was not one thing that went smoothly for him. In short, his smile was nothing but a bluff.


    Or simply put, if he had not showing his frustration or anxiety, he must have his emotions behind a mask.


    Hoh! Well observed. As expected of brothers.


    ......Please stop with the jokes. Besides, surely your Excellency has already foreseen such a possible development?


    Lavalle was a person who had spent more than twice the age of Tullius at scheming. There was no doubt he couldprehend the bluff of a greenhorn who had only spent a year in politics.


    Hmm...about that.


    The Marquis rarely mumbles.


    More often than not, he would speak with great confidence or try to amuse himself by controlling the flow of the conversation.


    What has happened?


    ......That brat. I could tell that he was trying to hide his anger, indignation and anxieties. I could see his hostility in his eyes and mannerisms. However


    Lavalle stroked his beard as he said.


    He was steadfast.


    Was steadfast?


    The Marquis momentarily made eye contact when Linus parroted back.


    Exactly. Your little brother has tripped on our n and lost his most treasured asset. Then, shouldnt he be thinking of countermeasures?


    Now that he said it, that was certain.


    He reflected back on his countless of experience with himself and this old man. He would normally think of a counter as soon as he understood the possible ways the trap could y out. And while thinking, signs of hesitations should surface. Observing the level of hesitation in somebody else was usual fare for Lavalle.


    Tullius understood his defeat and started ttering Lavalle with his mask without a trace of hesitation. In fact, before the Count made any requests, he took an extreme measure of removing the cor of a ve.


    That was simply too quick. He should not have had enough time toe up with a countermeasure. Indeed, it was abnormal.


    So is this what you are trying to say? Tullius might take action even after being caught in our n?


    Perhaps a way to reverse the situation?


    Which means that was what he was thinking of when he realised his defeat.


    That would be the best interpretation of the situation.


    The Marquis nodded.


    Also, your younger brother had freed his ve  Lady Anrietta  by his own hands. Which means the possibility of him aiming to recover her is low. Therefore, the other possibility isyou understand now?


    ......In order to escape from the next phase of our scheme, he will try to escape from the capital.


    Linus made a small moan.


    It was no joke. There was no other better opportunity than now to murder Tullius. He had few people with him and was far from his stronghold. If they let him escape now, he could run back to his base and y hide-and-seek from there. If he managed to get away, he would restart his progress on forming his own faction. It would be exponentially more difficult to target him.


    This was not expected. That he  a demon who massacred all his ves, except for her being the exception  would abandon her and run away.


    ...Seems like he would run away. After all, it was about protecting his life as a noble. It seemed that he could not be concerned with a single ve nor his honour. If he chose to take her back, that would mean pitting against Count Cartan. Not only was it a losing fight, but it would also cost him time too. If he prioritises his own life, he would not do something as meaningless as that.


    He would not do anything meaningless. Right, that was a principle of his.


    So, I believe there is a chance that the brat  your brother, would attempt to flee tomorrow.


    Oh, so that was what the Marquis was concerned with.


    If that was the case, then it makes sense that it was an urgent business. It was certainly important enough for him to call him out even though it was in the middle of the night, not to mention his wedding night. Still, it was a separate matter altogether on whether he can pleasantly receive the Marquis.


    I shall instruct my men to tighten surveince on him. At the same time, as my right of the head of the family, I shall inspect all forms of letters in advance.


    He could easily make an excuse that he has to make contact with his fief. In fact, the wheat harvest was nearing. He could say he has gotten wind of the poption rioting and escape from the capital. Even if he tried to investigate the matterter, he could report that it was resolved with a discussion.


    In order to safeguard against that, it was essential that he use his authority to keep his letters and ensure he is never able to read them.


    If worstes to worst, he could fabricate a letter, but that would not work if he keeps up surveince on him and prepares for it. In this circumstance, he could also question the origins of the letter.


    Lavalle seemed to have the same opinion.


    That should be fine. I shall also send people who are good at acting stealthily.


    ......I am greatly in your debt.


    Linus lowered his head while hiding his annoyance. He wasnt about to wee the Marquis spies in his own mansion. However, if this was the price to pay for cornering Tullius, there was no reason for him to decline.


    Well, lets go as nned.


    Yes. Let us prolong his stay until we are ready to strike again.


    The n was to trap Tullius until the faction he was making at Man loses contact with him and are alienated, while further plotting against him directly in the capital.


    The doll-like maid not being able to act as shackles were beyond their forecast, but the conspiracy will proceed nheless.


    Anrietta P Carta. No, the Silver Wolf.


    He had sent an adventurer group called Band of Green to investigate and they reported that she wasnt a threat but there was no way he would believe that. After all, she was a monster that had lived on for 11 years as a ve of the ve Murderer. She probably knew how to conceal her abilities. The dimwits he sent must have been deceived by her acting.


    Linus was fully aware that many of the things that Tullius did in the shadows were likely 80 or 90 percent carried out by her and that she was extraordinary as can be inferred from her nickname.


    It was sufficient to have removed her from Tullius. All he has to do now is to make a fine meal of him, who was isted in his territory.


    The sense of victory drawing near was intoxicating enough to make up for Linus ruined wedding night.


    Nevertheless, Lavalle had to be a wet nket and gave him some final words,


    ......Do not let your guard down.

 Chapter 30: The Room Without Her (3)

    Chapter 30: The Room Without Her (3)


    Moving back in time by a little.


    It was around when the banquet ended and most of the guests were leaving, when those who were staying over went to their respective rooms.


    Tullius retreated back to his room the moment the celebrations ended.


    He then fished out something among his luggage and immersed himself in some kind of work. Due and Laubert remained silent while watching his chilling tenacity.


    ......Alright.


    What Tullius had nimbly put together was a pedestal with a crystal. It appeared to be a mini-altar that had been luxuriously decorated with gold and silver  one that a pagan would have to secretly worship their gods.


    Its true identity was a long distancemunication magical equipment.


    The original equipment was much bulkier, but he had spared no concern for the cost of the materials and went all out to create a smaller model which could perform better. Moreover, he disassembled it and ced it inside his travelling bag so that it could be used portably. It was the same thing they used when they were hunting monsters as well as what was given to Drei before she attacked the elf vige.


    Thest time they tried, it was able to allowmunication between the outside the country and the undergroundb in Man. Since they were within the country, surely there would be no issues with using it.


    Hello Command, this is Master. I repeat. Hello Command, this is Master.


    ......This is Opus-3, Command. Reading you loud and clear. Your instructions, master.


    The magic-infused crystal vibrated rapidly, transmitting Drei''s reply. Of course, a barrier has already been erected to ensure the conversation does not leak outside the room.


    Without a change in expression, Tullius gave his instructions to Drei, on the other side of themunications.


    An emergency situation has urred, we will stick to n D. Mobilise all of the Opus Series. Over.


    n D...


    Drei gasped. What he was referring to was a battle n that they decided beforehand for the most extreme circumstances. It was a n that even Drei, who had single-handedly crushed the elf vige, would shudder faintly at the thought of it.


    Something had happened such that Tullius would activate all of his masterpieces.


    Do you copy? 03


    Y-Yes! My apologies! Due to the emergency, we will activate n D. Mobilise all the members of the Opus Series. Over.


    Positive. Do you have any other questions?


    Tullius dispassionately gave out his orders, with aposure akin to Unis coldness. At any rate, things progressed efficiently. Nothing else mattered.


    Such was the way of speaking of an inhumane machine.


    I believe that member 04 is dangerous.


    Tell him that no tactless dining out is allowed. When the need arises, give him themand Take a good look at my face.


    Roger. Also, wont 05 be too conspicuous?


    With some dressing up, it will be alright. With some essories and it should work out.


    He gave out his instructions with some secret lingo just in case somebody could listen into the conversation. From Dues perspective, Tullius had lost his cool. Yet, he was calmly angry. This was because Tullius Shernan Oubeniel was not somebody who would suggest bringing out the entirety of the Opus Series. Not to mention that Linus could interfere with Man if the remaining of the Opus Series, who were supposed to safeguard Man, were mobilised here.


    Even if the mass-produced products like Victor were enough to deal with the interference, a normal Tullius would never choose this option.


    Any other questions?


    ......Lastly, what about the travelling expenses for us?


    None. Thats why I said it was an emergency from the beginning. Go through all the travel ns by yourselves.


    What!? Ah, forgive me...Wilco. Opus-03 will definitely execute masters orders. Over.


    I will be waiting. Over.


    Drei who was clearly shaken did not hesitate in her choice of words and Tullius cut off the signals. Without a doubt, he was irritated. Usually, Tullius would have added a joke or two when conversing with his subordinates.


    While Tullius was dissembling the equipment and keeping it back into the bag, Due called out.


    Are we really doing it? Master.


    Didnt you hear what I said over thems?


    Without a pause in his hand movements, Tullius replied. Just like as he was during thems, there was a cold slicing sensation in his voice.


    Is it alright to abandon the chief maid? Isnt there a chance she could get involved?


    Laubert expressed his apprehensions.


    n D  the n to use force to escape, might possibly implicate Uni. However, their master replied curtly.


    ......And so?


    He was trying to say, so what of it? Due felt a sh of fire rising to his head.


    You!!


    He was about to step out but his foot stopped in mid-air unnaturally.


    It was the order that was inserted during his brain surgery. No matter how much he loathed or felt disgusted at his master, he could not raise even a finger against him. It was clearly still in effect.


    Hasnt Uni...that girl...showed you the greatest loyalty among everybody!?


    He cried out. He did not have to say it.


    Due did not hold any romantic feelings for Uni. Considering that she was almost fanatical like their master, he would more likely ssify her as disliked. Nevertheless, he knew very well how loyal and how hard she works for her master. In fact, he felt pity for her who had been released by her masters own will.


    And yet, the culprit who made her what she is could utter,


    Yes. What of it?


    He acted as though he had not given it one thought.


    In fact, she wouldnt want to be a burden to me.


    Stop acting like youve always had!"


    However, she has now been abandoned by her master. She was a pitiable woman, who cried and tried to cling on, but failed to achieve anything and was taken away.


    Would such a woman die for her masters sake now?


    The operation on her brain was of the same generation as Dues. Their emotions were left intact, whereas their sense of betrayal was reced with obedience to his orders. Now that she was separated from Tullius, who knew what she was thinking.


    Are you worried about Uni? Knowing her, she would be able to do something.


    Even after being that shaken? Laubert said.


    Due felt the same. It was harsh seeing Uni mentally breakdown. And she did not even put up much of a fight when that old noble pulled her away. With her current state, it was hard to say if she could even bring out half her usual capabilities. Would she be able to single-handedly deal with the average ruffian like she always did? Would she be able to adapt to the chaos that n D would bring?


    Hmm, in the time before we execute our n, there should be sufficient time for her to calm down. I estimate with 80 percent likelihood that she would be fine.


    80 percent...Well, I think the rate of survival is on the high side. Anyways, isnt it another issue of whether it is okay to leave her here?


    You fear the leak of information? That would be a waste of your concern.


    Tullius promptly sat down on a chair after keeping themunication device.


    Even if she was tortured, there is no way she will disclose anything since I have tinkered her brain to never do anything intentionally to disadvantage me. I expect them to have no choice but to directly investigate what I have done to Uni by checking her body. But what can the alchemists of this country achieve? Nothing happened too, when I was at the Gallerien Magic Academy..


    The Gallerien Magic Academy was an institution based in St. Gallen, and they are at the forefront of research in magic. If Academy failed to produce any meaningful investigation, then the Arquell Kingdom which was behind them would surely be unable to find anything.


    They would learn nothing even if they decided to dissect her. After all, I am not at a level of surgical skill where I would leave behind any traces. The brain is a delicate organ and if I left anything big enough to be considered a clue, it might have already caused some impairment to brain function. In fact, rather than causing any damage, what I did was to fix her brain and facial scars. Not even a full rundown investigation can produce any clue.


    First of all, she was the beloved daughter of Count Cartan. There was no way he would agree to torture or even dissect his own daughter.


    The spections he made were disgusting. How could he speak of the girl who had supported him thus far like this? He made it sound like he would not have a problem even if Uni would be cut open. He knew he had very little humanpassion, but he didn''t know that he was so devoid of it.


    Even the cold-blooded Laubert appeared to have a frown on his face.


    ......Which means we wont be attempting to rescue the Chief Maid from his Excellency?


    Yes, we wont make such a move. Escaping from the capital is our utmost priority.


    His conclusion was to not rescue her.


    Tullius leaned back in his chair.

 Chapter 30: The Room Without Her (4)

    Chapter 30: The Room Without Her (4)


    Previous Page | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 Also, there is a chance that her body would be returned to us.


    Body?


    Due instinctively blinked at what Tullius had just said.


    What was he trying to say? Did they not already mention that Count Cartan had just been reunited with her beloved daughter?


    Surely you understand, Laubert?


    Well, I can guess to some extent.


    Hey, fill me in. Exin it properly.


    The two of them stared at Due like he was failing student in school.


    Didnt I say so before the banquet? A political marriage.


    Laubert mixed in a sigh as he said.


    The high nobles in the capital would have heard enough about his Excellency from Marquis Lavallee to not carelessly approach his Excellency, and Uni who is at marriageable age. Where do you think a suitable partner can be found?


    I wouldnt know of such a...


    He was unfamiliar with the ways of the nobles. Asking him was pointle wait a second.


    D-Dont tell me!?


    He realised.


    Tullius, with an amused expression, gave a round of apuse to Due who was wide-eyed in shock.


    Well done. Thats right...Count Cartan is that kind of person.


    Being a Count based in the capital, Cartan would have definitely heard rumours from Lavallee. Since he would harbour animosity towards the person who made his daughter a ve, it was unlikely that he would personally head down to Man even if he sends an invitation to Man. More importantly, his daughter was Uni. If she were to be able to return to Tullius, maybe she might happily ept the marriage.


    The truth was likely that it was a strategy that would lead to Tullius death and that her job would be to lengthen his stay in the capital for as long as possible. It would be dangerous if marriages to other suitabledies were arranged with Tullius too. It was not a far-fetched idea that they would attempt to do so.


    Would the Count agree to it?


    That was the crux of it. Why would he hand over his most treasured and beloved daughter back to Tullius, of all people? So long as Count Cartans im that Uni is his daughter was not a lie, it seemed like he would not agree to this.


    If that is the case, then


    Nope, the Count was probably telling the truth.


    The theory Due had at the back of his mind was shot down.


    Tullius continued.


    When I bought her, I could tell that from her body that she led an aristocratic life and most importantly, had an above average magic power. Considering that she is of roughly the same age as Anrietta P Carta, it highly unlikely for there to be anybody else other than her.


    ...Up until now, havent you been interested in Unis past?


    Well, Ive only been interested in her abilities. Additionally, at that point of time, Unis memories were all in a blur because of the trauma she faced. So I did not have much of an opportunity to ask about her true identity. Actually, Uni herself would probably have greater difficulties remembering that she was once Anrietta.


    If that was the case, it was harder to imagine that Count Cartan would be on board with this.


    Still, Laubert shook his head.


    He would be on board, or at least be made to go with this n. No doubts about it.


    Heh, arent you showing way too much confidence? Where is your proof?


    The Cartan family was built in a single generation by Count Pierre Simon Cartan. Thends he had been given is considered small whenpared to his title. Since he is a new established aristocrat, he did not have anynd given to him from the kingdom. ...In other words, he would be in opposition to thend-owning nobles and would be part of the centralist faction.


    In conclusion, the rtionship between Cartan and Marquis Lavallee was not one built on friendship but of political interests.


    To add on, since his family was recently established, not only does his familyck history, but even now with this scandal, his position in the centralist faction would surely be diminished. And what if the leader of the faction, Marquis Lavallee decides to ask him to hand over his daughter for marriage? ...He will not be able to disagree. Isnt that right?


    Tullius continued to assert his argument.


    Certainly, if he values the familys position, he cannot refuse. In the first ce, he sought after a mistress in order to preserve the bloodline of the family. He did not get involved with Unis mother, Anna Marie, because he wanted to y with fire. He merely wanted to achieve a certain result. He would definitely be pained to lose his long lost daughter, but he would eventually make the heartrending decision to hand her over.


    If it was Lavallee at the heart of this plot, he would pick somebody whom he would not feel bothered even if he had to sacrifice him. As deduced, Count Cartan was unlikely to be influential within the faction and would be a prime choice for sacrifice. The other members in the faction were mostly people of families with a big social standing and rich history, so it might be difficult to persuade them to be the sacrifice and even if they were forced to listen to the order, they might be another problemter.


    He would lose his daughter by the very same authority that allowed him to gain his long lost daughter. ...How ridiculous.


    Tulliusmented.


    It was truly ridiculous. Truly hopeless.


    Lavallee probably would try to finish things up while he was still in the capital in order to attach a cor onto Tullius. Tullius estimates that it would take less than a month for him to be done.


    The reunion between father and daughter was just a fleeting dream.


    While it might be bad news for Count Cartan, that doesnt mean it is the same for the rest of Cartans family. ording to the Count himself, not long after Uni was born, the rightful sessor was born too.


    What Laubert was trying to say was that the shrew, Josephine, managed to give birth to a son in that period. A child they had when they were both in their forties. He does not know how he was raised, but in essence, that was what the Count mentioned in his long story. If the son died prematurely because of birth defects, then he would have been talking about making Uni the legitimate sessor instead. Since nothing of the sort was mentioned, it is safe to assume that that Cartans son grew up normally.


    Mm. If Uni returns to the family, it was also be a reason for a domestic squabble. Hence, the people around the Count would try to get rid of her. If things go sideways, men who might try to marry into family could appear.


    Not only would they secure themselves as a descendant of the Counts family, they can also be married to a peerless beauty in the process. For young nobles, such an opportunity would surely be irresistible.


    To prevent infighting over the inheritance, he would look for somebody withnds far away from the capital. For example, a certain somebody who works as a viscount at the edge of the kingdom, a man with an unknown rtionship with his daughter.


    This would be extremely pleasing to the legitimate wife, who once ousted Uni.


    ...Certainly it seems that everybody apart from the Count will not be a good thing. However, would Uni want toe back to your side now? Why would she go being a treasure sword to bing an old scabbard?


    Due was particrly doubtful about that. Wouldnt Tullius simply be chased by bothersome things and end up losing his asset?


    Nevertheless, Tullius refuted him.


    If that is the case, Uni has truly be a treasured sword. She would not be easily swung.


    Huh? What do you mean?


    Do you not understand? The Uni from Man that went through all of this was both Uni and not Uni. She is the Counts daughter, Anrietta P Cartan. I would not try to make such a highly esteemed person fight the way I have been making her do. If Count Cartan got wind of it, he would angrily press for a divorce. But, even before that


    Laubert took over Tullius exnation.


    if his Excellency were to make the woman he should be protecting stand on the frontlines, his Excellencys social position would falter immediately. While there are many nobles that became adventurers, it is entirely unprecedented for a married woman to continue doing so. In fact, if she was ordered to do so by her husband, the rumours would be even more intense than the human experimentations on ves. That would be more than enough reason for his Excellencys brother to punish his Excellency.


    Indeed, she had became a treasured sword. No matter how smoothly she can cut, she was a sword that could never be swung. A person would only injure himself by recklessly swinging this sword.


    The joker that Tullius held on his hands became the old maid.


    Ah, so the only use for Uni would be at most as an alchemy assistant.


    Furthermore, there is no need to patiently wait for me to use Uni. The public should have sympathy for the Count who has to turn over his long lost daughter. If carefully utilised, he cane up with false charges against me out of the blue. For example, he could im that I used the fact that she was a former ve to look down on her or to force her to do disgusting acts in the bedroom. If such rumoursst long enough, Count Cartan could use it as a reason to intervene.


    Either way, Uni will be used as a tool to pressure Tullius. It was sickening.


    Knowing that she was a crazy woman, or more like a woman crazy in her loyalty towards her master, hearing about such a future was enough to make Due feel like running away.


    ......How cruel. If Uni catches wind of this, she might kill herself on the spot.


    Not possible. If she killed herself, her reason for doing so will be spected and be used as an attack against me. After all, she went from being a ve to a noble in a single night. Many woulde to the conclusion that for such a lucky person tomit suicide, her spirit must have been broken due to the mistreatment she faced during her time as a ve. That would be the thoughts of any respectable noble. With her intelligence, Uni should be able to guess this oue no matter how weak she has be.


    It was too cruel.


    Even dying was not an option for her in this circumstance.


    Now that it hase to this, the greatest mercy we can offer to Uni is n D.


    Laubert earnestly dered.


    Its the Chief Maid we are talking about. Between her own existence and his Excellencys benefit, she would not hesitate to discard her life. Amidst theing cmity, nobody will suspect she took her own life if she was found dead.


    Well...


    As he tried to make a reply, he noticed a slight moisture in his breath.


    It basically meant that Tullius wasnt thoughtless towards his longest serving and most loyal subordinate.


    The expression Tullius was holding now was no longer the anger and anxiety he thought he saw earlier. It appeared to be anguish. Was this simply a trick of the mind?


    Nevertheless, the verdict by Tullius was still as ominous as before. In order for him to escape from the capital, he called for his subordinates to throw their lives away if they be a hindrance during the turmoil.


    (......Hey, wait a minute?)


    All of a sudden, Due had a sudden realisation.


    Wasnt there something strange about what Tullius said?


    If n D was executed, Uni will die. Die by her own hands.


    While he spoke of her death as though it was set in stone, what did this man say earlier?


    I estimate with 80 percent likelihood that she would be fine.


    80 percent.


    He was referring to her chances of survival after executing n D.


    There was no coherence between her definitely dying and the fact that if shemited suicide, it was a situation where one cannot suspect that she took her own life.


    ...Why? Why was there such a contradiction?


    ...Hey, master.


    Huh, have you finally understood?


    Tullius revealed a smile to Due.


    It was his first smile ever since they returned to the room and he put on a solemn expression.


    At first look, it was tender loving smile, but in fact, it was an inauspicious smile that possessed arrogance and insolence.


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 Chapter 31: Silver Wolf Revived (1)

    Chapter 31: Silver Wolf Revived (1)


    Previous | Chapter List | Next My humble apologies. ...Are you awake, mdy?


    She turned to face the person who called her in an unnatural way. The maid opened the rooms door and was looking in nervously.


    ......How may I help you?


    She responded in her normal t tone. The maid was bewildered at Unis choice of words.


    Sorry, mdy? I am the servant, there is no need to be formal with me. Yes. Please be rxed in addressing me.


    ......


    Only now did she realise that the person before her was a maid like her; in fact, she was a maid that was her junior. Therefore, there was no need for her to be overly respectful with her.


    However, she did not dare to put it into words. She had spent a full night before understanding that doing so could possibly put her master in an unfavourable position.


    ......Then I shall take you up on that. What are you here for?


    Yes. I am here to inform you that it is time to wake up, but mdy is already awake. I havee to help you change.


    I can do it myself.


    No, please let me...


    The maid had a troubled look on her. That was to be expected. It was most likely that the butler or chief maid had been given detailed instructions from Cartan.


    Thinking about how troublesome it might get, she decided to let the maid help her.


    What do you wish to put on?


    Frankly speaking, Uni wanted to have her maid uniform back. And if possible, her chief maid armband too.


    When she was brought in by Count Cartan, she had her uniform swapped with sleepwear, so she was now wearing normal clothes. Her mind waspletely in a daze since then.


    Her uniform was first-grade, personally handcrafted by her master. Even if her body was autopsied, no clues would be found, but the same could not be said for her equipment. Low grade materials were used to allow the uniform to appear inconspicuous, but it should not deceive a trained eye. Uni feared that if it were to be analysed, the enemy would be able to infer her masters technological capabilities.


    Also, the maid uniform was an important gift that her master bestowed on her. When it was decided that she would start adventuring prematurely at the age of 10, she was given protective armour by her master. She had requested it to be an apron dress. She repeatedly insisted that it was so that she could be reminded that her entire existence was to serve her master whenever she was on the battlefield. He had been rather surprised at the request. Still, he quickly designed it and tailored a masterpiece. Since then, whenever she grew taller, her apron dress was redesigned and she would be given a new one.


    It was one of the few precious possessions she got from her master. It was proof of her memories with her master.


    It carried a mountain of affection and attachment to her master, but unfortunately, she would never be able to wear it again.


    Mdy?


    ......It is nothing. I dont really have any preference, so I shall leave it to you.


    Absorbed in the past, she identally said something unfitting her status. Topletely leave somebody in charge of her clothes would also mean to push the full responsibility to that somebody.


    She could recall how troubled she felt whenever her master did the same. She could not defy him nor say she was unable to do it, so she devoted herself to studying male fashion. Recently, she had been adding thetest trends by consulting Victor and the rest whenever there was a chance to.


    Taking a deep breath, she calmed down again.


    She had gone off point again. She had yet toe to terms with reality. Even though she was now neither maid, nor adventurer, nor even a ve, she still could not ept it. On one hand, she was slightly satisfied at the fruits of herpleted education, but on the other hand, she believed that performing what she has learned would cause trouble for her master.


    If she could not behave in a way that would satisfy Count Cartan, he might use it as a reason to me her master, who had rescued and raised her.


    My apologies, that was thoughtless of me. I take back what I said.


    She bowed to the maid who waspletely dumbfounded at her request. Because her bow was way too deep, the maid panicked even more. Measuring the right amount of seasoning was such a bother. Seriously, the weight of a nobles head was too heavy.


    ......Do you mind showing me what is there to wear?


    If that is the case, then the clothes are kept in this closet.


    She became evidently relieved and guided her to therge closet inside the room. Inside the closet were enough clothes for ady around her age to wear for a full year.


    She took a random set of clothes to test and it seemed to fit her.


    Didnt I arrive herest night?


    Ah, the clothes here belonged to the madam, your mother.


    She promptly replied to her doubt.


    Mother. These belonged to Anna Marie. The Count must have secretly kept them here. The more she examined the clothes, the more the clothes did appear to be out of fashion. They were clothes that appeared too in for a nobledy. She could understand, however, if Anna Marie wanted to avoid the attention of others.


    Still, it was amazing how he managed to keep this from his legitimate wife, Josphine. She was a deeply obsessed and jealous woman who had framed Anna Marie and hired hooligans to assault her. She was a brutal and merciless woman that even got Anna Maries daughter raped and disfigured her face before selling her as a ve. Count Cartans infatuation with his lover must have not been normal, to have kept this many of her possessions from Josphine.


    ....


    Leaving that aside, she started to consider among all the clothes.


    What clothes should she choose?


    Considering that she had met almost none of the family members because of how hurriedly she was brought into the residencest night, this would be her actual unveiling to everybody. She had many other things to think about, but dressing up well here would surely be of some benefit to her. However, it was ultimately just a first impression. If she dressed up to the nines, it might leave a bad impression on Josphine and the heir whose name she did not know, and it could possibly be used as evidence to criticise her upbringing. With that said, if she dresses too conservatively, it would upset the Count who wanted to show off his daughter to everybody. Finding the right bnce was challenging.


    How about this?


    After some hesitation, she picked up a scarlet one-piece.


    It was a design that was mildly showy for just wearing at home, but for a woman with fair skin like her, choosing a in colour would cause her to look dull. She had always been an attendant waiting behind her master, so picking dull colours was suitable, however, this time she focused on choosing something that went against her instincts. With that in mind, she aimed for the colour red, which was likely to be eye-catching and not too fanciful.


    Sure enough, as the maid helped her put on the clothing, the maid beamed in great delight.


    I think it is a brilliant choice. As expected of a person with the blood of high nobility.


    She was too insensitive. It was her bloodline that led her to where she was now. She could now empathise with how her master felt when he wanted to hide his talents and avoid the seat of power. There were too many details that she rather not pay attention to and too many things she would rather not do.


    Nevertheless, she knew that the maid held no ill intentions. For somebody randomly assigned to the Counts long lost daughter, she was a rather kindhearted person. Even though she did not possess magic powers, she wanted to bring her back, have her undergo the brainwashing and make her a subordinate.


    She freely contemted about such matters as she let the maid change her. It did not take too long for a trained hand to change her.


    The mirror reflected a familiar, yet unfamiliar person.


    Wow, mdy is so beautiful! Mdy must be the most gracefuldy among the four countries. The head of the family would be able to hold his head proudly.


    Uni stared at the mirror motionlessly as the exaggerated praises went in one ear and left the other.


    The person she saw was a living copy of the Anna Marie she faintly remembered from her memories. She could somewhat understand how Madam Josphine could mistake such a person as a ghost. There were some minor differences in their hair length and expression, but it was entirely possible for somebody to joke that they were two peas in a pod. In fact, her dead expression was a reason why others believed she was a ghost.


    It might not be simply the result of the Countess delusions that she saw Anna Maries ghost. Once could sense the depth of grudge of the woman from theherworld by looking at the girl in the reflection.


    Did she want Anrietta Cartan to be weed into the family to that extent?


    Somehow, she managed to suppress the repugnant words that were about to emerge from her throat.


    Something was really wrong with her. If she was functioning normally, she would have wiped the vulgar thoughts clean immediately.


    Still, she had to avoid any big mistakes, even if she was underperforming. At the very least, she needed to maintain her wless record until n D was executed.

 Chapter 31: Silver Wolf Revived (2)

    Chapter 31: Silver Wolf Revived (2)


    Before we start with breakfast, there is a person I wish to introduce Come in.


    At the same time when the person on the other side of the door heard the Count, she opened the door to the dining hall. The youngdy, who became her direct master from yesterday night onwards, gracefully stepped into the room and smoothly transitioned into a bow.


    She is my daughter, Anrietta.


    I am Anrietta P . Pleased to meet everybody.


    She lowered her head in sync with the Counts introduction.


    Standing behind her, the maid felt only strong satisfaction from her clear voice and elegance. Last night, when she heard that the head of the family, Count Pierre Simon Cartan, had reunited with his long lost daughter and brought her back, she was greatly shocked. She was so shocked when she was told that she would be her attendant, that she forgot her manners and responded with a single Huh?. What boggled her mind the most was the alluring beauty of this youngdy.


    Her delicate skin was lily-white and herrge emerald eyes looked like jade. Together with her well-shaped cherry blossom lips and her straight nose, she was so beautiful that one might consider her to be from a painting or a statue that came alive, rather than an actual human being. She looked pale from exhaustionst night, but now that she had somewhat recovered from her fatigue and put on make-up, she looked absolutely dazzling.


    (I heard that she was born from the mistress, but oh my, who would have thought that she would be this much more prettier than her mother.)


    There was a saying that one could perceive the looks of a mother from looking at her daughter. A wife as jealous as her would never leave out any possibilities.


    The butler and waiters, and of all people, her half brother, appeared to be captivated by her. Other maids like her were either feeling bitter at the difference in their beauty, hiding their faces in embarrassment, and some even had eyes of longing.


    The only exception was,


    (Wow as expected, it wouldnt work on the madam)


    Madam Josphines face went pale and started shivering in fright. She heard that the Count, who was apanied by Lady Anrietta, took ater carriage to return homest night. Her husband, who had been so overjoyed at reuniting with the child of his mistress, stayed behind. The humiliation she felt must have been unimaginable. And to add on, she was the person that instigated the whole scandal of kicking the mother and child out 11 years ago. Everybody who worked in the residence knew that as a fact.


    I know some of you already know, but she had been unfairly implicated in her mothers wrongdoing. However, she will probably be proven innocent by a second trial by the High Court of Justice, which will happen soon, and we will officially wee her into the family then. Some of you might think it may be too hasty, but please, treat this child well.


    It was as though Count Cartans words were rubbing salt into the Madams wounds. It was the same as dering that what she did in the past was wrong. It should deeply hurt the pride and authority of the first wife. Clearly, such an insensitive act would rekindle the jealousy of the Madam.


    (I only hope that my mistress would not be dragged into this fight, though.)


    First of all, her wish was likely futile. When Josphine expelled her mother, she listened to nobody and framed her with adultery. This was the daughter of the woman she hated so much, and this time, her daughter had both youth and beauty. There was no way that such a jealous wife could control herself.


    Since she was now Anriettas attendant, she could not pretend it was somebody elses business and felt uneasy.


    Well then, how could we let you keep standing like that. Have a seat, Anrietta.


    Yes Father.


    In the instant she said that, the Counts dignified look vanished and loosened.


    While it was unbing of a person of his age, she felt that it was impossible to control ones emotion when called like that by a cute daughter. After all, he had lost his daughter before she grew to independence. To react with a wide smile was more or less normal.


    Yet, was it actually possible for Madam Josphine to ignore that, despite her obvious flushing and swelling of eyes?


    She kept her thoughts away and helped Anrietta take her seat by pulling the chair out for her.


    Since it is breakfast, I usually wouldnt ask to raise our sses but let us at least celebrate the return of my daughter.


    And with the Counts cue, breakfast began.


    Oddly, breakfast was quiet. Not even the traditional grumbling of the Madam and clearing of the throat by the Count. The Count was bashfully gazing at his daughter having breakfast, while Madam Josphine appeared to be looking around to find an opportunity to say something.


    The Madam probably wanted to make some snide remarks if Anrietta made any discourteous behaviour. Unfortunately for her, she used her tableware wlessly and even drank without making a single sound.


    She heard that she worked as a maid for an aristocrat before her reunion with the Count, so perhaps she remembered the proper manners from then? Her wless conduct could only be described as admirable.


    On the other hand, the eldest son, the heir, made clinks and nks while handling the fork and also loudly slurped the cold-served soup.


    Cough, cough.


    S-Sorry, Father.


    Finally, he was startled by his father, whose good mood was ruined. One might not be able to tell who was actually the child that was just brought into the house.


    She wondered whether it was right to pamper a child, even if it was a child who the Madam gave birth to in herte childbearing ages. The person in charge of his upbringing was none other than her master, Madam Josphine. Being highly strung up and overly protective, she let him constantly pick up bad habits, so much so that everybody now refused to take on the role of teaching him.


    And what they were witnessing now was the result of her overzealous parenting. The maids who were often ridiculed by the Madam, did not go as far as to smile in such a situation, but there were darting nces at each other.


    However, now that she is Anriettas maid, she could not feel that way. That was because the Madam would now be using the master she now serves as an outlet for her humiliation and frustrations.


    Finally, as the meal approached its end, Josphine fired the first volley.


    ......Anrietta


    Yes. How may I help you, maam.


    Way to go, she thought. As the trial had yet to ur, she was still not yet considered innocent. She was not of status to address the first wife of the Count as stepmother before obtaining approval to do so. There was much thought in Anriettas reply, but surely, the Madam would take it the wrong way and think she was being impertinent.


    In any case, it wasnt like she could please the Madam either. What the aging olddy wanted was to nitpick and find ways to condemn her.


    Sure enough, the Madam twitched her brows.


    Honestly, it is quite surprising that you are such an elegantdy.


    I am most thankful. But, surprising?


    Indeed. With only your face as the exception, your manners arepletely different from your mothers. She didnt seem to know how to sit on a chair.


    ... Josphine!


    Count Cartan couldnt help but intervene after she made such an improper remark. What Josphine was referring to was probably that one time when Anna Marie was expelled. She heard that when the Madam used Anna Marie ofmitting adultery with another man, she was so shocked that she fell off her seat. If the incident was entirely fabricated by the Madam, then just falling off her chair would be considered a light reaction inparison to the the usation she faced. If it was her, she might have fainted or even have a heart attack.


    But really, the Madams jealousy and arrogance was hardcore. To think she could utter such words to the daughter of her husband, who was recently brought back home. No matter how much confidence she had in her status as the first wife, couldnt she have at least controlled herself until the Count was no longer in sight?


    Still, Anrietta was impressive. She did not even flinch at the outright insult at her mother.


    For the sake of my mothers name, I wish to contribute as best as I can to the family.


    Such was her reply. She showed modesty, defended her mother, and even retaliated against the insult on her mothers name in a single sentence.


    She could hear many gasps in the dining hall. With this, many of the family members would probably no longer see her as simply an illegitimate child, but as a well-refineddy. The other maids in charge of her were also amazed.


    When the maids met her for the first timest night, she looked worn out and did not say anything before shutting herself in her room. Most of them must have had expected her to be unable to fight back against the Madam since she looked so timid, but to think she could stand up against her like this now. Their worries fromst night were unfounded as they found themselves in admiration for her all morning.


    At this juncture, she would think it is far better to back down, but Josphine wouldnt do so. In the Cartans family, as long as one was female, Josphine would often corner that person with her authority as the Counts wife. If she had her eye on you, the only way to soothe her anger would be to prostrate before her and beg for forgiveness.


    ......Arent you one with a clever mouth.


    Thank you very much.


    Is this how you were disciplined in the previous house? ...The second son of Oubeniel.


    The surrounding people were roused up by the name she stated.


    O-Oubeniel!? T-The second son!!?


    She almost couldnt control herself and forced her mouth shut.

 Chapter 31: Silver Wolf Revived (5)

    Chapter 31: Silver Wolf Revived (5)


    What is the matter, mdy?


    The maid beside her looked at her perplexedly when she stopped. She probably did not hear it. She had spent time training as a ranger by a thief. Her hearing was naturally beyond that of an average person.


    You have been deceived! We dont even know if that girl is truly Anrietta!


    The owner of that voice was Josphine. Which meant that the speaker earlier must have been Count Cartan. There was no other person in the house except for the Count who she would speak to about such things.


    Next, a retort could be heard.


    No matter what you say, this is my decision as the head of this family, to wee that child into the family.


    And that head of family had been deceived by that girl! Any number of girls with ck hair and green eyes can be found from Broussonne. Do you seriously think it is possible that your long-lost daughter would appear at such a time?


    Hmph. That was the same reasoning as the ve murderer.


    What!? What did you say!?


    Josphine raised her voice in disbelief.


    She held the same feelings. He forced her master to free her, and now, he did not even bother hiding his contempt for him. In the first ce, the reason she was not dead now was because of him. If he could call his daughter cute, it would not hurt to show some gratitude towards him.


    YikesIs it the master and madam?


    The maid finally realised there was an argument. In the meantime, Josphines voice became heated.


    Ugh...In the first ce, recognising an illegitimate child now would cause a rift in the family! I have said and will say it again, there is still time to turn back! Retract the report for the trial to the court right now!


    With regards to the peace in the family, the madam was right. The heir in this family was, no matter how you looked at it, inept. Her master could somehow disguise and cover up his deficiencies in behaving as a noble. As for the heir, even his servants did not like him and did not actively make up for his shorings. And finally, a new child appeared. Even if this child was female, it would surely greatly affect the family. There was a fear that the husband of this girl might try to usurp the familys fortunes.


    One way to avoid that was to, as Josphine had mentioned, not recognise the child in the first ce. For every effect, there was a cause; if he understood that this would lead to a negative effect, then all that was needed to be done was to negate the cause for it.


    This was the most cost-effective way to nullify the problem but the Count, who had been captivated by his daughters cuteness, would not ept that.


    Thats enough! If you continue being so obstinate, I have some other considerations to make too!


    Considerations?


    Consider who shouldnt stay in this family between you and the child


    Ah, dear!? What are you saying


    See, as expected. If Josphine does get kicked out of family as the Count had indirectly suggested, the heirs already-weak authority would weaken further. Not to mention the countless people that would take advantage of their domestic squabble for their own gains.


    The other option to deal with the reunited daughter would be to marry her off to a family that could not or had no need to take advantage of the Counts family. So long as Count Cartan did not give up with trying to bring her into the family, this would be the likely resolution.


    Her guess for the most promising candidate would be Tullius. He held territory at a farawaynd and would thus have little effect on the capital. Also, his family status matched up and most importantly, he had a deep connection with her. The Count might dislike such an arrangement, but Marquis Lavalle had likely nned this out a long time ago. By using Count Cartans family, which was under the Marquis control, he could indirectly interfere with activities happening in Man. In the worst case, he could make use of her to get Cartan to nder Tullius and execute him. One did not need to think deeply to guess what might y out next.


    She did think that this was an opportunity to be his bride. Or more like she yed around with that idea. However, that would not be what Tullius wanted from her. He would rather not have the burdensome existence known as Anrietta P Cartan with him.


    That was why she was hinted of n D and ordered to counter by killing herself in a way that appeared to be murder.


    (Rest assured, master. I will definitely be sessful.)


    She herself had wanted to do it. Her desire to be tied in marriage to him were just vestiges of Anrietta and not herself. The romance, or love, rather, that she wanted was not something calm and soft. She wanted to offer her everything, as though a good tool meeting a good user. Bing a couple and bing equals would be outrageous rather than surprising.


    Such lingering attachments were the reason she, who should have been striving to be his perfect tool, became lost, useless and separated from him.


    The spirit from 11 years ago as well as Josphine, who created it, continued to haunt her. That was why she had to cut it short before it became a hindrance to him.


    Are you okay, mdy?


    The maids voice made here back to her senses. The maid was looking at her worriedly.


    This is too much for mdy after all...


    Hmm?


    Lets go back. We wont know when Madam would leave the room too.


    The maid said and pulled her arm along. For a moment, she could not understand what the maid was saying. Could it be, by any chance, that she thought she was fretting over what Josphine had said.


    It was a misunderstanding, but there was no point nor reason she should correct her. By the time she finished her thought processes, they were already back in her room.


    The maid seemed to be rather fixated at what Josphine had said and snorted with satisfaction as they were walking.


    Madam is being very cruel. Isnt she?


    ......


    Questioning the origins of mdy is too much That isnt something to speak to the master about. She sounded polite and all, but she was really just trying to order him! That is just so selfish


    Stop.


    She opened her mouth unintentionally. The maid was shocked greatly.


    Ahh!? M-Mdy? D-Did I displease you?


    It was certainly foolish to step outside her boundaries as a servant. However, she did not mind that. She did not fault her for that.


    What did you just say?


    Eh?


    Please repeat once more.


    She stared at her waiting for the maid to repeat herself.


    T-That is just so selfish


    Before that.


    U-umm Is it, She sounded polite and all but she was just trying to order him?


    That was it.


    As soon as she heard that, she had a shback of yesterdays night scenery. The scenery when her master told her.


    How long are you going to act like that? It is very troubling. Pleasee back to your senses and fulfil your duty


    Maybe it was because she was hinted at n D at the end; somehow she had clearly forgotten what he had said earlier. Those words were what he said to her at that time. They sounded like they were for the daughter of a Count, but werent they orders to her?


    If she was ordered to kill herself, wouldnt it be sufficient to just indicate that they were using n D? Such a long-winded way of informing her to do her duty was unnecessary. That was how Tullius Shernan Oubeniel thinks.


    If so, what was the true intention?


    Please,e back to your original duty


    Come back to your original duty. She understands it. She was unsightly at that time. She was overly shaken by the loss of her cor, as she did not expect to be separated from her master. Under those circumstances, it would not be surprising for him to judge that she would not be able to understand a roundabout order to suicide.


    Then what else did he say afterwards?


    Once you have calmed down, take your time to reflect. Think carefully on how you wish to lead your life


    a lifes journey is very long, after all


    (Ahh)


    Life was very long.


    That was absolutely not something you say when ordering to die.


    He still had no intention to dispose of her.


    Then she should not be nning to die. Neither should she simply carry on shamelessly living like this. Without a moment to lose, before the n goes to fruition, shouldnt she return to her masters side!?


    ... You are brilliant.


    Yes? What do you mean?


    Without paying too much attention to the blinking maid, she fell back into deep thought.


    She was an idiot. The answer had already been there, and yet she could not even see the question.


    This was a bug, a problem that had been with her some time ago. Once they seeded in escaping, she would definitely head straight to theb to get some tuning.


    (Returning to my master...)


    The broken parts had returned to where they belonged. It was simr to what happened to her 11 years ago, but there was something different about it.


    Back then, Anrietta became Uni.


    However, now she is back to being Uni.


    She would return to his side. Oveing all difficulties in doing so. She would not let Cartan and Lavalle get in her way. She needed to get everything prepared and ready before the timees.


    This house had that and above all, this was Broussonne. It was the ce she had grown used to for many years and was also the hunting grounds of the Silver Wolf.


    With resolve, Uni lifted her face.


    And she decided.


    Tonight she would make her move. Since right now, there was barely any time left.

 Chapter 31: Silver Wolf Revived (4)

    Chapter 31: Silver Wolf Revived (4)


    After the breakfast, she returned to her room and heaved a sigh of relief.


    Acting as a noble was ufortable. It was hard to move in her clothes. And most agonisingly, her neck felt empty.


    She longed for the weight of silver that she had gotten used to. It was proof that she was his ve, proof of their contract with each other, and a keepsake of their 11 years together.


    Her master destroyed it. The mistakey with her. If she could clearly remember what had happened in her past, her master would have been able to predict and prevent this incident. She believed in that.


    Anrietta P Cartan is a ghost from the past, a person disconnected from the current her.


    Now that things had gotten to this state, she could now recall the events that transpired in her past. The days she spent with her mother, theughter of her father who came to visit once in awhile, and finally, the day when she was broken beyond repair.


    One day, she and her mother were chased out of their homes. She was unaware in the midst of the chaos then, but she now knew that it had to be Josphines ns. Her mother was assaulted by hired thugs and because of that, Josphine could use her of adultery and banish her from her position as a mistress. The innocent and carefree Anrietta did not realise anything apart from her mother being in low spirits that day. Naturally, even if she was aware, she would not have been able to do anything as a six-year-old.


    And then, they were expelled to a shack in the slums. Before they had time to get used to the inconvenient and rundown conditions, Josphine appeared. Together with a group of disgusting men.


    The fierce woman had no intention whatsoever to let the mother and child of Cartans lover off with just using them of a crime. She said so herself. A whore would always stay a whore, she said. As long as you continue living, you would just cozy up to another man to climb the ranks, she hissed. As such, she would take the wretched face she needed to maintain her business, she raged.


    And then, upon her signal, they vited her mother. The wave of humans overwhelmed her and enjoyed their sacrifice like animals.


    Just when she thought it was over, it was her turn. Unable to hold back after Anna Marie had been assaulted, Josphine turned to look at her daughter who moved not an inch ever since the beginning. She violently attacked her.


    She carefully and conscientiously destroyed her facial features. After fracturing her bones, she would purposely heal her with defective magic so that it recovered in a crooked way, resulting in her appearance as a raw piece of human flesh. And finally, Josphine showed her, the failure of her face with a hand-mirror. Josphine made sure to force open her inmed eyelids so that she could have a good look.


    Anrietta P Cartan probably died at that instance. Not when she was assaulted without reason, nor when her motherid t on the ground without moving.


    She wanted to be a splendid woman.


    She wanted to be in a wonderful love.


    She wanted to be a beautiful bride.


    This pure, innocent and dreamlike wish was entrusted to her from her mother. Such were the dreams the young girl vaguely held onto.


    The moment she realised that it became impossible, she no longer thought of herself as a human being.


    When she finally regained some form of consciousness, she found herself thrown and sold at a ve market like a ughtered pig.


    And then, they met.


    ...You, what is your name?


    She remembered that she was troubled when a random boy asked her that while her mind was still in a thick fog. Anrietta was the name of a human. Definitely not the name of a dirty b of meat like her. That was why she replied honestly that she did not know.


    The moment she spoke, she lost her consciousness again as herst bit of energy left her.


    The next time she awoke, she was in a dimly lit cer. She was in a state where she could not move, and there was a boy single-mindedly working on her destroyed face. There was some pain, but she did not feel like telling the boy. She was already a dead person with a moving heart. She was the shell of a former human. That was why, even if she was cut into pieces, she did not mind. If possible, she wanted to slip away as quickly as possible. Not too longter, she smelled a strange scent and fell back to sleep.


    This went back and forth for an entire week.


    Yo, number 1. Today is the day I will remove your bandages!


    She did not know how to reply as she gazed up.


    She did not understand the meaning behind his words.


    The 6 years of her life experience that she umted had already been dispersed into fine pieces. At that point in time, she did not even possess the basic knowledge of responding like a human being.


    As though he was moving a corpse, he pulled her to a chair to sit and made her face a mirror. Before this, Josphine had made her stare into a mirror to crush her soul. After her heart broke, she no longer thought anything of it. She silently allowed him to do whatever he wanted. However, she was deathly avoidant of her reflection, so she kept her eyes shut.


    Wonderful...


    When she heard that, she opened up her eyes.


    The face that she lost a week ago was facing her in the mirror.


    She became overwhelmed with emotions.


    Wait. She no longer had any attachments to her looks ever since she was destroyed and died. The truth was that this captivating person in the mirror was another person. Another person who was, at that moment,pletely excited.


    It is okay for you to be here.


    I am happy that you are here.


    The person in the mirror seemed to be whole-heartedly affirming.


    Her day-to-day life had been disrupted, her very life was threatened, her dignity was stolen, her mother died, and she lost her looks. Thanks to him, she could once again breathe.


    For the first time after bing a relic of Anrietta, she felt the will to live on. In fact, that was not a revival, but a birth.


    The underground cer was the womb. With the boys delight injected into the pitiful girl, she was born.


    Her voice trembled at the realisation.


    T-Thank you very much!


    The first thing she said were her words of gratitude for him.


    Thank you for helping me.


    Thank you for your joy.


    Thank you for being here.


    After her clumsy appreciation, he hugged her.


    ...Why, I should be the one thanking you!


    You did a good job hanging on till now!


    This was a valuable research experience!


    While being enveloped in both his warmth and his faint body odour, she etched his words into her mind.


    Her broken heart was being repaired. Amidst all that, something foreign to the old her seeped in. Perhaps, that was the thing called love.


    As she was reminiscing, her mind wandered to how they met.


    It could not be helped, she thought.


    She had been living as his property for more than twice as long as she lived as Anrietta, after all.


    She was a piece of property that existed to make him happy, to satisfy his demands and to help him reach his goals.


    She reminded herself that she was such an existence.


    However, such days were over.


    The cor to represent that she was his possession was not on her neck anymore.


    As she felt grief and loneliness, she remembered what her master told her at the end. The voice she heard as she left the reception room at Oubeniels residence.


    ...Yes, yes! Right! If we are going back, we might as well go quickly!


    He seemed to be addressing Due and Marquis Lavalle, but in truth, the message was for her, as Cartan pulled her with him down the hallway. For somebody who hated inefficiency and excessiveness, he would not have raised his voice like that.


    If we are going back, we might as well go quickly. Basically, it meant that she would not be recovered and they would use the retreat n. And since he went as far as to inform her of that, it would mean that he wanted her to know in advance that n D would be executed since she would be separated from him.


    And the instruction was for her to die without making it look like suicide during the chaos when the n was in operation.


    Her chest tightened at the thought of it.


    Ahh, my master is such


    (such apassionate person.)


    That he would take the risk of being found out by the Marquis and grant her the honor of taking her own life since she has degenerated into a useless person who would only bring harm to her master. And to allow for it, he created a situation where her death would not be considered suspicious by others.


    Now, there is no need for her to have a protracted life of meaningless. She did not want to die quickly, but to keep living while being of no use to her master was a life worth less than trash, even if she could live a hundred or thousand years. A mountain of trash was still trash. As a maid, she should have been quickly exterminated. It appeared that her master understood her and was showing his gratitude.


    Having received this much favour despite her ipetence, she had to hinder the ns of Count Cartan to attack her master as much as possible. It was her final duty to do her best before she killed herself. She firmly decided.


    Even though she no longer wore the cor, she would definitely aplish the task given to her.


    For that, she has to


    Excuse me.


    Ah, yes. How may I help you, Lady.


    She called out to her maid attendant, and she replied on the spot.


    ...I feel cooped up in the room, it should be fine for me to walk around the house?


    Yes, yes! Please do so! Please feel free to do so. As the master has said, the house is the Ladys home.


    Firstly, she verified that it was not a problem.


    It would be better for her to walk around the house so she does not appear to be brooding to the Count, and also, she would be able to grasp theyout of the house if anything urs. That was the judgement she made.


    The maid took her hand and opened the door.


    This must be the first time Lady is living in the mansion?


    ......Yes.


    She came to this house before, but that was during the aforementioned scandal. Thus, yesterday night was the first time she lived in the mansion.


    May I impertinently suggest that I guide you?


    Thank you.


    The Cartan residence was not much bigger than a viscounts, as one would expect from a new Count. Broussonne was the capital but it did not have muchnd. One might even call the streets cramped due to the walls surrounding the capital in four directions. While Cartan was conferred the rank of Count, there might have not been sufficientnd space to build arge mansion for a neer.


    And this might exin why the Cartan family gets a very good sry from the Court. The residence was well-stocked with things like furniture and art pieces. Thergest masterpiece they have was a portrait of the Count painted by an up-anding artist that they had to pay very well to hire. There was a small signature at the corner of the portrait. She remembereding across the name. It was the name of a person who studied human anatomy in order to create realistic portrait paintings. In one of her masters personal research books, there was an illustration that this person was responsible for. He was prejudiced against her master for carrying out experiments on ves, and yet, he employed a person of his kind to paint his portrait. However, she did not feel likeughing and sighed instead.


    Furthermore, there was ack of uniformity among the artworks she could see, as the other paintings hung in the corridor did not match with it. It was all for show. The only possible exnation she could think of was that these expensive and trendy art pieces were bought at random. She tried asking the maid about it.


    ......Who bought these paintings?


    These are the madams Does Mdy think they are in bad taste too?


    She could see why now. Josphine had been wedded to Count Cartan a long time ago. That is to say, she would have an equivalent status to an illegitimate child of a baron. She was probably much closer to being amoner rather than a noble then. And when her husband became sessful, she became the wife of a Count. She could easily understand her interest in art as a nouveau riche and her jealousy and hatred towards women of low status because of the simrity.


    I am no expert in the arts.


    Openly expressing such an opinion would be cause for trouble in the future. Of course she answered evasively.


    Oh, there is something that Mdy is unfamiliar with?


    Naturally. Since I am human.


    In truth, a persons affinity to art was unrted to whether one was human or not. Opus-4, who puts on airs of a noble all the time, did not appreciate art. Fem would be entirely ignorant of everything except forbat. For the long lived Drei, she would be familiar with Dark Elf culture. She soon realised that among the people she knew, possibly only Victor and her master would be familiar with such things.


    Her master remained indifferent to aesthetics and decorations but was extremely talented when ites to making things. He was so good that he could easilye up with a finalised design sketch for equipment. Also, his creations like Fem were so well-made that Fems eyes could mesmerise others.


    As she became sentimental, the maid brought her about the residence. Well, it was not that impressive of a home. It was an ordinary home furnished with expensive andbour-intensive fixtures. When she asked to look at the servants section of the house, the maid told her that it wasnt a ce fit for a Lady to enter, but she could tell that it was not because she was being humble. For a small house like this, the servants were likely squeezed too. Perhaps even the ve-maids at Man lived morefortably than them.


    On the other hand, there was a in mixing room in the residence, unlike most other homes of nobles. That made it appear like a former court magicians house, but even then, that room was shoddily made. The underground basement that her master had when he bought her was, as a matter of fact, somewhatrger than this. She noticed it when she was in Gallerin; indeed, magicians did not seem to ce much emphasis on alchemy.


    While she was walking and pondering over such things,


    Thats why! Start reconsidering from now on!


    A hysterical shout could be heard.

 Chapter 31: Silver Wolf Revived (3)

    Chapter 31: Silver Wolf Revived (3)


    The second son of Oubeniel. It was a notorious name among the circle of nobles in the capital. Of course,moners who served the nobles in their residences would also have opportunities to hear about rumours. She also heard about him in such a manner.


    She remembered those rumours.


    Tullius Shernan Oubeniel. Also nicknamed as ve-Murderer or Man-Eating Snake. He was a devil that bought ves, brutally killed them, and burned the corpses to their bones in the garden. And he did all that before he turned ten. It was one of the ghost stories that might haunt you in your dreams if mentioned before bedtime.


    Such a name should not have been uttered at all during mealtime.


    For a timid person like that eldest son, he was already covering his mouth with a napkin and staring at his half sister with a paleplexion. And who wouldnt be like that? If what Madam Josphine was saying was right, then Anrietta worked for that monster. The rumours about him were enough to make ones hair to stand, after all. It was disrespectful. but there was no way she wouldnt be the centre of attention in such a circumstance.


    Josphine looked triumphant. Everyone who had initially looked at Anrietta as though she was a refined and intelligentdy started to show a sense of aversion yet intrusiveness towards her. The name thrown out by Madam Josphine had such an effect.


    Yes. It is as you say, maam.


    However, Anrietta was unperturbed.


    The Madams hollow victory faded and everybody looked on in surprise. Even the Count dropped his utensils suddenly, hitting the te with a sharp noise.


    In a smooth transition, Anrietta rubbed her eyes and continued.


    Mastmy apologies, he was the one who brought me back to life without any scars.


    The Madam reacted violently.


    The tablecloth on the table slid, causing the tableware to fall onto the floor and break. Madam Josphine unconsciously raised her clenched fists, identally pulling the cloth.


    The piercing breaking sound enveloped the silence.


    Are you okay, maam? You do not seem to be well.


    As Anrietta said, Madam Josphines facepletely changed. Droplets of cold sweat formed on her face, and her dted eyes were dyed reddish brown like a frog. One might even wonder if Anrietta casted a spell, causing the Madam to turn into an evil frog.


    Brought me back to life without any scars.


    What could such words mean? If the Madam knew the meaning of those words to some extent, then it was easy to deduce what happened. It was said that Anna Marie and her moved to an area with bad public safety after being chased out from their homes, and then, they were met with mishap and could no longer be contacted. Most probably, they werent only kicked out of their homes, and as to what exactly happened, the Madam must have had a hand in it. If not, the few words Anrietta said should not have produced such an effect on the Madam. It wasnt too far-fetched for a woman this jealous to not just separate her husbands mistress and their child but also to finish them off mercilessly.


    Count Cartan managed to discern the true meaning behind those words and came towards a certain suspicion against his wife.


    Josphine, you...


    The Counts growl made the Madams shoulders shiver.


    Everybody appeared to be sending looks of suspicion at how she behaved too. Ironically, her son was looking that way at her too. He knew exactly what his mothers temperament was like.


    The ill feeling towards Anrietta bounced back to the Madam. She spectacrly countered the attack by the Madam, which had utilised the social taboo  the second son of the Oubeniels.


    ...I d-do not feel well. I am going back to my room!


    The Madam jumped out of her seat and tried to leave the dining hall. Because she violently stood up, the chair toppled to the floor loudly. In a strange twist of events, after criticising Anna Maries bad manners with the chair, she herself did the same. Her unseeming handling of the chair was for all to see.


    Ugh!


    After giving onest sharp nce at Anrietta, Josphine left.


    What remained was an ear-piercing silence, a dreadful atmosphere, and the ruined dining table.


    The Count sighed, while the eldest son held onto his fork and knife and stared into nk space. The te that he was eating from had fallen and broken into pieces. In the midst of this ufortable situation, Anrietta stood up and bowed deeply in apology.


    I am very sorry, everybody. I havemitted such clumsiness despite being invited for breakfast.


    Raise your head, Anrietta. Dont say such things like being invited as though you are a stranger. This is now your home, okay? Right?


    Count Cartan spoke in a soft, coaxing voice. It sounded unbing of a Count, but then again, it was the first time he had a meal together with his daughter, and this happened. Considering his daughters feelings, he would have to try to behave as soft as possible.


    Anrietta seemed to have taken the hint and obediently raised her face.


    I am very grateful for the Coufathers consideration. Unfortunately, I have caused the Madam to be angered. I want to express my apologies to her afterw


    No, your thoughts alone are enough. That would worsen her condition. I will ry your kind intentions to my wife. That way, it would cause less conflicts.


    ...I feel ashamed to have caused so much trouble.


    Once again, Anrietta bowed.


    WIth this, Anrietta had seeded in getting the Count to directly help her plead to the Madam for forgiveness. While he was a husband that made her jealous all the time, it was much better than Anrietta personally going to seek forgiveness. She did not know if she had nned this, but if so, she was adept at concealing her true intentions.


    Next, Anrietta approached the eldest son. Fascinated by her graceful movements, nobody could say a word.


    Anrietta picked up the broken pieces of the tes and murmured,


    ......Alchemy.


    As though time had been reversed, the te was back to its original state.


    (M-Magic!?)


    She was amazed. Count Cartan was formerly a well-aplished court magician. It was not too surprising that his daughter, Anrietta, was able to use magic too. But to think she was capable of restoring damaged things so perfectly and with hardly any chanting too.


    Its shape is restored, but it should be more prone to breaking than before...


    She said as she ced the te back onto the table.


    The eldest son''s eyes sparkled.


    A-Amazing, elder sister! There is no need to be so humble! Let me take a look. Wow, the design is the same as before!


    No, I believe it was just a pretentious actpared to father, who was a court magician. I have poorly fixed the te.


    No no no, dont need to be so humble!


    The Counts face cramped up. It was quite likely that the Count was unable to fix broken objects as well as Anrietta did. After a fleeting nce at her innocent half -brother, she turned to the servants who stood behind in standby and pped her hands.


    H-How may we help you, Lady Anrietta?


    When the tes fell and the food spilled, my brothers clothes were soiled Please help him wipe it off quickly or give him a change of clothes.


    Behind her crisp and gentle voice was an intensity that didnt take no for an answer.


    She had splendidly given an order to her subordinates without losing her ss. She behaved as though she was used to ordering servants around.


    The servants who had been ordered were stunned in confusion.


    M-My apologies, mdy.


    Save your apologies for my brother. How long do you intend to leave my brother, the heir of the estate, in such a mess?


    I-I will do it right away!


    The fear-stricken servant pulled out his handkerchief and started to wipe off the dirt from the eldest son.


    The eldest son looked at his sister from another mother in bewilderment.


    Um...isnt that over the top, sister? I can wipe it off myself.


    ......I do not think so.


    Anrietta replied firmly.


    Those who serve others have to always bear in mind to protect their masters appearances. It is absurdly foolish to leave dirt on their masters clothes. Also, since they are working as servants in a Counts family, dont they have to show an equal level of servitude?


    Y-Yes...


    If they do it again next time, please scold them. Magnanimity and generosity are both virtues that a noble should have, but it is also the duty of a noble to guide the people below him And they have been in the residence for much longer than me. Though I believe they would not make the same offence again.


    An all too painful logical argument.


    And Anrietta was still a maid just yesterday. She was harsh on people in her old trade.


    (I-I have to pay more attention too.)


    She engraved it onto her heart. She would be most observed by Anrietta as her attendant. Anrietta had the full rights and responsibility to reprimand if there was a need to. If she carelessly made a mistake, she would surely be scolded even more harshly than that servant earlier.


    Her beautiful, yet terrifying master made a courteous bow to the head of family.


    ......As a neer and somebody who has yet to be pardoned in an official trial, I apologise if I overstepped my boundaries.


    Ha, hahaha...


    Count Cartan raised his voice andughed.


    There was shock, confusion, and above all, joy mixed into his voice.


    No, that was splendid! What you have said makes perfect sense. I am very proud of you.


    Thank you for the praise.


    Perfect.


    From the perspective of her maid, she could not have anyints about Lady Anrietta. She knew her table manners, how to show indebtedness, how to fight back against the first wife, guided her brother, and disyed dignity to the servants. She was also talented in magic, as one would expect of the child of a court magician.


    Furthermore, she could do all these naturally while maintaining the right posture and behaviour.


    Perhaps even the royal pce would not have such a dazzling beauty like her.


    (......Looks like I am now serving somebody incredible.)


    She was thoroughly convinced of it as she observed the Count brilliantly smiling without maintaining the solemness a Count should have.

 Chapter 32: Countdown to a Comeback (1)

    Chapter 32: Countdown to a Comeback (1)


    <strong>Proofreader: King of the End</strong>


    Do you want to make a deal with me?


    A deal?


    When she broke the silence between them, the aged womans eyes became round and a sarcastic smile appeared on her face.


    Hmph, and I wondered what you were about to say... and of all the vulgar options, a deal? You finally showed your true self. A ploy to threaten me and reap benefits for yourself?


    Ignoring the aged womans narrow mindedness, she replied.


    Please do not misunderstand. I have only one wish and that is for everything to return to the way it was.


    The way it was? Are you actually saying you want to be the head of this family


    It seems your misunderstanding of me was far greater than I had expected...


    She finally broke her nk face and made an obvious expression. She was sick of her.


    She knew she was easily suspicious of others but this was just paranoia.


    Sighing at the difficulty of convincing her, she continued.


    I am very certain this deal I speak of will be of great merit to you.


    Stop beating around the bush...Hurry up and get to the main point.


    And who was to me for dying her from her main point? Well, she did not say that as that would furtherplicate matters.


    She decided to start with what she wanted to hear first.


    I am talking about sealing away the ghost from 11 years ago.


    What did you say?


    That must be amon point of irritation for both Madam and I.


    As she spoke, she went closer to the aged woman.


    Until they were at a distance where both of them could smell their perfumes from each other.


    I too, find that Anrietta is in the way.


    This was a nearly impossible event in thest 10 years, but Linus seemed to be in a good mood when he saw his younger brother, Tullius. After all, after he had made his foolish brother stay in the capital, his wry smile had disappeared and his irritation became increasingly obvious.


    Marquis Lavallee made used of his connections to invite both his brother and himself to a social gathering. That has carried on for the past few days. While Tullius had been careful not to reveal his faults in his etiquette during the wedding, he would surely slip up eventually at one of the gatherings. Normally, he remained shamelesslyposed when being scoffed at by others, but currently, he was forced to extend his stay in the capital. Now that he was in a helpless state without anything to protect him, the insults had a different effect.


    During the functions, he would appear unperturbed but when he returned to the mansion, he would appear to be depressed. Other times, he would see himining to his apanying servants.


    It was a tremendously good feeling. Up untilst year, he was made to do many things because of him. He could feel a small release from the many years of pent up resentment.


    Naturally, everytime Tullius slipped up, the honour of the Oubeniel family suffered. Nevertheless, Linus decided that he would endure it for now. Soon, Marquis Lavallees next move will be yed. And then, once that was settled, the bell known as father-inw would be ced on Tullius neck. Since the Marquis has strings connected to the bell, he could ring the bell anytime he wanted to.


    With regards to the encirclement to finish him off, there might be some added expenses needed to clear up the dirt. In any case, the more and more disgraceful Tullius became, the greater Linus share would be.


    The Marquis did not visit today. Drinking tea on the terrace felt better than ever before.


    The only issue now was,


    ...I didnt think she was this immature.


    As the days grew colder, so did Simones gaze. However, it was not a big deal. Linus simply feigned ignorance.


    What are you saying? As the elder brother, personally helping my little brother meet with fellow important people in the capital is my duty. It would help him immensely, you know? I am saddened that you think so immaturely of me.


    The meaning of words changes ording to the speaker.


    Simone appeared overly exasperated.


    I wonder whose idea it was to have the reluctant Lords arrange continuous parties and diligently invite us?


    That certainly had Linus dumbfounded.


    For some reason, Simone sympathised with his foolish brother. Was it because of the impression he left when being introduced to him? Or was it because she empathised with him as another person getting caught up in the ns of the centralist faction.


    Whatever the reason, she did not have good taste.


    Even Linus did not want to team up with the monster-like Lavallees faction had it been possible. However, it was better than letting Tullius run wild for even a second. There were conflicts between his own beliefs and the aims of the centralist faction, nevertheless, as somebody who thought about the future of the country, he had to do something to stop his mad brother from his dangerous experiments. His brother was a person who would not mind piling up heaps of ves bodies and sullying the good name of their family toplete his experiments.


    For now, he appeared to be a pitiable youth being targeted by his brother and an old man, but his true nature was the opposite. For the sake of argument, he could understand if she did not like the means to put Tullius to death. However, this woman appears to loathe the act of killing Tullius.


    She could not understand. She must have heard about the ghastly rumours surrounding Tullius, so how could she be so friendly towards such a person.


    Now, now, there is no need to be so angry. It is about time the ridiculous ruckus would end soon.


    Yes, right. That is perfect. That is why we are married but do not seem like a couple at all.


    Simone shrugged her shoulders. Her husband was called out for a strategic meeting during their first night and since then, he had been devoted to his work. She could not help but be sarcastic.


    ...In short, a fiance would be found for my brother-inw, yes? I am talking about Marquis Lavallee doing his best as a matchmaker. Soon enough, a poor girl would be made a pawn of the old geezers once again, and who knows what would happen next?


    Looks like she did notpletely read the old man''s hands.


    Feeling somewhat superior, Linus decided to drop some hints.


    Perhaps, the fiancee would be happy at such a development? After all they may already have some secret rtionship.


    Oh. I was ill-informed that there was such a girl who feels that way towards Tullius.


    Isnt there one? You know this one person too.


    Dont tell me...

 Chapter 32: Countdown to a Comeback (2)

    Chapter 32: Countdown to a Comeback (2)


    Having realised what the answer was, Simone frowned.


    Indeed, it is Anrietta P Cartan.


    The very moment Linus said that, he felt an overwhelming sense of delight.


    With the flip of a table, the annoying ace up Tullius sleeve became the joker that would deal Tullius a death blow. The Oubeniel familys greatest cmity and his right-hand man will soon fall to hell. Imagining such a scene excites him greatly.


    Of course, even for the Marquis, there might be some difficulties in persuading the father, but it is just a problem of time. There should be some concrete development by next week. Isnt Tullius a lucky fe? She is a person with good looks and already has an intimate rtionship with him.


    Even for a person like Linus, he at least had an eye for beauty like many other nobles. He had to admit though, based on her looks alone, that eerie girl had a beauty that would rank among the highest in the kingdom. Though if one looked beyond appearances, she was a supporter of the demon who wrecked havoc on this family.


    ...I didnt think you were such a despicable person.


    Hmph. Is there a need to be so concerned? Apart from Tullius, Im sure that girl would find it a match made in heaven. She would be finally winning the heart of somebody who did not reciprocate to her 11 years of apaniment. Simone, didnt you lose your temper at my brothers way of treating her?


    In the end, isnt she just a tool for your ns? If it goes ording to your scheme, what would be of Uni, no, Anrietta?


    Her apprehensions were about the treatment of Anrietta after Tullius is dealt with. Of course, after Tullius meets his end, what is left would be a widow who had been married for only a short while. Count Cartan would not want to have his daughters history be besmirched by it. Still, it was not anythingpared to her former status as a ve.


    However, that would onlye to be if their marriage came to be. Just trapping Tullius into a marriage with her was plenty problematic.


    ...


    He had no intention to tell that to Simone. Telling her now would only make her angrier.


    He remembered the investigation report written in the ns.


    (If the Marquis investigation was urate, then the girl is no longer a virgin)


    That bad wife inflicted such a terrible fate on a six year old child. Even for somebody like Linus, who had to endure vulgar scandals about their family because of his little brother, he could not help but feel sick at it. However, if that is the truth


    (Then they would make Tullius bear the crime of that and report to Count Cartan that he had forced sexual rtionships on her before marriage. Hmph, seems like the Marquis ns are well thought out.)


    Basically, things would happen this way. If what Madam Josephine did 11 years ago came to light, the reputation of the Cartan family would suffer. The legitimate wife had used merciless means to torture the illegitimate child. The terrible name would cascade down to even the heir. Before that, if they could have Tullius who was already notorious draw all the attention, it would be better.


    Tullius imed that he did not have any sexual rtionship with that girl during the night before his wedding. Surely, the simpleton would be able to figure out that if no blood is found on the mattress when Tullius has his first night with her, then it would be fodder for gossip. With this n to push the me onto Tullius, the Cartan family could solve all their problems by making them Tullius. Count Cartans conviction to do it was an unknown, but the risk for his family would be overwhelmingly reduced with such a scheme. It was either be a widow or defloweredter, but either way, both are better options.


    Linus couldnt care less what happens to the girl who assisted the ve-killer who had ruined his family.


    Why so serious, Simone? For you, Tullius and that ve oh, I mean the Counts daughter. Anyways, arent you all still strangers?


    Yes, indeed...


    Simone spat out.


    And I am very much unacquainted to you, Linus.


    Linus recoiled at the hostility in her voice.


    Linus had only met her 1 month ago. He had mostly left her alone while burrowing himself in political schemes. For her, there was no big difference between Tullius and himself. In fact, she might even feel some affinity to his victimised brother.


    (Ridiculous)


    He shook his head at that thought.


    Tullius might be a noble, but to actually let ones guard down to that ve-killer? Imposible. It was preposterous that she felt closer to him instead of a proper and upright noble like himself.


    ...We can get to know each other little by little. We have lots of time for that.


    It took him all his energy to say it.


    Simones only reply was a scornfulugh.


    I wonder. How can somebody who cannot give his blood-rted brother affection, give any affection to an outsider like me?


    I gave him enough chances and time!


    His loud shouting caused the table and the cups on it to violently shake. The cold tea in the cups spilled on the table.


    Simone was surprised at Linusck of patience.


    That happened 11 years ago! In the meantime, how many times have I tried to urge him to change!? It was Tullius himself that ignored my warnings and continued with what he was doing! I can no longer tolerate it!


    Linus knew his eyes were bing ssy. But he did not stop. Why must he show patience to his brother now? How many things has he lost because of him? His wife waspletely unaware of all this.


    It was the same every time he was asked about or shown the deeds of Tullius. Every single time, the gazes that people sent him became colder.


    It did not make sense. Why was he suffering from all this?


    ...I have had enough of apanying you.


    Simone said and turned heel. Well, even though she was his wife, she has hardly apanied her husband in his work.


    Ah, sure. ...I dont need you to apany me.


    Linus silently gazed at the outdoors scenery instead of Simone.


    Completely unreasonable woman. Normally she would be impertinent, so why is she acting stupidly when ites to removing his brother.


    However, he did not care. The role he wanted Simone to y in the first act wasplete. That is  inviting Tullius to their wedding and trapping him in the capital. She was the partner he needed for this role. All that remains for her to do is to bear his child.


    He had no time to spare to y games with this woman. As a governor of a Counts familynd, he had many documents to read and approve, and he had to form connections with the lords and princes in the centralist faction, as much as he detested it. He was also too close to Lavallee. If he did not maintain a tight knit rtionship with the other lords, one day, he would be cut aside by the senile man. He nned to create a breakaway faction some day, but that would only be when he can protect himself and his family. So before that, he had to try his best to pretend to be a patriot as much as possible.


    Argh, dammit!


    Thinking about it made him frustrated. He felt somewhat better when he saw Tullius being on edge but his frustrations were starting to pile up again. Work was tough and thinking about his family was agonising. Linus had been working so hard for his family. First, it was his father, next it was his most despicable brother and now, his wife. Of course she was not at the level of his lunatic brother, but she was enough to depress him. It was not that he was depressed with her in bed  in fact, her beauty was a lifesaver  but the daily conversations with her.


    He initially thought that she was an astute woman. He believed she would fulfil her duty and protect the family, even if there was no love in their rtionship. Unfortunately, she became weird after his brother appeared. Originally, she had some misgivings about the schemes, buttely, her dislike for it had been increasing. Despite it being her job to help the family flourish, she was showing sympathy to the greatest threat to their family.


    His annoyance grew worse. His pleasant mood while drinking tea earlier disappeared elsewhere. He wanted to beat up anybody who came into sight. He felt like venting all his frustrations on somebody.

 Chapter 32: Countdown to a Comeback (3)

    Chapter 32: Countdown to a Comeback (3)


    Um, umm...


    He turned his head to the voice. For a moment, he wondered if Simone had came back to apologise for her mistake, but he was wrong. It was a female ve. The usual female that served him.


    What is the matter?


    He sounded like he was growling. Just as he was looking for an outlet to vent his frustrations, she appeared as though she could see what he was thinking. That made him further irritated.


    T-There was a loud sound and the maam left...


    It got on his nerves again at the very mention of maam. He was already considering if he should beat her. Nevertheless, he still had some self-control. If he did something like that, it would just give Simone another reason to me him.


    And then? You are looking for me?


    Um, umm...


    Dont test the patience of a noble, you cored ve. How audacious.


    Linus said and extended his hand, pulling the ves hair violently. Obediently, she let him have his way as usual, and the sound of lips smacking leaked. As he retired to his room, he locked the door.


    So as to get further excited from when it was Simone as his partner.


    Really! Your brother is such a jerk!


    Please do not say that, sister-inw. It is troubling for me to hear this.


    Tullius responded with a bitter smile to his sister-inw who came to pay a visit to his room.


    Simone poured her grievances to none other than the notorious second son of Oubeniel, Tullius. Before she met this villian, she was still apprehensive of him. However, after having a real conversation, she found him to be a calm and gentle person who should not be hated by anybody. In a stark contrast to the rumours, he was kind to his ves, and she could not see how the maids were subjected to horrible treatment.


    Uni  or more urately Anrietta  was perfect in both her education and beauty. So much so that she had suspected if she was his lover. After Anrietta was taken away, the recement ve maid also maintained a simr level of cleanliness to Anrietta. Not only the maids, the male ves dressed in butler clothing were the same. It appeared as though the rumours, which shocked the capital, were untrue.


    Still, isnt rming for the newly-wed wife to hang out in her brother-inws room? Weird rumours might start.


    Tullius said so with some anxiety, though it was already toote for that.


    Rumours have already started when I was married to this family. Things like what happened such that I had to go to the Oubeniels. So much so that the remarks have gotten beyond rude.


    Sigh I guess so. Ah, forgive me.


    He gave a slight nod, appearing as though he had never heard of the rumours. Compared to Linus, who was conspiring with others on others, she had less to fear of Tullius.


    It isnt like I am alone with you, right?


    She said as she gazed around the room. Laubert, a young low grade noble and Due, a renowned bodyguard were standing by the wall ufortably. A butler and a maid pair of ves were prostrating themselves before her. These ves were really well trained.


    Ahh, please stand. I allow you all to stay rxed.


    Thank you for the considerations Get back to your work. Bart. Emily.


    We are grateful.


    After receiving permission, both the ves relieved themselves of their prostrating posture and returned to their jobs.


    What were you making them do?


    Tea preparations. It is about time for tea. Would you like to join in, sister-inw? It might not taste as good as the rare leaves that brother uses, though...


    Simone was drinking tea with Linus just earlier. Still, their conversation was unpleasant from start to end. Hardly anything enjoyable.


    I will be pleased to. My throat feels dry from all the talking.


    Hahaha. It looks like you will be staying hereining all day again. Gosh, how surprising. I thought things would go well for brother with ady like you.


    ...You must be joking?


    Her voice waspletely t. Tullius took notice. Was it...that surprising?


    Tullius, do you know what kind of woman your brother likes?


    Well...He would prefer women with dignity and grace? He was always nagging about etiquette and formalities in the past.


    True, he does consider those important. But I do not think he considers those traits important for the wife of the main Oubeniel family nor as Linus Streins partner.


    Oh?


    While the ves adroitly set up for tea time, Tullius continued listening to Simone.


    I mean, isnt it the case? The ultimate role for the wife of the main Oubeniel family is to bear children and raise them. That is something which does not require an emotional bond between him and I.


    That does not sound appropriate for a newly wed.


    It is because I have just married, that I am able to say this much. I, knew from the very beginning. Linus would not be a good match with me.


    She could recognise that much from the interactions she has had with him up till now. Linus does not desire her. The reason why Simone was in this home was not because he wanted her, but because she was good for the circumstances. She was the person randomly selected to fit his need of getting married at the right time.


    Of course, most marriage between nobles were like that. Love can be cultivated after marriage. That was something that could not be fought against as well as it being the price to pay for a luxurious life that amoner could never achieve. A noble ought to have patience and act within ones assigned role. She knew that.


    However, Linus had not shown Simone the minimum level of respect to his partner who was fulfilling her role as his partner. Everything he said was for his convenience and nothing he did was for her consideration. He acted and used her coldly while pretending to speak with respect.


    Atst, the one thing that he is most concerned about and the one that could make himugh is the schemes targeted towards his brother. It was ridiculous when he tried to make her agree when what he was saying was in disdain of his only kin. There would not be a woman who would open her heart to a heartless man like him.


    Scratching his cheeks, Tullius replied.


    Just for reference, then what kind of woman would brother prefer?


    Oh, shouldnt that be something one would hesitate to ask a newly wed?


    Sorry, that was careless of me.


    I was joking. I do not mind. I have taken a liking to your candidness.


    As she said that, Tullius became visibly perplexed. His age was supposed to be the same as Simone or 1 year younger than her, but his expression was so childish.


    Hmmm. Somebody who matches him perhaps a woman that ispletely opposite of me?


    Aplete of opposite of sister-inw?


    Yes. For example, a woman who would stand quietly beside without making any objection, even if she did not have a proper noble upbringing. A sweet and modest wife who hides beneath her husbands shadow. Honestly, as a male, what do you think of a woman who is that convenient to her husband?


    Isnt sister-inw notcking in modesty?


    My modesty is only towards traditions and courtesy. What that person desires is modesty towards himself. As for me, I am increasingly trying to act ording to how a splendid wife should.


    Haha. So you mean that would make any man lose their nerve. I can kinda get that. I am somewhat like that too.


    Indeed, there are times when he feels like that as a docile son. He appears so harmless in reality but for some reason, there are so many rumours surrounding him.


    ...Lose their nerve? Have we ever seen master lose his nerve?


    Hardly ever.


    His retainers were whispering something barely audible.


    As Tullius tried to strain his ears to listen closely,


    ...The tea is ready.


    The male ve called Bart ced the cups quietly on the table.


    Thank you.


    After receiving the thanks from Simone, the butler quietly bowed and took a step back.


    Tullius also received a cup and saucer from the maid.


    Peering into the cup, she noticed that the colour of the tea was tinged with a slight yellow rather than red. There was a peculiar sweet fragrance to it.


    What is this?


    It is an herbal tea. I have had rosehip prepared for today.


    The tea was infused with some herbs. Among the nobles who enjoy drinking high quality tea, there are some that denigrate it by calling it a tea substitute, but when Simone was at her home, it was something she had during her breaks when she was studying. Well, she did not use rosehip before, but it was still nostalgic.


    I prefer it lighter so it might taste somewhat sour. Feel free to add some honey or jam.


    Really? Then I shall have the same as you for starters.


    Indeed, it tasted sour, but was on the mild side. There was some gap between associating the fragrance with sweetness, but that would vary from person to person. It was not bad.


    On the other hand, Tullius grimaced as he sipped his tea.


    Ugh, too strong...


    He murmured. It seems that this was brewed stronger than what he would have preferred.


    My apologies, master.


    No, it is alright. I made you prepare the tea on a short notice after all...


    To the apologising maid, he waved his hand graciously in forgiveness. However, he appeared to be looking faraway, as though he was thinking about somebody else. He said that the maid was made to brew tea at a short notice. Then who was in charge of this normally?

 Chapter 32: Countdown to a Comeback (4)

    Chapter 32: Countdown to a Comeback (4)


    Could it be anybody else other than that <i>girl</i>?


    Uni  ah, no  Anrietta P Cartan.


    The girl who was Count Cartans long lost daughter.


    Tullius imed that their rtionship was not one of man and woman. He said that not to belittle Anrietta, though. Simone found herself thinking about them as Tullius tolerantly sipped the herbal tea which was not in his preferred vour.


    Hey, Tullius.


    Yes?


    The person who used to make that tea was it delicious?


    Curiosity got to her.


    ...Yes, very much so.


    He replied while looking distantly.


    He was clearly in low spirits. That feeling struck her chest, which was worn out from her dry marital rtionship.


    As she had expected, that girl was no ordinary existence to Tullius. Else he would not have her serve him for 11 years and he would not have brought her to Oubeniels residence for the wedding.


    It might not be a rtionship between sexes, but it was a rtionship that ranked as high as it. Surely there must be something in their rtionship.


    She was one of the people who tore apart their rtionship. Even though it was her husband and the Marquis that nned to call him to the capital and start an incident during the wedding ceremony, she still bore arge responsibility for it.


    Strangely, her heart ached. For him, it must be far worse. How could she have thoughtlessly asked him such a question.


    Dont worry about it. Sister-inw has nothing to do with it.


    But...


    I do not mind. ...Anyways, that child was excellent. Even if she is not with me, I am sure she will do well.


    He took arge gulp of tea to hide his emotions. And hemented that the tea was too strong. His face was that of somebody enduring something bittersweet, just like the tea he drank.


    You are kind.


    I have no interest in pointlessly bringing up unpleasant things with others. These guys who I push around would be greatly shocked at you calling me kind. Right, Due?


    The man who was brought into the conversation smiled awkwardly and tried to reply.


    That was when


    ...I will nottrouble...master...


    Go away! It is an emergency...


    It sounded like there was a quarrel in the corridors.


    Tullius was under surveince by Linus now. He aimed to stop him from going anywhere by inviting him out for social gatherings and effectively put him under house arrest. Thus, for anybody to meet with Tullius, he or she must first obtain permission from the head of the family, Linus, though Simone waspletely unaware of that.


    It seems that there was a guest forcing his way to meet Tullius. Finally, the guest stormed open the door. He was a man dressed inwyer robes who looked like a government official.


    Is this the room of Man Viscount Tullius Shernan Oubeniel?


    Tullius seemed unperturbed by this haughty man who suddenly appeared.


    Yes, you are right. I am Tullius.


    ...The High Court summons you. Pleaseply immediately.


    Simone blinked her eyes in confusion at this scene.


    The High Court of Justice was the kingdoms judiciary branch that arbitrates on conflicts between nobles. Their poweres from the royalty and all nobles whether powerful or weak mustply with them.


    Tullius is being called to such a ce? Why?


    Simone held her breath, wondering if this was a plot in action by her husband and the Marquis, but Tullius smiled without any hint of worry.


    Your worries are unnecessary. If the verdict is truthful, then nothing will befall me.


    Verdict? Tullius, what did you


    Sorry, the summons seem urgent so I will leave the exnations forter. ...May I have some time to change?


    Tullius cut the conversation short and spoke to the man.


    The man brushed his moustache and thought for a bit.


    Very well. It will not be appropriate to be dressed in ordinary clothes. For the sacredness of the trial, I shall allow that. I shall be waiting at the carriage in front of the residence. Please hurry up.


    He gave the approval.


    I already know that!


    His reply was full of positive energy. As though, he was about to be reunited with his lover. Simone could not make sense of it.


    She could not make sense of it.


    The maid working at the Cartans family was at the height of confusion.


    The reason was because of the illegitimate daughter of the Count, who she started serving 1 week ago. For the entire day, she presented herself with intelligence, so what was she doing now? Has she gone mad?


    The scene before her made her consider such an impolite thought.


    ...Ah, this is the one attire I like the best.


    Thedy  Anrietta  was wearing a maid uniform. A deep red one piece with a snow white apron over it. To finish it off, she wore a white brim on her head. Without a doubt, this was the appearance of a maid. Certainly, her prim and proper attire suited a girl like her, but under no circumstances did it match her status as the Counts daughter.


    W-Where are you going with that m-maid uniform?


    She could not help but ask.


    I am just giving back what I gave the Count.


    The Count? What is with her now, treating the Count as a stranger again.


    No, the bigger problem is,


    Please stop, mistress! We are attending the trial at the High Court of Justice! You have to be wearing something that matches your status!


    Right. Despite being called into the High Court as Anrietta, she specifically picked this appearance. Despite attending the strictness of the trial, the Counts daughter chose a maid uniform? It waspletely devoid of any reason.


    Her mistress replied calmly.


    Then it is less of a problem.


    I am wearing something that fits my status.


    H-How so!? In which kingdom is there ady who wears that to facewyers!?


    Inplete disorder, she forgot to maintain her behaviour as a maid and shouted.


    Anrietta did not look like she was angry, neither was she smiling.


    Exactly.


    Huh!?


    There is no suchdy who does that.


    She was at her wits end. She said that but what she was doing contradicts herself.


    And I like to apologise to you as well.


    No need to apologise, more importantly is that summons...


    As she tried to refute her, Anrietta bowed deeply.


    She almost wanted to burst intoughter. That was definitely not a level of respect a noble should be giving towards a servant. It was like a ve giving respects to amoner. Her mistress in the maid uniform continued to speak.


    I am deeply sorry for pretending until today


    She could vaguely hear the copse of something as she apologised in an overly polite manner.


    She could sense a big destructioning.


    I am not Anrietta P Cartan.


    ...Huh?


    What was she saying?


    The maid was thrown into greater chaos.


    The girl in the maid uniform continued.


    My name is Uni. I work as a maid and I am a ve.

 Chapter 33: Dad who cant shut his mouth and his unsmiling daughter (part 1) (1)

    Chapter 33: Dad who can''t shut his mouth and his unsmiling daughter (part 1) (1)


    <strong>Proofreader: King of the End, and other fans</strong>


    At the local courthouse, the visitors gallery was brimming with curious nobles, despite the sudden court session. Nobles are the kind of people who cannot turn away from gossips. It was a pitiful habit which without, they were unable to survive. It was because they might lose their position in society if they were unable to unravel each and every thread of information in society.


    Uni did not hold any contempt for their behaviour. In fact, she was grateful.


    All of them would now be witnesses to she and her master winning the court trial. They are the messengers who will rapidly spread the results of the court trial to the rest of the capital. As such, they absolutely had to win this trial.


    While waiting for the trial to begin, she surveyed the faces in the court.


    Count Cartan was sitting at the core of the defendants dock. He appeared to be agitated. He looked straight at her and was sending signals of disbelief. He had been called up as a defendant with very short notice and Uni, who he believed to be his daughter, was seated directly opposite him while in a maid uniform. All of these must be adding up to his confusion.


    Marquis Lavallee was a witness on the defense side. He was whispering and berating the Count. Although he was acting as a fine old gramps who was concerned for the Count, sometimes she could sense irritation directed towards her. His n which had almost been perfect was starting toe apart with this unexpected gap. Surely, he was upset by the current turn of events.


    Josephine was sitting at the core of the intiff''s side of the court. Her facial expression was bad. Was she starting to feel awkward about using her husband or did she feel confidence from her persuasive usations? Well, her physical condition was not satisfactory, but if she overcame this, nothing else would matter, she thought.


    And most importantly.


    Oh. It has been a week.


    A young man called out to her casually while sitting down.


    Her most beloved master, Tullius Shernan Oubeniel.


    (Master!)


    Her eyes became moist and she almost wanted to shrill in excitement. She was not allowed to serve him, unfortunately.


    Everything rested upon this trial. Uni silently bowed as though she was praying for forgiveness.


    Linus could hardly believe that they were ying such a hand. He had a stiff and unpleasant look on his face, as though a bug got into his mouth.


    When he received news that Tullius was being summoned to the court, he rushed to the visitor galleries alongside with Simone.


    ordingly to their n, the trial should be urring 3 days from now, in order to officially recognise Anrietta P Cartan. After that, she was supposed to act as a bell on Tullius.


    To think she would take her supposed father, Pierre Simon Cartan to court instead.


    It was truly a bolt from the blue.


    What is the trial about?


    No matter how bewildered Simone was, it was not like Linus knew any better. He had chased after Tullius once he got the news that he had been summoned. He did not even have the time to gather more information.


    Well. The Counts wife is the intiff. Which means this is a Cartan familys internal dispute.


    Then why would Tullius be a witness...


    That was the one thing that perplexed him. He was extremely certain that the only connection between Tullius and Count Cartan was Anrietta, the former ve named Uni. Thus, he could not figure out why he was currently siding with the Countess in a domestic family dispute within the Cartan family.


    Linus could not help but think nonstop about these doubts. That was when an old noble entered the court wearing a set of gaudywyer robes. He sat on the highest seat reserved for the judge.


    He was the presiding judge for this case. He sat upright, cleared his throat loudly and the courthouse became quiet.


    I dere themencement of this trial.


    He spoke with dignity, fitting for a person in charge of administering the kingdomsws.


    The judge paused for a few seconds, allowing everybody, the used, the users and the visitors to take in what he had said. Then he prompted the prosecutionwyer.


    You may read the indictment.


    Yes, sire.


    A youngwyer unravelled a roll of parchment.


    Pierre Simon Cartan, a Count of the kingdom. While holding such an authoritative position, he has been engaging in debauchery in recent years. Especially in the corruption of the moral good of the family, like a ball of yarn unwound.


    Basically, engaging in leisure amusement while having responsibility.


    It was a stock excuse to bring down ostracised nobles. Obviously, nobles need to attend evening parties and garden parties to build rapport with other nobles. A noble must have met a political obstacle if he was being prosecuted based on such a reason. Well, this condition was applicable for Count Cartan, who belonged to a new generation of noble and had a scandal.


    What Linus found iprehensible was the fact that it was the Counts wife suing him for it. While she was an incredibly jealous person, she was still the Counts wife who had apanied him through thick and thin. Hence, why would she be doing this?


    Additionally, Count Cartan is used of stealing Man Viscount, Tullius Shernan Oubeniels ve.


    An uproar arose from the crowd.


    Count Cartan face was flushed red, either because he was angered or because this was not what he had expected. All he did was to take back his daughter. Why was he now being criticised before everybody for stealing? Linus found it hard to swallow too.


    Disregarding Cartan daughters insistence, she was definitely blood rted to the Count. Even now, Linus found it hard to believe, but he confirmed it when looking through Marquis Lavallees investigation reports. If she was indeed blood rted, then Count Cartan definitely had the rights to request her return. Even if she was the child of a mistress, it was still extremely inappropriate for her to be a ve.


    Linus doubts were answered as the usations continued.


    Furthermore, he is used of lying that the ve is his child. He lied to reject returning the ve back to the Viscount. This greatly runs afoul of thews of this kingdom.


    (What!?)


    Linus waspletely overwhelmed. Simone was simrly in some confusion but she was simply surprised. For somebody who knew the truth, his disbelief was way more than that.


    Lied about the ve being his daughter?


    If that was the truth then indeed, Count Cartans legitimacy would not hold weight. But Uni was Anrietta P Cartan. She was the Counts child.


    Calling that truth a lie was nothing but a pack of lies.


    Count Cartan was infuriated. So much so that he was no longer red, but purplish. If this goes on, he might even suffer a stroke before the trial ends.


    Hemitted this barbaric act despite still having his main family. With the Counts conduct, his ability to uphold responsibility is in question. As such, the Counts wife has requested that her husband retire. That is all from the intiff, Josephine Louise Cartan.


    You gotta be shitting me!


    Sure enough, as soon as the reading ended, the Count stood up and shouted. The ims made were all false and saying he tried to steal his own daughter was downright ridiculous. Of course, Linus found it incredulous that Uni was actually the child of a noble. But her age was consistent with Anriettas age. Moreover, she was bought by Tullius at around the same time she went missing.


    It cannot simply be that these were just coincidences. What other motivations could the Count have other than to bring his daughter back to his family? It was impossible for the Count to have any other reasons.


    The judge rang the wooden pper bell.


    The used is to remain silent until he is called.


    Grr...


    The Count was indignant. But he did not return to his seat. He would be called to give his statement anyways.


    The judge did not censure him further and continued.


    Well then. The used may now voice his opinions.

 Chapter 33: Dad who cant shut his mouth and his unsmiling daughter (part 1) (2)

    Chapter 33: Dad who can''t shut his mouth and his unsmiling daughter (part 1) (2)


    Prev Page | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Next Page Yes, judge.


    Count Cartan adjusted his cor and stepped forward from his seat.


    There are no grounds for these usations!


    Which parts of the usations are you referring to?


    Everything!


    The Count red sternly at his wife as he shouted. As one would expect of a person using her own husband, Josephine was pale. In any case, it was amazing that a wife so attached to her husband, would actually raise awsuit against him.


    (Most likely, Tullius was pulling the strings here...)


    Linus red at his brother whose cheeks were slightly lifted.


    Linus had been observing Tullius ever since his wedding ceremony. Normally, his people kept a watch on him in the mansion, effectively putting him on house arrest. The only other times he could go out was when Linus brought him out for social gatherings. There were no other opportunities he could have had to contact the Counts wife. Since Tullius was sitting beside her, it was evident that they were in the same camp. But how?


    (Also...)


    He moved his sights to Uni who was strangely wearing her maid uniform to court.


    Her enemy was right by her side and yet she was thisposed. The former ve was as brazen as her master.


    In any case, what does it mean for Uni to be dressed like that? There were limits to madness.


    (It was as if she wanted to tell everybody that she was a maid Wait a minute)


    In an instant, Linus suddenly understood the picture.


    Anyways, why would Madam Josephine be raising such awsuit?


    Simone, that is.


    Linus responded.


    It appears that the maid is now working together with the Counts wife.


    She is? How can that be?


    Simone let out a dryugh. For Anrietta, Josephine should be her enemy who chased both her and her mother out of the family. While Simone did not know more than that, ording to the Lavallees investigations, it was way worse than that. It was unbelievable that she could work together with such a person.


    However, Linus shook his head.


    Do you not understand, Simone? Including the events 11 years ago, the two of them have always been calcting the pros and cons of everything.


    ...What?


    Just listen.


    He exined to his perplexed wife in an easy-to-understand way.


    First of all, Madam Josephine is putting her son as the head of family, before he is considered useless.


    People were already talking about how stupid and simple Count Cartans son was. So if the Cartan''s family only has this son as the sessor, what will happen when an illegitimate child of an appropriate age was brought into the picture? It would be the start of a major conflict within the family. The illegitimate child may not be a male but even a female would be plenty of trouble. If the husband of the daughter was given the role of head of family, who knows if he might abuse that power? Also, with the Counts entricity, it was entirely possible that he would directly let his daughter be a Count.


    Marquis Lavallee had nned to use that as an excuse to push Anrietta to Tullius and have her burden him. However, that n was not known to Josephine. They needed her to be genuinely shocked when she saw Anrietta and if they coborated with somebody as egotistical as her, she might have made some absurd demands as part of the negotiations. Anyways, she understood the gravity of the situation and took action.


    Josephine was equally the Counts wife as well as her sons mother. She endured 9 months of pregnancy to give birth to her son when she was middle-aged. It was not strange for her to choose her son over her husband. Even more so if the person creating the crisis was Count Cartan himself.


    In short, it is about self-protection. On a whim, the head of the family brought back his daughter who she chased away 11 years ago. The Countess position in the family would surely suffer as a result and it was a possibility that the Count would divorce her to protect his daughters standing in the family.


    There will not be a happy ending for an old woman on the brink of divorce. She would have to give up on hervish lifestyle and be looked down upon among social circles. Countess Josephine was known to be very prideful because of how she and her husband rose from the ranks. She would not be able to handle a descent from her environment now.


    Secondly, that maid has an abnormal level of loyalty to Tullius. She was suddenly introduced to her father and the person who killed her mother. And yet, because of her loyalty, she has chosen to ignore it all.


    To top it off, she has obediently assisted the ve murderer in his deeds for 11 years. Even if she was coerced into everything because of the ve obedience spell, she should have gone ill mentally from being forced to do those things. In fact, the majority of servants in the Oubeniel family went crazy and retired from work after catching a glimpse of Tullius experiments. Uni was abnormal in being able to remain indifferent while participating in those experiments.


    No matter how pretty she looks on the outside, she was a devil abetting his brother in madness. From his investigations, there were many people who disappeared after insulting Tullius. She must have done something.


    She made a temporary alliance with her enemy to secure a return to her master. Dragging her father down from his leadership role in the family was probably just coteral damage.


    If they can forget their enmity towards each other, it is entirely usible that they join hands to bring down Count Cartan.


    This was Marquis Lavallees blind spot. He did not expect Josephine to put down her grudge, for her to turn her back on her husband in order to stabilise her sons future. Now the circumstances are so dire that one might say that their butts are on fire.


    It did not ur to him that the quiet maid would have the capabilities to persuade Josephine, who was so obstinate.


    It does appear to make sense.


    Yes, logically so.


    Linus nodded to Simones reply.


    He knew that it was highly possible that Josephine and Uni were working together. But whether they had a good chance of winning thiswsuit was a separate matter.


    There was nothing to prove the nonsensical charges they were trying to use the Count of. If they believed they stood a chance of winning, then that must be one of the few merits of a female  shallow thinking.


    Finally, the Count amazingly suppressed his anger and re-organised his rebuttal.


    Firstly, I do not remember corrupting the morals within my family! If they are referring to the case which happened 11 years ago where I kept Anna Marie as a mistress, it was because I wanted her to bear me a sessor. As evidence of that, she gave birth to Anrietta before Josephine gave birth to our son. Additionally, is it not the responsibility of the head of family to make sure that there are other sessors just in case the original sessor is frail and sick? Therefore, even if I hid the existence of Anrietta for 11 years, it is no crime!


    Exactly. Josephine was already 40 and did not get pregnant, that was why Count Cartan tried to bear a child with other women. He had no other benefits to do so. Even if he was blessed with children, infant deaths aremon. Even if the Count decided to keep his mistress after his first wife gave birth, it would not be a problem.


    Nevertheless,


    Objection


    Josephine raised her hand in the air.


    You have permission to state your objections.


    Thank you very much, judge. The used is trying to evade the usations.


    What!?


    The Count was dumbstruck.


    The judge rang the wooden pper bell in response to the Counts shock.


    The used. The intiff has not finished her objection.


    ...Yes. My apologies.


    The Count backed down. Of course, he did not forget to stare daggers at his wife while backing down.


    Josephine continued calmly and unperturbed.


    Then I shall continue. The fact is that my husband outrageous actions are ongoing even today.


    Unbelievable.


    The judge raised his eyebrows. On the other hand, the Count made a soft sigh. He was amazed at the absurdity.


    With much embarrassment, we frequently rece our maids. And the culprit for that is my husband, Pierre Simon.


    The Countess dered aloud. The visitors became boisterous again.


    Have you heard?


    Yes. It is as though Count Cartan wants toy his hands on the maids...


    Dont be ridiculous. That is just hearsay...


    ...Objection!


    This time, the cry for objection came from the used.


    The reason for firing all our maids was because of Josephines jealousy. Besides, any degrading suspicions are irrelevant!


    Count Cartan spoke without pause. As far as Linus was concerned, Count Cartan was in the right. While Josephines jealousy was not as well known as Tullius notoriety, many people were aware of it. From the rumours, any maid that spoke to her husband would have a vase thrown at them and be cruelly disfigured before being chased out.


    All this should have beenmon knowledge to the nobles in the visitors gallery.


    However,


    Judge.


    Of all times, Tullius decided to raise his hand.


    I am afraid that this back and forth argument is a waste of time for everybody. It would not be good to prolong this judgement, right?


    Indeed.


    Then, it would make sense to request for evidence for the Countess ims. I believe the burden of proof lies with the intiff in such situations.


    Linusughed coldly.


    How shameless of him. He spoke as if he had nothing to do with the Countess, even though he was in the same camp with her. This was just suicide if the Countess was unable toe up with any convincing evidence. That was why he was a person who lets his ves do everything for him while locking himself up at home. Stupid brother was stupid.


    Certainly, that makes sense. Well then, do you have any evidence, intiff?


    Yes, I shall call my list of witnesses from the antechamber.


    The Countess waspleted level-headed.


    Impossible.


    Count Cartan could not hide his indignation.


    I swear! I have neverid my hands on the maids working at our residence!


    Is that evidence worthy enough to make a judgement?


    Tullius countered.


    How could he act like they had a n? He should not have had any coordination with Josephine. The only link was Anrieta Uni. Tullius should not have the time nor ability to contact the Countess.


    How could he haveplete confidence that the Countess has witnesses prepared?


    Meanwhile, the trial continued.


    We will now take statements from witnesses. Enter.


    Yes. Prev Page | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Next Page

 Chapter 33: Dad who cant shut his mouth and his unsmiling daughter (part 1) (3)

    Chapter 33: Dad who can''t shut his mouth and his unsmiling daughter (part 1) (3)


    There were 6 witness who entered the courthouse. All of them were young women. The oldest among them looked to be in her early thirties at best, while the youngest was in herte teens. The rest of them were in their twenties. All of them looked attractive but their clothes were old and worn out. They were probablymoners. Standing out among them were two women withrge scars on their face.


    intiff. Who are these witnesses?


    To the judge''s question, Josephine replied with a pale expression.


    They are all former maids who were expelled because they were unfaithful to their master.


    What!?


    The Countess confession stirred the visitors again.


    To think she would seek help from these strange peoadulterers to censure her husband.


    And this is the jealous Josephine we are talking about?


    Just like the rumours, there were some of them with scars on their face. How dare she still use them as witnesses.


    The visitors could not hide their wonder and exchanged whispers around. The gathered witnesses were not as beautiful as Uni but they were all people which would make Josephine look much worse inparison. And these people were all standing by the side of the Countess, so what exactly does it mean? Anybody who knows a fair bit about the situation would be very confused.


    And eventually, some woulde to the conclusion.


    The Countess and the victims were all standing against the Count. Perhaps it was the truth that the Count was involved in misconduct?


    ...Objection!


    Just as the direction of the trial was changing, Marquis Lavallee raised his hand in objection.


    Judge. As you can see, the witnesses brought in are people who might be facing difficulties in their lifestyles. Do you not think the authenticity of their statements are in question?


    Are you iming that the intiff has bribed them?


    Indeed.


    The Marquis nodded.


    It was true that it was possible for these people with scanty livelihoods to be bribed  even by a person they hate. As a matter of fact, there was a person here who did not mind conspiring with the Countess even though she killed her mother.


    Objection unsustained.


    What?


    The judge rejected the objection.


    Just because they aremoners and poor...well, it does make them susceptible to bribery. However, the same could be said of nobles too. Peerage, rank, formalities, social hierarchy, benefits...there are countless ways to get a person to bend their testimonies. We cannot have a trial if we were to reject people from the witness box just from this reasoning alone.


    It was a valid argument. While they should check for fake testimonies, possible bribery or contradictions, they cannot do so strictly, else the trial would be unable to progress.


    Marquis Lavallee could not havee up with such an elementary excuse.


    (What are you thinking, old man...)


    Even Linus, who was the Marquis'' ally by circumstances, felt confused.


    Naturally, he did not think this was just a blunder. There must have been some deeper meaning behind it. But he has not understood it yet.


    The Marquis sighed deeply. It appeared to be a forced sigh, but that was because Linus knew the Marquis tenacity regarding his schemes.


    Judge, surely you will not be ignoring the origins of these witnesses and make a judgement based on their testimonies, right?


    Yes.


    ...Well, please excuse me then. Now that you say it, I think it is extremely reasonable.


    After making his token resistance, Lavallee returned to his seat.


    The judge looked pleased. The judge probably had to be reserved in the presence of the Marquis. The High Court was the ce where nobles were judged in ordance to thews and authority of the kingdom. However, in practice, it was a tool to purge local nobles for the centralist faction. Even now, the Court was actively being used to purge nobles. He might have handed out unfair judgement on the instructions of Lavallee before. And now, Lavallee was trying to defend the used. He must be happy that he could use sound logic to corner the other partys argument.


    (I dislike this geezer even more now.)


    Of course, not as much as his loathing towards his brother.


    Witnesses. Please give your testimonies in order.


    Y-yes...


    The former maids gave their testimonies in turns.


    No...


    The contents of their testimonies were enough to make Simone blush and that was all she could say to Linus.


    The witnesses were not simply just reciting their testimonies with a detached expression. They were speaking in stutters and blushing, as though they were ashamed of themselves.


    The actions of the Count towards them were truly outrageous.


    L-lies! I have never, never done such!


    Silence! Silence!


    The judge rang the wooden pper countless of times to Count Cartan who insisted on his innocence.


    Opinion towards Cartan within the courthouse was swiftly bing cold. The women who were vited spoke without any hint of hiding anything. Perhaps it was not a lie that the Count has beenmitting such debauchery in his private life?


    Such were thebined thoughts of the visitors.


    And finally, Uni broke her silence and moved.


    Madam. It looks like master has not realised his faults.


    Yes...


    As the Countess replied, her face grew pale. As expected, using her beloved husband like this was difficult given that she had been devoted to him for many years. Why do it then? Linus thought.


    Josephine seemed like she might faint before the trial ended so Uni urged the judge.


    Now that it hase to this, I think it is foolish to continue with the other testimonies.


    Other testimonies?


    Linus narrowly avoided voicing out his surprise. Was she trying to im that there were more witnesses even after their concentrated artillery fire  the former maids?


    The Countess, with her weak expression, seem to agree with Uni.


    Hmm Judge. We brought other family members from the residence. Should they give their testimonies too?


    The others from the residence.


    Speaking of which, this was a conspiracy to bring down Count Cartan. Unfaithfulness and misconduct were just the means to bring him down. If the goal was to switch the head of family, then those who would be implicated included the vassals of the Count family and the servants. These people would be more than willing to give their assistance in such a scenario.


    If they were not, they would have already ryed the betrayal to the Count. And if the switching of head of family was sessful, there were the risks of punishment for not helping.


    Lets assess them. More witnesses from the intiff please.


    With the permission of the judge, the butlers of the residence entered the residence.


    They all confirmed the testimonies of the maids and when they looked at Count Cartan, they looked pale, as though the world was about to end.

 Chapter 33: Dad who cant shut his mouth and his unsmiling daughter (part 1) (4)

    Chapter 33: Dad who can''t shut his mouth and his unsmiling daughter (part 1) (4)


    Uni was considerably pleased with how everything was moving ording to n.


    Everything from the Countess usations and the former maids testimonies.


    Everything they said were done with Unis preparations. With the help of the brainwashing scent.


    It was a tool Uni was familiar with. It was invented way before Drei got her magic eyes. While it pales inparison to Dreis magic eyes in terms of wait time and effectiveness, it was still sufficient to brainwash most people.


    Uni had been abducted  from her own point of view  and did not carry with her the ingredients to concoct the brainwashing scent. However, Uni was an experienced adventurer who had been active around Broussonne. This was the Uni who Drei imed was not human. She easily entered the dungeons around the city and collected the necessary ingredients.


    There were apparently people hired by Marquis Lavallee to keep watch on Uni, but they were only observing from outside the residence. Once night fell and the curtains rolled, she could use her spell <> and not be caught. If the observers were not highly proficient like the masterpieces Tullius created, then they would not have had any chance to even detect Unis killing intent, let alone spellcasting. That was how she could cast a high-level spell without being detected.


    After gathering all the ingredients, she mixed them in a preparation room in the residence. For Uni, this was the most difficult task of them all. It was extremely inconvenient as the room waspact and the equipment was old. The first thought that came to her mind was that even the old undergroundb at Oubeniels residence was far superior.


    After the painstaking work of concocting the scent, she used it generously. She brainwashed everybody at the Cartans residence. Next, she tracked down the maids that had been fired and brainwashed them too. And that was how she arranged the events today.


    To aplish all these alone within a week was considerably difficult for Uni. Despite the results of it all currently being disyed in the courthouse, Tullius showed no signs of admiration.


    (Master is expecting this level of effort from me...)


    Uni began to feel a strange warm sensation in her head.


    Her master trusted her to perform perfectly. He believed she would ovee the obstacles even after she helplessly fell under the trap of the enemy and became useless. He knew that she would recover from this.


    Uni tried her hardest to fight off the gooey ecstasy she was feeling and maintained her expression. Anybody who was looking at her now would not notice anything amiss and yet, underneath it all, her emotions were like a swirling whirlpool ofva.


    (...I have to concentrate on the trial.)


    Uni braced herself mentally.


    Whether or not she can return to the usual days of serving her master depended on this trial. By no means was this an easy walkover. At the moment, they had the upper hand but the opposing side included the master tactician Marquis Lavallee. Who knew what tricks he might pull when it came down to it.


    I think we have heard enough about the truth of Count Cartans misconduct.


    Judge! G-give me a chance to exin myself!


    Do you have any evidence or witnesses?


    Ugh...


    The Count choked on his words after being given a sharp re from the judge.


    He could not think of any evidence or witnesses to call. The usual list of people he might call  his vassals  were testifying against him.


    There was no other evidence that could dispute the events that happened at home.


    No, right? Then your request is denied. I dere the defencecks witnesses and evidence. The trial will proceed.


    Count Cartans appeal was ignored and the trial continued.


    The indictment first uses the Count of immorality at home. Second, stealing Uni from Tullius and finally, lying that Uni was his daughter. Among the three, it has been proven that the first was true. However, it did not mean the trial was now over.


    Tullius winning condition is to get Uni back before n D was executed. That means the longer the trial took, the greater chances of losing. That would mean abandoning Uni and escaping without her.


    To avoid that, they have to aplish aplete victory at this hearing today.


    For Marquis Lavallee and Linus who were pulling the strings from behind to trap Tullius in the capital, they would wee the prolonging of the court proceedings. They might have to tweak their n slightly but nheless, there was enough time to continue with the n to get Tullius married. They could just rece Uni with somebody else. There was no need to be fixated on using Count Cartans daughter. Any other girl from a noble family would be sufficient. Lavallee was not one to care about the minute details.


    In any case, for Marquis Lavallees faction, all they had to do was to defend against one of the three usations. Overall, Tullius was in a disadvantageous position.


    ...But since she stepped into the ring, Tullius joined in the fight.


    Next, we have the usation that Count Cartan stole Tullius ve. Please borate, intiff.


    Ah, yes.


    Tullius was prompted by the judge since he was the victim who had his ve robbed from him.


    As Tullius leisurely walked towards the witness stand, Uni smiled as though she was looking at something dazzling.


    Hm...one week ago, Volden Count Linus Strein Oubeniel held a wedding ceremony.


    Tullius began to talk.


    Linus, who was most probably attended the trial as a visitor, would be grimacing when his name was called by her master.


    Count Cartan and Madam Josephine saw my ve, Uni and...


    My ve. Uni felt utterly blessed to be called that. The vibrations in the air tranted into bliss all around her head.


    The Count was surprised to see ck hair and green eyes simr to his mistress, Anna Marie, in her. Immediately after, he fell in love at first sight and used her simr traits as an excuse to ask me, the rightful owner of Uni to...


    He even said rightful owner! He dered loudly that she, the lowly ve, was owned by him in front of the array of nobles seated here!


    Uni was no longer bothered by her emotions. It had already gone beyond the normal emotional senses. Her stomach painfully contracted and she could feel her heart racing.


    Naturally, she made sure to conceal all of that. It waspletely foolish to behave inappropriately during the trial at the High Court.


    She ced her hand on her chest while maintaining her nk look.


    ...hand her over. At that time, I was considering the legitimacy behind the request, on whether he was lying that Uni was his child.


    Objection! Anrietta is my child!


    Count Cartan interrupted in an unsightly manner.


    How unpleasant, cutting into masters speech like that. Uni fumed.


    Once again, the judge went for the wooden pper bell.


    Rejected. I have not asked for your opinion.


    Ugh!


    Thank you, judge. ...Well, lets continue. I did not reject the Counts request. After all, Marquis Lavallee was present and he shared the same opinion with Count Cartan. Was there any room for me to decline when I am so young? Thus, I let go of Uni, who was wailing and crying. I waited for thew  your honour  to one day restore the truth. ...That is all.


    Tullius ended his speech.


    No matter how you looked at it, it was a tragedy. Her most important cor, which had never left her skin for 11 years, broke off that night. Her cor was infused with magic and would grow to match her body. That was why that cor represented her growth and her memories with Tullius.


    She had endless grudges against Lavallee and Cartan for cornering her master to break the cor himself.


    As Uni was silently contemting, the judge looked in Cartans direction.


    The used. Do you have any counter-arguments?


    ...Yes! Judge!


    The Count mustered all his willpower and answered.


    He seemed to have recovered quickly from the earlier setback. His magical potential and his stubbornness did resemble his behaviour.


    Ignorant that his blood rted daughter was getting sick and tired of him, Count Cartan puffed up in pride and stated his argument.


    Tullius Oubeniel is lying!


    Which part of it was a lie?


    It is definitely a lie that he is iming that she isnt my daughter! This man agreed that Anrietta was indeed my daughter!


    Looks like the second usation was in the bag. Uni smiled.


    The aim of this second usation was to have the Count say that. They had nned for him to say that from the very beginning. She was not the one who came up with this n. Tullius came up with this n on that very night.


    Objection.


    Tullius immediately raised an objection.


    I dont remember saying anything of that sort?


    He dered withplete confidence.


    He refuted the im without a shred of shame. Uni could sense the peacefulness and formality in his expression. Ever since he arrived at his seat, Uni had been unfortunate to not have caught a glimpse of his face. However, being able to see his straightened back in an imposing manner was plenty for her.


    Leaving that aside, Count Cartan flew into a rage at Tullius denial.


    What in god''s name are you saying!? Didnt you free my daughter from her cor and handed her over!?

 Chapter 33: Dad who cant shut his mouth and his unsmiling daughter (part 1) (5)

    Chapter 33: Dad who can''t shut his mouth and his unsmiling daughter (part 1) (5)


    (What a hot-tempered person...)


    Just as Uni was annoyed, she remembered how she would sometimes lose her cool when it had to do with her master. Their simr tempers did make them seem like parent and child.


    Oh? How could I have forgotten what I said back then? Right, Uni?


    Her master looked over and she nodded.


    He was trying to confirm that she had made preparations


    Of course, she had already brainwashed Count Cartan too. She had already brainwashed everybody in the Cartans residence. Why would she make the head of family an exception? As much as possible, she had to do something about this man so that she could return to her master.


    ...I-I remember now.


    Then could you repeat exactly what I said?


    Of course. You said... Since it hase to this, I imagine it would be more peaceful for all of us if I freed her myself.


    Uni had brainwashed him to Speak the truth when Tullius asks.


    No matter how useless Count Cartan had be, he was still a former court magician and that was how Uni inherited his abilities and possessed arge amount of magic. In order to prevent any resistance against the brainwashing, she did not try to make unreasonable demands like stop having animosity against Tullius, stop being fixated on your daughter or anything regarding Josephine.


    Still, the brainwashing was enough to make him answer this question. If it was not forcing him to say lies and instead forcing him to say the truth, it was much easier.


    Tullius smiled victoriously.


    Exactly. I released her cor because it was the most peaceful option of them all. Furthermore, this happened during the wedding ceremony. Count Cartan was of equal rank to the groom, my brother, but was more distinguished because of his long years of service. Wouldnt it raise arge ruckus if such a person went around telling everybody that my daughter was made into a ve to everybody during the ceremony?


    Next, Tullius looked towards Marquis Lavallee who sat behind Count Cartan.


    Right? Surely you would have seen that I was trying to avoid that situation? Marquis Lavallee, the matchmaker for the wedding ceremony.


    ...Indeed, having a ruckus during the formal wedding ceremony would damage your brothers reputation.


    Lavallee spoke with a hint of sarcasm. As the matchmaker and as a high ranking noble that clearly understands the rules, that was the only answer he could have given to that question.


    Lavallee then red annoyingly at Cartan who gave Tullius the opportunity to say that.


    He probably believed that Cartan had been provoked by the youngster and carelessly spoke the truth. Had the Count yed dumb and said something else, they could have easily defended against it.


    However, that was actually impossible.


    Uni made sure of that.


    So the point of contention was whether I admitted that Uni was Miss Anrietta, yes? Well, forgive me for asking, Count. When did I ever imply that?


    You...you! Didnt you persuade Anrietta with words fitting of a Counts daughter? Your way of speaking proves that! You said she could speak to you on an equal level!


    Exactly. I remember praising you for that and Mr Tullius was nodding then?


    This time, Marquis Lavallee did not leave everything up to Cartan. He added promptly after Count Cartan.


    However, Tullius, Unis beloved master, had already predicted this a whole week before so there was no way he was unprepared for it.


    Eh? Are you sure you arent mistaken?


    Mistaken? What a strange thing you say.


    I am sure it was a misunderstanding. Your excellency must have misunderstood.


    He did not immediately give a clear answer and vaguely answer to annoy them. In doing so, he made the whole thing seem less scripted. Just as the judge got impatient and reached out for his wooden pper bell


    Count Cartan! I said Not at all. right!?


    !? Cartan...


    What about it!?


    Without allowing the Marquis to interrupt, Tullius continued pressing for an answer.


    The ringing of the wooden pper bell followed immediately.


    intiff, what is the point of your question?


    Before that, just as a precaution, I like to further make clear of my question to Count Cartan. ...Count Cartan, his Excellency, the Marquis,plimented me when I spoke to Uni as an equal. And then, I replied with something along the lines of No, no. ...Not at all. Am I wrong?


    Yes, you did say that! But what is the point of...


    ...Did you hear that, judge!?


    Tullius looked up towards the judge.


    At that instance, Uni could see her masters face from the side.


    A smile filled with confidence and wit. It was the same face he made when they finished an experiment and got a good result. She has seen that expression many times before, but no matter how many more times she saw it, she would never tire from it.


    The judge nodded.


    Ahh, yes. Count Cartan did say you did say that. The scribe has recorded that.


    Thank you very much. ...As you have heard, I replied to Marquis Lavallee with Not at all to reject it. Towards a Marquis who was an elder and who was the matchmaker for my brothers wedding, I tried to be as diplomatic as I could be in voicing my reluctance.


    And then Tullius looked at Lavallee again.


    Please forgive my poor upbringing if my modesty made the Marquis misunderstand. Was there a better way I could have put it? I greatly apologise if there was.


    So in the end, Mr Tullius did not recognise your ve as Miss Anrietta?


    To prevent any further misunderstandings, I will make it clear and apologise. ...Not once have I epted that as fact.


    The Marquis was irritated at Tuillius resolute denial.


    Then why did you change your way of speaking to her?


    I remember saying this to her then, It is not good to continue speaking like a ve. Doing so would greatly upset his Excellency. I was simply ordering her to change her way of speaking as that would make the Count unhappy.


    Would anybody ordering their ve sound that formal?


    I assumed that this situation would remain like that for some time. I mean, Count Cartan would be really angry if I treated her as a ve? Wont that make you really unhappy, Count Cartan?


    Of course! Would any father be pleased when their daughter is treated as a ve?


    Cartan responded honestly thanks to the brainwashing.


    It will only look like a slip of the tongue to a bystander. Marquis Lavallee could not help but show disdain for Cartan.


    Uni looked over at the visitors gallery and noticed Linus and his wife. The young Count was also disappointed with the elder Counts disgraceful behaviour. He had rushed the wedding in order to execute the n. Anybody would be angry that there were so many big ws with the n.


    Simone seemed to look interested, though.


    I shall be more careful in pouring oil over the Counts raging anger. I am deeply regretful that the Count thought I had acknowledged Uni as Miss Anrietta.


    Objection. Mr Tullius behaved as though he wasplying with Count Cartan. You even went as much as to bow. Am I wrong, Mr Tullius?


    Lavallee gave up on Cartan and decided to take apart Tullius with his own brains and tongue. Ah, against this sly old fox, even her wise and great master might have some difficulties.


    ...Hmm, yes I did bow to Count Cartan.


    But,


    Well, shall we have that recorded as well? Count Cartan, did I bow to you then?


    Tullius had to absolutely avoid fighting in the ring presented by Lavallee.


    Pick the easy fights, not the difficult ones. That was the way to maximise efficiency. However, just as he tried to direct the spear towards Cartan, the Marquis obstructed it without a moments dy.


    Count, that is...


    Your Excellency, I am asking Count Cartan. ...Judge?


    Yes. Count Cartan, please express your views on it.


    The Marquis attempt fell short. For the sake of impartiality, he could not allow them to coordinate their stories.


    That was why the judge could not allow the Marquis to hint to the Count of what to say.


    Count Cartan red at Tullius with bloodshot eyes and spoke.


    You said this. Anybody who submits to your Excellencys might would naturally go to such extents. You basically agreed on what I imed so why are you trying to...


    Yes, exactly! Did everybody hear that?


    Tullius pped his hands together and gestured around the courthouse exaggeratedly.


    Judge?


    Yes, I did?


    What about the judge there?


    Um, yes. I hear him clearly..


    What about Your Excellency? Oh, my apologies, surely you heard it loud and clear since you are sitting beside the Count.


    ...Yes, I heard it too.


    Marquis Lavallee could not bring himself to disagree. If he feigned ignorance now, his future testimonies would be cast in doubt as he would be suspected of being old and having a loss in hearing.

 Chapter 33: Dad who cant shut his mouth and his unsmiling daughter (part 1) (6)

    Chapter 33: Dad who can''t shut his mouth and his unsmiling daughter (part 1) (6)


    Tullius was satisfied at how bitterly the Marquis had to agree with him.


    Yes, I submitted to the might of his Excellency. Absolutely not because it was right. I am just a Viscount. Creating trouble during my brothers wedding ceremony would not be right. I had to show respect to his Excellency, who possesses a higher peerage, and who was also an esteemed guest of the wedding ceremony. That was why I bowed.


    Bullshit! You said you did not mind that I took my daughter back...


    Did I say that?


    Count Cartans enthusiasm petered out.


    N-no you did not say that.


    Right. All I said was that I will exin to my brother. I did not say I was alright with you taking her away, nor did I ever say I was ok with it at any point of time. Moreover, if I had to say, your Excellency...


    Tullius bent over to look more closely at the Count. He definitely had a broad smile across his face now. Uni was somewhat vexed that she could not enjoy any bit of it.


    ...Did I say anything that meant that I acknowledged Uni as Miss Anrietta?


    Cartans face became dark red and his forehead throbbing. He had not copsed in a stroke yet, but it looked like he might anytime soon. If that happened, the trial would have to be dyed and she might die. Uni summed it up dispassionately.


    Cartan trembled tremendously as he spoke.


    N-no...Youdid... not...


    Yes, not once did Tullius dere that he was letting go of her. The Count was simply misled by his own interpretation.


    ...Uni was terribly ashamed that she could not realise that until she spent a full night thinking about it. Her master had nned to take her back.


    Yes, I never did agree with your im. I let you bring Uni back because his Excellency had a higher peerage than me, and because I want to avoid creating amotion at all cost. I did, however, n to seek legal means to take her backter.


    S-stop ying on words Did you not open the door for me!?


    Cartans voice started to be hoarse and he seemed to be gasping for breaths.


    Tullius did open the door of the parlour room.


    That was for his Excellency, the Marquis. ...Did I want you to leave? Did I urge you to take your leave? ...Did I say that?


    Tullius doubled down on his questions to Cartan.


    All he did that night was to open the door. He did not say, please have a safe trip home or lets return to the ceremony.


    Cartan was too caught up with taking his daughter back and ignored him entirely. The Count forcefully dragged her out.


    You reap what you sow. Uni thought.


    You did not say that but...


    Objection! Judge, the intiff is ying on words and is changing the events that happened that night!


    Marquis Lavallee could not help but interject. However, Tullius t out denied the Marquis the opportunity.


    Objection to the objection! All I am doing is confirming the truth of that night with Count Cartan. If that is considered a y on words, then I would truly be shocked!


    Silence!


    The judge rang his wooden pper bell and warned.


    At the moment, there are no contradictions between the intiffs testimonies and questionings. Furthermore, the used has agreed fully with the intiff. As such, the objection that Tullius is ying on words is dismissed.


    Ugh...


    The Marquis groaned.


    Marquis Lavallee, the ringleader of the centralist faction, the notorious schemer across the entire kingdom had been talked down. The visitors flew into an uproar.


    intiff, do you have more to say?


    Yes, a final one please.


    Tullius turned to look at Cartan again.


    Count. That night, when you left the reception room where we had our discussion...who did you bid farewell?


    M-Marquis Lavallee...


    What did you say to me? As the representative of the grooms brother, the second son of the Oubeniels, did you give the proper formalities to me as you left?


    No...


    The Counts reply became as soft as the buzz of a mosquito.


    I did not hear you. Could you please repeat that?


    ...No, I did not!


    Did everybody hear that!?


    Tullius projected his voice to the entire courthouse. Tullius was now ying a central role in the trial. The young Viscount cornered both the Count and the Marquis. His every single move was captured by everybody in the courthouse.


    Uni could imagine his back glowing with glory.


    (Amazing master!)


    As she smiled with her entire face, Tullius continued his one-sided ughter.


    Exactly, he did not even bother to exchange farewells before leaving! And he brought my ve back without my permission! Is this an eptable course of action for a noble, even if one was higher in rank and older in age? No, not to any noble and definitely not to the brother of the organiser of the ceremony. As such, Count Cartan is unbefitting of being a noble of the kingdom!


    Shut up! You ve murderer!


    Cartan furiously shouted.


    How to treat other nobles? Unbefitting!? Would anybody treat somebody like you as a noble?


    Please do not get me wrong, Count Cartan.


    Tullius remained calm.


    This trial is the one deciding if you are fit to continue being a noble. Didnt your wife sue you because of this? The reason why I am here is because I have been summoned as a witness. Should I repeat that again? You are the one being sued. ...Do you understand the position you are in now?


    It was a question loaded with malice.


    However, Cartan was still under the effects of Unis brainwashing.


    Whatever!


    All he could do was answer honestly to all questions from Tullius.


    Of course, what he said was what he thought of truly. Normally he would be able to have some self-control but his anger brought forth everything.


    ...Huh? ...Huh


    He was toote in shutting his own mouth. Everybody was looking at Count Cartan as coldly as a winter sky. This was the trial which decided his fate and he shouted, Whatever. Could he still call himself a Count?


    Marquis Lavallee stared at his underling with murderous intent. Linus was also looking down at the Count with disdain. Josephine was silent, perhaps because of the over-effectiveness of the medicine. But she looked as though she was deeply disappointed with her husband.


    The Count, a former court magician, had ruined his reputationpletely.


    Well, as for Uni...she was good whatsoever. Certainly she was blood rted to him, but she did not think of him as a father. The person who respected and loved her father was Anrietta. Anrietta died 11 years ago. She was Uni, born 11 years ago. If she had to call somebody father, then that person would be Tullius. And her mother would have to be...the alchemy he practiced.


    The courthouse fell dead silent. Tullius reinvigorated the courthouse with his crisp voice.


    As we can all see, that is how the Count behaves. I would like to reaffirm my strong desire to use the Count, with his terrible character, of abducting my ve. By the way, Count?


    He redirected his gaze back to the Count.


    You said I was a ve murderer?


    Ahh....


    His response faded midway.


    He must be mentally exhausted. Without concerning himself with that, Tullius continued.


    Is it a crime to kill your own ve?


    It...is not a crime.


    Exactly.


    ves were legally, just a tool, a property. So long as they belong to you, you can do whatever you want with them. This was not aw limited to this country, but amonw between the countries in the Ithush continent.


    How about stealing a ve?


    A crime...


    And that was the truth too. While ves were tools and property, that did not mean it was eptable to rob anothers ve. It was uneptable to steal a persons property. Even a child would be aware of such a logic.


    Enough. Then I believe everybody is fully aware of the situation? That is all from me.


    As he announced grandly, Cartan fell on his knees.


    Now that was unexpected. Uni was surprised.


    As long as it was something she made, she wanted to show her master. Not just denouncing Count Cartan for stealing her, but also for his terrible personality. She knew she had to brainwash the Count to gain an advantageous footing in this trial. However, Tullius managed to deduce how she brainwashed the Count and made full use of it.


    The second usation...was a triumph. Far more victorious than she had expected.


    p, p, p.


    A lonely pping sound was heard.


    Marquis Lavallee was the only person pping.


    He no longer red at the defeated Count Cartan and stared straight at Tullius.


    Wow, you are very eloquent for somebody this young, Viscount. Even this old bones have to give it to you.


    Well...it is truly unexpected to be receiving praises from your Excellency.


    Hehehe, please dont be humble.


    Marquis Lavallee was beingcent as he sang the praises of his enemy, Tullius. That was to be expected. At the end of the day, all Tullius did was dealing a blow to Count Cartan. Whereas the Marquis, at worse, gained a few more gossips. Nothing more than an itch.


    However, there is hole in your argument.


    Oh?


    Are you able to prove that your ve and Miss Anrietta are different people?


    The Marquis spoke with a smile, pretending to be a well-mannered old noble.


    Right. For Uni to return to her master, it was not enough to just force Count Cartan to retreat. As long she was Anrietta P Cartan, nothing would change and she would still be bound to the Counts family. As long the apparatus known as the Cartan family was present, Lavallees n could still work.


    This monster would have no problem manipting the new head of family. Not to mention if the new head of family was younger and inexperienced. As long as Marquis Lavallee dered himself as the guardian of the Cartan family, he could continue as per normal.


    The Marquis would lose nothing, while Tullius would lose Uni.


    Still.


    Your Excellency is in such a rush.


    Tullius shrugged his shoulders. Calling this the end was hasty.


    The trial is still ongoing. There is still one more usation to go through? What was it? Lying that the Viscounts ve is his child to reject returning the Viscounts ve. Truly running afoul of thews of the kingdom. Am I right, judge?


    That is not wrong. We still have the indictment.


    ...Shall I present the evidence now?


    Yes.


    Oh...?


    Marquis Lavallee smiled in response. A fierce and sadistic smile. The kingdoms finest schemer, who brought together the centralist faction, began to slowly reveal his true nature.


    Thinking upon it, this man had conducted himself quietly for the most part of the trial. He focused exclusively on covering for the Count, and hardly went on the offensive. He would probably use his trump card soon.


    The final usation was the most important factor considered by both Tullius and Uni. The entire game could change based on the oue of it.


    Very well. Please present it.


    Of course. ...About her.


    And then he looked over at her. Tullius face was always the same. His calm demeanour was to cover up the boredom in his eyes. And inside those eyes was the trust he had in her.


    Uni. That is all from me. It is now up to you.


    Ah. She let out a small sigh. Amand from her master. The trust he had to leave it up to her. She felt the bliss of having a weight on her back and fell into a momentary trance.


    Naturally, it was just for a moment. She had no intention to fail as a servant by appearing idiotic. She paid her respects to her master and bowed.


    ...I understand your orders, master.

 Chapter 34: Dad who cant shut his mouth and his unsmiling daughter (part 2) (1)

    Chapter 34: Dad who can''t shut his mouth and his unsmiling daughter (part 2) (1)


    The courtroom was thrown into an uproar.


    On the intiffs stand, there was a beautiful young woman in a maid outfit. It was impossible for a mere maid to be present in the High Court, not to mention her outrageous im.


    She was a ve, and not the daughter of a count.


    It was unprecedented.


    It wasnt as if there hadnt been cases ofmoners iming that they were descendents of aristocracy. However, no matter how hard one were to think about it, it would be beyond unusual to proim oneself a ve if they were truly of noble birth.


    Truly, such a fool might never be found.


    If asked thusly, anyone who had witnessed the trial could only answer in one way.


    Anrietta P Cartan, or the so-called Uni.


    (She really wants to go back to Tullius.)


    Simone Meslier Pontauban- now Oubeniel, thought so to herself.


    A wish to return, strong enough to cast away thefortable trappings of noble life. During the preceding trial, she appeared unmoved, but she clearly held an extraordinary devotion towards her master, Tullius.


    I dont understand in the slightest. All this pomp and circumstance, for a mere ve? Simones husband, Linus, cursed. It seemed that he hated not only his brother, but his property as well.


    Simone could hardly understand his point of view.


    Admittedly, Tullius was once feared as a deranged butcher who ughtered his ves. However, at present he was only a young noble who had skillfully managed the territory entrusted to him by his elder brother. In Simones eyes, he had already turned over a new leaf.


    Despite this, Linus imed that Tullius was only pretending to have changed his ways. Although he had no evidence, he was sure beyond a doubt that his brother had some scheme in mind. It was as though it waspletely out of the question for him to consider Tullius reforming.


    If something was suspected to be afoot, one could simply request that the High Court perform an investigation. However, no suspicious details had surfaced in the report concerning the second son of Oubeniel. His fields were well-cultivated, the hired bureaucrats were efficiently employed, and the new mine was running smoothly. Except for some minor issues such as the water distribution in the viges, everything else seemed the result of administrative perfection.


    With this in mind, Simone could only see her reckless husband trying to smear the innocence of her brother-inw.


    Moreover, he vented his frustrations on an ex-ve. Truly, the height of childishness.


    (This man isnt a good match for me, after all)


    Simone could not help but think to herself.


    Certainly, Linus had dignity, education, and ability in spades. Even if only in regard to his presentation, he could be called handsome. However, he had a tendency to lose control of his passions, and to meddle in household affairs. These traits, coupled with an unnatural hatred for his younger brother. Truthfully, he was an exhausting person to talk to.


    (All the better for Tullius.)


    Saying her thoughts aloud would only bring trouble, so she held her tongue.


    In fact, she saw in Tullius a gentle young man whose appalling notoriety was only a shadow of the past, who had listened to her grumblings about her newly-wed life in a rxed manner. Unconsciously, she hadpared him, who had patiently listened to her selfish story, to his quick-tempered brother. Furthermore, she felt excited that Tullius was challenging the Marquis, the puppetmaster behind the scenes. All this drama to reim a servant of many years, and a woman at that. Such stories provoked a certain thrill in a womans heart.


    She privately thought that she would rather marry Tullius if she had to.


    If she had known Tullius true nature and his ongoing ns, all the favourable impressions she had of him would have quickly vanished.


    (I can somewhat understand that girls feelings)


    Simone returned her focus to Uni, standing before the court.


    Linus and Cartan. Both counts, but significantly different in age. She could not help but feel sorry for Uni who probably felt like fleeing on the spot.


    What do you think will happen?


    Hm. Although there is no excuse for Count Cartans behavior, just look at Marquis Lavallee. I wonder how many cards he has up his sleeve. No matter what urs, I am sure the proceedings will not turn out the way Sir Tullius desires.


    A husband who looks about to spit fury as he speaks, wholeheartedly looking forward to his brothers public disgrace. Simone prayed silently for Tullius, while sighing internally at Linus.


    (O God, Holy King, and Savior of Man please protect her and Sir Tullius both. Is it not pitiful for those two to be torn apart by a foul conspiracy?)


    Even though she rarely attended religious services, she sincerely prayed alone.


    s, she did not know.


    The master and servant she prayed for were called devils incarnate by the hundreds they had ughtered.


    x x x


    My, my. Did Tullius leave everything up to his ve?


    Marquis Lavallee let out a sardonic chuckle.


    Wrapped in the Marquis malicious intent, it took Uni every ounce of her being to prevent herself from ripping the count to pieces. Todays trial was the result of her being unable to control her emotions that day. If she thought about it that way, she could be as dispassionate as necessary.


    Can I assume that what you said was an admission that you are not Anrietta P Cartan?


    Marquis Lavallee shrugged.


    No, no, you misunderstand. Only Sir Tullius here calls you a ve. With that understanding, I spoke in a way that was easier to be understood by you. Please do not mistake my intentions.


    In short, he was saying that he had adapted to the new facts created by Tullius arguments with Count Cartan.


    An old-fashioned, but effective provocation.


    Yes. Then, what are your intentions, Marquis?


    The youngster who was so skilled in rhetoric decided to entrust everything to a substitute. Naturally, I found it strange.


    Arent your actions more unusual than mine?


    Still seated, Tullius spoke up.


    I mentioned this earlier, but I was called here urgently. Isnt Madame Josephine the one who called for this trial? She brought Uni in as a witness, did she not? Therefore, her testimony should have some worth. And that was why I had her give her ount of what happened. So, let me say this: is there a problem?


    Is that so? Well then, I see no issue.


    Marquis Lavallee sat back down with augh.


    At the same time, the presiding judge swung his wooden gavel down.


    Then, the intiff. State your appeal.


    Yes.


    Uni deeply bowed her head and began.


    Before I beginl, I shall introduce myself. My name is Uni. I am a maid, and although I wear no cor, I am a ve.


    These words shook the audience.


    ve? Did she say ve?


    I dont think so


    If that is the truth, then by all meansno, never mind.


    Every time, why was there such a response to her calling herself a ve? Uni always believed that there could be no unnaturalness or inconvenience in being the ve of her beloved master.


    Uni continued to bite back and suppress her now-familiar irritation.


    One week ago, my master, Tullius Shernan Oubeniel, brought me to the wedding reception of Linus Strein Oubeniel, his brother. Also attending the reception was Count Pierre Simon Cartan"


    Stop, Anrietta dont treat me like a stranger


    Count Cartans whisper was naturally disregarded, as it could not even be counted as an objection.


    Who I then met for the first time. I was told by the count that I was the child of one of his former lovers and was judged to be his long-lost daughter.


    You believe it to be the counts misunderstanding?


    Yes, I would like to say that it was mere presumptuousness. I said several times that I was a ve named Uni, and not Anrietta P Cartan. However, the count was unmoved, and I was taken to his estate by force.


    Various gazes flitted to the defendants seat.


    There were no movements made. Count Cartan had no objection, and Marquis Lavallee continued to re in her direction.


    Uni continued.


    Even after I was relocated to the counts mansion, there was no change in my treatment as his child. I was expected to behave as Anrietta should have. Because of this, until now I have been pretending to y the role of a Counts daughter. In that regard, I must present my apologies for conspiring to delude the Counts family.


    Oh? Then if you are judged to truly be a ve, wouldnt you be the lowest kind of filth who deceived nobility and profited from such a base action?


    The Marquis mouth revealed his enjoyment.


    However, Tullius interjected.


    Objection. The Marquis is attempting to coerce self-condemnation from the witness, as well as insinuating that the witness will be in an unfavourable position if the trial ends in favor of the intiff.


    Objection sustained.


    Hm I understand, judge.

 Chapter 34: Dad who cant shut his mouth and his unsmiling daughter (part 2) (2)

    Chapter 34: Dad who can''t shut his mouth and his unsmiling daughter (part 2) (2)


    Marquis Lavallee obediently retreated. However, this was no victory for Tullius. From the beginning, the Marquis had no intention to rush the trial.


    Furthermore, I wish to request that if the Marquis continues under this assumption, the guilt will be assigned to Count Cartan, who ordered her to pretend to be Miss Anrietta. Well, as the master of Uni, I might have to bear some responsibilities Man has enough funds to provide sufficientpensation.


    In other words, it was not a problem because he was prepared to pay.


    Reassured by her lord, Uni began to speak once again.


    I will continue. Madame Josephine was brought here today to serve as witness to my usation of the Counts misdemeanors. As you can see, I am merely a ve taken under false pretense to be the Counts daughter. It is up to the court to return me to my rightful master. I end my usation here.


    The long statement was finally over.


    Uni was originally a young woman of few words; speaking at such lengths was unlike her. She was relieved to finally have a quick rest, but that was all it proved to be. Her heart sank when she thought that Marquis Lavallee would soon be called on next. However, this had all been for the sake of returning to her master. She had no choice but to grit her teeth and persevere.


    Understood. Then, we shall turn to the defendant for his argument.


    Ahem. Count Cartan is currently feeling unwell. Might I be permitted to perform a cross-examination in his stead?


    Very well. Now then, Marquis Lavallee, as before.


    The Marquis stood to address the court, smiling briefly before beginning.


    Are you sure, Miss Anrietta?


    Objection. My name is Uni.


    If she had responded, Yes, what about it?, she would have fallen into his trap.


    Such intricate ns were bread and butter for the practiced schemer, Marquis Lavallee. After all, his modus operandi was that the means justified the end, no matter how vile.


    Objection overruled. This hearing is for the purpose of that determination.


    Understood, judge. My apologies.


    She followed up the judges decision with a bow. Although it was aggravating, this helped facilitate the continuation of a smooth trial. In addition, the Marquis would no longer be able to use her name as leverage.


    Marquis Lavallee continued after a light chuckle.


    Then, I shall continue to address you as Miss Anrietta. Is that eptable, Miss Anrietta?


    As soon as he was granted tacit permission to continue calling her Anrietta, he repeatedly attacked her with it. He was a truly disgusting old man. The frustration of being wrongly addressed should not have appeared on her face, but perhaps his methodsy in reading her emotions from her words. She would have to be more careful in her future actions.


    For the time being, she assented.


    Very well Miss Anrietta, when did you firste under the care of Sir Tullius?


    Eleven years ago, Marquis.


    It was eleven years ago that Miss Anrietta was lost, and eleven years ago that you were found. A curious coincidence, dont you think?


    I judge it mere chance.


    The counts daughter and you both have dark hair and green eyes.


    Yes. There are many women in Broussonne alone with such characteristics.


    In addition, it seems you have high magic power. I believe those to be the exact characteristics we are looking for in a daughter of Count Cartan, who was once a court magician.


    I disagree. It is umon, but not unheard of for a child ofmon birth to be in possession of high magic power.


    Whether a child had high inborn magical capability was dependent on heredity, but asionally children were born frommon parentage with a mutation that enabled them to use powerful magic.


    The majority of the remodeled ves were such uncut jewels picked from the markets by Tullius.


    By this argument, it could not be determined that Uni was truly the daughter of Pierre Simon Cartan on basis of magical power.


    However, there are many features that are shared between you and the Counts daughter, and yet you im to be apletely different person. Could there truly be such a chance?


    Because of such coincidences, the Marquis made his mistake.


    The Marquis interrogation was slow and rxed, but like a sinister tide slowly surrounding her.


    He must have been waiting for the golden opportunity to use his trump card to win in one fell swoop.


    Then, lets change the subject.


    The Marquis eyes narrowed.


    The tension in the room tightened palpably.


    What do you think of Tullius Shernan Oubeniel, your master?


    I hold great respect and admiration for my only master.


    Uni quickly regretted giving such a hasty response.


    Why? Why had he asked such a question at this point in the trial?


    So you respect and admire him even though there are so many terrible rumours about your master?


    !


    It was easy to read the intentions of theughing Marquis.


    He was trying to say that Uni insisted that she was not Anrietta because she loved her master more than she enjoyed being a countess. While it was not surprising for Uni, it was unthinkable for the general nobility. So much so that many might mistake the ve, Uni, and the noble, Anrietta for two different people. Such a line of argument carried some weight.


    This was the true aim of the Marquis.


    This was all to establish the idea that I would willingly serve my master, whether I am in truth Uni or Anrietta?!


    The more Uni expressed her loyalty to Tullius, the more she revealed her desire to serve under him.


    What if there was strong evidence that Anrietta was actually Uni?


    Regardless of her true identity, the judge might rule that she had was biased to help Tullius in this trial.


    If the trial were to proceed favorably for the Marquis, the audience would begin to see Anrietta P Cartan as a ve who fanatically served Tullius for eleven years.


    That was entirely true, unfortunately. After all, Uni was certainly once known as Anrietta. She saw herself as an entirely different person from the child before her spiritual copse and subsequent eleven years of rebirth, but that could only be seen as a psychological aberration.


    Even though she understood this,


    Yes, Marquis Lavallee.


    Uni gave her affirmation without hesitation.


    Any dy on her part only made her situation worse. In short, Marquis Lavallees n to reveal her motivations was inescapable, as long as Uni was actually Anrietta.


    Her best option remaining was to face Lavallees onught head on and reverse the situation with her own hands.


    Master is Master, no matter what other people say. If he is vulnerable in any regard, I know it my duty to support him with all my might.


    Ahaha!


    The Marquisughed heartily. After all, it would be incredibly amusing to him for her to face him head-on with no defenses to speak of. Did he think she was a fool for being unable to read the situation, or a fool for charging in anyways? That notwithstanding, it was a ridiculousugh.


    A superb loyalty! Even though you are only a woman, it truly makes me happy to see you youngsters develop so.


    I am honored, Marquis.


    Is it true that Sir Tullius is so worthy of your servitude?


    Yes, my master is most wonderful


    Uni said.


    If he was willing to hear her titudes, she was eager to serve them up.


    Even if he did not realise it then, he would one day know that a person who loves her master so would never forgive anybody who obstructed him.


    and I am happy to serve my lord, no matter if I may die today or the day after.


    Even if it was by her own hands.


    Uni.


    She heard Tullius mumbling softly.


    She knew he realized exactly what she meant.


    This trial depended on the depths of Marquis Lavallees cunning, and whether she could crush him at his full strength.


    She had no intention to lose, but in the event that the worst came to the worst She reaffirmed her resolve to sacrifice herself if they failed here.


    (There is no need to speak, master.)


    Uni knew better than anyone else Tullius crippling fear of death and burning desire for immortality. For those reasons, he abhorred conflict and violence. Even if she did not tell him to do so herself, he would immediately trigger n D and escape if she were to fail in her duty. In tandem with his escape, Uni would take her own life. It was the n ofst resort, used only in case of irrecoverable defeat. There was no need for further confirmation.


    Even then, she wanted to dere that proudly.


    Above all, she wanted him to know that she was content.


    She had said what she had wanted to. So, she urged him on.


    So, Marquis, what is the meaning of your question?


    A-ha-ha


    Marquis Lavallee wasughing again. How could she be wondering what he thought now, of all times?


    Uni once again observed that it was an abhorrent and inferior way ofughing. However, she could not express this due to his elevated peerage. Faced with such a vulgar disy, her desire to tear him limb from limb resurfaced when she thought of his repeated attempts to stymie her lord.


    Judge, in this womans heart, loyalty to Sir Tullius seems to be first above all. I wonder if this is the result of eleven years of training?


    Surrogate of the defendant, your statement is irrelevant to this hearing.


    Not at all, judge, not at all. It appears to me that she has been educated over the course of eleven years to value Sir Tullius above her own life. That is to say, regardless of whether she was Anrietta in the first ce or just a ve


    Stillughing all the while, the venomous old fox spun his words into fouls.


    My desire was merely to show you what kind of person Miss Anrietta here is. Whether that impacts her credibility is up to your own interpretation.


    Surrogate of the defendant, do you have witnesses?


    Uni could not believe it. Was there even time for him to prepare witnesses?

 Chapter 34: Dad who cant shut his mouth and his unsmiling daughter (part 2) (3)

    Chapter 34: Dad who can''t shut his mouth and his unsmiling daughter (part 2) (3)


    This trial was a hurriedly constructed event arranged through her usage of the brainwashing perfume and Josephines connections to the court. There should have been no time or room for the defendant to prepare.


    Yes. I shall present witnesses that will prove beyond doubt that she is Anrietta. However, if you misunderstand Miss Anriettas personality as that of a liar, you will surely be surprised by the conclusion. Naturally, I had some investigation performed in advance.


    Then, he turned his innocently malicious smile on Uni.


    This is a girl who would do anything in her power for Sir Tullius.


    The court was upset once again.


    Uni, in contrast, remained unmoved. She knew that the old foxs aim was to manipte her heart. She was ready for anything he threw her way.


    The judge once again mmed his gavel down.


    That may only be proven once the witness testimony has been examined.


    Then, may the witness be allowed entrance to the court?


    Of course. Let them enter.


    At the presiding judges signal, one of the aides ran to the defendants waiting room.


    Uni had a brief premonition.


    If one were to think about it, information and its maniption was the foundation for Marquis Lavallees strategy. How did he find about Anrietta? Who told the secret to the Marquis?


    That evening, Madame Josephine saw the spirit of eleven years past in Uni. But was the ghost truly her?


    The door to the court opened.


    A woman with a spectral figure and gait entered the courtroom.


    Thats


    Impossible!


    Cartan, who had been thoroughly beaten by Tullius, and Josephine, still befuddled by Unis drug, raised their faces at the same time.


    Their eyes fixed themselves on the woman entering the court. Her green eyes were dull with exhaustion, and her face was framed by dark hair turned mostly to gray. Her skin was rough, thin, and greatly discolored, but still showed traces of what must have once been peerless beauty. Perhaps, simr to that of Unis.


    She is?


    Count Cartan here may be able to answer your question better than I.


    Marquis Lavallee answers the judge with a satisfied smirk.


    Count Cartan shouted out, as if a switch had been flipped.


    Anna Marie! You were alive, all this time?!


    With tears in her eyes, the woman looked up as if she had forgotten she stood in a court.


    Then, something escaped her lips.


    If one were as skilled in the art of lip reading as Uni, they could have understood what the woman said.


    Pierre


    A dark-haired woman with green eyes who dared call a count by his first name.


    Her age was somewhat indistinguishable with the wear from living in base conditions, but


    It was Anna Marie, as the Count said.


    (She was alive)


    Although she thought something had been afoot, Uni could not fully prevent her own surprise.


    The living memory of the tragic day. Madame Josephine employed some men to assault Anna Marie till she became motionless. After that, Josephine continued venting her rage on Anrietta.


    The shade of Josephines grudge against Anrietta was alive.


    (She should have stayed dead)


    Perhaps she had only fainted, or gone into a shorta. Such things were not umon in life.


    If only she had died on the spot, then she might not have had to suffer as much as her emaciated figure suggested, but most importantly she would never have stood in the way of her master.


    While staring into her nemesis eyes, Anna Marie slowly shambled up to the witness stand.


    Shewas alivethe mother


    Mrs. Josephine.


    Tullius warned Josephine, who had uttered something wholly unnecessary. Perhaps it had been something about how parents and children always go together. Regardless, Uni thought once again howmentable it was that she had been unable to procure more of the drug.


    Marquis Lavallee proudly introduced the woman standing by his side.


    As Count Cartan has said, this is the mother of Miss AnriettaAnna Marie. Is this not so, Count Cartan?


    O-Objection!


    It was Madame Josephine who stood.


    Theres no way this beggar could be that thieving cat, right? no, couldnt this be another surrogate?!


    It is useless.


    Uni privately thought to herself.


    Objection overruled. First, we must examine the testimony.


    Now she understood the true depth of the Marquis scheming.


    Earlier, when she had set up amon maid as a witness, the Marquis deliberately dismissed a heavy objection to her presence, and thus did not have to subject his witnesses to qualitative scrutiny.


    All that, so as to set the stage for his oversized ace in the hole known as Anna Marie. Her mere presence haunted Josephine with delusions and hatred from the bottom of her own personal hell.


    Josephine


    Hii-?!


    You, oft often, such things


    The spirits that cried out in hatred towards the living are rightly called ghosts.


    Her voice, forcibly raised, was still quiet. However, once heard, it would stick in the ear and refused to be forgotten.


    Upon hearing her voice, Josephine stumbled into a sitting position after hitting her calf on her chair. A scene remarkably simr to one in recent memory.


    Returnto me my, my daughter


    Dont Donte over here!!


    Josephine trembled with her head in her hands as Anna Marie slowly advanced, leaning over the fence on the witness stand.


    As soon as the two women began to move, the men in the court stood stock still. Count Cartan, who had previously been ecstatic over the return of Anna Marie, now appeared stiff as ifing face-to-face with an apparition. Despite being the person that brought her here, even Marquis Lavallee appeared dumbfounded by their actions.The presiding judge also appeared stiff as a board, caught in the act of raising his gavel.


    Return that child!


    Return? What did she mean, return? She was Tullius property and only Tullius. She had no rtion anymore to her old family. She was grateful for her parents for giving birth to her so she may be useful to Tullius, but that did not mean she allowed any meddling. Obviously, this included anybody who tried to get in her way of reuniting with her master.


    Furthermore, she was the mastermind that nted a bug in Uni. If she was not perturbed by the keyword, marriage, she probably would not have been caught so deep into the enemys trap.


    Because of that, she felt frustrated to such a degree.


    At that time, a visible anger manifested itself on her face.


    Hey, thats no good, Uni.


    Freed from the spell of the madwoman in the court, Tullius stood beside Uni, and told her:


    Theres nothing praiseworthy about looking at her as though shes trash.


    Huh?


    Unexpectedly, she felt depressed.


    What was her master saying? He should have clearly known that this madwoman, despite being blood rted, was an obstacle to them.


    As she steeled herself, Tullius raised his hand high.


    Objection. That witness is in no fit state to provide testimony. Please, allow her to say her piece or remove her from the court immediately.


    Y-yes. Order in the court! Witnesses, quiet yourselves and testify!


    The presiding judge banged his gavel, Count Cartan and Marquis Lavallee calmed themselves, and Anna Marie was pulled back to the witness stand.


    Still, however, Anna Marie continued to re with pure hate and rage towards Josephowards Josephine?


    Uni noticed something.


    Perhaps Anna Marie...


    Sir Tullius is an upright young man. How wonderful of you to help calm down our witness.


    No, no, this is all for the sake of a smooth trial. I dont like waste, and this trial has been too long for my preference.


    Tullius yawned while rubbing of tears of boredom from his left eye.


    While this was happening, Anna Marie began her testimony.


    I Eleven years ago, I was chased out by the family of PierreCount Cartan. After being separated from my daughterI managed to find shelter in the slums


    Were you picked up then by Marquis Lavallee?


    At Tullius questioning, Anna Marie nodded quickly.


    So the Marquis must have put you under his protection after speaking to you about the events that happened. No, Marquis Lavallee also had evil intentions. If you had returned to the Count, surely you wouldnt have been punished, even if you hadmitted some wrongdoing. Right, Count?


    Yeah...Why didnt you, Marquis


    Ho ho. Well, for one, we all know how repressive Madame Josephine is, and wouldnt you agree it would bring you much more happiness if you could be reunited with your daughter? Well, I did not expect it to be in such a venue, though.


    The thick-skinned Marquis pretended to benignity.


    He probably hid the existence of Anna Marie so as to crush any resistance from Tullius. It was intended to amplify the power of any blow he struck and prevent any further actions on Tullius part. In short, although he reunited the family, he never had any good intentions to start with.


    With Lavallees words, Anna Marie began to gain momentum.


    Yesyes! The Marquis promised me Anrietta! To let me meet my dear child and thats today! That I would be able to meet my child here!


    As she rambled on, a flush spread across her heavily lined and worn cheeks.


    Marquis Lavallee smiled to himself, likely convinced of his own victory.


    However,


    Where is Anrietta?


    With those words, her eyesbed through the crowd.


    As she looked around the courtroom, her gaze passed through Uni without a second nce.


    Huh?


    A, Anna Marie? What are you talking about? Anrietta is...


    The count, his eyes betraying his confusion, questioned her with a shaky voice.


    With eyes as wide as saucers, Anna Marie swept the court once again for her daughter, until she realised that she was nowhere to be found.

 Chapter 34: Dad who cant shut his mouth and his unsmiling daughter (part 2) (4)

    Chapter 34: Dad who can''t shut his mouth and his unsmiling daughter (part 2) (4)


    Josephine! you you evil


    Huh? What


    Its you youre hiding Anrietta! Tell me wherewhere is my child!?


    W, what are you talking about? If its Anrietta


    Josephine, being pressured by the woman who she thought was a ghost, spoke without thinking.


    Uni attempted to stop her, but before she could do anything,


    Even if you dress a maid up like her, I wont be deceived! The hair the eyes no matter what you change Ill never mistake the precious girl I gave birth to bring me the real one!


    With a resounding scream of fury, her words echoed in the court.


    The judge, Count Cartan, Josephine, and Marquis Lavallee were struck dumb.


    Only Tullius and Uni, who knew the truth, remained unfazed.


    Tullius shrugged his shoulders.


    You dont know who the real Anrietta is.


    What did you say?


    Tullius remained calm despite the mounting instability of the madwoman in front of him. Perhaps he had grown desensitized to emotional outbursts over the course of his experiments. Opus 4 may have been the primary factor in this; Simrly, Uni knew the limits of her sanity. If it was for her master, she was willing to do anything, no matter how repulsive to normal humans.


    With a light tap, he rested his hands on Unis shoulders.


    This girl here is my Uni. Does she look like your daughter?


    Ah.


    She knew she couldnt do it after all.


    Uni could no longer hold back the flood of joy within her heart.


    (My Uni, he said. Just like that. He put his hands to my shoulders and imed them as his!)


    Her stone-cold expression began to crack from the waves of ecstasy within.


    Still, all that appeared was a small smile, as any more would be unsightly.


    Is that, truly a ve?


    The birth mother herself denied it. Not a daughter, at any rate, but even so


    what a detestable smile.


    Hah...


    Not a single sound from the boisterous courtroom registered with her. The temperature of his hand on her shoulder, his breath on her hair. The words that fixed themselves in her mind and bound her to him.


    What a wonderful scene it was.


    If only it could havested a little longer.


    s, Unis hope was short-lived.


    I know its not true!


    Uni was forcefully dragged back to reality by the scream.


    My cute little Anrietta could never grow into such a beauty like that I know it to be true Im not wrong Im her mother, after all


    Yes, yes! Thats it, thats it!


    He slowly took back his hand.


    While savoring the lingering sensation of his palms, Uni turned back to her raving mother.


    Even Marquis Lavallee, the instigator of this chaos, was confused by her actions. He would probably think her spirit had long fled her body, leaving only insanity behind.


    What the mastermind didnt know was that it was not because of the terrible life she had experienced.


    She was brainwashed.


    As Tullius yawned, he kept rubbing his left eye.Yes, his left eye. A primary feature of her fellow Opus, as well as his own work.


    Hah. You owe me one, Uni.


    A voice resonated within her mind.


    It was no hallucination, but magical telepathy.


    n D, the escape from the capital. The keyy within Drei.


    The dark elf woman was also in the capital. While preparing for the execution of n D, she must have searched for Anna Marie, possibly at Tullius bequest, and brainwashed her with the magic eye.


    The magic eye acted differently from the incense; its efficacy increased with the users magic power. If the chances of side effects urring in the target were discarded, orders contrary to the targets will could be forced into action.


    Uni silently gave her thanks to Drei.


    I was saved by you, Drei. My heartfelt thanks.


    Dont be stiff with me. I help my friends out, you know.


    The connection was cut, and Uni refocused on her surroundings.


    As you have undoubtedly heard, the mother of Miss Anrietta P Cartan has testified that this girl is not her child. Well, this is all thanks to the Marquis. As you said, this would clear the question of her identity beyond a doubt, correct?


    Tullius spoke with a pleasant tone.


    His happiness could be heard. Once she thought about it, this was the first revenge he had fully carried out. The satisfaction must have been sweet.


    Uni felt just as pleased as he did. The old snake before her was a vile enemy who tried to tear her master and her apart.


    Linus? Merely a bump in the road, not a foe like Lavallee.


    The Marquis showed no expression on his aged face. He simply sat and listened to Tullius speak, though his shaking hands sped together showed the extent of his humiliation.


    You must now surely understand! As I have repeatedly said for the past week, and many more times during this trial, Uni and Anrietta P Cartan arepletely different people!


    Objection! Anna Marie was incensed by the presence of Madame Josephine, and could not have delivered a sensible testimony in such a state


    Oh? You had something to say, Marquis? She was your witness, and you must have known that this trial was suggested by Madame Josephine, as it said so on the subpoena. What is the meaning of this, if you brought somebody who could not make a sane testimony?


    Tch!


    I see no wrongdoing in a witness saying something detrimental to the defendant. This is no show trial for the benefit of an individual, we stand here to uncover the truth before the eyes of God! As counsel to the intiff, I request that the objection be nullified.


    Request epted, objection overruled. Even though the witness has inadvertently damaged the defendants own case, withdrawal of testimony shall not be permitted.


    Marquis Lavallees request was quickly denied. However, there were others who would not sit quietly.


    O-objection!


    It seemed as though Count Cartan had found his second wind upon his reunion with Anna Marie.


    I, the father, have recognized her as my daughter! Even though the mother may disagree, the score is still tied!


    However, this statement only hurt his beloved more.


    Pierre do you not believe me?


    Ah, no. Anna Marie, I


    Count Cartan shrank back at the intense heartbreak and loathing palpably flowing from Anna Marie.


    Unsightly.


    Uni thought immediately upon seeing him cower..


    But then again, it was all well in the end. At this rate, she would be saved from this situation with it ending up as only a minor setback to her master.. Efficiency-wise, brainwashing her mother had been the most effective option. As expected of a follower influenced by her masters obsessive efficiency.


    She pressed forward. As further insurance against the Central faction, she needed to twist the knife in the wound.


    With that in mind, Uni opened her mouth.


    Then, I shall convince the Count, Miss Anriettas father, as well.


    What?


    With that, the Counts mouth dropped open. He had not expected Uni to continue and had been d that nothing else was yet toe.


    From the beginning, Anna Maries presence was unexpected. Therefore, it was unnatural to expect her to have countermeasures set in ce.


    Uni would use this expectation to her advantage.

 Chapter 34: Dad who cant shut his mouth and his unsmiling daughter (part 2) (5)

    Chapter 34: Dad who can''t shut his mouth and his unsmiling daughter (part 2) (5)


    Before we begin, please remove Madame Anna Marie.


    Do you have a reason?


    I am going to ask Madame Josephine about the events of eleven years ago.


    The audience looked around at each other. Some knew what had happened on that fateful day when Anna Marie was driven from the Counts house. However, few knew the full extent of what had urred. Their curiosity was aroused.


    Uni turned around. Josephine looked up at Uni as if the end of the world hade. As for Tullius, he was interested to see what Uni had in store. Of course, it was thetter that gave her the momentum she needed.


    (This time, I shall live up to your expectations.)


    Uni gathered herself, then began interrogating Josephine.


    Please stand and describe what you did to Miss Anrietta P Cartan.


    T-that is


    This is the perfect opportunity, Madame. If you are nning to secure the future of the sessor, now is the time to find your courage.


    Y-yes, I understand


    There was some resistance, but if pressed, she would crack. However, if not hounded after, she would never speak. Even though she was a strong and brutal woman, she seemed reluctant to confess her role in that vile event.


    Thusly, Madame Josephine began to speak. It was a long confession, interrupted by short pauses and halts.


    It was a record of foulest sin, a monster who repeatedly crushed the face of a six-year-old girl, then distorted the bones so they would never heal straight.


    Count Cartan, in all his wildest dreams, had never imagined his wife capable of such a thing. Anna Marie, who had in the end stayed in the court, grew more and more frenzied with each passing word. In contrast, the Marquis listened quietly.


    Uni felt nothing. She had little connection to Anriettas memories anymore. However, she thought the sight of the grieving Anna Marie slightly pitiful.


    That is all.


    After finishing her speech, Josephine appeared haggard. She had announced her crimes to the world. Herplexion appeared little different from that of Anna Marie.


    Thank you, Madame.


    You how could you listen to such a thing so calmly?


    What are you talking about? I am Uni, not Miss Anrietta. I have nopassion toward someone I merely mimicked.


    What does this mean, in regard to the trial?


    You will soon understand.


    Uni turned once again to the defendants seat.


    Now, what did you think of the story?


    In my opinion, you increasingly appear to be Miss Anrietta.


    Lavallee spoke warily.


    I heard that you were heavily injured when you were bought by Sir Tullius eleven years ago.


    Yes, you are correct.


    To the Marquis, he cannot help but see this as being to Unis disadvantage. It was a well-known fact at the House of Oubeniel that Unis face had been crushed. It could be heard from Linus, or from the servants who remember that asion. And because they remembered so well, Marquis Lavallee used it in his scheme.


    Both had facial injuries, a sure sign to me.


    Incorrect.


    Uni immediately denies the Marquis.


    Did you forget, Marquis? Miss Anriettas face was magically healed so that it could never be returned to its original shape.


    That


    A tinge of frustration clouds the old Marquis face.


    Uni strikes up once again, spinning her narrative.


    Those here that have experienced military service will know that recovery magic is inalterable. If a fracture is hastily mended without regard for its original shape, the bone will heal crooked. Once this urs, the bone can no longer be restored. However, a cure was recently discovered in Sankt Gallen.


    Oh, Im the one who published that paper. Incidentally, the first sessful case was a student injured in a duel by me.


    Tullius offered his opinion airily.


    Thank you, master. By the way, master, how old were you eleven years ago, if you do not mind my inquiring?


    Im neen now, so I was eight then.


    I have bothered you again, master. My apologies. Well then, my lord may be a skilled alchemist now, but could he have possibly carried out such a treatment at the age of eight?


    In truth, that operation was entirely sessful. Thats why Uni was standing here today. No one in their right mind would believe an eight-year-old capable of such a feat. Even in the House of Oubeniel, no one could have urately diagnosed the depth of her injuries at that time.


    The only exception was the knight assigned to Tullius side when he first purchased her, but he no longer stood amongst the living. When he was named in the investigation over the matter of session, the lord gifted him a bottle of alcohol that allowed its drinkers to truly find heaven, so he must have been happy.


    In other words, not even my lord could have healed such a wound when he was only eight.


    If it was Tullius, I wouldnt be surprised. He did write the paper, after all.


    Marquis Lavallee was surely caught. Of course, there were many possible counterarguments.


    This is but an auxiliary argument, Marquis. I was my lords first servant. Before I, there were no human experimental subjects.


    In truth, the operation had been designed after trials on captive mice. Even so, the lords talent for medicinal and biological alchemy was so great that he had no need for human subjects before the first application.


    Marquis Lavallee already knew that. He had been careful to have the ve market records checked during his investigations.


    In those records, there was no evidence that Uni was Anrietta. Records of identity were rarely kept for ves purchasable by even children. The record of sale remained, but no one had bothered to learn who the ve had been.


    If you still have doubts, there should be a magical expert here. Why not ask them?


    Ah! Yes. That way, we can stop this farce.


    Immediately understanding her intention, the lord stood up. Turning to him, Tullius asked his question.


    I would like to ask you. As a former court magician, Count Pierre Simon Cartan, could you please deign to answer whether an eight-year-old child could perform such a feat? Please, bequeath your knowledge as a renowned mage!


    Pierre Simon Cartan had gained his current station through his dedication to the magical arts and mastery of the arcane. In terms of expert witnesses, there were none more qualified than he.


    And, by his ount,


    Impossible. It would be meaningless to even think of it.


    Count Cartan answered truthfully.


    Thank you for your valuable testimony.


    Gah!


    The count realized what he had said and turned his face to the side.


    The count must surely wonder why she was so apparently light-hearted, although she was barely repressing her churning emotions.


    However, they were nearly done.


    Uni bowed deeply to the presiding judge.


    What transpired previously has been my evidence. It was the statement of the defendant himself, and I take great pride in its credibility.


    Understood. Then, I shall recognize the usefulness of this evidence.


    Then, the wooden gavel sounded once again.


    The final sound to mark the close of an eleven-year journey.


    In tandem with the crack of wood, Count Cartan fell to his knees. He appeared to have lost all energy and was unable to reseat himself. A hollow shell of a man, broken by the lost chance to regain a daughter. His wax-like countenance was feverishly flushed with blood.


    Then, we shall move to the verdict.


    x x x


    The trial ended with a resounding victory for the intiff.


    Witness to the intiff Madame Josephine was separately used of a previous crime from eleven years ago and was to be transferred for a separate trial. Count Pierre Simon Cartan resigned his peerage, and his son inherited both titles and estates. All in all, aplete sess.


    As Uni was recognized as a separate entity from Anrietta P Cartan, she returned happily to very. Her values were iprehensible to others, and perhaps it was all well and good that Simone did not know of them. Although a woman of not yet twenty, she was a ve, and pleased with the massive upset delivered to Marquis Lavallee.


    Shit, that old bastard, what was he thinking?!


    Linus fumed without hiding his frustration. Though he did exhibit some self-control by doing so softly. Even so, the incredibly pissed off face he made as though he cursed the entire world after Tullius side won did draw some attention from the others he passed by while on the way home.


    I must say, Count Cartans showing was disgraceful, to say the least.


    Indeed. Does he hold no respect for the rules of the kingdom? To think he was considered an aplished person.


    Also, it seems Marquis Lavallee was no match for his own reputation.


    Crack.


    Linus teeth ground together audibly.


    I-I misspoke. Were you listening too, my lord?


    No, my ears be incredibly irritating when hearing about the ruckus my brother caused.


    Leaving the audience behind in their awkwardughter, Linus walked away after giving minimum acknowledgements.


    (In the end, it is more than just about hating his brother, huh.)


    Simone seemed to have understood him. One could always tell when the root of Linus vexation came from his inferiorityplex towards Tullius.


    For that reason alone, he had joined the Central Faction and surrendered himself to Marquis Lavallees schemesIf he had not done so, he should have been able to live an easy life by ignoring what his brother was doing.


    If she advised him like this, he would surely reply with, Much easier with him dead!.


    What an irksome personality.


    She had to live until her dying days with or divorce such a man, and the thought alone depressed her greatly. To distract herself, she looked towards the court again. Marquis Lavallee had left immediately, after all was said and done. Perhaps, they were only seeing the first stages of his master n. It seemed the old man will never be tired of scheming.


    Count Cartan was leaving with an unsteady gait. As a noble, he would be unable to show himself in public as long as his scandal was remembered. Would he give up and go to Lavallee, or visit Anna Marie? Nobody knew.


    Josephine was half-carried away by a legal attach, face as pale as death. Perhaps she would be under house arrest until her next trial.


    Tullius and Uni, however,


    Uni, its alright. Raise your head.


    No. Because of my foolishness, I have greatly inconvenienced you.


    And Im saying, because youve been such an inconvenience, stand up already!


    As one could see, Tullius was trying to pull an uncooperative Uni up off the floor. It was a behavior unbefitting of the two incredible actors who performed at the trial. At this ridiculous sight, Simone broke into an unexpected smile.


    I am deeply grateful for your help. However, there is much more I have yet to atone for.


    Dont be stupid. Youre fine, Uni.


    (Well, at least he has his favorite tea-brewing girl back.)


    Simone thought to herself while leaning on the fence of the audience section.


    Tullius had scolded her while enduring a bitter taste from the tea before the trial. It seemed to her that his face, seen through the steam, had been waiting for her return.

 Chapter 34: Dad who cant shut his mouth and his unsmiling daughter (part 2) (6)

    Chapter 34: Dad who can''t shut his mouth and his unsmiling daughter (part 2) (6)


    In the end, his wish came true. Simone secretly hoped that someday, she would have someone that devoted to her. At the least, she was happy that she had made a difference in their story so far.


    As he looked down at her, Tullius took out something from his pocket.


    A new cor.


    A new cor, to rece the one lost a week ago. He gave it to her, and she immediately went to put it on.


    Ive bent over backwards to recover you. You wouldnt think I will let you go this easily right?.


    Yes, master. Unexpectedly so.


    If you get it, raise your head.


    Yes, but before that...


    She kneeled down.


    Can you swear me into your very once more? I dont ever want to lose this again.


    Thats fine by me, butAlright, Ill do it quickly.


    Thank you, master. Then


    With her lords permission, Uni uttered her oath.


    Your ve Uni will never refuse to offer herself, never flee, never fail to protect, never cease to serveMay my lord ept my solemn vow as the foundation for this eternal servitude.


    It wasnt a loud voice, but for some reason her words were carried on the air to Simone.


    A worshipping figure, hands sped, and eyshes closed demurely.


    It reminded her of a nun, lost in prayer.


    Very well. I shall receive your oath.


    In ordance with his eptance, Tullius presented his left hand, palm facing the earth.


    As agreed, Uni kissed the back of his hand. With that, a silver ring was locked around her neck, shut fast as if to protect that kiss.


    Click.


    The sound of the cor snapping shut was the epilogue to the drama of the week past.


    Simone thought that the ritual had been unusually smooth, despite being held in a courtroom after the conclusion of the trial. Was it because it seemed so natural to the two parties involved? To her, it seemed like it had been the next obvious step for him.


    Like a wedding


    Uni nced away from her masters fingertips and stroked the cor, looking like a lovestruck bride drunk on her own happiness.


    Insanity. What kind of holy court is this?


    Linus whispered indignantly..


    To Simone, he was the man who shattered her image of a sacred wedding.


    While both mildly shocked and slightly envious, she raised her left hand.


    Shining on the ring finger was a band of tinum.


    tinum versus silver. Ring versus cor. Brother versus brother. Bride versus ve.


    Two women connected to the same house by different colors in simr shapes, yet worlds apart.


    ----Which one was truly happy?


    Upon realizing the futility of her question, Simone sighed yet again.


    x x x


    The woman returned home with her master, sporting a shining new cor.


    To my embarrassment, I announce my return.


    Hello there. Wee home, Feudal Lord and Chief Maid.


    Laubert called out with a smile.


    Due, in turn said:


    Yeah.


    With such an unmotivated reply, it was hard to appear honest.


    Tullius raised an eyebrow in suspicion at Duesckluster greeting.


    Youve got a pretty weird face there, Due. Is it so strange that Uni came back?


    Thats right. After all, youre the one whos strange in the head.


    Dont say such rude things


    While saying that, Tullius rxed on a nearby sofa. He seemed much relieved after the events of the previous week.


    The root cause of the matter prepared a cup of herbal tea without orders and set a cup down before her master.


    After all the trouble, I chose chamomile for rxation.


    Thanks, Uni. Yeah, its gotta be you after all.


    Your words are more than I deserve


    Due sighed briefly at their antics.


    In Dues mind, there was something he was still mulling over. Tullius stated that the probability of Unis return was eighty percent, but how on earth did he evene up with that estimate. When he thought about it like that, he wasntpletely satisfied.


    Hey, Master. How long have you been nning for this?


    I was ny percent sure of this specific oue when Drei contacted me saying that Marquis Lavallee had Anna Marie in his possession.


    It was an unexpected answer.


    Youve gotta be shitting me


    The corner of his mouth twitched.


    Theres no way. Did he think such a crazy event would ur from the beginning? It wasnt impossible, but he still couldnt believe it.


    You think Im lying? Because Drei took full advantage of the teleportationwork and quickly came to the capital, I thought she could afford to spend some time on activities other than n D preparations. I suddenly realized that I had enough free time to check out Marquis Lavallee, and when I thought back to the beginning I came up with this eventuality.


    Sir, Mr. Due is still at the previous step. To me, it is strange that the Chief Maid was able to hold her own without guidance.


    Laubert muttered crossways.


    Im curious about that too.


    Thatspletely out of question isnt it.


    Tullius noted while letting the steam from the tea mist his face.


    Ive known her for eleven years. I of all people should know she was capable of that much.


    It was a natural response, but did he understand its true gravity?


    For her lord, she abandoned her father, mother, and half-brother, and joined hands with the enemy of her mother.


    Wasnt it too arrogant to assume so much?


    Due wanted to say so but found himself unable.


    The girl actually did it. She verbally beat her father into submission, didnt blink an eye when confronted by her insane mother, and happily rejoined her lord.


    Tullius continued without minding Due, whose words were still stuck in his throat.


    While I was looking into the nobles of thisnd, I found out a few things on ex-lovers and mistresses and such. I brought that information to the wedding, just in case any noble made trouble. I said what I did to Count Cartan because I didnt want him to take offense.


    Tilting his cup, he moistened his lips.


    Of course, Uni noticed my unnatural behavior. Weve been together for eleven years. Since I knew that, I asked that the wife be brought to the trial. Uni was intelligent enough to predict my actions in ordance.


    In terms ofbat, Uni outperformed even a remodeled Due. She was also a master in spying, an excellent magician, and an experienced alchemist. Escaping the residence, concocting the medicine, and finding a few servants that had beenid off were childs y to her.


    After all, with the brainwashing perfume it was a simple matter to collect the necessary information.


    I see. Well, nothing to be done about it.


    Right?


    After all, he had to make himself look aspetent as Laubert.


    Then, did you feel at all reluctant in handing the Chief Maid over to Count Cartan in order to gain time for concocting your ns? Well, you started preparing the fake evidence for the trial only after that.


    Swindling is for viins. Its not the same. If I didnt resist, Id look suspicious. Its as simple as that.


    Im impressed. You thought all that out in such a short time.


    Wasnt there enough time? When Count Cartan insisted that Uni was his daughter, I knew the trap had sprung. The Count had both peerage and the moral right to take her back. So, I gave in, listened to the Counts story, and thought up counterpoints for it. Wasnt that the right way to go about things?


    Youre insane, you know that. Youre even more of a schemer than that Marquis.


    Tullius shook his head with an ironic smile.


    Dont make jokes like that. Youe up with a counterattack at thest second, or youe up with a limited n because your opponent is hiding their cards under the table. If you dont do it right, it all falls apart.


    Even his humility was galling. The Marquis was about to win when he was pulled down in an instant by Tullius from nowhere.


    If anything, theyre sure to be more vignt now. From now on, Im going to have to get serious and think up my own strategies.


    That was his way, after all.


    The parties based in the kingdoms capital had been unsessful in sending spies to Man, so they had finally decided to brush away the insect buzzing around their ears. However, this time the insect stabbed back with a poisoned sting.


    The aristocrats stung by Tullius counterattack would strike with full force next time.


    Im sorry. This was all my fault


    Tullius waved his hand with a bitter smile, trying to stop Uni from prostrating herself. Perhaps it had been that way all the way back from the capital.


    Im telling you, its fine. Do I need to bow down again to get you to stand? At any rate, it was a good thing that the Marquis was publicly defeated. Instead, know that you did well in this.


    With that, he stroked her head with his hand.


    Master


    Youre all right. Good child, good child.


    The lord joked lightly with a smile, his servant epting it with a slight squint.


    A psychopath who murdered countless ves and aimed to overtake his brother, and a cursed woman who shed blood on his behalf and cut down her own family for his sake.


    Due shook his head once again, amazed by the twisted pair before him.


    Honestlymost importantly, is that you look happy.


    The ve responded to his sarcastic words by straightening her profile, holding back an acidic tongue.


    She still smiled, however.


    Thats great.


    That smile was as innocent as a little girls, but at the same time a flimsy cover on an unimaginable abyss.


    Im the happiest woman in the world right now, after all.

 Chapter 35: The burning capital? (1) (1)

    Chapter 35: The burning capital? (1) (1)


    The day began poorly for Marquis Lavallee.


    How pitiful that such a thing has happened, Your Excellency.


    Indeed, indeed. Dissent amongst the people is growing. Now is the most opportune time to use thend-holding lords of misgovernance. Yet sadly, this...


    Why would you intervene in the affairs of a neer of our faction?


    The guests inside the Marquis lounge were taking their turns reprimanding the Marquis for his failure. On the table, their cups of tea had long gone cold.


    This was a meeting between the nobles which belonged to upper echelons of the centralist faction. Their conversation revolved around the judgement made the day before that the alleged illegitimate child of Count Cartan was, in truth, only a ve.


    Everything had begun when Lavallee helped Count Linus Oubeniel ining up with a n.


    Tullius, Linus brother, was a social outcast whose unbing behaviours ranged from an irrational devotion to alchemy to the senseless murder of many ves. In order to put his actions in check and censure him, the Marquis had concocted a n to capture his closest female aide. In a stroke of luck, he had taken into custody Count Cartans ex-mistress, Anna Marie, as Lavallee thought then that she may one day be useful for a ploy. Through her, he came to learn that Tullius female ve was her daughter. Unfortunately, the trial had ended in a way beyond any of their expectations.


    Count Cartan was found guilty of lusting over the female ves beauty and falsely iming her as his child. As a result, he had been forced to give up his title.


    Despite his high ranking, the Marquis was now faced with the risk of being overthrown by newer and lower ranked nobles.


    All those gathered today were pressuring him to take full responsibility for the incident.


    One of the nobles took a sip of tea andmented.


    Well, helping Count Oubeniel was not an issue by itself. Therger problem was the public failure.


    Agreed!


    Another stood up and eximed, joining the conversation.


    Especially in that the Marquis scheming led to the Counts humiliation!


    ...Strange.


    Lavallee broke his silence with a smile.


    The mes of hatred seared his stomach, but the Marquis kept his calm. Any form of agitation he showed could be used against him, the leader of the faction.


    I do not remember in the slightest ever trying to smear Count Cartans name. Shouldnt the courts decision be the full responsibility of the Count himself?


    Stop making excuses!


    Haha...


    It looked like he was trying to shift the me away. In truth, his aim was to remove it entirely.


    The person who replied with such vehemence was Count Mearbahn. He was a high ranking noble in his prime, and he surely coveted the position of the aging Marquis.


    Still, the Marquis would not be as feared as he was if he allowed a small mistake to hold him back.


    In the first ce, everybody in the faction should be taking responsibility for what has happened to Count Cartan. I told the Count that I had found somebody that might have been his long lost daughter. Little did I know that she would end up as the ve the Count had fallen in love with.


    So you are saying, the full responsibility lies with the Count?


    Count Langoune spoke scornfully. He was a young and proud aristocrat in his mid-thirties. He and Count Mearbahn were simr in that they had risen in the ranks due to their incessant hard work. Because of this simrity, they had decided to actively work against the Marquis.


    Am I incorrect in saying so?


    You--


    Everybody could not help but be annoyed at Lavallees obvious attempt to shift responsibility. However, Lavallee continued.


    ...Gentlemen, do you not find it shameful? That one of our respectedrades concealed such depravity.


    Well--


    Gentlemen, in order to not repeat Count Cartans mistake, we must work harder and pay closer attention. Agreed?


    Among the people present, there were some who stiffened at his words.


    There were many members in the centralist faction that put in lots of effort to get to where they were at the moment. Among them, how many were truly honest and incorruptible? As the leader of the faction, his warning that he would no longer tolerate any further misbehaviour carried a great weight.


    Hahaha. Such harsh words.


    Count Langoune hadpletely reversed his position. He was one of the youngest present which meant that he had great ambition as well as great sexual desires. In fact, Lavallee was well aware of the lowborn mistresses he kept secret from his wife.


    ...Your Excellency, surely, you must be joking. As the guardians of the royalty, there is no way


    Count Mearbahn appeared as angry as before, but his previously sharp tongue seemed to have been dulled.


    Unlike Count Langoune, he was over the age of fifty. He was not at an age where he could be surrounded by mistresses, but there were times when he would visit expensive prostitutes in the red-light district.


    Lavallee himself was involved in sexual rtionships that were unheard of for a person of his age, but nobody dared to call attention to them, as they feared retaliation for stirring up trouble.


    Most importantly, everyone knew that this old fox was the only person who knew everybodys secrets. Once they turned their backs or revealed an opening, he would immediately take action and trap them in his plots.


    Especially since all the nobles were on heightened alert after Count Cartans trial. For a schemer of Lavallees caliber, it was entirely possible for him to take down a few well-known nobles.


    Ah, it is as the Marquis says. With this recent dishonour befalling our faction, we must take great care to not tarnish our image.


    Count Chambrey, sitting by the side of Lavallee, chimed in with a smirk. He was a shrewd fellow who had switched sides from the decentralist faction and was quickly climbing the ranks in the centralist faction.


    Either he believed that supporting Lavallee was advantageous at the moment, or he was trying to get the Marquis to owe him a favor. In any case, either option was always a tactically sound choice.


    Yes, but--


    If you dont want to join the peasants at the borders, then it is time to steel yourselves.


    Reading between the lines, Chambrey was announcing his support for the Marquis.


    (...I cant rx yet.)


    Lavallee resisted the urge to sigh from everybody looking at him.


    They called themselves loyal subjects of the royalty, but they were nothing more than a group of opportunists maximising their own gains. Many of them only clung onto the authority of the royalty in order topensate for their small territories. Chambrey, the turncoat, was a good example.


    If Lavallee, the person holding the mantle of leadership, showed weakness in any way, there would be people trying to steal this position of power.


    And now, their faces all showed the same sentiment:


    It was too early.


    It was not a bad idea to use this opening to further their advantages, but Lavallee still had sufficient capability and resources to keep everybody in check. Hence, being impatient here would be highly unfavorable


    Lavallee could easily tell what they were thinking.


    (...Hmph. Its too easy to read these fools.)


    For Lavallee, it was only at the level of a minor annoyance. The wound inflicted by this setback was hardly deep enough to be fatal, and optimistically, only a small scrape. Still, he had not expected that trying to draw Count Oubeniel into the faction immediately after his session would be akin to ying with fire.


    For now, he would have to suppress the nobles in his faction who were plotting against him.


    The centralist faction was not monolithic in nature. There was a sub-faction of hardliners, led by Mearbahn and Langoune, who were quickly consolidating power. Chambrey, on the other hand, was a boot-licking bat. In addition, he could not predict how Linus Oubuniel, uninvited to the conference for obvious reasons, would react in this situation. Moreover, there were radicals who were not adept in political scheming but had significant military might and would not hesitate to start an armed dispute. Lavallee had to repair these fractures as soon as possible to prevent those people from leaving his sphere of control.


    (You fools might think its too early. However, the truth is that all you idiots are far toote.)


    Castles were never built in a day. This also applied to the centralist faction that Lavallee had built over the years. Count Mearbahn was still wetting his bed when the Marquis first started consolidating his faction and deceiving the ignorant elites who gained power through inheritance. After nearly half a century, he had finally brought his country to its current prominence.


    Yes, everything he had done was for the sake of this countrys future, he thought to himself

 Chapter 35: The burning capital? (1) (2)

    Chapter 35: The burning capital? (1) (2)


    50 years ago, there had been a great war.


    It happened on the far borders, in and called Alpes Roune, known by locals as Erebus Rohtlehrgen. It was a war fought between the Kingdom of Arquell and the Federation of Sankt Gallen over the vast mineral riches lying unimed in the earth there.


    Due to frequent disputes between the countries, the borders in that area had be vaguely defined around the foothills. Sankt Gallen had nned to formalise their direct control over the area and built a fortress on their side. This became the impetus for the war, in which a certain noble participated.


    The third son of a Marquis, George Lavallee. Known presently as the one and only Marquis Lavallee.


    Back in those days, he harbored great ambitions and believed fervently in the values of chivalry. He aimed to distinguish himself in war as well as to repel the barbarians from the east. Joining up with his elder brothers army, he envisioned himself returning home crowned in glorious victory.


    He was not being overly optimistic. In fact, prevailing sentiment at the time was that the Kingdom was likely to win. The provocative act from Sankt Gallen was initiated by an overly ambitious Count guarding the border, and it was in as day that it was an impulsive decision withoutplete preparation. When the imperial court in Broussonne issued a war decree, the ambassador from the Federation hurriedly sent an apology only to be made into aughing-stock by court officials.


    Everyone in the Kingdom strongly believed that the enemys armies were full of weak recruits inparison to the Kingdoms elite, hardened soldiers ready to defeat the aggressors.


    However, their expectations for victory were mercilessly crushed underfoot.


    It became thergest defeat in history for the Kingdom of Arquell.


    As a result of the Kingdom being slow to mobilize, Sankt Gallen, who were at a numerical disadvantage, decided to carry out a preemptive night assault. By some whim of fate, the surprise attackers managed to sneak past patrols andnd a direct hit on the Arquellian camp.


    In an unfortunate coincidence, a war council consisting of high-ranking nobles was in the middle of a meeting in the camp. The Arquellian soldiers were confused and disoriented by the unexpected attack, and the desperate invaders fought fiercely. They were toocent and now, they paid the price for bringing internal politics onto the battlefield.


    All themanders were killed, and the Kingdoms armies were left without experienced leadership. Unable to retaliate, the Kingdoms troops were forced into a rout, with the Federation in hot pursuit.


    ording to an observing military advisor from the neighbouring Kingdom of Marbhea, the Kingdom of Arquell was little more than fish in a barrel at Alpes Roune. Their officers were giving directions to the Arquellian army and inadvertently got caught in the crossfire. The officer in question had given his statement as he was being treated for a torn tendon at a field hospital.


    In the end, they had to sign a humiliating peace treaty and erase Alpes Roune from their kingdoms map. This led to the end of many years of vague border lines in the area. Conversely, the border-counts from the Sankt Gallen Federation regained half of the western territories. However, the losses sustained in this war by the Kingdom of Arquell were not limited to territory. Many nobles who took part in the campaign, including the high-ranking nobles that went to the front lines either died or lost their heirs. Naturally, there were voices advocating a campaign in revenge, but who would lead the war of remation? Thusly began the political infighting for leadership.


    Having had his brother die right before his eyes and suffering grievous wounds in battle, Lavallee returned to his country only to witness such meaningless bickering.


    Many of their leaders were greedily wringing thend dry and enriching only themselves. However, they failed to realise the dangers of their decisions and fought each other for personal gain.


    The young Lavallee wondered how they could be so blind. The Federation could still use the momentum generated in the surprise attack and strike west into Broussonne. There was also the possibility that the cunning Marbheans might take advantage of the situation and snatch away yet more territory from the failing Kingdom of Arquell.


    In the end, Sankt Gallen feared that pushing further into Arquell would leave their rear lines unguarded and stripped the border count that acted without orders of his title. Marbhea wanted to maintain a bnce of power in the region and decided to facilitate peace talks. Even so, these events were the silver lining. Not only did they lose Alpes Roune, the kingdom had to pay war reparations.


    On the other hand, the nobles that did not go into frontlines were only concerned with their own positions and safety.


    If nothing was done, the kingdom would be swallowed by infighting and intrigue.


    With this in mind, George Henry Lavallee was reborn from a mere noble scion into a loyal patriot. Or, as some would say, a brilliant strategist and unparalleled schemer.


    He began with setting up his second elder brother and the fourth son, his younger brother. The original sessor of his father, his eldest brother, died in battle. The fourth son intended to take advantage of the situation and murder their fathers sessor, he told the second son. He carefully pretended to be in pain over his war injuries and convinced his second elder brother to kill the fourth son. As soon as the deed was done, he immediately reported it to his father with witnesses in tow. He told him that the second son had sinister ambitions and murdered the fourth son who was born from the first wife. The very next day, his father ordered his second son to kill himself in order to preserve the outward appearance of the family.


    As nned, George became the next sessor of the Lavallee family. Henceforth, with the authority of his rank and all the energy of youth, he worked to improve the internal system of the kingdom.


    He never took important positions such as prime minister or any other high-profile role. He preferred to help others into those appointments and gain their favour so that he remained outside the spotlight. He exercised his talents to their fullest extent behind the curtains and implemented many new policies, including expanding the royal guards, strengthening diplomatic rtions with the religious authority in the region, the Omnian Empire, redeveloping the western borders, and strengthening the forts on their eastern borders. He even established the system that allowed children to study in Sankt Gallen, their sworn enemy, under the guise of reconciliations. At the same time, he eliminated domestically influential nobles and built up the centralist faction.


    Everything he did was for the future of the kingdom. For his glorious mothend, his beautiful country It was all to ensure evesting prosperity for the Kingdom of Arquell, thend of art and beauty.


    After a momentary pause to reflect, Marquis Lavallee returned to reality. The meeting of the centralist faction was still ongoing.


    (How clumsy of me. Could it be my age To think that even I would be lost in pointless thoughts.)


    Naturally, he hid all his emotions. He could not afford to appear to be in a decline or the fools here would force him into submission.


    Very well, then. Shall we skip the chat over tea and move on to the main subject?


    The nobles stirred slightly. It was because Lavallee considered their relentless criticism as merely a chat over tea. Surely, the members who wanted to take the opportunity to bring Lavallee down would be in objection, but the old man still had enough authority to do as he wished.


    They could only listen to the so-called main subject that Lavallee spoke of. Pleased with the nobles reactions, Lavallee continued.


    It is about Tullius Oubeniel, the Viscount that cornered the previous Count Cartan in yesterdays trial...


    Cornered Count Cartan?


    Count Langoune interrupted. He was implicitly hinting that there was another person who had been on the back foot. Lavallee paid him no heed and resumed speaking.


    ...that young man is unfortunately maligned by rumor, but he does appear to be a person of gift. He also showed a remarkable talent when he spoke in court...


    Deceitful speech is a talent for the ve murderer?


    Count Mearbahns scorn was obvious. It seemed like he was trying to demean Tullius so as to vent his frustrations over how Lavallee dismissed his failure.

 Chapter 35: The burning capital? (1) (3)

    Chapter 35: The burning capital? (1) (3)


    Also...


    A viscount spoke out from the lowest seat.


    I heard he has started operations on the copper mine in his territory?


    Oh? And he only started governing the areast year?


    Count Chambrey quickly caught on. As expected of a greedy person, he was weak to money. Lavallee snickered to himself. Rather than calling him a bat, it might have been more appropriate to describe him as a moth drawn to the me.


    Indeed. His achievements do not correspond to his age in the slightest. I learned of this previously and sent investigators. Here, take a look at this report.


    He ced the documents on the table for the nobles to inspect.


    Oh? This is!


    T-This harvest of wheat...even though the area had difficulties paying the annual tribute? Immediately after the Viscount started governing the region?


    Public safety also improved drastically, I see. Marquis Lavallee, surely this is a joke on your part?


    An overly dramatic but predictable reaction. Marquis Lavallee chuckled.


    No, these are the actual findings from the investigation. These were made possible by pulling some strings with my friends in the royal court and the reports were personally approved by them. Isnt it unbelievable?


    The results of Tullius governance was more than sufficient to leave even him surprised. The most extreme southeast border of the kingdom was so barren that adventurers would not consider going there either. Tullius managed to restore the vitality of that abandonednd.


    Of course, Victor, the illegitimate child that he sent in as a spy assisted him but the harvest of wheat should not have been affected by him. The team that Tullius hired could not have made any difference during the nting season. He did something even though he went there alone without any capable personnel. With that in mind, he must have had excellent expertise in agriculture.


    This young man is verypetent. A few years ago, I established friendly ties with his brother. I did not wish to handle such a person...perhaps because of his reputation.


    Still, we will not be inviting the ve murderer, yes?


    Of course. We just expelled Cartan because of hisck of public morals.


    Arent there rumours that the brothers are on bad terms?


    Just as Lavallee was expressing his regrets, Mearbahn and Langoune disagreed. Tullius achievements were worthy of praise, but he was just a small fry in the grand scheme of things. The potential that Tullius had did not measure up to the risk he might bring. For the seniors and the next-generation leaders of the centralist faction  the people of power within the faction, they found it difficult to ept.


    However, there were some nobles who seemed intrigued at such a prospect.


    So your Excellency is having difficulties with deciding on how to handle the Viscount in question?


    It seems to me a great waste to leave such a capable young man by the wayside.


    Count Chambrey represented the rtively new members whocked an influential voice. He desperately wanted such a talent  young, single and most importantly, being able to draw in wealth. He wanted to be the person to have invited new blood that could outwit the old guards and the other entitled scions that would have sinecures handed to them on a silver tter. If presented with the slightest chance, these group of people would want to strip everything they could from Tullius.


    (Dance before me, fools. Revel in your delusions while you can.)


    The Marquis lips curled.


    The visionary responsible for the quick development of Man was Tullius. It was childs y to read the minds of these fools who were so easily baited.


    They were probably now thinking about the daughters among their rtives. Establish a blood connection with Tullius by marrying him into their family, then reap the benefits of being associated with him


    Lavallee still had other effective ns to nt spies in Tullius camp by marriage. The first n to make use of Cartans long lost daughter failedpletely but with a little skullduggery, the marriage n was still feasible with a different bride. In fact, theck of anything suspicious about the bride made this the perfect n.


    If anybody realised the potential of using this strategy to establish a rtionship with Tullius...he would immediately execute them all.


    In the first ce, Lavallee had no intention of weing Tullius to his faction. No matter how skilled he was, he was too dangerous. He was too unpredictable, doing so much to take back a mere ve. There was no way he could let loose a mad dog like that.


    Also, he had neglected to mention it to the nobles present, but Tullius had been quietly creating his own faction. If Chambrey stupidly approached him and made unwee overtures, he would use it as an excuse to eliminate him.


    Of course, if Chambrey was unfairly used of a crime without sufficient grounds, it would instead cause a real rebellion. But this was his homeground, He could alwayse up with other methods. In addition, Tullius faction was still iplete.


    At this point in time, the young man would be eagerlying up with some pretext to return to Man. The young man would be doing so in order to escape the Marquis clutches and resume the building of his own faction. Now that he had divulged information about him and revealed how juicy Man was to these nobles, how would things turn out?


    Lavallee predicted that there would be families pressing him to stay for a betrothal. And Tullius would be unaware that it was all part of his n.


    He would take decisive action the moment a member from his faction form a rtionship through marriage with Tullius on their own initiative. This was Lavallees second n to make up for the first n failing.


    (Taking handouts was never the way of the aristocrat. Instead, one should tear away the hand that feeds.)


    While concealing such thoughts, Marquis Lavallee opened his mouth with a show of feigned ignorance.


    What a difficult young man, Sir Tullius is What do you say, mypatriots? I believe we should end this conversation as it is, and reconvene another time to continue the discussion.


    ......I do not believe I need to wait, as I have already made my decision.


    Count Langoune objected, as it was in his nature to do so.


    I wonder about that. His territory ispletely isted by high-altitude forests and close to the border. How he would entertain guests is beyond me Do you really think this matter requires careful attention, Marquis?


    As expected of Count Mearbahn, as they had a long history together. The puppetmaster of noble society was hiding something behind clouds of misdirection, all while avoiding making definitive statements.


    Count Chambrey said nothing, as if to express his unease.


    Thusly, the curtains closed on the days meeting in ordance with Marquis Lavallees aims. It was supposed to be a bitter day for the Marquis, but it ended without even a sour aftertaste. That thought rested lightly in his mind.


    Truly, it would have been wonderful if that had been true.


    x x x


    That day was entirely uneventful.


    The clear autumn sky was beautiful, and a refreshing breeze carried thest traces of summer on its winds. A group of five women walked through the market, light coats keeping away the chill, and busy workers weed the arrival of a season of rest. It was a mundane first day of fall.


    That day, Nik was also in the market, leaning on his canvas as he drew the likeness of passers-by. None of his works were selling. He might be the third son of a merchant, but he was no way adept in calctions nor negotiation. He was utterly devoid of business acumen, and when his older brother took over the family business, Nik took the opportunity to leave home and pursue a career in the arts. However, even in that he was hopeless. His poor conversational skills andck of anyone to rmend him left him with no choice but to sketch portraits on the streets for a living. Even though Broussonne was the capital of fine arts, a third-rate artist like him would never be able to mingle with the upper-crust members of society. That was his lot.


    Hah


    Nik raised his head and let out a turbid sigh.


    As evening fell, the streets were clearing as people hurried home. It was almost time for him to pack up his easel and leave. He had had four customers that day. In the end, one of them had torn up his finished work and refused to pay. It added up to a miserable sum, just enough to pay for dinner for the night. Last month, and the month before that, he had been unable to afford to pay his rent. With that in mind, he wanted to stick it out a little longer, but when the sun went down the less reputable members of society woulde out from the shadows. If he ended up running into thugs, he would be pressured into giving up what little coins he had left.

 Chapter 35: The burning capital? (1) (4)

    Chapter 35: The burning capital? (1) (4)


    Depressed by the inevitability of his situation, he started gathering his supplies. From the beginning, Nik had never been talented in portrait drawing. His fortey elsewhere, inndscape painting. Since those kinds of works couldnt be sold to themon folk, he forced himself to practice portrait drawing.


    How long can I keep doing this


    He asked himself so, and a reply always came without fail.


    If his works didnt sell, he would die. He had no eye for business and his body was weak, and he was clumsy with everything except with his hands, so he had no choice but to continue making a living on the streets. He was forced to put on aposed look and sell portraits to wide-eyed hicks while under the naive illusion that someday, somebody would recognise his talents. He was unable to give up on that faint hope. Therefore, he drank away his fears and misgivings. Cheap alcohol fuelling his drunken stupor, he escaped his cruel reality of shattered dreams.


    Thusly, he once again walked to his usual bar.


    The bar in question was on the corner of the market street. It didnt have expensive or even good-quality liquor, but it was affordable for him. Above all else, the barmaid was cheerful. It was the best ce to be.


    Wee...Ah, Mister Nik.


    Opening the swinging door, he entered the bar. The aforementioned barmaid was full of courtesy, and greeted him warmly. She was a splendid person that never showed any aversion to customers like him who looked like a pauper. He returned it with an awkward smile.


    Ah, Chloe. The usual, if you please.


    Sure thing. An ale and salted gut, then?


    On the bars menu there was a noticeably cheap assortment of food and drink. Although what he had ordered was usually eaten by Sankt Gallenian boors, with his meager earnings he had no other choice.


    Taking a seat at the bar, he quickly nced around the room.


    It was awfully empty. It was early in the night, and the bar was by no means popr, but even so it was far too empty. Besides Nik, the only other customers were a poor bachelor and an old man who practically reeked of the countryside. It should be the time when shop apprentices or dayborers woulde in to drink the night away, but even as he slowly ate and drank his way through his meal, no one else entered the bar.


    Mister Nik, did something happen today?


    The barmaid, Chloe, asked with a lowered voice. She too probably wanted to know why there were considerably fewer customers today.


    Unfortunately, Nik also had no idea.


    Hmm To be honest, Im also at a loss. I dont think anything out of the ordinary happened, though.


    Yes, it had been an entirely uneventful, normal day.


    There werent any festivals that day, and there hadnt been a forced city-wide mourning either. It had been quite an ordinary day.


    Those fellows over there, did they hear anything today?


    Even though Nik had been drinking himself stupid and would always order the cheap stuff, it was not like he spent year after year at the same bar. In thest few days, he had only been able to afford thin porridge and near-expired vegetables. Chloe herself might have a better idea of why theck of customers.


    Chloe pondered with a brooding expression.


    Well...maybe...I cant say with confidence, but


    After a brief pause, she began to talk about a strange tale she had heard from the two men.


    Recently, some activists in Broussonne had been making a name for themselves. Nik had seen them many times as well. On every corner, it seemed, they had been loudly protesting the high tax rates and mismanagement by the nobles, as well as demanding social reform to elevate the social standing ofmoners. In other words, a grassroots movement.


    Usually, the guards cracked down on these protestors, carting them off to the jails for special treatment. Of course, they did not go as far as to sell them as ves. They did not go as far as to use violence or start an uprising. Instead, they were locked away for a few days to let their heads cool off, then released with a warning.


    Even so, when caught, the activists were usually badly beaten by the guards. In addition, they would be held in cold cells, with little to eat. Although Nik thought they would have learned their lesson quickly, they never seemed to quit.


    We will not sumb to violence! Certainly, we will be beaten and held captive. However, ours is the spirit of liberty! Until ourborse to fruition, we will never bow!


    After being released from jail, the activists yelled as such at the curious onlookers.


    Since then, the movement had been growing increasingly radicalized. Rumor had it thatst month they had marched in a great column to the nobles district, using them of all sorts of depracities and injustices.


    In addition, just a few days ago, the protesters finally showed themselves in the bar.


    Hear me, fellowborers!


    An unshaven, bloodshot man with an unhealthy pallor had mmed the bar-door open and started proiming his agenda.


    It had been at around the same time as Niks entrance. Laborers had just finished their jobs for the day, and had been rxing with drinks in hand. If his aim had been to target the workers, it was the perfect time.


    The day of the breaking of our chains is near! The day we free ourselves from the yoke of these so-called aristocrats is soon toe! The day of wrath and reckoning is here! Take up your pickaxes and hoes, and rise against the tyrants!


    The activist continued on, preaching even more extreme views. In a way, it was the manifesto of a revolt.


    Of course, to Nik, who was born in a fairlyrge city and moved the royal capital, such an event was unimaginable.


    ording to Chloe, the faces of the other patrons were at first still subdued. That was to be expected. Even if drunk, something as wild as that would take a while to register. Group drinking was supposed to be rxing, and never a mob in the making.


    However,


    I agree. Thats it, thats the way!


    One easily-swayed patron stood and nodded their approval to the activist.


    The person wore a hood and their appearance could not be easily made out, but from their voice it was clear it had been a woman.


    No trueborer should disagree! This is our path, and we must follow without hesitation!


    All the while, the other customers looked on, dumbfounded.


    Faced with such force and intensity, some stood up slowly, joining in.


    Ah, youre right


    After all, its the nobilitys fault were poor


    Without them wed really be free?


    The activist, seemingly emboldened by their assent, spoke louder and louder to the oddly dull drunks wandering about.


    Thats exactly it! In ancient times, every man, woman, and child was equal in the eyes of liberty! But now, we are far from that ideal Why?! Because our rights were stolen by the thieves we call the aristocracy!


    Stolen? Damn it, Ill never forgive them!


    Exactly! Never let go of that rage! Until today, you were all just sheep following the shepherd''s crook! However, now you have gone wild! Resist our overlords, break the fences, and rise up!


    O, OHHHHH!!!


    From then on, it had only been a chorus of anger. A wild medley unworthy of the term revolution.


    Patrons and protesters alike took to the streets that night, drunk on something other than cheap spirits.


    Well, it was something like that.


    Hah, that seems like quite the tale


    Nikughed it off as he drained his tankard. It was crazy, outrageous, and unlikely even in his wildest dreams. In truth, the story simply didnt feel real to him. He couldnt say it was impossible, however.


    Speaking of which, it seems like a few of the other regrs that went out that night have stoppeding to the bar...I wonder what theyre doing now.


    I imagine they were dragged off to cells. Give them two, three more days for their liquor to wear off and they will be back for more.


    You dont believe me at all, do you, Mister Nik? It really happened, Im telling you!


    Said Chloe, pouting with a huff. Faced with such a cute sight, Nik unintentionally began to smile.


    Now, now, settle down, Chloe Come on, cheer up.


    Im fine! Its all your fault, meanie! That said, maybe Id forgive you if you bought another drink?


    Hahaha, you really do have a head for business.


    Nik eyed his wallet, cold sweat on his palms and a tipsy flush in his cheeks. Did he really have enough for another drink?


    The street artist drunk on mild happiness was pouring his heart and coin out to the barmaid.


    He wanted to escape the hell of day-to-day life, but he couldnt help but want to experience this bliss forever.


    All the while mocking himself, Nik continued to down mug after mug.


    Until his fate took a turn for the better, until then he would keep going.

 Chapter 36: The burning capital? (2) (1)

    Chapter 36: The burning capital? (2) (1)


    <strong>Proofreaders: Olcivv and themunity</strong>


    The time hase, myrades.


    A candle provided weak illumination to the basement room. A man began speaking, undeterred by the dimness of the room.


    The mans appearance was truly queer. His beard was thick enough to cover his cheeks and his bloodshot eyes focused on nothing but a single point on the ceiling. The intensity of his zeal should have made it difficult for anyone to approach him.


    Yet, there were many other figures seated around him. While they all looked solemn, a fanatical joy erupted in all of them.


    OHH!


    We have been waiting, Comrade Gaston!


    In unison, they greeted the man. Their singr tone and simr expressions made them appear like cold mechanical robots. This detached and otherworldly group of people were the so called activists.


    They were the protesters that appeared in Broussonne two months ago out of nowhere to criticise the system of government and condemn the rich. They were the oddballs that never seem to learn their lessons after being rounded up by patrol guards. Even today, they were still active.


    Finally...


    Yes.


    The man gave a satisfactory nod to hisrades and took a deep breath.


    And he silently reflected upon the tireless days spent to get to this day. Gaston Justeau was not from Brousonne. He came from the southern rural areas and was originally a farmer. He lived in poverty while in his hometown. Thends he worked on were by no means barren. In fact, thend in the area was considered the richest among the surrounding regions and they could grow local fruit trees, etcetera. However, this did not guarantee the livelihoods of themon folk.


    The ce Gaston lived was where the rich and powerful farmers resided. These powerful farmers were supposed to act as representatives for the farmingmunity but by negotiating with the nobles over a long period of time, change gradually happened. Over some generations, they made the surrounding families work under them as tenant farmers and extracted wealth from the tenant farmers. Some even considered these rich farmers as half nobles. There was a lord governing the farmers but with the rich farmers, they were effectively governed by two different people. No matter how fertile thends were, now that they have to pay nearly double in taxes, they could no longer have a decent livelihood.


    Naturally, Gaston was one of these tenant farmers. The most vivid of his memories in his hometown was starvation.


    Just by being part of the rich farmers protection, the tenant farmers had to endure the shame of living like ves. The vige leaders were bribed blind and the poor farmers held only disdain for the lord who sat back and did nothing. Anger built up against the merchants who enriched themselves by trading the farmers harvest. Gastons motivation came from his hatred towards this country and this world that allowed the powerful to exploit them.


    Gaston had to control his rage as he was addressing hisrades. While trembling, he announced.


    I will order all our other allies that remain in hiding to begin their operations. Now is the time to rise!!


    His strong words seemed to shake the air. Not because of how his voice trembled. Hisrades trembled at having their hot impulses awaken.


    Rise.


    Yes, it was time to rise up. What Gaston and hisrades were referring to was an armed uprising in Brousonne.


    Gaston surveyed the faces in the room. They were the faces of people who would have died to destitution and poverty. Their faces were baked by the Sun and theirplexions pale with some even concealing bruises. There were even some among them who had been assigned to unfathomable hardbour and had wrinkles in the corners of their eyes despite not being in their thirties.


    Last but not least, he could see the strong loathing they had against the powerful  nobles who torturedmoners andmoners who exploited their brethren for personal gain.


    OHHHHH!!


    Long live Comrade Gaston!


    Victory to thebourers! Death to the parasites!


    Gaston stood up to the rallying cries and shouted.


    He was once a simple farmer. An ordinary person that was powerless, uneducated and spiritless.


    Today, he was different. Today, he stood at the front for his enragedrades. 2 months ago, he stood at the intersection in the capital, gathering support for the movement. He was mocked as an insane person and stoned by onlookers. Now he has put together a sizable number ofrades who shared the same beliefs as he did and they would now grasp victory. And then, they would be remembered in the Kingdoms history, or rather, the entire history of the continent as heroes.


    Intoxicated by what they were about to aplish, Gaston raised his face in a grin.


    Come myrades! We have to stand together for our rage! To take back our rights from our oppressors who call themselves nobles! To take back our money from the merchants who pilfered from us! ...For this fight, will you all stand with me!?


    OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!


    In response to their leader, the so called first activist, the other activists stood up.


    Like the evening sun reflecting brightly on a canal, their bottomless eyes glimmered.


    Hey, look over there.


    A guard that was patrolling the city was the first to notice something amiss. He made a sour face and called out to the other guard who was patrolling with him.


    Hm? Whats wrong?


    ...I dont know how to say it but doesnt that look fishy?


    He tilted his head to signal towards the crowd.


    The center street of Brousonne was usually bustling towards the end of the day. That was to be expected since it was located in the center and Brousonne had thergest poption among cities in the Kingdom. Naturally there would be more people going out at night. In addition, the city installed more streetlights, making it less intimidating for city-dwellers to wander around at night.


    Just like any other day, the street was crowded with men who seemed to be going back home from work.


    Huh, I dont see anything different.


    His fellow patrol guardughed scornfully. There was nothing special about hungrybourers filling up cheap restaurants or gathering at the tavern. At one nce, this scenery was very much like any other day in the capital.


    However, he could not wrap his mind around it.


    There was a nagging feeling he could not get rid of. He had a vague sense that something about the day had changed. What caught his eye was how abnormally dishevelled these men were. Some of them carried pickaxes on their backs, presumably because they worked in construction. There were sailors who held poles too. They probably worked at the harbour by the Amon River. Or the people carrying firewood with a wooden rack on their backs who looked like they were going to try to sell firewood to kitchens thatcked firewood. Wood carving knives hung from their waists. There were the cksmiths with sledgehammers on their belts too


    And then, he finally found the words for his unease.


    Um. Somehow, I think.


    Everybody here were all men. And all of them had


    Somehow everybody here has tools that can act as a weapon?


    tools that could be used for murder.


    The other patrol guard stared hard into the crowd.


    Now that you say it...

 Chapter 36: The burning capital? (2) (2)

    Chapter 36: The burning capital? (2) (2)


    It was unusual for people return home from work. What purpose is there for constructionbourers to bring their pickaxes back home? And the sailors who should only need their poles for transporting goods around the harbour? And the firewood sellers, why would they need a knife on their waists?


    Of course, there were a few who might prefer to have the tools of their trade wherever they went. Or perhaps, cautious people who wanted to have a weapon for self defence if, by some rare urrence, a fight breaks out at the tavern.


    Such individuals numbered a handful at most. And right now, the number of men parading around with their weapons numbered more than all his fingers and toes. If an incident were to ur now, bloodshed seemed possible.


    To be safe, I am going to report to the guardhou


    He stopped right before finishing his sentence. With a thud, his fellow patrol fell to the ground.


    ...Huh?


    He looked towards his fellow patrol who fell t on the ground suddenly. He was moaning in pain as his helmet was knocked off from the back. As soon as he understood what had happened to him, he felt a shock from behind.


    Argh!


    His vision flickered as though fire was spilling from his eyes and his head kissed the ground. I must have been hit, he thought. He felt a throbbing pain and a burning sensation.


    Unable to lift himself up, he sluggishly turned to look. He saw a familiar unshaven man looking down on them while holding a wood block.


    You bastard...rebel scum...


    The madman who had been going around the city giving a fiery speech. The authorities decided that he was a person of small significance and let him go repeatedly after being arrested. If he could remember, his name was Gaston Justeau, a person with a really shady appearance. He was leading a bunch of otherbourers who had the same ambitions as he did.


    Gaston rubbed his foot against the two guards.


    Dogs of our oppressors. Kill them...


    ...Wha!?


    The poor guards had no time to even blink before a rain of blows fell upon them. Punched, smashed and stabbed. Their bodies were entirely destroyed by the wooden pole, sledgehammers and pitchforks. Perhaps because they were trained soldiers while the rioters were just impoverishedmoners, it took some time for them tond a finishing blow.


    Right before one of the guards died, he muttered.


    Im-Impossible. This is...a riot...


    The guard was probably trying to say how out of ce it was for a riot to happen in the capital. Gaston bellowed inughter.


    Riot? No,no this is a revolution.


    In his excitement, Gaston did not realise the person he was trying to correct had already breathed hisst.


    Shortly after, a fellowrade sprinted to Gaston.


    Comrade Gaston, we have wiped out the patrols in this area. We are victorious. We did it!


    At their great sess, Gaston patted the shoulders of hisrade and smiled widely.


    Good job. Then we shall proceed as nned. I shall head towards our true goal from here on.


    Affirmative! I shall put my life on the line! For freedom and equality!


    For freedom and equality.


    They saluted each other before splitting.


    They were the suicide squad. Their morale was high and spared no thoughts for their own lives. They had perfect coordination and were unified in their goals. Surely they would fight to the death on Gastons orders.


    Nothing greater than to die a martyr for their great cause! In contrast, there was not a single soldier who would offer their lives for their oppressors, the nobles.


    Gaston thought to himself and he turned directions. The actions they took here was just a distraction. The root of the revolution was not here.


    Behind Gaston, there were his subordinates in charge of rallying the other members.


    My fellowrades undertaking this noble deed. My fellow warriors who share our ideals! Now is the time we purify the core of the Kingdoms corruption, the capital! Let us begin with the greedy people who run rampant in the city  the merchants!


    OHHHHHHHH!


    They raised their weapons in the air and yelled.


    Thats right! Kill the merchants!


    The noose for the thieves who steal our sweat and blood!


    I-I will never forgive the ve merchant who bought my daughter for peanuts!


    Resentment against the merchants filled the air.


    Naturally. Gaston concealed hisughter. Merchants were alsomoners and yet, they indulged in using deception and tricks to sap away the peoples gains. They were wicked people who fawned on the nobles and might even put nobles for sale in their ve collection. Well, not that it was anything noteworthy for the daughter of a noble to be sold as a ve.


    Purging the corrupt merchants was once again, a righteous undertaking.


    All who lust over extravagance and monopolise daily necessities should die! Now that it hase to this, do whatever you can to aplish this! Take back the peoples wealth!


    OHHHHHHHHH!


    Gaston took his final nce at the leaders and the boisterous crowd. There was nothing here for him now. His callingid elsewhere.


    On an autumn evening, the centre street of Broussonne descended into chaos. The rioters, who proimed themselves as righteous freedom fighters, attacked whichever merchant or shopkeeper they came across. They started with their most hated money lenders and the ve traders, and then moved on to the grocers who sold fruits and meat, clothing stores and pharmacies. Even the vendors who sold goods on mats were not spared.


    The mob had already associated anybody who engage in trade with money to be their enemies.


    At a certain butcher shop


    Die!! Oppressors!!


    P-Please stop! W-What did I...


    Shut up! Fucking miser who wouldnt even feed a starving kid!


    The shopkeeper put in life on the front to defend his shop. After being hit by a rock on his head and fainting, he was beaten by poles and perished. The mob only had this to say after killing him.


    An evil person who got his fortune from obtaining the livestock of a farm at a bargain. Comrades! Let us hang his shameful corpse for all to see on the streets! Just like how he butchers the meat he sells, lets chop him up!


    Yeah!!!!


    After justifying their barbaric acts with whatever excuse they could make, the mob moved to the next merchant.


    W-What are you bastards doing! What do you n to do with my daughter!?


    A piercing yell came from a clothing shop that should have closed at nighttime. His daughter was pinned down by two men who attacked the store out of nowhere. For a healthy child her age, she should have a bright and healthyplexion, but she now appeared ghastly pale from fright.


    H-Help me, father...


    The two perpetrators snorted at the young girls pitiful attempt to get help from her father.


    You father and daughter are evil people who demand money for a basic human right to wear clothes. Now you shall pay for your crimes.


    Nonsense! What crime is it to deal with clothes? Where and whatw have we brok


    Law?


    The leader of the two twitched his brows.


    Thews of the Kingdom were made to control the people! For us, the righteous, who seek the return of our human rights, there is no need to follow thosews!


    Since they were not nobles, they would not recognise the legitimacy ofws created by nobles. He tried to argue with such a childish exnation.


    The tailor muttered feebly, while forgetting that the assants were armed and his daughter was still a hostage.


    C-Crazy...


    And those became hisst words.


    Fucker! You dare disrespect us!


    F-Father!


    Not reacting to his daughters warning, the tailor had his head knocked to the floor. The person with the sledgehammer had hit him on an impulse. Blood pooled on the floor from the tailors head. He died instantly. There were still some movements in his body, but they were probably just muscle spasms.

 Chapter 36: The burning capital? (2) (3)

    Chapter 36: The burning capital? (2) (3)


    ...My apologies,rade. Looks like I dealt with him earlier than expected.


    No matters,rade. As long as the end result does not differ from what we had nned.


    As the two engaged in an iprehensible talk, the person who was not in charge of holding the girl, took off the tailors clothes.


    Perplexed by their actions, the young girl gulped and asked.


    W-What are you doing to father...


    Put his naked dead body on the streets for disy.


    The young girl still could not understand why and only realised how terrifying they were. While in a confused state, she continued to ask.


    Huh? Why?


    I told you, didnt I? Your family have sinned by selling clothes and conning people of their money. That is why we will have your sins be on full disy after you all die. Though we were originally nning to take away your clothes one by one to fully embarrass before executing.


    The man looked coldly at the young girl. The young girl could vaguely sense the vulgar desires emitting from his gaze.


    Since you are still young, there is still room for you to change. If you try your best to serve us, then we will consider sparing your life.


    The young girl let out a small shriek. It was clear what the man meant.


    First, strip her. Then take her outside and do whatever you want with her. If she refuses to atone for her sins, execute her.


    The leader of the two instructed hisrade without hesitation.


    Noooooooooooooo!!!


    The young girl screamed asher clothes were torn to shreds.


    At some other ce, unlike others, this group of rioters were met with resistance.


    Damn small fry. Trying to gang up on me to steal my money? Huh!


    An unkempt man wielding a bloodied sword roared. He was protecting the stout and fat middle-aged merchant behind him. The merchant tightened his fleshy cheeks and smiled.


    Fuhahaha! As expected of a professional, your skills are worth your price! So what can you paupers do against my money? Hahahaha!


    D-Damn bodyguard!


    So strong! A former adventurer?


    They were tasked to attack this money-lendingpany and crashed into the front gate in high morale but could not get past the bodyguard. They have already lost 5rades to the de of the bodyguard and their front were exposed. The bodyguard leading the front appeared to be the chief bodyguard and there seemed to be 8 other hired bodyguards. On the other hand, there were only 6 rioters left. The aggressors were forced to ept their unfavourable position.


    Retreat! Quick, retreat!


    Ugh, dammit!


    The leader of the rioters bit his tongue as he called for the rest to retreat. The other surviving members were equally anguished as they escaped.


    While wiping off the blood from his sword with a cloth, the bodyguard looked towards his employer.


    So, what about the survivors? Shall we keep chase and kill them all?


    Wait, master. That would be problematic.


    The money-lending merchant put his cowardice on full disy.


    From what I have heard, there are countless men like them in the city. If master left my side, there is a chance more wille over. Right?


    Hmph, reasonable.


    The bodyguard hid his sword into the sheath. He could roughly guess what the merchant was considering. His agreement with the merchant was to act as a bodyguard and if he was to pursue the assants previously, the merchant might have to pay an additional fee. The merchant probably was reluctant to pay further expenses.


    In any case, this was perfect for the bodyguard. He was tired of the dangerous adventurer life, that was why he chose to be hired by the moneylender. He was not the least interested in killing all of them. It would be a different story if he was paid extra though.


    In the end, that decision was a fatal one. He should have pursued and killed every one of them. Or at the very least, move to a different location away from thepany. The rioters that escaped regrouped with another party.


    My apologies, we met with some difficulties,rade. We had to escape even though there was a bloodsucker that had to be exterminated.


    What?


    There was a skilled bodyguard. He personally slew 5 of ourrades.


    That is a problem. We had nned to kill the merchant and make use of hispanys ill gotten funds to support our revolution.


    If we idle here, they would be able to run away. And our revolution wouldck this final piece.


    Theres no way around it?


    As they conversed, the leader rioter noticed something behind. One of his subordinates had taken something from a shop. It was a jar being carried on a wagon. It was rigourously wrapped in thick cloth.


    Inside it was oil.


    Lets burn the building. No matter how skilled the bodyguard is, he would not be able to escape a burning building.


    Then the money of thepany...


    Hmph, we are talking about the miserliness of a money-lender. If his priorities are on money, then he would have kept them in a safe. We just have to dig the safe out after the burning and help ourselves to itter.


    I see.


    The other rioters who listened in nodded. The n was put together with mostly unproven opinions but they were determined. Rather than this being what they had to do, it was probably what they wanted to do. They wanted to see the scene of hell when the hated money-lender burns spectacrly.


    Despite the short amount of time they took to put together a n to burn thepany, they were disproportionately disciplined during the execution.


    They filled the wagon that had been carrying the oil-filled jar with wood instead and charged into thepanys front gates. They could use it to make a barricade if necessary and could use it as a fire starter too.


    OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! GET OUT! GET THE FUCK OUT!


    Inside the zing building made out of bricks, the bodyguard yelled. Immediately after, the sound of barricades breaking from within could be heard. They were likely taking it easy and put the minimum level of vignce. As a result, the rioters did not have to protect themselves from retaliation.


    Still, it looked like the former adventurer was not a pushover. The rioters had nted blockades at the gates and the bodyguard was cutting them apart them with incredible precision and speed with his sword. Unlike his current job, he had to face inhuman abilities of monsters as an adventurer. If they allowed the bodyguard to continue breaking apart the blockade, it was certain that it would fall apart.


    Hows that! Im gonna tear it apart! Piece of shit!


    After tearing apart the wooden blockade violently, the bodyguard jumped out. There were burnt marks on his clothing. His eyes burned with revenge. He had to get them to payback for putting him into harms way and for putting his reputation in question.


    This time, he would y every one of them. He took a cursory nce around him and immediately, the assants pounced into action.


    He is out! Now!


    Splish. He was drenched in water. No. The unusual smell and the stickiness of the liquid means it was not water. The bodyguard realised what the liquid was and went pale.


    D-Dont tell me... This is oi


    Unfortunately, before he could finish, a stray ember caught onto him and he was set aze. He had already been surrounded by the rioters carrying torches so the oue was the same though.


    Arhhhhhhhh! H-HOOOOOOOOOOT!


    The bodyguard had been drenched in the leftover oil they had. The moment he ignited, the hellish temperatures of the mes were transferred to his body.


    (Hot! Hot! HOOOOOOOOOT!!)


    He only had time to raise his voice when it just caught fire. He could not scream as he wanted in hisst moments. He could only dance in the enveloping mes as his vision became overwhelmed by red.


    At longst, the former adventurer bodyguard had been reduced to ashes.


    One of the rioters sneered and then nced into the interior of the building. Beyond the opening created by the bodyguard, a merchant stood frozen at being surrounded. The rioter could not help butugh.


    There goes yourst bit of hope. So, which would you choose? Stand where you are and burn to death or step out and get beaten to death. Thats all the mercy we can offer you. Decide. We will respect your choice.


    Eeeeek!


    The merchant fell t on his bottoms. The building would soon be consumed by the mes but he could not step out. He remained indecisive and died without making a choice.

 Chapter 36: The burning capital? (2) (4)

    Chapter 36: The burning capital? (2) (4)


    At a certain tavern, rioters were on the verge of breaking in.


    Tear down everything! Take back everything! Their booze had always belonged to the people!


    We are here to take back liquor produced from the wheat and grapes of farmers!


    ...None of this makes sense!?


    The owner angrily shouted back at the rioters who were trying to break the table that was being used to fence the gate. Unlike other establishments, this was just a small tavern serving cheap booze. Why were they beingbelled as oppressors instead of allies of the people?


    What the heck is wrong with these people...


    Yeah, really...


    Nik, a frequent customer of this tavern, agreed readily with the owner. What in the world was happening. Just as per normal, he was done for the day and headed for the tavern. This was a perfectly normal day so why was he involved in this now?


    What reason do these rioters have for ignoring the taverns contribution for the people and for them to direct their violence towards the tavern.


    Yes, there were some shady people among the merchants. But those kinds of people were just a small handful. Nik himself could be considered to be running his own business, though the scale was rtively small. He waspletely undeserving of the current situation. Simrly, though he felt bad about it, this was just a cheap tavern that can barely turn any profit. The same probably goes for the shops around here too.


    These people were robbing innocent people of their lives and property.


    Isnt this just a new way to rob others?


    The owner could onlyugh dryly at Niksments.


    Yes! That is it! They are no different from thieves at all.


    In the meantime, he piled up wooden crates and barrels to strengthen the table blockade.


    ...Can you smell something burning along that direction? They must be burning somebodys shop. Stealing, killing, arson. These must be the worst viins we have seen so far!


    Arent we in trouble, ol gramps!?


    A customer who happened to be present stood with an grave expression.


    If this ce burns up, we cant fight back at all! Wont the booze catch fire!?


    This shop doesnt have the kind of high purity, expensive booze.


    Even so!


    The customer lips quivered. He held out his hands in the air, clenching and unclenching his hands, as though he was grabbing somebody by the cor.


    The end is nigh, Nik realised.


    That was the person strange quirk whenever he bes stressed and when somebody big was about to happen. Once, he joined as an onlooker and was witnessing a fight between some hooligans. Just before a guy pulled out his knife, this same customer made the same movements.


    Sticking here would be the same! I-Im l-leaving!


    Hm!? Stop!


    A man let out the panicked scream and wanted to run towards the blockaded exit. Nik promptly pinned him down. He was probably going to get rid of the blockade if that was what it took to leave. Even though he was pinned down, he tried desperately to reach for the exit.


    Let me go! Get out of the way! Why are you getting in my way!? Are you friends of the people outside!?


    Ugh!? Hey, stop!


    The man desperately elbowed Nik who held onto him. Nik vision was obstructed momentarily by some sparks of sorts. He could feel an impact on his nose and the warmth in it. Blood gushed out from Niks nose. Niks grip on the man loosened.


    Argh!


    Ah!?


    A sound of something dull came from behind and the man he held on to lost strength. Puzzled about what had conspired, Nik looked up.


    Oof, Chloe?


    Hah...Hah...Are you alright, Nik?


    Chloe, the barmaid, holding a beer mug and breathing roughly. The man beside him nowid still with a lump on his head. Looks like she helped by knocking the man out.


    Thank you.


    I am d. Ah! Blood! Blood is flowing out!


    Ah, it is just a nosebleed. Nothing to worry about. You were quite the daring one though...


    He made the jokes, perhaps because he felt at ease now. Chloe bashfullyughed it off while hiding the beer mug behind her. The tavern keeper smiled.


    Heh! She is ady from the lower part of the city. Since she is not a noble, of course she knows how to handle a drunkard or two.


    Stop teasing me!


    Chloes cheeks turned red from embarrassment. Nik felt more rxed. Still, their situation remained very much unchanged and there were still violent noises from outside the tavern.


    Hey! Are you listening! Shit! How long are you nning to hole up there, you evil poisoning pig!


    The rioters were still trying to break through. The endless sound of them recklessly kicking, punching and hitting the wooden barricades poured in.They should not be breaking in any time soon since it seemed theyck an appropriate tool like an axe.


    Do you guys want to be burned alive!? If not, get the hell out!


    The angry voice from across the walls sent a shock to Chloe. Nik carefully ced his hand on her shoulders and said quietly to her.


    I-It will be fine. If they are still threatening us like that, it actually means they cannot do anything else. So the shop wont be burned anytime soon.


    Nik?


    Very likely, their oil is currently being used to attack somewhere else. Im sure the people out there dont even have a fire starter.


    Nik was rather confident in his conjecture. After all, he could not hear one bit of reason nor patience from the man shouting outside. If he had the means to burn the ce up, surely he would not have spared a thought at negotiation and simply burn up the tavern.


    Which basically meant that they currentlyck the means to do so.


    The tavern keeper rubbed his chin, appearing convinced and gave a fishy look to Nik.


    What if they regrouped with the others with the guys who can start a fire? Wouldnt it just be a matter of time...


    Hm, yup. But...


    Nik gulped down all his fears and maintained a cool front. Though he has never once had anything smooth sailing for him.


    ...if it is a matter of time, that is the same for them too.


    Oh?


    They are making a huge riot in the capital. Surely the knights would be rounding them up anytime soon?


    Nik said those optimistic words not to persuade the tavern keeper and Chloe, but to convince himself. This was Brousounne, the capital of the Arquell Kingdom. The knights stationed here were the most elite and most renowned amongst the military might of the Arquell Kingdom. Surely, they would not let these ruffians do as they like forever. If the knights areing, they would be able to exterminate these people


    This was Niks, as well as the entire city dwellers final hope. With those words, Chloe and the tavern keeper could force a smile.


    R-Right! The knights would definitelye and save us!


    Seriously. If not, where is all our tax money going to...


    While they were in the midst of conversation, sounds of breaking could be heard. Would the knights arrive first or would the defences of the tavern wear out first? Or perhaps these people would regroup with the guys with the oil first?


    The powerless inhabitants of Brousounne huddled together, shivering in wait of the conclusion.


    Niks conjecture had two pitfalls. First, who was the target of these rioters? Second, the knights that he spoke of, who did they belong to? However, pointing out these ws were meaningless. For the powerless, there was nothing they could do but wait.

 Chapter 37: The burning capital? (3) (1)

    Chapter 37: The burning capital? (3) (1)<strong> Trantor: yAmi and Olcivv</strong>


    <strong> Proofreaders: You guys (:</strong>


    The Northern Royal Garden of Broussonne was shrouded in an unusual atmosphere.


    Bonfires zed all along the bank of the river, illuminating the entire area as if it was fully midday. With a blinding luminescence, the re reflected in the polished armor and the swords turned towards the heavens by those standing in line.


    These were the Knights of the Royal Guard,uded as the finest in the kingdom. With the exception of the Second Order, which had left the capital for a bandit extermination, the full war potential of the First through Sixth Orders was assembled. They numbered no less than five hundred.


    Dressed in their beautiful armor, the band of powerful knights stood in formation, illuminated by the sickly light of burning turpentinea magnificent sight to see in the dead of night, and dazzling to the eyes of the beholder.


    However, that sight would have inspired different emotions in the districts where the city folk were closest to the impending threat.


    Was there time to wait like this?


    Now, may the ceremonial parade of his Majestys forces begin!


    So announced the haughty aristocrat in jarringly out-of-ce civilian finery.


    The Paradeor as many thought of it, an overly pompous inspection of the knights as the king watched.


    One might ask why even though the mes grew steadily in height, the process was so ponderously slow. Unfortunately, the kingdoms ruling forces were plenty busy. Only through their exhaustive efforts was the current situation possible.


    The Kingdom of Arquell was a typical feudal state in which powerful local nobles propped up a shaky monarchy. Inpensation for the bestowal of the right to rule by the king, these nobles would defend the kingsnds from foreign invaders and monstrous beasts. However, from time to time these duties would be forgotten, overwhelmed by the heady rush of power. In ordance with the ways of kings, it was easier to exploit the lowborn people of thend than tobat powerful enemies or defend far-flung territories. In addition, over time nobles forgot that theirnd and status was the kings gift and began to believe that it was the familys right. Over the course of the past five hundred years to the present, the kings authority had dwindled to little more than a thorn in the side of the nobles.


    At best, His Majesty the King should be little more than a fancy decoration. Out of the way, and no longer attempting to unreasonably curtail the powers of the noblesthat was the general sentiment of the aristocracy. Because of this, in the eyes of the elites who served to defend the royal family from all threats, at any cost, these nobles were worth less than the dirt beneath their boots. If even the slightest whisper of rebellion against the royal family were heard, those same knights would rise up in military force to conduct a political purge, sparing not even the most influential of nobility. As such, whenever the royal guardsmen attempted to mobilize, the bureaucracy would mire them in unending, fictitious ceremonies and red tape.


    Applications needed to be filled out for the removal of even a single sword, oaths to serve the king were required to be reaffirmed, and ceremonial farewells to thedies of the courtthere was no limit to the innumerable banalities. This time, the process had been limited to only a single parade for the king. Sacrifices were made, andpromises found.


    The reason the Royal Guards were still waiting was the Centralist and Decentralist factions.


    Kneel! His Majesty the King has arrived!


    At the facilitating nobles signal, the knights fell to a single knee in perfect unison, thrusting their swords point-first into the earth, and resting their foreheads against the bellies of their des. This act was meant to symbolize the peaceful intent of the men, and to remind themselves of their oath of service.


    Viewed from the front, the kneeling knights expressions were hidden behind their swords. However, it was entirely possible that resentment over the dy lurked in their hearts.


    Even a single word with a Royal Guardsman would quickly reveal their diverse origins. The First Order, the primary bodyguards of the imperial court, were dominated by the children of aristocrats, in stark contrast to the absent Second Order, which recruited regardless of social standing. The Third Order and below were said to beprised of an even split between nobles andmoners.


    For those knights ofmon stock, the impending plight of the citizens of Broussonne was theirs as well. On their rest days, they often shopped at the same stores, ate in the same restaurants, and drank in the same bars as the rest of the city. For some, their families and homes were in direct danger. For those who thought that way, it was incredibly difficult for them to stand there.


    They wanted to move quickly, and as quickly as possible.


    To these knights of rare caliber, the king began to speak.


    Ah ah n-now, be-because of


    With a nd, dull expression, the king began to stammer as he made his entrance.


    Continuing from the royal pce into the North Garden, a red carpet was hurriedly spread before him down the stairs. At this sight, a soft sigh rippled amongst the arrayed courtiers and guards. Of course, that sigh stemmed in no way from respect or admiration. In fact, it clearly carried an air of contempt and scorn.


    Charles the Eighth, third of his line, king of Arquell. Fifty-eight years of age. Beleaguered and exhausted, he looked far older than he truly was. Over the course of his reign of thirty-five years, he had yet to father a sessor after the untimely, consecutive deaths of the First and Second princes. As he aged, his ability to handle political affairs had decayed.


    Although political gossip often imed that the king was nothing more than a puppet for Marquis Lavallee, the Marquis himself would deny it by eximing if that were the case, I would have chosen a better one.


    The crudely constructed puppet in question stood awkwardly in front of the knights. Upon further inspection, he was visibly shaking. In recent years the king had begun to show signs of extreme paranoia, and Charles the Eighth had grown afraid of the swords meant to protect him. As he dallied, the disaster in Broussonne spiraled further out of control.


    With a burst of nervous energy, the king, beginning to sweat, finally mustered a shout.


    K-Knights! Raise your heads!


    Truthfully, it resembled more of a shrill scream than a shout, entirely unbefitting of the ruler of a country. Nevertheless, it was an order. As hemanded, the knightsplied without a hint of disrespect. Perhaps too sharply, as the king froze up in fear.


    Finally, the king withdrew from his pocket a crisp piece of parchment containing a royal edict hurriedly drafted by an etiquette official.


    M-My honored subjects who have p-p-performed admirably. A-As long as you are here with me, t-there shall be no reason to be a-afraid!


    It was hardly an inspiring speech.


    The address was likely intended to rouse the spirits of the knights before their departure, but the author had neglected to ount for the character of the one reading it aloud. Instead, the knights morale had visibly fallen.


    H-However! A-A-As has been ryed to me, t-there are rebels in Broussonne, our Kingdoms capital of five hundred years! As much as I regret parting with you all, the k-k-knights are also supposed to protect the Kingdom and its King. A-As such


    With his warbling voice and sheen of sweat painfully apparent, the Kings speech was seemingly over.


    M-Message! Message!


    An officer, face fully flushed, ran into the garden and interrupted the proceedings.


    I-I-Insolent fool! By what authority do you dare interrupt your king?!


    The king grew suddenly furious, veins swelling on his temples. As an unparalleled coward, he would go to any length to maintain hisst bastion of safetyhis authority as a kingand despised those who threatened it.


    I humbly beg your forgiveness! It is indeed this ones fault for intruding upon your grand speech! H-However


    S-Silence! I will not suffer the excuses of a traitor!


    No! This is an emergency; I cannot stay silent!


    The knights looked around amongst themselves, trading nces. To risk being charged with lse-majest, as well as the wrath of the king, he nheless persisted in his attempts to deliver his message. All those assembled wondered privately what the message was about.


    However, there was an obvious exception.


    Then you shall be executed! Die and hold your tongue! S-Somebody, kill him right away!


    Out of all those there, the King alone failed to understand the gravity of the situation.


    Charles the Eighth was livid. A mere ant had dared to interrupt him and disobey hismands. Much like a man surprised by a cockroach crawling down his neck, he was blinded by an instinctual fury.


    If unchecked, he would not stop. Knowing this, the Captain of the Third Order steeled his resolve, and stood.


    My King! Please excuse any discourtesy on my part!


    As though drenched by a bucket of cold water, the king jumped and swiveled to look at him.


    Eek! W-what is it?

 Chapter 37: The burning capital? (3) (2)

    Chapter 37: The burning capital? (3) (2)


    The Captain of the Third Order was encouraged by the kings response. When a superior asks a question, an opportunity arises to exin in more detail. In other words, he could say what was on his mind.


    The captain spoke quickly, not giving the king a chance to reconsider.


    I am eternally grateful for the chance to speak. My King, although it is true this man is a fool for interrupting your words, it is now apparent that he bears a message for you of the utmost importance. In my lowly opinion, the best course of action is to hear what he has to say, and pass judgement at ater point. If the message is truly worthless, then your ineffable order will be carried out with the greatest prejudice.


    Essentially, at least listen to the man before killing him. Being only a knight, he had to be as convincing as possible to sway the King himself.


    Finally, appearing even more infuriated, the king assented.


    Fine! Do what you want.


    Sulking like a child, the King turned away in a huff.


    With an audible sigh of relief, the Captain turned to the messenger.


    As the King has ordered, speak.


    Y-Yes!


    The officer kept his message as brief as he could.


    The rebels that refer to themselves as activists have broken through to the east bank of the River Amon, the nobles quarter! The soldiers stationed there request reinforcement from the Royal Guard!


    Wh


    What!?


    The nobles and knights alike cried out in surprise.


    Many of the noble-born knights had families residing in the mansions of the noble quarter. Although initially unconcerned by reports ofmoners being attacked, the news of the approaching threat seemed suddenly much more real.


    My King!


    The Captain of the First Order appeared anxious.


    Please give us the order to advance! We cannot have these bandit scum run wild!


    The rest of the First Order nodded in agreement. As stated earlier, the First Order mainlyprised noble sons, many of whom were born in eastern Broussonne.


    It would be an unending disgrace if noble blood were to be spilled by these louts! Additionally, our shame would be all the greater for allowing it to happen in the capital, the seat of the Kingdoms strength!


    Commoners killing nobles in their homes would be an ill omen of things toe for Charles the Eighth.


    An extreme opinion made all the harsher by the Captains disrespectful tone towards the King. Shaken by his words, the King had gone pale, though the time for appearances had long passed.


    T-Then, all the knights shall go to the noble quarter! Y-Yes, I order it done!


    Swept up in the heat of the moment, the King spoke without thinking.


    My apologies once again! That is unwise, my King!


    The Captain of the Third Order spoke up, and Charles the Eighth reddened in anger again.


    W-Why!? This time, you are disobeying


    Your fury is most justified, but as your loyal retainer I cannot possibly condone such an action!


    What is the meaning of this, Captain?


    The Captain of the First Order asked with a cold voice.


    Why would you object to the protection of the noble quarter?


    All I am saying is that there is no need to deploy the full strength of the Royal Guards in a single location. Our priority should be themoners streets, where there were reported rebels activelymitting arson. If we were to neglect that, would it not be a dereliction of our duty?


    The Captain of the Third Order responded with equal chill. Deep down, he was furious. The Captain of the First Order had shown no interest in defending the city until he heard that the nobles homes were threatened, when his attitude changedpletely. He could not help but resent such a mindset.


    The nobility are the pirs upon which our Kingdom stands. Are you saying we should leave the most important people in our nation to die like dogs?


    Who cares about peasants? The lives of nobles were far more valuable. That kind of logic only served to reinforce pre-existing biases.


    Captain, I wholly agree. We cannot allow the embarrassment of allowing a noble to die. However, if we allow the fires to spread unchecked, the city will burn to the ground!


    Ugh


    The Captain of the First Order could not argue that point. Even if it was a city ofmoners, it was still the capital. How could they possibly keep face if they allowed it to burn to ash?


    The Captains of other orders joined in the ongoing argument.


    I agree. There is still an existing garrison in the area. A minimal detachment should be sufficient.


    Well, we cannot afford to gamble on this. The nobility are the shields of royalty, after all. That said, I believe a single order would suffice.


    In that case, it seems natural to send the First Order, as many of them are noble scions. They could protect their homes without worry, no?


    Y-You all?!


    The Captain of the First Order waspletely blindsided. In charge of pce security, the First Order had grown used to serving those of high rank. Their duty entailed neither skill with the de nor strength of the heart. All that was required was a high enough rank to not embarrass the residents of the pce, and perhaps a pretty face.


    In short, the First Order was a glorified social club for young gentlemen. They were put work primarily in parades and as honor guards. It was ludicrous topare the First Order to the other orders, who were true elites hardened in battle or handpicked for meritorious service. Their only authorityy in their names as nobility.


    Thus, the Captain of the First Orders reluctance to fight without backup. Of all those in the pce, he was most aware of the First Ordersplete ipetence. If at all possible, he wanted every Royal Guard avable deployed to the noble quarter. If not, then at least another order for support.


    None of the other Captains were interested, unfortunately. None were of noble stock and were to the man truemoners. Inparison to their burning homes, the plight of the nobles held little value in their eyes.


    (These cocky bastards)


    The Captain of the First Order cursed under his breath.


    Once, the Royal Guards numbered no more than a hundred. At the present, even a single order would number that many or more. The reason for this dramatic expansion was the machinations of Marquis Lavallee to strengthen the Kingdom after its defeat fifty years ago. With the backing of the Centralist faction, the Royal Guards had evolved from a small security force to the premier guardians of the capital. In order to swiftly boost numbers,moners and lesser nobles alike had been allowed to join their ranks. The Old Order of powerful noble sons remained only in the form of the First Order.


    Because of this, he failed to see eye to eye with the other Captains. He saw them as dirty peasants trampling on the honor of true nobility. Except for the First Order, none of them could be considered true royal guards.


    This was obvious to the other knights. Naturally, they took exception. Who cared if they were the First Order? When it came down to it, they were a bunch of dandies and fools. These dandies and fools grouped together to form political connections and flirt with thedies of the court. The First Order, calling the other knights unqualified? A joke, and weak at that.


    The air thickened with tension, and the assembled knights red at each other.


    Please, calm down. Everybody, gather your dignity.


    Unable to bear the unnerving silence, one of the pce nobles spoke up. At his words, the knights of the First Order rxed slightly, while the others looked affronted. This was a high-ranking noble, one likely to side with the First Order.


    Everyone here has made valid points, but at this rate we will never reach a decision. Let us keep our honor, and respect existing hierarchy.


    Respect existing hierarchy? A not-so-subtle order to obey the First Order, who were supposedly superior due to their noble blood. Amongst the Royal Guards, general doctrine stated that the lower the number of the order in question, the greater its power and influence. After all, it was unthinkable to have pure nobility ordered around by meremoners.


    As the situation shifted in his favor, the Captain of the First Order smiled widely.


    It is as my lord says. How can we as Royal Guards forget our honor? In troubled times like these, we should aim to inspire lesser soldiers.


    Ugh!


    The Captain of the Third Order tightly clenched his fists. He had been slighted and would have liked nothing better than to strike the Captain of the First Order, but they were among exaltedpany. If he dared to act out in their presence, he would endanger the lives and livelihoods of his friends, family, and subordinates. It was impossible.


    Captain


    His subordinates nced at his drooping figure. Their expressions all conveyed that they were at their limits as well. They had to move as quickly as possible to save the capital, even if they had to use brute force.


    Looking at the assembled Third Order, he saw their solemn resolve to cross des on the spot if necessary.


    (We cannot afford to let that happen)


    He knew that every Captain below the Third Order would follow. However, he could not let them do it. It wasnt an issue of morality or legality. If the Royal Guards caused an outburst, the Decentralist faction would use their actions to disparage the king. It would be best if such an incident was relegated to mere political infighting, but in the worst case it would be viewed as a rebellion against the kings authority.


    Since such actions could potentially throw the kingdom into civil war, they had to be extremely cautious. Still, he had no desire to let the First Order do as they wished.


    My King.


    Charles the Eighth, who had been minding his own business for some time, looked up with a start.


    W-What?


    His pitiful appearance provoked nothing but frustration.


    We, the Royal Guards, are ultimately the spears and shields of the royal family. With all possible respect, I would like to request your permission to liberate the capital.


    What!?


    What?!


    A cry of surprise rose collectively from the Captain of the First Order and the noble who spoke up for him. The First Order internally controlled the guards, but the king alone had the authority to issuemands.

 Chapter 37: The burning capital? (3) (3)

    Chapter 37: The burning capital? (3) (3)


    The Captain of the Third Order wanted to leave the decision up to the king.


    The First Order is of the opinion that the nobility, as the foundations of our Kingdom, should be prioritized. In contrast, the other orders believe that the nobles have sufficient soldiers already in ce and that we should advance into the city instead, taking the fight to the most hard-hit areas. As we are at an impasse, what are your orders, My King?


    The most optimal oue would be for the King to stick to his initial order to save the city. If that were to happen, the Captain could order his men onwards without a second thought. On the other hand, if he were to side with the First Order, they would have no choice. They might feel resentment over the decision, but they would to a man obey. As long as the First Order had no say in the matter, they could quickly secure the noble quarter and move on into the city. By turning to the king for his authority, the Captain could preserve morale. After all, their foremost duty and obligation was to serve the king.


    The Captains of the Third Order and below stood together as the First Order and the assembled nobility looked on with furrowed brows. With bated breath, everyone awaited the kings orders.


    Dunno.


    Huh?


    Who uttered such disrespectful words? Now was not the time to find out.


    I-I dont know! Dont know, dont know! I dont know! D-Do as you please!


    A man of nearly sixty years was wailing like a spoiled brat, spitting with every word. Worse still, he trampled and kicked the pristine shrubs on thewn as he turned to leave. With bloodshot eyes and bulging veins, it was clear the king had gone mad.


    M-My King!? This is uneptable behavior, My King!


    L-Like I care! Im taking my leave! Im going back to my room!


    Ignoring his servants, the king walked back into the pce. He was tired of it all, thought Charles the Eighth.


    They had all ignored him. They were all the same, whether they were some order or another, the nobles, or themoners. They never cared about his feelings, and never stopped cawing at each other like crows whenever they talked. He was the King of Arquell, but demands kept flooding in. No one actually respected him. They only gave the required courtesy, then sought confirmation for something he didnt care about. Never once had they actually asked what he thought about anything at all. Despite that, they treated him like he was responsible. He couldnt take it anymore.


    It was the same for the Marquis centralist faction. All they wanted was a king to sit quietly on the throne; whether it was Charles or not didnt matter to them. Astonishingly, the decentralist faction thought the same way. Most importantly, he was ultimately only useful as a political weapon. These loyal subjects even had the gall to im it was all for the good of the King or the Kingdom. Thanks to them, the nobles loyalty to the royal family grew thinner every year. When they raised taxes, themoners directed their anger towards him. He had no say in that! Really, he had no say in anything at all.


    (Ive had it! Ive had it! Ive had it! I dont want to be King anymore!)


    As the king ran for his pce, tears and snot dripped down his face.


    If everything had gone well, he would have already retired. His eldest son Ray, or maybe his second son Philip would have inherited the throne, leaving Charles free atst. What ruined it all was Rays assassination six years ago.


    At the time, the centralist and decentralist factions were arguing over the matter of royal session. The centralist faction wanted Ray, as crown prince, to seed his father, while the decentralist faction supported Philip, as he was a far more suitable candidate than his brother. He had made clear that he didnt want to have a son be made heir solely on political backing, but Philip as second son believed that aristocratic support would give him a better chance. Ray despised his brother for his brazen ambition, and the two brothers began to fight amongst themselves. As their father he tried to mediate, but to no avail. When used of being unfit to rule, Ray denounced his brothers betrayal. The atmosphere grew thorny in the royal pce, and atst criticism was directed towards the king for his inability to end the conflict.


    One day, the entire royal family managed to sit down for a meal together. Suddenly, in the middle of the meal Ray spat out a mouthful of blood and copsed, never to stand again. His wine had beenced with poison. Suspicions were immediately directed towards Philip, as the two had been fighting over the throne. Publiclybelled as his brothers killer, Philip locked himself away in his room to hide from scrutiny. Three dayster, he was found dead of the same poison used to kill his brother in an apparent suicide. Many took this to be proof of Philips guilt, but Charles remained unconvinced. It could have been aplete coincidence that the same poison was used, or even that someone had made Philips death look like a suicide. No matter the case, he had no desire to be the father of two dead sons, one a fratricide. He had loved them dearly as his adorable sons that he brought up. The primary reason he could not end their infighting was that he was unwilling tobel either of them as the instigator.


    Dayster, the centralist faction used the decentralist faction of instigating Philip into murdering Ray, while the decentralist categorically denied any involvement. The king wanted to get to the bottom of the matter, but his advisors cautioned against excessive investigation as it might have incited rebellion amongst the nobility. Thus, they brought the case to a close with the decision that Philip poisoned his brother then killed himself. The decentralist faction consequently suggested to Lavallee that he tacitly support a few of their proposals in return for the closure of all investigations on his involvement in the matter. Charles the Eighth was unable to find the killer of his sons, or even publicly show his despair.


    Since that time, he had lost interest in the affairs of state. And, perhaps, interest in worldly affairs in general. He stopped drinking and lost the ability to enjoy the vors of food. Music grew shrill and unbearable to his ears, and he festooned the walls of his room with the portraits of his sons. Due to his weakening vitality, or perhaps his fear of subjecting another child to a horrible fate, he was unable to sire any more offspring.


    A King of Gray, unconcerned with the pleasures of food or fine art despite his ruling over a Kingdom of the arts. That was the kind of wretched state Charles the Eighth was reduced to.


    Sniff! Sniff! Sniff!


    He continued to flee, unconscious of hisbored breathing and disgusting appearance. He wanted nothing more than to hide away from the world in his room. He could care less about the fate of the capital. Let the rebels kill the nobles, what did it matter to him? If the city was burning, he could not wait for the pce to go up in mes as well. At least then he would have an end to his tortured existence.


    He ran and ran. He ran from the burden of responsibility foisted onto him by his retainers. He ran from reality itself, hiding from its inevitable grasp. Nobody followed him. There was no need. There was no precedent in history for a king to run like he did. Under themand of the First Order, the Royal Guards moved into the noble quarter, as the highest authority, the king, was absent. Nobody else tried to takemand of the Royal guards, as no one else had the will to do so after witnessing the kings flight.


    Charles the Eighth, King of Arquells decision, as it was, was to abandon themoners.


    From the low hill where the pce stood, the knights rushed down. The most elite force in the Kingdom seemed out of sorts. Part of it could have been the inexperienced leadership of the First Order. They had overruled the First Order and set out sluggishly ahead of the rest. The other orders could have easily overtaken them, but the pride of the First Order prevented them from being allowed to do so.


    They marched as if their victory was assured, even though they had yet to even take the field of battle. If themoners in the zing streets saw this, they might well have taken the rebels side out of sheer anger.


    From the rooftops, a shadow looked on. Covered from head to toe in a dark robe, the shadow quickly retrieved a device from beneath the robes folds.


    Opus 05 to Opus 01. Opus 05 to Opus 01. Please respond.


    This is Opus 01. Connection confirmed. Opus 05, please report your observations.


    The customer is confirmed to have departed. I repeat, the customer is confirmed to have departed.


    The mechanical voice of a young girl was transmitted through the device. After a brief pause on the side of the receiver, a reply came.


    Understood. The departure seems muchter than expected. Did anything happen? Opus 05, did you observe anything abnormal?


    Negative. No abnormalities were found in my observation of the customer.


    I see. They must not understand the situation fully. However, their tardiness should not prove an issue. We have much leeway on our side of things. How many are proceeding directly?


    All. This concludes my observation.


    There was another pause. The receiver seemed taken aback.


    All of them?


    Yes.


    Is that so. Well, that is eptable. It should not change events too much.


    Are you sure? I inquire. I believe this will be a significant setback to our ns.


    Wary of eavesdroppers, their conversation was heavily encrypted, but it entailed the attack on Broussonne. The shadow held concerns that if the Royal Guards brought their full might against the noble quarter, the damage to the city would be far greater than expected. Depending on the circumstances, it was possible that the entire capital would be destroyed. The shadow was asking if that was an eptable oue.


    And?


    The receiver replied simply. If she held no concerns, then the shadow had no need to worry.


    No. I answer. If it is deemed to not be a hindrance.


    Is there anything else? Opus 05, please continue with your mission. Leave the rest to us.


    May the fortunes of war be with you. Over.


    Be careful too. Over.


    After exchanging rehearsed farewells, theirmunication ended. The shadow returned the device to under its cloak and surveyed the city while moving silently.


    The Royal Guards on their way to the noble district. No problem.


    The rebels and the dyingmoners. No problem.


    The roaring mes and thick smoke. No problem.


    There were no issues at hand. At least, not for her mission. Broussonnes living hell did not seem like it would be ending anytime soon.

 Chapter 38: The burning capital? (4) (1)

    Chapter 38: The burning capital? (4) (1)<strong> Trantor: yAmi</strong>


    The revolting mob in the city. The outbreak of fires in various locations. The illegal trespassing of the noble district by the rioters. Due to the various abnormalities urring in Broussonne, the Lavallee residence was thrown into an uproar.


    Report the situation! What in the world is happening in the city!?


    Look at the number of theming here! Are they targeting some noble!?


    Lavallees retainers and trusted confidants were busy contacting the ces in question to gather information, but their progress was slow. There were two main reasons.


    How is our contact with the pce!? The telepathy with the court magician...


    Its not working! There isnt any jamming, but the other side is not responding! Could it be because of what happened to Count Cartan!?


    Grr...Damn magician, how can they let personal emotions interfere at this time!


    That was the first reason. Due to Lavallees ploy, the former court magician, Count Cartan, lost his standing. The High Court found Cartan guilty of misconduct, but it was already well known that Lavallee and Tullius Oubeniel had a secret feud and Cartan was simply coteral damage.


    The current court magician could no longer find Lavallee trustworthy ever since he sold out a fellowrade and abandoned him when the n failed. Now, in times of importance, he could not make contact with the magician.


    The other reason was


    Now that it hase to this, shall we call back the spies at the Oubeniels?


    Yes, it was Tullius Shernan Oubeniel. The culprit responsible for Count Cartan losing his ce in society and for damaging Marquis Lavallees name. A dangerous existence who created so much trouble for a ve. In order to keep up surveince on him, he had split up arge portion of his espionage team. Lavallee had started the espionage way before the trial ever started; the day after the wedding when Uni came under his control. The measure to keep up surveince on Tullius had backfired, causing Lavallee tock the ability to gather sufficient information in an emergency.


    Thus, his retainer was considering pulling back the spies.


    No. Let the people monitoring Tullius remain.


    My Lord, but this...!


    Because the capital is in dire straits? All the more reason to keep our eyes on him.


    Lavallee looked stern. It was the timing. Tullius had taken back Uni and no longer had a reason to stay in the capital, and yet, this situation was happening. He could not help but feel that this event was connected to Tullius.


    If that was the case, that man was trying to start something. That was Lavallees prediction.


    We wont know if that chap might see an opportunity and ride on the chaos.


    Even if he was not the mastermind behind the riots, he might still attempt to take advantage of the situation. With that possibility in mind, he did not think it was the time to pull back surveince on him.


    Lavallees retainers reluctantly lowered their heads.


    As you wish. However, our information ising slowly...


    I know. I will not find fault in the dy as long as it is reasonable.


    As he said, Lavallee touched a tool hiding in his bosom. It was amunication tool powered by magic that he had imported from, as much as it annoyed him, St. Gallen. He should receive word from the spies through this if they spot Tullius taking action.


    And he had two of these.


    The first was formunication between him and the group that was observing the Oubeniel residence. The other was between him and the group observing the ves at the inn. Either one of these would report back if that person was indeed nning something. With this, he could easily catch him by the tail.


    (He was an alchemist too. Surely he would have a simr tool. There was no way he would overlook such a possibility.)


    It was a favourite trick of alchemist to make magic-infused tools. It was likely that Tullius knew how to do it. He had already seen the report by the spy that Linus sent to Man. Apparently Tullius had made a giant freezer. Aside from its usefulness, it was aplex product that could only be created by a high level of skill. Thus, it would hardly be surprising if Tullius possessed a simrmunication tool.


    Which meant that he would order the ves he brought to the capital with this tool if he wanted to do something amidst the chaos in the capital. Else, Due or his otherbat personnel, including Uni who he got back the day before, would take action from the Oubeniel residence.


    (I might have been overly worried...Well, just in case.)


    Naturally, Tullius might bepletely unrted to the riots. The rioters have murdered some of the residents and attacked the noble district...Nobody would bat an eye if they were executed based on rebellion. If Tullius was found connected to this incident, he would not be able to escape the death penalty. It was extremely risky for him to try anything now. The moment Tullius ns are found out, he would face doubts and unwanted scrutiny.


    Still, Lavallees years of experience told him that Tullius was behind this incident. Hence, he did not reduce the surveince on Tullius.


    In addition, even if he failed to deal with the violence that was probably incited by Tullius, he would not be inconvenienced in the slightest. Lavallee was without a position in the pce. The ones that have their responsibilities were the current prime minister, cab ministers and generals.


    Furthermore, he heard that most of the members of the rioters were some noisy people called activists. They mostly came to the capital toin about the tyrannical acts by the local lords. The more violence that erupts from this, the more material he could use against the decentralist faction. Of course, he would be troubled if the King meets with mishap by attacks on the pce... but Lavallee did not think the rioters would amount to much fighting power. Their security forces in the capital were not weak and fragile. In fact, a bunch ofmoners taking up shabby arms might not even be a match for the private bodyguards of nobles.


    He had nothing to lose by not taking action. As such, Lavallee could prioritise ns against Tullius.


    His decision was in some sense correct, yet in some sense, a mistake.


    The activist started off their attack with Viscount Dorians mansion. One after another, they broke in either from climbing over the wall or breaking in from the front gates. They raised angered chants, trampled upon the nts and smashed whatever sculptures or statues they encountered in the garden.


    Open up! Get outta there! Corrupted nobles!


    Come out obediently to pay for your crimes!


    The owner of the mansion looked at them from above, through a window on the second floor. The Viscount was wearing his sleeping gown, as though he had finished a meal and just took a leisurely bath. He clicked his tongue in displeasure.


    ...What are these disgusting people up at my house for?


    While talking to himself, he held out his hand. A woman standing idly nearby carefully passed a cup of whiskey to him. The woman wore a silver cor on her neck. She was a ve.


    Normally, a noble would not have ves near him. They had to consider the damage to their reputation if there was a person of such lowly status by their side. However, it was a separate matter altogether if the ve was an outlet for their desires. This was only limited to beautiful ves. They were usually made inconspicuous on formal asions, though there were some nobles who would openly present their ves in private gatherings with nobles of simr interests. In fact, it went beyond presenting and the ves might be loaned out for a night. Just one facet of the degeneracy in the privileged ss.


    Dorian was also such a noble. He set a high tax rate on hisnd and only attended to the royal capital once every few years. He interacted with simrly degenerate nobles and bought ves. He was the stereotypical corrupt noble that these activists hated.


    Brow arched in frustration, he slurped on his cup of whiskey. The ice hit the sides of the cup and made a ng sound. The luxury of enjoying liquor with ice was reserved only for nobles.


    How long are the nobles going to let these people do as they want?


    The men lined up in the room looked sternly at Viscount Dorians back as he said. They were private bodyguards hired by this family. He was about to have his fun with his ve when the incident happened. The representative of the bodyguards spoke.


    Yes. We will now repel them. So that no undue harmes towards my lord, please wait for us here.


    Cut to the chase...hurry up and go!


    Yes!


    The men quickly moved after being sent off by their master, who was obviously irked. As they were walking in the corridors, one of the bodyguards asked.


    Boss. We finally have something to do but are we going to be paid as per our contract?


    Their master, Dorian, was angered by the rebelsying waste to his garden. At times like this, there were some stingy nobles who would take this out on them by refusing to pay ording to the contract. The mansion had been damaged, so you cannot im to have performed your job was the excuse. From the perspective of the bodyguards, they were employed to protect the noble, so under circumstances like this, obviously they should be paid. However, there were some narcissistic nobles who prioritised their own feelings and refused to listen to logic.


    The boss of the bodyguards sighed.


    Dont worry, lets go wrap it up. Even now, surely he would be increasingly angered.


    Hehe. Oh boy, we might have picked the wrong master.


    In any case, it looked like getting paid here would be tough. However, all of this was putting the cart before the horse. They would never have to worry about their pay from now on.

 Chapter 38: The burning capital? (4) (2)

    Chapter 38: The burning capital? (4) (2)


    <i>Sudden Death Inside</i>


    From an unseen corner of the corridor, a spell incantation was recited. At the same moment, the mens chests were assaulted by a heavy feeling.


    Ugh!?


    Ah...! Ahh!?


    They could feel a suffocating sensation, as though their hearts were directly grabbed by a cold hand. Most people would be overwhelmed and lose their consciousness.


    (W-What is going on!? Ugh, I cant brea--)


    The only exception was the boss of the bodyguards. As expected of a person whom the noble had formally employed and hadvishly geared him up. He was able to escape instant death due to the protection of the amulet hanging down from his neck. As he writhed and struggled against the heaviness on his heart, an inauspicious shadow loomed before him.


    Oh? You survived the instant death? I guess thats what happens when the incantation is shortened. How disappointing. Tch. Dont get cheeky, bug.


    It was a person with a bat-like silhouette. He drew closer with unsteady steps like that of a clown. One might think he was the god of deathing to im their souls. And that was true.


    Hm, guess it made no difference. Let the bugs stay as bugs...


    Ugh! ...argh!!


    The shadow appeared right beneath his neck.


    ...Dont step on me. Alright?!


    Without a shred ofpassion, he broke the bodyguards neck. A trail of blood dripped from his mouth. The bodyguard died immediately. And like that, the entire Dorians defence force was annihted. To make sure of that, the shadow turned around.


    Well then. Now I just have to let those activists take over. Man Master has thought up such a troublesome n. If he wanted to bring chaos, all he had to do was to tell us to level the city. I think that would be 100 times more satisfying. While Im at it, I could pick up some lil ones too...


    He went on his way as he grumbled.


    His body gradually transformed into a dark haze. Once he hadpletely transformed, he slipped out of the hall from a tiny opening of the closed window. His current form could only be seen by the dead, as though he was a vampire from the legends.


    Some minutester, the activists entered the hall and were perplexed by the bloody scene. But they continued with their exploration of the house. They found Viscount Dorian and his mistressfortably in their rooms and killed them. The Viscount had chosen to take his subordinates advice and stay in his room, yet this was the oue.


    Gaston Justeau was extremely pleased. Therades he led were sessful in attacking and massacring the estate of nobles 4 times in a row. Of course, they burned everything to the ground once they were done. They could not continue to let the castles of vice and greed stand. Without burning everything to ashes, the ce could never be purified. Gaston firmly believed so.


    He wanted to watch the spectacle of a burning mansion, but could not afford to waste time. The imperial guards could appear anytime now.


    So before that, they had to kill as many nobles as possible. They had to set aze as many mansions as possible.


    With the burning loathe in his heart, Gastonmanded hisrades to set forth for the next victim.


    Let us move, gentlemen! We have no time to waste! The evils we must purge are still plotting their next crimes! We cannot let them escape! Let us quickly hunt them down!!


    Ohhhh! We are with you, Comrade Gaston!


    Who is next!? Who is next!


    Hisrades were in a frenzy. Even though they had divided themselves between the streets of the city and noble district, they still easily numbered over 100 here. Everybody here lusted for more blood. For the blood of the nobles who enriched themselves by exploitation.


    Gaston responded to them and pointed at the next mansion.


    Look, the house of evil stands before us! Can you smell the stench!? ...That is the Oubeniel estate! The nest of the Man-eating Snake!


    The crowd paused in bafflement. It seems that themoners were unfamiliar with the notoriety of the Oubeniels. Many of them started whispering to each other.


    Oubeniel? Do you know who that is?


    No idea.


    Whatever it is, since Gaston said so, an evil noble unmistakably lives there!


    A man shouted.


    Heard about it from a passing rumour but I heard a brat from the family frequents the ve market so that he could kill them for sport.


    Killing ves?


    What for? Why would a brat?


    How the hell would I know! Surely the brat was a pervert!


    E-Evil...


    We cant forgive such a shitty noble!


    The crowds anger reached a new peak. Now that the time was right, Gaston shouted.


    Thats right! We cannot forgive them! This is all a ploy by the nobles! Enve us after we fail to pay them taxes! Enve us if we try to fight for our freedom! The destination of ves is that very hell!


    Aaaaahhhhhhh!


    Nooooo...Being killed for fun on top of bing a ve!


    Right! Surely you know of family who became ves! Let me tell you how these people met their ends! They are sacrificed to the demons of that family! With thepulsion of the ve cor, they are forced to walk into the abattoir as sacrificialmbs!


    You are kidding memy elder sister became a ve because of our debt problems! Ahhhhh!


    Demon! The Oubeniels are demons! Nobles are all demons!


    We cannot let them live! Kill! Kill!


    Kill the ve Murderer. Kill the Man-eating Snake. Kill all of the Oubeniels!


    The activists had a newfound justice to carry. The nobles who made the people be their ves. And the most extreme of such nobles was the Oubeniels who killed ves. They were now convinced that they had to execute the nobles who lived in the mansion that Gaston pointed out.


    The morale was overwhelmingly high.


    Then let us make our move! Even if we have to give up our lives, we have to kill the Oubeniels! That is our justice!


    Ohhhhhhh!!!!


    With Gaston every call, the mob cheered as they marched towards the Oubeniel residence. With their backs facing a scene of houses burning, they marched on. One might even think these people were demons from hell.


    The two security guards at the front of the residence held spears. They immediately raised the alert after witnessing the huge mob approaching them.


    The crazy rebels are here!


    W-Werent they just activists!?


    Death!!!!


    The violent mob swarmed the residence like a wave. One of the guards thrusted his spear but only managed to strike some of the rebels at the front.


    E-Even if I have to give up my life...!


    Ah!? How is this guy!?


    The spear had pierced the rebels stomach but he was still able to grip onto the spear and not allow it to be released. Realising the opportunity created, another rebel stabbed the guard. The two guards were quickly overwhelmed by the human wave.


    Die, die, dieeeeee!


    Pawns of the demon! Die!


    No, no, noooo! I did not...


    Shut up and die!


    The guards plea for mercy fell t and he was struck from all directions.


    What is this What in the world is going on?


    Like I would know! Whatever it is, kill them all!


    The soldiers within the residence were directly reporting to the Count. Compared to the security guards from before, these soldiers were different. Despite losing their calm for a moment, they quickly returned to their senses and stood in position. Afterwards, they sliced off the heads of the intruders sessively and forced the mob back.


    Have you peasants gone mad!


    Push them back! The Knights will be here soon! We need to endure till they get here!


    There were 10 of these fighting experts. Rtive to the size of the mansion and the status of a Count, 10 was a small number though. Due to the Oubeniels notoriety, fewer mercenaries wanted to work for them.

 Chapter 38: The burning capital? (4) (3)

    Chapter 38: The burning capital? (4) (3)


    ...Fear not!


    Gaston appealed to hisrades.


    They are the hounds of the corrupted Oubeniels! How can we be seized by fear from such people! Fight! Fight to the end! No, continue fighting even after death, myrades!


    Ohhhhhhh!


    Long live Comrade Gaston! Long live the people!


    For freedom! For equality!


    Once again, they started fighting back. This time, they were not as easy to kill. Actually they were killed, but they fought fiercely despite dying. Some rebels who were being cut threw their weapons at the soldiers. Others bitterly gripped on the edge of the de as they perished. There were even people who smashed their eyes and used their blood as their weapon.


    By abandoning their own safety and using unconventional ways of attacking, they picked off the soldiers one by one.


    What are these people...


    They have a loose screw! Arent they afraid of death!?


    Soon, the number of guards were halved and the rest attempted to flee. Gastonughed at the pathetess.


    Witness! The elite guards of the oppressors fleeing! Dont let them run! Get them! Until their blood is spilled! Until we attain paradise! Kill, ughter, murder! For freedom and equality! Kuhahahaha!


    Gastonughed without restraint. With his one word, he could make these people sacrifice themselves. And now, the nobles were cornered. He was immensely pleased with the results. He was ecstatic to the point of drooling and having a boner in his trousers. None of his fervent followers paid any heed to his strange behaviour.


    (...I have be god.)


    It suddenly urred to him.


    (Everybody followed my orders and fought to their deaths. Yes, I am the god of the people!)


    The start of his revolution was not smooth-sailing. Everytime he preached in the city, he was ridiculed, had stones flung at him and was jailed. Without losing heart, he kept on doing what he did and grew his base of supporters till they were big enough to hold parades on the streets.


    In one entire week, everything had changed. In one fell swoop, many people had joined his cause. Every single one of them obeyed him. As long as he gave the word, they would put their lives at stake to achieve it.


    It was almost as though he had casted a spell over them. All the words that came from his mouth became reality. The initial uprising in the city, and the diversionary attack on the nobles district proceeded smoothly. The nobles were less of a threat than he had imagined. It was equally as easy as when they were purging the merchants. All they had to do was step into the building, kill everybody and set everything aze. They only met some resistance at the Oubeniels but their threat is mostly non-existent now.


    With how things were going, perhaps, they could kill all the nobles in the capital in a single night. In fact, they might be able to get the King too


    (Ah, good. After we are done with the nobles, the King is next. And as the leader of the people, I shall stand above all...Hahaha, very interesting. People are such fools that I must lead them. And then I shall grant freedom and equality beneath me!)


    Gaston could not help butugh as he basked in the possibility. He was extremely happy. He was at the peak of happiness.


    You people dancing in joy, do it over there.


    The violent masses immediately stopped when they heard that. The voice was not loud or imposing. It was perfectly soft. The voice was just at the level where everybody could hear it. Instantly, only a man stood at the front door. A warrior d in ck armour. On his back were tworge swords seated in the shape of the cross. Instincts alone should be enough to tell that he was dangerous.


    He approached the mobs and grabbed the guard that had been pinned by them.


    Hey, are you alive?


    Ugh...You are...Mans...


    Hm, if you can speak like that, you must be fine. Hurry up and get back into the mansion.


    As he dered, he violently threw the guard behind him. The guard scrambled back inside. The mob could not chase after him. After all, the warrior that stood in front of them possessed an inhumane strength to one-handedly lift people and throw them. Before such a threat, they could not afford to peel their eyes off him.


    Who are you, bastard.


    Gaston angrily asked for his name. Before this person appeared, everything had been ording to n. Yet, with just his voice, this person managed to stop everybody here and protect the nobles that should have been a sacrifice for their revolution. Even now, he was still in the way.


    He could not forgive this person. This person cannot be allowed to live.


    The man replied.


    I am Due Schwarzer.


    He sounded neither boastful nor humble. This further irritated Gaston. The activists have now surrounded the mansion and all that was left was this man called Due. Under such circumstances, how in the world could this man still remain calm?


    Due continued with more unpleasant words.


    You guys havee to kill the servant of the ve Murderer.


    And then, he drew his twin swords and got into a stance. At the same time, Gaston screamed.


    KILL HIM!!!


    He was the servant of the ve Murderer. No way he could let a man who called himself as such to live. The rebels that were ordered threw themselves at Due.


    Uooh!!!


    Long live, Comrade Gaston!


    For freedom and equality!


    The wave of humans tried to swallow the man in ck.


    ...How kind of you all.


    The swords on Dues hand moved in a sh.


    The crowd of people that closed in on him were cut into a fog of red. With his sword, he had scattered countless of them.


    What!?


    Gaston could not believe his eyes. His forehead was sttered with lukewarm blood.


    Ughh!?


    W-What was that!? H-Head!?


    Behind him, there was a loud cry. Some of the human bodies that Due sliced had be stray bullets that hit the surrounding activists. Heads, limbs, bodies became deadly projectiles.


    Those that were able to scream were the lucky ones that were spared instant death. The not so lucky ones were hit by these projectiles and died.


    The person who created this gruesome scene gloomily murmured.


    As expected...hardly a challenge


    His voice carried only emptiness. He hardly felt any satisfaction from his disy of insane strength. Naturally, it was because Due was not serious at all.


    If Molto, the wielder of the Swallow de Technique, was here witnessing, he would give the followingments.


    There was no force, technique nor aggression. It was just for fun.


    The activists thought they had a revolution in their hands, but it was just a small uprising to be quelled. They were simply just normal citizens even if they were brandishing their tools of trade. They had never trained for battle,cked experience and were simply gambling with their lives. Due found it queer that such a battle, him against a bunch of untrained peasants, could even happen.


    If he went all out on them, then he would be nothing more than a kid. That was why, all he did was to lightly brush away the people who tried to go near him. And in a single sweep of the sword, many had died.


    ...Well? Boss of the activists.


    Eh!?


    Gaston let out a shriek after meeting Dues eyes. All of the dignity he had as the leader of the activists and the burning hatred he had for the authorities disappeared. He was just a frightened peasant now.


    My job is to protect my master. If you leave, I will not chase after you guys.


    In the middle of speaking, some people, unperturbed by what had happened, rushed towards Due and were shed. Some others circled around Due and jumped in intervals. They must be foolishly obeying the order of Gaston.


    Or perhaps, some other force was at work.


    Long live,


    For free


    Their shouts were abruptly cut. They were meaninglessly dying.


    ...So, what will you do!?


    Due became impatient.


    R-Retreat!


    Unable to put up any resistance against Due, he shouted and fled.


    R-Retreat..?


    Comrade, what are you doing in front of the enemy


    Whatever...Anyways, we have to follow ourrades...


    Some of them were bewildered by such an option, but they soon followed and retreated.


    In the blink of an eye, the noisy mob ran away. All that was left were the corpses and Due with an empty expression.


    The swordsman who drove away the rebels alone whispered to himself.


    Boring...How many more times do I have to do things like this...


    In this ce with an air filled with the stench of blood, nobody replied.

 Chapter 38: The burning capital? (4) (4)

    Chapter 38: The burning capital? (4) (4)


    Some time ago


    It wasplete chaos in the Oubeniel residence. The rebels had overrun the front gates and killed the guards. Ignoring what Tullius did in the past, this might have been the biggest cmity that the Oubeniels have faced. The few fighters left undermand by the head of the family headed out to handle the situation while the rest of the family paced up and down. Amidst the storm, Linus Strein Oubeniel grimly waited for news on his sofa in the living room.


    The young Count muttered under his breath.


    ...How is the situation outside?


    Y-Yes! The guards are valiantly facing off the rebels but, against that many of them...


    The stewards reply only worsened his fears.


    Indeed, the rebels had numbers with them. There were no less than 100 of them. He feared that his defences, partly because they had less security members than other Count families, might not hold up. In fact, the guards should be praised for surviving that long despite the odds.


    Still, Linus was obviously on edge. If he were to lose any of his retainers to these randommoners, he might be theughingstock among the nobles. The Oubeniels would yet again lose prestige. The wrinkles between his brows deepened.


    Stop making that scary face.


    His wife Simone looked fed up.


    Arent times like this when the family head should be sturdy and remain the pir of strength for everybody?


    I know...


    Linus face betrayed his words. There had never been a precedent for a civil uprising in the capital. At the very least, since the day he was born, there had never been such an incident. He could not anticipate it and did not know the best way to deal with it.


    That was when a young man in a hurry appeared.


    My apologies.


    Everybody, starting with Linus, gave a sour look. Simone was the exception.


    Oh, you are Tullius servant arent you?


    Yes, I am Laubert.


    Jean-Jacques Laubert. A person who decided to serve the notorious Tullius on a whim. Most family members here had very low opinions of anybody working for Tullius. Yet he was brazen enough to show his face here.


    Linus gestured for his wife to step back. He made her discontent but given that she was partial towards his brother, he could not let her coordinate any actions with Laubert.


    Sir, what have youe here for? And I dont see that person.


    Lauberts master, Tullius was nowhere in sight. The only people with Laubert were Tullius other retainers who looked like they were fighters.


    My master was bathing when he heard about the incident and quickly dispatched us.


    Bathing?


    The time now was when most people would have finished their dinner. Not strange to be bathing at this time.


    My master would promptly arrive here. Now that we are here, we would like to help protect the ce.


    I dont think I gave such permission?


    Linus.


    Simone seemed to be reprimanding Linus.


    If he were to deny his brother and his retainers here, he would beying bare the friction within the family. It was quite possible for misunderstandings to be created here.


    ...Well, I did not say I would not give permission. I just wanted to maintain the rules of the family.


    Linus was trying to say that he was unhappy about his brothers retainers making their own decisions, but that just sounded like an excuse. Simone sighed. Even in times of crisis, he could still behave so childishly. Just as she wanted toin about it, a scream could be heard.


    Ahhhhhhh!


    It was the scream of a youngdy.


    What is the matter?


    Could it be the rebels? The guards are still at the gates so perhaps...they broke in from the windows? Or perhaps the servants willingly let them in.


    And then a maid in the residence saw them and screamed. It was entirely possible, but extremely disturbing to consider. While all his guards were at the front, the other party might be trying to sneak in and attack him directly.


    Supporting such a hypothesis, sounds of feet shuffling across the corridor could be heard. Linus turned to look at Laubert.


    Where are your fighters?


    ...Unfortunately, they were sent to protect the gates.


    All of them? Are you telling me none of them are left?


    Yes, all of them...Of which, there was a fighter called Due who was also invited to your joyous asion.


    They had been forcefully detained with the pretext of wedding and even now, Linus wanted to borrow their strength


    That was what Laubert wanted to convey in a roundabout way. Though now was not the time to exchange riddles. The feet shufflings drew closer. They had to repel the intruders right away.


    (...Can I do it?)


    Linus held his breath. Linus had been an exemry noble. And as part of his nobility, he had been taught sword techniques in case an emergency arose. He didnt think he was any worse than degenerate nobles that indulged in pleasures or any averagemoner, but unfortunately, he had no real experience of battle. The retainers were probably like Linus or had worse skills. Simone was out of question too. She did not possess magic and obviously did not have physical capabilities either.


    Speaking of magic, Linus was not bestowed with it either. As much as he hates to admit it, this was one aspect where Tullius bested him. Annoying as it is, Tullius was capable in other fields other than alchemy. Even though Tullius was only able to create some sparks when he was young, and managed to get into the lowest seat of the Academy, he was still considered ster.


    If Tullius joined forces, their chances of making it out alive would be much higher.


    The moment he realised that he held such a thought, he wanted to punch himself. How could he rely on the help of the one man he wanted to kill the most?


    Not even funny as a joke. If it came down to it, he would much rather rely on his own hands. He would rather die like that. Tullius was the reason his life turned upside down. He had no intention to prolong his life like that.


    While pulling out his saber, Linus made a prayer.


    Please do not let me be saved by that man. He prayed.


    His prayer was heard.


    ...Excuse me!


    The door mmed open but the person who entered was not an intruder like everybody was expecting. It was a maid in an apron dress, holding something with both hands.


    Linus did not remember who this maid was. Well, there was some maid that looked simr to her, but he did not have the confidence to be sure.


    After all, that maid he knew was not one to raise her voice. She would normally put on an annoying straight face. There was no way she would be panicking in front of him.


    Laubert was simrly lost for words, mouth agape.


    While the men were stunned, Simone called out to her.


    Miss Uni?


    She was the ve that was taken away from Tullius and returned after the court trials. The ve ignored SImone and shouted at Laubert.


    Sir Laubert!


    Y-Yes?


    Please take care of master''s belongings in his room! It is an emergency!


    But...What if I meet with the intruderster...


    Are you listening!? Hurry!


    Gulp! Ah, yes I understand!


    Being threatened like that, Laubert had no choice but to rush out of the room. Everybody in the room was confused. They both served the same master, but the ve was ordering the noble. Also, she did not bow before the Count and ignored his wife too. While Linus had manyints about her behaviour, he could not raise them. Uni was giving the vibes that she might kill anybody in the room in an instant if she had to.


    Laubert,pletely unaware of the gazes focused on him,id the belongings on the floor.


    At first nce, it looked like a doll that had been packaged. The doll was like a male adult and was lifelessly stretched on the ground.


    Wait a second.


    It was not a doll. He was breathing slowly, and his chest bubbled up and down. Every now and then, he gasped in pain. The cloth that he was bandaged in was soaked in red. This was a human. He was a human on the brink of death.


    Who in the world is th.


    ...Dont stay near!


    Uni called out sharply to Linus, who was inspecting the man, and seemed to be protecting the man.


    Even before feeling indignation of being shouted at by a ve, he felt fear. This ves voice contained murderous intent. If he tried to even touch the person, surely she would bare her fangs like how a mother tiger guard her cubs.


    He soon realised.


    The person that she was protecting must be none other than

 Chapter 38: The burning capital? (4) (5)

    Chapter 38: The burning capital? (4) (5)


    Ugh...ku.


    He took a closer look at the persons face. His brown hair was bloodied. His facial features were somewhat simr to his, and everytime he noticed their simrities, he felt disgusted.


    Tullius Shernan Oubeniel.


    The brother he wished to be dead was almost dead.


    H-Help me, Uni it hurts...I dont want to be afraid...


    Tullius spit some blood as he said. Uni grew angrier as Tullius begged for mercy.


    Ahh, my master! Do not say anything! Please rest assured! I will definitely save you! Help ising!


    Tears trickled from the side of her face. Between Unis crying and Tullius rough breathing, the room was silent. Nobody could say a word. They might be the next one lying on the floor if they did anything to anger this crazy woman. That was what Linus thought.


    However, Simone, who probably did not understand Uni enough, nervously asked.


    What happened?


    Linus gave his wife looks of surprise. What are you trying to do? Cant you see that this dangerous person might blow up if you poke at her? It was as if Simone did not want to live any further. Luckily, this time Uni did not blow up.


    J-Just as I went out to have a look, m-master Ahhh! My purpose was to make sure such things dont happen! And I came back really quickly too! Sniff, sniff!


    More tears trickled down as she said. Most likely, an assassin came when she had her sights elsewhere and Tullius met with mishap when he was bathing.


    (Really what in the world is happening?)


    Linus pondered.


    The rebels that were attacking the Oubeniel residence. And Tullius who was attacked. The obvious inference to make was that Tullius was attacked by the rebels. However, this was extremely hard to believe. How was the disorderly mob able to catch Tullius unguarded and deal a deadly blow to him? It was unbelievable that the likes of those rebels were able to do something like that to Tullius.


    Linus knew that this ve was also in charge of protecting his foolish brother. Tullius was able to trust her enough to leave her by his side since his days at St. Gallen and when he was at Man. She was so loyal to Tullius that she would give up her chance to be a noble and would rather stay as Tullius ve. Ever since she was returned, she started clinging tighter to him. How could she have made such a mistake even though they were in the midst of an uprising. No way she could have left her masters side for a long time. The window of opportunity would have to be small. Also, Tullius himself could use magic and was capable of protecting himself.


    The assassin would have to slip into his house, search for the target, evade detection from his skilled guards and fight against Tullius magic. A person capable of such must be employed by a noble.


    (Hmm, dont tell me)


    A sudden thought shed through his mind.


    (...employed by a noble?)


    Using the hypothesis that the assassin was under some noble, then it was normal for the assassin to operate under the guise of being a rebel.


    The conflicts between nobles were in theory, arbitrated through politics, discussions and perhaps, traps. Still, there were cases where some would use a more direct method  assassination. This guy is in the way, lets just kill him. There were some simplistic nobles that would do such. In fact, Linus himself wanted to have Tullius killed. Also, 6 years ago, the crown prince was assassinated too. Nobles who have weighed the odds could have decided to send their assassin today. Linus himself might have done so.


    (Quite possible huh....But who could it be!?)


    Linus slowly stood up from the sofa. And as softly as possible, asked Uni.


    Just asking, but what happened to the assassin that attacked my brother.


    ...I executed them. What of it?


    Her response was chillier than before, but the madness within it grew. The grief and anger grew deeper rather than vanishing. This woman was well aware that he had always wanted to have Tullius killed. She must have known that he was the person that tried to separate her from Tullius too. If that was what she was thinking, then him trying to call out to her while she was tending to her master injuries would have displeased her. Her subzero gaze was truly terrifying.


    Swallowing his fears, Linus continued asking.


    ...Where is the body?


    The body should still be rolled over at the same ce. Is that all?


    Which means it was still in the bathroom.


    Looking away from the petrifying re, Linus spoke to his servants.


    I shall have a look. Follow me.


    Huh?


    Dear, what


    Ignoring Simones attempt to stop him, he left the room with his servants who were meant to be his meatshields.


    Ignoring Laubert who he met outside and Uni who reproached him, he headed for the bathroom.


    ...When he arrived, the bathroom was a sea of blood.


    The sickening smell of fresh blood. The scent that he had gotten used to thanks to the madman Tullius.


    There were 3 bodies. Even with his untrained eyes, he could tell based on their wounds that they were stabbed. They looked like butlers. They were definitely notmonfolk that were incited by the activists.


    And they were also not servants of this household. However, Linus could remember some of the faces of the bodies.


    ...


    While grimacing, he examined the bodies. He would have ordered his servants to do this normally, but they were frozen in fear and it did not seem like he could easily get them to do it.


    He found a pendant hidden in their pockets. This too, was familiar. He saw something like this on the night of his wedding.


    It was amunication tool. People who could not speak telepathically through magic or did not possess sufficient magic could rely on this item. Furthermore, it was imported from St Gallen and was imbued with a high quality crystal that can allow formunication at a further range.


    Linus silently activated it and waited for a response.


    Soon, he heard somebody.


    What is it? Did something unforeseen happen?


    As expected, it was the hoarse voice of an old man. So it was the deed of him.


    He replied in a shaky voice because of anger.


    ...Yes. As a matter of fact, I did not foresee this at all.


    He could feel the person on the other side making a gulp.

 Chapter 39: The burning capital? (Final) (1)

    Chapter 39: The burning capital? (Final) (1)<strong> Trantor: yAmi</strong>


    Under the cover of the darkness, he ran for his life.


    The mes he had set alight continued to burn, ck smoke shrouding out the moons light. As they zed on, their furious radiance seemed to tear apart the night sky.


    Cowering like a rat, he dashed from shadow to shadow, desperately avoiding the fires light. The roaring of the mes and the sting heat was horrifyingly reminiscent of a massive beast panting down his spine. If he stood still for but an instant, he would be devoured. Despite how ludicrous it seemed, his reeling mind refused to reject it.


    ----How could ite to this?


    As sweat streaked down his stained face, his mind spun.


    How did things turn out this way? He was supposed to the most ordinary of farmers, the inest of peasants, and the mostmon of men. There was no way he was capable of such grandiose ambitions. No matter how poor, painful or ridiculed his existence was, he was happy to just be alive. He had given up. By burying the remains of his frayed dignity, his world kept turning.


    How did he get here?


    What had he been doing until now?


    How could he have done such things?


    No answers came to mind.


    Comrade!


    W-What shall we do,rade!?


    The voices from behind grated in his ears.


    Tracing his footsteps were a band of fools, almostically in sync with his movements. As usual, they were following him as blindly as a parade of ducklings behind their mother.


    He felt trapped, driven into a corner.


    Comrade!


    How long are we going to hide,rade!?


    ...Shut your mouths!


    Unable to hold back any longer, he screamed in frustration. The crowd following him immediately went silent. They truly were little more than puppets following his every word. The rage in his stomach red.


    Think with your own damn heads for once! Im not your mother!


    As his words rang out, his followers running behind stumbled to a halt, confused expressions painting their faces. Turning to look at one another, their absentminded iprehension was palpable.


    Think?


    ...for ourselves?


    How can we...


    Faint whispers and mutterings filled the air, and the urgency, anxiety, and passionate ardour previously visible in their expressions drained from their faces. It was like a spell undoing itself.


    Just what were we


    Someone in the crowd grumbled quietly.


    With that, a collective chill ran down their spines.


    Why had theye to this hellish ce? Why had they done the terrible deeds they hadmitted?


    The only thing they held inmon was the sense of wrongness, of something missing.


    My, my So that was enough to break the spell, huh?


    A womans haughty voice echoed down from above.


    W-whos there?!


    Raising his voice to hide his fear, the man looked up as he yelled into the night.


    The voices owner came into his field of view.


    Resting idly on the burning mansions roof, the woman carelessly sat with her long legs crossed despite the hellfire raging around her, casually looking down at the assembled crowd. Although her face was entirely concealed by a hood, it was impossible to mistake her as anything other than a woman due to her feminine voice and slender legs. However, he recognized her voice from somewhere.


    You... I remember you from the bar that night!


    Exactly so.


    A few days previously, her voice had been the first to raise its support during his speech at the bar in Broussonne. With her words, the surrounding men had joined his movement as one. That had been the impetus for the nights revolution.


    The woman sneered down at the pale and bewildered mob.


    Heh for an unwashed ape, you sure do have a good memory. Well, it was rather tough to orchestrate this little performance.


    She had a strange manner of speaking.


    To hear her speak, one would almost believe that he no, his every action had been her pulling the proverbial strings from behind the scenes. That was impossible. He had, with his own words, raised an army of brothers. He had, with his own faculties, designed the great uprising. He had, with his own two hands, upset the stagnant world around him. That was how it was supposed to be.


    As though she had read his mind, the woman gave an exaggerated shrug.


    But my, what an awful train of thought. Well, nothing to do about it. Monkeys will be monkeys. Wait, no. Maybe more like guinea pigs? Its probably important to see just how you idiots respond under these kinds of circumstances.


    W-what the hell are you talking about?!


    The man shouted angrily, unable toprehend what she was saying.


    Man, what a boringeback. You simpletons just dont get it, do you? Am I right?


    T-Thats enou


    Once again, a new voice cut through the mor.


    Senior, senior. No matter what you say, they aint gonna get what youre talkin about. Theyve got nothin but shit for brains. Even if you told it to em real nice and slow, they might get half at most, yknow?


    Exactly so, I concur. Finishing touches must be conducted, precious time shall not be wasted.


    From an adjacent alley, the hazy figure of a man wrapped in ck fog materialized.


    From directly behind the crowd, a voice colder than iron.


    Including the woman on the roof, there were but three of them. Despite this, the dozens they encircled felt trapped like fish in a barrel.


    ...Ah, I guess so. No time to y. We should end this quickly.


    As she said, she revealed her left eye from the depths of her hood.


    Despite the re of the mes, it shone a bright, unnatural purple.


    Ahh!?


    Under her gaze, he felt his consciousness dissipating like smoke on the wind.


    His followers stood ck-jawed, so heavily affected that their arms hung limply by their sides.


    Oi, help me out here with the fragrance. Theres way too many of them. If we only use my eye Ill be sucked dry of mana before we finish.


    Alriiight,ing~


    Acknowledged.


    As they spoke, a sweet yet exotic scent enveloped the surrounding area.


    The world spun and drifted away--


    Alright, heres yourst order. When a group of knightses here, you are all to fight to the death. For liberty and equality, was it? Hmph, how pointless..


    Before they could process the undisguised contempt present in her voice, their fear, confusion, and doubt melted into the sweetest of voids.


    The September Fire of Broussonne was forever etched into the annals of history. After torching the Noble Quarter, the ringleader, Gaston Justeau, along with fifty-three other rebels were summarily executed after putting up fierce resistance.


    Surprisingly, the Royal Guards suffered no deaths, although the First Order of knights sustained six non-fatal casualties.


    Although the rebellion was officially suppressed, many thugs masquerading as freedom fighters continued to harass residents of the city. In addition, during the turmoil, some residents of the city slums took advantage of the chaos to loot.


    Unwilling to tolerate such atrocities, local adventurers took action of their own ord, with the Adventurers guild only being informedter of the incidents that urred. Despite the insurrection having been quelled by dawn, three thousand homes would continue to burn until midday. Among these were ten mansions of the noble quarter.


    Initial estimates put the death count at anywhere between six to twenty thousand lives lost. Injuries were not included, as there were far too many to count, and increased faster than they could be recorded. Surprisingly, arge portion of the dead met their end by drowning in the river Amon. To escape the fires and rioters, many had jumped into the water. Choked with the stench of ash and rotting corpses, Broussonne resembled an enormous charnel house.


    1 | 2 | 3

 Chapter 39: The burning capital? (Final) (2)

    Chapter 39: The burning capital? (Final) (2)


    Heave-ho...ah, ouch...


    As I pulled myself up with the aid of a walking stick, a sharp pain in my chest caused me to stumble. Although my wounds had closed, I was by no means fully recovered. It appeared that I would have to get used to walking with the pain for some time.


    No matter how much healing magic or potion we had ess to, some injuries still required time to heal. Surface-level cuts and contusions could be regenerated rtively quickly, but damage to internal organs or particrly deep wounds would require more time. To fully recover in a single day from such injuries would necessitate high-level healing from an arch-priest or a horrifically expensive potion. It was possible for me to have my injury operated on and have healing magic applied directly after, but wecked the specialized facilities to conduct such a surgery. After all, I had destroyed my oldb when I fled for Man...


    Lord Tullius, are you alright?


    Miss Simones concern was audible in her voice. To think she would show sympathy for one such as I. Elder brother was clearly unworthy of her.


    To preserve her peace of mind, I smiled widely.


    Please, do not worry yourself over my condition. I have closed the injury with magic, so a little time for recovery is all I need. I am quite fine.


    Although I would have to endure the carriage ride, there was only another week or so left before I could rxfortably in Man. I was finally being released from the long stay in the capital.


    The marriage ceremony I had originallye to the capital to attend was long over, and Uni had returned to my side. I no longer had any reason to stay, and an assassination attempt had even been made on my life.


    Avoiding the danger in the capital was a convenient excuse to use at this time. Also, by the time I reach Man, it would be harvest season so it was really convenient in this way too.


    Rather than worry for me...hm, how should I put this...Please stay strong, sister-inw.


    I spoke with some guilt. She tilted her head ever so slightly in apparent confusion. A veil shrouding her face prevented me from clearly seeing her expression.


    Its alright. Ever since my marriage was decided upon, I did nothing but worry them constantly. In a way, they have found their peace.


    Her ck mourning dress was a stark contrast to her recent white marriage gown. After bidding me goodbye, she would probably be attending a funeral. Her parents, that is.


    ...I offer my deepest condolences.


    The family of Baron Pontauban was met with tragedy when the thugs attacked. Since it wasnt their custom to exploit themon folk, their wealth was lower than that of other nobles. As such, they made for easy pickings when thugs came knocking.


    Sister-inw attempted a feeble smile.


    My thanks. Well, I suppose we should get going.


    Yes.


    I walked out while borrowing her shoulder. Requiring the help of a woman to stand did make me somewhat embarrassed, more so if she was facing a difficult time now. However, it looked like she wanted to do it. In difficult, sad and bitter times, there were many people who wanted to cry and or lose their tempers. I, too, am one of those people. The bleaker the situation, the harder she would try to bring the light of hope to others.


    This wasnt a matter of if one way was better than the other. But I believe that by shedding tears, one is able to pour out their emotions and let others understand you better. Conversely, if one tries to keep a strong face, the pain and suffering inside would stay bottled up and only worsen.


    Well, I was honestly grateful and happy for her kindness. If at all possible, I hoped she would find joy in her life.


    ...What are you doing?


    From a distance away, a hostile voice called out. Of course, it was none other than my elder brother. Whenever he happened to see me, his face would always twist into a grimace. This time, however, his gaze carried an unmistakable hostility.


    That was to be expected. His brother, who he hated more than anyone else, was leaning on the shoulder of his newlywed wife. No man alive would befortable with their partner being in such intimate contact with their nemesis.


    However, I was heavily injured. This one was a free pass, in my opinion.


    Can you not tell? I am boarding the carriage.


    Its just a short distance from the gate to the carriage. Walk by yourself.


    How petty of him. Now that nobody was watching, unlike the marriage ceremony, he was showing his true colors. My skin crawled in embarrassment.


    And what about your precious alchemy skills? Couldnt you make a pill to heal your wounds and


    Linus.


    Miss Simone interrupted.


    Please, dont make me hate you any further than this.


    Wha


    She stared nkly at my elder brother. It was such a shock that I couldnt look away from her.


    Once again, her expression was covered by the veil. However, from her strong gaze, we could tell that she waspletely serious.


    From the night of our wedding to the morning of my parents funeral. How long are you going to continue with this attitude? Give me a break. Or, would you rather allow your brother, who was injured by an assassination attempt, walk alone? If somebody were to witness such a disgrace, the baseless rumors already swirling around this family would only continue to worsen.


    ...My apologies. I lost myposure for a moment.


    Elder brother looked down at his feet, unsatisfied.


    What Miss Simone said was right. It was not appropriate to have this kind of conversation before her parents funeral. Having this kind of argument before her parents funeral was wholly inappropriate. Also, forcing me, an injured person, to walk out of the residence without a helper would only add to the gossip if somebody saw it. The nobles in the capital should have already gotten wind of the fact that there was an assassination attempt on me. It would not be strange for rumours to im that the perpetrator was my elder brother if he was seen treating me coldly. Perhaps, such rumors might already exist..


    As her husband, he should have taken her feelings into ount. Failing to do so, he instead spoke boorishly without thinking, leading to their current standoff. For one so prone to nitpicking, he could be surprisingly dense in that aspect.


    Well, this must be my elder brothers way of encouragement. I have gotten used to it, so please pay no heed. Please, sister-inw,do not worry yourself over me.


    As I had no desire to sow the seeds of discord between the couple, I tried to mediate the situation. At best I could only offer my constion, but it was better than doing nothing.


    It seemed that Miss Simone understood my intentions.


    Lord Tullius...If you say so, then I do not mind.


    Mm, good. I would be extremely guilty if I were to leave the residence while leaving behind this atmosphere. And, I was finally leaving the damnable capital too. If at all possible, I wanted to end this disaster on a high note.


    In due time, we opened the front doors and stepped outside. The traces of destruction caused by the rebellion still marred the courtyard. Bits of destroyed stone and rubble were everywhere. A destroyed tall-looking statueid sideways. There were patches of upturned soil where there should have been grass. I have the feeling that Due caused more of the damage rather than the rioters though. Elder brother seemed like he wanted to rebuke me every time he saw this scenery, but whatever, I am ignoring it.


    There were two carriages waiting outside the gates. Unfortunately, the carriage for the ves living in the inn were destroyed by thugs. And so, these carriages were either newly bought or borrowed. Thus, these carriages have not been modified and the journey home was going to be bumpy. Ahh, how depressing.


    ...I havee to wee you. Master.


    Uni came down from the carriage to wee me. Uni and my other retainers were busy procuring supplies necessary for the return. That was why I had to rely on sister-inw now. I could have waited for Uni, but I really wanted to leave without a moment to lose, so here we are.


    Now that the capital was in chaos, procuring supplies was a difficult task. If all hands were not on deck, who knows how many more days would be needed?


    I am deeply ashamed to trouble Madam.


    It is good. I am doing it because I wanted to.


    Uni lowered her head apologetically, while Miss Simone smiled unbothered. Truly a wonderful woman. Not only did she treat me kindly, she was treating somebody elses ve kindly. It was rare for anybody in this world. From this, it was easy to imagine how virtuous her deceased parents must be.


    Miss Simone passed the role of helping me stand to Uni.


    Thank you for the favours you have done for me, sister-inw. ...Please forgive me for being unable to attend the funeral. Please do take care yourself at these times.


    Yes. Lord Tullius must also take care of yourself. I await the day I am treated to your tea once more.


    Hm? I was sure elder brother possessed more exquisite leaves for tea. Was elder brother scrimping on tea for his wife?


    Perhaps knowing or not knowing the strange doubts I was harbouring, elder brother unpleasantly snorted.


    ...Hurry up and leave. Make sure to stay focused on your job.


    Finally, he said leave. I was sure he wanted to say that I have no ce in this family.


    Yes, alright. I will be sure to show you the fruits of mybour, Lord Count. Elder brother should also remember to not always leave the job of managing the territory to the substitute, and should once in a while return to the territory.


    I identally made some snide remarks. I had no intentions of calling this ce my home. My home is theb and the hometown which brings back nostalgia is the ind country that does not exist in this world. So this was probably none of my concern.


    At this rate, staying in the capital and doing all these pointless things would bring shame to the Oubeniels. Letting somebody else handle the territory would surely lead to terrible oues, wont it? Compared to the predecessor, Linus had studied governance, yet he had never stepped foot in Volden ever since bing the head of family.


    ...Even the Man that I was governing was part of the territory of Volden. Well, whatever. I am just going to ept the chance to leave. Ignoring the cringy voice of elder brother and controlling the pain coursing through my chest, I boarded the carriage with the help of Uni.

 Chapter 39: The burning capital? (Final) (3)

    Chapter 39: The burning capital? (Final) (3)


    The skies were covered in a gloomy gray. There were still parts of the city that were still burning. The river beneath the windows was murkier than usual and the stench of death was strong. The shores were swept up with dust and ashes. At the fire devastated areas, there were children crying for their parents and mothers looking for their children. There were people grieving for their lost ones and the anguished cries of the burned. Broussonne looked like this now. The 500 years old city had descended to such a state.


    How did this happen?


    As the carriage wobbled, Marquis Lavalleemented. He had never expected to witness the city in such a condition. Aged and exhausted, he was wearing mourning robes and was on his way to the funeral at the Pontauban estate. He acted as the matchmaker for their daughter, so he had the responsibility to attend their funeral. Also, he also had many things to discuss with Linus, the person in charge of organising the funeral in ce of his wife.


    Using the funeral as an excuse, he wanted to discuss the developments of the present and future, as well as the attempted assassination on Tullius. There were outrageous rumours that Marquis Lavallee was the one who sent assassins after Tullius spreading among the nobles.


    The nobles were saying that Marquis Lavallee bore a grudge against the ve Murderer for embarrassing him during the trial and thus, hired assassins to take advantage of the chaos to strike at Tullius. In truth, there were many families belonging to the decentralist faction who were attacked during the upheaval, so many were inclined to think there was a conspiracy. Surely others would think that Marquis Lavallee would make use of the situation and deal with his enemies.


    Of course, all of it wasplete nonsense. Firstly, all of his plots against Tullius were mainly political plots. He was not at a level of desperation where he needed to assassinate him. Yet, there was circumstantial evidence showing that he was involved.


    First of all, the 3 men that had their heads lopped off by the ve when they managed to stab Tullius were undoubtedly men sent by him. They were tasked with keeping an eye on Tullius. His n to have them keep a closer eye on Tullius while the revolt was uring backfired on him. On paper, these men were temporary hires for the Oubeniel family. But nobles that were politically involved against him had recognised these men as his spies. This applied to his allies in the centralist faction too.


    Another pain point was that he had unknowingly spoken on themunication device without knowing Linus was on the other side. Hence, the greenhorn noble, Linus, had a strong suspicion that he had ordered it. Linus was not as foolish as to go around spreading that, but naturally, Linus would more or less reveal some parts of it through his behaviour and attitude. What would the other nobles think when they pick up on it? Just thinking about it made him worry.


    And the worst part of it...was actually stabbing Tullius.


    That ve maid was an adventurer famous enough to have a nickname. Anybody who had investigated would know of her fanatic devotion to her master. Even without investigation, one would have heard about it from the scandal at the Cartan family. An uninformed person might be curious after that scandal and look into it after that uproar. News about an illegitimate child of a Count family who denied status and returned to being a ve would have made multiple rounds among the gossipy city dwellers. In any case, Tullius Oubeniel was being protected by this woman when he was attacked.


    People with shallow minds would conclude that this happened because Tullius was being protected by a ve, and a woman no less. And then, they wouldugh at Uni, who was now infamous, while ridiculing Tullius, who was fine with being waited upon by Uni.


    As for those with greater imagination or adventurers with more experience regarding matters like this, it would be noughing matter. Even though she was ranked C, she was a special individual with a nickname. It was reserved for the very top of adventurers, the monster amongst adventurers. The assassins were able to slip pass such a bodyguard and almost managed to seed. How many people within the capital were capable of nning such a feat?


    Surely there was only 1 such person. And that had to be Lavallee.


    (Hmph...only at times like do these bastards have a high opinion of me.)


    Such assumptions were troubling for him and yet, many people he knew would believe it. Chambrey had approached him asking respectfully if it was true and Langogne and others were furiously saying that they would not forgive the guys who burned the capital. They were indirectly saying that he was the one who did it. Mahrbea, who was rtively closer to him, seemed to be half in doubt.


    The bigshot Marquis Balbastre from the decentralist faction had alsoe forward asking for an exnation about it. How could he exin it?


    During thest meeting, they were discussing how to deal with Tullius. He had exined to the centralist faction members that they would need some defensive measures. And he did say that he had a high opinion of that youth, so he would not kill him. Even if that was not the case, as long as he announced beforehand that it was somebody elses deed, then he would be able to refute itter. If not for that, then in order to reduce suspicions, he might have to, for example, specifically criticise Linus.


    Everything was about the flip side, the flip side and the flip side.


    Throughout Lavallees entire life, this blunder was a rare one. Thest major mistake he made was six years ago, when the crown prince Ray was assassinated. Hmm, considering the damage done to the capital and to his position, this might be equivalent to the defeat they faced 50 years ago.


    Coming up with ns to reorganise themselves would take a considerable amount of time. He would need to regain the trust of the members from the centralist faction and merge the hardliners and moderates in the royal court. He would also need to cautiously pacify the decentralist faction, who are surely going to make use of this incident to attack his faction. Money is also a concern since the city needs to be reconstructed and affected nobles need to bepensated. Ah, and an investigation on why the imperial guards were dispatchedte. Apparently the First Order made trouble so he needs to reduce their authority. In the first ce, these blockheads were not legitimate children nor were they capable enough to work in their family business. Rather than have those idiots lead, he needs to expand the powers of the other Orders. Lastly, ns need to be made in case neighbouring countries try to take advantage of their situation


    While his hands were going to be busy, he would be giving Tullius free rein.


    Dont tell me it was him...


    Lavallee muttered gravely.


    Tullius nearly died because of the assassins and was leaving the capital under the pretext of recovering from injuries. Who benefited the most from this event?


    Without overthinking, the decentralist faction would have much to gain from the cracks and fissures in the centralist faction. Next were the powers outside the Kingdom who could benefit from their chaos. There should not be a reason for either party to go as far as to burn the capital though. If it was brought to light that an external country was involved in the burning of another countrys capital, that external country would be heavily criticised. It was also meaningless to start a revolution and have the rioters target a mere Viscount, Tullius.


    What about themoners? Ridiculous. Most of the people who lost their lives or their homes were themoners. The damage to nobles was hardly worth mentioning inparison. The activists oppressed themoners under the banner of righteousness but barely shook the noble society. While shouting that they were doing it formoners, they harmedmoners and left behind a present before leaving. Those noisy activists were real idiots. They gained nothing out of it too.


    Then the only person to benefit was Tullius. He received a serious wound but survived. Furthermore, he was now escaping the hands of Linus and himself, who were targeting his life.


    He was stabbed in the chest? Narrowly avoided death? Quite unfathomable. He had an experienced master swordsman by his side.


    Uni the Silver Wolf. She was the one who imed that she had in the 3 spies who injured Tullius. From his investigations, he hade to the conclusion that she yed a part in Tullius ve torturing or human experimentation. After dissecting many humans and killing them, it would not be strange for them to discover a way to injure without killing.


    Additionally, the rioters'' movements were fishy. Just a week prior, they were just a loud bunch of people making a ruckus. How did they expand in influence so quickly and turn into an armed uprising? The expansion in their influence and radicalisation of the members were all too sudden.


    Lavallee was well aware of a simr incident. Yes, the creation of Tullius faction was simr.


    No matter how he thought about it, he could not wrap around his head as to why that many nobles would want to have friendly ties with the infamous ve Murderer. The bizarre flow of events in the creation of Tullius faction was eerily simr to transformation of the activists in Broussonne.


    Now that he thought about it, the trial was weird too. Cartan kept saying the wrong things and Tullius was able to bring out numerous impossible evidence. Even if Josephine wanted to protect her child, it was unthinkable why she would team up with that ve, a youthful and pretty girl who was the splitting image of her old enemy. All the more suspicious if the n would lead to her husbands downfall. His trump card, Anrietta, appeared to have gone mad and was of no use.


    Brainwashing.


    A cold thought shed through his mind.


    The nobles who fell into his ns, Count Cartan and his wife, the witnesses at the trial, Anrietta, the activists and the people. All of them behaved strangely. So long as he removed the possibility of magic, they were all impossibilities.


    Also, Victor. Regarding that illegitimate child, as far as he knew, he was not inclined to side with Tullius. Victor had agreed to pretend to obey Tullius and remain in secret contact with him. How could Victor have not sent a single letter back to the capital and focuspletely on taking care of Man? It was even more absurd that he would leak information on who else were spies.


    He had no evidence. This theory was incredulous. If he randomly told others about this, people might think he was bing old and senile.


    I could get evidence by...


    He had to get his hands on that first and foremost. He might have to consult the court magician, adventurers who were magicians and possibly, as much as he hated it, the St. Gallen Magic Academy on brainwashing magic, especially the kind that rtes to alchemy. From there, he woulde up with a new n, find evidence and execute him.


    This would take a bone-breaking amount of effort. He might instead prefer to have him assassinated...but that was off the cards. Uni and Due acted as Tullius bodyguards and Tullius himself was an expert at alchemy. Moreover, the Kingdoms nobles have increased measures against poisoning after the crown princes assassination. This meant that both direct assassination and poisoning were impossible.


    However, if he did nothing and stood watch, that Man-eating Snake would devour the entire kingdom. Currently, Tullius faction was considerably smaller in influence than both his faction and the ursed decentralist faction. Still, their ability to grow was on another level. Before they scaled up, he had to nip them in the buds.


    To Marquis Lavallee, that abnormal alchemist was now a sworn enemy that needed to be given maximum priority.


    Lavallees carriage moved along the road by the side of the river. Along the way, two other carriages passed by. The carriage carried the crest of the Oubeniel family.


    ......


    Lavallee controlled himself to not re at the carriages. He did not want the other party, who was surely the person he had been thinking about, to get an inkling of his ns.


    The nobles who passed by each other in the carriage were headed inpletely opposite directions. One of them was crossing the bridge of Amon River and leaving the capital. The other was entering the noble street to attend a funeral.


    Damn snake, I will definitely catch you by the tail!


    The Marquis muttering, not heard by anybody else, was mixed with the sound of the wheels rolling.

 Chapter 39: The burning capital? (Final) (4)

    Chapter 39: The burning capital? (Final) (4)


    He is gone?


    Yes, he is gone.


    After seeing off Marquis Lavallees carriage, Laubert and Tullius spoke to one another. They took a quick look through the window and saw the elderly noble stern looking eyes, as though he was trying to suppress his emotions. Laubert could not help but break out in a cold sweat as he remembered those eyes.


    Those were most like eyes of doubt from his Excellency.


    Perhaps. If he was trying to suppress his emotions, then he must have private thoughts which he does not want to reveal.


    Tullius rested his chin on his hands as he spoke. This means Lavallee had mostly realised the truth of the incident.


    This old gramps really has a great imagination. Normally, nobody would suspect this. That I would go as far as to brainwashmonfolk tomit arson and stage my own failed assassination to escape the capital.


    Of course, thought Laubert as he nodded. When he first heard of the n, the first thing that came to his mind was whether the other party was still sane. Ah, but he had no doubts that he was deranged from the very beginning. Putting that aside, that old man must have an equally deranged mind to be capable of seeing through the scheme.


    There were three passengers in the carriage. Tullius, Laubert and Uni, who acted as a bodyguard and a caregiver. Compared to when they were going towards the capital, Due and the other retainers were on a separate carriage. It was because their carriage was destroyed in the riots and the carriage they were on were hurriedly obtained in Broussonne. Compared to their original carriage, this one was inferior in both height and length, making it much more cramped. Supposing Due was seated on the same carriage as Tullius, he would take up too much space because of hisrge build and his two-handed sword.


    That was the superficial reason. In truth, Due could not think favourably of the scheme and disliked the idea of being seated together with the culprit.


    My Excellency, how is the experiment this time?


    It was aplete failure.


    Tullius responded immediately.


    The experiment to save manpower for the formation of the faction...The n was to use only the brainwashing scent and magic eye, without relying on brain surgery, to convert people into members of the organisation. If it was effective, we would be able to get human resources without individually operating on each person. Well, nothing goes so smoothly in the world.


    To begin with, high ranking nobles usually carry a magic protection amulet. But from this incident, we can see that it is still very effective in inciting the popce to revolt


    Uni added.


    That being said, it wont be good to use it multiple times. Especially so if the enemy starts to understand how it works.


    Mm. I understand. Additionally, we cannot control when the brainwashing might lose effect. To think that the man would say, Use your own heads!, when he was pushed into a corner and panicking.


    A member of the devils who burned the capital to the ground murmured. Basically, he was one who prepared everything. The activists and the organisation that protested against the evil governance of the nobles. They did not naturally transform into rioters. Their leader was first brainwashed by Tullius and sent to the capital. He was set to arbitrarily go on a rampage.


    Needless to say, if they gradually prepared for a violent uprising, there was a chance for security personnels to discover their ns. This was why they started out by making it appear that they were idealistic and harmless. When the time came for them to rise up, Drei would use her magic eye or the scent to rapidly increase the number of revolters. They would ultimately rely on the element of surprise and go for human-wave attacks to make up for theirck of weapons.


    Nevertheless, there were elites amongst the imperial guards or adventurers who could single-handedly crush the mobs. For such enemies, the mobs would be used as a feint while the Opus series struck from behind. That was why it was necessary to call not just Drei, who was responsible for brainwashing people, but also Charl and Fem. Luckily, they did not have to sh with the imperial guards, though they were useful in dealing with the private guards of some nobles. Their involvement meant that there were some who died abnormally, but since the dead bodies were burnt by the fire set by the rioters, it could be covered up.


    With the finishing touches, n D, the escape from the capital by starting a revolution and an assassination n wasplete. So long as his life was being targeted, even if he returned back to his territory, the citys public safety would continue deteriorating and the nobles would continue to be afraid of themoners.


    Broussonne was burned for this reason.


    Surprisingly, there were many casualties.


    Laubert spoke as he took a fleeting nce outside.


    They were crossing the Amon River which separates the noble district and themoners street. There were smoldering spots within the townscape facing the river. It was so bad that they could smell the burning of wood and flesh from the gaps of the windows.


    Well, it was because the order given was to minimally, riot violently. To think it would result in such extremes.


    After all, the imperial guards that were tasked to deal with it had argued over their course of action and decided to prioritise the nobles.


    Approximately more than 6000 died. I expected less than 1000 though.


    Tullius bragged but as he had said, those were terrible numbers. Ever since the massacre to capture the elves, Laubert was worried that he would be desensitised to the ughter. Well, this man was not a person who he could expect any normal emotions from.


    There were many people that decided to join in for the fun of destruction...Herd mentality probably.


    Yes, that huh? The voice of a single person in a crowd of ten cannot be heard. But if it is 10 people in a crowd of 100, then more sympathisers would appear.


    Indeed. The more people that join, the easier it is for them to entice others to join. It seems to have had a greater effect than expected.


    There were people who jumped on the bandwagon to run around doing crazy things. Tullius was somewhat troubled by these people because this meant that it did not go ording to the ns.


    The biggest miscalction was that the Pontauban Baron family would be part of the casualties. If there were any further mistakes, we would have been forced to attend the funeral as well.


    Luckily, sister-inw was magnanimous. We were able to leave early today because of her thoughtfulness too.


    They were able to discuss matters like this because it was just Simones family that met with mishap. It could have easily been Lauberts own family. If that happened, they would have to prepare the funeral on their own and then leave.


    Thankfully, they did not have to do such troublesome things. Even though he should be worried for the safety of his family instead, this was the fullest extent of his thoughts about his family. Part of the reason he was like this was the brainwashing, though he had always been a cold person. In any case, he was the perfect retainer for Tullius Oubeniel.


    Hence he could continue joking like this.


    To think both of you were so capable in acting.


    Acting? What is that?


    You dont have to feign ignorance. Im talking about how you ran into the room that time. Wasnt it amazing? Especially when chief maif shuddered violently.


    While saying in jest, Laubert pretended to shiver.


    When Uni appeared with Tullius, who was bleeding from the chest, she had put on a dreadful expression. At that moment, he forgot that it was an act.


    The person in question replied.


    Excuse me, Sir Laubert.


    Huh?


    That night, I had lost myposure. I apologise for any rudeness on my part.


    Unis head sank. Laubert was taken aback.


    Uni was not acting. She was really angered and crying.


    Tullius exined.


    By the way, I was not acting too. The pain and suffering I was going through really made me think that I was dying. And I was stabbed by a sharp weapon without anesthesia too.


    I thought there was a way to stab that was less painful


    No, we couldnt do that. If we did it half-heartedly, it would look like an act right? It would be problematic to have hesitations and make multiple wounds. With that in mind, I thought a real stab was better. Thats why I made a strong stab at a good ce.


    ...If possible, I do not want to do that ever again. I felt like my heart could have stopped then..


    Laubert regretted asking the pair of master and servant. In short, after she stabbed her own master, she became angry at her surroundings for real. It was difficult to think about the logical leaps that must have gone through her head. He would have felt more at ease if he was told it was all an act. At the very least, a swindler was easier to deal with than a lunatic.


    Yes, I do not want to go through that again too. Even if I trust Unis skills, having a near-death experience is kinda...well, my motivations have always been to avoid death so this is really not for me.


    And this man who puts his trust and relies heavily on the lunatic was also abnormal. He wanted to avoid death so he was going all out on finding ways to live longer. It looks quite simple on paper but he had gone as far as to burn the capital and have his retainer stab him.


    It was a stroke of luck that Marquis Lavallee had nted spies in the mansion. Now the gramps is made the scapegoat.


    We had only nned to use the attempted assassination as an excuse to return but managed to get an additional benefit from it.


    Without that, elder brothers suspicions would be ced on me, though now that it is the gramps that is being suspected, it is convenient for us. I am also anticipating instability in the centralist faction. Hahaha, spying on me has backfired for him. This feels great.


    There were definitely many suspicions against the Marquis in the centralist faction currently. Rather than Tullius assassination as the talking point, it was about the capital bing a burnt wastnd. The lords that were involved would have to be penalised, and the capital would need rebuilding. Much time would be needed. And time was the ally of the alchemist. He was building a faction and doing another experiment...if those wereplete, his power would only grow.


    Good grief, his Excellency is really a terrifying enemy.


    Laubert said andughed.


    Terrifying. This man was the real terrifying one. But his brains and powers and his god knows where luck were all real. While he was merely a viscount, furthermore an outcast of the noble society, he was able to outmaneuver the greatest noble in the kingdom for his goal of immortality. There was a charm to his powers.


    The kingdom would continue to change. The capital was burned to the ground while the royal family and nobles remained idle, hurting their reputation. Themoners would have a real grudge against them now and the nobles themselves would likely crackdown on them harder. It was going to end up in destruction no matter what.


    How would Tullius perform in theing destruction and how would they carry out the kingdoms rejuvenation? Lauberts curiosity was insatiable. He wanted to be part of it too.


    The birth of a new order after the old order copses. For a person like him who had confidence in his abilities as a governmental official, nothing more fascinated him.


    Was the brain surgery causing him to think this way? The scary thought of that being so was quickly forgotten as excitement overwhelmed him.


    Tullius did not reply to Laubert and looked outside.


    I want to go home...it is almost harvest time.


    The scenery outside was caused by him and yet he could indifferently say that.

 Chapter 39: The burning capital? (Final) (5)

    Chapter 39: The burning capital? (Final) (5)


    On that day, Nik was at the intersection of the marketce with his canvas, painting the scenery. However, it lookedpletely different from before. The streets were burned, the air was mixed with smoke and the stench of the dead, and the ashen skies looked like they were about to cry as it stared downwards at the people. After the big fire in Broussonne, nobody wanted to have their portraits drawn.


    That was why he was painting the scenery. Painting the scenery was his forte. One might think that Nik was a corpse if not for his moving arms as he drew. He was pale and his eyes had sunk in. Ignoring his countenance, he had many bandages on his body. His dominant right hand was wrapped in a cast and he was exerting much effort to paint with his unfamiliar left hand.


    Still, not even for a moment did he stop painting on the canvas. Slosh, slosh, st, st. He poured his sentiments onto the canvas. Red. Red. Red. ck. ck. ck.


    There were only these two colours used in his painting of the scenery. The only other colours used were mixed from these. What shade of red? Or how dark the colour of ck? With painstaking effort, he was able to paint a richly coloured scenery.


    ...How about doing it over there? Mr Painter.


    A man stared at his canvas and said.


    The man was an adventurer. On the day of the big fire, he had helped Nik fend off the rioters and saved his life. He had gone against the adventurer guilds principle of not interfering in fights in the city, and took up his de with a chivalrous spirit. As the casualties grew, the guildter rified that they approved of such actions, else he might have been punished for going against the rules.


    Nik showed no interest in his appearance. Even though he was his benefactor, he did not look up. He also showed no concern over him obstructing his view of the city as he painted. That was because he was not only painting todays scenery.


    Your injuries must not have healed. Go over the top and you might hurt yourself.


    Nik did not respond to this either. He was focused on painting. Unable to ignore what he saw, another man, probably the adventurerspanion tapped on the adventurers shoulders.


    Dont bother, Mr Gaile. This man is hopeless.


    He was trying to tell him that it was toote to call out to Nik once he was painting like a machine. Every once in a while, adventurers would be able to see something simr. The girls who were captured and yed by the goblins or orcs would be mentally broken. Or theirpatriots who lose confidence after challenging a monster that was way above their capacity. Like these people, their hearts have already died even though their flesh was alive.


    ...How sad.


    The adventurer said as his eyes clouded. During the night of the big fire, when he entered the tavern which had been attacked by the rioters, only the painter was alive. The barricade at the entrance was destroyed, the owner and the customers were all killed and the barmaid an outlet for lust. Nik was left alone by the assants just so that he could witness everything.


    The barbarians were vulgarlyughing while taking turns at the barmaid, who had long left for the afterlife. The adventurer immediately slew them when he saw it. Nik was saved but he did not say a word of gratitude. The only thing he said was this.


    Why.


    Why did the knights note?


    Why was he being saved now?


    Why did he not die?


    ...Why did this happen?


    There was no way to know what exactly he meant. That was because he did not say anything from then on. While he was still in treatment, he left the shelter and was painting.


    ...Take care of your body.


    The adventurer gave up and turned heels.


    Nik was not the only mentally broken victim that was saved. He felt nothing but sympathy for him but he could not help him quickly. After Broussonne was burnedpletely and many of its inhabitants lost their families, the public security within the city deteriorated. Since the slum area grew in the city, there were more robbers, delinquents and shrewd ck marketeers roaming around. He did not want to stay in a single ce for too long.


    Do you...Do you know what happened to my daughter? Ohh, my cute Anrietta


    He passed a refugee who seemed to have lost it. His first impression was that she must have lost her child in the fire, but after listening further, she seemed like the rumoured woman who says nothing but exaggerated nonsense. He walked on without looking bad so as to avoid trouble.


    Tch, what is going to happen to this city.


    There should be plenty of jobs just from keeping the city safe during reconstruction. It is gonna be quite irritating to be working in this kind of environment.


    Seems like only the nobles are unaffected? Breathing all the clean air from the opposite bank, dammit.


    Grumbling with hispanion, they walked off. Their backs finally disappeared from Niks line of sight.


    ......


    The injured and ill painter was painting the nightmare from that night. The group of demons with flickering mes on their hands. The innocent inhabitants of the city that had their heads smashed and their stomachs cut open. Pallid youngdies offered up as sacrifices on the altar. A man-made hell where sinless people fall into.


    Every stroke of Niks was crude and warped. But allowed his painting to bring across the truth of that day and stir disgust in viewers. Without considering whether this painting was for good or evil, just based on its ability to evoke dread, it was definitely a masterpiece.


    Nik continued moving his brush even after the sun had set.


    A few yearster, Nik Bruneaus grotesque painting took the world by storm and became a masterpiece which represented the fire in Broussonne.


    However, right before he received high praise for it, he overdosed on cheap alcohol and passed away in the slums. Art collectors who loved it took painstaking efforts to retrieve it after the painting was lost.


    There was an exceptionally beautifully drawn woman present in Niks crude and unsightly painting. It created difort as it juxtaposed with corruption in the painting. There were many theories as to who that woman model was but none of the theories were eptedpletely.


    In any case, Nik, a first ss artist, managed to fulfill his dream of leaving his mark in history.

 Chapter 40: Moonchild (1)

    Chapter 40: Moonchild (1)


    <strong>Proofread: Archerbob :)</strong>


    What awaited all of us after settling the long list of issues at the capital was more work.


    The supervision and taxation of the wheat harvest, the inspection of the mines and the negotiation with the mining market and manufacturing of their potion, a new product...Just from my official duties as the provincial lord, there were mountains of projects to n and approve. Victor and my other retainers, who were left to take care of Man temporarily, were all too happy to push the responsibilities back to me. What a heartless bunch. I am injured too, yknow.


    I had beenining for some time, but was replied nonchntly with this.


    What are you saying? Surely you have already used the secret potion to recover?


    How was I found out? I have kept the recovery of my chest wound a secret and had strictly forbidden Uni and others from talking about it.


    It had to be Laubert. Laubert must have leaked it. Damn you, Jean-Jacques Laubert! That cold blooded bastard!


    Please stop putting all the me on me. In the first ce, all your retainers know that there are people who would not let your Excellency stay injured if the wounds are treatable.


    ...I was lost for words. Indeed, there were people who would not dy treatment and let me work in pain. Additionally, being barred from exercising meant that my fitness would deteriorate and if my goal was to live as long as possible, I should be treated. Those who were familiar with my personality should have long seen through my guise. A certain crafty old man and a certain oversensitive brother that is.


    As such, my n to immerse myself in research while faking my injury came to a halt. I, Tullius Shernan Oubeniel, would from now on, be working hard openly and privately.


    So, the most crucial private issue that I am working on was this.


    Ugh...I-I, what am I


    Good morning, Margrave Doldran. How are you feeling?


    I greeted the noble who just woke up from anesthesia as respectfully as I could.


    He was Margrave Doldran. Since the borders were vast and difficult to govern, he was given authority and special privileges that were normally given to marquises, making him a powerful noble. From this background of his, he gave the impression that he was a bigshot in the decentralist faction. In truth, he was mostly neutral and was independent from any factions.


    Anyways, he had strong military authority. He would much rather give his undivided attention in pacifying the southwest borders than be caught in political strife and asked to provide military support. ording to Victor and others, he was a rare breed of upright nobles.


    Well, that was before he was brought into Man and was sedated.


    How do you feel after the surgery? Vision blurry or headaches? Ah and  what do you think of me?


    He had received the brainwashing procedure to help me build my faction.


    Hm, I dont feel bad at all. Rather, my usual headaches are gone.


    Yes. I took the opportunity to fix some ailments in your body too.


    Specifically, I was referring to his alcohol damaged liver and stress weakened stomach. Brown had an imposing stature with refined body and thick beard and gave the impression that he was a healthy man, but it looks like he was not able to avoid the responsibilities and anxiety associated with his position. A quick inspection revealed many parts of his body aging. It would be a waste to have him die prematurely after spending the effort to brainwash him so I did him a favour.


    As an alchemist, it was possible to cultivate organs to use for transnt. It has been part of my expertise ever since I treated Unis injuries 11 years ago. This was nothingpared to the difficulty of reconstructing a persons personality or ensuring that a brainwashing would not cause a mental breakdown.


    Well then, what about that other aspect?


    I see, your skills are beyond my expectations. Your kindness cannot be free right? Since you are asking me what I think of you, it must be rted to thepensation you are seeking?


    Indeed. I had operated on your brain to make your Excellency to act ordingly as I say. Regarding that, how do you feel?


    He sharpened his gaze and tried to put strength into standing up.


    ...Strange. I felt that my hands were tied and the moment I tried to move them, I didn''t feel like doing so anymore and lost my strength. I should be angry if you had casted some ck magic on me though


    Hm, seems like the surgery was a sess. All that is left to be done is to put you under further observation and conduct additional treatments for any aftereffects. It is okay for you to return back to your territory, but please let me know if you do not feel well.


    Hmph, shamelessly ordering me as your please.


    Heid on the bed again and smirked boldly.


    Seeing that I noticed his smirk, he deepened his grin. The Margrave has an interesting personality. His boldness and flexibility was rare. Most other nobles go pale in fright once they realise they could not oppose me. There was even arge sized man who bawled his eyes out. If he could stay firm and not lose hisposure, then it was easier for me.


    You were said to be one heck of a guy by the Kingdoms noble. Lavallee, the old fox, had sent me a letter to tell me not to go near you.


    Eh? Really? The Marquis is so bothersome...


    The old man always brought about a depressing atmosphere. Though, he was wrong on how I would y my hand. It was Dreis job to sneak into the Margraves meeting with other nobles and lure the Margrave to the surgery. Of course, the nobles were my puppets on strings, made to perform and not leave clues. Hence, trying to be cautious around me did not pose an issue.


    Well, considering that I have been keeping watch on the old man, he does not have that many approaches against me.


    I will have ways of sending my instructions to you in the future, so just return back and wait for them.


    Ah, understood. ...Rather than waste time and struggle against you, I should just ept the situation of being your pawn and gain whatever benefits there are I guess.


    Yup. Truly a great answer. Pointlessly struggling was not good. Having a positive outlook and being true to one''s desires while not brooding over small losses was a good way of living.


    I am very grateful for the Margrave''s understanding. I am not too fond of using pawns like disposables, so I have prepared several benefits for those that align with me. I am an alchemist, so you may leave the provision of convenient tools to me. I am able to provide weapons, armour, medicine and perhaps even limbs. Well then, to start things


    I pped my hands and Uni and a M-series who were waiting outside came into the room.


    My apologies. I have brought M-22.


    This is one of my prided ve. Feel free to take her with you and use her.


    I am M-22, Lucie. Please feel free to order me, Sir Margrave.


    Margrave Doldran grunted at the female ve he was suddenly given.


    So this little girl is my bell? How odd for a bell on the cor.


    I could onlyugh faintly as I replied.


    He was right. There was no doctor who could evaluate a patients state with just 2 or 3 visits so there was no way I could im the brainwashing was sessful with our short question and answering. Thats why I was sending a ve to keep a lookout. If he ever takes suspicious actions, this girl would report back immediately.


    The Margrave scrutinised M-22 and sighed.


    Fine. Looks like she is not just good for being a bell. As you say, I shall use her as much as I want.


    This man was exemry. He was able to tell M-22 was not just any ve from a cursory nce. This was good evidence that he was from a military family taking care of the Kingdoms borders. In fact, a noble like Victor with a good eye would have been able to assess the quality of the equipment he wore.


    In any case, if Margrave Doldran does not betray me, it seems he would really be a useful pawn.


    This girl knows the way back. Your other servants that were also brought to Man should be joining you soon.


    Hmph...


    He looked annoyed but left together with M-22. He must believe his servants were also brainwashed. Naturally, that was the case too.

 Chapter 40: Moonchild (2)

    Chapter 40: Moonchild (2)


    ...By the way, we have finished the first stage of bringing in the surrounding nobles. Charl. How is the research I entrusted you with while you were at the capital?


    I walked to the underground research facility while feeling a sense of fatigue after thepletion of a task. The path that connected to the mines was initially just a dirt road but as part of the n to improve living conditions, stone was installed. The cking feedback sound from walking on the stone road was satisfying.


    However, Charls reply to the topic that I brought up could not be said to be satisfying.


    Hey, Oubeniel. Rather than ask about it, how about seeing it in person now? Then I wouldnt have to exin twice, yeah? Aint this what ya call inefficiency?


    Ugh...


    I let out an involuntary groan. It has reached the point where this vampire was acting like this. Was it the environment making him overly rxed or was this an early sign of him growing rebellious? Well, further investigation can be der.


    Why not? It isnt like exining is going to decrease anything. With your expertise, I dont see anything bad with being informed in advance. After all, you are my important fellow researcher.


    WhaIf you say it like that, why dont you stop overworking me, master. After being suddenly ordered, I had to quickly take over the mass produced types and assemble them at the capital. To make things worse, you banned sucking blood...


    Wish he would stop being absurd. A vampire lord sucking blood in the capital would be a nightmare. If this guy chose a virgin girl of his liking to suck blood on, it was possible for her to be an A rank subjugation ss monster.


    Dont worry, with the sess of this experiment, your burden should reduce considerably. This is a great chance for you to gather your favourite cute virgins too though?


    Buuuut, that kind isnt my favourite. That is just too pure. Compared to a brazen hussy, it is better but it wouldnt give that kind of taste yknow? That kind is far too empty...I much prefer slowly enjoying a good girl at her moments of breaking down...


    Disgusting hobby...


    Uni who was following me from behind said. I agree but for women like Uni and Drei, Charls hobbies were too much. Its probably being of the same sex, they sympathised with the victims.


    Senior senior! Lets not be mean to each other okay? In general, men find it more romantic when the girl tries to match their preferences. A fine example right here is senior yourself. Havent you been trying to match Oubeniels preferences?


    This is gonna be a waste of time so all Im gonna say is disgusting. Also, are there any benefits to putting stress on ones body by offering it up to you?


    You have it wrong. The other person who is being sucked by me isnt offering their body to me, they are my toys, T-O-Y-S. The first and foremost priority is how I enjoy them. It is not about how practical it is for them.


    While being amused by my creations, we finally arrived at the ce where the research in question was being conducted. I sighed and turned to face Charl.


    All this talk about your hobbies, but in the end, you couldnt produce any good results?


    Eh? Um, well...


    After pointing out his failures, Charl squeezed himself together.


    Ahh, as I expected. Well, I had already guessed it. If it was sessful, Charl would have been boastful on his achievements and would have pestered me for rewards. The moment he did not do so, I could predict that progress was unsatisfactory.


    Alright. Part of the me was that this wasnt your field of expertise. As long as you fix the mistakes and speed up, it is fine.


    I tried tofort him.


    It will soon be winter. When snow falls on Man, which isndlocked, the transportationworks would all slow down, affecting progress on the faction. It was not a season for tending crops so the only job left for the lord of the region was toe up with a n to get past winter. Which means, I could put all my efforts on research until spring arrives.


    Y-You are absolutely right, Oubeniel! It is my greatest fortune to have such a gracious master!!


    ttering me wont do you any good. Please endure yourself with the ves that Laubert brings over.


    I opened the door to the research facility as I said. Inside was another door. It was used to maintain cleanliness in the room and ensure the experiments were unaffected by microorganisms. After being sprayed on by disinfectants, we went through the door.


    It was a scene out of this world, but perfectlymonce in science fiction from my previous world. Transparent ss cylinders lined up neatly near the wall. Inside the cylinders was some liquid and countless numbers of people floating like seaweed inside.


    As though it was a factory for cloning people  that was the impression it gave.


    So how was it, Charl? Their physical bodies look okay, but what about inside of them?


    It was a failure.


    He denied instantly.


    Charl walked towards a cylinder abruptly and lightly poked the inside with his fist.


    All of them look well built from the body aspect but their wills are so weak beyond measure. They probably could make short replies if they were let out and perform simple tasks but arepletely inferior to the M-series or B-series. They are supposed to be superior on both the physical and magical front though... Umm, what do you call this?


    Their hardware poses no problems but their software is hopeless, right?


    Right, that! inly speaking, their souls are faint and minuscule. It would be the same as not having self-consciousness and moving around in the outside world would only speed up their exhaustion and cause their souls to disappear faster. It would be considered good if they can evenst 6 years. Of course, that is if they avoid injuries and illnesses.


    ...Then it is no different from what we made at the academy back then.


    It was no different from the past. So this was a failure.


    After preparing such arge facility, the results were as such. Even I would feel disheartened.


    Uni exhaled lightly and tried tofort me.


    This is challenging to say the least. Creating a perfect homunculus that is...


    Homunculus. In the words of the old, it would mean tiny people. It was an artificial human created by an alchemist. Compared to a golem that moves by magic, homunculi were cultivated in containers and were a genuine form of artificial life.


    By the way, though they were termed as tiny people, they were by no means limited to being small. Their size depends on the size of the container. Just like the cylinders in this room, if they were cultivated fromrge containers, it was possible to create homunculi the size of humans.


    That being said, independent of their sizes, homunculi do not tend to live long. They could be kept alive for around ten years within their cultivators but once they are brought outside, they quickly die. The reason for this was not yet understood well. Weak immune systems were considered and autopsies were conducted but their bodies looked healthy. It was almost as if they ran out of battery power and switched off. Looks like I have to look into the ws of their souls, as mentioned by Charl.


    Isnt it obvious that recreating life from scratch would be difficult? The only person who managed to create a homunculus that overcame the longevity problem was the founder of alchemy himself.


    Basically, this was during the age of mythologies and was among the fairy tales of that era. Even though the events were written into literature, they slowly became inauthentic folklore as they passed on from generation to generation and were useless as reference. It even mentioned using horse dung or some herb in the cultivator. How on earth could humans be created like that.


    However, I thought the results at the academy were good...I thought if we used elves as the base of the homunculi, their lifespan would considerably increase.


    Charl pressed on.

 Chapter 40: Moonchild (3)

    Chapter 40: Moonchild (3)


    The homunculi sleeping in the cylinders had pointy ears as sharp as leaves. They looked just like elves. Some of the elves captured by Drei, the E-series, were working in thisb and were being used as the base of the homunculi.


    No matter how long-lived elves were and how much we modified them, they were still mortals susceptible to death. If they were just used as defenders against intruders, eventually, their numbers would fall.


    And that poses an issue since I only have 31 of them. Elf vesmanded an eye whopping premium and it was not easy to find a vige of elves with their barriers. Drei was only able to find the E-series by a stroke of luck.


    Hence, I ordered the elves to procreate to bolster their numbers. The time needed for elves to mature was proportionally as long as their longevity. Unbelievably, they only consider an elf of 100 years old to be a young chick. By the time a new generation of elves are raised, I would have long passed. Of course, I do n to attain immortality before that.


    The current research of creating elf types of homunculi, also known as the Early Elf (EE) n, was being conducted to solve immortality. If this seeds, we could obtain many cultivated elves forbat or research.


    But sess was elusive, as could be seen from the current state of affairs.


    I think there was a mistake in our way of thinking from the very beginning.


    Charl said to me.


    Elf souls are more spiritual than human souls. Their secret to longevityes not from their high quality magic nor strong bodies, but their souls. Surely you would have known, Oubeniel? After all, you dissected an elf while at the academy.


    He was referring to the time when I had received permission from Professor Graumann to conduct a dissection. It was an elf specimen without a single wound thatid untouched in the academys storage room. Indeed, I concluded that elves longevity could not be simply a result of their physical qualities. Actually, even before that, I had already fiddled with an elf corpse that Uni killed, so it was to increase the confidence of the previous conclusion. Well, leaving that aside


    I had been considering if the problem of souls could be supplemented with physical strengths. Hmm...Then, how about this? These elf homunculi all have souls despite it being faint right? How about trying to extract all of them andbining them into one?


    An interesting idea, but I am of the opinion that we should not do it. Since their souls are weak, wont their sense of self and fighting spirit be weak too? If webine them, their sense of self would be confusing and go berserk. There isnt a sufficiently powerful soul acting as a core.


    Hmm, so this would not work huh.


    I was likening souls to pure water and wondered if their quantity could increase just bybining them. However, as Charl has argued, with their weak souls, it would end up as something like a juice with mixed vours. As a result, without a strong tasting juice as the base of a cocktail, it would taste weird and undrinkable. If I had to give an analogy, that would be it.


    How about killing an appropriate ve and inserting its soul? If creating a homunculi that could work for an extended period of time, wouldnt that be the fastest approach?


    Charl, stop saying crazy things. Well, thinking about it more deeply...


    Perhaps we would resort to that in the end...But that would affect the cost to performance ration adversely. We already need to prepare fresh materials to concoct the cultivation liquid. It would be difficult to add the cost of procuring ves on top of that. Wouldnt affect the number of ves we can use in other research?


    As such, I found it difficult to ept this approach. The lives in this world wereparably cheaper than the lives of Japanese people, but they were certainly not for free. It waspletely human to want to keep costs to a minimum. After moving into this undergroundb, the number of human experiments conducted have risen. We still had a stable supply of ves for now but with the current rate of increase, I could not be sure that it would be so in the future. For instance, if a certain country deres to free ves, the number of ves on the market would plummet. This was an extreme example but still a usible one.


    ves were never a product that could be obtained steadily in the first ce. Its not like they could be reared in farms. The increase or decrease in supply was mostly determined by the status of society at any point of time.


    Charl shrugged his shoulders in amazement.


    My master is really so selfish...That is no good, this is no good, then we have no other options ya? How about giving up on this and trying a different field?


    Ugh, sound argument. As Due mentioned before, whenever Charl makes a sound argument, somehow it gets on your nerves. Its true.


    Charl continued his attack, perhaps knowing or not knowing what I was thinking.


    I dont even like cultivating homunculi. Oubeniel, you understand? I am not allowed to mess with any elf bastard juice that I like...And the male elves can have it banging the girls in the vige! Isnt that weird! W-H-Y! For somebody like me who is far superior to elves! Why do I have to do all this work! If they are all the same elf juice, then girls are waaaaaaaaay better!! WAAAAY BETTER!


    Ah, he snapped. And now he was crying.


    Looks like the homunculus research gave him too much stress. Well, for this vampire, who loves prattling on about virgin girl this virgin girl that, to work on synthesising materials for homunculus all day, surely his mood would be bad.


    The main ingredient to cultivating homunculi was male fluids. To put it frankly, that thing, you know. Yes, that. The source of a baby.


    I could understand Charls feelings. Even for me, to be using that thing from others would definitely put me in a bad mood. Ah, even if it was my own, I would not feel good. I wonder how female alchemy students feel during homunculus practical sessions...Never mind, Im not interested in hearing that. Im not too fond of treating this guy in front of me the same as them.


    Why do we need to use male fluids? I like to know why myself. It was most probably because it was required to pass gic information to the homunculus base, though that is just my hypothesis. Incidentally, the sex of a homunculus was not fixed and could turn out to be either male or female. Possibly because of males XY sex chromosome? Also, I had never heard of any homunculus developing reproductive capabilities. Wasnt this because they only have a single sex chromosome?


    ...Somehow magic and science were crossing and mixing together. Enough of this, back to the main topic.


    Ahh, yes. I understand. If you really hate it that much, then you may go into other research projects. I had only wanted you to take care of this while I was stuck in the capital.


    Since Charl really hated it, I shall free him from this research. He was an expert in manipting souls. When I entrusted the work on homunculus with him, I only wanted him to observe the souls. There were other tasks I wanted to entrust him, so if he said he hated it then there was no need to force this on him.


    Eh? Really? ...Hooray! Im finally freed from misery!


    The moment I agreed to move him elsewhere, he danced in joy.


    Uni suddenly interjected.


    How exaggerated, Opus-04. Isnt it just an experiment with using elf semen?


    ......


    ......


    She soundedpletely fed up, leaving both of us men frozen.


    She said it. We had been skirting around the word but she said it directly without any reserve.


    Could it be? That women were more tolerant of such topics than us men?


    Wow, eww, senior. Saying that with a straight face? Are you okay?


    What? Is it not allowed? Not like we are eating right now. Since we are in the researchb, there is no need to sugarcoat our words.


    ...Well, Uni was right in that way. She has been my assistant, helping me with human surgery here and there. I dont recall her being awkward when dealing with the bodies then. If a female nurse goes Kya, Kyaa whenever she touches a male patients body, then the hospital was doomed.


    Firstly, why was I strangely being bashful? During the cultivation experiments in the academy, didnt I have Uni as my assistant?


    Reflecting on that, Charl started grumbling.


    Seriously...why on earth are homunculus cultivated from men? I would rather they be made from women.


    Wait a second.


    What did he say?


    Charl.


    The voice that interjected was a cold voice that was far from my usual self.


    Charl shoulders shivered.


    W-What, Oubeniel? D-Did I say anything that angered you?


    No? Just that I heard something interesting?


    Really, really interesting.


    Why were homunculi made from men?


    Were we not allowed to make them from women?


    A truly thought provoking question. At the same time, I was ashamed of myself. I was stuck in a fixed mindset and tried toe up with reasons to support that mindset. How foolish it was.


    Aplete disgrace. But at the same time, I felt wonderfully excited.


    That I would actually overlook this!


    Uni.


    Yes.


    Meet the E-series who are underground now. Then bring the female elves that arent pregnant.


    As you wish.


    And Charl. I feel bad but Im taking that back. I would like you to stay on homunculus research for a little longer.


    Eh...W-Well, if it is what master says then I will follow


    Unlike Uni who quickly gave the affirmative after receiving her instructions, Charl sort of grumbled while agreeing. This guy really cannot be helped.


    So what is about now?


    What are you saying. Didnt you just say it?


    I walked nearer to the homunculi cultivation cylinders as I said and knocked on the surface. Just as Charl has done earlier.


    Why dont we make homunculi from females, you said. ...I realised after you said that. How about we actually try doing that? And


    The ends of my mouth curled as emotions welled up inside me.


    That would be our first option. This was an experiment to investigate what happens if we use eggs from females instead of semen to cultivate homunculi.


    And if this ends up going well


    What about using fertilised eggs too?

 Chapter 41: Six Elements (1)

    Chapter 41: Six Elements (1)


    Tilting his hip sk upside down, Due Schwarzer stared into empty space.


    For the second winter since he came to Man, he was passing his time by stewing in his unceasing boredom. The source was unfortunately easy to identify. Due had nothing to do.


    To the eyes of an outsider, Due was Tullius chief military official. As head of the domestic security team, his primary duty was to subjugate groups of criminal elements. As a result of his efforts, nearly all the bandits in the border regions of Man had been put to the sword. Perhaps fearful of sharing their predecessors fate, there was no sign of further unrest building.


    There wasnt even anything for him to do behind the scenes, either. His only real job was to annihte anyone that managed to prate the core of Man, theboratory built within the dungeon. However, it was nearly impossible to climb the snowy mountains still caught in the grasp of winter. Since Tullius had holed himself up in theboratory, he wasnt even able to act as his personal escort.


    Frankly, he had far too much free time on his hands. After he had crushed only ten of the more prominent bandit groups, the rest had fractured and dissolved. The only infrequent jobs he was given these days were orders to clear snow from the highways, which served as field engineering and marching practice. Once that wasplete, he would return to themon room in thebplex, where he would drink the day away. The now-dry sk he held still reeked of strong alcohol. Since the stuff in question was used to stave off the icy northern winds, it was best drunk sparingly, but Due had multiple sks all over his body. Even though the liquor was strong enough to make a regr mans nose hairs curl with just a whiff, Due had been drinking it like water.


    (Its all that bastards fault Im stuck like this)


    Downing hard spirits just to get drunk wasnt really his style. A good, dark beer thatplemented some fried beef gut was something he still dreamed of. Unfortunately, he would never be able to enjoy the simple pleasures of cheap, intoxicating beer ever again.


    ...Hey.


    From behind him came a voice and a pair of arms. As something soft pressed against his bare back, his sk was stolen from his hands.


    Once youre finished over there, grab me a drink, would you? Seems like chivalry really is dead.


    The one who had reached around his head and was now pouting was none other than Drei. The scent drifting from her skin and hair mixed with the pungent odor of stale alcohol, forming a distractingly sweet fragrance.


    Since some time ago, the two had begun sleeping together. At any rate, there was little else in the way of entertainment in the undergroundb. When their hearts grew tired of tedium, their bodies acted on those desires. A small romantic spark had spontaneously bloomed between them. Recently, it had be a daily routine to waste their time away in this manner.


    Give it up.


    Due shook her off roughly. Whenever they finished one of their quiet trysts, he was gripped with shame over his inability to be more productive with his time.


    Shaking his head to brush away the lingering sensation of smooth skin, he refocused himself.


    Go back to sleep already. Im tired too, you know.


    Hah! Tired? Just earlier, you were going at it like--


    As she spoke, Drei attempted to take a swig from the stolen sk, only to find it empty.


    What, were out of booze? Come on, youre letting me down here!


    Although her words were sharp, her tone was yful, teasing him like a child.


    Unlike Due, she had no problems with their current situation. With too much time on her hands, she had taken to teasing him, sleeping with him, and drinking his liquor dry.


    He was envious of her ability to be satisfied with so little.


    As if I gave a shit, idiot. Im going back to sleep.


    With a cold retort, he moved to return to the bed. However, Drei, arms still wrapped around his neck, held him back.


    The hell you want?


    If theres nothing to drink, youll have to satisfy me another way


    Her tongue ran its way up his back, tracing the length of his scars. The sensation of her warm saliva mixed with the dregs of liquor melting into his skin sent a wave of heat rippling up his spine. Fueled by his cloudy drunkenness, the anxiety he had been trying to repress reared its head once more.


    Once more, huh.


    Irrepressible frustration and overpowering lust augured through his mind like nails through his temples.


    Although his body was overwhelmed by pleasure, a cold, still void spread throughout his heart. He always felt like this after doing it with her. A moments pleasure disappeared like smoke on the wind, followed by a steep dive into mncholy.


    It was never the same again after that passionate night at Canales. Ever since then, the attractive woman he embraced had been molded into a tool by that devil.


    However, with just a slight bit of teasing, his body would start acting on its desires. Shameful. Being self-aware of it only made him miserable.


    Oh, my~


    Nevertheless, Drei still had a smile on her face. He easily fell for the provocation. Just as she expected.


    Due let out a low, guttural growl.


    Im holding myself back here, Drei.


    What, are you going to punish me~?


    Wordlessly, he answered with a deep, greedy kiss.


    Then, just as he started to trace his hands up her nut-brown skin to her chest--


    Tock, tock.


    As a knock echoed throughout the room, the two froze.


    Although I humbly apologize for interrupting your pleasure, the master has called. Please assemble at the sixth testing site.


    The voice quietly murmuring from the other side of the door was Unis. Despite the buildings excellent soundproofing, she had seemingly inferred the events urring within. As usual, she was unnaturally talented in every way.


    Continuing on, her voice carried no emotion.


    As I believe cleaning yourselves up may take some time, please present yourselves within the next thirty minutes, or else. Please do not take this opportunity to start again.


    After the one-sided conversation had finished, the presence outside the door faded away.


    The now-sober pair separated themselves, sitting down on the bed with audible sighs.


    Man, Unis got no sense of decency. When she says its uneptable to bete, we dont really have a say in the matter, do we?


    Dont tell that to me


    After wiping themselves down with wet towels, the sounds of rustling clothes being put on filled the room.


    Took you both a while, didnt it? Fem had toe from the farthest away, and she still made it here first. Think you could exin that one to me?


    As Due and Drei hurried into the sixth testing site, they were met with Tulliuss incredulous voice. As befitting the facilitys head alchemist, Tulliuss elbows rested on a grandly carved desk, towards which the twoters trotted to under his exhausted gaze.


    Come on, Oubeniel. Its not like this is urgent, right? Dont fuss yourself over something so small. Seems like we might have to open you up to fix that sense of humor, hmm?


    The one to break the mood with his clownish antics was none other than Charl. He never did seem to learn his lesson. Every time he opened his mouth and thoughtlessly spouted out whatever he was thinking, he would always end up getting punished. Of course, this time was no different.


    Opus 04, this experiment was not solely the fruit of your ownbors. I would caution you to not make such a foolish im again.


    Yes, yes, Uni-senpai is right as always~


    ...Im assuming we werent called here just to watch your littleedy skit, and Im sure Uni agrees. You need to kill that habit of yours, Charl. Wait, since youre already undead, would it be purifying it, then?


    Yes, certainly so.


    Ohe on, why is it always me that gets the short end of the stick? I was supposed to be in charge of this, wasnt I?

 Chapter 41: Six Elements (2)

    Chapter 41: Six Elements (2)


    Paying for ones mistakes, I judge this to be. Summing up your achievements, failures and finally yourx attitude, overall it is a minus.


    Honestly. Every time he opens that mouth of his, his squawking reminds me just how much of a birdbrain he is.


    The birdbrain in question took a moment to seriously consider his fowl nature, although he was in reality closer in heritage to a bat.


    Watching his creations squabble amongst themselves, Tullius mood quickly turned for the better.


    Well then, I suppose we should get on to the business at hand. Um...then, today I shall present the fruits of ourborious research, and the newest addition to our arsenal. Ill introduce them, then.


    Come on in, EE-series!


    Yes!


    t voices in perfect synchronicity heralded the arrival of nine young girls. Befitting their nature as manufactured weapons, they stood in a uniform line, expressionless.


    The only aspect that drew the eye to them was a singr shared feature.


    These are elves?


    Hair like golden thread, skin like polished baster. Not to mention, their long ears like sharpened knives. Without a doubt, they were of elven blood. At least, they appeared that way to Dues eyes.


    Whats this about, master? I dont remember seeing these bitches in that elf vige. Where did you order them from?


    Drei asked with open bewilderment. As she had been the one to hunt down the elves living in the forests of Man, she knew them better than anyone else in theboratory. When faced with these new arrivals, her logical conclusion was that they had been procured from somewhere else.


    Ha...Ha...Ha...Ha~lfway there, mademoiselle!


    The vampire pompously swung his fingers around and clicked his tongue.


    These children, the EE-series, are elves and yet not exactly elves. Our dear master, Oubeniel, Ah! With my F, A, B, U, L, O, U, S, idea, created these artificial magic lifeforms!


    He exined in high spirits.


    Artificial lifeforms? Dont tell me...


    Due found it incredulous as he nced at the elves.


    They werecking in emotions but no matter how he looked at them, they were living beings. He found it impossible to believe that they were created by the hands of man.


    The very thought of artificial lifeforms made his hair stand on end.


    Yes, Tullius had already created monsters that one should only see from nightmares. Uni, who was trained in medicine and other highly specialised fields, as well as the mass produced M-series and B-series. Due himself was a product of sophisticated surgical procedures. Drei was given brain-washing demon eyes and also had her magic enhanced. Charl was a chimera made from undead and vampire parts. And Fem, the golem who could easily be mistaken for a living human.


    However, to be able to create life from zero held a different fear for him. It was sphemous into the realms of god while being a mere human. Any decent human would be in disbelief as well.


    What is it, Due? You look pale.


    The person in question was asking him with concern. He definitely felt no remorse and shame for his doings.


    You...Are you sane? How could you do something like this?


    You worried about the disrespect to gods?


    Tullius leaned back on his chair as he mocked.


    Why would creating life be sacrilegious to god? Didnt we alle from our parents?


    T-Thatspletely different! Its about whether its the right way to create life!


    And what is the rightful way you speak of? A loving couple procreating...Isnt that self-pretentious? In the first ce, a child can be made without love. If you cuddle a woman you dont really like or vice versa.


    Due was at a loss of words. He knew that the official stance of the church was that children could only be born from a family with love. However, it wasmonce for nobles to have mistresses (in fact, there was a child of a mistress here), and then we also have Linus and Simone who were a loveless couple.


    Or perhaps, are you bothered by it being unnatural? That too isughable. If everything has to be natural, then everybody has to live like they were from when they were born. Is building a home and living in one a crime? Are we not allowed to dislike being naked and wear clothes? What about plowing the fields and growing crops? Raising farm animals like cows, pigs, goats and chicken? Using medication when we fall ill or are injured? We find nothing wrong with these unnatural acts. And so, why would creating life like this be wrong?


    That is...


    Due could not find an answer. He could only feel annoyed.


    The unorthodox alchemist seemed to have seen through him andughed.


    Basically, you just felt that it was sinful? If we were to further break it down...giving birth to a life is a magnificent and noble undertaking. It must be no doubt the grace of the gods. Giving birth to life should have been with the help of god and thus, doing it without the help of god is impious? Is that what you have in mind?


    Maybe that was it. To Due, every life was precious and to give birth was a blessing. If it became easy enough to be artificially created...Wouldnt that be demeaning the value of life? Just the thought of it was enough to make his stomach turn from the guilt and corruption. Due felt that it was like turning away from god itself.


    Due Schwarzer. So long as you are my subordinate, please dispose of such values. That would mean leaving ones fate to god. That is foolish. Even if I had to go against god, I am still a person who does not wish to die. I cannot bear the thought of my life being controlled by a being I have yet to have encountered.


    Of course, right!


    Charl abruptly shouted.


    We have been killing and modifying people up till now, why are you feeling scared about creating life? Hah! You should be happy! Isnt it a blessing? You should be crying out happy birthday!


    Hmm, I share the same opinion. Giving birth to life is a plus phenomenon.


    Im not too sure about human ethics...I find it somewhat repugnant that we were creating my brethren like this while I was rounding up the white ones for sale. Ah, of course Im not trying to me anyone...


    Charl was making a fuss. Fem was quietly nodding her head. Drei was cocking her head in contemtion. None of them were criticising Tulliustest deed.


    What about Uni? Needless to say. There was no way she could hold any ethical concerns with regard to her master.


    The only person disagreeing with it was as usual, Due, himself.


    Tullius sighed as Due remained silent.


    Putting that aside...Let me exin. Charl said that the EE-series was a form of magic life, but in the stricter sense of the word, they are not.


    Eh!? Really?


    It is fine since this is out of your specialisation. Well...It is normal to be mistaken because they were made like homunculus.


    Due has heard of the term Homunculus before. They were magic lifeforms simr to humans, made from dubious experiments by alchemists. They were born with high functionalities and vast magic. In contrast, their spirits were mechanical and their individuality was weak. Also, they were short-lived. As such, they were mainly used to inte the ranks of an army. When Due was an adventurer, there was a time when he had to subjugate an illegal alchemist who had homunculi. Compared to the devil before him, that alchemist was second rate or third rate at best.


    Traditionally, homunculi were made with semen. But Charl mentioned this when it was autumn. Why cant we make them from women? And with that as inspiration, I tried experimenting with the ova of women instead of semen.


    Ova? What is that? ...You know whats that, Drei?


    ...Who knows?


    Drei, a woman, was none the wiser.


    Tullius weakly smiled.

 Chapter 41: Six Elements (3)

    Chapter 41: Six Elements (3)


    To put it simply, it is aponent in the womb that joins together with semen to form a baby. They be stale after one month so they are reced with a new one during menstruation. ...I wonder why this isnt taught during physical education. Werent you guys taught when you were children?


    Master, this knowledge is only taught at the alchemist ss at magic academy. The healing sses ignore it, assuming that it is all superstition.


    Oh, you are right. Those people from healing sses dont have experience with dissecting humans. I see. Ah, and theres the church covering up such knowledge too.


    Cough. Tullius then cleared his throat.


    Returning back to the main topic...when ova were used, we were able to create the homunculi. Then I realised. With just semen or ova, it was not sufficient to create living beings so we have to provide magic support toplete the baby. So this might mean that their lives were greatly shortened because we overused magic to supplement what theyck. As Charl would say, their spirits were dilute.


    Ah, I see...


    Drei pped her hands.


    ...If thats the case, then what happens if we put both semen and ovum into the cultivator? Are the EE-series from experimenting on that?


    50 points. I wouldn''t handle it as randomly as that. What I did was to use semen fertilised ova from elves.


    Semen fertilised ova, you said?


    Once again, it was an unfamiliar term for Due and others. Though they were able to vaguely guess what it meant.


    Though he didnt feel too good about it.


    Exactly like it sounds. It is the state of the ovum after it epts a semen. Another way of putting it is the state of the baby after the parts of the babye together.


    As Due had expected, he couldnt look straight on hearing that.


    The state before it bes a baby? To use that in an experiment? It was repulsive. Something was definitely wrong about using a fetus in a human experiment.


    Several times he almost wanted to speak his honest thoughts but Due never opened his mouth. He knew that it was futile to do so nor did it seem like the rest would pay heed to him. He was the only person here enduring the difort.


    Tullius continued triumphantly.


    And so, we obtained stunning results from the use of the fertilised ova experiment. The ova rapidly multiplied and with the aid of the homunculi cultivation technique, their growth was further elerated. And just like that, they grew to the size of an adult. The key was the cultivation. And we were able to achieve growth that would normally take an elf hundred years, in a span of just ten days!


    Y-You mean...the EE-series are not homunculi but growth elerated elves!?


    Drei leaned forward in excitement. That was to be expected. Elves that were demi-humans blessed with extremely long lives could be created by man. Furthermore, they could be fully grown with less than 1 in a hundredth of the time normally taken.


    That would be preposterous ordinarily. When he first heard about orichalcum, he thought it was already pretty unreal, but today, it far exceeded that.


    Surely this level of achievement, which rivals even gods achievements, was unheard of.


    Exactly! So homunculi making technique is actually just a technique to cultivate lifeforms. Somehow, it was treated as a way to create magic lifeforms. Why is that so I am rather intrigued by this mystery but that could be left forter. What I desire is the real technique and researching the history behind it might shed some light on that.


    Tullius spoke as if he was a child that had found a new toy to y with.


    Well, that was fine. Nobody expected Tullius to have the nerves of normal people and be afraid of the gods.


    And that they have proper souls had been confirmed by the expert, Charl, yes?


    Yup. Compared to the homunculi, these beings hold long-living, beautiful and strong souls. They would probably live much longer than the average human. But, yknow, they are waaaaay too innocent to be my ythings


    Even if you didnt say so, there is no way I would give them to you. I have many uses for the EE-series. Replenishing the dwindling number of E-series, or perhaps use them for high level magic research...Anyways, aside from elves semen, we are limited by the difficulty of extracting ova. We could of course mass produce it, but the costs would add up quickly. They would be too wasteful to be used as your toy.


    They were describing the elves as though they were a set of exquisite tea cups. The disrespect they have for this long lived race may not even be found at ve markets.


    And then, Due, who was just staring in wonder, was even more shocked by what was said next.


    And thats just for starters.


    The air grew colder.


    Even Drei, who was filled with enthusiasm, Charl who was boastful of his contributions to the research and Due, who was bored, had to second guess what they just heard.


    The only ones unperturbed were Fem, who either had no emotions or her emotions could not be read, and Uni, who always acted together with Tullius.


    Wait, Oubeniel...The EE-series are just for starters? Such a great aplishment is just starters?


    What is it... that you n to make?


    Their master smirked.


    Ah, it isnt that special. You see, now that we have the EE-series, we are able to obtain a steady supply of elves, which would normally be expensive. Then I would like to have at least one...one which I can spend some time modifying without too big of a demerit.


    Tullius stood up from his chair and proceeded deeper in the room. There were ss cylinders near the wall. A total of 9 cylinders. They were probably cultivators for the EE-series.


    Charl seemed to realise something suddenly.


    Wait a minute, only 9? There should have been ten of these cultivation cylinders


    Unconsciously, Due took a closer look at the cylinders.


    He quickly found the tenth cylinder that Charl was talking about. It had been concealed in the darkness but was actually ced right at the center. It had the same size as the other cylinders.


    Uni, please unveil it.


    Yes, as you wish.


    Uni began to act upon receiving her mastersmand.


    And what appeared was,


    ......


    A young girl that was immersed in an orange liquid. No, perhaps a young infant or a toddler was more appropriate. She floated in the cylinder while asleep.

 Chapter 42: Six Elements (1)

    Chapter 42: Six Elements (1)


    A youngdy  or more urately speaking, a young child  was soakedpletely in a translucent orange liquid. Her dainty body floated within the cylinder while asleep.


    She was notpletely naked. On her head was a silver ring of which purpose was unknown. It seemed to be part of Tullius preparations. It was probably not just for decorative purposes.


    This is the experiment to create an improved homunculus with superior magic and adaptability towards different elements. Can you tell? The differences in experimental setup?


    Indeed...


    The differences in machinery was obvious. On the base of the cylinder, there was a magic circle withrge jewels embedded in it. Also, on the side or behind it was a shy metal box with bundles of strings connected from it to the cultivator.


    What is this. I question. Could it be. The Vril Generator and Orichalcus Brain?


    Fem was referring to the twoponents that formed her core.


    Vril Generator was a magic furnace that could generate magic without exhausting so long as special fuel burned in it.


    Orichalcus Brain was a logical device to imitate the human brain.


    It did not look like it was included half-heartedly.


    Oh? Fem is quite astute. Well, since it is a part of you, I guess so? Exactly. It provides magic to the cultivator and at the same time, provides higher order magic and knowledge sleep-learning. Of course, these are simplified versions of the kind that is in you.


    Hmm. Then are these jewels and the magic circle to strengthen elemental magic? Ruby, emerald, topaz, sapphire these are the four ssical elements. And toplete the pentagram, the crystal which represents the sky. If sessful, this individual would have magic powers that surpasses mages and even possibly mine.


    What? Surpass even senior Drei as a mage...wouldnt that be on the level of a sage from the mythical era?


    ...By the way, what is the circlet on her head for? Some kind of good luck charm?


    Yup, an important good luck charm. It has the obedience spell like those in ve cors infused in it to directly insert loyalty. Wouldnt it be a problem to have the test subject wield such powers before brainwashing?


    ...Is that so.


    Due was disappointed at the unexpected answer given.


    Before birth, this subject had magic infused into her, knowledge baked into her and furthermore, forced into obedience.


    This youngdy was pitiful.


    In the end, even if she was an EE series elf, she was not that different from normal homunculus. They were unblessed illegitimate children at the mercy of their creator alchemists. They were also just cannon fodder.


    The hopelessness of the situation made his conscience hurt.


    Naturally, the situation continued regardless of ackeys feelings.


    Introductions over? Behold! Let us wake her up now!


    As you wish. Third iteration of strengthening cultivated elf. Begin.


    Uni started operating the machine after receiving Tullius enthusiasticmand. There was something that made Due feel unsettled about that though.


    ...Third iteration?


    If this was the third, then there were two other attempts before this?


    Ahh, the first two strengthening experiments ended up in great failure. The first exploded after the machines overloaded, while the second self-destructed after being overloaded with magic? No worries, we have corrected those ws so this time should be all good! Third times the charm!


    W-Wha!?


    Due had found himself lost for words repeatedly today.


    This means he had killed two cultivated elves twice already. Not long after their birth, ah, even before birth, their lives were taken.


    Sto


    Please do not touch the machine. Who knows what would happen if an amateur messes around with it.


    As he involuntarily stretched out his arm, Uni stopped him.


    At the same time, due to themand in his brain, his entire body froze like a stone. His reconstructed brain must have deemed his actions to be disadvantageous to his master.


    All that was left for Due to do was to stay silent.


    He only could pray that this ungodly demons experiment was a sess.


    ......


    ......


    The child for the experiment floated quietly with her eyes shut in the cylinder.


    At her feet, the magic circle that provides magic glowed ominously.


    Generator output stable between 58 and 60 percent. As far as operation goes, it is extremely stable at the moment.


    Good. Raise the output.


    Okay. Raising to 70 percent.


    Uni operated on the knobs of the machine.


    shes gushed out from the bundle of strings suddenly.


    Whoa whoa whoa! Is this normal!?


    Keep it down 04. I caution. This probably poses no problem.


    After Fem said, the shes stopped.


    However, something strange happened.


    ......


    ......


    The young girl in the cylinder stirred.


    Her curled up limbs started to slowly grow. Her height was also growing and her spine turned and turned around.


    Generator output at between 67 to 73 percent. It is minute but I can feel some instability.


    Prioritise the stability. Keep the output at this level.


    As you wish.


    ...Is it just me? This person just got taller?


    Due muttered.


    He had wrongly assumed at the start that she changed her posture. But that was wrong.


    The girl in the cylinder definitely became taller. Not just her height, her facial features have grown too.


    At first she looked like she was around 6 years old but now, she looked like a 10 years old.


    He could not believe such a rapid change.


    The magic supplied is used to promote body growth. Thats why she got taller. Thats the basis of the cultivation system. ...So, Uni. What is the range of output now?


    Rest assured. Stabilisation is sessful. It is around 69 to 70 percent now. ...Do we increase it?


    Of course! This time, 80 percent!


    Okay. Targeting 80 percent.


    The machine output was raised.


    Another sh of electricity ran through the strings and the magic circle became brighter.


    The test subject started to gasp and was struggling.


    ...Ugh! ...Ugh!!


    She clutched both her throat and head, squirming as through she was drowning in the liquid.


    Is this fine?


    Obviously not, Drei!? No matter how you see it, she is dying!


    Not yet.


    Paying no heed to Due, Tullius calmly observed the test subject.


    The young girl looked like she was around 12 to 13 years old now. However, the young maiden with features prettier than flowers was obviously in pain.


    Without a hint of concern, Uni inly reported.


    Output at 80 percent...unexpectedly stable. It is fluctuating between 78 to 82 percent.


    Hmm. Looks like stabilising at 70 percent was effective.


    Oi, master! Stop going further!


    Keep quiet, Due. ...Uni, raise it to 90 percent.


    As you wish.


    | 4 | Next Page

 Chapter 42: Six Elements (2)

    Chapter 42: Six Elements (2)


    The machine became extremely hot.


    As the indicator exceeded 85, the shes continued without stopping.


    The magic circle flickered, sometimes at an intensity that might blind eyes.


    That was not all, the jewels at the base of the cylinder started to melt and some parts were evaporating. A weird smell enveloped the room as the minerals melted.


    Master! Master! Oubeniel! This is definitely bad! Its gonna explode!


    It is within specifications, so it is alright! We nned it tost at the limits of the first overloading. This much should be fine.


    B-But if by some chance it explodes?


    I have defensive gear so it is alright.


    Then us!???


    A vampire like you shouldnt die? As for my other masterpieces, they arent so weak that this can affect them.


    Perhaps Tullius was right. Even during the first explosion, Uni made it out with all limbs intact. Then even Charl, Fem, Due or Drei should not have problems with this level of destruction.


    The only one who would die is...the test subject, the young girl.


    ......!?


    The young girls growth continued. Not long after she grew to look like a 15 years old human, she started to look like an 18 years old. Her arms and legs were long and slender, and her body was also richly endowed, unlike that of a normal elf.


    However, this was not the time to be awestruck.


    Now, the young girl''s eyes were open and she was knocking on the cylinder with her hands and asking to be let out.


    The liquid inside bubbled as though it was boiling.


    Isnt that enough, master!? She is awake now! Her body has fully grown!


    Keep quiet, Due. ...The output is unstable again. Alternating between 86 and 93 percent very quickly.


    Go at full power.


    Tullius coldly ordered.


    Full, power?


    Due spontaneously repeated Tullius words. Being unaware of the technicalities, he did not understand what was happening. However, from Unis reporting, he believed that keeping the output stable should have been the order.


    Why did Tullius order to go at full power then? He had a bad feeling about it.


    We are near the limits of operation of the machine. To reach the minimum required magic capacity, we need to go at full power.


    Yes. Raising it to maximum immediately.


    The master ordered without feeling pangs of guilt; the retainer obeyed unhesitatingly.


    Output to the maximum.


    The electrical discharge from the machine was now sending out whips of electricity indiscriminately in all directions. The hem of Charls cloak was burnt and he cried out loud pathetically.


    The magic circle beneath the machine reached maximum luminosity too and began releasing puffs of ck smoke.


    The test subject could not be seen.


    The liquid inside the machine bubbled and the white foam obscured her figure.


    This was basically just like the Japanese torture by boiling in a kettle. Due could not see what was inside, but he was certain that nothing could live inside.


    Its over, thought Due and his shoulders dropped.


    This was clearly a failure. No human, elf nor homunculus could stay inside that boiling liquid and make it out alive. Every part of the body would be inflicted with third degree burns and then the person would die.


    Blingggggggggg!


    The bell connected to the machine suddenly made a piercing ring.


    As soon as the ear piercing rm sounded out, Uni calmly flipped the switches on the generator and the output started to drop.


    The experiment is over.


    At the same time, Tullius lightly tapped on the noisy bell and stopped it.


    What experiment


    Due silently cursed.


    He wanted to cut Tullius and Uni now. He wanted to finish Charl and Fem off and then die together with Drei. If not for the brainwashing that prevented him from rebelling and self harm, he would have already done so.


    There was a dark feeling swirling in his chest. It has only grown ever since he heard Drei attacking an elf vige, Uni betraying her parents, Broussonne being razed by rioters and the experiment now. Even though it was an artificial life, it was still a baby dying before his eyes. He was at his limits. Any more with this madman and all his pride and honour as a warrior would turn to shit. Before that happens, he wanted to bring this devil down. But that was fated to never happen. The price he paid for his life was the freedom to act like that.


    While he was lost in pointless thoughts, Tullius walked as near as he could to the badly damaged machine.


    Due unconsciously followed him with his eyes.


    Open Sesame.


    As Tullius whispered, the cylinder which should not have any openings at all, opened. The steaming liquid inside spilled out spontaneously.


    Steam and a medicinal mushy smell emanated from it.


    Even though the experiment had failed, surely he would not miss the opportunity to examine the corpse. As expected of the ve Murderer, how hardworking...such sarcastics thoughts crossed his mind.


    However, those thoughts vanished the very next moment.


    ...Wha!?


    A cold chill, cold enough to freeze his spine into an icicle, ran through him. And then an intense sensation pricking sensation. Being pressed by such a sensation, his first reaction was to reach for his weapon.


    What he had sensed was a magical aura stronger than anything he had ever felt before.


    Due had no affinity for magic. But with a body upgrade, he gained the ability to sense the magic of others. The feeling was unlike anything he had ever felt before, enough to rm him.


    Looking around him, Drei had instinctively readied her magic, while Fem was clenching her fists in a stance to confront an enemy. Uni had, without him realising, moved to cover Tullius. The only defenseless person was Charl, who was curiously looking around.


    What they were on alert from was hidden in the dense white fog, in the direction of the cylinder. The magical aura came from it.


    Tap, tap


    It was the sound of feet. The sound of somebody walking barefooted.


    Along with it was the sound of dripping liquid.


    The silhouette within the fog was slowly walking forward.


    ......


    It was a naked girl.


    Her wet golden hair was messy and long, just like it had never been trimmed since birth.


    Poking out from the sides of her face were long and sharp ears.


    But the most eye catching feature was her body. Long eared elf women were known for their dainty and slim body, but the impression she gave waspletely opposite, in a good way. Her hips were slender like average elves and her chest were as well endowed as the ancient mother goddess. Her booty could only be called juicy.


    Her beauty was further enhanced by her pale white skin. The unknown dense aura came from this girl, who appeared to be that of a goddess.


    The silver circlet hit the ground with a ng. Did it drop because its purpose was served or because of the girls intentions? No way to know for sure. However, this reminded him that the girl, the test subject, was as powerless as the fragile looking silver circlet.


    A painful silence surrounded the atmosphere with the appearance of the girl.


    However, it was only for a short moment. The quiet was quickly broken by somebody pping his hands.


    Wow, good morning! Cultivation elf test subject 3. It was a precarious situation but looks like the experiment was a sess?


    The person pping his hands in a jest was Tullius.


    As he happily smiled, he announced to his subordinates that this girl was the test subject and it was a sess.


    This magic and the presence of a spirit that lies inside it, it is undoubtedly a creation of mine. ...From today on, you are Opus 06.


    Opus 06  selected among the mad alchemist creations to be the ursed 6th masterpiece. That was the meaning of the name he gave to the newly born girl.


    Next, the first of his creations spoke to the new creation.


    Now then, Opus 06. Please show your respects to your master.


    Opus 06 looked around absentmindedly after being ordered and gradually walked towards the person in question. She stopped right in front of him and lowered her head.


    ...Good morning. Esteemed creator, father.


    A sweet voice that would capture souls.


    A polite and fluent tone.


    Her bow was also proper.


    A perfect greeting unexpected of a person who was newborn. The only problem was


    ...Oi. Why are you greeting me, 06.


    Huhhh?


    Right.


    The person she was bowing to was Drei.


    ......


    ......


    All the grace and refinement from earlier became swapped with awkwardness and silence.

 Chapter 42: Six Elements (3)

    Chapter 42: Six Elements (3)


    Umm, what was the problem. What is going on?


    I, Tullius Oubeniel Shernan, was somewhat baffled at the white and ck elves who were facing each other.


    Opus 06 had justpleted the experiment to insert magic and improve elemental magic though cultivation. After being urged by Uni to greet me, for some reason she greeted Drei.


    Why? How did this happen?


    As I was thinking, Opus 06 squinted hard and scrutinised Drei.


    And that it hit her.


    Ahh, you are right! Umm, you must be Opus 03, Miss Drei? I learned that during sleep learning! I wont make the same mistake next time!


    From her crisp and smart greeting earlier, 06 spoke in a childish manner.


    No, isnt it obvious...You shouldnt have made the mistake in the first ce.


    Due interjected.


    And then she bowed sincerely.


    Yesss! I will pay attention in the future!! Thank you for the guidance!! Opus 02, Mr Due!


    Huh? M-me?


    ...However, she was facing Charl. They had the same sex and nationality but their voice, appearance and race waspletely different. How could she mistake them?


    As I was perturbed by these contradictions, Uni spoke.


    Master, Perhaps she has vision problems?


    Vision?


    Now that she said it, that could be the reason. She was squinting when she was mistook Drei with me so it was possible she had myopia.


    Is that so, 06? How is your sight?


    Y-yes! F-Father!?


    06 jumped up in surprise after being called by me.


    Charlmented.


    Senior Due, did you see that? The jiggle. Her boobs jiggled!


    Lets ignore him. It seemed like he had an issue in the head and it was not something I was capable of curing. More importantly, I need to confirm the irregrities of 06.


    She pointed outwards from her chest with both her index fingers and bashfully replied.


    Ummm...I can see, yes? ...About as far as this.


    Then that means she cant see. Really bad myopia.


    Thats myopia.


    Myopia, yeah.


    Myopia. Is my assessment. I rmend. Specially made sses.


    Uni and the rest were in agreement. This was outside my expectations though.


    This was probably a side effect of over elerated growth. Maybe the rapid growth caused defects in the eye...Are there any other anomalies with your body? Come over here. Time to do a quick examination.


    Ah, yes!


    She dashed over.


    Oww!?


    ...Suddenly she fell and her facended on the floor.


    There were many awkward situations today.


    O-Ouchhhhhhhh!


    She started crying. Crying like a child. Ah, but since she was borned not too long ago so she is no different from a child actually.


    Nevertheless, she looked like an adult female, so the difference in her behaviour and appearance was jarring.


    Oi...No matter how short sighted you are, how can you fall over nothing?


    Ahahahaha! It must be her chest shifting her center of bnce! Buahahhaha! My stomach hurts!


    I conclude. She has bad motor skills.


    What the. Although she has this much magic.


    The other creations were both perplexed and fed up.


    Oh dear, despite their new junior. They should be more weing.


    Uni could not stand it any further and went to help 06 up.


    Are you okay? Opus 06.


    Hic...hic...Thank you, Miss Fem.


    I am Uni.


    Huh!? S-Sorry!


    She mistook somebody again. How many times is this going to happen? Please stop with this gag. We cannot make any progress like this.


    Uni held onto Opus 06 arms and guided here to me.


    Okay? The person before you is your master and your creator. Dont make a mistake again and greet properly please.


    Y-Yes. ...Good morzi...good morning, father! Opus 06 has awoken!


    While being grabbed by her scary senior, she finally greeted me.


    Ah, yes. If nothing else, I wee you Opus 06. Hmm, I cannot call you by number all the time. Your name shall be...Seis. From now on, you will be called that, remember it.


    Thank you, father! From today onwards, I will be Seis! I will remember it!


    As 06  Seis said, she ced her hand on her chest in a prayer and chanted her name.


    Looks like she liked her name.


    There was still something bothering me.


    By the way, Seis. Why do you call me father?


    Hm?


    She blinked her eyes as though she was caught unguarded.


    Umm, father was the person that made me and is a man right? Then the correct word to use is father. That was the conclusion I came up with during sleep learning.


    Ahh, so that was why.

 Chapter 42: Six Elements (4)

    Chapter 42: Six Elements (4)


    Indeed, the sleep learning was to impart a minimum level ofmon sense and knowledge to her, but unlike the other mass produced EE series, flexibility in thinking was left untouched. She was thinking of what to call me and decided with father.


    Well, alright. If you obey me, calling me something different is not a problem.


    Yes! Seis is a good child so I will listen to whatever father says!


    Seis pumped her fist to the air and dered. Once again, there was a discrepancy between her looks and her behaviour but at least there seems to be no issues with loyalty.


    Of course, I would still give her the same brainwashing like I did with Uni and Due.


    Master, is she eptable?


    Drei had a bitter expression.


    Opus 06 is indeed incredible in the aspect of magic, but she is considerablycking in other areas. Since we can mass produce them, shouldnt we dispose of this and make a more perfect 06?


    Ehh!?


    Seis looked like she was about to cry again.


    Dreis concerns were understandable. We already have a Charl who was unstable in the mental level and Seis was alsocking in her physical capabilities. It was normal to hope for perfection if possible.


    Though, I disapprove.


    Drei, dont say such wasteful things. Certainly she iscking in some areas but Seis was specially strengthened in magic. As long as that is sessful, there is no reason to dispose of her.


    I shrugged my shoulders and exined.


    Firstly, it isnt particrly a problem if she has myopia and has motor skills problems? Her role is to support magic research with herrge pool of magic. I have no ns to send her out on the battlefield presently. With spectacles, she would be able to work in ab just fine. Well, that is if no other issues ariseter.


    F-Father...Thank you! Seis will work hard!


    Seis kneeled in front of me with glistening eyes. And I just said that I would consider Dreis opinion if more issues crop up. Would this child be okay? I was feeling somewhat worried.


    Clearing out random thoughts in my head, I continued.


    Also...look at all these overloaded and damaged machinery. Just one of them cost so much resources to make. The manufacturing cost is insanely high. Fundamentally, when creating an Opus series, I ignore efficiency in production.


    I was looking at the smoking generator and cylinder, which parts are now lying around. Also, the floor was spilled with the cultivation liquid. Everything here was one time use only. The only thing safe to reuse here was the Orichalcus Brain, which was used for sleep learning.


    The biggest pain point was the jewels used for improving elemental magic. Ruby and sapphire were not obtainable from this underground mine. They were all procured by Laubert during autumn. And now the jewels were all melted, clearly unsuitable for second use. If that miser were to find out, his blood would surely boil.


    We paid this much to conduct these experiments 3 times before finally seeding. Rather than hope for sess the next time, it would be much better to use her as she is. Even with her ws, she still makes for a good observation subject to gain data from.


    Huh, Oubeniel. Looks like you are siding with this child. Could it be? It must be her chest right? Interested in that?


    Enough with your nonsense, Charl. Do you want me to stuff a garlic in that mouth and sew it shut?


    Hiee!? Please no!


    Charl jumped away exaggeratedly and covered his mouth with his cloak after being lightly threatened.


    Then Seis spoke.


    Yes yes! Father! Please let me try doing that!


    Huh?


    Huh?


    Try what?


    The other creations mouths were left agape and Seis continued.


    Both her hands were on her cheeks and her chest jiggled side to side. Her innocent expression was that like of a maiden from a dream.


    If we sew up the mouth of a vampire, what would happen? If something wrong happens to the body, how shall we treat him? Or maybe leave him like that? Ahh, or maybe we should put him on a hot iron stake too! I wonder how he would heal if we add foreign substances into burnt parts of the body? Ahaha Just the results from these would be enough tost 3 meals for me! ...Ah, speaking of which, I have never eaten any meals yet. How does it feel to eat delicious food? Or what about unptable food? Hehehe, so many things to learn about the word...Im so d to be born. I am really really grateful to father....Ahh, my great father.


    Her monologue was endless.


    M-master! T-This! Too scary!


    Will this be alright, master? Perhaps Charl would really end up in some weird experiments...


    While being hugged by the panicking vampire, Due asked.


    Really. The men hereck courage.


    Nothing to be concerned of yeah? I tuned up her curiosity during sleep learning. Isnt this a good result?


    I agree. She appears to be loyal so there will not be a problem with her listening to master.


    Uni added on and their expressions became less tense.


    But then, their face became suspicious again.


    Dammit, just because she was just born, dont look down on her. Now that I think about it, there was no way this would have been a piece with a cute face.


    How did it be like this...This is no elf...Not the cute elves I know...


    How gutless, you two. ...So how is it, Drei. Have the doubts on Seis disappeared?


    I prompted Drei.


    This was initially about erasing Dreis doubts but Charl butted in and derailed the conversation. It was troubling that he was always like that. Well, research on the EE series would be underway soon so it wasnt all bad news.


    Hmm...A problematic talent, but I can understand that disposing her now would be wasteful.


    Hm, for now, that is okay. Seis, we shall proceed with the finishing touches. Follow me to the operation room to do brain reconstruction. You are fine with getting a change of clothes after that right?


    Yes, father


    Seis replied happily and held onto my sleeves. It looks like she was doing that because of her myopia. Please dont fall again, okay? Please, I beg of you.


    Together with Uni, my assistant for the operation, we brought our newborn client out of the research section. I nned to study the other 9 EE series at the same time.


    Alright, lets fix this kid real quick and move on to the next research.


    Once spring arrives, I would have to handle more work as lord so I wish to do as much as possible during winter.

 Chapter 43: Day by Day (1)

    Chapter 43: Day by Day (1)


    We gave our best in experimenting on that day.


    Open the head and brain juice will What could go wrong while fooling around during surgery


    She sang innocently while cutting a ve on theboratory bench. Seis was already being put to practical use after her final adjustments. She looked no different from apetent surgeon when wearing her prescription sses and whiteboratory robes. However, she was enjoying herself and humming a parody of a luby, making her appear more like a child making merry.


    Currently, as a trainee researcher until my wing, I made her try a simple human restructuring surgery.


    She had various defects like having poor physical senses and extreme myopia, but fortunately, she was dextrous with her fingers. As expected of an elf, even if she was cultivated. Their race was masters in wielding bows and in crafting, though not better than dwarves in craft. Of course, a bow on Seis would be dangerous.


    Heal the openingspletely Fix up the split open head ...Alright, done.


    She finished the operation nimbly.


    I whistled. She was faster than expected.


    Uni. Time?


    22 minutes, 46.07 seconds, master. It is much less than the given 30 minutes toplete it.


    Uni, who was the timekeeper, announced.


    An excellent timing. Compared to the other 4 EE series that did this previously, she was almost twice as fast. As expected, theck of restraints on emotions and on thought processes were showing better performance.


    Even though this was just practice, it was a ster result. If we keep the progress up, it would not be long before she can head the research department.


    Huhu~ How is it, father?


    Seis thrusted her chest outwards excitedly and boasted. Her entire body was saying, Praise me! Praise me!


    Well, there was room for improvement in todays surgery though.


    Seis. You get full marks for speed and precision. However, brain surgery should not be thest procedure. In fact, I believe it should be the very first. This subject is just a human ve, but to progress in future research, you would have to handle superior races and dangerous monsters. When that timees, if the subject wakes up in the middle of the surgery and runs wild, wouldnt it be dangerous?


    Ah. Is that so...


    She lowered her shoulders and her ears drooped. She looked pitiful but this too was education. It was important to point out clearly when something was bad.


    She must have assumed that it was amon procedure to do it that way when she herself was strengthened first before her brain surgery. Her circumstances were special. It was not possible to bring her out of the cultivator until she was strengthened.


    The most essential part of research is safety. Our final goal is to achieve immortality. If we lost our lives before that, then all is futile. Please remember that dearly. Alright?


    Yes...


    ...That aside, the execution was perfect. Well done, Seis, as expected of my prided masterpieces. Dont need to feel bad, just dont make the same mistake again and it is fine.


    Needless to say, I had to show some support after all that lecturing. It was important to point out mistakes, but equally as important was to give praise when she deserved so. When disciplining children, rather than scold them when they did not do well, it was better to appreciate them when they did well. That is what I believed in. After all, I have already experienced raising Uni. This was the most optimum way.


    Really? Am I a good child?


    Yes. Seis is a good child.


    Ehehe...Father...


    After stroking her head that drew close to me, her ears moved up and down. And she was about the same as me, on the taller side in terms of stature. I was feeling awkward rather than embarrassed on the way she behaved. But I did not show any of that to her. It would hurtful for the child if a parent was embarrassed about his own child.


    Well, now that we are done with this, it is time for snacks. Uni, whats on the menu today?


    As you wish. We have donuts prepared today.


    Really!? I love donuts! I love Uni and father too!


    ...Ugh, thank you.


    Uni mumbled as she was being hugged by an overly emotional Seis. It was not like she hated Seis. This child would behave cautiously usually but when dealing with others that she deemed her friend or family, she was surprisingly unreserved about it. I will not name the person exactly but there was a certain vampire that had his ass kicked when she was joking around. If she really hated somebody for real, surely she would rip that person apart right away. So it wasnt too bad to leave Seis as she was now.


    Seis, listen okay. Before snacktime, make sure to wash your hands. And dont add too much jam to the ck tea. Also, dont forget to brush your teeth after eating sweet food.


    Yes, got it~!


    See, how reliable Uni was in taking care of Seis.


    While enjoying this pleasant sight, I operated on themunication tool inside the operating theatre. I was calling for a certain mass produced person, who was on standby, toe in.


    Its me. Procedure on the subject at the 4th operating theatre is done. Please help move the subject to the designated location.


    Understood, master. I, B-08, will head there now.


    Okay, business was done. Time to enjoy some tea, perhaps?


    Seis looked like she was tired of waiting already.


    Father! Miss Uni! Hurry up, freshly served donuts are the best!


    Seis, dont run out of the room so quickly. Dont run in the corridors eith


    Kyaaa!?


    Uni was a step toote. Seis jumped out of the room and fell t on the ground.


    Even her sses were flung off.


    Sniff, it hurts! Ah, my sses! Where is it!?


    ...Such a troublesome kid, really.


    While saying towards nobody especially, she went out of the room to pick up the big child.


    Drei was kept busy that day too.


    Amongst Tullius masterpieces, people like her were rare. She was capable of brainwashing others with her demon eye and using various useful spells, so she was convenient for her master.


    She managed the monsters they had captured, which were released in the mountains or forest. She was sent out to procure materials theycked. She also had to inspect the magical barrier erected at their base these were just some of her duties from day to day. In addition to all the manufacturing, she was also tasked to mobilise their forces because of the emergency situation at the capital. Her way of working could be said to leave one with no regrets. The only other person who might potentially work harder than her might just be Uni, Tullius personal assistant.


    And this was Dreis schedule for the day.


    ...So you are saying we are starting tock essentials like firewood for winter? Hmph, idiot. How could you not have noticed until now, E-01.


    She was currently in a small log hut, harshly reprimanding the other elf while warming herself by the firece.


    Yes, its because I was unfamiliar with it...


    The other elf sitting across her scratched her head and replied. She was an elf from the Witte n that was discovered previously. She survived the massacre then and acted like a leader of the vige, so she was installed as the vige chief of the new vige at Man..


    Communicating with the elves was part of Dreis duties. Drei was the person who brought them in and she was also part of the long living race despite some differences in their ethnicity. Tullius argument was that Drei would be able to understand them better than any other human or former humans. Against that argument, Drei had no room for disagreement. She thought it was a reasonable decision. Though that did not mean she was happy with the job.


    Weve never had this issue until this year. We have no idea why this happened.


    The vige chief had a perplexed look. Their memories have been altered, leading them to believe that they have always been living in Man. And that somehow led to their currentck of resources. The vigers must have carelessly made wrong estimations based on how they lived previously.


    Well, this new vige was onlypleted around summer. It wasnt too long ago when the Witte n started adjusting to the terrain here. There was not enough time for them to stabilise spiritual protection in the area to make living here easy. It wasnt the same as when they were at the White Birch Forest.


    An elfs doman was the same as a spirit world. Physics and normal phenomena change within the protection of the spirits, so it is possible for a warm and pleasant environment to be maintained. From human folklore, elves are thought to live in a country of eternal spring. Of course, a full year in spring was probably an exaggeration but surely their old vige, which was further ind, had a warmer winter than Man.


    That being said, Drei felt no reason to sympathise with the elves.


    You didnt realise the weather changes at the start of autumn? Irredeemable fools. What do you have brains for? None of you guys noticed it? Perhaps, E-31?


    Chaga? No, he didnt notice anything special


    Tch, that kid is useless...


    E-31, Chaga, was an individual who received special reconstruction. His memory was untouched and he still remembers the series of events that urred with their old vige. While it was to reward him coborating with the mission, the real aim was to have somebody deal with the inconsistent memories of the other elves internally. It seemed that he had failed to do as intended.

 Chapter 43: Day by Day (2)

    Chapter 43: Day by Day (2)


    Had Drei not visited the vige regrly, the 31 E-series would have froze in their beds. To think he had done nothing to avert this crisis despite receiving their masters bias and obtaining both power and the vige chiefs daughter. From Dreis perspective, he was toockadaisical.


    Drei stopped at only clicking her tongue because they had the same master and wererades. Else she would drag E-31 out and order him to kill himself. All the more so, now that the EE-series was made a reality.


    Alright, I understand the situation. Theb should still have a stockpile of fire stones. I will discuss with our master and see if we can loan them out to you.


    Really? Thank you!


    E-01 smiled widely. Drei felt the urge to click her tongue again.


    Drei still could not find it in her to like this job. Dreis personality was not a good fit for the role of being a middleman. She was easily annoyed by others and she had to force herself to not let it show. She found it troublesome to listen to others. Bluntly put, she found it tiring to converse with blokeheads.


    If they were simply blokeheads, she could still endure it. But she hated those who were useless. For example, Charl was annoying but he has produced results in his job and research and the kid who was just born, Seis, was capable. Anyways, sometimes being stupid made the man cuter...Drei shook her head slightly to remove the thought. She was still at work in thepany of the other party. These were just mass produced types so it wouldnt be too big a problem in how she treated them, but still, it was her pride and her sense of aesthetics which made her refuse to treat work lightly.


    She shifted her focus back to business.


    ...Well, its all up to our masters will. For the time being, this should resolve theck of firewood. Changing the subject, what is the status of reproduction in the vige?


    Drei was referring to the n of pairing up elves to get them to replenish their numbers. Of course, Drei believed they were useless given that the EE-series project was sessful. However, Tullius had other ns. He wanted to use them now as insurance if issues crop up with the EE-series down the road. They were made to think of children as precious beings to be protected. And if the brainwashing somehow weakens, they could use the children as hostages.


    When she heard about it, she was impressed by how well thought out the n was. There was the topic of maintaining gic diversity for the continuation of the race and what not, but that was outside the expertise of Drei.


    The vige chief blushed when asked.


    Ah, of course. All females in the vige have gotten it, it seems. There are 2 or 3 in the vige withrge bellies now, but by spring, we should see most of them with big bellies too. Hahaha.


    For the first time, Drei showed a smile.


    I see. That is most important.


    Having confirmed that things were going well, she felt a sense of satisfaction. When they rounded up the female elves who had troubles with conceiving a baby, aside from collecting their ova for use in the EE-series research, they decided to try artificial insemination while they were at it. It was just a little side project, but it looks like the masters new experiment had gone well.


    And with that, all of Dreis concerns were addressed.


    Then that is the end of our discussion. Ill be going back.


    Eh? Already? How about staying for food and entertainment?


    No need. You guys can keep your own meals for yourself.


    After giving a sharp reply, Drei stood from her seat.


    They must have really wanted to give her a grand banquet but hunting must be difficult in the middle of the winter. It was likely that stored food like smoked meat would be served. If she wanted to have meat, she could just go back to theb and thaw some frozen meat. As for drinks, rather than having the elves'' favourite medicinal soup, she preferred to have Unis tea.


    Turning a blind eye to E-01, who was trying her best to make Drei stay, Drei grabbed her long coat which was hanging at the wall. In the past, she wasnt that fond of this attire, buttely, she found it fashionable. She had looked down on human culture, thinking that they were just vain monkeys, but after witnessing her masters greatness and experiencing herrades reliability, she adopted their practices and found it surprisingly decent. Also, if she was to ensnare human men, it was a good idea to learn the ways of humans. That was how Drei became preupied with fashiontely.


    Hmm...


    After leaving the hut, a strong gust of snow blew into her. It was unbelievable that she was actually at an elves vige, which should be protected by a barrier. Dreis attire came with anti cold properties, but just the sight of the blizzard was enough to feel the cold.


    Lets go back to theb quickly. After that, Ill just hole up in his room again. That guy is probably free all winter. While he was free, why not make the best of it and relieve some stress.


    As she thought, a sudden shiver not caused by the cold went through her. Drei started to chant a teleportation spell.


    That same day, Charl Franz Schmidt was merrily enjoying his hobby.


    So long as his subordinates kept to their orders, Tullius had no qualms with whatever they were up to. Thus, once the research reached an appropriate stopping point, he could enjoy himself with nobody to bother him.


    Now then, time to get into my fun time again?


    N-No! Let me go!


    Charl tugged on the chains connected to the cor on the ve while heading towards his yground. Today, he was waited upon by two women who had sadistic smiles.


    No, let me go...please!


    Wahaha! Fool!


    The women, pale as a sheet, became excited. There were two exposed bite marks on the napes of their neck, where the ve cor should have been.


    This was what happened to them after Charl bit them and sucked their blood.


    Noo, no! You are all mad!


    The female ve cursed them as she was pulled around like livestock. Among the ves who he had kept in the undergroundbyrinth, she was the only survivor. The other two of them had sumbed to bing Charls familiars. There was another one of them, but Charl had killed her on impulse while ying some game.


    This poor ve was subject to potential death as she became a ything for today.


    Weve arrrrrrrived!


    Charl coarsely kicked open the door. The female ve shut her eyes instinctively. It wasnt because she wanted to look away from the appalling sight of the room. It was just too bright.


    Ah!?


    Aah! This ce is


    The female vampires shrieked suddenly. It was because thereiny their natural enemy.


    W-what? What in the?


    An incredulous sighty before the ve as she opened her eyes.


    Warm light filtered in through the ceilings. It wasnt just some artificial light created by magic, which would have felt cold. It was sunlight which she had forgotten.


    Ahaha! Shocking isnt it? That we can get direct sunlight from an underground space like this. If humans dont bathe in some sunlight regrly, they would weaken. But thats the opposite for vampires, haha!


    Charl boasted. The room, rather than being a room, was actually arge hall. It was spacious enough to be used for a nobles dance party. At the center of the hall, sunlight poured through a circle. A chair and table was ced directly in the sunlight and there were countless other ves, dressed in maid or butler uniforms enjoying themselves in the sunlight.


    Sir C-Charl? Why are we going towards the unpleasant sunlight...


    Charl would be fine but we would turn to ashes!


    The vampire lord threw a gloomy nce at his timid familiars.


    Thats an exaggeration...Not like we are in direct sunlight. Didnt I bring you all here to enjoy ourselves? If you dont like it, you can just go back, yeah? Ill make sure to have some fun with you guyster.


    Both familiars let out a shriek.


    More funter...Charls definition of fun could be very different for them. After Charl was done ying with the female ves, it could be their turn to be toys.


    After hearing that, the two of them lost the courage to retreat away from the sunlight.


    N-no, no! Of course not!


    Since C-Charl has invited us after all! We would be more than happy to!


    Oh, really? ...Then lets go all out! Uwahahha!


    Charl was in a good mood after being buttered up by his familiar.


    The current scene looked no different from a cruel noble with his ves. Even though their cors were removed, the familiars positions had not changed. On a single whim, the familiars could have their feeble heads removed.


    Opus-04, how may I help you?


    Yo! Mass produced type! Sorry for disturbing your break time! How about ying over here?


    Yes. No problem.


    The butler ve replied and the rest of the ves quickly emptied the area.


    ...How can we please you?


    The chained female ve feebly asked.


    What was about to happen now couldn''t be anything good. She would definitely be more pale the more she knew about Charls ns. But the less she knew, the more vivid her imagination of what was toe. Since she knew nothing, she expected a tragedy.

 Chapter 43: Day by Day (3)

    Chapter 43: Day by Day (3)


    The vampire paid no heed and pushed her to the sunny spot and chanted softly.


    Steel Bound.


    ng.


    All of a sudden, steel chains restrained her limbs.


    The cold sensation of metal and the fear of what was toe made her freeze.


    ...What am I nning to do? Well, theres only one thing that a vampire would do to a virgin, yes?


    At the same time, Charl bared his fangs.


    Ah


    Both her blood and her life was sucked out of her.


    Not only was the area around the bite numb and painless, she could feel a sense of intoxication and pleasantness. However, that made it all the more terrifying. She knew that if she finally gave in and enjoyed the process of her blood being sucked, then she would cease to be a human. The female ve had that intuition.


    This was something that Charl had done many times. Charl did not like to suck blood all at once and turn the other party into a familiar. He preferred to suck it bit by bit, and at the same time, torture the other person. Only when the other person finally gives up in heart and soul would he wee the other person as a familiar. Having been unsatisfied from the first time he turned a ve into a vampire, he preferred torturing them first before converting them.


    However, this woman endured it. She shook off the thick fog and resisted the blood sucking as much as possible. She refused to be a vampire. She refused to be an inhumane godless monster that killed others indiscriminately. This was her final determination even though she had fallen as a ve and found her way into this undergroundbyrinth.


    No...I will never be...vampire...


    Hm?


    Charl moved away from her nape and narrowed his eyes with a smile.


    I see, so you dont want to be a vampire...good for you. As long as you are here, you will never want to be a vampire?


    Eh?


    She had lost some blood and was feeling hazy from the poison from the bites. She could not immediately understand what he meant.


    Ah! Gahhh!?


    She screamed in pain. A scream that did not sound like it was from a woman.


    Ahhhhhhhh!? Hot! Hoooooot!


    Her feet felt so hot that they seemed to be on fire.


    It was as though a piece of red hot iron was on her feet. The area from her feet to her ankles became red and puffs of white smoke flew up. The intense pain emerging from her feet was making her go crazy.


    Hot. Pain. Agony. She wanted to smash her head to the ground and end the suffering. However, she could not. Charl was restraining her movements. Biting off her tongue was impossible too. The vampire was holding her chin, forcing her to keep her mouth open. He wanted her to scream in pain for longer.


    Ahhahaha! How is it? Bathing in sunlight? The sensation of the ursed gods light!


    Ah, ahh?


    Tears fell and her eyes looked confused. She had been able to do so because the pain from her feet was weakened and she was no longer inplete agony. It was just somewhat weakened though. The skin on her feet was still cramping and there was the remaining tingling feeling of pain. The pain resembled burns.


    Hehehe...You just became a vampire, yknow? The proof is in that you feel good after your cutesy feet left the sunny spot. Sunlight was burning you, right?


    She looked down at her feet.


    As Charl had imed, the part of her feet that had been in the sunlight while shackled seemed to be blistered like a burn wound.


    The part that is hit by sunlight will be cleansed of vampirification curse. Even though it was just momentarily, you were burnt because you had be a vampire. And then, after that portion is purified from the vampirification, the vampirification curse that I gave your body will once again, vampirise your feet. And then, purified again. And the loop goes on...until the poison that I gave you wears off. That was the reason for your pain.


    The female ve trembled as he exined slowly.


    What was the vampire nning to y today? She began to realise it. Unfortunately.


    Charl grinned. As if to congratte her on guessing the right answer. To mock her for discovering the dreadful truth.


    Soooo, in exchange for the burning pain, you get to keep your humanity! Congrattions! For as long as you stay in the sun, you wont turn into a vampire! Hooray, humanity is the best! The dignity of your soul is protected by the holy light from God! Wow, Im so jealous! Hyahhahahaha!


    Amazing!


    Such a brilliant game, Master Charl!


    The female vampires eyes glistened.


    Let us join in! Their bodynguage seemed to say.


    Naturally, Charl had every intention to wee them.


    Well, why dont we get this started! y like kids, till the Sun sets!


    Ah, ah, ah....


    The female ve could not help but cry. Not from the pain, but from the despair.


    It had been half a year since she became a ve, was sold off to a noble and was trapped underground.


    She had no means to escape. She didnt even know where the exit was.


    Resistance was futile. A mere female ve like her stood no chance against these vampires.


    She had nobody to call for help. She had been waiting every day and yet, there was nobody whom she could ask for help.


    All hope was lost. Even sunlight which should cleanse evil was now used as a tool to torment her. In face of such a reality, who could stay sane?


    Noooooooooooo! Forgive me! Sorry! Please save me!


    Kyahhahaha! What did you say?


    Arent we already helping you? You are about to be a vampire, but the sunlight though?


    The female vampires sniggered. She had always roused herself by telling herself that she could not lose to these vampires, but now, none of that determination was left. Damn it all. If asked to lick their feet, she would dly do it. As long as she was ordered to, she would put anything dearth into her mouth. She would even dly give her first time to a beast. Anything, anything at all but the sunlight


    Charl had only a single response to her plea.


    ...Release.


    The ve cor broke as soon as he finished chanting. ves would rejoice upon hearing it but not for these people underground. It almost had an opposite meaning here.


    It was in the way for bloodsucking, so Charl would remove them.


    N-No...


    Now then


    thank you for the meal!


    The two familiars took the ce of their master in holding her down while Charl sunk his fangs on the ves nape.


    Arghhhhhhhhhh!?


    The pain, as intense as the hell earlier, assaulted her senses.


    Kiss...Ahahaha, interesting!


    Haah...really. She almost looks like a horse or deer with how she jumps about.


    Uwahhhhh!? It hurts!!!


    Hyahahhaaha! This is the best! I never had this much fun before! I must really praise myself for being such a genius! Im really the best!


    No! No! Please no! Forgive me! Sorry! I was in the wrong, so please!!!


    She threw all her pride and shame away and cried for mercy at her torturers.


    Charl gently smiled.


    You want me to forgive you?


    Please forgive me!


    You will do anything?


    Anything!


    Then dont speak of those ursed words.


    ...Huh?


    Curse the church. Spit at the Saint. Reject god, reject his light and betray humans. ...Only then will we vampires will look after you. Alright?


    She quickly agreed.


    If she could be freed from the agony, she would not hesitate. God had failed to save her. She could no longer rely on faith in God. She found herself falling into the temptation of the poisonous fangs of the vampires.


    As the vampirification poison was slowly being purified, the burning pain on her legs subsided. Still, she screamed.


    The Church! They are a good for nothing organisation that just takes our money! Saints are just liars who fool kids! God doesnt exist! Even if he did, he isnt half as good as demons! The Sun! Stop eating the Moon! Humans, humans...suck all their blood and destroy them all!


    Ahahaha...ahahahahahaha!


    Charl could not help but hug his stomach andugh.


    The female vampires smiled vulgarly.


    Good, good, goooood! That scream! Cursing at everything in the world, truly amazing! Much more than I had expected! Ahh, Im so d for this game I prepared for you! Im so d that I didnt suck all your blood for half a year! Then I shall fulfil my promise to you! I shall free you of the pain! ...And be a vampire!!


    She was freed from her chains and dragged out of the sunlight.


    Her nape was pierced by Charls fangs and blood spilled out.


    For the first time, she did not reject the allure of depravity and death and weed it.


    Ah...ah...


    Mmm...The richness of despair...surely the cultivated wont produce such a taste. Ah, I knew it, this blood can only be from natural virgins...


    Charl mumbled as he licked everyst bit of blood from the girl who was bing a vampire.


    He was delighted to finally enjoy his meal.


    Incredible...Master Charls way of ying is unlike any other vampires.


    Hehehe. As expected of our master, the one who will one day rule the world...


    To theirpliments, Charl stared coldly.


    ...Shut up.


    He grabbed one of the vampires with a single arm and threw her under the sunlight.

 Chapter 43: Day by Day (4)

    Chapter 43: Day by Day (4)


    ...Gyaaaaaaaaa!? C-Charl! W-Why!?


    Hmph! Why!?


    The other vampire froze as herpatriot screamed as she was enveloped in mes.


    Their master was so angered that even the space around him was simmering.


    Why, you say? What did you just say? One day rule the world? Dont give me that crap...


    W-Why!? What did I say wrong


    Everything, you idiot! Dominating the world!? As if I would dare do anything rebellious against my master! Know your ce, bitch! Who do you think is one that allows us to live! Oubeniel, my great master! I-I-If you know that, then dont speak of such things!


    Charl was almost at the point of screaming.


    The truth was that he was crying out in fear. To Charl Franz Schmidt, Tullius Shernan Oubeniel was an existence that could never be messed with. He was a person that should be feared.


    He had been forced to participate in an inhumane experiment while they were students at the academy.


    His body was inserted with undead parts, turning him into a vampire.


    The hatred and grudge he had against Tullius had been modified by brain restructuring.


    ...Tullius had a determination to never stop even if he had to give up the world.


    Every bit of the alchemists flesh, hair, or blood made his soul shudder.


    Tullius was always on alert for the chance that he was rebellious. If he did disy signs of betrayal, surely Tullius would go out and dispose of him. After that, he would just brainwash another appropriate necromancer or simply just manufacture a recement like how Seis was made.


    Because of his fears, Charl often yed the fool in front of him. He wanted to let Tullius feel that his guard was down towards him so Tullius could rest easy. Also, since he was dumb, there was no way he could betray him...To give that impression, he desperately continued with his act.


    And how dare this ve!? Some day rule the world? How could she even mutter such dangerous words? In front of the M-series or B-series who could be listening?


    These idiots would make all his efforts go down the drain.


    Firstly, why was it possible for these vampires to go without ve cors? It was not because Charl recognised their talents or anything. It was because he could deal with them at any given time. They had no battle experience,cked training and had nothing for use as equipment. They were just stupid toys. There wasnt even a need for the Opus series to deal with them, even mass produced ves with equipment could take care of them. These idiots had the audacity ro run their mouths like that when they failed to understand anything!


    That was the reason behind Charls sudden fury.


    Aaaaaa!? Forgive me, pl


    So do you understand!? How foolish you were!?


    Y-Yes! Please


    The female vampire was almost burnt to a crisp, and was just moments away from crumbling away.


    Charl walked briskly towards her. For a vampire lord, just sunlight alone wouldnt be fatal. Much less so for a hybrid like him. He had higher than usual tolerance for vampire weaknesses.


    The female vampire crawled and grovelled, trying to get into Charls shadow. Charl looked down and asked.


    Do you want to be forgiven?


    Please forgive me!


    The female vampire who could smile and joke earlier was now crying in pain.


    Charl smiled benevolently.


    You will be forgiven...


    He raised his heel into the air.


    ...after you burn and suffer.


    Without a tinge of emotion, he crushed her head with his foot.


    Beneath his foot was the sound of crumbling ashes. Her body had turned into a mountain of white ashes.


    Charl spat on the ashes and turned away. He moved towards the mass produced ves who were silently witnessing everything.


    ...Ah, my apologies, okay? That this turned into such a mess.


    The ves replied.


    No, there is no problem. Our breaktime is just about to end.


    I humbly believe that this was a meaningful use of time. Once again I can see Opus-04s allegiance towards our master.


    Charlughed jokingly.


    R-Really? Ahaha, being praised like that makes me embarrassed. All I did was deal with some defective products.


    We will deal with the waste matter over there, so please rest assured, Opus-04.


    I feel kinda bad, but...Ah, well, please do. Then I shall go back to my room


    He lifted off the girl who had her blood sucked and left the ce.


    His fun game ended like that. He had dealt with his familiars, but how much suspicion did that remove?


    Master Charl...she just had a slip of the tongue...


    Charl red sharply at the remaining female vampire to silence her and quickly returned to his room.


    He had to find time soon to apologise to Tullius in person. But he feared that being upfront would only raise suspicions against him. He would need to consider the appropriate level of apology.


    In any case, he had to clear up his negative thoughts. Panicking like this wouldnt be productive for thinking. This girl had transformed into a vampire and was now his pet. After having fun with her and forgetting his troubles would he then consider his next approach.


    Damn it...Please try to not do anything stupid like that, okay?


    As he sighed, he whispered into the sears of his new undead toy.


    Master. 04s toy has instigated rebellion as nned. She was then dealt with.


    Hm? Then I guess he isnt nning anything?


    I cannot make any conclusions about that...


    Hey, hey. Father, Uni, what are you guys talking about?


    About the safety of our experiments, I guess? Nothing you should be concerned about anyways.


    Today, Fem was bored.


    But since she was a golem, would she actually feel boredom? She herself did not know the answer to that. However, the Orichalcus Brain definitely came installed with human emotion emtion.


    But was that truly emotions? The signals running through her head were the ones telling her if she felt anger, sadness or other kinds of feelings. There was no fundamental difference between Fem and humans if considered from the perspective of oues. However, the main difference was that humans had souls, whereas Fem did not. A soul, which was detectable by magic, was the central location where a living creatures memories and consciousness reside in. It wasnt something that belonged in an inorganic and unliving existence like Fem.


    And thats why she mulled over it. Did she really have emotions if she did not possess a soul? Was she really thinking? Was there a heart in her?


    Thinking like this was also the reason she found everything boring. If Fem was given a mission, she would dedicate her full processing power, ignoring all y and indecisiveness, to achieve the missions goals. However, her current mission was to standby. Her current role was to protect the facility, called the Temple of the Sun, which directed light into theb within Mans mountains.


    Yet, there was no opportunity for her to perform this role. There was not a single intruder. Firstly, this dungeon was undiscovered. Thats why herputation prowess was left idling.


    The missions that Fem had received to date were all emergency missions, and not missions that were nned originally. Now that it was winter in Man, the probability that an emergency situation could ur was very low.


    And so, she was stuck with fighting off boredom instead of external enemies.


    Once spring arrives. Fem thought to herself.


    Once spring arrives, human activities will spring up and there might be adventurers who would discover this dungeon. And discover therge exterior which protects theb, the sea of trees and the temple.


    She would then be able to use her abilities. Fem has yet to distinguish herself in battle. When they were attacking the elf vige, she took damage from therge scale spell and did not make it outpletely unscathed. Also, when she was at the capital, her job was to keep a lookout and not engage in battles.


    It was rming for her. What was she doing? Among the Opus series, she was supposed to be built fully forbat. She had to redeem herself. Her circuitry was giving her an itch, telling her that she needs to redeem herself in the future.


    She had to obtain morebat data, obtain new resources,plete more missions and of course, win, win and win.


    Obtain everything her master desired.


    The generator spinning hidden inside her seemed to roar.


    ...I cant wait, I think.


    She said as she struck both her fist together. The sound of bulky metal tes colliding reverberate through the temple.


    Opus-05 Fem quietly waited for spring as she sought to aplish her reason for existing.

 Chapter 44: Exploring the Demon Woods 1 (1)

    Chapter 44: Exploring the Demon Woods 1 (1)


    Spring. Just as the snow melts and human traffic to and fro Man resumed, an incident ured.


    Inspired by the booming activity in the copper mines the year before, prospectors hoping to discover new ore veins went to explore the mountains. However, each and every one of the prospectors subsequently went missing.


    The feudal lord of thend, Tullius Shernan Oubeniel, took upon this issue gravely and issued a local exploration quest to the adventurer guild at the merchant city, Canales. Shortly after, 5 C or D ranked parties signed up and travelled towards the inner parts of Man.


    The adventurers who epted the request were initially very optimistic. Man had been known to be void of monsters, after all. For over 10 years, no monsters were rated higher than D rank here. The local lord was probably just making a big fuss over this. It was the start of spring. The missing prospectors were probably caught in an avnche or some other mishapsThe adventurers exchanged words as they approached the mountains.


    Their self-conceit woulde back to bite them.


    9 confirmed dead, 26 missing and another 3 heavily injured  even though nonbatants like porters made up arge part of people who failed to return, the casualties within the 5 parties werent small either.


    Annihted. This word was used to describe what had happened to them. At one go, tens of mid level adventurers were lost.


    The top brass at the adventurers guild were shocked. Arge group of adventurers, which included C rankers, were crushed. This was no longer simply a rescue mission for the prospectors. They had done interviews with the survivors and the response from them did not bode well for the situation. Even the upper mid rankers spoke in a delirium, something about monsters or I am not good enough. They could only conclude that they encountered a fearsome monster and lost their sanity.


    Man had, for the longest time, been ignored by the adventurers guild as it wasrgely devoid of monsters. Somehow, strong monsters moved in and established their territory there...The guild concluded.


    It was an area surrounded by mountain ranges, but those mountains connected directly to St. Gallen. It wasnt unreasonable to believe that strong monsters from their country had moved in.


    Hence, the guild had recognised the eastern forest as a dungeon level threat. They named it Trees of Darkness. It was a forest where light could not be found and was located at the south-eastern border of the kingdom.


    Boss. Here are the spoils from today. Please have a look.


    The minute the adventurer entered the guild branch office, he ced a heavy looking leather bag on the counter. Inside were the body parts of monsters that had been subjugated. These parts were to prove the identities of the monsters he had in as well as to be sold asmodities. Needless to say, this was the part of an adventurers livelihood.


    Ahh, Mr Raymond! Thank you as always.


    The middle-aged branch head bowed, almost too politely. Located at a rural town, this guild which had only dealt with low level monsters, could not make any request with decent rewards. The discovery of the Trees of Darkness dungeon was a cataclysm for them. They had to suddenly manage high level quests, and lucky for them, a high ranking adventurer visited. The branch head had been given the nickname of post office head since he mostly handled delivery of letter types of request. He found it hard to adapt to the current situation.


    Raymond, an average C ranker, was an incredible high ranker in the eyes of the branch head. Even though he was clearly human, the branch head saw him as a monster. His especially polite bow was probably due to his deference to mid rank and above adventurers and his fear towards them.


    Hmm, this ear is...one...two ogres...this subjugation level is D so...


    The branch head looked uncertain and slow. His face had turned pale like a timiddy as he was examining the body parts. He had to count out loud for each and every part. A new employee in his or her teens from the Canales branch would have taken half the time he did.


    (Tch. If not for this...)


    Raymond fumed. He wanted to have a drink to ease his tiredness from the subjugation.


    For an adventurer like Raymond, Man was a juicynd.


    When he heard the report on the search party being annihted, he packed his belongings, called out to all his acquaintances and travelled to this remote countryside. It sounded to him like a gold rush. It was the discovery of a new, untouched, hunting ground.


    His intuition was spot-on. Soon after, the guilds main office designated the monster overrun eastern forest of Man as a dungeon. The quiet local adventurers guild expanded its operations and weed the adventurers who came to challenge the dungeon.


    That was how Raymond became the first adventurer to be active in the area.


    For newly discovered dungeons, naturally there were no veterans hindering ess to the area. The first to establish their base here would be veterans. He would gather up other fellow mid rankers who were stuck at their ranks. They would then monopolise entry into the Trees of Darkness...if it went well, his remaining adventurer life would befortable.


    ...Well, this is the reward. Please ept it.


    Seems like the reward confirmation was finally done. The branch head respectfully handed out a bag full with silver coins. Raymond epted it silently. He did not check the contents. Just by the weight and the jingle of the bag when he shook it, he could guess at its value. Also, he would leave a good impression by not appearing stingy.


    By the way, why are you still manning the front, boss? Hasnt the main branch sent over employees?


    A grimace formed on the branch heads face.


    Ah, that...the employees are busy with the documents. Um, they are important documents to be sent to the main branch.


    ...Is that so? Looks like you have it hard too, huh.


    From the branch head expression and reply, he could roughly guess at the truth.


    The documents were an excuse. The employees sent here were probably ying truant to show their contempt towards Mr Postman.


    It was theorised that the guild used attractivedies as receptionists to rouse the spirits of the adventurers, who were mostly young men. The employees sent must have been women too. However, how would a youngdy feel about being sent to the sticks? They would think that they were demoted. And the reason they were sent here was, this old man, who was nothing more than a figurehead. Perhaps, this exins their insubordination.


    Well, things will turn around for you one day.


    Raymondmented in an effort tofort him. He was considering the possibility of the benefits he might get in the future by being nice to him. For the female employees, working at the adventurers guild gave them a chance to marry a sessful adventurer. If young hopeful adventurers gathered here, they would have many opportunities to be acquainted with them.


    He gave a pat on the shoulders to the troubled looking branch head and left the building. Suddenly, a gust of sand blew into his face and he choked.


    Unlike Broussonne, Mancked stone pavements. On clear days, the ground would be baked dry and with some wind, sand would be lifted into the air.


    After waving away the sand, he looked at the bustling townscape.


    There were carpenters constructing new buildings. And the man instructing them seemed to be a local official. There were hawkers who came to sell food and drinks to the workers. And the residents curiously looked on at the liveliness of the town.


    A random person who did not know of the background might have thought this was some festival preparation.


    Barley, would you like some barley? Barley made with cool and refreshing well water!


    Mister! Give me a cup!


    Wood construction is no good. Ever since the great fire, new buildings have to be made with stone or brick as much as possible...


    As you say, Laubert. And the extra costs have toe from my own pocket...


    Father, father! That, that! What is that!?


    Hm? That is...um, what is that?


    Listening closely, that was what Raymond heard.

 Chapter 44: Exploring the Demon Woods 1 (2)

    Chapter 44: Exploring the Demon Woods 1 (2)


    The town was at longst, being revitalised. Various buildings were being constructed to meet the demands of the adventurers who were going to challenge the Trees of Darkness. Facilities like inns, cksmiths, workshops, taverns, brothels And they were all being built at a feverish pace. Also, other than the discovery of the dungeon, there were the mines and the locally made potions. There were merchants who travelled to Man in search of it. There were some who got second thoughts upon hearing about the notoriety of the lord, but the investment and influx to the town continued nheless.


    This ce was going to grow. Once the town grows, he would be able to make more money too. And he had his foresight to thank for being able to reach the town earlier than anybody else.


    Hmph, transient crows...


    He heard a low pitched grumble.


    The owner of the voice was a youngd who was less than 20 years old. He had brown eyes and bluish ck hair. He was probably shopping for food, as he was carrying a bag of bread, dried meat and fruits. His innocent and gentle face was oozing youth, but the disgust he had for whatever was in front of him was evident.


    TchGuardian of Bnce, Joel?


    He was looking scornfully at Raymond.


    The youngd was the leader of an up-anding party Guardian of Bnce. Their rank was C. While he was still young, he had already attained the same rank as Raymond. For him who had spent all his youth getting to his current rank, the one thing he hated most were these kinds of greenhorns.


    Urg...


    Still, he wasnt childish enough to pick a fight just because he was irked by him. He would just give a snort at him and walk past him.


    Joel had called him a transient crow. That was not because he was talented and gained a nickname. Having a nickname at C rank was too early. In fact, it had the opposite meaning, it was used to criticise the deeds of an adventurer.


    Transient was one of the styles of adventurers. It might be too much to call it a style though. It was mainly not forming specific parties, though it wasnt going solo either. If a party needed extra members because of a big request, transient adventurers might be recruited. And after the quest, they would leave the party and seek out a different party. In short, they were adventurers whocked skill to survive alone, nor did they have the persistence or teamwork to stay in a party for long.


    They were neither here nor there, neither the kind of people who could cultivate long term camaraderie with others nor independent enough to stand on their own. This was why they were easily hated amongst the other adventurers. Some of these transient adventurers would be insistent on their share of loots, or tend to shirk responsibility to others when in dangerous situations and weremonly seen as cunning and dirty. It was almost as if they were scavenging for scraps, hence the name transient crows.


    (Well, such an opinion isntpletely false though.)


    Well, its not like he would be called that in broad daylight, Raymond thought.


    Actually, what he did would only get on the nerves of youths with a sense of justice. He was monopolising the delicious hunting grounds at Man with a faction made up of his previousrades or other crows. It wasmonce for adventurers to hunt monsters 1 or 2 ranks beneath them to earn spare change. Some youngsters have asked him to let them use the ce for a single day but he had replied by threatening them. For adventurers who love to challenge themselves, fight strong foes and explore the unknown, taking this evil path was equally as good.


    Raymond was describing none other than himself. He knew what he did was distasteful, but being told off by others was infuriating. Especially so when being told off by talented youngsters.


    Hey, Joel. What is it?


    Nothing...just some detestable guy.


    He could hear a pair of man and woman conversing. Joels party seemed to include a female magician. She was rated by others to be a beauty and there were some rumours saying that she was intimate with Joel, the leader of the party.


    Basically a happy-go-lucky guy. Getting a person of the opposite sex to join the same party was difficult, having a public rtionship within the party was even rarer and on top of that, he was the leader of the party. That is to say, Joels party could split up anytime.


    However, for some reason, Raymond couldnt see any signs of cracks in their rtionships. Were the fissures deep within or had he made the impossible possible with his extraordinary leadership? He clearly wanted it to be the former but in their trade, it was an unpleasant jinx.


    United parties with mixed genders were known to excel.


    It sounds ridiculous but there were real examples. To the west border, there was an active A rank party made of 3 men and 1 woman. He had also heard of simr stories from other countries. Also, heroes written into history were always the ones with romance on the battlefield.


    (If this isnt what I expect, then this youngster could be hero material?)


    Thinking about it made him fed up.


    Joels emergence as an adventurer had just started. Bing a C rank at this age was already unheard of, and there were already rumours that he was going to be a B rank soon. Raymond had not met him at the Trees of Darkness before, so perhaps he was venturing deep within the dungeon  ces where only B rankers would go. Formon people like him, being at C rank was their peak but for somebody like Joel, it was just a passing point.


    He held such hopes in the past. Hoping that he and his party would be famous. When he became a C ranker, he firmly believed that he could continue on to be a B rank and finally an A rank. Yet, there were some party members who were satisfied and wanted stability, and these conflicting views led to the party disbanding. That was when he became cunning and petty. He could not get used to going solo and slowly but surely, his skills with the sword dulled. No longer being able to choose, he had to lower his expectations, and join different parties whenever they needed extra support...soon, it became known on the streets that he was a transient.


    Having failed to achieve his dream and epting the harsh reality, he had already fallen from grace. That was who Raymond was now.


    Joel did not venture off the path he started on, and in fact, was racing faster than he ever did. Thats why Raymond couldnt stand him.


    Do your best in chasing your dreams. One day you will stumble too...


    Filled with jealousy, Raymond walked off.


    The injury a person sustained from falling was proportional to how fast that person was. Even more so for a person unustomed to falling. For Joel, who had only the smoothest sailing life, how stunning would his eventual blunder be? The middle-aged transient crow imagined quietly.


    I think it is a good time to start exploring deeper.


    The members of the party Guardian of Bnce were dumbfounded on hearing the promation of their leader, Joel.


    They were in a room of an inn,te at night. They were discussing their future ns.


    Umm, Joel.


    A guy with thin eyes looked troubled. Now that they were at the inn, he was not wearing any equipment and was in ordinary clothes but, hanging from his neck was a cross, a symbol for the Saint. From this alone, anybody could deduce his job was a priest  a clergyman who borrows power from God to perform miracles like healing or protection. His name was Mariano. He was from the Omnian Empire and was the partys eldest member.


    Exploring deeper as in, exploring the depths of the Trees of Darkness?


    There are no other ces to explore, right? Mr Mariano.


    Joels reply was in a joking fashion but his eyes were dead serious. His determination could be seen clearly. The girl who was beside him sighed and gave her views.

 Chapter 44: Exploring the Demon Woods 1 (3)

    Chapter 44: Exploring the Demon Woods 1 (3)


    It might be easy to say that, Joel. The Trees of Darkness is a really demanding dungeon though? Its discovery was made after that incident...did you forget? An alliance of C rank parties like us was wiped out.


    She sounded half-bantering half-anxious. Rosalie, was a mage that acted as the partys main firepower. And she was also the person rumoured to be Joels lover. Though she vehemently denied it when asked.


    No, I have not forgotten. When the report was made, the guild at the town we were at was making a huge fuss, like a beehive that had been pricked.


    Joelughed bitterly.


    A C rank adventurer was normally considered to be an ace at taking on the guilds requests and the guild would have high expectations of them. After all, it would take many years of experience before the average adventurer could get to this point. It was a disaster that many of their precious C rankers were defeated at the same time. All this happened at the Trees of Darkness.


    If thats the case


    Even then...


    Joel interrupted her.


    The monsters that we have encountered at the Trees of Darkness were all possible to be ssified as a C rank subjugation. There was no way other C rank adventurers would fall to these monsters. So, this means the reason for their defeat remains a mystery.


    Dont tell me you want to unravel the truth of it?


    Rosalie.


    Mariano was rebuking her for provoking him. She had a bad habit of testing others. Her rashness suited her sharp beauty, though it was difficult to deal with.


    Joel shook his head and said, Its alright.


    Well, I am an adventurer. There is no way I would not have that kind of desire. ...But, there is a bigger reason why I want to do so.


    And that is?


    ...What do you all think of the adventurers of this town?


    It was apletely different topic altogether. However, Mariano and Rosalie did not overly disagree. They were deeply thinking about their leaders question.


    What about the adventurers here? Raymond and his gang had notoriously taken over the entrance to the Trees of Darkness. Adventurers of D rank and lower were denied entry and could not umte experience. And them being the only ones who disagreed with the schemes of the crows, they had to take out the C rank monsters deeper inside the dungeon alone.


    ...The future seems bleak...with what those crows are doing.


    It doesnt have anything to do with us, but it isnt something others can handle. I worry that the overall skill level of adventurers would weaken as time goes by.


    Yes. While the middle rankers go for the easy jobs, the lower ranked adventurers would lose learning opportunities. What happens if the main cause for the annihtion of the alliance we were talking about, appears? It isnt a big problem if the only ones that pay for it are the migratory crows. But if the monsters grow in poption and eventually attack the town, then we will be the only ones that can deal with it.


    That is what will happen if jobs are monopolised. Middle rankers who should adventure deeper were content with the outskirts of the forest, so beginners could not get the chance to hunt weak monsters. If this situation prolongs, the average ability of adventurers in this town would weaken and if some disaster happened, the adventurers would not be able to handle it.


    The reason for all this is also because the middle rankers are only thinking that the dungeon is a new gold mine. And why would they think so? Because they dont fear the dungeon. Since they dont know if there are dangerous monsters within the Trees of Darkness, they are under the impression that it is a safe ce.


    So you mean...


    The fourth person in their party finally decided to join the conversation. She spoke tly.


    ...You want to gather information inside the dungeon and try to change the predicament?


    Sheeran...


    Hmph. Finally using that mouth of yours. And here I was thinking where you had gone.


    ...I was here throughout.


    I know! That was a figure of speech!


    The person Rosalie was crossing words with was a young unassuming blond girl. Her ears looked as sharp as a leaf but whenpared with elves ears, they were very much shorter. Human ears did not differ very much in length.


    The young girl called Sheeran was a mixed blood, or what some would call a half-elf.


    After making repairs to her bow, she gloomily looked at the three of them.


    ...I dont fully understand Joels motivations. The status quo is not favourable. But why should we act?


    A high ranking adventurer would eventually explore the depths of the dungeon. And waiting for such an adventurer would be a safer n. Is that what you are trying to say?


    Mariano rified. She quickly nodded.


    Sheerans opinion made sense. There was something strong in the dungeon that even a C rank alliance could not hold up against. There was no reason for the members of the Guardian of Bnce to risk going near such an existence. It should be better for them to wait for a B rank or higher adventurer to challenge the depths of the dungeon.


    Joel shook his head.


    It seems like that wouldnt be the case.


    Huh? Why? Something inside has eliminated many C rankers. Also, the surroundings of the dungeon are swarming with C to D rank monsters. So why cant we wait for somebody stronger?


    ...I do not understand either. Please exin.


    Both girls were confused on what Joel meant.


    I hear that an abnormallyrge wave of monsters have appeared in the neighbouring country, St. Gallen. Many high rankers have gone there instead.


    What?


    Rosalie''s mouth was agape. Her posture was telling everybody how shocked she was.


    Sheeran was probably thinking the same. She did not say anything but her eyes narrowed in doubt.


    The other country is paying well. St. Gallen fights monsters throughout the year and they are used to having adventurers. They have issued many subjugations requests already.


    ...Why? Why would the adventurers ignore a dungeon that appeared in their own country...


    Sheeran, the thing is...


    It was Marianos turn to answer.


    For adventurers who drift from one town to the next, borders between countries mean nothing. Even for ourselves, we arent from the Arquell Kingdom either, we were from the Omnian Empire. Furthermore, it is pointless to expect patriotism from penniless adventurers. Because the country is bad, because they cannot provide for themselves, thats why they are stuck with this job...many adventurers resent their jobs.


    And amongst the people who became adventurers because they wanted to, how many are willing to defend their birthce from monsters? And even if it was the same country, why would there be a reason for them to travel to an unknownnd and put their lives at stake? In this case, rather than patriotism, it is more about loving ones hometown.


    For example, it is well known that the A rank party, the face of adventurers in the Arquell Kingdom, are active in the west borders where they were born. There was hardly a chance they woulde all the way to Man.


    Of course, the higher-ups in the guild would be very interested to find out the reason why the C rank alliance was defeated. But thanks to St. Gallen, they are taking much longer to find suitable adventurers to do an investigation. Also, they think the thinning of monsters in the Trees of Darkness is going smoothly.


    It was as Mariano had said. Despite therge number of prospectors that have gone missing and the defeat of the adventurers, there were no reports of monsters directly attacking the town or the people. Thus, they have assessed the situation with optimism and believe that there are no immediate dangers.


    ...Danger past, God forgotten.


    Damn right! Who was the most worked up at the beginning, huh!?


    Sheeran lightly sighed while Rosalie openly disyed her irritation.


    Joel nodded bitterly.


    It is exactly as Mariano says. Everybody is taking the issue too lightly, or in fact, not even considering it an issue anymore. That way it is easier for all parties involved. It is not like there is a direct threat to their own lives. To change the impasse, we need concrete information. So long as there isnt definite information about the Trees of Darkness, the guild wouldnt give their full attention and crows can make the dungeon their personal hunting grounds. The only people who can do something about this now...are us.

 Chapter 44: Exploring the Demon Woods 1 (4)

    Chapter 44: Exploring the Demon Woods 1 (4)


    Joels eyes shone with determination. It was a gleam that only those who were convinced of their purpose would have.


    Thats why I think we have to go deeper. Luckily for us, we havent gotten into any idents while hunting. I dont think it would be that long until we can proceed deeper. Thats why I decided to discuss this with everybody today.


    Well, if you think it is safe, then I guess so...


    Hm. I do agree with Joel but...what happens next depends on our confidence and determination?


    ...


    Of course, Im sure you guys might feel its unsafe or have other opinions. I will respect that and if there is even a single objection, I wont press the issue. I might just be overthinking things too.


    Joel took a quick look at his party members.


    That was how the Guardian of Bnce operated. They would only attempt a high difficulty adventure if they have unanimous support from everybody. The Bnce in their party name represents weighing everybodys opinion before taking action. It was a principle theyve had since the party was formed.


    Rosalie, what do you think?


    If I say no, wont you be depressed? Spare me from that so


    Rosalie turned away nervously.


    She was the daughter of a regional lord. She was able to learn how to use magic because of her social status. There was only one reason why such ady would be an adventurer. The reason was because of this reckless boy.


    As a child, Joel knew no fear and was curious and even dared to explore a nobles home as amoner. The adventures he had was a good way to pass time and boredom from Rosalies daily lessons.


    And when the two of them grew older, Rosalies father started to look for political marriages. She didnt want that and so, ran away from home and joined Joel, who had left his hometown to be an adventurer. She exined nonchntly that she would rather waste time meaningfully without even asking to join the party.


    Thats why, this time too! Im gonna endure it and join you. It is always, okay!


    She sounded angry but she had no intention to decline. It was because she always found what he sees and what he does fascinating.


    Mariano?


    As per the will of God.


    Mariano softly replied as he held the cross and prayed.


    He was doubtful of his life at a church in Omnia, so he ran away. Day by day, he watched the hollow formalities of other priests. He was disgusted at the priests who spoke of Gods love and yet looked down on others. Or priests who celebrated abstinence and yetined about the taste of wine. Thats why he decided to embark on a journey to serve others. Thats why he chose to be an adventurer.


    A few years passed and he stopped by at the guild in a small town on his way back home for his spiritual practice. That was where he met Joel and Rosalie. He was disillusioned by the degeneracy of adventurers but was saved by their honest and direct interactions. Once again, he saw hope in the ideals he held. In any case, Mariano enjoyed theirpany and joined their party. Now, his goal was to impart his knowledge and experience to the youngsters.


    In short, do whatever you think is good. I am in agreement.


    He did not n on stopping the youths from walking on the path they believed in. There were risks involved, but he was confident that he could shoulder them as an adult.


    And that makes youst, Sheeran.


    I have a condition...


    Sheeran looked straight at Joel.


    On thisnd, half-elves were a minority, so their social status was low. Most half-elves here were children of enved elves bought by humans. Sheeran was no exception. Her mom disliked her since her father was a low-life merchant. Meanwhile her dad was a scum who wondered how much Sheeran could go for since she looked like her mom. When she was ten, she managed to escape from her environment as a perverts toy. Thereafter, she hid her face and ears, and lived as a pickpocket in the slums of Canales.


    One day, she met Joel and the rest of the Guardian of Bnce. She looked down on them and thought they were easy pickings, but soon after, she was caught by Mariano who was used to pickpockets. She was ready to be sent to the guardhouse but they let her off and gave her some small change. She was angered. Joel was a young boy who knew not of the evils of the world. Rosalie was runaway from a well off family. And Mariano was a pushover of a priest. She knew they were born lucky and had a good upbringing. Sheeran rejected the charity, leaving Rosalie and Mariano confused. However, Joel took her hand and said this to her. If you dont like to be given money, then make your own money. Want to follow us?


    Sheeran took his offer. She nned to steal their belongings while on the road but the opportunity never came and she forgot about it. Only after she became good with the bow (she was given the bow simply because elves were good with the bow) did she realise something.


    ...If even a single person disagrees, then we wont do it. ...It is the same as before. Simple right?


    Yes, that was it. The real reason why she did not release her grip from his hands was because she didnt want to. She wanted to stick with them. She wanted to see the same rose-tinted view of the world that they saw. She wanted to adventure with them. Those were the honest feelings of Sheeran.


    Thats why she would go anywhere he went. But, when it gets dangerous, she has to prioritise their survival. Not just her own, but everybodys survival.


    Ahh, alright. I dont intend to rush headlong into death. The end of an adventurers tale needs to be a happy end where the protagonist makes his triumphant return.


    Adventurers tales for children, right.


    S-Shut up. You liked these tales in the past, didnt you.


    The two of them started a quarrel that nobody would interfere in. Mariano smiled weakly and watched over Sheeran.


    This wasmonce in their party.


    After they were done with exploring the Trees of Darkness, they should be able to bicker like this again. Surely.


    The party members of Guardian of Bnce naively believed so.

 Chapter 45: Exploring the Demon Woods 2 (1)

    Chapter 45: Exploring the Demon Woods 2 (1)


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    <strong>Proofreader: LoneButcher and themunity</strong>


    For adventurers, exploring a dungeon wasnt something that could be done impromptu. No amount of preparation could be said excessive when exploring a ce as harsh as the nest of monsters. In addition to equipment and stocking up on medicines, they must also prepare to make camp for extended journeys. Most dungeons were not within a day''s travel distance (if they were then the city would be attacked by demons in a heartbeat), and the vastness of the Trees of Darkness made it impossible to explore itpletely in a single day. Therefore, adventurers would have to remain vignt through the night while moving and exploring the dungeon. In some cases, they would have to keep it up for multiple days.


    The essentials adventurers had to prepare were longsting food and drinking water. Mages of a certain skill level could use magic to produce water, but doing so drains magic power. Magic is one of their trump cards during adventures, and is also the very purpose of a mage in a party. Thus, wasting magic power is frowned upon. In any case, no matter how much magic power a mage had, it was unlikely to produce enough water for all members of the party. Therefore, it was an irond rule that adventurers prepare their own supply of water from the very beginning. Of course, if there was a spring or other water supply point within the dungeon, this burden could be reduced somewhat. Fortunately, there were several springs in the Trees of Darkness, so it was easier and more rational to bring a pot for boiling water than to carry more water.


    Adventurers should not forget to bring their tents, sleeping bag, and nket to sleepfortably and in safety. umting fatigue and stress would cause loss in concentration during the adventure, and make it more likely for adventurers to make mistakes that wouldnt be normally made. Also, it could be said that mosquitos were a must because they fended off disease-carrying mosquitoes.The cloth of the tent acts as a simpleyer of protection against monster attacks when camping. It was only cloth, but it will certainly expend the energy of the monster trying to tear it apart. Surprisingly, the attempt of tearing the cloth made the difference of life and death for some. Also, no matter how hot the ce was, it was a taboo to ever forget bringing a sleeping bag. Once night falls, the cold ground would deprive their bodies of heat, and energy would be wasted to maintain body temperature. To begin with, the ground was hard and ufortable to sleep on. Simply lying on the ground was exhausting. Merely using a sleeping bag could greatly increasefort.


    Other than that, extra clothes  especially innerwear and underwear  was something that adventurers should not be negligent about. Some may question whether they should spare time on such frivolous things, but clothings were surprisingly impactful during adventures. Adventuring was a dangerous job that carried the risk of injury. What happens if an adventurer sustains a wound and was wearing unsanitary clothings? What happens if the dirt gets into the wound? The concept of germs was only known to the magic academy of St. Gallen, and only a select few within the academy were privy to this knowledge. Still, it should bemonce knowledge what happens if a wound gets dirty. Simply by keeping the surroundings as clean as possible, the incidence of tetanus and other diseases would be significantly reduced. However, there was no way adventurers have the luxury of bathing and washing their clothes since every drop of water was worth a drop of blood. Thus, many acknowledge that the bare minimum was to at least have a change of clothes.


    In this way, adventurers heading to a dungeon have to prepare a great deal of supplies. It costs money just to procure them, and it''s not easy to transport them. Of course, even the strongest and toughest adventurers would not be able to fight to the fullest of their abilities while carrying their bags. Most adventurers would hire a porter to carry their load and focus on the adventure as best they could. Lower ranked adventurers from other parties were sometimes hired for this job, but sometimes was done by volunteers from a guild, or by ves owned by the party.


    For the Guardian of Bnce, they took the orthodox approach of hiring other adventurers. The members of the Guardian of Bnce were not fond of using ves, and the Trees of Darkness was not an easy dungeon for them to confidently adventure in. (TN: I assume they want to rely on the strength of the recruited adventurer too? Or that they dont need to protect the hired adventurer?)


    Hey, Guardians of Bnce. I guess we could just hang around here?


    The sound of a middle-aged adventurer''s voice could be heard from a corner where bushes had been cleared out.


    This was the border between the explored and unexplored sections of the Trees of Darkness. It was the end of the entrance to the endlessly spreading forest.


    Yes. We''re going to go deeper, so I''d like you to hold the campsite for me. We n to return in a day. But if we don''t return in two days, please help us by reporting it to the guild.


    "Hahahaha! Well, let''s hope it doesn''te to that, Mr Priest.


    The person conversing with Mariano was the leader of one of the two D-ranked parties that have been tasked to carry their luggage and maintain their temporary base. The young and impulsive Joel was not suited to handle such discussions, so it was Marianos job to do so. It was bad for rumours to publicly leave everything to Mariano, so Joel tried to at least show his face during these discussions.


    However, perhaps knowingly or unknowingly, the leader from the D-ranked party spoke directly to Joel.


    Hey, kid, is it alright that we get a fifty-fifty split of everything we caught on the way?


    "Oh, not ...... Cough. Yeah, I dont mind.


    Joel responded roughly, in an attempt to fool the other party. It was part of the contract to give the two D-ranked parties all the parts and materials from the monsters they defeated along the way. Thanks to this condition, they were able to negotiate a big bargain on the payment, but most of the profits for the Guardian of Bnce were also wiped clean. If they do not kill some big game in the depths of the Trees of Darkness, the cost of the adventure might be more than their earnings.


    They were conscious of that possibility, and they werent that foolhardy to gamble everything to copse on a single failure. They hade up with a n to recover the money in the event of failure. Nevertheless, it didnt feel good that their earnings were being taken by another group.


    I''m relieved to hear that. You''re more understanding than you seem, huh, rising star?


    The adventurer tapped Joel on the shoulder, with a hint of ridicule. To put it bluntly, he was mocking him. Most likely, he was mocking the Guardian of Bnce that was gambling on an adventure that may or may not be profitable.


    There were two main ways for adventurers to earn money. The first is toplete requests from the guild. The other was to sell the parts and materials of the monsters they defeat. Thetter, in fact, was the less profitable option. After all, you could also sell materials of the monsters that were defeated during the quest, so naturally the former was more profitable. Of course, if you could monopolise the easy hunting grounds, like what Raymond and his gang were doing, you could make lots of money with thetter method. However, in Joel''s case, he was giving away all the scraps of profit he got along the way. Hence, the remuneration was less than satisfactory.

 Chapter 45: Exploring the Demon Woods 2 (2)

    Chapter 45: Exploring the Demon Woods 2 (2)


    Indeed, it was foolish from the standpoint of profit. They were throwing away the rewards of fighting and yet, risking their lives. Both the leader and the party that followed him were extremely irrational.


    (I don''t care.)


    However, it was none of Joel''s business. It was the best thing to do. The party had agreed upon it. And the original purpose of their venture was to bring back even the smallest of information about the Trees of Darkness and to motivate the upper echelons of the guild and high-level adventurers to mobilise. They were thinking about the future of Man. It wasnt something that somebody requested him to do, but Joel believed that it was the right thing to do.


    There are several jinxes in the Adventurer''s Guild, among them were people like Joel. (TN: I have no idea what jinx means in this context at all)


    Top adventurers were generally lunatics..


    If lunacy was having a firm belief while ignoring the pros and cons, then Joel certainly met the criteria of being a first-ss adventurer.


    I''m ttered by thepliment...... however.


    He spoke in a simple and honest tone.


    The fact that it pays well means that it has to be reliable. I know this isnt something I have to say to a veteran, but keep that in mind, okay?


    He didnt sound particrly angry and sounded like he was just making small-talk. But when the adventurer looked directly into Joel''s eyes, he unconsciously took a half-step backwards.


    He,hehehe...Of course, since Im more than twice your age, Ill make sure to do it perfectly.


    He sounded as though he was making an excuse at first, but quickly mixed in a fawning smile.


    The adventurer felt the pressure from Joel. A sweet-faced boy of medium build held a sparkle in his eyes. The light that attracted Rosalie, that made Mariano trust him, and made Sheeran open up to him, was far too bright for this man to bear. This realisation was presented in the form of a feeling of threat.


    ''What are you doing, Joel! Let''s get out of here, or we wont be back when the sun sets!


    ...... Mariano too. It''s important to interact with others, but our time is limited. I think we should hurry.


    Alright, alright, I''ming!


    "And thats that...... May God bless you all.


    Hastened by the women in their party, Joel and the others hurriedly left the camp.


    The adventurer, who was not really being intimidated, looked dumbfoundedly at their backs.


    The leader of the other D-ranked party, puzzledly tapped him on the shoulder with a questioning look on his face.


    ''Hey, what''s going on? Why are you zoning out man.


    "......Damn monster.


    "Huh?


    I''ve seen a guy with the same eyes a long time ago...... He had the same, well, even worse eyes than him. Damn, damn you...... monsters above monsters......


    He continued hisints, without beingpletely aware of the other person.


    The leader of the other party, who called out to him, frowned and called out to hispanion instead.


    "Hey, whats with your leader? He wont be able to work properly at this rate.


    Ye, yes But even we are entirely uns. Ah, speaking of which.


    You have some idea about it?


    Something simr happened a long time ago. As far as I can recall, when we were at Broussonne, the leader went alone to pick up a request. Apparently he was involved in a quarrel between adventurers and ran back to the inn. It seemed like he met a monster with some crazy eyes. If Im not wrong, that person was...


    Two hours had passed since they stepped foot into the unexplored region of the Trees of Darkness.


    The Trees of Darkness was an undisturbed primary forest that was said to hide rich veins of ore. It was not a big deal if they were in a low area, but going higher and deeper into the forest, they would have to both circumvent the trees and shrub while climbing up the slopes. Not only was it easy to lose their direction, their stamina was also mercilessly sapped as they advanced.


    Overhead, branches and leaves blocked out the sun, covering the forest in a darkness that made it easy to mistake daytime for nighttime. The surroundings were dead silent. There were no signs of monsters nor were there birds singing. In the painful silence, the only sounds were the footsteps of the party as they pushed through the vegetation.


    "We''re making good progress so far, but--


    I know. Theres a sinister feeling, right?


    Joel nodded in agreement to Mariano''s words.


    It was too quiet for an area that was supposed to be the home of monsters. And not just any part of the dungeon, but this was also the inner regions of the Trees of Darkness. Given that D to C ranked monsters weremon near the entrance, the silence in the inner region was disconcerting.


    Quiet as it was, there was nothing peaceful about it. It was as though all things living had died.


    There''s no sign of life, but the magic in the air is so thick...... My senses are going nuts. Sheeran, how about you? Do you hear anything?


    ......Nothing. ......200 meters around us,pletely silent. Is this really a forest? I cant even feel the presence of a bug.


    Both Rosalie, a mage who was skilled in magic detection, and Sheeran, with well-trained ears were puzzled by this environment.


    Lets be careful. It is said that when there are strong monsters - especially the ones that act alone - the forest bes still as death just like this one.


    Because the other demons and animals were exterminated, is it? But it''s odd that Sheeran couldn''t detect anything.


    Rosalie was right. If the area was dominated by a powerful monster that had eradicated other creatures, there should be traces of that monster around. The fact that there wasn''t even a sign of that was odd.


    The four of them were baffled, but continued to move deeper and deeper while staying vignt.


    They maintained an orthodox formation, with two men at the front while the women took on the rear.


    Joel was dressed in banded mail and wore a buckler strapped to his left arm for easy maneuverability. A swordsman''s duty was to attack the enemy and to protect his allies in the rear.


    As for Mariano, he wore a surcoat embroidered with a holy seal over his te armour. It was not necessary for him to move as quickly as a swordsman. As a priest who could use recovery magic even on himself, he could act as a tank too.


    Rosalie and Sheeran were rtively lighter armedpared to the men. It was a good thing that Sheeran was wearing leather armour, while Rosalie was carrying a staff and wearing a thick robe. The rest of their clothing were equivalent to in clothes. The troublesome thing for mages was that unlike a priest who uses holy power, magic was ipatible with some metals and animal materials which were known to cause magic to disperse. That''s why most of her gear was made of cloth. The metal armour for mages was very expensive due to the scarcity of the materials, and it was too much for a C-ranked person to purchase and maintain. Therefore, the crux for most low ranked parties was how to protect their mages effectively.


    ......100.


    After walking the fixed number of steps, Sheeran took out a knife to carve a mark on a tree trunk. It was a method to adventure in a forest without a map. It was a strategy to not lose the way out and get lost.


    Carving sounds were made as she dug the knife deep into the trunk.

 Chapter 45: Exploring the Demon Woods 2 (3)

    Chapter 45: Exploring the Demon Woods 2 (3)


    ......?


    A strange sensation hit Sheeran.


    A tremor. A faint vibration was felt from her left hand against the trunk.


    She involuntarily jumped back and braced herself.


    ...... Did the tree just shiver?


    "Trees that shiver?


    Could it be a Treant, by any chance?


    Mariano was referring to tree monsters simr to the spiritual creatures, which could move ording to their own wills. They were called the protectors of the forest, and although they were generally mild-mannered, they would act mercilessly towards lumberjacks and humans who threatened their habitat. By attempting to carve and damage its body, they have undoubtedly angered the Treant.


    But its not moving.


    Could it be just in your head? I''ve never heard of Treant staying still after being stabbed.


    ......Is that so?


    Unsatisfied with the exnation. Sheeran tilted her head. Joel made a suggestion to her.


    Why dont we try to put a fire near it. Tree spirits hate fire and would probably react to it?


    ...... No, let''s not. No good cane from angering it.


    If it was Treant, it would be a bad idea to provoke it into a fight. Its entire body was made of hardwood so Sheerans arrows were ineffective against it. Moreover, Marianos mace would likely becking too. Joel''s sword and Rosalie''s magic might work, but they would want to avoid the situation where Joels sword dulls and Rosalie expends too much magic. It was unheard of to attempt subjugating a tree spirit for the fun of it, especially so when they had enough power to manipte the forest environment. They were good for hunting because their wood was of high quality, but this area was dangerous. They were deep within the Trees of Darkness. It was best to avoidbat that had no important purpose.


    ......First of all, if we are wrong, it just bes a huge torch.


    That''s true too. Let''s hurry up.


    I see. To begin with, A Treant isn''t enough to dominate all the monsters in this area. Perhaps the big one is ahead?


    Havinge to that conclusion, the group rushed ahead.


    However, Sheeran had lingering concerns about the tree.


    The sensation she felt on her fingertips were still vivid in her. The sticky sap that oozed from the trunk. It was not anything like blood. She wasnt sure if it was because of the tension of exploring unknown territory, but she couldn''t get the experience out of her head. Should she have studied the tree in more detail? No, if she did, and if it was really a Treant, they would have to fight a futile battle. She was distracted by these thoughts.


    At the moment she decided that this was no good and she had to be more attentive,


    What!?


    Rosalie, who was in the middle, jumped up with a jolt.


    What''s up, Rosalie?


    No, something cold got onto my face. ......rain?


    It shouldnt be. I dont hear rain.


    As Mariano had said, the Trees of Darkness was a ce with tall trees high enough to cover the sky like a ceiling. If it rained here, the raindrops would hit the leaves and branches above their heads beforending on them.


    Don''t surprise me like that. Its probably just leftover morning dew falling from above--


    Joel looked up, jokingly. His face became frozen and tense.


    What, Joel. What''s up there...... ahhh!


    Rosalie, too, made a small shriek. Both Mariano and Sheeran turned to look up and were equally stunned.


    On a tree about three meters above their heads, there was a human-like thing lodged between the branches.


    A corpse. A corpse with its intestines spilled open and its face frozen in horror. It was hanging in the air, as if it was on disy.


    Of course, the corpse was not human. It was still fresh and undposed, unlike what they would expect if these corpses were from the prospectors or adventurers from the search party. Even if somehow their bodies had been deformed, the corpse they saw was far too different from a humans.


    ...A troll.


    They were humanoid monsters that were inferior to ogres in terms of intelligence, but possessed abilities and a physique that surpassed ogres. They were powerful monsters that were assessed to be near the limits of what C rankers could take on. If the trolls grouped up, even B-ranked adventurers would have to be requested.


    It was highly anomalous to find the corpse of such a strong monster hanging by the trees. In fact, there were not just one or two corpses. A quick look revealed five dead trolls hanging from the branches. The scene was so frightening that the members of the Guardian of Bnce paused as if they were bound by chains. They were well aware that there was no simple existence inside the Trees of Darkness since an entire alliance of adventurers was wiped out. However, what kind of monster was lurking inside, to be able to cause trolls to end up like this?


    These trolls are hung out like a butcher hanging his chickens...


    Does it mean that these trolls are bait? To save it, such as--


    ......Dangerous. We have to get out quickly.


    Everybody immediately agreed with Sheerans assertion. This ce was either the monsters home or somewhere near it. And this was definitely no ordinary monster. It would not be absurd at all for them to be attacked right now.


    They could no longer continue their search for evidence and clues. They did not feel a single sign of the monster, or even a trace of it, until they had stepped into its feeding ground. There was no way they could risk fighting such a cunning and powerful monster.


    There was no choice but to retreat.


    But it was toote to make such a retreat.


    Crack, crack, crack.


    From above, the sound of crushed and smashed trees approached. The thick branches that could even support the trolls carcass, still screamed and broke from the something that was approaching. Something big and heavy was falling from above with tremendous force.


    Crash.


    A huge body, even bigger than an ox or horse,nded with a resounding thud.


    The monster that appeared had a strange body. Four of itsrge legs, with ws, resembled that of a tiger, and its huge coated wings looked like it was from a bat. Its long tail with countless spikes, swung up menacingly, resembling that of a scorpion, and from the tip grew thick needles that dripped venomous mucus. There was a rugged mane across its neck. It may be described simr to a lion, but the actual impression it gave was different. From the wicked glint in its eyes, the shape of its nose, the way it scorned at them from its distorted mouth...Its face was sphemously simr to a human face.


    Manticore......


    Someone in the party uttered the name of the monster while in a daze.


    Manticore. A demonic beast withbined features of multiple beasts with a human face that lurks in a forest. The name meant ''man-eater'' in ancientnguage.


    Its physical strength, intelligence, magical prowess, and traits were all dangerous to humanity. Their subjugation rank was B+, making them a target only for inhuman high rankers with great ability.


    Sacrifice......! Sacrifice......! Offer up yourself, dedicate yourself, to feed me......!


    The monster with the face of an ugly man howled, spoke in humannguage as though it was natural. The air trembled and the leaves rustled. The malevolent wave enveloped the four C-ranked adventurers and took away their ability to move.


    In other words, they could not escape anymore.


    ......There was no sign of it in the forest. ......Could it have been in the skies


    This is not the time to be thinking about that, Sheeran!


    Get ready! It''sing!


    Yes, I know!

 Chapter 45: Exploring the Demon Woods 2 (4)

    Chapter 45: Exploring the Demon Woods 2 (4)


    Joel was already doing a superb job by shaking off the petrification and taking a stance. The miasma from the manticore would render more than half of the C-ranked adventurers incapable of fighting typically. Those who were unable to stand up against the miasma had no rights to fight against the manticore. The fate of those who were unable to fight back was to be eaten. That was how it was when fighting highly ranked monsters.


    The manticoreughed at its preys'' futile attempt at resistance.


    In the very next moment, therge body became hazy.


    Wha!


    Guh!


    Joel was blown away, and Mariano stumbled as he took a few steps backwards. The monster closed the distance in one breath and struck the two vanguards with both of its front legs.


    But that wasn''t the end of it.


    Mr. Mariano! Jump!


    Joel?...... ugh!?


    The monster made a roar and swung its tail, which had poisonous spikes, at Mariano. Abo of two attacks. Joel was ''blown away'' not because he was defeated. Whether consciously or unconsciously, he somehow sensed the follow-up attack from the tail and decided to dodge. On the contrary, Mariano, who had stopped moving, almost failed to escape the area of its attack.


    Mariano followed Joel''s instructions and jumped backwards. By a hair''s breadth, the tail full of needles and thorns skimmed past his chest.


    He managed to narrowly avoid a direct blow. However.


    M-my armour is......


    A charred hole appeared in his surcoat and the erosive poison reached the breastte beneath it, creating poisonous fumes. It was the venom from the manticore''s tail. The slightest exposure to it had made Mariano''s holy marked surcoat and metal armour be like this. If this had hit his skin or was driven directly into his body, one could only imagine the result. Just imagining it was terrifying.


    Sheeran, please try to hold it back with your bow! Oh, Fire Spirits


    ......Ugh.


    In order to fight back, Rosalie began chanting her spell while Sheeran covered her by firing arrows.


    The monster''s evil eyes twisted into a thin line as the two maidens put up a resistance.


    Impudence, child of humans. Foolishness, child of humans!


    The monster swung its tail. With that, the three arrows that Sheeran fired in one breath bounced off pointlessly in the air.


    Feel the despair! Oh God of darkness, father of us demons, I humbly pray


    Magic?


    Since it had the head of a human, voice of a human, of course it was perfectly normal for it to chant spells.


    Moreover, it was as ominous as the chanting from an evil cult. The miasma in the air became denser and Joel sensed the activation of powerful magic.


    If they were hit by it, they would be in grave danger.


    Realising that, Joel lunged forward to attack.


    Get the anti-magic barriers ready! Sheeran, I don''t care if the arrows hit me, just shoot!


    Instead of simply giving a warcry while charging, Joel gave instructions before charging in straight to sh the enemy with his sword.


    Got it! O God, the founder of all things, the Holy King, the father of mankind


    ......Move out of the way if possible.


    Mariano chanted the scriptures after emptying his mind while Sheeran grimly fired off arrow after arrow. Rosalie also chanted her spells without pause.


    (Hurry, hurry, hurry up and activate your stupid magic! Joel is in danger!)


    OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!


    With the firm gaze of hisrades behind him, Joel let out a yell and continued to boldly attack, despite being hit by stray arrows which he had assumed would happen.


    Joel tried to hit the manticore''s head with his move, bamboo strike, but it was deflected by the manticores ws. He then changed his attack into a horizontal slice but that was blocked by the spikes of the manticores tail. The manticore took a step back. To mock his prey, it then rushed forward with a headbutt.


    Taking the opportunity, Joel gathered all his strength for another bamboo strike.


    ......Ugh, ah!


    Before unleashing his move, he was hit in the chest by the manticore''s w and was blown away.


    Joel bounced several times on the ground and mmed into a tree trunk. Even though he had performed several anaerobic attack moves previously and his lungs should have been deprived of air, the impact towards his chest made him cough out non-existent air.


    Cough...... Guh......!


    Even so, Joel couldn''t let himself fall as the leader, so he stood up with his sword thrust onto the ground to act as his walking stick.


    In his hazy field of vision, he could see the manticore smiling in triumph.


    The manticore had fended off Joel''s attack while continuing with its chants.


    -Take the souls of the living here and burn them in hellfire! Ignis Fatas!!!


    Instantly, supernatural mes spreaded from underneath the monster''s feet.


    At the same time, the members of the Guardian of Bnce reacted.


    ......Joel!


    Sheeran threw down her bow and covered her cloak over him.


    Bless us with your shield! Holy Protection!


    Mariano invoked the sacred magic of protection.


    Rosalie also activated magic towards the target.


    However, the manticore''s Ignis Fatas swept the entire ce in mes. Unlike normal fire magic, the evil mes had an unnatural brightness, brighter than several candle mes put together. Instead of burning the vegetation around it, the cylindrical mes enveloped the flesh and soul of those trapped within it. Such sadistic mes were befitting of magic casted by the offspring of demons.


    Ahhhhh!


    Fi, ah, ......


    ----!


    The mes tormented the adventurers,pletely bypassing the priest''s protection.


    Rosalie, Mariano, and Sheeran, who was hugging Joel tightly, writhed spasmodically in agony caused by the intense pain and suffocation.


    Eventually, the four copsed on the ground. The manticore roared triumphantly.


    Sacrifice! Sacrifice, Sacrifice, Sacrifice! Gufuhahahahahaha!

 Chapter 46: Exploring the Demon Woods 3 (1)

    Chapter 46: Exploring the Demon Woods 3 (1)


    As the mes disappeared, not a single scorch mark was left on the forestndscape. Behind the smouldering smoke were four humans who had fallen - no, three humans and one half-elf. This was the power of dark magic. The secret magic that has been specialised in tormenting the living and maximising their pain.


    The only person who could move in this devastation was the perpetrator itself.


    The manticore.


    With a single shudder, the manticore shook off the arrows that were lodged in various parts of its body. The arrowheads had gotten halfway into the thick surface of its skin, and hadn''t even reached the muscles, let alone the bones. This was despite Sheerans frantic attempt to fire arrows and Joels determination to be hit by the arrows.


    Hmmm, sacrifice!


    The manticore licked its chops as it surveyed its prey. All four bodies were half cooked. An inexperienced predator would have burned them fully, and would be unable to fully relish the fresh meat. Finally, the manticore could savour real human meat instead of trolls or ogres. That was why the manticore was unable to contain its excitement.


    Shall I start from the brains? Or from the guts? Ah, I want to chew on the flesh, suck on the bones, y with the eyes on my tongue. You guys were truly excellent sacrifices!


    The manticore slowly walked up to the delicacies while drooling.


    Well, who should he start with? The well-toned swordsman, the virtuous priest, the soft-fleshed female mage, or the rare breed, half-elf? All of them were equally alluring choices.


    Ooh.


    The human woman - Rosalie, let out a faint cry.


    She was still alive.


    By a stroke of luck, she was still breathing.


    Perhaps Mariano''s sacred magic managed to reduce the power of the Manticore''s magic, just enough for her to barely hold on to life.


    It was undeniably a miracle. But it was a meaningless miracle.


    Rosalie was in no position to resist. She was wounded everywhere, herrades were dead and there would be no time for her to chant any spells. Even if she could use her spells, she stood no chance against the manticores strong body and its poisoning spines.


    To begin with, was she even conscious? Even if she was, she would be in too much pain. No way she could fight at all.


    So her survival was just the seasoning on top of the predators food.


    Sacrifice! Woman. I want to. Hear screams!


    The manticore drew closer to Rosalie, brandishing his shark-like fangs.


    She could not move. She was not even aware that the enemy was closing in on her. She was only murmuring incoherently in her pain.


    I''m sorry, Joel, I was useless.


    Her voice was feeble even more so than dying people.


    The manticore listened carefully to her voice. Negative emotions like anguish, vindictiveness, and sorrow were as appetising as flesh and blood for these demonic monsters.


    Rosalie continued expressing her remorse, unaware that her words were pleasing the monster.


    I''m sorry. I''m such an idiot... I just drag you all down...


    She betrayed the trust and emotions by being powerless.


    Only this man-eating monster was listening to her words of repentance.


    No.


    No, you werent


    From the monsters blind spot, something stood up.


    The sound of parts of armour rubbing against each other. The sound of the heels of the feet stepping on the ground. And the ring of the guard on a sword.


    Joel, the young leader of Guardian of Bnce stood up with his sword, despite his injuries.


    Rosalie made it possible for me to still fight.


    What a fool. How was it possible for him to fight back, now that he was on the brink of death?


    The manticore turned to look at the source of the weak voice. The manticore stared at them, dumbfounded with his human-like face.


    Fire.


    Joel''s sword was lit by fire. The glowing sword was aze, as if taking the shape of their prayers, unlike the mes from dark magic.


    "Thanks to your magic, I was able to cut through the opponent''s magic just in time...!


    Before they were enveloped in Ignis Fatas, Rosalie had finished casting her spell.


    This was the magic sword, me Turn. It imbued the de with fire magic, transforming it into a magic sword rivalling that of the talons of a fire dragon.


    Originally, Rosalie was just a country nobleman''s daughter. She was not exactly that talented to be a mage, and only had knowledge of magic to the extent of the small library she had at her old home. Topensate for her mediocrity and to keep up with Joel, she devoted herself to magecraft and learned how to enchant swords with magic. She managed to learn some magic but only those that are exclusive to the element of fire. Still, her skill and precision in this specialisation was the real deal.


    The mes didnt disappear even in the spray of fresh blood. This de would only burn and cut the evil. This was the level of swordy and magic the two of them have reached.


    Sacrifice! Sacrifice...!


    The monster screamed in humiliation.


    How could this have happened. The mere illusions of a mage and the sleight of hand by the swordsman shouldnt have been able to fight against his own magic.


    The contempt from the manticore was palpable. Joel shook his head.


    It''s not just Rosalie. If Mariano hadn''t given me protection, I wouldn''t have been able to survive it.


    He took a step forward while saying.


    I wouldn''t have been able to stand up if Sheeran hadn''t covered for me and let me drink the potion.


    Joel wiped his mouth as he took another step. The back of his chafed hand was covered in a red-purple stain. It seemed to be the residue of the potion he drank. The half-elf girl managed to aplish so much in that short moment?


    If any of them were missing, JoeI wouldn''t be standing anymore.


    Joel was finally within striking distance and readied his ming sword.


    Manticore turned to look at him, full of malice.


    Don''t you dare have a bite of me and myrades, monster. We''re going to defeat you with our powers!


    Ridiculous!


    The manticore took the initiative and moved first. He wasnt interested in entertaining the delusions of the youngster, pounced on him and reached out with his ws.


    Hisrge body which should be over a ton in weight sprung up like a typhoon. Joel lowered his stance as if waiting,


    Hahhhh!


    Joel confronted the enemy head-on.


    Like a volcanic eruption, the sword sliced from the bottom to the top, inflicting a deep wound diagonally on the monster''s right leg.


    Ugh?


    The manticore groaned at the pain inflicted on its leg. This was the first time the manticore faced off against a magic sword. At the same time, the de which he had no problem catching with his ws earlier, melted and cut his paws too. The manticore had no choice but to recognise Joel as a threat now.


    In the meantime, Joel followed up his attack with a swing from his shoulder.


    Damn, Sacrifice!


    The manticore barely defended against it by using its tail as a shield, but some of its poison thorns melted and flowed down.


    Joels sword and the manticores tail were locked together. Joels earlier move to injure its right leg was showing its effectiveness now. The manticore had to nt its foot firmly on the ground to push with its tail, but there was a pain on its leg. If the manticore was in perfect condition, the human''s sword would have been deflected without any trouble. Now Joel could match up evenly against the monster manticore.


    While locked together, the ming sword started to burn the rest of the ting on the manticores tail. Slowly but surely, Joels sword grew closer.


    ...This is it!


    No!


    The manticore roared and sprayed venom from the tip of its tail. By adjusting the angle of the poisonous needle, the venom could be shot in any direction despite being fixed in position.

 Chapter 46: Exploring the Demon Woods 3 (2)

    Chapter 46: Exploring the Demon Woods 3 (2)


    Joel jumped back, dodging the lethal venom.


    The demon smiled mockingly at him again after he dodged.


    How sad! How sad, huh? That was your only chance...!


    What?


    The monster slowly moved its tail forward.


    The tip of its tail was pointed at the fallen Rosalie.


    What?


    Hostage! Hostages!


    The manticore shook the tip of his tail ever so slightly. The spilling venom scorching the ground was just ten centimetres next to Rosalie''s face.


    Joels chance at victory was earlier, when tail and sword were locked together. He had to defeat the manticore right there and then, because his party members were all lying on the ground. If not, his friends would immediately be hostages.


    This monster was familiar with the nature of its prey. There were two kinds of humans. One was the kind who would run away or who would abandon hisrades and attack him together with them. The other kind would foolishly sacrifice his own life to save his fellow man. Joel was by all ounts thetter. For such fools who could not overlook their bonds with others despite being in a critical moment, taking hostages should have an immediate effect.


    However,


    Fireball!


    Gaaa!?


    What a surprise. That the hostage, of all people, had struck the manticore with magic.


    Rosalie, stood up with her staff and released fire magic.


    Who''s the hostage! No way I would be a burden!


    Rosalie! You got up!?


    Of course I did. I''m a mage after all. As long as we have magic, we will always be stronger than swordsmen.


    Rosalie forced a smile. Her mental state had been foggy and even now, she could copse anytime but fortunately, Joel had given her some time to recover. It seemed that Joels previous attack wasntpletely in vain after all.


    The manticore cried out in anger having eaten Rosalies fireball.


    Gaaaaaaah! Die, sacrifice! Let me eat you!


    Too bad


    As if he couldnt resist the urge to interrupt the manticore.


    My God proims...Struggle until the end. ...Wide Heal!


    A sacred light surrounded the area.


    When the manticore finally realised what had happened, Mariano had already gotten up and casted his healing magic on the party.


    Mr. Mariano!


    Hey! You should have healed us if you could already stand!


    Hahaha Well, I regained consciousness when Joel was fighting at a critical moment. So I took the chance to chant the healing magic. I sped things up when you were being used as a hostage.


    The priest, who had acted carefully, scratched his head.


    It wasnt that difficult to imagine how this all happened. Mariano was second to Rosalie in magic potency and thus, was second to her in terms of resistance. He had also used sacred magic to reduce the damage taken during the manticores magic attack. In addition, he had been wearing a powerful, albeit somewhat damaged, armour. It wouldnt be strange to think Mariano had the most amount of stamina left amongst them.


    Damn! Damn you all! Then, one more time


    Grating on its fangs, the manticore prepared tounch another attack.


    It shall use the same magic that had nearly wiped out the enemy. Even if they had survived the first attack and used recovery magic, the damage couldnt be entirely erased. This time round, some of them would bepletely unable to stand again. The monster predicted as such.


    Yet.


    Wh! What!?


    The manticore felt a sudden wave of numbness across its entire body, especially a cramp in its tongue, rendering it unable to chant further. As long as chanting was disrupting, no matter the magic, it would not activate. The only magic that could have activated were if they had been chantless magic from the very start. Naturally, the manticores spell was cancelled and the magic required to cast the spell was expended.


    ...Its finally taking effect. ...It was a slow-acting one though.


    Sheeran had somehow recovered. The half-elf girl casted a cold nce at the bewildered manticore.


    My arrows were coated with a paralysing poison. Even a little graze would be sufficient for it to enter the veins and travel into your body.


    Impos!


    The Manticore was driven further into confusion by her ims.


    The arrows were not lethal, but they were nheless poisonous. Yet, she fired her arrows at her allies earlier.


    Joel''s strategy is always appalling. What would you have done if you''d been paralyzed by the poison first?


    I was going to take the antidote before the paralysing effect begins. But it looks like Sheeran made me drink the antidote.


    Joel was talking about how Sheeran was protecting him while giving him the antidote. She was quick in her actions. It was the instincts and technique she acquired when she was a pickpocket.


    But then again, how could the poison be effective against the manticore?


    Even venomous monsters are susceptible to other kinds of poison. It is also said that some monsters die from their own poison if their poison nd breaks.


    The manticore could not help but feel shame as Mariano carefreely exined the situation.


    "Nggggggh!


    With the force of its will, the manticore tried to tense up its paralysed muscles.


    To think it could have been made fun of to this extent, by those who it had deemed as mere sacrifices or food.


    It was humiliating. For a monster hunting living people, it was aplete disgrace.


    Hence, the manticore had to throw away any pride it had or any urge to have fun.


    Kill. The only option was to kill them. Who cares about leaving edible parts to eat or killing them in an entertaining manner. These prey dont deserve to live even for another second. Killing them was the only way for it to regain its pride as a monster.


    Wounded in the right foreleg? Heh, why does that matter when there were 3 other legs.


    Magic sealed? Didnt matter since it still had its ws, fangs, tail and poison needles.


    Paralysed by the poison? Regardless, even if the numbing sensation was considered, the manticore believed that its current physical ability was superior to theirs.


    Grrrrraahh!


    A sharp scream came from the manticore, who had lost full control of its mouth thanks to the poison.


    The air crackled and the manticores bloodlust swirled like a whirlwind.


    Stay focused! We don''t know what''s going to happen yet!


    The party which had been feeling too rxed after turning the tables re-heightened their senses upon Joelsmand.


    That''s right, manticores were ranked B+. Usually, such a monster would not be so easily done by a C-ranked party.


    Taking it easy now would lead to grave injuriester. They had poisoned the manticore with the use of their unconventional strategy. It was four against one. The party should be rather evenly matched since they had Joel, who was well beyond the realm of a C-ranker, and the magic sword as their trump card...no, their actual chances were probably 4 in 10 or perhaps even worse, 3 in 10.


    Even if you didnt tell us!


    Of course!


    ...Not about to be careless here!


    Rosalie readied her staff, Mariano gripped his mace, and Sheeran nocked an arrow.


    And then Joel swung his sword, which was still burning in mes.


    Let''s go! We must defeat this monster and return!


    The adventurer party "Guardian of Bnce" against the evil monster, manticore.


    Their final all-out battle was about to begin.


    As mentioned previously, even with all of their advantages in y, the monster was still stronger. Still, Joel and his team believed strongly in their victory.


    Suddenly, the first move was made.


    ...Windburst!


    A gust of wind struck the manticore.


    S-sssssacrifice!?


    The manticore shrieked in astonishment as it was flung inwards into the forest.


    Huh?


    Who could have made the huh in a stupefied tone at this situation? Perhaps it was all four of them. After all, they had cornered a powerful enemy that they would normally be no match against, and just before the final decisive strike, thedder was pulled beneath them. It was inevitable for their minds to be nk while seeing that.

 Chapter 46: Exploring the Demon Woods 3 (3)

    Chapter 46: Exploring the Demon Woods 3 (3)


    Something was rustling in the grass and moving towards the stunned Joel and others.


    What are you doing here! It''s dangerous!


    The boy who wore a fur waistcoat, looked like a hunter. However, it seemed incredibly unlikely for a hunter to be alone in this dangerous dungeon, nor did he seem like he was capable of blowing away the manticore with magic. The matter of fact was that he was no ordinary person.


    Sheeran muttered, staring intently at the boy''s ears.


    "Elf?


    Elves had ears sharper and sharper than other races. It was unmistakable evidence of being an elf.


    Indeed, this Trees of Darkness was an unexplored forest. It might not be surprising if there were elves living in istion from the humans. But why had he decided to help humans at thest minute, given elves usual animosity against humans?


    Anyways, lets run. If we don''t, that monster wille after us again!


    Um, yes...


    This way,e on!


    Leading the way, the elf boy ran windwards. Joel and the others hesitantly chased after him.


    Um, is this fine, Joel?


    I''m not sure if we could have beaten the Manticore without any losses if we continued like that. I think we follow him here and escape.


    I agree. We were able to fight back, in part because the manticore was just ying around. Also, our original goal was to find out what monster lurked within the forest. In that sense, we''ve achieved our goal.


    I suppose so. But is it safe to go with that elf?


    Hmmm, elves recognise these monsters as enemies too, right? Then perhaps we can trust him.


    At any rate, he had saved their lives earlier. It was true that humans and elves werent on the best terms because of very. But it was notpletely impossible to be friendly either, since there were some elves who left their forest to be adventurers and integrate with humans. Moreover, they were in a dangerous ce where they could encounter monsters at any time. There was nothing in it for the elf to be tracking them.


    Such a line of thought would be the norm.


    After running upwind for an hour or so, they stopped in a small clearing, like an air pocket in the woods. There was no sign of them being followed from behind. Did they shake off the manticore?


    The elf who led Joel and the others here turned to look at them while wiping sweat from his face.


    Well, that was too dangerous, outsiders. What brings you to the depths of this forest?


    He said this with a smile, perhaps out of relief at having survived a close call.


    The Trees of Darkness was an unexplored forest. This elf probably did not know about the existence of the human race, let alone the profession of an adventurer.


    Well, we are monster-yers by trade, and that''s what we''re here for. We came to y monsters.


    Joel, the leader of the group, blurted out a vague exnation. There were many adventurers who got into conflicts with elves who lived in forests. Sometimes, there were adventurers who were not interested in defeating monsters, but in the exotic nts and mushrooms in the forest. And of course, those items were of high value to the elves who lived in the forest. Joel didn''t want to exin the situation fully andplicate things.


    The elf boy maintained his smile.


    "Really?! Wow, you''re here to y such a scary monster! It''s a big help to us who live here, too!


    Haha, we dont deserve that much praise.


    Drawn into the conversation, Mariono smiled too.


    Really, it''s not something to be praised. We failed to finish off the manticore. Ah, we arent ming you at all. If the fight had continued, we may have been in trouble.


    Thats a relief!


    The boy replied cheerfully to Rosalie''s words too.


    Sheeran interjected.


    By the way...you.


    Yes? What is it?


    Whats with this lousy act?


    She gave her verdict coldly.


    Click.


    It was so abrupt that one could almost hear the elven boy stopping all his movements. His expression froze in the masked smile.


    But it was only for a short moment. He started speaking again with a smile.


    Wait, no, no! What even is acting?


    Sheeran? What do you mean?


    Yeah! What the hell is going on?


    Joel questioned her with a serious expression, while Rosaliepared herpanion with the strange elf. Mariano stared narrowly at the boy while putting a hand to his chin.


    Sheeran continued.


    The ebbs and flow of his emotions were too constant.And his voice is exaggerated. As though he was a pimp luring girls in the slum into prostitution.


    What a terrible thing to say! As though I am somebody who does terrible things to women! I am going to be angry if you dont apologise!


    The elf expressed his anger in a joking manner, raising a fist to the side of his face.


    But Sheeran was not all impressed by his pretense.


    If you''re trying to be angry, I think it''s toote. You are being too tolerant of me, a half-elf, aren''t you?


    Huh?


    "Elves hate children with human blood in their veins, so much so that they refuse to even catch a sight of them.


    Indeed. It was unheard of for a normal elf to have such a long conversation with a half-elf. It''s all the more so if the half-elves were suspicious. Elves prided themselves on the purity of their blood and would curse at mixed-blood elves as though they were hairless monkeys. There was no way an elf would show any tolerance for half-elves.


    This was more likely to be the case if the elves were so closed off that they didnt know the concept of an adventurer.


    No, I mean, it was too dark and I couldnt see clearly! And besides... yeah, yeah! I don''t care about those things! Don''t you think it''s ridiculous to be trapped in discrimination and prejudice and all that? That''s what I think! That''s it!


    Oh, that''s very noble of you, isn''t it?


    So you do understand, Mr. Priest!


    The boy smiled at Mariano, thanking him for helping out.


    But you seem to know quite a bit. Where did you learn the indecencies of the outside world, such as pimp?


    Huh?


    "And you said ''someone who does terrible things to women''? You know what it means, don''t you? Where did you learn such a word? By the way, it means ''a person who introduces girls to work in brothels'', to be precise. Do you have prostitutes and pimps in your vige? You didn''t even know what we were doing in the forest when you saw us dressed like this, young Elf?


    Mariano readied his mace with a stern look. He considered the elven boy in front of him to be aplete enemy.


    Joel also pointed his sword. The effects of the magic sword had expired. But the dull glint of the worn sword was more than sufficient to draw blood.


    And how did you know that Mr. Mariano was a priest? He is in full body armor and armed with a weapon. If you werent familiar with human society - if you''re not an adventurer, wouldnt you think of him as a warrior, rather than a priest?


    Oh! So you were trying to trick us!


    Finally, Rosalie, finally able to grasp the story, held her staff tightly.


    There were too many peculiarities with this elven boy. He seemed like he was pretending to be unaware of things he had already known. For Sheeran who was brought up in the slums and Mariano who had gone through hardship during his solo days, they were absolutely convinced that he was trying to deceive them.


    Joel and Rosalie trusted their two calmpanions wholeheartedly.


    The bnce in the Guardian of Bnce was tilted in the direction of recognising the presence in front of them as an enemy.


    As expected, the elven boy shrugged his shoulders and raised both his hands resignedly.


    Haah...I guess thats it. You''re more perceptive than I thought, despite being a half-breed of a hairless monkey. Those guys from the other day were much more simple-minded.

 Chapter 46: Exploring the Demon Woods 3 (4)

    Chapter 46: Exploring the Demon Woods 3 (4)


    And then heughed mockingly. A derisive twisted smile revealing his contempt.


    He was definitely not a harmless forest elf. It was something more horrific.


    Those guys from the other day?


    Hmm? Does that bother you? Was it a month or two ago? Alliance, was it? Arge group of adventurers made up by several parties lumped together. They were scattered by the monster attack, so we had the chance to round them up. Those that we didnt catch survived, right? What a shame. It would have been a perfect score if we got them all.


    It appears that this elf had a part to y in the incident which led to the recognition of the Trees of Darkness as a dungeon.


    Why would you do that!?


    "Of course it''s to protect the forest, right? The prospectors came here to find the veins of ore and clear a path to the mountain. The adventurers came in search of them. But if we let them return safely to their homes, then they would build mining sites, eventually bringing trouble to the forest.


    Despite being surrounded by this group of adventurers, the elf had no difficulties in presenting his ount of the incident.


    His tone was strangely devoid of warmth. For example, when he spoke of retaliation against humans to protect the forest. If he wanted to safeguard the forest, he should have had a sense of duty and mission to protect the forest, and thus, show passionate emotions and spite towards humans. But there was nothing like that. There was nothing but cold contempt and mockery.


    The elf continued on, smiling hideously.


    As a matter of fact, you adventurers can be paid by aristocrats and merchants to attack us elves. All to shack up our women and children and sell them off. How awful, really. That''s just like being a pimp. Hahahaha.


    Thats enough...shut it.


    Joel coldly cut him off.


    If he had to go along and listen to his impudent speech any further, Joel could not help but feel like chopping off his head. It would be better both for the world and for people if he actually did so but that wouldnt go well. There was still something that this guy had to do for them.


    Just shake your head in silence and answer the question. Are you going to lead us out of the forest?


    They need to find the exit of the forest. While they had escaped from the manticore, they could not return the same way they came from. Firstly, they were brought to the ce they were currently at by this crazy elf. The only way to find the escape route was from this guy, no matter how annoying he was.


    The elf only had a condescendingugh as reply.


    Hahahahaha! I hate them both! Both staying quiet and leading the way out!


    Joel moved into action as he answered.


    Is that so!


    It went against his principle of hurting an unarmed opponent, but the opponent was a madman with malicious intent. If he didnt understand the position he was in, he would have to force an appropriate reply from him, though it would require some pain. Fortunately, they also had a priest, Mariano, here. Even if he lost a limb or two, Mariano would be able to heal.


    Protect me.


    The sh of Joels sword was stuck by something that came from the side.


    What the?


    Joel! ...Ugh!?


    Rosalie ran towards Joel who had been blown off by the hit. But she cowered in front of the enemy that had blown him away.


    OOOOHHHHHH!


    UOOOHHHHHH!


    GUOOHHHHH!


    Tentacle-like roots from living ancient trees crawled forward, brushing past branches and leaves. The hollows in their trunks, or the softer parts of their trunks, resembled huge human faces. The faces were distorted with loathe and hatred.


    Treants! That''s five of them!


    Bingo. Didnt I tell you? About how I brought the others to round them up? Did you think this ce would simply be a resting spot?


    The elf imed proudly, ncing at the one of the Treant.


    Oh, my, what a terrible thing you guys have done. Wounding the body of a forest spirit.


    ...What?


    Upon a closer look, there were scratches on the trunk of one of the treants.


    It was the marking that Sheeran carved to leave as andmark.


    I can''t believe it was really Treant then.


    "Watch out, i~idiot! This is the mystical body of a protector of the forest! You should have realised earlier. ...Or maybe its too much to ask from a vulgar half-breed?


    He was no longer hiding his disdain and discrimination against half-elves.


    Sheeran red back in retaliation.


    ...Ugh!


    Sheerans vision became blurry and her head wobbled.


    The tips of her fingers and toes went numb and strength left her body.


    Sheeran wasnt the only one who suffered this strange physical sensation. Mariano, too, had difficulties breathing and thrusted a knee to the ground. Rosalie leaned back on her staff, panting in pain.


    This is some paralysing poison!


    Joel said while trying to stand up. Even if they were under a surprise attack, he was a vanguard who was almost about to be promoted from C-rank. It was unnatural that it took him this long to recover from the previous fight. Hence, his conclusion that there was some poison involved.


    But when were they administered?


    It''s finally working? Maybe its normal for blood cirction to be slow for slow-witted people? ...Well, its all toote for you all now to only realise how weird this situation is after being lured here.


    D-Dont tell me...it was when we were chasing after you?


    Joel muttered in astonishment.


    Come to think of it, the elf always chose to run upwind when guiding them. That should have been the first thing they should have noticed that was strange. Monsters should have a good sense of smell. If they were trying to run away from the manticore, the preferred route should not have been upwind since their smell could be carried by the wind. If they were intentionally choosing to do so, then the purpose must have been to make use of the wind to disperse some kind of poison.


    Good deduction. By the way, whatever antidote you have in your possession is probably not going to work. This paralyzing poison is specially concocted by an incredibly skilled person. Hehehehe, Even venomous monsters are susceptible to other kinds of poison... was it? Its as you say, hahaha!


    That was when we were


    The situation was different, but that was what Mariano said when he paralyzed the manticore. From that moment on, this elf was already watching them?


    Hmm, it would be a problem if the priest could heal the paralysis though. Restrain them, Treants. Just need to make sure they are unconscious


    OOOOHHHHH!


    The treants obeyed and started to coil around Joel and the party. With the snaking branches, their limbs were restrained and they were strangled too. They felt the sensation of losing consciousness.


    ...Hah


    Im-possible...this...


    God. Please...


    Sheeran, Rosalie, and Mariano passed out one by one.


    Even thest remaining Joel could only stare at the perpetrator and with all his strength,


    Who the heck...are you...


    Tricking adventurers, poisoning them and using the ancient treants as if they were property was unbelievable for an elf. To think that such an evil person was an elf. In response, the elf sneered.


    Didnt I tell you? I am an elf that fights against outsiders to protect the forest.


    Tormented by the evil voice, the young swordsman''s consciousness descended into darkness.


    Even after confirming that the adventurers were all unconscious, the elf gave them a sniff of a new bottle of sleeping potion to be extra safe, and then finally let out a breath of relief.


    Then, he picked up a magical tool shaped like a talisman and put it near his mouth. It was an equipment imbued withmunication magic.


    E-08 to E-01. I repeat, E-08 to E-01. Please respond.


    From E-01 to E-08. I hear you loud and clear. Nomunication problems. ...Somehow I can''t get used to this way of speaking...

 Chapter 46: Exploring the Demon Woods 3 (5)

    Chapter 46: Exploring the Demon Woods 3 (5)


    The response that came back to the tool was a sense of friendliness one would get from their co-workers. The other party in themunication was the head of the vige to which this elf, E-08, belonged. She was the elf that led the hunters before seeding the chief when he passed away. She must be finding it difficult to shake off some old habits, E-08 thought.


    Speaking of which, hm? What caused the death of the previous chief?


    So? Are you done with the job you were entrusted with?


    E-08 snapped back into reality.


    Well, no point thinking about the dead, he thought. It''s those who were alive now that should matter, he reminded himself.


    Yes, of course.... Did I make you wait?


    Just a little. I felt a little uneasy about it? If you reported back a littleter, I was going to send Chaga  E-31 to have a look.


    ...Please dont do that.


    He could not help but stiffen up. E-08 did not have a good impression of the man mentioned by the chief. He didnt know if he was the son-inw of the chief or what, but it was said that he was specially given powers by their great leader. It''s not too hard to put up with that, but when it came to E-31''s attitude towards his work, he hardly showed any enthusiasm. But hunting in the sacred forest was a noble duty for the Witte tribe - now known as the E series.


    There was a momentary cut in their conversation and the atmosphere became really awkward. He tried to cover up the awkwardness by returning to the topic of work.


    Ill be reporting the spoils of today''s hunt. A swordsman, a mage, a priest, and a mixed-breed archer. Four in total.


    Ohh, there''s a priest? Mixed-breeds are a rare thing. Thats a good achievement.


    I can understand priests, but being excited for mixed-breeds?


    Derision involuntarily slipped from his lips. It seemed that their great leader was obsessed with priests these days. So that was understandable, but he wasnt convinced that a lowly half-breed would be considered excellent prey. It felt like mud was being smeared on the sacredness of the hunt.


    The chiefughed embarrassedly.


    It was just good timing for the mixed-breed. Ive heard that our leader wants elf virgins. But, well, us elves are a rare existence, so we cant just hand them over like toys. So it would be much favourable for us to submit the mixed-breed instead.


    What, really? But that girl was from a whore who opened her legs to hairless ones though? Surely, like his parents, she would be a vulgar brat. I''m not sure if she''s even a virgin or not


    Well, it''s certainly a rare prey to find anyway. In any case, you should be pleased at the catch.


    Indeed, the chief was right. As expected from a former ace hunter. Ah, she was still teaching young elves how to hunt. E-08 felt shame at his thoughtlessness.


    Well, then, time to take the spoils to the vige


    That was when a rumbling emerged.


    Sacrifice


    The manticore peeked out from the trees. It was chasing after the adventurers that had escaped. The wind had brought it here.


    Hey, what''s happening, E-08?


    No, it''s just the manticore who has been fighting the adventurers. It''s just that it got wounded and is hungry. He''ll need to be fed.


    E-08''s voice was easygoing, as though his dog had interrupted him while he was eating. Normally, no elf would be able toe across a monster as big as a manticore and show this level ofposure.


    However, the situation was a little different in this forest of Man. Most of the monsters in this forest were servants of the leader of the Witte tribe and his subordinate, the fearsome dark elf. Because of their limited magical supply, they needed to eat at the same intervals as they do in the wild, but they were sensible enough not to attack the elves, who were also guardians of the forest.


    In fact, the manticore ignored E-08, who was the culprit that sent him flying with magic. The manticore focused its attention and appetite towards the adventurers.


    Hmm. Then give it the swordsman and the mage. I don''t care as long as you bring back the priest and the mixed-breed.


    "Are you sure? I think the mage could be a good ve if we modified her and put a cor on her.


    I''ve been told that altering people who are known publicly would be an inconvenience. Of course, if she was a rare and valuable existence, then it might be worth it. ...Is this mage worth it as a sample?


    She was likely a C-ranked mage. Judging from her youth and her skill at creating the magic sword. With that in consideration,


    No, not at all. Then I shall follow your instructions, E-01, and return with the requested prey. Over.


    Okay, understood. Over.


    After finishing the conversation, he quickly put away the tool. Then, he gave instructions to the Treant.


    Transport the priest and the mixed-breed to the vige. Let me know when they wake up from their slumber. I don''t want the swordsman and the mage. Leave them.


    OOOOHHHHH!


    The treants started to move, making loud thuds with each step. E-08, gently nodded his head as he passed the manticore.


    You know, I think that was too much difficulty you had against these C-rankers. Thanks to you, I had to put on a y for them.


    Uuu...


    While being disciplined like a dog, the monster could only make whimpers of disapproval. It was a scene that would make anyone familiar with dungeons faint.


    However, this wasmonce in the Trees of Darkness. The man-eating monsters were just pawns to be used as hounds by the elven hunters. But they were important pawns. If they died, then the dark elf would have to go out of her way to find more recements.


    So, the manticore had to be careful not to be defeated by adventurers.


    Well, your food will be left here and you can reflect on what you''ve done. Next time, don''t expect me to be there to help you again, okay?


    Yes...! Sacrifice...! Sacrifice!!


    With the munching of a delighted manticore as background music, E-08 hurried back to the vige. He wondered how much their leader would reward him in exchange for the adventurers he had captured alive.


    Thus, one of the more promising parties of the adventurer''s guild, the Guardian of Bnce, met their ends in thend of darkness.

 Chapter 47: Scarlets Research 1 (1)

    Chapter 47: Scarlets'' Research 1 (1)


    The residence of Tullius Shernan Oubeniel, Lord of Man, was furnished in a military design to give it the feel of a Lords estate. Armour sat on disy in every hallway, and each room was decorated with mounted animals such as deer and bear giving it a rustic feel.


    It wasmon for first time visitors to the castle-like building to be surprised at the scenery.


    The visitors on this asion had the same reaction as other visitors.


    I hope that didn''t surprise you.


    The young man who was guiding the guests said with a mischievous smile. With his gorgeous appearance, one might be misled into thinking that he was the master of this house. However, Victor Dcroix Lorge, was only a vassal, despite being considered a crown jewel in the estate.


    For him to be in the service of an aristocrat with a poor reputation seemed like a huge waste. The person to whom his smiles were directed to may blush if she were a woman, and even if he was a man, they might feel conflicted.


    However, the guests he was guiding this time did not have the sensitivity to be affected by his smiles.


    Oh, that was certainly surprising.


    The tall man at the front said so with indifference. He was part of the four being guided by Victor. His fiery red hair was stretched out boldly and stroked back like a lion''s mane. He had a deep, chiseled nose and eyes that were stern, yet somehow had a depth that made people feel at ease. He was dressed in a ck iron full-body armour with emblems and gold trimmings scattered around. The armour was covered with a gaudy crimson red cloak. The weapon on his waist was a curved sword, as though it was the fang of a giant creature. His de was thick and wide, giving the impression that it had been forged in the fires of battle. A quick nce at it made it apparent that it was no ordinary magical sword.


    If Victor gave off the impression of a well-groomed aristocrat, this man was more akin to a renowned general. But just like Victor who was simply a vassal, this man was not a general. Nor was he a knight or an aristocrat.


    He was an adventurer. And a top-notched one at that.


    He continued speaking without malicious intentions.


    From what Ive heard, I didnt think he was a man with interests like these.


    M-Mister Gerald!


    From behind the man, a voice called out his name, seemingly to reproach him for the insensitive remark.


    The owner of the voice was a woman. She was in her mid-twenties or so. Her eyes were hidden by her long bangs, but even so, the neat bridge of her nose and her full, shapely lips indicated that she was a very beautiful woman. She had a fleshy and sensual body, but was dressed in the dress of a nun, with a holy cross woven on the chest area. It was an oddbination for a nun, so it wouldn''t be that strange to imagine that there would be men holding immoral lusts over her. However, there was something more peculiar about her.


    Everything she wore was bright-red. Her robe and her hat were all red. Strictly speaking, it was scarle in colour. Her sense of colour was, if anything, even more uncharacteristic for a nun.


    That may not be a bad thing. She was not a genuine nun, but an adventurer who fought with her skills as a priest. She was a member of the party led by Gerald.


    Hm? What is it, Ninon?


    Gerald turned and looked over his shoulder. From his expression, it seemed that he was unaware of why he was being med. The woman, called Ninon, shied away from his gaze.


    I...um...dont think that is a good way to put it...


    It is no problem at all.


    Victor shed a wry smile to help her out.


    It does not appear like the home of a person who enjoys alchemy. Is that what you think...?


    He followed up by saying that Gerald''s earlierment was not a dig at his Lord''s infamous behaviour. Ninon quickly nodded to agree.


    Yes, yes! Yes, that''s right! Well, I''m sorry! I''m really sorry!


    The agreement quickly turned into a bow of apology. The way she apologised for her behavior was strangely fitting, despite the provocative colours of her clothes and appearance.


    Gerald, on the other hand, put his hand on his chin, groaning.


    Huh? What''s going on?


    What''s going on? No! Oh, I''m really so sorry! He doesnt mean any harm, he is just a bit impolite. We''ve been living in the middle of nowhere all our lives, so we''re not very good with etiquette. We are sorry for being hillbillies from the countryside!


    Victor couldnt help but twitch his mouth in response to Ninon getting down on her knees to apologise. Only he himself would know whether he was being angry or trying to hold back hisughter.


    Oh, no. We''re in the middle of nowhere too, so don''t worry about it.


    Hah!? I-I''ve been so rude! I''m sorry too! I''m so sorry that I was born!


    What a troublemaker.


    You''re the one who''s always getting in trouble, Gerald.


    A certain person observed their uproar from a few steps away.


    Well, well, well. Here we go again, the two of you rambling on.


    That''s bullshit! Why don''t you stop it, Gotsch?


    Just kidding. Isnt this amusing, Mister Cedric?


    One of them was of medium build and wore a red bandana over his head. He had a monkey-like appearance, which made him look like a fun and friendly guy. However, there was no casualness in the way he carried himself, and his limbs were long and slender inparison to his height. He wore protection on areas like his chest, knees and elbows. He used a belt made with animal pelt as a tasuki (sash that loops over the shoulders) and slotted in dangerous-looking darts in it. Two curved daggers hung from his waist. But the strangest thing about this man was that his presence felt so weak that it was easy to lose sight of him even if he was just in front. If one wasnt actively aware of him, it was very possible that he could dig the other partys heart out without being noticed.


    He was a thief skilled in stealth. It would be rather obvious that he was so by looking at him.


    On the other hand, the other person was a giant, almost two metres tall. He was rugged, bulky and tough. At least that was the impression he gave. It was difficult to discern his build in detail since he wore armour from neck down. Compared to Geralds armour, his armour was clearly thicker. It seemed like his armour was enhanced with weight reduction magic but it still looked crushingly heavy, almost enough to cause the average persons feet to sink onto the ground. To be so rxed while wearing such armour must mean that he was rather well-built. On his back, he carried a variety of armaments, including a sharp pickaxe, a single-edged axe, and a short spear suitable for throwing. In his hand was arge shield with red scales. The shield was sorge and heavy that it would probably sink onto the ground if dropped.


    He was the personification of the impregnable  a heavy warrior. No other job seemed more fitting.


    A priest, a thief, a heavy warrior, and the leader, a swordsman.


    A party of four adventurers. These were the guests who had been invited to the Lord of Mans mansion today.


    A man who looked like an official passed by them in the corridor, while giving them a stern look. Heavily armed strangers strolling around in the mansion of an aristocrat naturally drew derision. However, the adventurers have their own reasoning for it.


    For adventurers, the equipment they wore was their lifeblood. It was so valuable that it was very possible for it to be stolen at any time if they didnt keep it by their side. This was especially true for high-ranking adventurers. The more skilled they were, the more rewards they could earn and the more opportunities they had to obtain rare materials. Naturally, their equipment was more powerful and expensive. There were probably as many people as stars who would be tempted to steal it upon seeing it. It was even necessary for the guild to make a rule that adventurers were not allowed to kill each other. In order not to be robbed or killed, they had to treat it as though wherever they went was a battlefield. This also applied even if they were visiting an aristocrat.


    Cough. ...Well, as Gerald mentioned, my master certainly does not enjoy disying his wares. However, the people who have associated with us often suggest that we decorate the house a little. Thats why we chose to put up useful things. Well, we thought that taxidermy would blend well with armour and weapons.

 Chapter 47: Scarlets Research 1 (2)

    Chapter 47: Scarlets'' Research 1 (2)


    Victor exined, trying to fill the silence. Ninon breathed out a sigh of relief at his words, d that the topic was diverted.


    Not catching the hint, Geraldmented.


    I see what you mean. With such preparations, even if a rebellion were to urAah! By the way, what''s the story behind this armor? I''m curious!


    Umm, yes. This armour was gifted from Baron Arlez.


    A gift? Your rtionship with the other noblemen is not as bad as rumoured huh


    You! Please, just shut up already!


    Thus, every time Gerald opened his mouth, she would scream.


    Hehehe, Ninons troubles seem never-ending. By the way, Cedric. What do you think of this armour?


    No interest! My armour is surely better.


    Hey! Cedric, don''t say anything unnecessary!


    ...Please enjoy yourselves and have some tea until the Lord arrives.


    Victor wiped his tense face with a handkerchief and urged the noisy guests to calm down.


    Most adventurers were entric. Rather than keeping up with their pace, it was better to just focus on what was important. As the butler, he decided that was the best way to get on with it.


    Delicious! These baked sweets are really good! I''m not too sure about the tea though!


    Shut up, Cedric. Try to have some ss, like me.


    Well, aren''t you two pretty much the same when ites to ss? Please stop embarrassing yourselves...


    Don''t be too stiff, Ninon. We''ve been told to rx, so why don''t we just do that?


    The four adventurers who were ushered into the reception room were even noisier than they had been in the hallway. Perhaps it was because they were sitting on thefortable sofa and rxing with a cup of warm tea. In other words, they were already trying to be considerate earlier.


    Nobody watching was overly dismayed at their constant unbing behaviour. Victor had gone to call his master. In his ce were ves dressed as maids who had been tasked to serve them.


    Normally, ves were not supposed to be shown to guests. However, the Lord of Man, who ced great importance on pragmatism, chose not to employ or have his talented vassals be used for just serving food. Therefore, it was customary in this mansion for such roles to be filled by ves. Victor and Laubert must have had many bouts of headaches thanks to this. In fact, at the banquet held tomemorate thepletion of the mansionst year, they had informed their Lord of this matter, but nothing had changed from then.


    Of course, since they would be seen by outsiders, only the better-looking ves were chosen for this role. Although the master, Tullius, was not concerned at all about this aspect, his subordinates were more careful on this point. As much as their budget allowed, they tried their best to improve whatever outwardly aspect as possible. They, as in, Laubert, who was in charge of purchasing ves and Uni, who instructed and trained ves. However, this was not the case for ves that did not need to be shown to the public.


    Of course, the person being entertained had no way of knowing such circumstances. They would simply think that they had a lineup of beautiful ves.


    Another helping of tea. Crunch, crunch...This snack is tasty, but the crunchiness is making me thirsty.


    Gerald lifted his cup and called for a ve. There was cookie residue around his handsome features, making him somewhat less attractive than usual. As he repeated the motion of chewing, bits of the cookie fell out from his mouth. If he hadn''t moved his mouth, he would have looked dignified, but now he was nothing more than arge kid.


    Ninon sat next to him, her cheeks red with shame as she repeatedly wiped the cookie residue from her armour. Her armour was expensive, and staining it with sweets would make her aughingstockter. She wriggled her mouth and was gesturing with her hands  probably to chide Gerald. She didnt raise her voice, perhaps because she felt she would be ignored as usual.


    A ve maid, oblivious to the scene unfolding, held up a teapot respectfully.


    Yes, sir. I''ll pour it for you right away.


    In a graceful motion, she poured a reddish-brown liquid into the cup. Even though this was his second cup, the temperature of the tea and the degree of steaming were as precise as if she had carefully measured and chosen them. It was hard to believe that this was the work from a ve. Of course, an expert tea-brewer might be able toe up with a fewints, but this was still impressive for the house of a Viscount.


    Mmm? I''m kinda sorry, but its okay not to rebrew the tea from scratch. As long as the tea can wash out these crispy bits


    Mister Gerald, it''s called thest drop. Oh, you don''t know that, do you? How embarrassing.


    It was probably more vexing to be called out like that than to not actually know it though.


    Heey, lil miss. You''re such a looker and your tea is delicious! How about it? Wont youe with me? I could discuss it with your master.


    Gotsch said, lowering his ape-like face. In other words, paying her out of bondage. The custody of a ve can be exchanged for money. So, if her master epts the offer and the price is paid, this female ve could even be his property by today. Gotsch shamelessly took the maid''s hand and tried to sweet-talk her.


    This time, Ninon said nothing. She just looked on as if to say, Here we go again.


    ...Are you jok.


    No, no, I''m serious. If you want, I can promise to take off your cor.


    Thank you for your kindness, but master has been very nice to me. I do not intend to ask to be freed


    She politely declined. That''s the way it has always been with Gotsch and his friends were well aware of that. He slumped his shoulders and frowned dejectedly.


    Oh, that''s a shame T-Then, how bout just one night


    Stop with the nonsense! It''s outrageous to be so easily charmed by the allures of women! You haven''t trained your body and mind enough!


    The heavy warrior shouted at the reluctant thief. It would have been a more convincing act if he hadn''t sent the residue of the pastry flying while shouting.


    I''m really sorry for the trouble my people are causing. You may not believe it, but we''re all good at what we do - well, more specifically, only good at what we do. But we will make sure to do our job well, so please forgive us.


    No, we do not mind at all, guests. Please raise your face.


    Your words are too much for my humble self. I greatly appreciate your sentiments.


    The maids offered words offort to the nun who apologised for the rudeness of her party. However, their facial expressions and tone of voice were as t as cogs in a machine, so it was difficult to discern their true emotions. In particr, it seemed as if their hearts were not even there.


    Gerald watched the exchange from the side, sipping his tea.


    Ah, Im sorry to have kept you all waiting.


    An aristocrat, served by his attendants, entered the room with a soft but somewhat light voice.


    He was a young man with brown hair and a well-formed yetcking face. An unwrinkled shirt could be seen from under the fine vest he was wearing. His pants appeared to be made for ease of movement as can be seen from the expensive looking, soft fabric.


    He was basically just a harmless and mild-mannered young man. However, everyone knew that he was not such an easy person to deal with.


    In the royal capital of Broussonne, he was abhorred as a ve-murderer and a man-eating snake and was heavily involved in a casest year, when a certain count lost his position. He was said to have survived an attempt on his life by Marquis Lavallee, the most powerful man in the kingdom.


    Such a person introduced himself in a gentle manner.


    Greetings, I am Viscount Tullius Shernan Oubeniel. Wee to my residence. I hope you have enjoyed the stay.


    He even bowed.


    It was unexpected. The nobles of the Kingdom of Arquell were very prideful. It was probably the same for every country, but this country was even more so. After all, they were only second to the Omnian Empire in terms of history and the wealth in the continent. He should show more pride in himself. However, this man who was rumoured to havemitted ve murder did not show such pride. It was rather odd.


    ...Yeah, we enjoyed it.


    Gerald''s evasive reply was not the attitude of amoner towards an aristocrat, but he was allowed to do so. Tullius epted it without any signs of concern.

 Chapter 47: Scarlets Research 1 (3)

    Chapter 47: Scarlets'' Research 1 (3)


    That''s good to hear  members of the A-rank adventurer party, Scarlet Shield.


    A rank.


    It was the pinnacle for adventurers, in terms ofpetence. Dragons, higher-ranking vampires, and Cerberus are the kinds of monsters they fought against. It should not be difficult to understand the value of such people who were entrusted with the task of defeating such monsters. They were living legends who confronted monsters which humanity had no hope against except to bow in defeat.


    There was another rank, the S rank, but it was more of an honorary title. The only condition for promotion from A to S rank was that the adventurer must have made significant contributions to the guild. An A-ranked adventurer could earn enough to feed himself for several years in a single adventure. Those who werezy would take requests less frequently, while those who were more diligent would usually only take jobs that interested them. For example, quests that involved battles with powerful enemies or exploration of unknownnds. Such jobs were in no waymonce. That was why requests for high-level adventurers tend to pile up and go unfulfilled. To solve this problem, the rank, S, was established as a kind of decoration to encourage those who were motivated by honour and title.


    That''s why A rank was the pinnacle for an adventurer. There was no clear distinction in ability between it and S rank.


    In other words, the party sitting in front of Tullius were some of the most talented adventurers in the world.


    Ah, you guys havent introduced yourself yet.


    The red-haired swordsman led the way, with the others proudly revealing their names in sequence.


    I am Gerald. Gerald Red Lion Layson. I am the leader of the party.


    My name is Cedric Crimson Wall! Nice to meet you!


    Gotsch Dancing Ape. Hehe, pleased to meet you.


    My name is Ninon Scarlet Nun.


    Naturally, all of them had a nickname. They announced the proof of their bravery and talent with pride.


    Tullius shut his eyes for a moment as if deeply impressed, before opening his eyelids and nodding.


    I''ve remembered your great names. Then shall we


    Oh, I understand. Ninon


    Here.


    Ninon respectfully presented the two separate letters after being prompted.


    One was a letter from the adventurer''s guild. The other was a letter from a noble.


    The civil servant in attendance  Victor  briefly inspected them before handing it to his Lord.


    Your Excellency.


    Hm. These must be the notification letter from the guild and the letter from Margrave Doldran. Please give permission to allow the people listed to stay in the territory to allow them to explore the Trees of Darkness Haa, all these formalities are so bothersome. We had already agreed on this before.


    Sir, you are before the guests.


    No, we don''t mind. We find the formalities troublesome too.


    As Tullius fumbled with the letter in disgust, Gerald nodded in approval.


    The adventurers were visiting and staying in the territory, and the lord acknowledged it. This meeting was held only to confirm this fact to each other.


    These formalities were certainly ostentatious, but it was a different story when the adventurers were A-ranked. The personal soldiers of lords were unlikely to be a match to them. It was a headache for the nobles to have adventurers who could outmatch their own army roaming freely in their territory. Therefore, when an A-rank adventurer moved to another territory, it was customary to exchange written permission beforehand, and to hold a meeting like this afterwards.


    This was a tacit understanding and there were no particr penalties for breaking it, but it was better to follow it as much as possible. Margrave Doldran, the Lord of the territory where the Scarlett Shield came from, understood these customs.


    Still, it is somewhat surprising. I didn''t think Lord Doldran would let you all go.


    The west has been calm. It won''t be a problem if we left for a short while.


    The big game have all been taken down!


    Oh? Isnt that amazing!?


    Tullius widened his eyes.


    The western part of the Kingdom was dangerous in a different sense,pared to St. Gallen. There were norge numbers of monsters, but asionally, a powerful monster would appear. This was due to the strong monstersing from the great desert where dark elves live, and the demonic penins beyond it  both of which were outside the sphere of human influence.


    He was boasting that they had taken down all the notable monsters in the west, where even dragons were sometimes sighted. If these had not been the words of the very best among the A rankers, it would have been dismissed as the ramblings of a fool.


    Adventurers get rusty if they don''t fight. It''s a lifesaver to have new challenges.


    Gotsch?


    The nun chastised the thief for his light words. It was not right to say that they were d to have a new dungeon in front of the lord.


    Fortunately, the young noble did not seem to mind.


    No, no, no, don''t worry about it. So, you are here to explore the Trees of Darkness?


    I don''t suppose there are other business that would require an A-rank to attend to here.


    That''s true.


    This was an investigation of the Trees of Darkness, a dungeon that appeared in Man. This was a direct request from the Adventurer''s Guild, not from an intermediary from somewhere else. Gerald and the others were here for this quest.


    It seems the guild has finally decided to get serious. Theyve brought three other B-rank parties in addition to us.


    An alliance with A rankers at the core and B rankers on the nks? Magnificent.


    There are probably more adventurersing, since C rank and below adventurers will act as support.


    In fact, we could have moved in much sooner. The folks at headquarters finally made their move after their favourite was crushed and their asses were on fire!


    Cedric was referring to the case in which a C-ranked party, the Guardian of Scales, was annihted in the Trees of Darkness. Apparently, they were frustrated with the guild lethargy in taking action and attempted to scout the dungeon on their own. Furthermore, in the background, there was a monopoly of hunting grounds by mid-level adventurers, and they were worried about the decreasingpetency of adventurers in Man.


    These stem from the guild''s negligence. It was not umon for adventurers to kill each other in disputes over hunting grounds. Respecting adventurers autonomy, they hesitated to intervene, which in turn made the situation worse. This was amon urrence here. While they folded their arms and watched the problem unfold, a promising star who was about to be promoted to B rank went down. The guild finally became flustered.


    Gotsch let out a sigh with a sarcastic expression.


    I heard there was a lot of trouble at the guild headquarters in Canales. The official who was supporting the party shouted that there was a liability issue. The one who was being told off deflected by saying it was her fault for showing them favouritism and making them arrogant. I heard that it took them three days to conclude that they should finally send a serious survey team.


    Well, wasnt that quick? Broussonne would have taken at least 5 times longer.


    Tullius maintained his smile as he joked. It would be good to say that he was enjoying the chat. However, there was no sense of seriousness nor urgency in his tone. It did not seem to concern him.


    The Trees of Darkness existed here in Man, and he was the lord of thisnd.


    Speaking of dealing with things, how are things moving on your end?


    Gerald spoke stiffly towards the happy-go-lucky looking youth. Tullius blinked his eyes gently.


    The town has been expanded in capacity and is ready to receive more adventurers. Is there anything else you need?


    How about requesting for more high-ranking adventurers?


    Mr. Gerald!


    Ninon restrained him. It was clear that Gerald had gone too far with his statement. It was beyond the scope of a short meet and greet session to try and find out what the other party was thinking. In addition to that, asking an aristocrat on the security measures for his territory was not something that an outsider who just arrived yesterday would do.


    But the words that came out of his mouth could not be taken back. Tullius'' gaze wandered upwards as if he was considering Geralds question.


    Hm, even if you ask me...We don''t know what''s inside the Trees of Darkness yet. In such a situation, even if you ask me to request a B rankers and higher


    But I heard you had quickly requested help to find the missing ore prospectors.


    Gerald was referring to how the Trees of Darkness was discovered. Tullius had sent C and D-ranked adventurers to search for the missing people. Due to that, many adventurers lives were lost.

 Chapter 47: Scarlets Research 1 (4)

    Chapter 47: Scarlets'' Research 1 (4)


    The first thing that came to mind towards his questioning was a sigh. It was a sigh, as if to say, This can''t be helped, as if Gerald was an inattentive child or a student who had difficultiesprehending.


    Rescuing the prospectors was a matter of great concern to our territory. After all, we are trying to boost our fledgling mining industry? It''s human nature to want to rescue the prospectors who might have found new veins of ore. If the group was made up of primarily C-ranked adventurers, then it wouldnt cause too big a dent on the finances too.


    Finances, huh...


    Gotsch repeated sarcastically. He nced at Gerald momentarily and gave a small nod.


    Even though you have money to build new housing in the town?


    The lord, Tullius, was expanding and improving the town to prepare for an influx of adventurers who wereing to deal with the dungeon. But wasn''t it strange? It would be easier to hire high-ranking adventurers to investigate the dungeon and kill the monsters without such a huge undertaking. This way, the problem could be solved in a shorter time and expenses could be reduced too.


    That was the point Gerald was trying to make.


    Tullius appeared unconcerned. He was still giving a bitter smile as though he was the wise gazing at the foolish.


    His vassals, on the other hand, did not seem to feel the same.


    You may call this a difference in viewpoints.


    Victor interrupted, his beautiful face distorted in annoyance.


    It is the duty of the nobility to enrich theirnds, and one way of doing so is to expand their towns and attract adventurers. Through this, the poption can gain new jobs, and some merchants can start new ventures.


    What''s wrong with that? That was the meaning he was trying to convey with his long-windedness.


    Tullius did not try to interrupt Victor. He recognised that he was speaking up for him as his subordinate. In other words, that was the intentions of the lord.


    You mightve forgotten something...


    Gotsch raised his hand and spoke. He seemed to be taking it easy but the glint in eyes said otherwise. He had a tendency to ease himself when he was on the verge of getting emotional by telling jokes and speaking lightly. His friends, who had known him for a long time, were well aware of this.


    Um, you know, when you make a town bigger. The number of people will increase. There''s a dangerous dungeon right next to it, you know? If the town is attacked by a monster that escaped from the Trees of Darkness, wouldn''t that be a big deal?


    He was afraid that the monsters would harm the innocent.


    The reaction from the nobles present, however, was that of indifference.


    And that''s why we''re calling for adventurers, isn''t it? Theyre already deployed in the Trees of Darkness to wipe out the monsters.


    Yes. That is the reason why no major issues have urred as of today.


    Victor did not try to conceal his exasperation in reply to Gotsch, while Tullius affirmed Victors reply.


    The extermination of the monsters near the entrance to the Trees of Darkness was going well. They believed there were no problems  was what they were seriously proposing.


    But what is happening on the ground? I heard that there were some adventurers arbitrarily upying the hunting grounds, negatively affecting the ie and training of other adventurers!?


    Cedric lost his nerve and questioned Tullius and others. Ninon, who had failed to stop them, looked upwards to the sky.


    Yes, there was in fact such a problem. This was a problem that affected all the adventurers based in Man. That''s why the Guardian of Bnce tried to break the impasse but was destroyed in the process.


    And yet...


    Shouldn''t that be resolved between the guilds and the parties involved?


    Yes. After all, adventurers don''t like to be constrained by those unrted to them, dont they? If adventurers want to maintain their own independence, then they must deal with their own problems. That''s what adventurer guilds are for too.


    Victors reply was that of nonchnce.


    The nobles don''t understand the crux of the matter. They seem to think that so long as they don''t provoke the monsters lurking deep in the forest and cull the monsters in the exterior, they would be fine, but they were wrong. The Scarlet Shield, which has made a name for itself in the west, felt that it was too naive of the nobles to think that way.


    A monster was, in essence, an adversary to the living. Monsters were hostile to all life that lived in the world of light. That''s why they frequently leave the dungeons they reside in and attack human settlements, spreading fear and chaos. There was no way monsters would stay quiet in the depths of the Trees of Darkness for so long. One day, they were bound to leave the forest and attack people.


    That was the case with all the monsters that had crossed the desert and attacked the west region. No matter how plentiful food was in their habitat, they would abandon it all to attack humans. They were not animals bound by the usual rules of ecosystems or food chains. In the end, monsters were anomalies of the world.


    Tullius and the foolish adventurers upying the hunting groundscked understanding towards this. There was no telling when a strong monster would genuinelyunch an attack on a human settlement. So it was unthinkable that selfish behaviour was running rampant, causing the quality of adventurers to decline. To have conducted themselves like that without any concerns, the middle-ranking adventurers in question must have gotten toofortable and thought of monsters as nothing more than prey to be hunted. In the west, which was constantly in peril, if there were people who would do such a thing, Gerald and his team would immediately in them.


    ...Don''t be too serious.


    Gerald and the others, who were unconsciously leaking bloodlust, were called out.


    The owner of the voice was a man who looked like a military officer attending to Tullius. He had dark hair that was cut in a casual manner, but was tall and well-built. His clothes were of good quality, but they seemed disproportionate to the crudeness he exuded. He was probably a formermoner who had been recruited to serve as a first generation knight. This was amon urrence for military officers, whose abilities were more important than their origins.


    We''re here to greet each other. There''s no need to be so stiff, dear guests.


    ...We have been impolite.


    Gerald expressed his gratitude with a bow.


    A-rank adventurers were usually excellent at controlling their presence. When dealing with powerful monsters, it was important to catch enemies off guard. In addition, the Scarlet Shield was the leading party in the western frontier. It was extremely umon for people to be able to perceive their murderous intent, suggesting that this man was no ordinary person.


    This man is?


    Oh, he serves my family. He is Due. Our chief military officer. Come on, greet him properly.


    Due Schwarzer. Sorry for thete greeting. It''s my great honour to meet renowned A-rank adventurers.


    Being urged, Due bowed his headzily. Judging from hisst name, he was probably from St. Gallen. If that was the case, it was rather curious that there was a person who woulde all the way from a neighbouring country to serve such a countryside noble  a man who was notorious too.


    Well, um..., Mr. Due, I assume you''re a famous warrior, too.


    As if to regain herposure, Ninon said. It was an opportunity to change the subject from the awkward atmosphere herrades have created. She was trying to divert the conversation.


    Nevertheless, Dueughed in self-derision.


    It''s not that big of a deal. Nothing but crappared to you all.


    Don''t be too modest, Due. You make me look like a fool for hiring you.


    He''s a former adventurer. His grade at the time was B, I believe?


    Victor took over and replied.


    B rank was the mark of an established adventurer. In St. Gallen, where there were many requests, a B-ranked adventurer could expect to earn a lot of money. Besides, he was still in his twenties by the looks of it. He must have risen to the rank of B at a young age. With more experience and aplishments, he could have been promoted to A rank by the time he was over 30 or so. One could say that it was too early for him to quit adventuring and serve under a noble.


    No, no, I think it''s splendid.


    Yeah, I guess...


    Gerald nodded in agreement with Ninon''s words.


    ...With somebody as aplished as yourself and the rumoured, Silver Wolf... We might not even need to be involved if you two teamed up and surveyed the Trees of Darkness.

 Chapter 47: Scarlets Research 1 (5)

    Chapter 47: Scarlets'' Research 1 (5)


    More bombs were dropped.


    Ninon''s expression froze into a feeble, affectionate smile.


    Speaking of which, we haven''t seen the girl weve heard so much about. What happened to her?


    It was Gotsch who asked quizzically.


    Even though the Scarlet Shield was from a remote area, it was not to the extent that they were ignorant of the rumours surrounding famous adventurers. If such famous adventurers moved into their area of operation, they may be formidablepetitors or reliable allies. And if things turned out badly, they might be ughtered by the other party without ever knowing.


    In that sense, the female adventurer named Uni, the Silver Wolf, whom Tullius was keeping around, was famous for both good and bad reasons. She was a young woman in her early teens and a ve, but was so skilled that she was given a nickname as a special exception despite her being only C rank. On the other hand, she had been involved in numerous problematic activities, which exined why she was unable to advance beyond C rank despite being highly regarded for her abilities. She made good use of the rule that death was part of the process and killed other adventurers. Anybody who tried to disagree with her on the ownership of a hunting ground? Somebody who offended her? As long as there was a reason, it was a fight to the death. She was like a bloodthirsty wolf. And her nickname was simply because she was an ursed silver beast.


    Last year, there was a rumour that she was the illegitimate daughter of a certain count, but it was not true. There was no way she was a nobledy. If she were, she would have to be noble from the Oubeniel family.


    The one who had kept such a monstrous girl with a cor was the noble in front of them, Tullius Shernan Oubeniel.


    Uni? Well, she''s rather busy as well...


    The wolf''s owner nced at the ceiling, feigning ignorance.


    It was a gesture that contained multiple meanings.


    Maybe off to assassi...


    Cough! Exc-! Cough! Oh, excuse me! My throat is kinda dry!


    Gerald was about to give the conclusion he arrived at, but was interrupted by Ninon''s deliberate cough.


    Tullius looked at them curiously.


    Oh, what''s wrong?


    No, it''s nothing, I just had a coughing fit, cough, cough.


    If you''re not feeling well, I''ll have someone bring you some medicine. If you want to see the girl, I could call her over at same time.


    Oh, please dont be troubled by it...


    If she was just somewhere else, please dont appear to be evasive. Ninon pleaded in her head.


    Let''s get back to where we were. Umm, so we were at, why didnt Due and Uni explore the Trees of Darkness?


    Yeah, with a former B ranked adventurer and the Silver Wolf who is as good as an A rank, surely these two wouldnt be insufficient to investigate the dungeon.


    You say that, but


    Tullius shed a wry smile.


    We''re taking a long-term approach to that dungeon. We''ll be working with the Adventurer''s Guild. Even if we try to solve the problem quickly and brute force it with the lone strength of Man... there is the risk of failure, you know. If Uni and Due were lost, there would be no way to rece them in a short period of time.


    I see.


    In short, he did not want to gather chestnuts from a fire. He did not want to make a choice that might result in the loss of his power. With that said, he had no intention of leaving the dungeon to be. Furthermore, he wanted to gain something out of this situation.


    It was too good to be true. The thing that pissed them off was that things were going pretty much the way this guy wanted it to. Tullius had seeded in getting A-ranked adventurers toe here withoutmitting a single dime of his own.


    Our conversation has gotten long. How about we have some more tea?


    Gerald and the others firmly declined. They were no longer in the mood to enjoy tea in this mansion as innocently as they had been earlier.


    Well, well.Those adventurers were more trouble than they seem, weren''t they?


    The reception room after the guests have left. There was no need to be polite anymore. I rolled my shoulders to relieve the stiffness, and reclined deeply on the sofa.


    Good work, your Excellency.


    Yes. But that''s unusual, Victor. It''s rare for you to be so honest with me.


    It was truly a rare asion. The first words out of this straight to the core, walking liturgy textbook of aristocracy were words of encouragement. It may very well snow tomorrow.


    Well, there were a few things I would like to have advised you on. Apart from that, I greatly share your thoughts on how annoying the guests were.


    Hmm? Were those people so much trouble?


    It was Due who expressed his surprise. Those guys were technically his former colleagues. To some extent, he wanted to root for them, but he couldnt do so. He was now a knight who served a noble.


    It''s a huge problem. As for etiquette, I''ve been trained to tolerate it. But how could you use a lord you''ve just met of political corruption? And to order the lord to request for more high ranked adventurers?


    Their sense of money is kinda off? If we were to deploy A-rank adventurers, we''d have to pay the guild quite a bit. Man, which was a small territory in the middle of nowhere until the year beforest, obviously wouldnt have that kind of money, would it?


    That''s right. It might be surprising, but we have been running on a tight budget on the territory management side. After all, it wasn''t until I took over that Man was able to collect taxes effectively. The public coffers were as good as empty before then. The money amassed by former governors were somewhat sufficient to support theirvish lifestyles, but on the flip side, the budget for the territory was off by an entire magnitude of 10. My personal savings? Please dont even think for a second that I have a personal stash. Its impossible since I was kicked out by my brother from the capital.


    Recently, the tax revenue had finally stabilised, the mining operations and potion sales were on the right track, and we could catch our breaths. It wasnt that long ago that we finally went out of the red.


    How could we afford to hire a party of A-rank adventurers or four B-rank parties in such a situation? You must really be out of your mind to believe that.


    If we forced ourselves to spend like that, we won''t have enough money for other policies. Even if we hadn''t started out with the town expansion project.


    But before that, the centralist faction would find fault with us. Hiring a squad capable of defeating dragons? What kind of a conspiracy are you nning?  thats what your brother and the old geezer would im, yes?


    Hmm, that is true.


    Due groaned and reluctantly agreed.


    The members of the Scarlet Shield were too insensitive to how they were being perceived by adventurers. The fact that they lived by hunting monsters meant that they were monsters above monsters. If they took action on personal whims, they would eventually be trapped by political traps. The meaning of authority for them would thus be the control of their powers. It would be incredibly displeasing to authoritative figures if A-ranked adventurers acted arbitrarily. Even more so if the actions they took were at odds with the centralists.


    Victor''s continued lecturing.


    That''s why we waited until the Guild decided to send A-ranked adventurers on their own will. And then those guys


    Haha, you really dislike them, dont you?


    It''s not that I dislike them on the personal level. To tell you the truth, I don''t like adventurers in general. I apologise to you and the chief maid, though.


    Oh?


    That was a surprising thing to hear. I thought the only people Victor disliked were Marquis Lavallee and myself, who took the liberty of messing with his brain.


    After all, adventurers are basically drifters? That''s why they couldnt be taxed. They were not bound to thend, and they could not be bothered to obey thew, because they valued their own freedom and independence. The onlyw for them was survival of the fittest. To the extent that they sometimes start fights in town that result in deaths...and adventurers were typically stronger than the average soldier. For the authorities, this unruly group was akin to monsters.


    As a side note, as he said, no taxes were collected from adventurers. The adventurer guild branches in cities and towns paid taxes indirectly for adventurers, but it was doubtful how much they were paying honestly. Even if you asked them to audit the books, they usually refused on the principle of confidentiality. If their clients information was exposed, a dirty secret or scandal of the nobles or wealthy merchants might be exposed. However, no lord or country was weing of tax revenues that were opaque.

 Chapter 47: Scarlets Research 1 (6)

    Chapter 47: Scarlets'' Research 1 (6)


    Yeah, they are a difficult bunch...I''ve often heard others saying that adventurers are actually demons disguised as humans.


    Yes, well said. Armed groups that don''t obey their country or lord are only allowed to exist when they have amon enemy, monsters. If monsters were to be extinct, the next target to be eradicated would be adventurers.


    After listening to the story, Due folded his arms and started to think. He must beparing his own experience with Victor''s exnation. It''s been almost two years since he started working as a military officer under me. This was also the first year that adventurers havee to the territory. Now that he''s in a position to lead troops to maintain public order, I''m sure he''s had to deal with adventurer-rted disputes more than once or twice.


    The cons of adventurers. That''s a tough one. I never thought about it when all I had to do was swing my sword.


    Being frank is your strong suit. However, please don''t misunderstand me. I don''t like adventurers who are disruptive, so I have nothing against you, Mister Due.


    Rather it being about frankness, it was more likemonsense. He carefully considers reasonable opinions and tries to digest them in his own mind. Its very natural but that makes it all the more so difficult.. Especially since there were many people with extreme viewpoints in my group, Due acting as a bnce was important.


    Thinking fondly of my work, I sipped away at the remaining tea. It waspletely cold. Well, it would be a shame to leave it behind, so I drank it, but I wanted to refresh my tastebuds with a refill.


    Uni, may I have another cup?


    Yes, as you wish.


    I called out to her, and she immediately appeared beside me.


    Due and Victor were not surprised now. They had already gotten used to Uni''s uncanny ability to appear and disappear. In addition, this time, they knew she was somewhere here from the beginning.


    Master, if possible, please refrain from ncing at where I am with your eyes.


    She said as she poured tea into my cup.


    Hmm? Did I do something like that?


    Ahh, I think you did. I saw you looking at the ceiling a few times during the interview.


    Due pointed out the specifics.


    Oh damn. I covered my eyes with my hands.


    Oh no, I waspletely unconscious of it.Ah, I might have screwed up. They might have noticed.


    I don''t think so. They were not as alert as they should be if they realised I was here.


    If Uni thinks so, then it probably was true.


    It was a trivial mistake on my part. I guess I was a little tense. I''ve been more focused on my research than on fighting conspiracies. It''s a good thing that my opponent didn''t notice me dropping clues this time, but if it had been during a struggle with my brother or Marquis Lavallee, I might have made a mistake that I couldn''t recover from.


    Strange though. The other side was also A-ranked, and they even had a thief.


    Probably because there were no traces of malice. There were probably a few close calls along the way, though.


    Please dont get worked up over some disagreements with his Excellency. If people were dying every time you did, your infamy would grow, wouldn''t it?


    Yes, Uni had been hiding from the four members of the Scarlet Shield and had been observing the meeting. No, no. More like she had been watching them since they were rxing in this room before the conference began, or even since Victor was leading them the way.


    As Due said earlier, she had been lurking behind the ceiling.


    In any case, those guys were armed, and were A-ranked adventurers. If they were to be assassins sent from another party, my life would be in danger. This was even despite my various protective armor. So, if they showed any suspicious signs, Uni would immediatelyunch a surprise attack from the ceiling.


    In addition to that.


    There was no indication that our guests, especially the thief, have nted anything in the house.


    Hm? That''s good, that''s a relief.


    She had also been on the lookout for them leaving behind audio recording tools or the like.


    Aren''t you a little too nervous? High-ranking adventurers are very upright. I don''t think they''d agree to be assassins or spies.


    What are you talking about, Due? There were adventurers acting as spiesst year.


    I''m referring to the C-rank party called Green Squad. They were hired by my brother, and they did a great job of getting caught in our smokescreen and ying into our hands. But there was a possibility that they might simply think that a C-ranked party wasnt enough, and get an A-ranked party instead.


    They might be banking on our belief that A-rankers were self-righteous...if we were to be defenceless, then they might have seeded.


    In the first ce, if you can get around the world just through skill and virtue, why does society revolve around royalty and nobility? The priestess of the party was sweating so hard to keep her members from getting into trouble with us, wasn''t she? She didnt want to make enemies with the nobility, you know.


    So you''re saying that even though they were A-rankers, they might have their hands deep in other nobles pockets?


    Yup. Power, money, etiquette, righteousness, and justice... There are many factors in the world that can be ignored by brute force alone. It''s the business of nobles and merchants to roll with those factors in their hands. Even if they are an A-ranked party, there are plenty of ways to put a leash on them. The adventurer''s guild itself is tied to the merchants of Canales. If you think about it, there isn''t a single adventurer in the world who isn''t tainted by someone else''s colour. Well, it looks like my fears were unfounded this time though.


    That said, I had no intention of weakening my guard around those adventurers today. As Victor said, they were potential troublemakers who have no intention of epting our control from the beginning.


    In fact, I only trust those who have been brainwashed by me intoplete submission.


    There is no noble who is more ipatible with adventurers than you, my lord. After all, it was you who built that dungeon. If the truth were toe out, adventurers from all over the continent woulde for your head.


    Victor sure does say some terrible things. Well, it''s the truth, so I can''t do anything to help it. It was I, of all people, who had converted the Trees of Darkness into a dungeon to serve as a barrier for theb and as a monster material farm. Even though they were a source of ie for adventurers, monsters were themon enemy of mankind. There''s no way the adventurers would forgive the mastermind of the dungeon.


    I responded to my retainer''s harshment with a chuckle and sipped my tea. It would be a shame to let the tea get cold again since Uni had made it for me. I swallowed the moderately warm liquid into the back of my throat, savouring it carefully.


    Ah, how delicious.


    Thank you for the tea, Uni. ...Now then, shall we go?


    Yes, Master.


    Putting the cup on the saucer, I apanied her out.


    My lord, where are you going?


    What are you saying, Victor. Giving our guest a warm wee is basic courtesy for the host.


    Even I, who people often call impolite, had a certain amount ofmonsense. That''s why I properly follow the rules.


    Not just here, they are heading there too. We''ll have to be ready to wee them.

 Chapter 48: Scarlets Research 2 (1)

    Chapter 48: Scarlets'' Research 2 (1)


    Three dayster, in the dungeon of Man, Trees of Darkness.


    It was midday noon, but the forest was dim. The forest was unusually noisy, because of the group of adventurers with the Scarlet Shield at their core.


    Sacrifice! Sacrifice!


    Shit! It''s a Manticore! It ate Marco!


    Tch! Don''t look down on it!


    The Four-headed Dragon party, one of the parties that grouped up for exploring the Trees of Darkness, encountered an unexpected enemy.


    A Manticore was a human-faced winged beast that ate humans. It was one of the more powerful monsters in the B ss, with high physical ability, intelligence, and even magical power. The Four-headed Dragon" was also a B-ranked party. It might look like an even fight, but there wererge differences in power within the same grade.


    The manticore might as well be considered a B+ monster. It was said that even A-ranked adventurers have difficulties handling it.


    In addition, one of their members had already died in an ambush. What''s more, theposition of their party was extremely unbnced. They were all swordsmen.


    Shit, shit, shit! Get ready, shitheads! Don''t you dare die in vain. At least give it a scratch!


    Hah...hah...


    Goddamn it, just do it, do it!


    Following their leader''s desperate orders, they raised their swords.


    Their partyposition was not due to a particr preference. They were just unable to recruit anybody else other than swordsmen. It might even be said that bnced parties were rare.


    A heavy warrior to act as a tank for the party? Who would put their life on the line for another?


    A priest who heals with their miracles? Their prayers to god were never returned.


    A mage with firepower and resourcefulness? Where do they find people who have received such a high ss education?


    A dexterous thief? Even if you are slow, as long as you can cut the enemy, the reward would be yours.


    There''s no way that an adventurer from the slums or a peasant would have any of such specialised knowledge or skills. The best they could do was to carry a single sword on their hips e  an easy piece of equipment to obtain. The Four-Headed Dragon was a party of adventurers from the lowest ranks of society.


    Such a party would have fallen apart quickly, but not these guys. They were the exceptions that made it through the battlefield with their beginners luck and with the experience theyve umted, theyve risen to a high rank of B.


    However, their good luck seemed to be running out.


    Nonsense, this cant be.


    The leader of the Four-Headed Dragon muttered to himself.


    I''m not going to die! I''m not going to die! I''ve never died before. And Im not gonna die today!


    Having convinced themselves, they engaged with the Manticore.


    Their swords were the rough diamond of swords, having only tasted blood on the battlefields. They are the swords of beasts that are far from refined. But even so, so long as they managed to cut and leave a wound, they would be able to kill their enemies. A monster was still a living thing. If you gouge out their vitals with the des, they die. Even a zombie would turn into a corpse if you shed it till it couldnt move. If you feed the greedy churches with money and receive blessings on the sword, then you could even kill body-less ghosts.


    When you think about it, a Manticore was just a beast. It was only a little stronger and smarter. They could band together and kill it, without a doubt, even if they were one man short.


    Sacrifice! Sacrifice!!!


    Eh!?


    Shut up, you damn animal!


    The manticore sprung towards them while drooling.


    The adventurers were in their shing stance.


    In the meantime.


    You''re too far ahead.


    A new red beast appeared.


    No, not a beast. It was a human being, of course. But his red hair gave the impression of a red mane and his earth-sweeping demeanour was that of a king of a hundred beasts. His eyes, his strength, his toughness, his toughness, resembled a lion, only that he held a weapon instead of ws and fangs.


    He was Gerald Layson, the Red Lion.


    Sacri...?


    In a sh, the manticores head hit the ground. Somehow, Gerald had swung his de and sliced off the beasts head.


    The curved de in his hand glimmered strangely in the dim forest. Was it truly a reflection of the light leaking from the canopies? On closer look, it could be seen that the de itself was emitting a mysterious phosphorescence.


    The leader of the Four-headed Dragon" recovered from his momentary stupour at the alluring light.


    Hey, you! Whyre you butting in from the side?


    His face turned purplish-red as he cursed.


    Hm?


    Leader! Dont do it!


    Gerald quizzical reply and hispanions attempt to restrain him were ineffective. He strode up to his saviour and grabbed him roughly by the cor. This was not the expected attitude of a man who had life saved.


    This monster! Was ours! It''s our prey! And you, bastard? You''re gonna jump in and scoop it up, huh?


    Your prey?


    Despite being grabbed by the cor and shouted at from a spitting distance, his reply was calm. No, there was a slight hint of confusion.


    He doesnt understand why the man in front of him was so angry. Truly no idea why.


    His reply seemed to be suggesting that.


    ''Dont you mean you were the prey? I think you were just moments from bing so.


    What thefuck you!


    Leader!


    The leader of the group was about to swing his sword down, but one of the members stopped him by choking him. It''s not unusual for adventurers to sh with each other in the middle of a dungeon. Still, having such fights could impact their promotions. In fact, it is said that some of the adventurers have been stuck on C rank for this reason.


    The leader, however, was unable to contain himself and struggled to free his hands.


    Let go of me! It''s a Manticore, it''s a Manticore''s head! It must have been the boss of this forest! This fuckerhe stole...


    You think this was the boss of the dungeon?


    Gerald let out a sigh, this time in disgust.


    Do you really believe that?


    What? What do you mean!


    The leader of the Four-headed dragon shouted.


    Thump. Thump.


    They were interrupted by earth tremors.


    Trees swayed, branches rustled, leaves scattered. It was clearly an anomaly, and the surviving members of the Four-headed Dragon ran away, shakened. Clearly, something bad was about to happen.


    What the?


    Earthquake? No, no.


    Dont tell me this is...


    Thump. Thump.


    Crunch. Crunch.


    Like a child using a toy shovel to dig out an ants'' nest, the branches above their heads that served as a ceiling tore away. But what reced the branches wasnt the sun. Instead, a bloodshot re, filled with hunger and sadism. A singlerge eye, like a distorted full moon, looked down at the humans below.


    A cyclops. It was the incarnation of violence, and was considered to be the strongest of giant monsters.


    IIs that the sound of its footsteps?


    The leader of the Four-headed Dragons let out a cracked scream. It was an unmistakably a scream.


    The grade for defeating this giant is A. The B-ranked Four-headed Dragon was surely no match for it. It outssed the manticore they were fighting earlier and was considered a cmity.


    Gr, grr, grrr.


    The giantughed, twisting its fang-lined mouth. Was it mocking the wretched humans or was it joyful at the sight of food? It''s hard to say which, but no matter which, there was only one thing it would do next.


    An attack on the adventurers.


    Grooooahhh...!


    With a long, lingering scream, the cyclops swung its fist down. The power of this blow was so great that even describing it as a battering ram was insufficient. It was not an exaggeration topare it with the skies copsing.


    Hold on tight!


    Gerald grabbed the leader and another member of the Four-headed Dragon and leapt away. They were able to avoid the destruction just in the nick of time.


    !


    There was a person who was left behind and was crushed before he even had the time to scream. Unfortunately, Gerald was a child of man even with his aplishments as an adventurer. He had only two arms. The best he could do on the spur of the moment was to carry two of them.


    Half the members of the Four-headed Dragon were lost.


    Ah, ahh, ahhhhh!


    Shit. How are we supposed to fight against that...


    Despair set onto the Four-headed Dragon as they ran away at high speed through the forest.


    The only one who seemed unperturbed was Gerald, running with two fully grown men. To much surprise, he was beginning to break away from the cyclops, who should have an unmatchable stride length from its gigantic size.


    Don''t talk or you might bite your tongue. And please refrain from pissing on me, if you can. I don''t want my armour and cloak to be ruined.

 Chapter 48: Scarlets Research 2 (2)

    Chapter 48: Scarlets'' Research 2 (2)


    L-like Im gonna piss!


    The leader cursed.


    It was then.


    Fireball.


    Icicle Lance.


    Gale Edge.


    Stone Bullet.


    Four magic bullets. Each with a different attribute, rushed out with a tail of light.


    Not towards Gerald but the Cyclops that was chasing them.


    The bullets exploded.


    Sparks of magic were visible as the sounds of mes, ice shattering, wind slicing and rock crushing came from the cyclops breast. Even those unfamiliar with magic would be able to appreciate this disy of magic.


    One of the four mages who had casted it grinned.


    How do you like the magic of the Apostles of the Dawn? Even though it was just a low grade of magic, it is still very powerful when performed by B-ranked mage.


    Ug, gar, garr...


    The mage was bragging as the cyclops lost its footing and stumbled.


    One of the parties in the alliance was a B-ranked party, Apostles of the Dawn. Simr to the Four-headed Dragon, they were a partyposed of a singr type of adventurer  mages. This was a nearly impossible feat. Where would you gather a bunch of people who were gifted with talent for magic and had the capability to attend magic lessons? This was where the differencey between them and the Four-headed Dragon. The Apostles of the Dawn was a group that sought to establish their ideal party, a party of only mages.


    Swords? Spears? Bows and arrows? The firepower of magic was superior to each and every one of those barbaric tools.


    A shield to protect you? Armour? None of those matter, so long as you fire magic from a safe distance.


    Healing and blessings through faith? Prayers to God were obsolete in the advent of knowledge and magic.


    An expert in the field of exploration? Unnecessary, since both detection and breaking seals could be achieved by magic.


    The end result of such extreme belief in magic superiority, was this party. As proof of the correctness of their beliefs, their party had climbed to B rank in the short span of five years. Their defence was weak, but by timing and casting their magic as four together, their firepower could be said to match A rank.


    The man who led the Apostles of the Dawn snorted derisively at Gerald.


    How unsightly, Red Lion. Showing your back at the stupid giant...what a great shame to your name.


    I guess it couldnt be helped, teacher.


    The Red Lion may have made a name for himself, but that only applies in the frontier.


    There is nothing like the magic of our Apostles of the Dawn, born out of refined education.


    The other members of the team were quick to follow their leader''s lead.


    Gerald lowered the remaining members of the Four-headed Dragon to the ground and readied his sword in his hand. The leader of the Apostles of the Dawn frowned in confusion.


    ...Why the sword? You''re not going to resort to violence, are you?


    What are you boasting about?


    Gerald turned his head back towards the cyclops that should have suffered from thebined barrage.


    Goahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!


    Smoke dispersed from the gaping hole of the bullet in the cyclops. As it rubbed on its wound, its eyes grew bloodier with rage. The monster was still alive and well, albeit a little shaken.


    Nonsense! Giants are supposed to be vulnerable to magic... especially cyclops, which should have no protection against elemental magic at all!


    We''ve hit it four times, so it should be dying!


    Teacher! What do we do now?


    The Apostles of the Dawn took a 180 degrees turn in their attitude.


    It was true that cyclopes were weak against magic. If a party had a few good mages and fought from a distance, even B-ranked parties stood a chance.


    But that did not mean they were easy to beat. The strength from their huge body could smash a human being in a single blow, and their stamina was so good that it might be thought as infinite.


    How could they have underestimated the cyclops resistance to magic! If they had used a higher level of magic, there might have been enough damage to stop it in its tracks! Gerald had to resist the urge from chiding them.


    Resume your spell casting! Use whatever magic you can!


    Hmph! You might be A-ranked, but that doesn''t mean an outsider can tell us what to do.


    Without paying heed to the hesitant magesints, Gerald rushed to face the cyclops and let out a battlecry. The de he held gleamed brightly in sync with his fighting spirit. A trail of phosphorescent light trailed through the darkness of the forest. It was as if he was slicing through the darkness.


    Ooooooooaahhh!


    The Red Lions gushing warcry stirred the air. The cyclops was distracted by his cry and turned his attention towards him.


    At over 180cm tall, Gerald was no more than a baby whenpared to a giant that thundered through the sky, or even worse than that. It was unclear if Geralds height could even reach the cyclops ankles. But there were still plenty of ways to fight against the giant.


    Those withrge bodies tend to be weak near their legs. The bigger they were, the further away their eyes were from their feet, and the harder it was to see around the feet. Combined with the fact that the feet had to support the giants excessive weight. This was what Gerald was aiming for.


    Take this!!!


    With heightened spirit, he unleashed a sword strike.


    The target was the top part of the heel, or what we call the Achilles'' heel. Even though they were giants, they were still humanoid, albeit of a different size. Their weaknesses and body structure were simr to humans. If the tendon was severed, then there would be no way for it to move.


    He buried his curved de halfway into its heel.


    Guaaaaaah!


    The giants let out an unbearable scream at the pain of being cut and gouged in its weak spot.


    But Gerald''s brow furrowed as he ran the de through the cyclops feet.


    Too shallow.


    The giant was still standing, despite the de in its heels. The Cyclops was not just an A-ranked target just for show. The thick skin of the cyclops had prevented Gerald from cutting its tendons.


    Gu-u-u-u-u!


    The Cyclops bent down to the ground and began mming its fists into the ground like a crying child punching the floor. It was trying to smash Gerald, who was nothing more than a cheeky fly.


    With strength that could wipe out several people at once, the cyclops beat down on the group rhythmically, like a drummer. The ground of the forest started to scatter everywhere, and with the continuous earthquake-like tremors, the very topology of the area was being changed.


    Eeeek!


    Cmon! You guys gonna flee like that!? Shitty mages! Hurry up and use your spells!


    The Apostles of the Dawn looked like they were trying to flee, so the Four-Headed Dragon hurled insults at them. None would be able to tell they were adventurers with a great list of achievements now. The fear of death was so great that confidence, experience, and talent were meaningless. This was what it meant to challenge monsters of a grade higher.


    In the midst of the panic and confusion, Gerald, the target of the Cyclops, was alive as he ran around to dodge the attacks.


    Hmp!


    However, he was not unscathed either.


    The pressure of a huge fist being swung down, the impact of a thrust from the ground, the flying earth, sand, debris and wood chips. He could avoid direct hits, but couldnt nullify the secondary effects, and started to umte damage. At this rate, he was going to lose his agility and be beaten. It would only take a single direct hit to im his life.


    But that only applied if he was alone.


    Haaaaa!!


    There was the sound of a violent gust alongside the shouting.


    Something with a heavy weight flew through the sky.


    The Cyclops, who was bending down to attack Gerald, was struck in its only eye.


    Boo-gyaaaaa!


    The giant covered its eyes with its hands. Through the gaps, the aqueous humor spilled out like tears, followed by the blood-stained vitreous humor sloshing out.


    Just in time huh, Gerald!


    I thought I was going to die, Cedric.


    Gerald bitterly smiled at Cedric while releasing the tension in his shoulders. The heavy warrior from the Scarlet Shield had thrown his weapon, smashing it into the eye of the cyclops. With Gerald as the bait, they managed to get the enemy to lower its stature. Had the Cyclops remained upright, the target would have been too high and the projectile would not have been as effective as it was.


    And as they exchanged a manly smile, a new figure appeared between them. It was Gotsch, the Thief of the Scarlet Shield.


    Sorry if you are still in pain, but Im gonna take advantage of this!

 Chapter 48: Scarlets Research 2 (3)

    Chapter 48: Scarlets'' Research 2 (3)


    With a sadisticughter, he threw a cloth bag that could easily break open. It hit the cyclops face, right on target, scattering tiny grains of powder that spreaded out.


    Buaahh!? Ga, gaaa!?


    The giant writhed in agony, screaming inexplicably. What Gotsch used was not something as exaggerated as poison. It was a smokescreen containing powerful spices that, if inhaled or put into the eyes, would damage the mucous membranes. It was usually used to blind people, but unfortunately, in this case, the eyes were blinded from the start. So the purpose was its secondary effect.


    Haha, what do you think? What do you think of the spice of the West? Isn''t it nice?


    After taking away its sense of sight, the next would be to take away its sense of smell. That was the goal.


    Gotsch smiled gleefully at the sess of his tactic. Two metres behind him, a cool air arose from the bushes.


    Fear the awe of god. Let it be a warning to the wicked. Stigmata!


    The person releasing a holy spell by chanting a scripture was Ninon, who was d in an unusually red robe.


    Giiiiiiiiiiii?


    The evil giant squeaked in agony as the holy rays rained down on its wound.


    Holy magic Stigmata has the effect of piercing the target with stakes of light and rendering the target immobile. The restraint was in the realm of the conceptual, so it was next to impossible for the giant to tear it apart with its physical might. It was a difficult technique that would normally require several priests for chanting, but she was able to do it all by herself. Even without being in a state of meditation.


    Ninon continued to fold the holy seal in her hands, sweat pouring from his forehead as she shouted.


    Now! Hurry up and finish it with magic!


    Stigmata is a powerful restraining spell, but despite delivering lots of pain, itcked the power to kill. It was difficult to kill a cyclops with it. Only extremely evil monsters and the undead might die from it.


    The magic of a priest and a mage were effective on different things.


    Dont need to tell me that! Let''s go, everybody!


    Yes, Teacher!


    In ordance with the leader''smand, the Apostles of the Dawn began casting. Unlike before, they were not individually using a spell to hit the enemy. They were now coalescing their magic to form arger spell. It was a secret technique to reach deeper into the magic than what a single person could reach alone.


    And this was the technique that enabled them to be equivalent to A-rank in terms of instantaneous firepower.


    Thunderspire!


    It was arge spell capable only by mages in the inner of the inner circles. It was possible to cast it in a very short amount of time by having four people supply the magic andpress the chanting.


    A thick and long purplish lightning spear appeared. It was as though it was the spear of a lightning god. Something that might be considered overkill no matter what monster it was.


    But even then, one could never be too careful with a Rank A monster. If they wanted to bring it down in a single blow, then there was a need to go all out on its weak spot.


    In the eye!


    Cedric bellowed.


    The hammer I threw at it is stuck in the eye! Aim at it!


    It''s like a lightning rod. A lightning strike would be attracted to metal at a higher point. To a certain extent, magic ignores thews of physics, but by modifying the form, it was possible to leave only the effects that are advantageous to the magician at will.


    The Apostles of the Dawn grudgingly followed his instructions and fired the spear.


    Grraaaahhhhhhhh!


    It screamed.


    The lightning struck the war hammer that was buried in its eye socket, and the magical electricity flowed into it. Right behind the eye was the brain. Depending on the resistance to electricity, the flow of current would lead to an increase in heat, boiling the brain. In the end, the cyclops'' entire body was burnt ck, and he slowly fell on its back, spewing bubbling blood from its ears and nose like a geyser.


    --Thump, thump, thump.


    The Earth shook in response to the cyclops vibrating stomach.


    A few momentster, the B-ranked adventurers slowly loosened up from their battle stance.


    Did we do it?


    Fuhahahaha. This is the brilliance of the magic from the Apostles of the Dawn!


    As expected, Teacher!


    They all shouted with explosive joy.


    Gerald and the others looked at them warily.


    If you guys had used that from the very start


    Shh! Don''t throw cold water now. This might bring the alliance together finally.


    It was Ninon who stopped Gerald fromining.


    As she said, the alliance of adventurers had beencking in unity. The reason for the encounter with the Manticore and Cyclops in the first ce was that the Four-headed Dragon tried to outsmart the rest and acted alone. That acted against them however.


    That was the incohesive alliance they were in. She had been struggling to improve the alliance, but now that they have defeated a strong enemy, she was hoping that the adversity would build better rtionships.


    I can''t believe it. Are they really B-ranked? I mean, they''ve got all the fight in the world, but their attitude and behaviour is no better than a toddlers.


    You too, Cedric! Shh! Don''t say a word!


    By the way, where''s the other party?


    It is Gotsch who realised.


    They left the management of camp to the D to C ranked adventurers they hired. The only parties exploring the Trees of Darkness were the Scarlet Shield, an A rank party, as well as three B rank parties. Four-headed Dragon and Apostles of the Dawn were here, so what about the final B ranked party?


    Oh, sorry. Are wete?


    A new group joined them from the rear with a voice thatcked any sense of urgency.


    The leader of the Four-headed Dragons shot an annoyed nce at him.


    Where the hell have you been? We''ve had two of our own killed in the meantime!


    They shouted at the party who camete, shifting the me for their own mistake. But it didnt seem to bother the other party one bit.


    Is that so? That''s tough. But that''s not the point! Look at this!


    The man who seemed to be the leader of the party held up a small ss bottle in his hand. The bottle, sealed with a cork, was filled with a clear liquid with a green moss-like substance floating in it.


    I collected this from the roots of a tree we just passed. This is a kind of magical luminous moss. As the name suggests, its a moss that glows in the dark with magic power. This area is full of magic power and despite it being dark here even in the daytime, this moss isn''t glowing. Maybe there needs to be some other condition for it to glow. If that''s the case, it could be a new species that lives only in this region! It''s a great discovery!


    Oh, oh...


    The warrior that should have been pissed off was overwhelmed by the lengthy exnation.


    As though taking over for him, Gerald posed a question.


    ''And? You werete because you were looking into that moss? Ars Longa.


    Yes!


    The man smiled and replied as if he had nothing to be ashamed of.


    The party he led was the B-ranked party Ars Longa. But their fighting prowess was at best a C-rank. Their true valuey not in battle, but in academic research and analysis. They have been sessful in investigating the ecology of unknown and unexplored areas and in excavating relics in ancient ruins, which earned them the rank of B.


    They travelled the world with a curious and inquisitive mind, bringing new discoveries of knowledge to others. They too were adventurers in some sense.


    But they were in the middle of a dungeon overrun by dangerous monsters. It was unbearable to see them act like butterflies attracted to flower, just because something caught their attention.


    Well, leader! This is an interesting forest!


    Absolutely, absolutely! I''ve never seen an environment where so many different kinds of monsters coexist!


    Perhaps we might find ten or twenty new and unknown species! Hahaha!


    Unaware of the concerns by the other parties, the people of Ars Longa were having a great time.


    Gerald rubbed his tense temples and then called out to them again.


    Im not saying dont do your research and investigation. But at least do so after informing us.


    The leader of Ars Longa blinked his eyes.


    Huh? Why?


    Why, you ask?


    Well, you see, the Scarlet Shield is in charge of coordinating this alliance.


    Oh, yes, I see. I''ll bear that in mind.


    He said he would be careful, but his tone was light. It sounded like a child who had been ordered to help his parents but just kept making excuses, saying he would do itter. It was not the kind of thing you would expect to hear in a ce where one mistake could mean the difference between life and death.

 Chapter 48: Scarlets Research 2 (4)

    Chapter 48: Scarlets'' Research 2 (4)


    Tch, never mind that, what are we going to do now? This big guy is an A-rank monster, right? Are we going to report to the guild that we killed it now?


    It was the leader of the Four-headed Dragon who said grumpily. While he sounded annoyed, he did not seem to be in any grief for the ughter of two of his party members. That was to be expected, since party members were akin to weapons for him, they could be reced if they died. In truth, only the leaders head was irreceable for the Four-headed Dragon. Of course, he would have to look for easier but less rewarding adventures in the future. It has happened a few times so it no longer bothered him.


    The leader of Ars Longa objected.


    No, no, no! The quest was to find out the identity of the menace in the Trees of Darkness and we are not done with that yet. After all, you see. cyclops are not very intelligent, are they? No matter how powerful they are, they''re not fit to be the boss of a dungeon. This is the reason why there are so many different kinds of monsters in the Trees of Darkness. Until we find out what the true boss is, this quest would not have an end.


    In the first ce, the request wasnt to subjugate monsters. Its to conduct an investigation. Thats why you guys will be forever meatheads.


    The leader of the Apostles of the Dawn added. This man was very condescending to any profession other than mage. He was probably from a noble family. It''s not umon for nobles to be adventurers after failing to inherit the family headship. If they have magical talents and have been educated, they could rise to a good position as an adventurer. The ones with real potential, could end up as a court mage or a teacher at the Gallerien Academy. For those with the ability but failed to be as such, it was either a political issue or a personality problem.


    What the hell? Do you want to be killed, you dumb looking spellcaster?


    Hehe...How about yourself, Mr Four-headed Dragon turned into a Two-headed Dragon.


    Was this interaction between them the result of feeling inferior?


    However, the alliance was in no position to sit and watch these childish disputes continue unfolding.


    Enough!


    Gerald put some murderous intent in his voice, scaring the both of them.


    We are going to enter deeper into the Trees of Darkness. We maye face to face with powerful monsters again. Do you want to die a foolish death because of a broken group?


    Ggh!


    That''s all I''m saying. If you can''t even understand that, you don''t need to wait for the monsters. I''ll kill them myself. If you want to go on from here, dont forget that.


    Closing with rough speech, Gerald wordlessly advanced. As usual, he and hispanions followed at his back, but Ninon let out a soft sigh.


    (I thought we had a chance, but I guess not.)


    The alliance was beyond repair.


    The adventurers'' guild in charge of forming the alliance must have had confidence in their choice. A party made up of vanguardsbined with mages would clear the way for the researchers to investigate. It was a well-bnced group of B-rank parties. And finally, it would be the reassuring A-rank party to take the leadership...


    It would have appeared to be the perfect line-up.


    But the reality ended up like this.


    The Four-headed Dragon was the vanguard but was constantly looking to take credit. The Apostles of the Dawn were mages who used magic to gain a sense of superiority. Ars Longa were narrow-minded explorers preupied with research. And then there was the Scarlet Shield, a party that waspletely self-sufficient and could not bring harmony to the alliance.


    It might seem like Gerald had quelled the quarrel between the Four-headed Dragon and Apostle of the Dawn, but the truth was that he had not. He threatened them with his might and silenced them temporarily. There were still the embers of hatred between the two parties and now, there was also a sense of loathe towards Gerald.


    The Alliance was far from being united. It had only temporarily contained the divisions, but at the cost of creating more fissures.


    In the first ce, Gerald Layson was no talent for leading arge group. He was a young man who grew up in the countryside of the western frontier. He was often misunderstood because of his fine bearing and calm demeanour. He took up the sword to protect his homnd from monsters, and as he continued to fight against powerful enemies, he came to be known as an A-ranked adventurer. He was a swordsman and a fighter, not a leader who could unite people of differing beliefs.


    For the other members of the Scarlet Shield, they hade from the same area, ate the same food, and faced the same enemies. From their experience, he was a leader they could count on. But to the rest of the party, he was a stranger.


    If we were on the western frontier, it would be a different story. Other members there knew they could rely on Gerald and them and took directions from him in battle. Hence, there would be no problems for him to take the lead. In fact, when monstersunched arge scale attack, the alliance with Scarlet Shield as the core gained many victories.


    The track record had misled the guild. They thought the Scarlet Shield could handle an unfamiliar ce and unfamiliar parties without problems. The guild made a big mistake associating their exploits in the West to their leadership capabilities.


    Damn...


    Hmp...


    This was the end result. The B-ranked parties have been disobedient and constantly trying to steal a march on each other ever since they entered the forest. They had just saved their allies lives, but were now staring daggers at each other again.


    These idiots who didnt understand the fights they had in the West. They scornfully thought. Even the timid Ninon felt this way. As for Cedric who was leading the way, who knew how deep his frown was.


    In the West, the fight against monsters was desperate. Every fight was on the edge and without thebined efforts of parties, they would not live to see another day. A little eastward, and adventurers were of this quality. In most parts of the Kingdom of Arquell, the monsters were not too strong. Many adventurers who did their quests progressively would eventually reach the C rank. Hence, many of the weaker ones, who would have been eliminated in their own hometown or in St. Gallen, end up surviving. And with some luck, some of these people would rise to B. The members of Scarlet Shield couldn''t help but feel contemptuous.


    (Maybe we shouldn''t have taken this job.)


    But there''s no way they could quit now. The only thing they could do was to try to keep the alliance from falling apart and finish the quest without any problems.


    The trail inside led to deeper darkness. Every step they took was on sinking rotten leaves. It seemed to hint at their future.

 Chapter 49: Scarlets Research 3 (1)

    Chapter 49: Scarlets Research 3 (1)


    As soon as we passed the thicket, we suddenly had a clear view.


    We seemed to have entered a gap within the endless sea of trees, and a magnificent mountainndscape stretched out before us. A series of gently undting ridges led up a narrow path to the highest peak. And on the highest peak.


    "...Light?"


    At the top of the mountain, at an altitude of about 2000 metre, there was something bright-looking. I squinted my eyes and caught sight of a tall building.


    Light was emitting from the structure.


    "Is that a temple?"


    "I can''t see it from a distance. Shall we try to get closer?"


    Gerald, who was leading the alliance of investigation teams, asked the people trailing him. For his part, he hoped that they would show patience. They had countless encounters with monsters on the way and their stamina was expended. Also, the Four-headed Dragon party had already lost half its members. The right course of action was to return to their camp location, rest up and head in again tomorrow.


    That was his intention when he asked, however, it seemed that there were some dense people among them.


    "Yes, of course! Lets go!"


    "It smells like treasure... don''t hog it for yourself okay, Scarlet Shield?"


    "If you''re tired, you''re wee to leave first."


    The other participants reacted this way.


    Ars Longa was excited at the prospect of new discoveries. Four-headed Dragons greed was clear as day. And the Apostles of the Dawn, seemed to be preupied with outdoing everybody ever since the humiliation they faced in the fight against the Cyclops.


    All three parties gave the attitude that if Gerald and the other members of Scarlet Shield hesitated here, they would leave them behind. Gerald sighed and looked for feedback in hisrades. His trustworthy and genuinerades, that is.


    "What about you all? If its no, we can head back."


    "Heh, what do you mean! I haven''t even had a scratch on me today!"


    "No, Cedric. That''s not what he means... But yeah, I''m good, leader."


    "...Haa. I''m fine. I''m tired, but I should be able to cope with it."


    Cedric made a pose to show off his strength, though his muscles werent visible because of his armour. Gotsch had given his affirmation but seemed to have some reservations. Ninon sighed but agreed anyway. Naturally, Gerald had leftover stamina. Enough to create a path of retreat for hisrades if they met an incredibly strong foe. This meant that their investigation would continue.


    "Let''s go, then. The sun is going down. Lets be extra cautious."


    "Tch, treating us like kids...!"


    "Oh, dear Country bumpkins sure like to put on airs..."


    "Oh, how exciting! An undiscovered structure in the middle of the mountains! It must be an ancient ruin! And we are going to be first! Oh, we are going to explore these untouched ruins personally!"


    With the Scarlet Shield at the head of the alliance, they set off messily towards the top of the mountain.


    All the while without knowing whaty in wait for them.


    What existed at the summit was arge ruin, just as Ars Longa had imed. The series of ancient and weathered stones gave the atmosphere of a deserted building. At first nce, it appeared as big as a royal castle of a small country. It was nothing short of astonishing that such a huge structure could have gone undiscovered.


    In fact, the members of Ars Longa started their survey with sparkles in their eyes.


    "It''s amazing! Why is this here? What is its purpose? Is it for religious reasons, like a temple? Or is it the grave of an ancient ruler? I''ve never heard of a civilisation existing in such a ce."


    "It is simr in style to the ritual grounds of an ancient religion, the cult of Saint King, that could be found in Omnia! Then this must be a temple?"


    "Who cares? Anything expensive-looking?"


    It was the leader of the Four-headed Dragon who asked in an arrogant manner.


    ''Yes, if it is a grave, there may be burial essories and other objects, and those may go for a good price."


    "Whoa! Really! This must be our lucky day!"


    He whistled and snapped his fingers. Gerald decided to give him a warning.


    "Hey, don''t forget that we''re still in the middle of the Trees of Darkness. You never know what might be lurking around the corner."


    "No, no, no, I know. If there''s a dangerous monster out there, we''ll just leave it to you guys, won''t we? Heroes of the West."


    Ignoring his sarcastic reply, Gerald looked at the entrance of the ruins.


    It was about 2.5 metre high and 4 metre wide. With the decorative reliefs on the border of the entrance, it did look like it could only be a temple of sorts. The ce was dimly lit and the interior could not be observed from outside. It was dusk, but sunlight only shone up to around a dozen steps from the entrance. Beyond that, the darkness swallowed everything up.


    And then Gerald realised.


    "By the way, what was that light we saw earlier?"


    "Light?"


    "Considering the potential locations, it is most probably somewhere in the upper levels."


    "Could it be a stone or something reflecting the setting sun?"


    Gerald asked hisrades, but none could provide a convincing answer.


    Firstly, the light did note from a stone reflecting sunlight. It was much brighter and dazzling. It was unlikely that an ancient rubble could be that reflective.


    "It''s no use thinking about it. We''ll just have to go in and find out, don''t we?"


    "This might be the home of the boss."


    "A monster taking residence in ancient ruins huh."


    One could only imagine what a nuisance it must be.


    In these old ruins, the flow of magic felt obstructed, causing magic from the spiritual to pool. A monster that collected such magic would easily be powerful. If it was a newly born monster, there was still hope. The worst would be a monster that has been around since ancient times. If it was a survivor that escaped being killed by the Saint King or a hero from ancient times, it was hard to imagine how powerful the monster would be now.


    "Ars Longa, any idea what period these ruins belong to?"


    "Hmmm, the age of this stone is... about 1,500 years old. That''s what Detect is showing."


    Gerald bit down on his tongue. It was very old. This meant that it went back even before the age of the Saint King. If there were monsters from such a time period, the danger level was certainly a high A. Even more so if this monster held dominance over the Trees of Darkness below them.


    The leader of the Four-headed Dragon was oblivious to such concerns.


    "How could the stones from that age remain so beautiful? It should have been crumbled to pieces, shouldn''t it?"


    "No, if a preservation magic is applied tightly, it should be able to prevent natural weathering. Look carefully, all these stones are covered with preservation magic! Whoever constructed this must have been amazing! It''s impossible without more than thirty mages."


    "...Huh, THAT is amazing?"


    Gerald was not convinced. St. Gallen with their magic academy, or even Arquell or Molbaehr with their court mages, would be able to gather that many mages.


    But a member of Ars Longa waved his finger in the air, refuting that possibility.


    "Tsk, tsk, how naive. Where do you think we are? We are deep in the mountains of Man! It might be possible for adventurers like us but there''s no way the weak court mages would be able to make through the forest and up the mountain."


    "Is there any country on the continent of Ithush that can bring more than thirty mages to such a ce for construction work? At least, not in the Kingdom of Arquell."


    "I see. Then I can understand how amazing it is."


    "Yes, it''s amazing!"


    Gerald did notpletely follow, but decided to just agree and let the Ars Logan party be happy. Gerald was not convinced, but it was better than them being angry at least.


    Gerald''s eyes wandered and he noticed Gotsch studying the relief on the roof of the entrance.


    "Huh? Doesn''t this look like a letter? Hey, anybody can read this?"


    "Hmm, it looks vaguely like the Old Elvish script, but it''s also Pre-Omnian. If that''s the case, then... wait a minute"


    The member of Ars Longa turned his gaze upwards, as if trying to remember something.


    "It says, ''In the beginning, women were the sun,'' I think...probably."


    "What th heck that means?"


    "Well...maybe its referring to the qualifications to be a priestess or something? If this was a temple for a sun god, that''s a possible statement."


    "A temple for a sun god right after the Trees of Darkness? What a strangebination."


    "But the sun and women? Normally, the sun is viewed as a male, but it seems to be different here."

 Chapter 49: Scarlets Research 3 (2)

    Chapter 49: Scarlets Research 3 (2)


    "Eh? Is that so?"


    "Yes. Isn''t the sun, with its relentless shine on the earth, rather masculine? Paternalistic, you could say. The feminine equivalent could be thend, water, and the moon..."


    "Hey, we are not here to discuss this, are we?"


    The leader of the Four-headed Dragon cut off Ars Longa''s lecture.


    Though it was appropriate. The sun was almost disappearing beyond the horizon. If they continued to stay here and chat like this, the sun would really set. Then they would have to spend the night in these ruins. Before that happens, they would need to at least ensure their safety.


    "Hmm. Your lecturing cer. For now, our priority is to examine the site."


    "At the very least, we need to make sure there are no monsters in the area, and if there are, we need to get rid of them first!"


    "Oh? Theres that, I guess."


    The adventurer from Ars Longa shrugged.


    Feeling relief that he appeared to be convinced, Gerald swept his eyes around the alliance members gathered around him.


    First of all, there were four members of the Scarlet Shield, including himself. There were the two survivors from the Four-headed Dragon. There were four members from Ars Longa. And as for the Apostles of the Dawn...


    "Hey."


    A stiff voice echoed over the evening mountaintops.


    "Where did the Apostles of the Dawn go?"


    * * * *


    Hiding themselves from the alliance behind a corner of the ruins, the Apostles of Dawn were smiling at their sess in getting away from them.


    "Hmph, it was such a foolish choice to team us up with a bunch of frontier barbarians, thieving lowlifes and academic nerds."


    "Indeed, Teacher."


    "This must be, solitude for those at the peak of magic."


    The leader nodded repeatedly at his members'' ttery.


    (What were they doing lounging around in front of these musty ruins?)


    The Apostles of Dawn were a group of mages from the nobility. For them, adventure and quests were akin to hunting and killing monsters for sport. There was no concept of adventuring in dirty caves or tomb raiding. Even if they were hired bymoners with reward money, they would not lose the pride of their noble birth. It was with this in mind that they rose to the rank of B by solely ying monsters in open spaces.


    Therefore, they were unacquainted to archaeological research. In fact, they despise culture from ancient times. They see those as relics that died out for whatever reason before they were born. Hence, relics were nothing more than broken, primitive toys. They, who live in the present day, were naturally superior to people of the past, because they were refined through the passing of time.


    This kind of thinking is frowned upon at the Gallerien Magic Academy in St. Gallen and the Heptarch National University in Molbaehr. From historical research, it was discovered that ancient civilisations possessed more intricate and advanced magic technology than they have at present. Many of the relics found include the ultra rare alloy, orichalcum, to various others out-of-ce magical artifacts.


    But they knew nothing about that. They were nobility from the Kingdom of Arquell. St. Gallen was, in their eyes, a barbaric nation that had taken their territory through cowardly deception fifty years ago. On the other hand, Molbaehr was a nation of pirates across the sea to them. And it was their narrow-mindedness andck of knowledge which led to them failing to inherit their family titles and leaving government service. They would never admit these though.


    In short, their knowledge of ruins in general was full of holes. They don''t know the potential threats they might face in a ruin type dungeon, such as traps for thieves, ancient curses and powerful monsters such as guardians.


    This was why they were eager to work on their own to outwit the other adventurers in the alliance.


    "Besides, we have proven, through this quest, that our magic is effective on A-ss monsters. There''s no reason for us to be beholden to the country bumpkins of the west any longer."


    "Yes. I especially dislike that unmannerly redhead."


    I was considering shooting him from the back.


    "Let''s not do that. It would be a blow to our pride."


    As he spoke, a sudden realisation came to him. Perhaps this was for the best.


    Look at the battle against the Cyclops. Despite the pompousmanding of the A rankers, the final blow was only possible because of them. How would those self-important faces distort if they fire magic at them. He would be lying if he said he wasn''t curious to find out.


    However, he had a more interesting idea in mind.


    "It would be more pleasurable to be a step ahead of them and explore the site ourselves."


    Lets show the so-called top adventurers how good we actually are and reveal their ipetence at the same time. How amusing that would be.


    The leader of the Apostles of the Dawn looked above him while sniggering. The roof of the towering ruinsid before him.


    "Well, guessing based on the height, the light wasing from somewhere above here, wasn''t it?"


    "Shall we go, Teacher?"


    "Yes, of course."


    They were about 20 meters away from the top of the roof. Thats taller than the height of a Cyclops. However, for aplished mages, such heights were nothing but childs y.


    After all, they could fly with magic. If the goal was to get to a higher altitude, levitation was an efficient method that could conserve magic power, although not as fast or as flexible as flight. Since ancient times, mages who could use magic to fly have been both feared and revered by the public. They were unlike the warriors who crawled the ground with barbaric weapons in their hands.


    "Levitation."


    Upon the activation of magic, his body started to lift gently. His disciples, or followers, performed the same magic and became airborne.


    Without meeting any mishap, they floated 20 metre up andnded on the roof of the ruins.


    "Hmph, trivial."


    "I only feel pity for those without magic Since they wouldnt be able to do this."


    "What do you think, Teacher? Wouldnt it be nice to look down on all those people wasting their time at the entrance?"


    "No, let''s not. It is most impressive to only reveal the trick at the final stage. It would be more interesting to present our findings to them, who can only w at the surface. Don''t you think so, gentlemen?"


    "I see. As expected of Teacher! You have a far more refined taste than we ever could!"


    After exchanging smiles around, the Apostle of the Dawn surveyed their surroundings.


    The roof, or rather the rooftop, of the ruins sloped in a strange manner towards the centre of the building. And in the middle of the slope, there was a huge, gaping hole. It was like the nest of antlions.


    And the light that they saw earlier in the distance seemed to being from inside of this hole.


    "What a stupid design...Isnt it just asking to be infiltrated from above?"


    "Indeed. It must be the shallow wisdom of the primitive. It shows the extent of those who built it."


    With a sneer, he approached the hole.


    They imagined that there were mountains of gold and silver inside, causing it to shine in the evening sun. Even the most ignorant would know that the remains of tombs and pces could sometimes contain vast amounts of wealth. It was not surprising that the mages from the Apostles of the Dawn came to such a conclusion.


    A glint of desire appeared in their eyes. As dropouts from nobility pretending to reach the apex of magic, they were naturally not apathetic to matters to do with money. In fact, since they were surrounded by wealth in their childhood, they had a strong desire to seek out treasures, though it was a slightly different motivationpared to the Four-headed Dragon party.


    They wish to return to their luxurious lifestyles. They want to return to a life where they could wear lustrous silk clothes and adorn themselves with jewels. They wanted to eat and savour the delicacies that were only worthy of their blue blood. They wanted to have a beautiful princess in their beds who would be the envy of kings and nobles. They wanted to look back on those who kicked them off the seats of power. There were so many things they could do if they brought back treasure. With the exception of saints, the seeds of desire were more infinite than vast grains of sand in the world.


    Driven by such greed, the Apostles of Dawn peered into the interior of the ruins.


    "I greatly. Advise against. Prying eyes."


    A monster crawled up from below, and was directly opposite them.


    "Huh?"


    Who was it that could not help but reply in that way?


    Before their eyes was a strange woman. It was strange enough that there was a woman in the ruins hidden deep within the mountains, but where she was now was much more confounding. There was a tunnel connecting therge hole in the rooftop to the ruins. Her hands and feet were on the wall at the edge of the tunnel, and she was clearly in the process of climbing.

 Chapter 49: Scarlets Research 3 (3)

    Chapter 49: Scarlets Research 3 (3)


    Climbing was imprecise. What she was doing was nothing like climbing.


    Pieces of stone fell from where the woman''s hands and feet were hanging. Her fingers and toes were dug into the edge of the tunnel. Fissures spreaded out like spider-webs could be seen. She had gouged her limbs into the solid stone wall, allowing herself to climb up as a foothold.


    A woman who would do such a thing could not possibly be a normal human being.


    "Ah!? Mons..."


    "Silence. I implore!"


    Just as one of the party members was about to scream in terror, the woman vanished.


    At the same time, the face of the person who opened his mouth disappeared.


    In ce of his face was a fountain spilling red. Before he knew it, the woman was standing behind the Apostles of the Dawn.


    "Huh?"


    As more confusion spread internally, another man who was about to scream was pushed into the hole. Simrly, his head disappeared without a trace.


    "...Confirming. I only have to. Guide a single person. No more. Is necessary."


    As soon as she finished, the woman''s figure faded into a haze. There was a red afterglow from the sun setting to the west. She seemed to have melted into the evening background.


    But that was just an optical illusion. The woman did not disappear, but moved precisely and firmly.


    The sound of something bursting twice in quick session could be heard. With that, the portion from neck and above were missing from two of the remaining members.


    Then an outstretched arm grabbed the cor of the only surviving person, the leader, and carried him.


    "Ga, gu, ge...!?"


    While he was lifted into the air, not by magic but by simply the strength of her arms, he finally caught full sight of the woman.


    tinum hair that glistened in the evening sun. A statue-like, beautiful yet still expression. A strange armour that covered her body in spots, while boldly exposing her stomach. A metal earp, that might be thought of as the horns of the devil, grew out from her hair. The hands that left him no room to resist from her strangling were covered in armour, but beyond the armour were unmistakable feminine slender arms. Her eyes were lit in a supernatural gold, dispelling the shadows of the backlight.


    An unfathomable monster in the shape of a beautiful woman.


    He was forced to understand that this was what he was facing.


    (Dont tell me this thing is!?)


    The leader of the Apostles of the Dawn then gained an insight into how the first member died.


    Perhaps, this monster had leapt from her position in an instant and killed the man who had almost screamed.


    He hit the nail on the head, but of course, there were no prizes to be gained for that.


    "This way. Please."


    Immediately after she said so, the sights around him changed rapidly. In such a short span of time unfit to be measured in seconds, his body was carried downwards. Everything was bright red. So rapid was the movement that blood rushed to his head and painted his retinas red. In this world, this phenomenon was still unnamed, but somewhere else it was known as redout.


    "Gah!?"


    The mage was mmed onto the stone floor, his neck hurting from the sudden eleration and deceleration. From the perspective of the rtive speeds at which he was carried andid down, he was actually gently decelerated and brought to the ground. However, that was just from the estimations generated by the algorithms that ran in her. The burden was such that a normal person should have died instantly.


    The fact that he was able to endure this proved that he had the ability to be a B-rank adventurer.


    He blinked repeatedly, while gasping for breath, opening and shutting his eyelids to restore his sense of sight.


    He could discern through his blurry vision, the stone walls, stone floor and from the hole at the roof, the crimson sky. And then, in the middle of the wide area he was in, a monstrosity, with something shining from her back, was looking down at him.


    "Are we inside the ruins?"


    "I shall. Reply to the query. Wee, to the Temple of the Sun. You are the. Number 1 guest to be here. Or that is what I would like to say. However..."


    The monster stared coldly at him. The expression on her face, which was originally devoid of any emotion, became all the more horrifying.


    "I regret to inform you. You fail. As you did not use the proper route, you shall face punishment until the real guests arrive."


    Punishment.


    The ominous feeling from her words triggered his survival instinct and he was temporarily able to regain the strength to move his body.


    "Who would ept that! Fireball!"


    With a speed like the vanguard of an adventuring party, he jumped up and casted his magic without the full incantation. He tried to burn the monster with the ball of fire released from his palm.


    "...Target attempting to resist, confirmed. Activating sequence to render target powerless"


    It was a direct hit, but the opponent did not even flinch.


    Thats fine. Chantless casting results in weaker magic, so it was mainly used as a way to contain the enemy. His true goal was whates after it. He would just need to chant ordingly to raise the effectiveness and level of magic now.


    "Oh, thunder spirits! Dwell in my hand and be spears to bring destruction to the enemy!"


    He chanted a mid-level lightning spell. It was outside of the four main elements of earth, water, fire and wind, and would take additional effort to use, but the damage it brought was well worth it. After all, this was the spell that did the cyclops in.


    "Tch! That spell..."


    He smiled triumphantly at the monsters distraught.


    Maybe she was afraid of intermediate or higher level magic, or maybe lightning was her weakness. Either way, his spell could decide the battle. The spell was previously casted in unison with his disciples, but it didnt mean that he depended on them to use it. Still, it would consume more magic power from himpared to earlier, but it had to be done to defeat this monster.


    "No man can escape the violet lightning spears! Thunder Spear!"


    The released purple lightning spear struck his target.


    For a moment, a bright sh of light illuminated the ruins.


    "What?"


    The spear dissipated without producing any effect on the enemy.


    The woman looked down at her belly, where she was hit, and muttered nonchntly.


    "Damage report. None. Perhaps the same spell. Have different effects from different casters."


    "No! I-Impossible! That would have been effective on a rank A monster! No effect at all!?"


    There was not a single burn mark on the woman''s stomach. Not even a strand of hair had been burned. She waspletely unharmed.


    His eyes widened in astonishment as he fell to his buttocks. The woman slowly approached him.


    "Terminating sequence. Target was powerless from the beginning. ...Time for the punishments."


    As she dered, her arm was extended. It was the same destructive arm that killed three of hispanions. He could offer no resistance.


    Arm strength? Nothing should be expected from a mage in arm strength..


    Magic? Impossible. His tongue was frozen in fear, unable to chant any spells.


    What about chantless magic? He could not do so while in such panic


    Was there any point in him trying to resist any more?


    The shivering mans trousers became warm and wet. The woman cooly announced.


    "Please be as loud as you can Make sure yourpanions who are outside. Can hear you loud and clear."


    * * * *


    "Aaahhhhhhhh!"


    A long, trailing scream echoed from deep within the ruins.


    They were still concerned with the sudden disappearance of the Apostles of the Dawn and the scream brought their attentions back to the entrance.


    "T-That scream was from..."


    "It must be the leader of the Apostles of the Dawn."


    Gerald nodded in response to Ninon. Due to the great distance between the owner of the voice and them, the scream wasrgely distorted, but they could still pick up features of it. It had to be that intolerable mage.


    "Did the bastard try to get ahead by using magic? But ha! I like that!"


    "What are you talking about, Four-Headed Dragon? This basically confirms that there is something disastrous inside the ruins."


    Gotsch was thoroughly disgusted by his behaviour. They were adventurers on the same quest, albeit an unusual one. It was highly abnormal to feel joy at their perilous position.


    By the side, the members of Ars Longa gathered together and discussed facing each other.


    "I suspect they flew up with magic entered through some opening from the top or something."


    "Considering that scream, they must have fallen into some trap?"


    ''Oh no, it must be some kind of ancient guardian! How terrifying! An unknown mystery guardian of the ruins!"

 Chapter 49: Scarlets Research 3 (4)

    Chapter 49: Scarlets Research 3 (4)


    "So terrifying that I cant help but feel excitement!"


    Even as they said, there was curiosity and joy at the prospect of being able to satisfy said curiosity. In a way, their innocent, unabashed joy was perhaps more chilling than the maliciousughter from the Four-headed Dragon. It was said that the best adventurers were broken in some ways as people. The men of Ars Longa definitely had questionable characters. Which turns into a massive problem when leading such people.


    Cedric pulled his head away from Ars Longa.


    "What do you think, Gerald? Its clearly bait."


    Another scream arose from the ruins again. They have no idea if it was a monster attacking the mages inside. But there was one thing they knew.


    The enemy was torturing his captives, not killing them, but waiting for them toe to their rescue.


    Of course, Gerald could read that much into it. It was amon trick employed by intelligent monsters.


    "I understand. But if there''s something in the ruins that''s attacking people, it''s part of our job description to investigate and, if possible, kill it."


    "What about saving the mages?"


    "Disregard them. We''ll search slowly. Keep an eye out for surprise attacks and traps and figure out the identity of the monster."


    The answer to the question was a ruthless one. But there was no way around it. In any case, they were taken prisoner because they tried to steal a march on them. While facing an unknown enemy - perhaps even the boss of the Trees of Darkness - they could not afford the luxury of aiding aggard. The best they could do was to outwit the enemy by prioritising identification of the enemy and escape from the enemy who expects them to rescue theirrades.


    Nevertheless, a leader who chose to abandon his allies in a crisis was likely to demoralise those who remained. No one was going to risk their life for the group if they might be abandoned. The silver in the lining was that the Alliance had no need to worry about that. Not because they were all courageous or trusting of one another, but because there was no cooperation from the parties from the beginning.


    "We''re the only ones that we can rely on, aren''t we? I was half-thinking that the whole time."


    "Don''t say further, Cedric. You think we can enter the ruins, Gotsch?"


    "Yeah, eah. I''ll see what I can do."


    At the leader''s confirmation, the expert thief raised his hand.


    There were demons and other intelligent monsters that often used castle ruins and other man-made structures as their strongholds. In order to sneak into the area and defeat their targets, adventurers had to be familiar with traps. This was also the case with their adventures in the west.


    "Are you sure we are going?"


    "Of course we are, goddamn. We can''te all this way and leave empty-handed!"


    "We''re finally entering the ruins! How exciting!"


    "Exploring the ruins or the monsters? Which should we prioritise? It''s so hard to choose!"


    The Four-headed Dragon tried to drag thest surviving member along. As for the members of Ars Longa, they were fearless and wanted to enter the darkness within the entrance. The Apostles of Dawn were probably already inside. And if there was a humanity threatening monster that existed inside, the Scarlet Shield was ready to meet it head-on.


    The alliance of adventurers decided to all enter the ruins.


    =================


    <b>Uni</b>: Master. What does this sentence, ''In the primitive times, women were the sun'' mean?


    <b>Tu</b>: It''s a phrase that somehow makes it sound like an ancient temple.


    N O T H I N G S P E C I A L.


    That was what I came up with randomly with what I know.


    <b>Uni</b>: Is that so?


    Such was the conversation they might have possibly had.

 Chapter 50: Scarlets Research 4 (1)

    Chapter 50: Scarlets'' Research 4 (1)


    The interior of the ruins was awork ofplex passages. There were countless bends and forks, and sometimes you had to climb up and down. And of course, there were strong foes obstructing the way.


    "Damn it! What the hell is this? My de cant get through!"


    The leader of the Four-headed Dragon cursed as a grating sensation was transmitted to his hand. With the spear on one hand and the silver gleam that covered all its body, it appeared to be a fully-ted soldier. However, judging from the distorted figure  a head directly from its torso without a neck and its unusually thick limbs  it was clearly not a human. It looked like a child-made y doll.


    "It''s a golem! And its made of metal!"


    One of the members of Ars Longa shouted in excitement.


    Golem. A golem is a type of familiar that a mage can create by granting a temporary life to a material. The strength of the familiar depends on both the skill of its creator and the quality of the material. In the case of metal, such golems would present a hindrance. It was because metal is both durable and strong.


    "And this colour means...... Mithril! It''s a mithril golem!"


    "Mithril, huh?"


    "Wait, isn''t that a super high-grade magical alloy! This golem is made out of that?"


    Ninon stiffened. Her eyes, hidden behind by her bangs, must have been wide-opened. The analysis made by Ars Longa was that disturbing.


    Mithril is also known as magics silver, or true silver. It is a light yet strong silver alloy that could seldom be found from magic enriched veins, and can possess a variety of magical properties depending on how it is processed. It was a material used for the highest quality of armours, and it was said that the equipment of the heroes from the old was often made of mithril. It was a rare metal that was synonymous with legendary weapons.


    And to their demise, it made up the entire body of the golem.


    "............!"


    The golem, or perhaps it should be called walking ingot, moved with an agility that betrayed its appearance. It was targeting the leader of the Four-headed Dragon. The swordsman who was preupied with snatching whatever treasurey ahead was attacked by the spear of the golem.


    "Dont you dare look down on me, puppet!!"


    But he was a B-ranked adventurer. In fact as the unchanging member, despite the frequent substitution of members in his party, and also as the leader, the one thing he had was tenacity. Rather than being thrust to his death, he hit the hilt of the spear and avoided the blow without suffering any wounds.


    But the price to pay was high.


    With a sharp noise, the sword broke in the middle.


    "Damn it! My god-damned expensive foreign made Wootz steel sword!? How could it break?"


    It was a rare steel material from another continent that was touted as being resistant to rusting, breaking, or bending. But it was insufficient against mithril. After all, since the whole body of the golem was made in mithril, the spear was surely made from the same thing.


    Gerald took position to cover him.


    "Get back. I''ll handle it."


    He readied his scimitar as he said.


    He took a deep breath as the golem closed in on him. As if responding to the golem advance, the mysterious glow that was always around the de grew in intensity.


    "......Hah!"


    A sh.


    A straight line of sparks ran vertically towards the top of the golem''s head, creating the noise of objects chafing against each other.


    The next moment, the golem and its spear was cutpletely in half and fell onto the floor.


    "A-a single stroke......."


    "Wow, amazing! As expected of the good name of the Red Lion! If mithril is considered a legendary alloy, then this strike must also be a legend!"


    The leader of the Four-headed Dragon murmured, while the boisterous Ars Logan members cheered.


    This scimitar, which could cut through even a mithril golem, was actually not made of metal. It was a weapon made from the parts of living things.


    It was the fang of a dragon.


    In the past, a vicious dragon attacked the west and destroyed several B-ranked parties. After a fierce battle, the Scarlet Shield finally put it down, and tomemorate their achievement, they made their own equipment from its parts.


    Geralds scimitar was a dragon fang sword.


    Cedric''s shield of scales was a dragon scale shield.


    Gotsch''s sharpened daggers were made from two dragon ws.


    Ninon''s robe was made with the beard of the dragon.


    There were 4 different equipment made in total. All of them were first-rate equipment suitable for the A rank, the pinnacle for adventurers.


    They were both rare and powerful, and not at all inferior to mithril.


    The other adventurers around them looked on with envy.


    The members of the Scarlet Shield were instead looking at Gerald with concern.


    "...... You''ve poured a lot into that strike, didn''t you?"


    "Yeah. It was an opponent that required it."


    "No. But I could have"


    "No. Even so, in the end, Gerald or I would have to be the one to exert ourselves. This guy is just too tough..."


    Ninon worried for their leader, Cedric grinded on his teeth in regret, and Gotsch let out a sigh. Geralds was drenched in cold sweat, though he pretended to be unconcerned about it.


    These four types of armour made of dragon material also had a special function.


    That is, in exchange for a temporary boost to its performance, it takes an equivalent amount of strength of its owner.


    By literally breathing life into them, the dragon''s ws and fangs could be restored to their former sharpness, and the scales and beard could be made stronger. It shouldnt be a surprise to anybody, but this was not something that could be used more than once in a short period of time. In fact, during the noon battle against the cyclops, with the magical firepower of the Apostles of the Dawn, they managed to preserve this trump card. Until then, the burden was great.


    Now that they were in a situation without the mages, they had no choice but to use their trump card. No, even if the Apostles of the Dawn were still alive, it might not be effective against a magic resistant mithril. They would have to use it anyway.


    "Hey, what are you guys mumbling about?"


    "No, it''s nothing."


    They brushed off the Four-headed Dragon leader. Equipment strengthening was a double-edged sword and was thus a secret. It was not something that could easily be revealed to outsiders. In particr, the Four-headed Dragon leader, with his insatiable greed, he wasnt somebody they could be careless around. If the weakness in their trump card was discovered, it could be capitalised on to assassinate them.


    After all, the disadvantage of fights between adventurers was that dead adventurers cannot provide testimony.


    How could the adventurers guild make a rule to allow such fights? The members of Scarlet Shield showed equal disdain against the deplorable state of affairs between adventurers.


    On the other hand, for the members of Ars Longa


    "Hmmm, so it isnt just the use of mithril, but also the excellent build quality."


    "As you say. These must be the legacy of the ancient civilisation who built these ruins. They must have been very advanced."


    "And yet, the design was so simple, wasn''t it? If it was such an expensive golem, I think the design should have been more borate."


    "Yes. If it was left behind as a guardian of these ruins, symbolism should have held importance."


    And so on and so forth, as they surrounded and inspected what was left of the golem.


    They showed no caution despite being deep in enemy territory.


    "...... You guys need to be a little more careful."


    "Huh? Oh, yes. ...... But we have an A-ranked thief over there, right? Then our vignce is unnecessary, wouldnt it?"


    "Is that how it is?"


    "Yes, it is. Rest assured, we have already disarmed the traps around us."


    And thats how the conversation went. Indeed, if they chose to rely on Gotsch''s ability, then theirck of vignce was eptable. But how could they have such dependency on other parties? The stubbornness of the Four-headed Dragon and the Apostles of Dawn was one problem, but they were, though different in nature, a separate problem. It''s like being forced to babysit, to say the least, if these adventurers delegated away these basic responsibilities to them.


    Ninon tried to avoid the awkwardness by asking.


    "So, how about it? Did you find anything out by examining the golem?"


    "Oh, I''m so d you asked!"


    The member of Ars Longa shone with a look of anticipation on his face.


    Sensing that this was going to be a long exnation, they inadvertently braced themselves. The survivors of the Apostles of the Dawn were probably being tortured, yet these inquisitive people paid no heed to it.

 Chapter 50: Scarlets Research 4 (2)

    Chapter 50: Scarlets'' Research 4 (2)


    "Normally, the Guardians left behind in these temples, tombs or other religious sites would be designed with more symbolism! They tend to look human, or be decorated with expensive ornaments!"


    "This would have the effect of intimidating thieves, showing the authority of the deity they worshipped or the person buried, while also potentially boosting magical potential. So there were tons of benefits to doing so. Isnt it strange they didnt?"


    "No, perhaps they were stingy with the resources used"


    "That''s impossible! They had the technological and financial power to use an alloy like mithril as a material for golems. An authority that gave birth to such a civilisation would definitely be more borate in its decorations! If they couldn''t do that, they would have downgraded the golem''s material and armed it with mithril products instead. Even at the expense of performance. The simplicity of this mithril golem was unique enough on its own!"


    "So what is the point you are making......?"


    Gerald urged him in a tired voice. His lethargy came not just because of exerting his life energy into his weapon, he thought.


    But the narrator continued, indifferent to the matters at hand.


    "ording to the hypothesis I have just formted, this golem is..."


    He tried to continue, but,


    "Hm!? Get down!"


    "aaaaaaah!?"


    They were interrupted by Gotschs warning and the sudden falling of spears from above.


    There were four shadows that appeared from above. Their shapes were almost identical to the destroyed golem. The only difference was that they were not cut in two. In a matter of seconds, the golems killed all four of Ars Longa members.


    "......I see. In other words, these golems were made in numbers? "


    Gerald readied his stance as he roared out.


    In short, it was a mass production type. It would beughable for soldiers to be decorated like generals. So there was no need to be borate with their design.


    "Holy shit...... There are still so many of them?"


    Gotsch''s expression was tense.


    The grade of these golems was about B+ to A-. But that''s only if it was just one of them. It was a nightmare for even A-rank adventurers to encounter them in packs.


    In addition, the other side had ambushed a thief as talented as Gotsch without being detected until the veryst minute. Were they using some sort of a passageway hidden by advanced magic technology? Or was it spatial teleportation that they were using? In any case, it became a hot potato for them.


    "We have no choice but to do it!"


    Cedric stepped forward. There were four enemies. It was very likely that there would be more reinforcements, as they suddenly appeared from the ceiling. Then, it would be a foolish idea to ce Gerald at the front and fight like before. No matter how outstanding their swordsman was, it would be the end for him if he were to be surrounded and skewered from all sides. Cedric, the partys tank, has no choice but to stop theirbined attacks and cut open an exit.


    "O Lord, I humbly present myself..."


    Ninon began her prayers for healing. For the Scarlet Shield, whose trump card was exchanging physical strength for improved equipment, recovery magic that could regain lost vitality was a matter of life and death. The number of times she could use the heals were limited, but she couldnt afford to hold back now.


    The brawl began.


    In the midst of the melee, the two surviving members of the Four-headed Dragon fled the scene.


    The majority of the alliance had been eliminated and their party itself had lost half their members. In addition to that, they could only at best be a hindrance since they were swordsmen who had lost their swords. The leader of the Four-headed Dragon made the call to escape with tears in his eyes  of course not.


    "Hehehehe! It was a shitty job, but at the end of the day, luck turned out to be with us!"


    "Hehe.....!"


    The two men each carried a lump of metal in their arms. You might think that they would be too heavy to move a load of metal, but they were adventurers, and most B-ss vanguards would at least possess the strength of a dozen ordinary men. They could lift and carry iron ingots and gold ingots with their hands without any trouble.


    This was especially true if the metal in question was mithril, which was known to be one of the lightest alloys.


    Yes, they left everything to the Scarlet Shield and were running away with the parts of the golem.


    After all, mithril was a legendary alloy. Even if they sold it at discounted rates, they could probably fetch 5 times its size of gold. That''s how much it was worth. If they could bring back such goods, then they would be able to livefortably for a while. Then that was sufficient. It was foolworthy to continue with the exploration.


    They felt no guilt about abandoning their fellow adventurers. They might all be adventurers, and they might have higher rank than they did, but in the end, they were allpeting for the same pie. Even more so since they were incredibly pissed at being ordered by them ever since taking up this request. They had reason to kick them off the cliff from the back, but there was no reason that they save them or die together with them.


    We, or at least I, must survive and thrive at all costs. This was the reason why the leader of the Four-headed Dragon chose to flee.


    (Serves you right! Serve you all right, you bastards! I''m the one who will survive. I''m the one who will be moving ahead. I''m the one who wins in the end!)


    The mages of the Apostles of the Dawn were snobbish. The Ars Longa was a group of useless people with nothing better to do but argue. The Scarlet Shield cheekily looked down on him. And the subordinates of the Four-headed Dragon were not even useful as pawns.


    He scoffed and ran for the exit.


    Even though they were a group of battle-specialised swordsmen, the Four Headed Dragon was a party that has risen to the rank of B. The leader of the group would have of course, acquired a minimum level of searching techniques. He had an approximate mental map of the dungeon. The only thing left to do was to hide their presence, and avoid encounters with monsters while escaping down the mountain. It was a race for his life and death, but with the help of consumables like scent removing potions, he should be able to pull it off.


    It was an overly optimistic n backed by little evidence, but it was important to believe in the n. In a desperate situation, it was possible to bring out ones hidden strength as long as there was hope. So be it if it was false bravery. That was how he hade to survive in the numerous crises he faced in his life.


    But...


    ".................."


    Who knew? There was a golem waiting at a T-junction near the exit for any intruder who tried to escape.


    It was a monster that wouldnt be damaged by any simple sword or spear, and was almostpletely resistant to magic. There was surely no way they could hope to challenge since the leader had lost his weapon in the previous battle, and his final subordinate was actually the worst in skill among them.


    However, that is an assumption.


    This might be sudden, but what is the most important quality for an adventurer?


    Most people would im that it is ability. Physical or magical strength, skill in exploration, depth of wisdom, decision making skills...these were all skills that were crucial for adventurers. So in some sense, ability is indeed the most important quality.


    Those who know better would say it''s madness. Putting it in other words, it''s the belief in oneself and mental strength. When adventuring in a foreignnd, or fighting an enemy of unparalleled wickedness, a normal mindset was too fragile. Only by armouring your mind with madness would you be able to find a way out. In a sense, this was also the right answer.


    But it was not the right answer to this question.


    I apologise for not revealing the answer yet, but the answer will be clear as day as the confrontation develops.


    So, back to the scene.


    The golem, following its duties, proceeded to attack the escaping Four-headed Dragon.


    "Opus 01 to highermand. Stop golem 6 immediately. ...... Over."


    Suddenly, somebody speaking could be heard and the golem stopped.


    A few momentster, the remnants of the four-headed dragon took off for the exit, ignoring what might be hidden in the darkness.


    "...... Hahaha! That''s the exit! I got away from these damn ruins!"


    "A-a-are we saved?"


    And then, they ran down the mountains as fast as their legs could carry them. They didnt even try to look at the ruins behind them. Of course, they were oblivious to the entity that had stopped the golem who was observing them.

 Chapter 50: Scarlets Research 4 (3)

    Chapter 50: Scarlets'' Research 4 (3)


    Still, she did not even let the A-ranked thief sense her the other day, so even if they were a mere 30 centimetres apart, they wouldn''t have noticed her existence anyways.


    "......Left already? I hope you have a safe trip home."


    The person watching the Four-headed Dragon from the shadows of the temple''s entrance was dressed in clothing that would look out of ce in either the ruins, the mountain paths or within the forest of the Seas of Darkness.


    A woman in a maid''s uniform with a silver cor  Uni.


    And then, the space beside her flickered in a haze. The next moment, there was a new person there.


    It was the dark elf Drei, who was bound by a ve cor, like Uni.


    "Hey, Uni. Is it a good idea to let them flee? They took the golem which might still be repairable?"


    "No, it is alright. This is part of masters intentions."


    "Good, though I see it as the root of disasterter. Mithril is a rare metal, even though we have plenty of it in theboratory. If we let them take it home, won''t those greedy monkeyse back for more treasure?"


    "Don''t you see, Drei? That''s why it''s perfect."


    "Oh?"


    Drei wavered for a moment while Uni continued.


    "The mithril golems are acting as our advertisement. If there was an opportunity to obtain a rare metal, other adventurers who have been waiting and watching what would happen would gather in droves to this dungeon. Then we can hunt them to increase the number of test subjects. I''m sure you understand that much."


    "Yes, I''ve heard that exnation many times. But is it really necessary to spread word about this dungeon so rapidly? If we''re not careful, we could end up with too many adventurers and an oversupply. I have a feeling that it would be bad news for them to keeping back as an alliance."


    "No problem. You''ve just seen what an alliance really is."


    "Ah," Drei thought. There were adventurers trying to get a jump on each other and there were adventurers trying to drag others down. The A rankers did some impressive feats but overall, the alliance was a miserable sight.


    "The kind of alliance where people can trust each other''s life to one another cant be created overnight. Trust has to be built over a long period of time, and sometimes you have to show that you were willing to go through rough times for others to build mutual trust. Being bonded by temporary profit would lead to the alliance we saw. Never make an alliance with somebody you do not trust......That has always been the irond rule of adventurers though"


    "How many adventurers or parties, blinded by the shiny mithril, can put faith in one another? ......I see now."


    "That''s right. What''s more, when those adventurers return to the foot of the mountain, they''ll tell everyone that there were ancient golems in the temple deep within the Sea of Darkness. And that they were guarding the ruins. Basically, word would spread that there were no actual monsters in the dungeon that actively sought to destroy humanity."


    Even if adventurers from all over the continent were to gather, they would never be able to work well together. Arge group of adventurers who came together for the sake of treasure would be in danger of splitting abruptly. That''s why they could not formrge alliances, and even if they tried to, they would be no threat. That was what Uni was trying to say.


    And if the dungeons were guarded by golems that just did as they were told, the adventurers'' guild would not take any action. They gave priority to monsters which threaten human life. It would be like poking a beehive if they tried to kill a tomb guardian that was not immediately harmful. There was little to no chance that they would form alliances with important and high ranking adventurers to do it.


    Naturally, there would be an increase in monster hunting activity in the Sea of Darkness, but there would be greater safety for the Temple of the Sun, or more specifically, theb hidden underground of it. Those who would venture into the temple would likely be small in numbers but capable or fragile alliances. In any case, this would leave the best ducks to be hunted. This was the reason the Four-headed Dragon was allowed to leave with the parts of the golem.


    "I get the picture now. Its really an excellent n."


    "Yes, it was masters. Although the details seem to have been fleshed out by Lord Laubert."


    "Young Laubert? If I were to guess, the part about using mithril as a souvenir. Am I wrong?"


    "No, it is the correct answer. He was always waiting for the chance to promote the area."


    "To attract people to Man? He''s in charge of internal affairs, right? How meticulous of him."


    The two women casually conversed as they watched the adventurers running away.


    Suddenly, Uni struck on an idea.


    "That guy over there looks like he''d make a good adventurer."


    "Hmm? That clumsy looking guy running as fast as he can? It''s true that he was fortunate to have his life spared"


    But was that all there was? She was about to finish but was interrupted by a shake of the head from Uni.


    "Luck," she said, "is the utmost important factor. This is just my theory, but...... A good adventurer is simply the adventurer blessed with luck."


    "Luck, hmm..."


    "Not convinced? But isn''t it all down to luck that people are born with talent, or had the opportunity to develop their talent, or given the chance and the stage to showcase their talent? If somebodys luck was not good, he might just die in the middle of the road with nobody to pick up his dead body. It is only through luck that we avoid this."


    Drei could not help but agree.


    Escaping the Sea of Darkness, Temple of the Sun and even getting away with the precious mithril. Indeed, not just anybody could pull off such an adventure. It was a feat that only the best of adventurers could aplish.


    "Of course, that''s only if you have the wherewithal to seize the opportunity when it presents itself. ...Ah, this is just my opinion. You don''t have to take it seriously."


    "No, no, I''m also deeply impressed by it. After all, it is the opinions of the great adventurer Silver Wolf. I''ll bear that in my mind."


    "Please don''t make fun of me too much. I''m a little ashamed that I said something so unbing."


    "Come on, being unashamed at telling me your love stories? You meant to say that you are the happiest woman in the world to have met master? Hmmm?"


    "If you know what I mean already then don''t say it. ......You are a very bad dark elf, aren''t you?"


    After saying this, Uni silently watched the adventurer descend the mountain.


    With his arms full of treasures and his sword at his hip, he was more of an adventurer than anyone else.


    Heart of the temple, night yet bright.


    She stood patiently waiting for their entrance.


    Bodies of intrudersy before her feet.


    A faint smile towards the shakened four.


    A true to heart, joyful, captivating smile.


    "I''ve been waiting for you. Dear guests."


    They were now in the deepest part of the ruins, after being driven back by sporadic golem attacks and traps. With these words, the four members of the Scarlet Shield were greeted with a scene that was out of this world in every sense of the word.


    In the middle of the hall-like space, standing tall with half of its body buried in the floor, was a huge crystal that shone as bright as the sun. This eye-burning source of light made it so that the insides of the ruin were as bright as if it were daytime outdoors, despite it actually being night time.


    The next thing that caught their eye was a woman in a strange suit of armour and earps, standing against the crystal and protecting it. With her tinum hair blowing in the breeze,ing from a hole in the ceiling, it would be easy to believe that she was a priestess who had served this temple since ancient times.


    If so, then it was okay. But there was a scene from hell around her feet.


    "....... ....... ............"


    A manid on the stone floor with his arms and legs helplessly thrown out. The rags that clung to his half-naked limbs barely resembled the robes of a mage. The whites of his eyes gazed into the void, and the small rise and fall of his thin chest te barely gave away that he was not dead. The hair on his head had all turned gray, as if he had been through something terrible.


    The man  a survivor of the Apostles of the Dawn, possibly their leader  was surrounded by a choking pool of blood and flesh. One would think that instead of chicken feathers being plucked before cooking, human body parts were plucked instead. In fact, that had to be what had happened here.

 Chapter 50: Scarlets Research 4 (4)

    Chapter 50: Scarlets'' Research 4 (4)


    The strange thing was that there was not a scratch on the man who seemed to have been subjected to such an atrocity.


    "He said to himself. That there are. Strange things in this world."


    The presumed perpetrator, a woman, began to speak on her own ord.


    "The flesh and blood that regenerates over the wounds when healed with potions and healing magic. Where does it alle from? It is obvious. That it is more than the human body can store. In terms of nutrition, energy and mass. How very interesting. ......So much so that it cannot be helped. To hold such scientific consideration for these magic products."


    The smile on the woman''s face disappeared in her in voice. There was only a nk expression on her face, like ice or metal impersonating as a human. But the graphess of her story and the sourness with which she told it would make even the most seasoned adventurer feel emotional.


    In other words, this woman had repeatedly cut and healed, cut and healed, this person until there was a carpet of flesh and blood all over the floor.


    "What are you?"


    The adventurers were at a loss for words. Gerald was the first to recover his sanity and speak up.


    He asked curly while pointing the dragon fang sword, his beloved weapon, at her.


    "I am greatly impressed. Finally you speak. ...But do you require an answer to that question?"


    "In other words, you''re the boss of the monsters that have taken up residence in these ruins and the Trees of Darkness!?"


    Cedric repositioned himself to the front while holding his dragon scale shield. His left arm was behind his back, grasping the handle of his hatchet, which he uses with one hand.


    "......My reply. You can take it as such. The reason why monsters run rampant in the Trees of Darkness, the reason why I am here, the reason why I protect this ce."


    "Why did you do this to the mage? If you just want to protect the ruins, then there is no reason to do so!"


    Ninon shouted, grasping the cross hanging above her chest. It was a reminder to restrain herself and to prepare a prayer to the gods.


    As she readied herself to use her holy magic, the woman-like something replied.


    "The answer to that is varied. 30% was to make him scream in order to lure you in. 30% to punish him for arriving here using illegal means. 30% was to kill time while waiting for you all to arrive. The remaining 10% was to take out my pent up anger for failing to fulfil my duties for so long. There was a lot of resentment, exasperation and frustration...perhaps I do possess such emotions."


    "Just to be clear, is there any room for negotiation? If your job is to guard this ce, then we can negotiate and you can make us leave..."


    To show that he did not desire a fight, he raised his opened palms in the air. Still, he was still in a position where he could pull out his dragon fang daggers in less than breaths time.


    He would be able to get into a fighting stance the moment negotiations break down.


    The woman dismissed the option of negotiation


    "The task I was given. Defend the inner ruins and remove any intruders. The moment you entered, your deaths were assured."


    "......"


    "I shall add on. I wish toplete my objectives. I wish to defeat intruders. I wish to bring victory to my master. I wish to receive praise and to be useful! For these to be achieved, I need targets! My reason for existence is to defeat my targets! And you are the targets!"


    As she spoke, her voice went out of tune and her face became contorted and the corner of her eyes and mouth were lifted.


    Unable to smile and unable to cry, she had waited vacantly, madly, while repeating such thoughts in her mind.


    As if it were the only thing she knew. As if it were the only thing she was born with.


    "Are you an ancient guardian, beholden to the wishes of your deceased master?"


    That''s how Gerald interpreted the unusual situation.


    A deserted temple in the depths of the Trees of Darkness, where no one ever visits. A pathetic girl who waited day after day for a change that would never happen, neither fulfilling her role nor being relieved of it. For her, even the arrival of an intruder, which should have been bad news, was heaven. And so, with mad glee, she tried to greet the adventurers as if they were the ones she was in love with.


    That''s what he felt from the maniac in front of him. And so did the others as they secretlymunicate with one another.


    "How sorrowful It might be mostpassionate to send her to the afterlife right now."


    "O God, please guide this lost soul..."


    "She isnt lost...whatever! Doesnt change what we have to do!"


    Along with their resolution, they transferred their vitality to the dragon armaments. They were using their ace in the sleeve right off the bat. This was probably a decisive battle and the most challenging hurdle in the quest. Then there was no need to hold back. They were going all out right from the start.


    "I am Cedric, the Crimson Wall. From the Scarlet Shield."


    "I am Ninon, the Scarlet Nun. Likewise, from the Scarlet Shield."


    "Same here. I am Gotsch, the Dancing Ape."


    "And I am the leader, Gerald. Gerald Layson, the Red Lion."


    In the face of their deration of war, the woman calmed herself.


    She became calm as a winterke. It was the calm before the storm.


    The final guardian of the ruins, the woman started violently spewing magic from her body. They may very well transform into surging waves and strike them in the next moment.


    "Registered. Guest ounts for four. Though there are no ess rights nor do I expect continued usage in the future."


    "Introduce yourself, woman. That''s the etiquette of those who fight for life and death."


    The red-haired swordsman urged her on, and her golden eyes lit up ever more intensely.


    Then, quietly, she opened her mouth.


    "Introducing myself...My name is Fem, Opus 05. Let us begin. The second practical battle evaluation test!"

 Chapter 51: Scarlets Research 5 (1)

    Chapter 51: Scarlets'' Research 5 (1)


    "Deploy technique  imaginary space storage, connected. Armament summoning, selecting... main armament"


    Vast amounts of magic gushed out from within the body. Whatever she was saying was iprehensible.


    Based on the above factors, the members of the adventuring party, Scarlet Shield, guessed that the enemy, who called himself Fem, was going to use a magical attack as her first move.


    Therefore, their response was to defend. Cedric, the tank of the party, will stop the attack, then Gerald will lead the counterattack, while Gotsch follows up with more. Ninon would prepare some magic, either offensive, defensive or restorative. Depending on the situation, the course of action between Gerald and Gotsch might be reversed. But for now, the four of them decided this was their approach.


    This was by no means a mistake entirely. It was true that whatever she was doing, she was using magical logic to activate, generate and create magical phenomena.


    But what emerged was hundreds of years beyond their wildest dreams.


    "Gatling Cannon!"


    A lump of iron floated in the air. No, the material could not be as simple as iron. But to Gerald and hisrades, it was nothing more than an uncouth lump of metal that looked like iron.


    "What the hell is that?


    Cedric, who will surely be the first to suffer from its attacks, eximed in dismay.


    The tip has evenly spaced holes reminiscent of a lotus root. A thick, rugged tube connected to it. Fem inserted her right arm up to her elbow into the base of the cannon, supporting it. In the slit at the middle of the base, was something like that bellows of an ordion to control the ups and downs of the weapon.


    Iprehensible and unintelligible. The adjectives came to mind when thinking about the weapon. It must be heavy. After all, it was a long mass of metal. Most enemies could be crushed in a single blow by it. But the shape was too uneven to be used as a blunt weapon.


    Of course, she had no intentions to use it as a blunt weapon..


    Naturally, she intended to use it as a firearm  although the concept of such a weapon had not existed in the minds of the people of this continent and this world until this moment.


    "Please enjoy this feast Fire!"


    With a shout, she pulled the trigger with her finger.


    Immediately afterwards, a weapon which was supposed to be based on unknown science was activated using magic as a recement.


    The Vril generator started to rotate, providing magic power to the ammunition belt. As the magic reacted violently and created explosions, ammunition was fed into the cylinder. The gas pressure rose rapidly and forced the bullets out of the cylinder. Ah, lets just omit the long exnation.


    Below is a brief summary of what happened.


    The steel beast roared and spat out a breath of hot iron.


    "Whoaaaa!!!?"


    Cedric yelled as he endured the series of impacts through his dragon scale shield. He had to yell out and provide his life force to the shield. If not, the great shield, representing the strength of dragon scales, would be useless in an instant. That was the intuition he got as he desperately held on.


    His intuition was urate. Even though Cedric wentpletely on the defensive, he was still being pushed backwards by the torrential rain of attacks on his shield.


    However, he would not be able to endure the attacks indefinitely. The shield''s defence was only possible by sapping the life from its bearer. If this situation continued for three minutes longer, Cedric would be killed, not by the enemy''s attack, but by his own shield.


    Hisrades would not stand idly and watch.


    "Take this!"


    "It''s a mysterious weapon, but I won''t let you use it further!"


    "O lord, please give this humble ones your blessings"


    Gerald and Gotsch leapt sideways from the shield for a counterattack, while Ninon recited a restorative prayer. If Cedric took care of the defence, the two remaining men were responsible for the attack. In the meantime, Ninon was responsible for healing whicheverrade as necessary.


    This was their winning strategy that allowed them to bring down many monsters in the west and even legendary dragons to their knees.


    In the face of this, Fem called out.


    "Armament summoning, selecting... secondary armament"


    She calmly chose a new tactic.


    "hand cannon... fire!"


    As before, she picked up a weapon seemingly from thin air, but unlike before, she used it immediately.


    The roar of the new weapon silenced the gatling cannon.


    To Gotsch''s eyes, it looked as if Fem''s left hand exploded.


    And instantly, something collided with him.


    "Guh ...!? "


    Something struck him hard in the chest and he was blown backwards in the air. Something glittered in the wake of the path of his flight. It was the end result of the breastte that Gotsch was equipped with. Fems new weapon destroyed it with a single hit.


    On her left hand, she held a short tube made with thick steel tes, with a round hole at its end producing fumes. That must be the weapon that hit Gotsch.


    "Haaaaaaaaaaaa!!!"


    As hisrades were literally blown up behind him, Gerald roared and threw himself towards Fem. He focused just for the moment and ignored the fate of Gotsch. He could not afford to worry for him now. Their first priority was to defeat the enemy. Its not like the enemy would spare you and pause further attacks while you saved your allies.


    "Fear the almighty Lord! Let this be a warning to the wicked. Stigmata!"


    In addition, Ninon finished her sacred prayers to bind the enemy. Even for a moment. If the enemy cannot move, Gerald could take them out. For a fight with a first-ss warrior, the momentary pause was more than enough to be fatal. Crucifying stigmata appeared everywhere on Fems limbs.


    "Naive."


    It had no effect whatsoever and dissipated into particles of light.


    "What? No way!


    The magic, which was supposed to be highly effective in restraining magical beings, was nothing but handcuffs made of paper. Ninon let out a cry of confusion. It was true that the guardian, who called herself Fem, was of an unknown species. But she was unlikely to be human from the way she spoke. If the target was a monster or demonic in nature, sacred magic should be effective. Even if she were a human species or a sub-species, she would not have been able to break free in an instant.


    The still unknown being turned her iron-made weapon that she had been pointing at Cedric, towards her now approaching opponent. The trigger was still pressed, which meant that gunfire was still spraying out. The barrage of bullets curved towards Gerald.


    While Cedric was protected by a dragonscale shield, a top-notch piece of armour, Gerald had only in armour. It''s the best quality equipment one could hope for, but it was not as good as the treasures made from dragons. It was incapable of the violent explosions caused by iron, wind, lightning and fire.


    But....


    What if Gerald, like his dependable tank in the party, could protect himself with his dragon weapon?


    "The naive one is"


    "!?"


    "You!"


    Gerald shouted, resisting the numbness in his arms.


    Yes, his arms were going numb. He was numb because he was using it for defence. He did have a way of defending against Fem''s mysterious barrage of attacks. He had it from the beginning. The dragon fang scimitar.


    The dragon fang scimitar was supposed to be a weapon. By hiding the edge and pointing the de towards the attack, it could be used as a temporary shield. Of course, it had to be fed with life force to strengthen its hardness. Both fangs and scales were part of a unique monster: a dragon. The dragon fang scimitar was not any weaker than the scaled shield.


    But in the end, a weapon was a weapon. It was not a substitute for armour. It was just a temporary solution... but that temporary solution was enough. Unlike Cedric, who was ready from the outset to take on the attack, Gerald was running full speed on the ground. He just had to use that momentum andunch a strike on Fem. If he could maintain the durability of his weapon until then, it should still be alright.


    "Absurd move!"


    Fem''s golden eyes flickered slightly as shemented.


    In fact, Gerald''s move was insane. Who in the world would dare to use the de as a shield against a roaring machine gun? If the line of fire was just a few centimeters away from the de, the defense would fail and his body would be torn apart like thin paper in a storm. In the first ce, no matter how hard the weapon was, there should have been no way for the wielder to withstand the impact of the bullets. It would have been impossible to hold onto the weapon as it was being hit.

 Chapter 51: Scarlets Research 5 (2)

    Chapter 51: Scarlets'' Research 5 (2)


    Disproving that logic, he was a person who was capable of the impossible. With greatbat acumen, Gerald intuitively grasped the characteristics of the firearm he had never seen before.


    (I got it. That weapon can only shoot in a straight line!)


    The bullet flew out of the muzzle in a straight trajectory. It was this insight that gave his miraculous defence a chance of seeding. If he blocked the bullets in the line it wasing from, then everything behind would be safe. There was nothing absurd about it, it was entirely reasonable. He was making an impossible statement, not in words but through his actions.


    (However, Ive got more than just a single muzzle!)


    Fem silently replied with no. The hand cannon that shot down Gotsch  arge caliber pistol  was aimed at Gerald. She was attacked in two different directions and chose the nearest target to point the gatling gun earlier. If he could handle the gatling gun, then he could enjoy the other weapon too.


    (Ugh!?)


    In that life-or-death moment, Geralds world slowed down. Adrenaline boosted his brain, and in a long, drawn out moment, Fem''s left hand tried to cross over her right arm, which was carrying a Gatling. He knew in his gut that if it was fully aimed at him, it would be his end.


    The Gatling cannon was still firing away at him, while he shielded himself with the scimitar. She was aiming the hand cannon at him. And he was still trying to run towards her.


    Like a viscous thick mud flowing, the moment dragged on.


    The one who broke that moment was neither him nor Fem.


    "..HAAAAH!!!!"


    With an angry shout, a hatchet was flung towards Fem.


    Cedric was the first to be struck by the gatling weapon. After Fem switched targets to the other two, he had not been simply waiting and doing nothing. He was looking for the right moment to deliver a solid blow to the enemy and save hisrades. And there was no better time than now, just asFem was about to direct both of her firearms on Gerald.


    In the face of the approaching weapon, the armed monster halted her attack.


    "Evasive maneuver  no, intercepting!"


    Fem made her decision to use an anti-air approach after a single second, though with some hesitation. The firearm in her left hand quickly locked onto the target and she pulled the trigger.


    With a roar, the flying hatchet was shot down by the projectile from the hand cannon.


    At the same time, not wasting the opportunity, Gerald twisted and turned to dodge the gatlings fire while getting closer. Just in time, he had caught Fem.


    "Uh!"


    He closed the gap to a mere hairs length and held his weapon in a reversed grip.


    Gerald took an unfamiliar stance, sinking low while moving quickly with the momentum of his steps, umting all the spring in his body. His chin was almost to the ground as he folded his limbs.


    Prowling tiger. That was what this preliminary motion was called by swordsmen. The whole body is flexed like a spring in order to put all the energy into the backhand sh.


    But in the west, this stance had another name.


    They called it the Scale Breaking Lion.


    It was the deadly blow used by the Red Lion to finish off the evil dragon.


    "This is the end...!!!!"


    In the blink of an eye, he unleashed his counterattack. It was as if he was a lightning bolt from the skies.


    He gave it his all in this blow, intending to even offer his soul to the life sucking dragon fang. The light emitted by the de was brighter than the illumination from the crystal, as though it was the breath of a fire dragon.


    The sensation he felt though the handle of the scimitar was the same metal cutting sensation when he cut the mithril golem in half.


    And then a surge of weakness enveloped him. He fell t towards the ground with the inertia. He had been grinding his tooth so hard that his mr teeth were crushed.


    (Made a mistake.... Not deep enough!)


    What he had cut was the weapon of the enemy.


    As proof of that, Fem was alive and well. She had released the gatling gun which was now in halves. Before the gatling could reach the floor, she already moved to her next attack. She aimed with her left gun calmly, attempting to get a better shot.


    "...Hoaaah!!!"


    Once again, however, she was interrupted.


    From the side, Gotsch, with a dagger on each hand, attacked Fem, while making a strange cry that sounded like a monkey or a bird.


    His nickname was Dancing Ape. His nickname came from the fact that he manipted the two des with explosive breathing as though he was in a trance. He was an adventurer with an ultra-aggressive fighting style that was extremely unusual among adventurers.


    But it was also a double-edged technique. In addition to the breathing technique that expended oxygen in his lungs, he had to supply life force to his weapon, the twin dragon ws. If he pullsit off sessfully, then he might be able to y the enemy in that single breath, but it will stille at a great cost to his body.


    Furthermore, Gotsch was already wounded from the previous attack. Naturally, his movements were slower and less graceful than usual. It looked inevitable that Fem would counter and finish him off instead.


    "Wide heal!"


    This inevitability was overturned by Ninon''s healing magic. This healed and revitalised the Dancing Ape, allowing him to recover his nimbleness.


    Not only that, but the heal wave expanded over a wide area, granting restorative effects to both Gerald and Cedric. The Red Lion who was t on the ground after delivering a blow with all his might and the Crimson Wall who was struggling to breathe after enduring a series of blows, regained energy and could battle once more.


    "... Hehe."


    Femughed as she ducked and danced her way out of Gotsch''s two daggers, which came at her like a storm. Sheughed while being exposed to the dragon w daggers, while sensing attacks from the swordsman and the tank, while catching sight of the supporting priest.


    She had an expression of a young maiden, but such a joyful smile would only prove fatal in an all-out battle like this. She then called for her next weapon.


    "Armament summoning, selecting... grenade armament"


    "Something new ising!"


    Ninon, observing the battle from the rear, warned her party.


    But it was toote. It was no longer possible to escape unscathed.


    Gotsch was attacking at close range, trying to prevent his opponent from spraying gunfire, while the other two were too fast to break their momentum.


    "Pineapple grenade! "


    The weapon that appeared resembled a piece of fruit. However, the rough and heavy texture it had was unmistakably that of metal. In fact, it looked like it had the same style as the other weapons she used earlier.


    Three of them. Just like how she did previously, she had somehow summoned them from out of nowhere.


    Fem did not even try to pick them up. She just summoned them and rolled them over without doing anything. The fruit repositioned itself, and spat out a pin like object. Then the strange fruit fell to the floor.


    "Get down!"


    Explosion.


    The reddish-ck mes surrounded the area and fragments were scattered. The destruction engulfed Gerald, Cedric, Gotsch and even Fem herself.


    "S-selfdestruction...!? "


    Ninon was so shocked by this insane strategy that she forgot about the safety of herrades. After all, Fem showed no regard to the temple she was defending, or even for herself. It was too absurd.


    But she was not allowed to continue trembling in astonishment, nor toe to her senses and reflect on herpanions.


    Gunfire.


    "Ahh!?"


    The impact was like an elephant stamping on her stomach. A bullet from her gun, which was shot through the smoke, struck the priest in her stomach. Then, with the sound of cking from her footsteps, Fem appeared through the smoke. On her left hand was arge gun with smoke emitting from it. Despite the mes obscuring her vision, Fem was able to urately aim and fire at Ninon. What''s more, there was no change in her appearance except for the soot. She waspletely unharmed.


    "Ugh, g..."


    Pale, nauseous and with ck blood spilling from the corner of her mouth, Ninon stood up. She was equipped with the Dragon''s Beard robe, made from the carcass of a dragon. A direct hit from a pistol bullet would not prate or even fray it. However, this was only true for the equipment itself. Although the flexible material dispersed and absorbed most of the shock, it did not fully protect the human body underneath. The kic energy that failed to disperse sent shocks into her body, damaging several organs. The ckened blood was a result of it.

 Chapter 51: Scarlets Research 5 (3)

    Chapter 51: Scarlets'' Research 5 (3)


    If she was an ordinary person, she would not have been able to stand. But Ninon was also an A-rank adventurer and a member of the Scarlet Shield. She wasnt about to give up just because she was suffering from an internal wound now. She ced her palm on the injured area of her belly and sent healing waves into it.


    "H-Heal..."


    After the green illumination disappeared, the pain and nausea vanished as if they never existed. But the cold sweat on Ninon''s face did not go away. This was because of the fear she had of the monster, the beautiful woman standing in front of her.


    An enormous amount of magic was leaking from her body. The various mysterious weapons she unleashed on them. Her sturdiness was such that she was unharmed in a suicidal attack. In every single way, she had overwhelmed the A-ranked adventurers. She was a force that surpassed even the dragons they once fought.


    They had no idea such a monstery dormant inside the ruins. This situation was already beyond what an A-ranked party could handle. If the highest-ranking adventurers from each country did not join forces, they might not even be able to challenge it. Such fears crossed Ninons mind.


    "Marvelous. My admiration. To think that all of you could survive even after all those attacks."


    Fem nced at where the smoke had cleared.


    The survivor of the Apostles of the Dawn, who had been captured, tortured, and now abandoned in the corner, was struck by stray bullets and was drawing hisst breath. His body, full of holes, was like a piece of paper torn to shreds without caring about the dotted guiding lines. This was what usually happens when a person was hit by the sweep of the Gatling cannon. The Scarlet Shield enduring it and fighting back was the exception.


    Unusual. Yes, the Scarlet Shield was an unusual group of adventurers. The explosion of the grenades summoned by Fem. The three vanguards were caught up in it, but they were still alive. ckened here and there, with burns andcerations all over their bodies, and yet they were still breathing.


    "Gah..."


    "Oh, that was a close one..."


    "Oh, yeah. If Gerald hadn''t instructed me at that moment, I''d be dead right now..."


    Not only that, they stood up, cursing and swearing while stretching their limbs. If Fem was a monster, so were they. An adventurer was a monster who kills monsters. And the A rank was the extreme north of that. It''s no surprise that they stood up to an attack that would have killed a normal person ten times over.


    What was more astonishing was their intuition inbat that allowed them to take the best defensive action immediately. As Gotsch said, they were following Gerald''smand to "get down". They were from the continent of Ithush, where sword and sorcery reign supreme, and the grenade waspletely unknown to them, yet they managed to find the best solution to counter it. This was what made them extraordinary.


    Of course, this was no baseless guess, or divine intervention. Fem''s attacks have all been fast, linear, and piercing. But when the three men closed in on her, her attack was more rxed than ever. Perhaps she could use some explosive attack? If that was the case, by lowering bodies to the ground, the area exposed to the st would be minimized  such logic yed out unconsciously in Gerald.


    A strong instinct towards the best answer, the guts to surrender his fate entirely without hesitation to the instinct and the party members faith in their leader. This was what made it possible for these men to survive. These were the kind of warriors that should be admired.


    Femughed further at the scene of the men raising their battered bodies while the woman was preparing another healing prayer.


    "I am happy. This is fun. This is what it means to have a fight. What it means to have a battle. This, this... is the joy of fulfilling my mission! Ah! Is this what everybody else has been feeling?"


    Her eyes narrowed in fascination, her arms outstretched as if weing a lover, her whole body expressing her joy.


    In the meantime, the Scarlet Shield was steadily preparing to resume the battle.


    "What are we gonna do? She is one heck of a monster..."


    "As soon as we recover, we''ll have to fight to the death again..."


    "Its about our approach to attacking her that is the problem..."


    "Hey, Ive got an idea"


    Gotsch then turned his shrewd gaze behind where Fem stood.


    The crystal in the centre of the hall shone brightly in the ruins.


    "When Cedric threw the axe earlier, she stopped for a second and then shot it down, didn''t she? It was as if she hesitated to avoid it when she should have."


    "She showed hesitation in avoiding?"


    Gotsch remembered a scene from the earlier attack. When Cedric threw his axe out of the blue, Fem certainly hesitated in making her decision. There was no reason why she couldn''t have avoided it. Her agility was such that she could dodge Gotsch''s continuous shes. Even with all the momentum, she could have at least avoided the flying projectile.


    If she did not do so, then there must be a reason why she chose not to do so. For example, if she avoided it, it would have hit something behind her that she didnt want damaged.


    "That giant crystal?"


    "Guardian, thats her role here right? If that''s the case, then I think it''s reasonable to assume that she''s trying to protect it."


    "But, all the flying bombs and weapons she has been using indiscriminately..."


    "Hmm..., but the whole time, that crystal has not been scratched even once. If she was confident in the uracy of her attack, then it wouldnt be absurd for her to choose shy attacks?"


    Cedric used his chin to motion towards the radial ck soot on the floor. It was the leftovers from the grenade explosion. It was an attack that could have engulfed the crystal behind him, but there was enough distance between the explosion traces and the crystal. In addition, from the markings left in the traces, it seemed that Fem had prevented the shockwaves with her own body.


    It seemed that Gotsch''s reasoning was highly probable.


    Gerald nodded in agreement.


    "Lets do it. Gotta try it out."


    "Are we really all good on it?"


    "Either way, we dont have many options. As long as there is a chance, then it is worth a shot."


    Gerald then readied his stance..


    The first thing was to dodge the enemys attacks, then aim for the crystal in the middle of the hall. If defending the crystal was a priority for the monster, she would be conscious of possible stray bullets hitting it and thus, her movements would be slower. The Scarlet Shield would take advantage of the opening to y her.


    It might seem like a cowardly move, but this was a battle of life and death. They were not as nave to think that they could pick between fair and unfair moves. So long as the fight ended in their favour, any strategy they chose was appropriate...


    And now that they steeled their resolve.


    "...Hm, so thats how it is?"


    Fem gave a small nod.


    "Certainly, it would be troubling for the things I am protecting to be damaged.."


    She removed the weapon on her left hand.


    "Then I shall initiate a change in routine."


    The weapon vanished into thin air like a magic trick.


    "What?"


    The whole of the Scarlet Shield frowned at the iprehensibility of her actions. Why would she be willing to give up the weapon that had destroyed Gotschs breastte and struck Ninon in the stomach? Moreover, there was no attempt to call in new armaments. She had been fighting with firearms all along. Would she actually be going for hand-to-handbat now?


    "The Firearms Operational Test Phase has ended. To continue, I dere the start of the Hand-to-Hand Combat Test Phase."


    And there she dered it.


    As if to ridicule their expectations, Fem clenched her fists, bent her knees slightly, lowered her hips and took a new stance.


    A fighting stance.


    It was true that a knuckle brawl would not be likely to damage the crystal. But how could she give up that advantage without hesitation, when she had been dominating the fight with it? Then the only reason must be obvious.


    She was confident that she could beat the four of them in closebat.


    "Wide Heal"!


    In the meantime, Ninon had finished her prayer and released a wide area healing magic. Gerald and the other vanguards were healed from their injuries and their stamina replenished.


    Fem watched on in silence.


    "...This is our only choice! Let''s do it!"


    Gotsch showed his determination. Even if the opponent was confident in herbat skills, there were plenty of ways to get around it. First of all, they had to get close to the crystal, and so, he sprinted to it.

 Chapter 51: Scarlets Research 5 (4)

    Chapter 51: Scarlets'' Research 5 (4)


    Fem was still waiting in silence.


    "Can''t let this one go, can you!?"


    Cedric followed immediately, clutching hisst remaining weapon, arge hatchet. He wanted to throw his weapon again to see if she would avoid it, but he couldn''t possibly throw all of his weapons.


    Fem looked on in silence.


    "This time for sure... I''ll slice you."


    Gerald ced all his strength into his sword and gave a loud battle-cry. He chose to use a stab. With the full momentum he possessed, he was going to pierce and kill her. He ran, intending to hit the crystal behind him if she tried to evade.


    Fem met the attack  in silence.


    Sorry for being abrupt, but let''s have a little review.


    What are the requirements of a good adventurer? And how well does Gerald Layson possess such requirements? That''s what this review is going to focus on.


    First of all, they arepetent. I would certainly not have anyints in this condition. A swordsman who once yed a dragon, and during this adventure, killed a manticore and a mithril golem with one strike, how could he not be consideredpetent?


    Secondly, madness. No problem in this respect either. The way he challenged the machine gun with his scimitar. His willingness to put his and his allies lives in the hands of a fleeting momentary revtion. In any case, it was not sane at all. He was a madman.


    Last but not least, luck. I''m sure you''ll disagree with me on this one, but I''m going to go out on a limb and say it.


    Gerald Layson was a lucky man. Undoubtedly, he was a very lucky man.


    Here''s the scene to prove it.


    "...............Eh?"


    Someone from The Scarlet Shield let out an out-of-ce voice.


    The voice was either Cedric or Gotsch. Or it could have been Ninon. Whoever it was, it was not something to expect to hear from an adventurer in a battle.


    Gerald was very lucky to not show confusion like that.


    Then something crashed into the stone wall. It sounded like a leather bag full of water.


    And the sound of Fem''s feet zipping across the floor.


    Finally, with a light crunch, what looked like a broken fang fell to the floor.


    "Ge...rald?"


    Ninon''s gaze wandered around, searching for their leader. In the midst of a battle with an enemy of unprecedented strength, it was out of the question to take her eyes off her opponent. But she had to do it. It was not a problem that can be dismissed, because the leader of the party has gone missing in the middle of battle.


    In the end, she finally caught sight of her leader.


    Only his lower half remained and it was stuck to the walls. It was like a carriage squashing a frog.


    "Huh? ...Eh?"


    For a moment, silence reigned in the innermost hall of the temple. Cedric and Gotsch, who had leapt at their opponent, stopped in mid-air andnded on their feet. Fem looked around at the stiffened adventurers, steam billowing from every part of her body.


    The only sound was Ninon''s confused voice.


    Fem lightly shaked her right fist.


    "Report. 2cm crack on fist. Was it impossible to not receive damage?"


    A tiny scar on the back of her hand.


    That was all Gerald had done to her.


    "Impossible...!"


    Cedric shuddered as he realised what had just happened.


    The three men of the Scarlet Shield were trying to attack her. Fem then chose Gerald to counter. She then swung her fist at him.


    That was all it took.


    The impact of her fist shattered the dragon fang scimitar and blew Geralds body into halves. One half vaporised, while the other half was smashed onto the wall. Surely it was an instant death. Clearly no human could have survived that.


    Cedric wailed in despair. There was hatred in Gotschs eyes. Ninons gaze wandered, as if unable to ept reality.


    Let me reiterate it. Gerald Layson was a fortunate man.


    He never had to experience the sorrow of losing arade. He was the first to die.


    He reached the peak of his life. He died in the true spirit of a warrior  in the midst of a battle with a powerful enemy.


    He felt no pain, no regrets. There was simply no time given for him to feel such emotions.


    To those who were involved with the monster hidden in the temple, his death was one of the easiest.


    "...Auto Repair, operational. Recovery,plete."


    And the wounds he left on her disappeared without a trace. This was the result of the final blow of the dragon yer known as Red Lion, who risked his all to unleash.


    And this was part of his good fortune once again, as he did not have to witness this scene.


    "Arghhhhhhh!!!!"


    A shadow jumped forward at the same time as the scream.


    His twin dragon ws glowed. Gotsch was now in a rage. He threw away his usual calmness and swung his twin swords at the enemy. The shouting was not the result of his explosive breathing. It was just a long, drawn-out cry of anger. The party''s scout, a man of calm, had given way to murderous intent and hatred.


    Fem turned to him in silence and opened her arms wide, while wondering what he was doing.


    "You bastard! How dare you.... to Gerald!!!"


    Gotsch no longer had the calm to consider the strange response from her. If she wanted to expose herself, then he would dly cut right through her.


    Die! Die! Die!


    That was all he thought as he mmed his twin dragon ws down.


    "How dare you! Our leader! Our hope! Dieeeeee!!!"


    Every sh he did, streams of tears flowed down his cheeks. Normally he acted more cheekily within the party, but the truth was that he admired the leader more than anybody else. In the early days of his adventuring, when he was frustrated with his uselessness in battle, Gerald helped him train. He would never forget the feeling of happiness he felt when he was recognised as a member of the party. Whenever he disagreed with the leader, they would discuss ande to an eptable conclusion. And so, while sometimes shing with each other, and other times putting full trust in one another, they reached the ranks of heroes. And this damn thing killed their irreceable leader...


    "Warning. uracy is reducing..."


    nk. Suddenly, his two daggers were fixed in ce. Fem grabbed Gotsch''s weapons, stopping the attack.


    "Question. What is wrong? The previous person provided more meaningful battle data. I request a do-over."


    There was not even a scratch on the face or body of the monster. Even though Gotsch''s attacks have lost some of their usual precision, his weapons were the dragon ws enhanced by his life force. How sturdy was she that not a single cut seemed to have appeared on her?


    "... Aaaaah! Aaahhhh! Aaahhhh!!!"


    When the weapon was suppressed, Gotsch started to headbutt her. How could a headbutt damage her when all the shes did nothing? He had lost all his senses and all he cared about was to attack his opponent.


    Fem let out a sigh at such madness. Her face and her posture showed no signs of wavering as she received the repeated headbutts.


    "This is a waste of time. I give up."


    "No! Gotsch, get away!"


    Cedric''s advice was toote. Well, even if it was on time, he would not have listened anyways.


    Gotsch, with blood streaming from his forehead, continued to deliver headbutts.


    "... Hunh!"


    In return for the continuous headbutts, Fem blew his head away.


    The headless corpse of Gotsch fell on its back with a shock. All the blood that flowed out of him, together with the gray matter and pieces of flesh, was sprinkled on the floor. Instead of avenging his leader, he died without even scratching his foe.


    "Go-Gotsch, ...It cant be, then Mr. Gerald too...?"


    Ninon finally woke up from her stupor after being shown the death of another party member. But that didnt mean things were going to get any better. Already the party had been reduced to half its original size and the fallen members were the ones responsible for most of their firepower. Cedric was the partys shield and Ninon was the partys healer. The two of them have no way of dealing a decisive blow against a monster that was unharmed by the ws and fangs of a dragon. Ninons sacred magic would not be effective at all.


    In what was effectively a dead end situation, Cedric made a call.


    "Run, Ninon. I''ll hold her off here."


    "C-Cedric?"


    With his shield at the ready, he stood in front of the enemy with his only remainingrade at his back. He was a man of valour. It was a magnificent sight to behold.


    But the situation was far too dire for admiration. Even if Ninon fled, there were countless golems roaming the ruins. They may be inflexible, but they have better perception than the average monsters in the Trees of Darkness. Also, the tools adventurers use to dazzle their enemies were often designed for use against biological monsters. It was a tough enemy for an A-ranked priest to ovee on her own.

 Chapter 51: Scarlets Research 5 (5)

    Chapter 51: Scarlets'' Research 5 (5)


    But if they stayed here, they were bound to be wiped out. If so, then they had to bet on whatever remaining chance they had. Even if it meant giving up his own life  that was what Cedric decided.


    "A wonderful self-sacrificing nature. I give mypliments."


    "Being sarcastic? Damn monster."


    "No, I honestly. Think it is wonderful. You didnt hesitate to sacrifice yourself in order to do your very best. It''s a beautiful attitude. I would like to learn that as well."


    The look on the monster''s face was so gentle it was frightening. She was like a mother who watched her injured child get up from a fall, even though she was the one who pushed the child down. In other words, it was the gaze from an overwhelmingly superior person who loved to watch their subordinate toil away.


    "Announcement. However, I''m not going to let even one of you escape. I''m not going to let a mass-produced golem im the credit. ...I willplete the mission with my own hands."


    Fem''s figure trembled and then vanished. She moved without leaving any sound behind, going much faster than what A-ranked adventurers could follow with their eyes. Cedric thrusted his shield, wholly prepared to sacrifice himself. Please, hit the shield, and please, endure this one hit, he fervently prayed.


    Just as he wished, Fems iron fistnded onto his dragon scale shield.


    Though his wish was not fully granted and the shield did not hold up against the single blow.


    It sounded as if a gong was sounded. At the same time, Cedric''s body flew apart, exploding within. The exceedingly powerful punch had destroyed the frail human body hidden behind his shield and his armour. The dragon scales ting on the shield shattered, and the light of life that had been sucked out of its owner glimmered in the air. It might have been a merciful veil to hide the sight of grotesque destruction. But then the Gods must be fickle if this was the mercy they granted, because the disciple of God was not even given time to benefit from it.


    "Ka, ha ...!? "


    Ninon''s neck was gripped by cold fingers. In the end, she was not given the time nor space to grieve for Cedric or to escape. Fem had captured the final member of the Scarlet Shield herself.


    "All that is left is to neutralise you and the mission isplete. I confirm."


    "Ah, guh!"


    Ninon gasped as she was mercilessly strangled. Many thoughts went through her mind and then disappeared. The sadness of losing all the friends she had made over the years. The frustration of not being able to be of help to them. Anger and hatred towards the enemy in front of her. The fear of imminent death.


    And thest thought that remained was.


    "Who, exactly, are you, ...?"


    It was a very simple question.


    She was armed with unknown weapons, immune to sacred magic which was effective against all known monsters, and even the equipment made from the corpse of a dragon was no match for her. Ninon had never even heard of such a monster. If there was such a monster capable of this, then they must be the demon king from the legends or his kin.


    "Are you a high ranking demon?"


    "Please dont say that. I ask of you."


    At herment, Fem''s expression twisted and she increased the force from her hand.


    "Gah...!?"


    "I am outraged. You cant be any further from the truth. You mean to tell me that you couldnt even tell what I was? Even though we have been fighting all this while?"


    "...!...!"


    "That''s enough. And here I thought I havepleted a worthy objective Stop trying to put a damper on this."


    "......!"


    "I sentence you to sleep like this. You don''t even have the right to know who I am."


    With her arteriespressed and the blood flow to her brain cut off, Ninon''s consciousness sunk into deep darkness. Fems golden eyes continued coldly observing the situation.


    Thus, the A-ranked adventurer party Scarlet Shield disappeared from the world.

 Chapter 52: Scarlets Research Final (1)

    Chapter 52: Scarlets'' Research Final (1)


    "My greatest apologies, Master. The precious gatling cannon was destroyed."


    As soon as the debriefing began, Fem, who had finished bringing in the new prisoner, the priestess of the Scarlet Shield, bowed to me. She seemed sincerely apologetic, but to tell the truth, I didn''t really care much.


    "Well, you don''t have to be so nervous. I''m the one who asked you to do the operational test against A-ranked adventurers."


    "But..."


    "First of all, the mission I entrusted you with defending the lighting facility and capturing of the intruders went well. I''m satisfied with that. Is that not enough for you?"


    "Saying it like that isunfair."


    Fem looked unconvinced. Hmm, there''s really no need to worry about it.


    "And... What does it matter? It''s just a toy or two. It''s just a prototype of a prototype that I made as a little break from my research."


    "Thats some crazy toy, hmm?"


    The one who interrupted me, with his mouth twitching, was Due. All the other members of the Opus series were gathered here in my personal workshop. It has be tacit that after a big mission, we would usually have a review meeting here.


    He shrugged his shoulders and continued.


    "If a weapon like that makes its way to the world, it could wipe out one or two of the four major powers. To be holding on to such a toy..."


    "Speaking of that, the Gatling cannon and other firearms are currently only avable as specialised equipment for Fem. And even though she is the only one who can handle them, the data from her battles do not look promising...... I think our master''s decision is justified."


    It was Uni who gave a long exnation. As she said, a firearm with such aplex mechanism would be too much for the ve weapons mass production department, which was busy researching small arms. It would be impossible to make them without the help of either me, Uni, or Seis, who were skilled in alchemy. I am nning to simplify the process so that even mass-produced types can make them, but that was not my current top priority. After all, my main goal is to achieve immortality, and researching on powerful weapons was just a way to protect myself until thates to fruition. Or maybe, just a way to rx.


    "More like, normal punches would have been waaaaay stronger. It pales in power whenpared to lil Fem''s body herself. If regr forces were to use them, it wouldnt be possible unless they are all made from mithril."


    "Wahaha...when ites to the legendary mithril, Oubeniel-kun and everybody are losing face."


    Charlughed dryly at Seis''s analysis. Due and the St. Gallen folks have overestimated the value of mithril.


    "Speaking of which...In actuality, if we had unlimited resources, we can use orichalcus as much as we want, but for now, we have to make do with mithril..."


    "We have been mining those as raw materials and the materials for Alkaest, which is the topic at hand, can now be obtained steadily from the monsters breeding in the Trees of Darkness. I''m still pretty amazed at the current situation we are in."


    "Drei is surprisingly hard-headed, huh. Common sense is something that is rewritten every day."


    "In this case, I think Oubeniel-kun is the one thatcksmon sense."


    The vampire with the umon sexual habits was saying something, but I chose to ignore it.


    "Well, I''ve seen the data, and it has enough firepower to nail that heavy armoured warrior. If we keep improving the materials used and brushing up on the design, there wille a day when it bes a weapon that is more reassuring than simply just punching. Until then, as I said before, you can think of it as a toy."


    I emphasised once again. Fem finally started to look up.


    "Reply. Yes. Master''s will is my will."


    Yes, yes, it''s good to be honest.


    Research is a process of trial and error. We cannot be discouraged by temporary unfavourable results. We reflect on the mistakes and ws and prepare for the next time. In that sense, it''s me who should be reflecting on the fact that we were doing live practice before simtions.


    "I am surprised, though. I didn''t know Fem had a passionate side to her. I thought you were more of the type who thought of fighting and stuff as work."


    What Charl was referring to was the battle with that party. I had been watching the battle unfolding in real time using my surveince magic equipment, and I too was amazed at how much emotion she showed during the battle.


    After all, Fem was a golem. By nature, they did not possess any feelings of happiness or annoyance.


    However, she was equipped with the Orichalcos Brain, which was created to mimic the human brain. If it could reproduce human thoughts, it''s no wonder that emotions were created. Still, I didn''t know that she was sopetitive either.


    Fem spoke with a small bow.


    "I''m proud to say. I was created to fight. So it is only natural for me to be sincere in my fights. There''s nothing wrong with that."


    "Hmm? Is that what it is?"


    "And......because I never had a chance to make amends for my previous mistake."


    She must be referring to the attack on the elf vigest year, when she was half destroyed by the highest level spell used by the target. That was truly shocking. I hadn''t expected to find a mage from an unknown vige who could break through the magic resistance of the orichalcon.


    Even I, who had just sent them off without a care in the world, was horrified. It must have been a serious trauma for Fem. At that time, she had just started operating and was not showing much emotion, so the other Opuses and I around her did not even notice. After that, she continued to work as a liaison when I was at the royal capital, and also guarded the lighting facilities where no one usually came. It''s no wonder that she was so determined to fight the next battle that she developed the desire to fight like a battle junkie.


    "......Master. It seems the current arrangement for Fem is inadequate."


    "So you feel the same way, Uni?"


    Fem''s mission now put her in a long, long period of inactivity but her emotions were making it unmanageable. It''s a good thing that this time it was transferred to her fighting spirit, but if more stress were to cause a problem, we would be in trouble. We will need to make improvements as soon as possible.


    "There is no need to use emotion-equipped golems to guard the innermost regions. In normal times, we should deploy normal golems that specialize in defensivebat, and use the Opus series only when a tricky intruder appears."


    It was a very reasonable opinion, typical of Uni. The idea that Fem, a high-end orichalcum golem, would have to be restrained to guard a ce that was rarely visited was absurd when you think about it. If the only purpose was to repel intruders, then something designed for that purpose should suffice.


    Or rather, she was too overspecified for this security mission, as she carried heavy weapons and had more power than a siege weapon. Realise that earlier, me.


    "Question. Am I not useful?"


    Fem''s voice sounded a little nervous at the thought that she was going to be relieved of her duties at this point.


    She is really specialised inbat. She couldnt help with research like Uni, Charl, or Seis, nor was she suited for undercover missions like Drei. She wasnt even human, so she could not be entrusted with frontline work like Due. If she was removed from her security duties, then she would truly be out of job.


    On the other hand, if there were fewer and fewer opportunities forbat, that would weaken her identity. It was a problem. This was also the negative side effect of the loyalty that I inserted, so I could not just go through with it like somebody elses problem.


    Ah. There is something I could do.


    "Don''t be so downhearted. Don''t feel too bad, it''s just that I haven''t been able to get you the right job. So I''m going to assign you a new mission that suits you better......"


    "Really? Really?"


    "Yup. The details have to be worked out while consulting with everybody, so I cant assign the mission right away."


    "......I''m sure it''s just another crappy mission anyway."


    Due butted it unnecessarily.


    That''s rude. I''m pretty sure I''ve thought of a way to use Fem''s abilities to help the world.


    Well, it would be clear after I exined it.


    "With thetest mission, the Scarlet Shield, the most prominent party in the western frontier, was eliminated. So, if monsters started making an offensive in the west, it would be a big deal, right?"


    "Yeah, and WE were the ones that are causing it."


    "Due, listen. Our master is expressing his profound wisdom."


    Nice follow-up, Drei. But it''s a little embarrassing for her to call it profound wisdom when Ive only just struck on the idea.


    Well, let''s leave it at that.


    "That''s why we have to do something about it. The Doldran Margrave who rules there is also a member of my faction. I don''t like the idea of that ce being destroyed. We''ve discussed how to deal with that beforehand, though."


    "I believe you were nning on experimenting with a new version of the product?"

 Chapter 52: Scarlets Research Final (2)

    Chapter 52: Scarlets'' Research Final (2)


    "Hehehe Father and I have put a lot of work into this!"


    Seis thrusted out her chest and said proudly. Yes, unlike the Opus series, which were works of art, these "products" were mass-produced. They were ves that had been remodeled inrge numbers for a long time, in order to allow Seis to gain experience in surgery. Thetest model of them would be sent to the west in ce of the destroyed adventurers. That was the original n.


    "I think I''ll let Fem oversee those ''products''."


    "That is......! That is my greatest honour!"


    Fem knelt down, creating an audible knock. Good, good, I''m d she was satisfied with it.


    "She would practically be a military governor. Are you sure we can leave this to a golem?"


    "It is not like it epasses negotiations with the margrave''s army. We''re just collecting actual battle data and providing support if necessary. After all, the west is on monsters territory. We have no idea what kind of monsters are there, and the observers of the products will need to be able to fight in case of emergencies. I''m going to expect His Excellency the Margrave to make the big adjustments. Right off the bat."


    In short, her role was to collect data and run wild as she pleases without getting in the way. I hope she will do her best to be useful to me while satisfying her fighting tendencies. Fem and I would be happy, and Lord Doldran would have recements for his lost adventurers. Win for everybody. Sounds like a great idea.


    "Their A-ranked adventurers are gone, and recing them are your loyal forces. I pity the Margrave."


    "What are you talking about, Due? In addition to the new model, I''m sending them Fem that''s way stronger than the adventurers. Theyll have a much better fighting chance against the monsters. Besides, unlike her and the high-ranking adventurers, the products can be reced at will. I''m sure Doldran Margrave will agree that it is a good deal."


    Unimented as a matter-of-fact. She was an adventurer, and one with a nickname to boot, yet she gave such a harsh assessment. In her case, she had killed more adventurers than she had coborated with them. She probably felt more annoyed than attached or proud of adventurers.


    "Depending on the results of the operational tests in the west, the day maye when mass-produced ves reced adventurers. They can be supplied stably, obey orders reliably, and have lower operating costs."


    "Of course, they will only be sent to the territory of nobles belonging to my faction."


    After all, they were my most important political pawns. I''m willing to relieve them of their security burdens so that they can operate at maximum capacity. After all, the cost of hiring adventurers and preparing forrge scale expeditions to fight monsters is quite high. There are not many adventurers who are willing to work without pay like Uni. I''m sure it would make things far easier for them financially.


    But other than members of my faction, the territories of other nobilities and other countries were outside of my jurisdiction. Allowing external parties entire their sphere of influence would increase the risk of information leakage, so the only lords who would ept my products would be members of their own faction who have been brainwashed. As I said before, there was no noble who would wee a person with a powerful fighting force roaming around in their own territory.


    "Even dragon-ying heroes are receable, huh? I wonder what adventurers are then......"


    Due muttered depressingly to himself. He too was a former adventurer who had risen to the rank of B. He might have been brooding about the end of those who were ranked higher than he was.


    "But there are all kinds of dragons, arent there. From strong to weak ones. I''ve analysed the wrecked armours that Fem has recovered, and the material seems to be from a fairly young specimen. Probably a young dragon, less than a hundred years old."


    "They killed a lower level dragon species, the Lesser Dragon. Even so, it''s enough of a threat to wipe out a local city or two, but it''s no match for the Opus series. How about going to the west or St. Gallen to hunt dragons? I''m sure well get some good material."


    It would be difficult to face some kind of legendary dragonlord, but it would not be so difficult if it were a mid-grade dragon that was several hundred years old. I possessed only a few samples of certain dragon species, so it would be enticing to hunt them.


    "Hehe, sounds good. As for me, I''d like to capture them alive. Our cyclops was recently defeated, so we need to replenish our supply of big game anyways. A dragon as the boss of the Trees of Darkness would not be a bad idea."


    "Yes, yes! I think the chimera material was interesting! Wouldn''t it be more interesting tobine fire dragons, ice dragons, and thunder dragons to make a super dragon that spits out seven colored breaths?"


    "...... high-ranking dragons can humanise, right? So I''ll take a virgin female dragon..."


    "I object. To Opus 04''s proposal. It is difficult to capture a high-ranking dragon alive. In addition, there is little point in selecting females that meet Opus 04''s aesthetic needs."


    "I mean, what the hell are you doing with a dragon? No, don''t tell me. I can imagine it already."


    "So what do you want to do with the dragon after you hunt it? How about you enlighten me, Due-senpai? Do you want to use them as materials for swords or something like that, just like an adventurer would?"


    Everyone seemed to have different opinions on how to use a dragon. There was one person who was out of line, but that was as expected.


    "No, to be honest, I wouldn''t rmend using dragon-made weapons. They boost performance in exchange for life force, right? If that''s the case, it''s better to use orichalcum or something else from the start to make high performance equipment."


    "......Is that how it works?"


    "I agree too. First of all, we can append such functionalities that boost performance temporarilyter, whenever we want. ...For example, Fem."


    As I said, I turned my gaze to Fem. She was a masterpiece that made me proud, being able to shake off the dragon yers who wore dragon armaments with ease.


    She nodded her head in agreement.


    "Affirmation. By circting magic power through magic infused metals, its strength and other properties can change. I have those abilities by default."


    Fem was a golem made with orichalcum, a super material. The Orichalcus Brain wasn''t the only high-end feature she had.


    The Vril Generator, a semi-permanent magic generator. Magic generators consume fuel, but the one installed in Fem was different from the norm. The magic fuel known as Vril, bes impure on usage but it can be reused many times by installing a purification system. Basically, it was a perpetual motion machine one could only hope to find in dreams. However, if Fem was damaged and leaks urred like it didst year, Vril would need to be resupplied, but that won''t happen very often. Its not like there were many strong mages who could cast the highest rank of electric magic.


    "In fact, most of their attacks didnt go through, right? The only weakness is when you''re supplying another weapon, consuming your magic power and lowering your defence."


    This is another dilemma we face for mass production of heavy weapons. Since magic was used to fill up the gaps from the current state of science and technology, only those with an abundance of magical power could operate them. Even if Uni or Drei were capable of using them, the two of them would fare well enough with just their magic and des.


    "This is something that needs improvement...... Why don''t we just put a generator in the weapon! If we do so, the supplied magic power goes up, and the firepower will go up, too!"


    "No, Seis. That would make it toorge. Rather than generators...capacitors would be a better fit? It would be morepact."


    "Wow, awesome! As expected of father! Good idea! Then next time, then we will go in that direction for upgrading!"


    "Getting a more powerful weapon. I look forward. To it."


    Seis had already set her sights on her next toy while Fem looked excited for it. Im d they were enjoying themselves.


    "I guess I''d better get to work on my own research. Since Fem went through the trouble to get these specimens back."


    "Oh, you mean the well-endowed priestess? Hehe, shes in good condition, isn''t she? Thebination of her devotion to God and her immoral body is really something..."


    "She won''t be passed on to you, 04, because the opportunities for procuring such priests as test subjects are truly limited."


    Uni was right. We couldnt afford to hand out our precious experimental subjects to Charl. In fact, he was already given many high value toys, and I didnt want his lust to grow any further.


    And that''s when Drei interjected.


    "By the way, Master. What are you nning to do with priests? To be honest, they are unlikely to contribute to the study of alchemy or immortality."


    It was a reasonable question. After all, they were religious people. They did not aspire to gain eternal life, but for peace in the afterlife. At first nce, they might not seem to have any value in achieving my goals.


    But its too early to say that.

 Chapter 52: Scarlets Research Final (3)

    Chapter 52: Scarlets'' Research Final (3)


    "Well, I''m currently investigating the principles of sacred magic and others. The Magic Academy hadn''t done much in this area. Partly because of the Church''s interference. That''s why I like to take this opportunity and conduct a thorough inspection."


    "Specifically?"


    "The difference between regr magic and sacred magic, the specific working principles of prayer-triggered miracles...... and the God behind sacred magic."


    God. Yes, God. A being that is supposed to be immortal, indestructible, and eternal. In short, my senior who has already reached the utopia I longed for. I wanted to learn more about them.


    "God? Who are they?"


    Drei spoke with bated breath.


    If God were an omnipresent being, how did they be one? Why do they give miracles to believers and have the believers worship themselves? How do they govern heaven and hell...... the afterlife? Or, was it like how I felt as I faced the end of my previous life and the beginning of my new life, where the afterlife was a void and the existence of God a lie?


    The more I thought about it, the more things I wanted to know. For someone like me, who aspired to gain immortality, there was no subject more interesting than God.


    "There is no harm in learning more about the mechanisms of sacred magic. Our immediate enemy is Marquis Lavallee. He has been encouraging closer ties with the Omnian Empire. That religious nation. Depending on how things go, we may evene into conflict with that country. We need to be prepared for that."


    "Know thyself, know thy enemy, and thou shalt not be in danger in a hundred battles. That''s one of Master''s teachings."


    Uni said. It was the knowledge from my previous life that I taught her. Well, I''m sure there were simr sayings in this world. After all, this was a world where people fought not only with their own kind, but also with different kinds of monsters and subspecies. It would be no surprise to find proverbs rted to war.


    "In that sense, there is no more troublesome opponent than Omnia. They are secretive and use doctrine as their shield. On the other hand, they have a lot of holy relics and secrets hidden...... In all seriousness, I wouldn''t want to make an enemy of them if I could help it. This is why we will be using adventurer priests, who are considered a cut above even the churches over there."


    "Though if word spreads about your deeds, even if it was just a small part of it, I have no doubt that more enemies would appear."


    "Cause were artificially cultivating monsters here, huh. We humans use materials from monsters in our day to day life. I don''t see what''s wrong with raising them like sheep."


    It''s really irrational. This is why nobody should fixate themselves on fixed ideas like religion.


    "Getting back to the matter at hand. That''s why I''ve been experimenting with the adventurer priests we captured from the dungeon. Can they use sacred magic after their brains are modified, with their beliefs on religion no longer present? Or if I dont change their beliefs but control their bodies to break theirmandments in some way? ......The problem is that the supply of samples we have is limited, so I cant really explorerge changes in the experiments though."


    "That was one heck of an experiment! The other day, I reced the object of my faith with a random imaginary god, and had him chant sacred magic with it. And then the priest said, ......buhaha, You devilish heretic, you will be judged by my God, Hondaramanewsa! Can you imagine! Just thinking about it. Bufufuhaha!"


    Seis burst outughing, holding her stomach. Of course, after saying that, sacred magic failed to activate. If it did, it would be problematic. In the sense that I wouldnt know how to react to that.


    "Uh-huh. So the masters are operating normally......" (TL: I assume Charl is referring to Gods when he says masters here?)


    "If you don''t stop, you''ll really be punished one day, okay?"


    "Hmm, that would be a problem"


    I shrugged my shoulders at the negative reactions from the men''s side. I thought that Charl would enjoy this kind of thing, even if Due was rather sensible. I''m not doing this for fun either, I''m doing this to investigate God, possibly an unknown threat against this world, and if Gods do exist, I would uncover the secrets behind their immortality and make it my own.


    Hence.


    "So, I''m going to try my best to find a way to deal with God before I get punished."


    I said, as I left the workshop with my assistants.


    So that I could perform the all important research without dy.


    He was really lucky.


    He seeded in escaping from the Temple of the Sun, an extremely dangerous ce, and while carrying with him a treasure trove, pieces of mithril, with him. By applying a magic trace remover on his body and by hiding any presence he had, he somehow managed to get close to the base camp without encountering any monsters.


    A few more steps, just a few more steps, and he would reach the base camp where the other adventurers were waiting. With such hope in his heart, the two remaining members of the Four-Headed Dragon ran through the night forest.


    "Stop slowing down. Do you want to be left behind?"


    The leader of the group slowed down to match his remaining member. It was not out of consideration for hisrades. It was simply because he had given his men half of the treasures from the Mithril Golem. It was easily worth a fortune. Of course, life is most important, but he wanted to pick up as much money as possible. If the potential reward was a huge amount of money, then it was even more so important.


    "I''m s-sorry......."


    The subordinate who was told off reflexively bowed his head.


    Was that the right response? He was already running in an unsteady position while carrying his luggage. The slightest of bow caused him to lose his bnce and he fell.


    "Gah!?"


    "Damn it......, what are you doing, you idiot?"


    Since they were in the middle of an area where monsters roamed, his cursing naturally had to be more subdued. The leader of the Four-Headed Dragon quickly picked up the fallen items in the bushes, and reached down to lend him a hand.


    "Come on, get up. You''re no use to me as a baggage handler, you piece of shit......"


    "I''m so sorry, Leader......"


    He grasped the leaders hand tightly with his left hand.


    "Really...Im sorry."


    With his sword, which he quickly drew with his right hand, he poked the leader in the chest.


    "...........................ah?"


    Caught off guard, the leader stared at the sword in his chest with his mouth hanging open. The suddenness of the attack seemed to have caught up with him. Even though the de had pierced his back, he was more bewildered than in pain.


    "Heh, heh, heh...... I did it. Who''s the shit, huh? The fucking leader, huh?"


    He hurled a twisted sneer at his leader who was dumbfounded. He made a smile that was mixed with contempt and glee, a smile that an upstart would make upon victory against his superiors.


    Being shown that face, the leader frowned in anger and pain.


    "Did you...... betray..... .me?"


    "Betray? How dare you say that to someone you don''t even have a shred of faith in. The Four-Headed Dragon uses and abandons its party members in order to survive and gain for itself. That''s what I did, and I followed it to the letter."


    In fact, he had seen many times when members were abandoned by this ruthless leader. Used as a pawn against powerful monsters, or as meat shields. Sometimes he would even cut off the arms of dissenters.


    There was no reason to show loyalty to a man like that. If there was, it was because of the fear of being killed if one disobeyed him.


    However, the power to suppress his anger, his sword, was not on the leader''s waist. It had been shattered by the golem during battle at the ruins, and was still there.


    He was really lucky.


    The others had been wiped out, leaving him alone with his defenseless and powerless target. On top of that, he would now have the mithril all to himself. There were not many men who have been blessed by such good fortune.


    "Dont think you can get away with this..."


    "Of course I will get away with this. Battles between adventurers are just considered natural deaths. Well it might not be overlooked since we are doing a direct guildmission, but luckily for me, we are in the Trees of Darkness. Nobody saw this. Im sure youll just be fodder for some monster so no evidence would be left. Hehehe,dy luck is truly looking my way."


    "You piece...of....shit..."


    The curtain of life of the leader of the B-ranked party "Four-headed Dragons" closed while being looked down upon by a prideful smile. And this was the moment when the expedition alliance to explore the Trees of Darkness was destroyed.


    "Goodbye, leader. Stay there and be monster poop."


    He was thest one left alive, and he walked through the forest in great spirits.


    He''ll need help to carry the mithril. It would be nice if he could get help from the people guarding the base camp, but they would almost certainly want a share. He wasnt sure how to handle that.

 Chapter 52: Scarlets Research Final (4)

    Chapter 52: Scarlets'' Research Final (4)


    "Here is the evaluated sum."


    "Oh... Damn, thats down as heck."


    When Raymond saw the amount of money that the guild official presented him, he tantly clicked his tongue. It was obvious that the payment was more restrained than thest time. He was thinking of protesting about his reward. However, the person who calcted and presented the reward was not the "Mr Postman" of the past, but a female employee in charge of reception. In other words, she was a capable employee prepared by Canales. If he poked her in the wrong way, he might even be used of bad behavior as a migratory crow.


    Raymond gave up on bargaining and epted the evaluation.


    "Fine then."


    "Thank you. By the way, Mr. Raymond."


    "What?"


    "There have been some bad rumourstely, haven''t there? I heard that some people in the Trees of Darkness have been interfering with young people''s efforts to defeat monsters."


    "...Oh really."


    Raymonds voice lowered.


    This was a situation that he had half expected. Even if the adventurer''s guild wasissez-faire as an administrator, they couldnt allow them to continuously monopolise the hunting grounds, as it might cut off the growth of young adventurers. He knew that he would be warned at some point in time.


    "Thats really troubling."


    "Yeah, troubling indeed."


    Raymond replied as if he was uninvolved. The female employee let out an obvious sigh.


    The territorialisation of the hunting grounds that he had spearheaded was certainly an unsightly act. However, it was not something that could be immediately censured and banned for that reason.


    After all, experienced C-rank adventurers were valuable. Unless they were in a monster house like the Western region or St. Gallen, C-rankers were likely the main force in most towns. Their capabilities were not easy to rece.


    Of course, if he ignored the warnings from the guild over and over again, that might not be the case for long.


    "My my, its really scary. You never know when you''ll be interfered in the middle of an adventure, right? I''m not a young person, but I still don''t like the idea of having to pay attention to things other than monsters."


    "That''s right. I would have to be careful with my back as well as my front!"


    "Hahaha. Totally."


    "Hahahaha......"


    We exchanged false smiles.


    Suddenly, Raymond made a show of turning away.


    "Then maybe it''s time to go. I''ve been feeling a little weaktely."


    "Oh, no. Isn''t that because you challenge high difficulty dungeons? Mr Raymond is a C rank adventurer. If you don''t obsess over the Trees of Darkness, I think you can keep at it."


    The female employee said in a friendly manner, but her true intentions were different. Reading behind lines, they were:


    If you want to leave the Trees of Darkness and move to a lower-priority area, I''ll be happy to help you.


    "I''ll think about it. Well, thanks for the advice."


    He had no reason to object. His crew who monopolised the area for themselves were ultimately a bunch of crows, there for the sake of quick gains. If they learn that the guild was starting to hint or warn them, some of them might be ruffled. Younger members who had been excluded from the hunting areas would probably bear the brunt of their wrath. Thinking about it, its not that bad to be given a new area to work at.


    The guild official smiled.


    "Yes, by all means, please do. We want our skilled adventurers to be able to work in an orderly fashion for many years toe."


    "Well, thank you."


    After saying this, Raymond walked out through the wooden door. At the same time, the sunlight shining on his face made him squint his eyes.


    It was near summer. The stores that were being built during spring have now started operating. In the meantime, more construction was happening, including new stores and houses for the people who work there.


    Man was in its early stages of a boom.


    "Brother, brother! Do you need a new weapon? If you dont need a new weapon, we do maintenance too!"


    "A secret potion for bruises, cuts, broken bones, you name it! Would you like one?"


    "Man''s famous doughnuts! Sweet and delicious doughnuts! As for the price"


    "Hey young mister, you wannae by? It''s half price during the day. Of course, the service wont be any different."


    "I''m sorry, but this street is already at its limit. You can''t open a store here. Haven''t I exined that to you many times?"


    "That''s all well and good, Mr. Laubert. but we''re in the midst of"


    "Father, father, I want a donut too!"


    "Be patient. It''s for people from other ces. It''s too much for our tastes."


    Raymond walked through thendscape of a flourishing town.


    To bepletely honest, he would have liked to stick around a little longer. It was finally time for arge tavern, a small brothel, and a weapons shop to open. This ce was bing convenient as a base of operations for adventurers. It would be a shame to leave the town for another at such a time. It was truly an inopportune moment to leave.


    (Oh well, whats there to do......)


    Theck of luck was the reason why Raymond acted alone as a migratory crow. If he hadn''t left the party when he was young, if he hadn''t overextended himself when he was solo, if he had joined a new party...... There was no end to his regrets. Many times he wished he had a little more luck. This was yet another example of it.


    As he walked along, thinking about it, he passed a young adventurer.


    "Ugh, the migratory crow......"


    He''d seen this before, he thought, as he walked away. He was reluctant to leave, but he had already decided to leave the town. With his new determination, he could no longer stay. If somebody realises his intentions, people who hold grudges against him mighte looking for him. He had to leave the town as soon as possible, without doing anything unnecessary and abandoning the people who were part of his crew.


    "Oi, what''s up?"


    "Nothing. Just passed some unpleasant bastard."


    "Ah, the crow. Oh, yes, did you know? Speaking of bastards, there''s a recent survivor from the Four-Headed Dragon."


    Raymond hurried along the road to the inn, ignoring the chatter behind him. Then he smiled grimly.


    (Damn, they''re all so cool huh. Not like they will ever be a real hero, anyway.)


    He suddenly remembered Joels party, the party with all the grand ideals. Their party was defeated. The boy who was hailed as a genius swordsman never returned from the Trees of Darkness in the end. There was some disturbance at the Adventurer''s Guild when news of their promising neer returned, but it had now passed. He was, no matter how you put it, just anothermonly found mid-level adventurer after all.


    It was also the reason why the alliance, with the Scarlet Shield at its core, was brought in. They, too, had carelessly ventured too deep into the ruins they had discovered and were destroyed, leaving only one person behind. They had a so-called perfect formation of four A-ranked adventurers and 3 supporting B-ranked parties and yet, they equally fell short.


    And yet, the world goes on and on. The elite adventurers, the handful of chosen geniuses, no matter what they are called, if they die, that was it. The people left behind do not mourn their loss, and go about their daily lives as usual.


    (That''s what an adventurer is - a drainage cleaner who ys monsters. There was nothing heroic about it.)


    For a few pennies, they clear rubbish that would otherwise be too much for others to clear away. That''s all they do. They don''t move society, they don''t leave a mark on history. Originally, they were the ones who couldnt put food on the table even if they did normal work. And yet, because they were stronger than others, they think they are heroes. It was ridiculous.


    He hade to this conclusion based on his experience up to this age. When he was younger, he was different. When he was younger, he had thought that if he could make a name for himself with his sword, he would be known throughout the world as a hero. That was when he met his first stumbling block. From that point on, he kept tumbling down till he reached the point where he was despised as a crow.


    From the beginning, I should not have dreamed so much, and should have been more realistic. There was no need to force yourself to live hard and fast. It was wiser to live a not as exciting but long life, no matter how dirty or immoral it might be. That was Raymond''s conclusion.


    (Hey, keep dreaming, young people. Until you die a miserable death like that boy......)


    The migrator crow ambled along the path, sneering at the youngsters who have yet to experience failure.


    Towards the next feeding grounds.


    Behind him, the town of Man continued to grow, swallowing more and more adventurers.

 Chapter 53: The Start of Summer (1)

    Chapter 53: The Start of Summer (1)


    Margrave Doldran casted a puzzled nce at the guest in front of him.


    They were at the Margraves office. The guest present was sent from Man to aid him in defeating the monsters.


    A few days ago, the Scarlet Shield, one of the top adventuring parties in the western region, left for a quest by the Adventurer''s Guild to investigate the dungeon in Man. However, they were now not in a state where they could be returned. The priestess might be returned once business with her was done, but it seemed that she was probably incapable of fighting now. In other words, Margrave Doldran had lost his greatest strength against demons.


    The guest present with him currently was the recement that Tullius dispatched to make it up for him. Or perhaps it would be more urate to say that it was the troops that she was leading.


    "My name is Fem, Opus 05, and I am in charge of supervising the reinforcements to the west under themand of Lord Tullius Oubeniel. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Margrave."


    The one who bowed her head politely was a woman with tinum hair, wearing a strange armour that exposed arge portion of her stomach. In fact, from the details he heard, she simply looked like a woman and was not human.


    A golem, created by a mad man skilled in alchemy. Although it resembled a delicate, soft-looking female body, it was actually a steel fighting machine that deflected arrows, swords, and spears.


    Although he had been informed in advance, he had never imagined that such a fairy tale like being would be sent to him. It waspletely beyond any of the Margraves expectations.


    However, the Margrave was known for his boldness. He pushed aside all of his inner confusion and gave aposed affirmation.


    "......Mmm, I see. I''m sorry you had to travel this far. In any case, Im told you are here to act as a military observer?"


    As he said this, Margrave Doldran paused...... trying to get a read of the person in front of him.


    After all, it was a golem. Was it even possible for her to show human expressions? This might have been a foolhardy attempt to read the guts of the other party.


    Fem nodded with an iron-masked expression on her face.


    "My answer. Yes. Those who will act as reinforcements are currently on stand-by at the front of the house and"


    And that''s when the sound of footsteps echoed from behind the door. Somebody was approaching the room. It was not the kind of noise that would be made by a Margraves family member, no matter how vulgar that family member might be.


    "Pardon me."


    As if she had averse to the iing person, Fem leapt to the ceiling with a light movement.


    Then, with her arms and legs propped up against the beam, she stuck herself to the ceiling while looking down. It was a scene that left a strong impression on the Margrave once again, that she was inhuman.


    I guess she was trying to hide. Fem''s visit waspletely in secret and unofficial. She wanted to stay out of sight from the people in the house.


    Immediately afterwards, a retainer of mine knocked heavily on the door and entered.


    "Eexcuse me, sir!"


    "What''s with the fuss? As my vassal"


    Please, for God''s sake, don''t look up.


    He tried to get his retainer to leave quickly, but he clung to his desk.


    "It is an emergency! Look at the front! The front!"


    The retainer pointed out repeatedly, as if he was very bothered. Doldran rubbed his brow with one hand and said in a firm voice.


    "So, what is it, I am asking. What''s wrong with the front? Did a dragone attacking the front of the mansion?"


    "Ah, no, no. It''s not that, sir, but it''s a serious situation, and ......"


    "Speak clearly!"


    Having received a sharp rebuke for being unable to bring his point across, he finally straightened his back and regained hisposure.


    "Yes, sir! I''m sorry, I must have been too confused...... There is a group of unknowns gathered at the front of the mansion, and I thought it might be an emergency, so I came to inform you."


    "A group of unknowns?"


    The Margrave inadvertently turned his gaze towards the ceiling. The golem, attached to the ceiling like an insect, nodded her head.


    Margrave Doldran wanted to look up into the sky and sigh in exasperation. Putting the facts together, the group that appeared outside were arranged by Tullius.


    "There are twenty of them. All of them are armed. We think they are adventurers or mercenaries, but the atmosphereing from them is very strange."


    "......I understand. From the looks of it, they are not likely to attack the mansion now. For the time being, leave someone behind to keep watch on them. I''ll be sending out another message shortly, so tell everyone in the house to refrain from any rash actions."


    "As you wish, sir."


    The retainer bowed and quickly left the room. He was probably rushing to bring instructions from Margrave Doldran back to the scene. Fortunately, the foreign object in the ceiling seemed to have gone unnoticed.


    As soon as the footsteps were far enough, Femnded silently on the floor.


    "It seems that our Lord has sent me a veryrge gift." With a nk expression and full of bitterness, he said.


    "Not at all, I humbly reply."


    That was nopliment at all.


    On the contrary, the Margrave wished that there was some correspondence between them before being given such an arrangement.


    However, Margrave Doldran was already a loyal pawn of Tullius. From Tullius'' point of view, there was no need to hold back since there was no worry that the Margrave would defy him. As a person who retained some level of free will, it was frustrating.


    "Then I can confirm that the initial batch of 20 units of the new S-series products have indeed been transferred. From now on, the rights tomand them are yours. Please use them to your heart''s content. I''ll simply be collecting battle data." Fem said nonchntly.


    While they were all ves, 20 of them was arge number. It would be very difficult to find an excuse for such a suddenrge purchase.


    "I will have to use these diatorial ves...? It''s going to be difficult."


    diator ves as in ves that are used for fights in arenas as a spectacle. They are often involved in dangerous acts that would lead to serious injuries rather than normal diatorialbat. They are preferred because, unlike professional diators, they do not require medical attention, and if they die, they could be easily reced.


    It was rare for a noble to buy them, but it was notpletely unheard of. Though, it was notmon to keep diatorial ves, even for military people. Margrave Doldran was well known for his military exploits and as a warrior. It was not impossible that he might choose to buy diatorial ves.


    "Even so, twenty ves at once is unheard of. The world might think Ive lost my mind."


    "Don''t worry, I''m sure when thebat results are made known, people will start praising your ability to discern talent."


    "You seem quite confident, don''t you? ......Well, good. I will happily use them then. It''s not like I can go against the orders."


    Then, Margrave Doldran left the room to inspect the conspicuous gift from Tullius.


    The lethargy and sighs from him as he walked showed signs of mental exhaustion.


    Fem''s confidence was definitely not just a bluff.


    Before the eyes of Margrave Doldran was an astonishing sight. The knights of the house were among the most powerful in the kingdom of Arquell, as they ruled over a harshnd with a strong monster presence. They may be inferior to the most elite of the Imperial Guards, but there was no way they would fall behind any random half-baked opponent.


    One of the knights, who was renowned for his strength, was crouching on the ground, holding his aching body with his hands. And looking down on them was one of the ves known as the S series.


    "End of simtion battle......"


    "R-ridiculous......! That I would! To a mere ve...!"


    The knight, face on the sandy ground, let out a gasp of humiliation. He was considered one of the best among his vassals. But he was helpless against the ves and had to taste defeat like this.


    Even though they were ves for diatorialbat, they were still just ves. This was the end result of his bravado, thinking that the ves could notpete with the honourable knights.


    It all started when a retainer took issue with the Margrave suddenly gaining twenty diatorial ves. As Margrave Doldran had feared, many people in the house began to suspect that he was hit by a spell of insanity. Perhaps he had decided to obtain the ves because of the loss of the Scarlet Shield, but even for a house of warriors, a diatorial ve was too vulgar. Even now, the retainer was trying to persuade the Margrave to reconsider.

 Chapter 53: The Start of Summer (2)

    Chapter 53: The Start of Summer (2)


    Without much room for other options, the Margrave said, to quell theints.


    "If you say so, then what about this? Let''s see if you guys can face them off and get rid of them."


    If the S-series won, his retainers would no longer be able to openly protest. After all, the Margrave family has its roots as a house of warriors. There would be no problems at all for him to surround himself with ves, so long as they were strong. On the other hand, if his retainers won, he would have an excuse to return this gift from Tullius.


    With this strategy, the Margrave randomly selected one of the S-series and one of the best warriors from the house.


    ......And the result was the S-series ve gained an overwhelming victory. The ve, who wore armor and a sword, and whose cor was hidden, looked to the casual observer like an adventurer or a mercenary. The ve had treated one of the fiercest men from the Margrave as if he were a baby.


    "I hope you are satisfied, your Excellency."


    The one who said with a voicecking in intonation was the first ve entrusted to Doldran by Tullius  Lucie, the M-22. She acted as a liaison between the Margrave and the Man-eating Snake, and also reported back on the Margraves movements. She was also present at the reception of the S-series, perhaps to observe how the Margrave would react.


    The Margrave looked at the girl beside him ufortably. He had noints about their performance. But the way he was handed them, left much to be desired. However, in the face of this result, there was no choice but to agree.


    "Indeed"


    "Please wait!"


    A young man interrupted the Margrave, who was about to give his approval, and spoke up. He was the only son of the Margrave, and he was dressed more elegantly than the rest of the retainers. He looked somewhat annoyed.


    "What are you thinking, dear Father? You invite these ves in, and then you humiliate a knight who is loyal to our family!"


    "Hm......"


    "Please let these people go now. If they are ves, they will value their freedom. As nobility of the kingdom, we have no positions to offer those of lowly status. Wouldn''t this be better for both parties!"


    But there are other facts that the Margraves son was unaware of. While the right tomand these ves was handed to Margrave Doldran, he was not free to release them. The chains connected to the cors of the S-series, including M-22, extend from the hands of that mad viscount of Man.


    However, there was no way he could divulge it here. If he did, Tullius would get news from M-22 and start working to brainwash his son.


    So he had no choice but to poke and prod at his argument.


    "......You may be my heir, but you have no say in this. This is a decision that I, as the head of the family, have made."


    "Father!"


    "Obey! For these are the words of the kingdoms Margrave."


    Doldran gritted his teeth at the fact that he had no choice but to suppress his son''s opposition through his authority. Defying him further was tantamount to saying that he, the Margrave, the person tasked to quell the unrest from monsters in the west, was inept.


    Whether or not he knew about his father''s feeling of helplessness, the son lifted the corner of his eye and shifted his focus. He looked at M-22 from the corner of his eyes.


    "You, you bitch! You''ve seduced my father again!"


    He yelled and grabbed her by the cor. This was not the way a noble would treat a woman, but nobody around could punish him for it. Because no matter how she was treated, Lucie, M-22, was a ve. It wasmon knowledge in this world that those who are fitted with a silver cor are not to be treated as human beings.


    A young woman with an age gap like that of parent and child suddenly appeared one day and served by the side of the Margrave day and night. That brought about nothing but gossip and spection.


    (Deplorably, since it was grounded in truth, he could not rebuke him......)


    Margrave Doldran looked down involuntarily. Although he was one of the more honest of nobles, he was still in his prime, and his wife had long since passed away. As a byproduct of Tullius'' brainwashing, he had also regained his health, which had been previouslypromised by work. What would happen if a woman who listened to everything he said and did everything for him, even though she had another true master, appeared in his life?


    Heid his hands on M-22 two months ago. She did not resist. After that, on nights when he couldn''t quell his rage, he did the same thing again and again.


    When he considered this fact, his spirits sank and his mouth became heavy.


    "Please stop, young sire!"


    A voice from one of his retainers brought Margrave Doldran back to himself. It was one of the men who had apanied him to Man who stopped his son. In other words, he had been brainwashed just like the Lord.


    "Huh, let go of me! She''s a ve, but she''s an adulteress who''s harming our family! That can be punished by death!"


    "What the young sire says is true. But that person does not belong to you!"


    The retainer was right. Killing another person''s ve was tantamount to damaging their property. M-22 was currently in the service of Margrave Doldran, whose true owner was also Tullius. Even though she was at the bottom of the social hierarchy, and even if nobody would blink an eye at her death, only her master can kill her at will.


    The Margraves son took one look at the retainer who stopped him hatefully and pushed the female ve away violently. He then turned resolutely to his father.


    "......Father, we can''t have this kind of behavior repeated over and over again. As the head of the noble Doldran Margrave family, please refrain from behaving in an immoral manner. I''m sure you''ve heard about the ruckus that happened at Count Cartan''s house, right?"


    It was a story about a noble family that had caused a disturbance involving vesst year, and the head of the family had been forced to retire in the ensuing trial.


    "Yeah...... of course."


    Margrave Doldran affirmed with a mncholic expression. In any case, that was a case where Marquis Lavallee made a rare blunder, and that man and his ve were very much involved in it. Naturally, he could not remain indifferent to the matter, so he did his research. Based on the story and what had happened to himself, he guessed that the man in question had used brainwashing to manipte the results of the trial.


    Surely, his son was unaware of the truth of the case and simply warned him at face value.


    "I wouldn''t want our house to make the same mistake as theirs."


    These words, imbued with a deep sense of concern, were meant as a warning to his father.


    If the misconduct bes intolerable, he will not hesitate to force him to retire. That was what he was insinuating.


    "......I''ll bear that in mind."


    Or would it not be better for this house and the people of thisnd if that were to be the case? He thought about it, but Margrave Doldran, who did not have free will to agree with that, replied gravely.


    "For today, I shall back off. But I will not give up on the issue of Lucie and these diatorial ves."


    "My apologies......."


    The son, who made no effort to hide his disapproval, returned to the residence with many of the retainers in tow. It seemed that most of the family was in agreement with the son. If it was a true noble family, that should be the way it should be.


    The Margrave sighed at his istion, and helped lift M-22 off the ground.


    "I''m sorry. I was thinking of the house. Forgive me."


    "No, your Excellency. I understand that I am the cause of the disturbance. I''m sorry as well."


    M-22 said, and prostrated herself on the ground. Margrave Doldran raised an eyebrow. He didnt have the perversion of letting his frequent skin-to-skin contact partnery on the ground.


    "Good. Stand."


    "I am indebted to you."


    Then she looked up. Her face, as well as her hair, was covered in dirt and sand, but she didn''t seem to be bothered by it. Tullius had exined to him that she was not without emotion, but I doubted it when she acted so nonchntly.


    While lightly cleaning off the dirt with a handkerchief, I asked her about one thing that was bothering her.


    "You''re reporting to Man on how that thing behaves too, aren''t you?"


    "Yes, your Excellency. The movements of your entire family are also subject to report."

 Chapter 53: The Start of Summer (3)

    Chapter 53: The Start of Summer (3)


    The answer was close to the worst. The Doldran house of Margrave was arge and powerful noble family that rivalled even the Marquises. They were thergest faction in Tullius'' faction. They could be said to be pivotal. As the head of the faction, he would want to maintain peace. Tullius would definitely not allow the possibility of his son recing him, whom he had brainwashed.


    In other words, his son will soon be under the clutches of Tullius brainwashing, or be purged.


    "Fear not. I dere."


    Suddenly, a voice came from behind him, and Margrave Doldran recognised it immediately. The voice of that which had even less emotion than M-22''s.


    Opus 05, Fem. A messenger from the devil that was supposed to be waiting for him in his office. Before he knew it, she had slipped out of the mansion and appeared behind him.


    "As it stands, I have no intention of letting Master deal with your son. He''s too busy with his research and dealing with the Centralist Faction. Rather, it would be more efficient to rely on His Excellency''s abilities and leave it to you."


    "Because I''ve already got the tools for it, huh?"


    As he said this, he looked at the S-series, which remained silently in line. At first nce, the group appeared to be splendidly armed warriors, but their vacant eyes were fixed on theirmander.


    "So you want me to use these guys to achieve military sess and thus erase any words ofints from the house?"


    "That is correct. I affirm. If we do this, the bad publicity will turn into positive publicity and their introduction will be seen as a wise decision."


    "I see."


    They were fighters who could kick the crap out of a top-tier knight. The extent of their ability wereparable to that of B-ranked adventurer vanguards. It was a big deal to have 20 of them. It made up for the loss of the Scarlet Shield, and was a force under his direct control, unlike adventurers who may be difficult to control.


    The name of the Doldran Margrave would be ruined if he led this many troops without sess.


    "However, there is a caveat. I warn. They are all warriors, and are not good at magic. To a certain extent, their enchanted swords willpensate for it, but they would only be ceholders for the real deal. If you need magic, please remember that you will need to bring a mage along separately." Fem reminded him.


    "With all due respects, I should be of some use then. I have some knowledge in magic." M-22 lowered her head to the Margrave.


    "Exactly what I was nning to do. I''m the one who''s getting a direct assignment. You''ll be following me, won''t you?"


    M-22 immediately replied in the affirmative. "Yes. As long as his Excellency is in line with master, I will give my all to you."


    "......Lucie, you can lie there and leave out the first half. Men are the kind that would be more happy that way."


    "I am sorry, but that, I cannot. I know it is essential to maintain trust between allies."


    "I see...... you''re a well-disciplined kid."


    Margrave Doldran closed his eyes as he let out another deep sigh.


    For the past few days, I have been forced to be well acquainted with sighing. I wondered how long this wouldst, and quickly realised that it would never end for the time being, and became depressed all over again.


    Collection of data from the S-series has gone without a hitch, I report. It is the product of the M-series and B-series, so there might be issues in theirck of independence and flexibility, but a capablemander should be sufficient topensate for that.


    "Mmm-hmm. Well, it''s as expected. It''s well in line with our expectations. Not too bad, isnt it?"


    In my usual private atelier in the undergroundb of Man, I was receiving a report from Fem over the transmission. One of the abilities that I had installed in Fem was a virtual space storage. It was a useful ability that allowed her to store numerous armaments in a space that ovepped with her coordinates. This time, argemunication equipment was ced inside. Thanks to it, it was possible tomunicate between Man in the southeast and Doldran in the west. Well, M-22 also has amunication unit, but that would be a different story. Basically, the idea is to let Fem do her duties independently and from the shadows. It would be awkward to have her sharemunication gear with M-22, who had to follow the Margrave in the public setting.


    "Currently, there are no losses in the test units. I report. There were some that had been seriously injured, but with early treatment, the injuries were not fatal. However, we have not encountered any A-ranked targets that are beyond their capabilities at present."


    "Well, I''d be worried about his Excellency, the Margraves physical body... if that happens, you know what to do right?"


    "Of course, Master. I reply. I should join and support the battle. Protect the Margrave and defeat the enemies, yes? ...As for the other escorts, for the ones that have not been brainwashed by master"


    "Let them be feed for the monsters. Yeah, seems like you know how to deal with it."


    In the event that Fem did enter the fray, the witnesses would be thoroughly silenced. That has been a definite rule right from the start. Now was not the time to reveal her. The reason we sent her to the west was because my pawn, Margrave Doldran, had territory there.


    After all, subjugation efforts against A-ranked monsters were like that. It would be unnatural if there were no casualties from such encounters.


    Also, the authority of the Margrave has been strengthened by the results of the operational tests. It seems that everyone in the house is once again yielding to the Margrave. However, M-22 may have already reported on this.


    "Yeah, I''ve heard that from her."


    I heard that they were even nning to change the head of the family because of the sudden presence of ves in the house. It was a troublesome situation. Still, the Margrave was not simply a nobody. I heard that he went out personally with the S-series and brought back heroic aplishments, enough to regain control of his retainers and the support of his people. Though the whole problem began because I sent ves to him.


    "But that Margrave is soft-hearted, isn''t he? He didn''t disinherit the son who tried to oust him and just forgave him. Even if he is the only heir, theres no excusing it, isnt there?"


    "Not only that, but he was not particrly enthusiastic about being brainwashed. I add."


    "I know he can''t disobey me if I order him to, but it''s tricky. He''s very skillful, but he''s also very wilful and that can be a handful."


    I said, folding my arms.


    Margrave Doldran and other nobles who have been forcibly incorporated into the faction were brainwashed using the same method used on Uni and Due to prevent any overt personality changes. This was also the method used for the final adjustment of Seis. The advantage of this method was that it enforce obedience while minimising the impact on their mentality, but of course it had its own set of drawbacks. The enthusiasm or motivation to follow orders waspletely dependent on the personality pre-modification.


    In the case of Uni and Seis, the result was good. The former has been trained and educated to show only goodwill towards me, and thetter has had her personality mixed directly into her brain from the incubation stage. Due was a bit of a problem. He often had objections, and was clearly ufortable withmands he didnt like. Well, he could be left as he is for the to bnce out the cons from groupthink.


    And the Margrave was in thetter category. This wasnt a favourable situation. If forced to carry out orders, he would probably do it, but it seemed that meddling with his kins caused him great stress. The precedent being M-03, when her estranged brother became a bandit and tried to kill me, so he was taken care of. I don''t know if it would be the same with mass-produced ves, because there was a difference in the surgical method and there was a world of difference between brainwashing and murdering, but the risk from not knowing was troubling. If we knew in advance what was going to happen, we could take countermeasures, but in this case, we didn''t know anything.


    So we decided to shelve it.


    "Well, fine. I can wait until I myself can hold the faction together. So long as the Margrave can maintain his influence until the problems with the Centralist faction are resolved, we''re good. After that, I dont really care what happens. Whether he stays active or retires, whether his son takes over or passes it on to his future child with M-22, it doesn''t matter as long as it''ster."

 Chapter 53: The Start of Summer (4)

    Chapter 53: The Start of Summer (4)


    But thatst part was just a joke. There was no way that the son of a ve could inherit a title, no matter what.


    ......Come to think of it, I heard he had gotten involved with M-22. I was quite surprised when I heard her report, during the winter, that she had be the mistress of the Margrave. I was under the impression that he was a sincere and forthright person. I cant decide now if he was the type of person to do things because of responsibility or just because he could...


    By the way, the nobles of this world were also quite fond of women of lowly status. Margrave Doldran, for one, or Count Cartan''s infatuation with amoner. There was an old saying that upstarts preferred upper ss women, while the upper ss preferred lower ss women. Oh, by the way, Count Cartan was basically an upstart that rose with his own abilities, so he might not be a good example of that.


    Fem''s voice pulled me back from my sidetracked thoughts.


    "I will obey the will of master. I swear. Do not interfere until a pressing problem arises, is that correct?"


    "Yeah, that''s fine...... I appreciate the hard work, especially in something so unfamiliar."


    No, I''m happy to be working for you, Master. That concludes my report. Over.


    "Yeah, see ya. Over."


    We exchanged a few words of greeting and terminated ourmunication.


    I jerked my shoulders lightly and leaned deeply against the back of the chair.


    "S-series, I guess it''s a sess for now. At this rate, we''ll be able to meet the schedule."


    A new type of "product"  that is, the mass-produced modified ves, the S-series."


    To put it simply, they were ves that have been strengthened and remodeled to improve solely on their physical abilities. In contrast to the M-series and B-series, which were mass-produced versions of the Uni, they could be said to be a mass-produced version of Due. Because their magic capabilities were not improved on, the surgical procedure became more simplified, and the cost to procure the ves were greatly reduced since their magic qualities were non-essential. In addition, by specialising, their performance in their field of specialty was far superior to general-purpose types. M-series and B-series were about C to B in terms of adventurers rankings. S-series could only act as vanguards in a party or expeditions, but were considered to be at least B or above.


    Why would I be producing such ves only now? It was inevitable. After all, even if we had made them before, we had no use for them.


    Since they were unable to do anything rted to magic, they were not suitable as researchers or assistants at alchemy and can only be used forbat. Even so, their average fighting ability was lower than that of the Mithril Golems, another mass-produced pawn. There was no particr use for them.


    However, the situation is different now. I was sweet-talked by Victor and Laubert, and became the head of a faction that incorporated the surrounding nobles. In order to take care of them, just sending the Opus series from the shadows as I have been doing will soon be a problem. After all, the area they had to cover would grow toorge.


    Therefore, it was necessary to have a force that could be moved publicly and that could be assembled inrge numbers. The S-series was responsible for this.


    And as far as the report was concerned, they were fulfilling their duties.


    "Not bad. It''s not bad, but I don''t think Seis is going to like it. They are all wlessly made, and there''s not much to tinker with, so it wasnt going to be interesting for her."


    After all, Seis was very motivated by research. The S-series, which was built around a technology that had already been proven and tested extensively, would not be of much interest to her. For now, she was proud of her work, but if we focused solely on producing the S-series, she might get tired of it soon.


    I was thinking that it was about time for her to have her next training session, and that I had one of her bodies that I had no use for.


    "......Excuse me, master."


    With a knock on the door, I heard Uni''s voice.


    "Come in, the doors open."


    "I''m sorry to bother you. Lord Laubert ising here. Would you have time to meet him?"


    Oh, that''s unusual. Laubert and Victor were officially in charge of internal affairs so they wouldnt have any business in theboratories where they carried out alchemy research.


    "Yeah, I don''t mind. I''ve just got some free time on my hands."


    "As you wish. Then I will call him in."


    As soon as I gave my approval, Laubert came into the room apanied by Uni. He was carrying a bundle of documents under his arm. Hey, hey, you didnt bring work for me, did you?


    "Hello, my lord. A lovely day to you."


    "I''m d to see you''re doing well, Laubert. So, what brings you here today? You haven''t set foot in this ce since your tour of the mining veins."


    "Please dont be so cruel, my lord. I didn''te here for official duties. I have a few things to report regarding my work behind the scenes."


    He tapped lightly on the stack of papers he had brought with him. He seemed to be in a good mood, as if he was going to do a little dance.


    The purpose of Laubert''s visit is... Oh, I see. If it was something to do with that, it''s no wonder he came here.


    "......Ah, the reconnaissance of the royal capital that youre having the faction do. Did the reporte up?"


    The tedious task of organising a faction. It all started when I consulted with Victor and Laubert to see if there was a way to conduct intelligence and operations in the royal capital. As I recall, I had also entrusted this man with the management of the intelligence agency that had finally been established recently.


    "Well discerned, my lord. It''s been quite a challenge. I''m trying to put together information that several noble families have collected on their own. Some of them are duplicates, and some of them don''t seem to be useful at all. It''s also a pain to extract useful information out of them."


    He said that, but his face was glowing like a child who had just received a new toy. I guess he still enjoyed listening to worldly rumours. I hope he doesn''t get too caught up in his hobby that he neglected his core responsibility of domestic affairs. Well, since he loved counting money as much as I did, I might not need to worry about that.


    "So? If you came all the way here instead of waiting for me to return to the mansion, do you have something important to report?"


    When I prompted as though I was irritated, Laubert''s smile deepened.


    "Yes. There is a bad news, a slightly good news and a very good news. Which would you like to hear first?"


    "I don''t think the order matters. And it doesn''t change what we''re talking about...... Uni, which would you like to hear about first?"


    Just on a whim, I directed the choice to the girl who was standing quietly after allowing Laubert to enter.


    Uni kept her eyes downcast and answered without pause.


    "Why don''t we start with the bad news, master?"


    "Hmmm...why do you think so?"


    "My humble opinion is that it will be easier on the heart if the good newsester, master."


    Hm. If you listen to the good news first and then the bad news, you will be lifted up and then brought down. The information itself doesn''t change, but the mental state worsens. Though it was kinda ridiculous to feel that way.


    "Okay, Lets hear the bad news first."


    "As you wish, my lord. I have a report for you...... Your Excellency''s brother, Count Linus, is going to return to this realm."


    Laubert''s report was enough to make me balk. It wasn''t as bad as I was prepared for, but it was a move that would have a ripple effect on my future actions.


    "Is that the bad news?"


    Uni asked curiously. Well, politics was not her field of expertise, so it was no wonder she didnt get it. I tried to distract myself from my bad mood by opening my mouth.


    "Oh, my bad. After all, my brother was my superior who formally appointed me as a viscount. He''sing to his home province of Volden. Which includes Man."


    "In other words, Count Linus is not here to work as a noble of the kingdom as he was in the royal capital, but as a lord who will be managing his own domain." Laubert took over the exnation. "If that''s the case, my lord won''t be able to just send out reports after the fact and implement policies for Man, as he had been doing in the past. The Count is only a few days away by horse. I''m sure he''ll use his power to interfere in everything we do. If we want to push a new policy, we have to go through him. He can audit our policies in detail, and also order our lord not to meet other families without permission, and so on. It''s not a fatal situation, but it will make things moving forward more difficult. It''s...... depressing to say the least."

 Chapter 53: The Start of Summer (5)

    Chapter 53: The Start of Summer (5)


    He let out a deep sigh and concluded. Internal affairs, especially those rted to industry, were also the core responsibility of Laubert. It was no stranger to this man.


    In short, they came all the way from the royal capital just to torment me. It''s disgusting.


    "I see. I see your point."


    "It''s very good that youvee to an understanding quickly. Really though, why now of all times? After holing up in the royal capital all this time and leaving the territory management to an official..."


    And yet, Linus was trying to make things difficult for me, a man who had been doing well as a lord. With this thought in mind, I couldn''t help but utter a few curses.


    "Mostly, I think it''s because they''ve finished making rtions within the centralist faction. Since he was a neer and his original position was as a local noble, I don''t think he had much credibility among them. I think it''s because he had finally gained a certain amount of trust, and was now in a situation where he could leave the royal capital ande here."


    "So Count Linus Oubeniel is now seen as a respected centrist. My brother sure is pitiful. I guess he won''t be able to get his foot in the door any time soon, even if old man Lavallee passes away."


    I muttered to myself.


    To be trusted meant to be held ountable. If you threw away such trust, those who once put faith in you would resent you, and those who didnt in the first ce would only distrust you further. Also, considering his personality, he was not the type of person who could abandon a responsibility that he took on.


    "Just asking to confirm. The bad news is that, it doesn''t mean that they approached me unprotected, does it?"


    Entering Volden also meant approaching Man. This was the ce where I have brainwashed many nobles. If anybody enters my estate carelessly, my handlers will catch them and brainwash them. I''m sure he would have some insurance against that. At the very least, the old man behind him seemed to be aware that my methods included brainwashing.


    Laubert nodded his head in disappointment.


    "Yes. I heard that a group of Imperial Knights would be apanying them on a border inspection. It''s the most elite and honourable of the Imperial Guards, the Second Order."


    "......That''s pretty exciting, isn''t it?"


    I couldn''t help but shrug my shoulders. The most powerful guards of the kingdom, the Second Order, renowned for their bravery, would surely not be working for a mere count. This was obviously the work of a certain well connected somebody.


    "I''ve heard that there were some disturbing developments in St. Gallen, but its suspicious. I''m sure that country is having a hard time with the monster invasion now. They wouldnt have the time to mess around with our kingdom."


    "I''m pretty sure arge number of lower level monsters came pouring out of the forest? I don''t know why that happened again."


    "...... Perhaps it''s the effect of bringing too many powerful monsters from their forest to the Trees of Darkness."


    Uni pointed out.


    Oh, I see. I had removed a bunch of powerful individuals from the ck Forest, where monsters also kill each other and only the fittest survive. That would mean that the ecosystem would go out of whack and there would be a huge outbreak of lower tier monsters.


    "Well, that''s none of our business. Even if it is our fault, as long as it doesn''t affect us, we''ll be fine."


    "I heard the casualties are in the tens of thousands...... No, speaking of that, it was the same when we burned down the royal capitalst year. Anyways, going back to the main point, the Second Order will be garrisoned at the state capital of Volden. Effectively, they will serve as guards for your brother."


    It was a troublesome situation. If we were to directly confront them, I don''t think my creations wouldg behind, but after all, they were professional bodyguards. If he strengthened his surroundings, it might be difficult to sneak into my brother''s ce and brainwash him.


    "I fully understand the bad news. So? What about the good news?"


    "This one is a bit of a mess, really. Currently, the Marquis Lavallee is busy with his involvement in the reconstruction of the royal capital. I hear he''s having a dizzying number of meetings with merchants involved in the logistics, and I''m afraid he can''t afford the time to mess with you."


    As though Laubert didn''t seem to think much of it. He just said it briefly and didn''t continue from there.


    But I couldnt help but wonder. I wondered if that scheming man could really stay quiet at this time of the year. I''m sure he knew that the burning of the royal capital was my attempt at buying time. In addition to that, he was also doing something borate like attaching imperial guards to my brother.


    "......Are you sure? Isn''t that just another one of the old man''s top-notched smokescreens?"


    "Yes, it is. It''s very unlike the old man. I''m sure he will be up to no good again."


    It was Uni who agreed readily with me. She, too, has been given a hard time by that garbage of a person. The expression on her face didnt change, but inside she was probably holding a grudge.


    Laubert shrugged in response to our response.


    "Isn''t that too much to be worried about? I''m sure my lord is concerned about the fact that even the Imperial Guards have been dispatched, but if you think about it the other way around, you could say that he wants the Count to interfere with us until then. He probably wants to block the movements of our faction until the reconstruction of the royal capital isplete."


    "Wanting to block our movement, that''s a given. It''s a given that he doesnt want to give us the upper hand. The question is, what does he n to do by stalling us? Itspletely unreal if all he wants is to rebuild the royal capital."


    "To rebuild their readiness......? If the Marquis'' camp has been damaged by the rumours from the fire"


    "Sir Laubert, Im thinking that would be a little too far-fetched."


    "Yeah, yeah. That thing sees us as a full-fledged enemy. If we show any damage, that''s when he''ll attack. There''s no way all he is doing is send your brother to harass you. I''m sure he''ll try something even more outrageous."


    I don''t know what we were going to be set up for. That old scoundrel had a tendency to turn even the most auspicious wedding into a stage for intrigue. I can''t imagine how he could be so kind as to dance and sweat to our rhythmic ps.


    I gave Laubert strict orders.


    "We''ll have to start over with our investigations. Not only the Marquis directly, but also the merchants who interact with him, you have to reexamine them thoroughly. Understood?"


    "Yyes. I''ll keep that in mind."


    He straightened his back and epted the orders.


    Oh, man, you''ve to be more reliable. He was probably getting too carried away with the recent sess of the town. Laubert had been watching his visione to fruition. It was understandable that he would be proud of the fruits of hisbour. However, it was not right to turn that into overconfidence and underestimate the enemy. Especially if the opponent was Marquis Lavallee. The old man spent more years plotting schemes than Lauberts age and my agebined. Belittle him and no matter how many lives we had, it wouldnt be enough.


    "Oh dear. This doesn''t give me much optimism for the future as good news, does it?"


    "Oh, that''s a terrible thing to say......, but Im sure this next piece of information is excellent. I''m sure my lord would be surprised."


    I''m not sure I could ce trust in his confidence. I don''t think the newly established intelligencework would pick up on extraordinary information so easily. The information of my brother''s return and the Marquis''s movements were only found out because they were publicly known information. But it''s better than staying in the countryside and not knowing anything.


    "What is it? Has the king with no heir suddenly announced he has an illegitimate child? Or perhaps the culprit behind the assassination of the crown prince seven years ago hase forward himself? Or perhaps you''ve found an ancient document that contained the secret of immortality?"


    "My lord certainly doesnt have any high hopes for me, huh. Well, that''s fine. You''re the one who''s going regret saying that soon enough."


    Laubert grinned happily. Seeing this, Uni pressed for more information.


    "If you are so sure that our master would be so pleased, I assume you have caught wind of some nobles weakness?"


    "You are correct, Chief Maid. You understand well, don''t you?"


    The only time he seemed to derive any pleasure was when there was money to be made or when he heard a bad rumour about somebody. He was a man with really bad taste. The ck-hearted internal affairs officer began to present the information he was so proud of.

 Chapter 53: The Start of Summer (6)

    Chapter 53: The Start of Summer (6)


    "What I want to talk about is none other than your brother who will be returning to the territory soon."


    "My brother''s?"


    That certainly piqued my curiosity. Linus was more obsessed with being an upright aristocrat than anyone else. I wonder if such an uptight honour student would show a significant weakness that Laubert with his bad tastes would enjoy.


    "Well, I was surprised too. I thought the only weakness of the Count was his brother, my lord, for that matter."


    "That''s something I didnt need to know. So, what is my brother''s weakness? Has he been keeping a mistress behind my sister-inw''s back?"


    When I jokingly said that, Laubert chuckled.


    "You hit the jackpot! How did you know?"


    "Well, in the royal capital, my sister-inw had to listen to mein about her a lot. They don''t get along that well. It wouldn''t be surprising if he had a mistress or two."


    It''s been less than a week since they were newlyweds and here we are. Simone also sent me letters from time to time, but they were usually full ofints about her husband. I wonder how ipatible they were with each other.


    "At any rate, a mistress fiasco after less than a year of marriage is sure to be a lot of fun. I''m sure the Marquis Lavallee, who acted as matchmaker, is very distressed."


    He was more of a schemer than Laubert when it came to discovering the weaknesses of others. Naturally, he would have this under control as well.


    Or so I thought.


    "No, this is something that the Marquis Lavallee certainly is unaware of."


    Ohe on, you''re showing overconfidence again?


    But not this time as he shook his head with a wide smile.


    "This is something that needs to be utilised as soon as possible while we are still ahead. Even if we stood idly, the Marquis would be burned badly by this. Your brother has certainly sinned."


    "I''m sorry, but I don''t see what you''re talking about. Could you please tell us your conclusion, Sir Laubert?"


    "Don''t be hasty, Uni. I mean to say that our lords brother has been messing with a woman who will sure as hell bring about havoc. You know, like more than just a normal affair."


    My brother''s reputation would be damaged and the Marquis Lavallee would be dealt a blow, but that''s all. There wasnt ack of benefits for me, but the risks and costs of meddling were considerablyrge.


    In spite of this, the fact that he made such a big deal out of it means that it had the spark to blow up. And this spark had to be used before Lavallee figured it out.


    "Did hey his hands on the daughter of a very good family? Or did he sleep with someone else''s woman? ......No, no. I''m sure the Marquis would find out about such matters. Then if it were a person of lowly status, it wouldnt be a big scandal either. Hmmm......"


    Laubert was looking at me as if he enjoyed watching me guess at it. He''s got a bad personality, thats for sure.


    And then Uni raised her hand in a small gesture.


    "So, is this a case where the other person''s low status is the reason it could blow up? For example.....ying his hands on a ve."


    "No way, no way."


    I couldn''t help but chuckle. That''s not going to happen. This time, Uni was probably overthinking things. It would certainly be a huge scandal if he disregarded his new wife for a ve. It would be a terrible blunder to have the Marquis act as an intermediary.


    It wasmon for nobles to surround themselves with female ves for sexual purposes, but this could be overlooked if there was no room in the family tree for a ve''s child. In a situation where there was no other heir, it would be a disaster if the ve were to give birth to a child. The blood of a lowly person who was not even treated as a human being would be mixed into the family of a noble who valued bloodlines. If that happened, the prestige of the family would suffer.


    That''s why having a ve as a concubine required a situation where you could avoid recognition, or at least inheritance, if you did have a child from it. This could only be done in a situation where there was already a legitimate child, like the Margrave Doldran.


    This was also the reason why I was lectured on how to handle Uni when I first met Simonest year. It''s hard for a bride to keep her cool if her brother-inw was going to be involved in some scandal. Well, that was a misunderstanding, though.


    That''s why it''s impossible for him to take a ve as his mistress when his wife was not even pregnant. This was something that my brother, who aimed to be an honourable and dignified noble, should never do.


    However.


    "That''s exactly what I was going to say, Chief Maid. Well, you are a clever one after all."


    "......eh?"


    Laubert just said something incredible.


    She got it right? Unis answer was spot on? That he had been messing with the ves?


    That''s ridiculous. This was the very brother whoined about me killing too many ves for human experimentation, and had been cautious about how he treated them. I''ve heard that he''s even refrained from taking revenge on ves who misbehaved these days.


    ......You''re lying, right?


    "At a tavern in the royal capital, one of our people came into contact with the head family''s servant. I got this information from that source."


    "I see. If this was a secret within the house, it would certainly be difficult for the old man to see it. How did you manage to find out so much?"


    "With any given opportunity, a little something could be added to the drink. Truth serum was used instead since brainwashing scents could be nullified, yeah?"


    While I was puzzled, Uni and Laubert discussed how to gain full-proof evidence.


    Seriously? My ve-hating brother, of all people, with a ve girl?


    ......What the hell is going on here?

 Chapter 54: From an Otherworldly Window (1)

    Chapter 54: From an Otherworldly Window (1)


    Avish-looking carriage was traveling down the street.


    The chalk-white carriage was decorated with gold and silver ornaments, and was led by four sturdy white horses. A group of calvary knights d in beautiful armour ran by its side. Somewhere further behind were several carriages, slightly inferior in looks to the lead carriage.


    Farmers working on the wheat fields along the road looked on with curiosity as the carriages sped by. This was what they might have seen in a painting, when powerful nobles set off on an official visit. Themoners,cking in entertainment and hungry for stimtion, found this a perfect topic for gossiping.


    It was unclear whether they were praising the splendor of the carriages and the apanying knights, or about cursing the nobility for their extravagance with wealth they have extracted from themoners blood.


    All the curious farmers stopped their work and watched the carriages go by. To thesemoners, who were not given the opportunity to be educated, all the carriages of the nobility must have looked the same.


    Any person with some familiarity on the liturgy of the Kingdom of Arquell would have recognised that since white horses were being used, the noble must be of at least the rank of count. This was because only those of very high rank were allowed to use white horses due to their symbolism to authority.


    It was also impossible for the noble in question to be a duke. A duke was either of royal blood, a prime minister, or a general, and would have instead used a unicorn, a sacred beast. The unicorn was considered a guardian of purity, and could only be controlled by a maiden. Unicorns were only given to the king''s close rtives, or those in the apex of wealth and nobility. The distinction between the royal family and the ducal family was indicated by a ribbon around the horse''s neck. Naturally, the more borately decorated horse belonged to the royal family.


    In other words, the owner of this entourage could be narrowed down to either the rank of Count or Marquis. The only way to determine which was the correct answer would be to look at the coat of arms on the carriage. This was a surprisingly difficult task. After all, every noble family had their own unique coat of arms derived from their family crest. Brothers and sons of the head of a family could all design their own coat of arms. This was the reason why the total number of coats of arms was so numerous. It was a painstaking task to detect the minor differences between the coat of arms and identify the owner of the coat of arms to a noble.


    Lets take a closer look at the coat of arms on the leading carriage.


    Overall, the coat of arms was a square shield. This was amon design in Arquell. Most of the coat of arms of the nobility had the shape of a shield. Some say shields were chosen to help in identification of military merit on the battlefield. Others say defensive magic was engraved in it, but in all cases, it has its origin as armour. For St. Gallen, a part of the shield was chipped off to show their pride and bravery from past battles, and in the case of Marbhea, the shield was shaped like a spindle pointing downward. The shape of the shield differed from country to country. You could tell which country the noble belonged to by observing the coat of arms.


    Now, at this point, all that could be deduced was that this was a noble from the Kingdom of Arquell. Let''s look at the finer details.


    How many colors were painted on the shield, and what colors were they? The nobles of the Kingdom of Arquell, who were particr about their culture and the arts, were also particr about the colour choice of their coat of arms. Specifically for royalty and dukes, out of the three colours they would use, one colour would be blue. Marquises do use three colours as well, but because blue represented blue blooded royals, the use of the colour blue was not allowed for them. Count families used two colours and every rank beneath that used only one.


    This coat of arms came in two colors, red and ck. It was painted on the shield, dividing the shield into four sections from the center. Thus, it could be deduced that this noble was a Count.


    The next clue is the symbol on the shield. Most families could be recognised by the traits of their symbol. There were two types of noble families, the legitimate bloodline and the illegitimate bloodline, and all of them used a standard symbol, as was the custom in the kingdom. The number of colours and the colour used would be the defining trait of which family it was.


    The symbol that was carved on the coat of arms was indeed a snake with its tail in its mouth, forming a circle  an ouroboros.


    The snake was a somewhat unpopr animal as a symbol. There were many reasons why people disliked snakes. They possessed no limbs, they were cold-blooded, their slippery tongues looked disgusting, some species were poisonous and bit people, and the way they swallowed their prey was barbaric and cruel. On the other hand, there was the favourable interpretation that their molting was associated with reincarnation, and their long bodies with longevity and continuity. They were also a symbol of wisdom in myths and stories. Although they were unpopr, they were sometimes chosen as the symbol of a family.


    Now we have sufficient knowledge to identify the owner of the coat of arms. The family that chose the circr serpent as a symbol of permanence and perfection, and a member of the Count family. In addition, it was a coat of arms with a simple design, without anyplicated identifying marks, that only heads of family were allowed to use. It could only be the current head of the Oubeniels.


    The carriage was filled with an ufortable silence. The people in the carriage were not enjoying the idyllic scenery outside the window, nor were they engaging in conversation to alleviate their boredom, but were simply maintaining silence. There was a sense of tension, as if a needle would pierce the invisible membrane and create a shrill from it bursting. Such a delicate bnce of silence surrounded the carriage.


    The four of the passengers sitting across from each other were distinctly separated by gender.


    First, the men. The blond-haired noble, Count Linus Strein Oubeniel, dressed in elegant attire. He was on his way to his own feudal domain as a lord. The young noble, who was supposed to be the owner of the carriage, kept a stiff expression on his face, as if he was being carried in somebody else''s carriage. From time to time, the sound of fingers tapping on the armrests of the seat echoed from his hand, making some of the people in the carriage stiffen even more.


    The one next to him, his face pale, was his butler. As he was in charge of the various affairs of the house, he was apanying his master on this return trip. Although he was a close attendant, he was still a vassal, and perhaps because he was the lowest-ranking person in the carriage, he faced downwards.


    On the other side were the women. A young woman, Simone Meslier-Oubeniel, dressed in a neat summer dress. The new wife, who had just married Linusst year, was of course also in the carriage with her husband. It was an open secret, though, that the couple were on bad terms way before their marriage. They shared few words between each other and did not have simr interests in topics. In fact, she did not get along well with the servants too, because of her close friendship with the second son, who was considered an outcast in the house.


    Thest remaining woman in the group stood outpared to the rest of them.


    First of all, the atmosphere she wore was different. She had the same stiff expression, but there was a difference in the quality of the expression. Whereas Linus and the others were ufortable with the tense silence, this woman didn''t seem to mind it one bit. If the others were frozen in ce, this one was reminiscent of a statue whose natural state was to be hard and rigid.


    Her attire was also different. While the count and his wife were dressed like aristocrats, and the butler was wearing a formal dress, the woman was wearing armour. Be it her breastte or her helmet, the fine details on them presented an air of refinement, though that did not change the fact they were armour. She was even armed with a slender and sharp sword on her waist. It was unthinkable that such a person, ready to jump into the battlefield at any time, was seated together with a noble of such high rank.

 Chapter 54: From an Otherworldly Window (2)

    Chapter 54: From an Otherworldly Window (2)


    If somebody described her looks this way, another person might be inclined to imagine the ferocity of this woman, since her description was far from ordinary. But if seen in the flesh, the impression she gave off was different. Her shiny gold ponytail seemed to drift pleasantly while dancing in the air. She looked sharp, like a polished de in morning dew.


    She was beautiful, as though she was a heroine in a legend.


    The fact that the atmosphere inside the carriage was ufortable but did not deteriorate further may very well be because of the serene atmosphere she created.


    On the other hand, she was also partly responsible for the prolonged silence in the carriage. After all, she was the strangest among the strange here. The oppressive pressure she put on her surroundings, her exaggerated outfit and her good looks... In both good and bad ways, they made her hard to ignore yet difficult to talk to. The fact she was the only outsider to the Oubeniel family was but a trifling matter whenpared to her attributes.


    Finally, facing this woman who did not even seem to be breathing, a person broke the silence.


    It was Linus.


    "Are you perchance awake......?"


    He said to the woman, who had her eyes closed, her beautiful face flushed with irritation. Simone frowned slightly at Linus rudeness. This was not the way to talk to a fellowpanion.


    The woman turned to Linus without appearing offended. Her vacant blue eyes looked just like blooming morning glories.


    "Were you referring to me, Count Oubeniel?"


    Her voice was on the low side for women. But she didn''t seem to be in a bad mood so that was probably her natural voice.


    Linus grunted ever so slightly and continued to speak.


    "Of course, Miss Elisha"


    "Dont use Miss Elisha."


    The woman known as Elisha interrupted promptly. Linus found himself at a loss of words again.


    She softened her tone somewhat and continued.


    "I''m still a full-fledged knight of the kingdom."


    "Excuse me, Lady Balbastre."


    "Mm, that''s good."


    Satisfied, Elisha leaned her back against the seat again and closed her eyes.


    The young Count''s expression twisted again.


    "Can''t you take this job a little more seriously?"


    "Hmm?"


    "Linus, cut it out."


    Simone couldn''t help but stop him, but he continued on without a care in the world.


    "You''ve been silent with your eyes closed for a while now. I can''t believe you''re guarding me properly. I even thought you might be asleep."


    "Yeah, I was asleep, okay?"


    "Huh?"


    Linus'' jaw dropped open at the outrageous response.


    You were asleep? In front of a Count of the Kingdom as his guard? It was beyond unbelievable. Simone blinked in surprise, and the butlers jacket slipped off his right shoulder.


    Elisha continued indifferently to Linus, who had stiffened for god knows how many times today.


    "For what it''s worth, I don''t have much time for sleep during escort missions. I take naps while there is no threat of attack. Isn''t that a natural thing to do?"


    "No, of course not! A guard is supposed to be on alert, watchful, and prepared for the unexpected!"


    "That''s the basics of the basics. Mine is the practical application of it. The perimeter of the carriage is secured by those who are riding alongside. I, who am in the carriage, have nothing to do. If that''s the case, then it''s vital that I keep my wits about me in case of the unexpected, as the Count said, isn''t it?"


    She seemed annoyed that her sleep was disrupted. Everything she did and said wasnt like a guard. Linus was made a fool by Elisha''s words and actions.


    "First of all, I woke up when called upon. If there had been an attack, the noise would hardly be as soft as it was earlier. I will definitely wake up, so it''s no problem at all...... More frightening than that is the fact that your nerves are exhausted when the timees. Being as tense as a hedgehog isn''t the only way to protect yourself, Count."


    "......Pfft."


    Simone lets out a smallugh as if she couldn''t stand it. Elisha looked at her curiously.


    "What is it? Countess."


    "Fufufu. No, excuse me. It''s just that you''re not who I thought you were."


    "Mmm. I don''t remember behaving in any way outside your expectations, My Lady......"


    Simone jerked her head more as she tried to hold back herughter as the female knight replied earnestly. And Elisha''s reaction to it made her nod her head repeatedly.


    Linus, now a source of ridicule for his wife, muttered to himself in amazement.


    "Really is this the invisible sound, Princess Knight Balbastre?"


    "......I don''t really like to be called that," Elisha turned her head to the side. "For me, I''d like to be called by a more heroic and heart-pounding nickname."


    "Oh? I dont know if it sounds heroic, but doesnt hearing it make your heart pound a little harder? I think it sounds romantic."


    "Only weak men are attracted by your romanticism, Countess. I''d rather have a fight with a man who wants to rip out my heart than a cunning thief who wants to sneak out my heart."


    "I''m sorry about that...... I wonder if we should have spoken a little earlier? It''s been a bit of a waste of time with how boring it has been so far."


    "I agree. Not sleeping enough is a problem, but sleeping too much is also not good. Staying awake for a little while and spending some time would be good."


    As if suddenly striking the right chord, Simone managed to open her heart.


    Linus, unable to follow their conversation which may or may not be relevant to him, turned away.


    (That old man has sent me another ridiculous woman......)


    He vented in his mind at the old schemer who had connected him to Elisha. Every time he vaguely thought about the old man, he would be reminded of the old mans wrinkled face with a triumphant smile sitting by the window of the carriage, and it made him angry.


    (But then again, would knights led by this unmannered tomboy be the top amongst the kingdoms knights?)


    While thinking about it, he cast a side nce at the female knight who was making conversation with his wife.


    The most elite of the kingdom''s knights, the Second Order of the Imperial Guards. They were known for their extreme meritocracy and harsh selection process, and she was the youngest and first femalemander in their history.


    That was her  Elisha Rosmond Balbastre''s  title.


    However, when he saw that she had fallen asleep earlier and was now chatting with his wife, he could not believe it. The Marquis Lavallee may have taken him for a ride again.


    But.


    "......Don''t need to look so worried, Count."


    Elisha said without ncing at Linus, as if she could see right through him.


    "Huh?"


    "Worried about......?"


    Linus was disconcerted for a moment because she hit the nail right on the head, whereas Simone was confused by the change in topic. At their staring, Elisha boldlyy her cheek on the armrest.


    "I hate to follow the old schemer''s orders, but the Imperial Guards owes him one. And most importantly, I''m a knight too. Im also, despite my faults, inmand of the Second Order. I will protect anyone who asks me to protect them, even if it means dying."


    She sounded as if she was talking about somebody else even though she mentioned giving up her life if necessary. As if she was still making small talk with Simone.


    But that is why there was no pretense in it. She really believed that she was willing to die at any time as it was her duty as a knight. She was able to say this because she didn''t feel that it was anything special.


    Linus, who knew the shady underbelly of the aristocratic society and who had experienced all the tricks in the book, understood this clearly.


    "Is that so...? Then, I''m fortunate to have such a reassuring escort."


    He implied that her words held no lies.


    "What I said earlier was a different thing, but anyways. So, Lady... What were we talking about, again?"


    "Yeah, yeah. It was......."


    And so, the innocent conversation between women resumed.


    But Linus couldn''t see her in the same light as before.


    (This one is also a...weirdo, huh.)


    With both awe and difort, Linus tried to refresh himself on everything he had heard and learned about Elisha Rosmond Balbastre.


    She was the eldest daughter of the Marquis Balbastre, a great noble. She was a tomboyish woman who devoted herself to swordsmanship. She rejected her fianc on the grounds that he was weak and ran away from home. Up to this point, her story might seem like an anecdote about a tomboy that made listenersugh. But her story was nothing short of extraordinary.


    In order to get away from her family and her fianc, who would probablye to take her back sooner orter, she knocked on the door of the Second Imperial Guards, taking advantage of their policy of meritocracy. They were the only order of knights in Arquell that employed women. Despite the doubts of others, she topped the entrance tests. ...Though, during the practical assessment, she sent one of the applicants straight to the church for healing and another, so fatally injured that healing magic would prove ineffective, to the grave. These people had ridiculed her for trying to be a swordsman while being a woman, but that only riled her up. In the case of the one who barely survived, it was ruled that she was in no particr fault, and she had in fact been easy on him, but he was too weak. As for the other person who did die, it was intentional.

 Chapter 54: From an Otherworldly Window (3)

    Chapter 54: From an Otherworldly Window (3)


    That''s good. Wait, no, it was not good, but it was not a problem for the Second Order, which only valued the strong. What they did have a problem with was something else.


    What was amazing was that Elisha was only 13 years old at the time. She did not meet the age requirement of 15 to be appointed as a knight. She had submitted his application with a false name and an inted age. This caused an uproar not only in the Second Order, but also all of the Imperial Guards. Since it was a vition of the rules and regtions, it was only natural to invalidate her eptance as a knight. However, it would be a shame to lose out on her, the big fish among applicants who had passed the exam. After a heated debate, the head of the Second Order of Knights at the time, who was impressed by her talent, forced through the discussions and allowed her to pass the exam as a special exception. She officially became a knight of the kingdom.


    The fact that she was recognised as a knight also meant that she received the rank of knight apart from her family''s marquis rank. In other words, under thews of the kingdom, she became a separate family from her parents. The Balbastre family could no longer bring Elisha back or allow their daughter to be with a man she did not want. This was an unprecedented runaway from home, and an unprecedented method of breaking off from an engagement. Those who feared a repeat of the incident plotted to revise thews, but it was never aplished. This was because there was nobody else who could repeat her feat.


    After that, Elisha racked up military sess one after another, which happened in part because of all themotion she drew to herself. And now, ten yearster, she has be the youngest person ever to stand at the top of the kingdom''s strongest knight order......


    She was too talented and too unorthodox. It''s not just her talent with the sword that''s out of ce for a nobledy, but her decision to be a knight in order to get rid of her engagement, or how she drove her opponent to death during the assessment. Everything about her was abnormal. How could such a woman like this be born from a Marquis family?


    In this sense, she was in the same league as Tullius, Anrietta, and Uni. She was unlike a child from the traditional and glorious noble bloodline, and was more of an unnecessary mutation. It was a monster child that made use of a humans womb to be birthed.


    And if she was the same kind of person as his abominable brother, then she could never bepatible with this Linus Strain Oubeniel.


    (Hmph...... No wonder it feels so unsettling)


    Once again, Linus felt a strong difort.


    Even though she was a key member of the Imperial Guards, she was a knight who did behave appropriately to a Count. Unashamed to shed blood and trample on life. The more he thought about it, the more he saw the simrities of her with the despicable Tullius Shernan Oubeniel. But the clear difference was thatpared to that thing who always talked about wanting to live a long life, she didn''t seem to feel any qualms about dying herself.


    (Well, whatever. There is a saying, "Control foreigners with the foreigner".)


    Lavallee said that Tullius might be using some kind of dubious drug for brainwashing. If we enter Volden, his territory this time, his people might try to poison Linus as well. In preparation for this, the strongest of the Imperial Guards, the Second Order, led by Elisha, was dispatched under the pretext of border inspection.


    Linus could sense the role that Lavallee was expecting him to y. He was bait to catch Tullius. If he acts unrighteously and points a de at him, the strongest forces in the kingdom would move to crush him. If he decides to wait out this obvious trap, in that case, he would impose several unreasonable tasks on him and deprive him of his freedom.


    It didnt feel good for Linus. Even though he was assigned the strongest guards, whose main role was to protect the king, he was the decoy or the pawn to be made use of. There was no way he could take on such a role enthusiastically.


    However, there was a small chance that they might be able to ughter their archenemy this time. Even if the other side chose to not make any moves, there was always the possibility of framing them and putting them to death. And the person who would carry this out would be the Second Order. It was an unpleasant and risky role, but depending on luck and his own ability, he can free himself of his distress in one fell swoop.


    Without thinking in this light, he wouldnt be able to bear being the bait.


    "Oh, the scenery has changed. Is this the famous Volden vineyard?"


    "This is fresh for me. I''ve never seen it before."


    Whether or not they understood about Linus'' mncholy, the two women were admiring the view outside the window.


    All across the mountains of the hignds, patches of fruit trees spreaded in stripes. Reddish-purple grapes were ripening, adding a vivid ent to the greenery.


    The Volden region was famous for its wines, especially for Cabe Sauvignon. However, in the Kingdom of Arquell, known for its fertilends and the arts, it was difficult to narrow down the list of famous wine regions.


    "What do you think, dear? Isn''t it a sight to be missed?"


    Simone seemed to be in an unusually good mood as she talked to me. In addition to her tion from the trip, she was probably rxed from her conversation with Elisha.


    But it was not a topic Linus was too happy about.


    "I''ve never seen it before either. After all, I''ve lived in the royal capital most of my life."


    "......huh?"


    Simone rolled her eyes at the unexpected response. It was not that she was trying to be mean to Linus.


    "I suppose my father enjoyed the waters of the Amon River more than the wines of this domain. He''s been in Broussonne ever since he became the head of the family. Of course, this applies to me since I was raised by him. This is the first time I''ve been in Volden."


    "What have you been doing since your assumption of the headship, my lord?"


    Perhaps surprisingly, even Elisha interrupted me. It was not something that could be carelessly exined to an outsider, but she was basically a chaperone assigned to me by Lavallee. Now that she was asking him, he''ll have to answer.


    "There was no time for that. There was a lot of work to be done because of the change in headship the year before thest. Last year, there was also the wedding ceremony...... and many other social engagements."


    It was a ridiculous thing to say. The previous generation was drowning in the amusement of the royal capital, and the current generation, who grew up under him, stepped on thisnd for the first time two years after inheriting it. For two generations in a row, thend of Volden has had lords who only knew their territory on paper.


    When Elisha heard this, he nced at Linus with a questioning look.


    "Hmm? And the ce doesnt look as rundown as it should, huh? Maybe it''s just along this path?"


    "......Are the Imperial Guards these days contracted not only to guard but also to conduct audits?"


    "Dear."


    "Right you are. That was indeed a presumptuous statement of mine. I''m sorry, forgive me Count."


    Then Elisha began to chuckle in amusement.


    "You''re a man with a lot of promise. It''s no wonder the old man went to so much trouble to lend you a hand."


    "What do you mean?"


    "It''s not a big deal. It''s just that I''m d you''re a more worthy target for protection than I thought."


    "......You are making less and less sense."


    Linus lookedpletely out the window this time and turned away from the female knight who was thinking about something he had no way of knowing.


    She smirked at him and was trying to hint at something. Such an attitude reminded him of that maniac and made him deeply ufortable. He didn''t want to talk to this woman, after all. Linus firmly believed.


    And then, ah, that.


    Once again, Linus would have to see disgust inducing Tullius again. As long as he returned as the Count, he could not avoid meeting with the Viscount, who had been entrusted with thend. Also, if the other party was not forting in meeting him, then he would have to arrange it.


    It was a depressing job. However, thinking about it further... On the contrary, while he was here, he could give orders to that man as he pleased. He could request inspections to make sure he was following the orders, and reprimand and punish him for any faults.

 Chapter 54: From an Otherworldly Window (4)

    Chapter 54: From an Otherworldly Window (4)


    Then, he shall do his best. That man was a disgusting nuisance, like a cockroach. If the sight of something offended him, then he shall chase it and squash it.


    As soon as he reached his mansion, he shall call for him, who was probably holed up in Man. If he was foolish enough toe up with an excuse, then he shall ride there with the Imperial Guards. Man was a part of the Volden province. On paper, he had the power to request an inspection.


    Linus was making such calctions until the carriage reached its destination.


    But things didn''t work out that way.


    "Well, well, well, long time no see, brother! And sister-inw too! Thank you for the long journey."


    At a small hill overlooking the state capital of Volden. The person in question who greeted Linus and the others in front of the mansion on top of the hill was the cheerful Tullius Shernan Oubeniel, apanied by what looked like his vassals.


    Linus almost jumped out of his skin in surprise when he heard the voice that came as soon as he got out of the carriage. The butler, for example, instantly turned pale.


    "Whoa!?"


    He even let out a short scream.


    Simone, on the other hand, blinked her eyes in some confusion, but soon replied somewhat happily.


    "Oh, Sir Tullius. Thank you for weing us. It''s been a long time, too."


    "Sister-inw is still the same  no, I''m d to see you are in good spirits."


    When they exchanged smiles, Linus finally broke his rigidity.


    With a movement that seemed to be from rust rubbing on each other, he turned to face Tullius.


    "......you. Why are you here?"


    At these words, Tullius cowered in surprise.


    "Why? More like why not? I heard that brother would be arriving today, so I came to wee him like this. What''s so strange about that?"


    He was often said to be brazen. The primary purpose of Linus'' return to Volden was to use his authority to bind the movements of the man in front of him. One of the ways he had nned to do this was to call him back and forth from Man under the guise of weing him and discussing the management of the territory. Annoyingly, his first move resulted in him dodging it.


    However, it was hard to imagine that Tullius would move out of his domain just for that. With the exception of Linus and Simone''s weddingst year, there was no information that this man had moved from his domain, and he did not have the personality to move from his domain like this. It was hard to imagine that a man who usually retreated to his home like a turtle woulde to the capital of Volden without being explicitly summoned.


    He must have some ulterior motive behind it.


    Despite the quizzical stare, Tullius pped his hands merrily.


    "Then let my vassals greet you as well. Some of them you have never seen before."


    When prompted, two people stepped forward and knelt, representing those behind them. Linus would know one of them, but the other, as Tullius had mentioned, would not be familiar.


    "My name is Victor Dcroix Lorge, a vassal of Viscount Tullius. I hope you will make my acquaintance."


    The blond-haired, blue-eyed man, who behaved with more nobility than Tullius, introduced his name in a perfectly polite manner. Linus knew Count Lorge as one of Lavallee''s henchmen. He was so obsequious that he heard that the old marquis even took care of his women. He was probably a son from that family. If that was the case, then the grass that Lavallee once sent to be taken in was this man? Probably an illegitimate child but if he was the Counts legitimate son, then the old man must have pulled off something real big Linus pondered.


    "......Due Schwarzer, sir. It is my pleasure to meet you again."


    The rugged man, who was obviously notfortable with being formal, was a military officer under themand of Tullius who had met Linus several times. His greeting was somewhat more ptable than previously in the royal capitalst year, so he must have practiced it a lot.


    "Both of you, dispense with formalities. I am Linus Strein, head of the Oubeniel Count family. ......Hey, Tullius. Don''t tell me you''vee all this way to let me meet with these people?"


    When I tried to fish him out with a nk face, Tullius smiled.


    A bad feeling overcame Linus.


    "What are you talking about, I told you it was to wee you. Now, pleasee to the mansion! It''s not the same as the one in the royal capital, but I''ve made arrangements for you all to befortable."


    "What?"


    Linus''s heart jumped with a thud at the words.


    Tullius took it in his stride and called out behind him.


    "Hey, is it ready, Uni?"


    "Yes, Master. The cleaning and bed making has been taken care of without a hitch. It will be some time before dinner, but if any of you wish, we can have the refreshments served immediately. The heating of the baths should bepleted soon."


    There was a female ve who knelt beside her master and reported. As usual, despite being a lowly ve, she served the ve Murderer ever so faithfully  no, more than with just faith.


    (You''ve got to be kidding me!)


    The rooms? The meals? The bath? All of it, you say, have been touched?


    When Linus realised this fact, he felt as if his eyes were going dark.


    If Tullius had entered Volden first, he would naturally have seized the mansion where Linus and the others were staying first. If his goal was brainwashing and assassination, he could do whatever he wanted to set up for that. And Uni''s words fueled that fear more than anything else. At least for today, it was as if he had dered that all of the lives in the mansion would be ced under Tullius ves.


    "D-dont mess with me!"


    The angry voice that came out of his mouth was more akin to a scream because of his panic.


    "What''s the matter, brother? Is there something amiss?"


    "Everything is wrong! As a viscount, it''s thoughtless to enter the Count''s residence without permission and take care of the entire house!"


    "Oh, really?"


    As Tullius feigned ignorance, Linus felt like he wanted to strangle him with his own hands. No, in fact, he really did want to strangle him to death.


    "Is that so, Victor?"


    "If you ask me, I suppose it is. However, it was done to cater for a banquet of my lords brother who came a long way. I don''t think it''s something to get angry over."


    Linus red at his brother, ignoring the whispering behind his back.


    "...... Of course! The fact that you also received a title means that you are formally a member of a different family from the Oubeniel Count family! Just because you''re my brother doesn''t give you the right to mess with our family''s mansion!"


    That was thew of this kingdom. That''s why Elisha seeded in distancing herself from her family by bing a knight and breaking off her marriage to a man she didn''t like.


    But then Simone interrupted with a look of annoyance on her face.


    "You don''t have to be so uptight about it. It''s not like they broke into your house or sold it off without your permission. Of course you didn''t, Sir Tullius?"


    "Yes, of course, sister-inw. I''m proud to say that the children in my service, despite their low statuses, are very good at housekeeping. They haven''t scratched a single thing or furniture. We fully paid for the ingredients for dinner, from a grain of wheat to every drop of oil. Well, as for the firewood, I borrowed from the mansion''s stockpile, but I canpensate for that if you so wish."


    "...and so he says. Isnt that great, Linus."


    When Simone heard the answer, she gave Linus a cold stare. She was probably thinking what a cruel thing Linus had said. It was true that the older brother was rejecting, based on formalities, the younger brother''s goodwill and that would be how it appears to others not in the know.


    However, it was impossible for Tullius to have such an admirable attitude. If Marquis Lavallee was right, he was the kind of man who brainwashed nobles from other families and used them as pawns. There was no telling what he might be doing under his mask of filial piety in this house.


    Linus, distressed, nced at the knights around him.


    "Well, then. Did he consider how to treat these guests? Most of the household members he brought with him are probably ves as well. Would the dignified members of the Second Order who travelled such a far way from the royal capital ept the reception from my idiot brothers ves!?"


    "This is......."


    Even Simone''s expression clouded over and she stammered. Of course. It was outrageous for a ve to be seen by someone else from another family. And yet, they were going to let their guests into a room that had been touched by ves, make them sleep on a bed that had been handled by ves, serve them meals that had been prepared by ves, and make them use a bathtub that had been cleaned by a ve? This was no joke.

 Chapter 54: From an Otherworldly Window (5)

    Chapter 54: From an Otherworldly Window (5)


    A barbarian like Tullius wouldn''t care if a ve was dressed as a maid or a butler. However, such servants need to have a minimum status in order to serve a noble. If you were a maid, you must be amoner or a child of a lower ss noble, and if you were a butler who would be sometimes consulted on the management of the house, the standards were even stricter. A ve was still a ve, no matter how you dressed them up or whatever etiquette they learned. They were only there to perform menial tasks behind the scenes, not to be entrusted with serving the guests. That was themon sense of this world.


    Simone can hate him more for all he cared, Linus thought. Apparently, when Tullius was staying in the capital, she was often having tea with him. That was unbelievable. Not only did she not know what he had served her, but this insane man must have had his ves make the tea. If any upright noble had been served such a thing, they would have left immediately. She was truly poisoned by this madman.


    At any rate, this should be a good way to turn away whatever Tullius has installed for him.


    ...it was supposed to be.


    "Don''t be so grumpy, Count."


    The female knight, Elisha Rosmond Balbastre, said as she stepped down from the carriage to the ground in a splendid manner, with the ringing of her armour like a bell.


    "And I hope you don''t speak too ill of ves. The Second Order is made of people of all origins, and some of us were ves. If they heard what the Count had said, they would be offended."


    "Lady Balbastre......!"


    Linus couldn''t help but look up at the sky.


    He had forgotten. He had been distracted by the unexpected appearance of Tullius, but there was another person here who didn''t takemon sense as seriously.


    With his older brother behind him, the younger brother, who was the cause of the situation, bowed reverently to the woman who appeared.


    "Well well, dear guest. I am sorry to have behaved deplorably, and also hindered you from getting off the carriage."


    "I don''t mind being kept waiting. I''m proud to say that I have patience."


    How dare a woman who, at age thirteen, killed her opponent after being insulted, say that. Although there was another girl right here who did it at the age of ten.


    "Myte introductions. I am Elisha Rosmond Balbastre. As young as I may be, I am in charge of the Second Order of the Imperial Guards. I look forward to working with you in the future."


    "That is very kind of you, thank you...... My name is Tullius Shernan Oubeniel, Lord of Man. I have long heard of Lord Balbastre''s high reputation."


    They exchanged words and looked at each other. Elisha looked at Tullius intently as if she was trying to appraise him, while Tullius looked at her as if he was uninterested despite his friendly smile.


    That was the impression Linus got from their meeting.

 Chapter 55: Portrait of Linus Oubeniel (1)

    Chapter 55: Portrait of Linus Oubeniel (1)


    "Why was that thing allowed to do whatever he wanted?"


    Linus was in Volden, in his bedroom. As soon as he put down his luggage and took off his traveling clothes, Linus vented his frustrations. Elisha, the person he directed his annoyance to,, stopped looking around the room and turned to face him with a sour look.


    "I wouldn''t be so stressed about it."


    Her reply ended there. As if that was all, she went back to her searching. Her behaviour was too much for Linus.


    "If Im not stressed about it now, when should I be? You''re asking me to sleep in a house where Tullius has everything under his control? If he wanted to, he could sneak into my room tonight and try to kill me!"


    "That''s why I''m personally inspecting your room, isn''t it?"


    "Yeah, you''re right! I''m sure we can search more carefully after we get rid of that guy!"


    "Don''t yell at me. You have such a tiny heart, Count."


    Elisha shook her head and smiled bitterly.


    "There is nothing nted in the room. The detection spell didn''t detect anything either."


    ".......And so there we have it. Please don''t take him too seriously, Lady Elisha. It''s all in his head."


    It was Simone who let out a sigh. This was their bedroom, so it was only natural that Simone and Linus were both here. She was more sympathetic to Linus brother than to her husband, with whom she has an uneasy rtionship, and she couldnt imagine Tullius trying to harm Linus.


    Linus had suggested to her that Tullius might have been the mastermind behind the Broussonne fire.


    "Even for a joke, it is really in bad taste."


    Simone brushed aside all of Linus concerns.


    She was saying that continuing on with this was pointless.


    "Are you going to frame him for the murder of my parents? He, who was injured so badly that day that his life was in danger...? You are also irritated at Marquis Lavallees schemes too."


    This topic frequently came up in their arguments and they would nevere to a conclusion on it. There was a tacit understanding between them not to mention this matter.


    Let''s return to the present.


    In response to Simone''s words, Elisha shook her head.


    "Well, I think thats an overly optimistic view. They might leave nothing in the rooms to throw us off guard and go after the Count in some other way."


    It was surprising to hear that from her. If Elisha had not interfered from the very beginning, Linus would have been able to drive Tullius back to Man. The very person who had defended him admitted that Tullius had harmful intentions. She was too inconsistent.


    "Then why did you ept that thing''s invitation to dinner? It''s like you''re jumping into a tiger''s cave blindly!"


    "If we don''t go into the tiger''s cave, we will never be able to get the tiger. If your brother is so inclined, we can strike back at him if he tries to attack us. That way, the Count''s problems will be solved all at once, and we won''t have to worry about him in the future."


    "I wonder if Lady Elisha has suspicions of Sir Tullius?"


    Simone looked uneasy. She didnt want to believe that the person she thought was her ally after happily chatting with her in the carriage was actually on the same page as her husband and the schemers in the capital.


    Elisha considered for a moment before speaking.


    "Well, you know. If we are talking about whether I suspect him, yeah, and if we are talking about whether I dont suspect him, no. I have only heard about him from the rumours, and the old man and the Count have said a lot of bad things about him, but I will judge him by what I see and hear. Therefore, I have no intention of allowing myself to have my guard lowered around Tullius Oubeniel, but neither do I intend to unterally eliminate him."


    "You are the definition of ambiguity. Whose side are you on?"


    Linus annoyance was palpable.


    "At the very least I am siding with the Count and the Countess. After all, both of you are the priorities of my escort."


    "How dare you throw us, the objects of your protection, into a tigers cave? How can you be so sure that there is nothing dangerous in the room? What would you do if they served us something terrible for dinner?"


    In the heat of the moment, Linus unintentionally punched the wall of the room. It made a loud noise. Elisha who lived on the battlefields was unperturbed of course, but even Simone did not bat an eyebrow. She looked as if she was used to her husband''s tantrums.


    Elisha looked fed up and shrugged her shoulders again.


    "There''s no need to worry about poisoning. After all, ever since the assassination of the crown prince, anti-poison or poison detection magical equipment have been popr among the nobility in the kingdom."


    It was true that since the incident seven years ago, the high-ranking nobles, fearing that they would suffer the same fate as the crown prince, have all taken measures to prevent poisoning. Since then, no assassination by poison had ever seeded. Linus and Simone too, were wearing pendants that reacted when near poison.


    Elisha added on.


    "You''re also taking measures against brainwashing, aren''t you? After all, you guys believe that his method of expanding his power is through brainwashing."


    "Of course. I wear a ring with anti-brainwashing magic in it. Not only does it prevent you from being exposed to it, but it can also undo the effects of a spell that''s already been cast on you if you put it on."


    Linus held out his right hand where a brass ring on his middle finger was. It was a bit cheap in design for a Count to wear, but it couldnt be helped since this was the only anti-brainwashing equipment he had managed to acquire after exhausting all means of looking for one.


    "First and foremost, poisoning is impossible. Brainwashing is also covered. So the only choice left is brute force? That would be a problem for him if his plot were to be exposed, and it would be difficult with us watching over you. There is no way that Viscount Tullius can directly harm you. If that is the case, then whats the worry?"


    The female knight said so carefreely.


    "So, in other words, you think the same as Simone and this is needless worry?"


    "There are some differences. I''m saying that if the other side tries something, it''s an opportunity to obtain evidence. And without risks for us at that. Well, if they don''t try anything, that''s all the better."


    So he could try all he wanted  was what Elisha was saying and turned herself around.


    "Wait, where are you going?"


    "Because I''m not tactless enough to stay in the bedroom of a newlywed couple...... Just kidding. I''m going to have a little meeting with my men. I''ll leave a person in charge at the door, don''t worry."


    The female knight left after leaving a somewhat indecent line.


    All that was left was the couple, with even more awkwardness hanging in the air.


    "Does that woman use her head or not...?"


    Not expecting a reply, he cursed to himself. Despite what Elisha had said, he found it preferable to get rid of Tullius entirely. If Linus was the one taking action, he wouldn''t need to take direct action such as assassination; there were plenty of other ways to do it such as through political means. But now that the other side had the initiative, there was a fear that he might have gained an upperhand. Does she even realise that?


    No way she understood....... She was a woman that left home because she didnt want to be engaged for political reasons. She looked as if she was ignorant of political affairs. Marquis Balbastre was a big shot in the decentralist faction. The daughter of the Marquis joined the Imperial Guards, and showed signs of being on friendly terms with Lavallee, the leader of the centralist faction. If she knew even a shred ofmon sense in a noble society, she would never have conducted herself like that.


    As Linus'' thoughts became ever more clouded, Simone chided him.


    "You don''t have to look so grim. She''s thinking of us when she said that, right?"


    "Hah! Who knows......."


    In any case, she was the kind of woman who didnt show the slightest bit of courtesy to Linus, who was a Count. If she was any bit considerate, she should have showed some humility. From Linuss viewpoint, she was probably just saying whatever she thought firsthand.


    "Really, whoever it is, you always dislike them. I''ve never seen youpliment anyone in all the years I''ve known you."


    "Hmph. For some reason, all those people keep gathering around me. Even I am disgusted."


    "And I''m one of them. I see. Since you dislike it so much, shall I leave you?"

 Chapter 55: Portrait of Linus Oubeniel (2)

    Chapter 55: Portrait of Linus Oubeniel (2)


    At her scathing remarks, Linus shuddered.


    He couldn''t help but infer further meaning behind the word "leave you". He wondered if she knew about the ve.


    "......Don''t be stupid."


    Those words from Linus might very well be for himself.


    Yes, it was stupid. Her family had copsed in thest year, she had no backing, she was close to Tullius, who was the snob of the family, and she didnt have strong support from the retainers. Nobody in such a position would suspect their spouse of cheating in such a situation. There was a thing known as woman''s intuition, but Simone did not seem to have that kind of sensitivity. After all, she still misunderstood the reality of that undeniably insane person.


    Simone continued, oblivious to Linus'' concerns.


    "Oh, you''re worried about that matchmaker you hate so much, aren''t you? I know it''s not Elisha''s words, but you really have a small heart."


    "......"


    You hate your brother, Sir Tullius. You also hate Marquis Lavallee who you have teamed up with because of Tullius. And now the guards sent by the Marquis? Theres really nothing that can be done for you huh, you''re like a selfish child."


    "......Shut up."


    "Are you telling me that you won''t even grant me the right to open my mouth? If you think I''m so disgusting that you don''t even want to hear a word I say, why don''t you just leave me behind? With a Count''s power, it should be no big deal"


    "I said shut up!!"


    His voice was basically a scream.


    The woman standing in front of him, understood not a single thing. Why did she say such things, why was she making such a face, why did she look at him like that? It felt as if he was talking to another creature.


    If they were divorced, Linus and Lavallee would be in trouble, but Simone would be in the most trouble. Her family had died out, and she had no hopes of being married again. Of course, Linus would have to provide her with enough money to eat, but even so, the scope of her life would be greatly reduced. She could choose to marry to a lower ranked noble and resurrect the Pontauban Baron family, but that itself was a huge wager...


    In other words, she probably disliked Linus so much that she was prepared to do such a thing and willingly voiced her disapproval.


    "What''s going on, your Excellency, Count!"


    The door opened and a disheveled looking knight jumped in. It must be the guard that Elisha had said she would leave behind. He had shouted so loudly that one might have thought an emergency had happened.


    Linus waved his hand depressingly. He didn''t realise it, but his face was as pale as a sick man''s.


    "......nothing."


    "Yes! But there was a very loud voice"


    "I told you it''s nothing! Also, don''t you guards know the proper etiquette of knocking on the door!"


    He became even more frustrated with the knight who failed to infer what happened. Simone looked at her husband with mixed feelings. Her gaze contained amazement, frustration, aversion and maybe the slightest hint of pity.


    "We are sorry. He''s just, what do you call it...... that kind of person."


    "Ye, yes...... then there is no issue? My apologies."


    The knight grudgingly replied to Simone''s shoddy exnation and retreated from the room.


    Simone had treated Linus as if he was mentally unwell. Even though Linus was sure his brother was the crazy one.


    Being associated with his brother like that was diforting.


    "......Im leaving for a moment."


    "Where to?"


    As Linus turned on his heel and headed out, Simone asked inly.


    If you have no interest in knowing, you don''t have to ask. Linus held his tongue on that and simply replied.


    "Just a walk. What''s wrong with a lord taking a walk in his territory?"


    He didn''t really want to go out. He didn''t know what Tullius had installed for him. But it was more painful to stay in the same room as Simone.


    She must have felt the same way. She sent him off with a loathing, irritated smile that was unimaginable since they were newlyweds.


    "Oh, is that so? Please enjoy yourself, Count."


    In frustration, he thrusted the door open, and then mmed the door closed.


    The knight waiting outside had another startled look, but Linus ignored him and walked down the corridor. Several times, the guard called out to him from behind, but Linus replied evasively. On the way, Linus passed a few shameless cored ves, worsening his already poor mood.


    (We cant even tell whose house this is now, can we?)


    It was as if his mansion was under the control of Tullius, who had arrived earlier. It seemed that his vassals who were in charge of the house and territory could not say no to the second son of the main family who showed up unannounced carrying a lot of things. His notoriety probably had not reached Volden, which was far from the royal capital. Perhaps he should have written a letter to inform the people here.


    (.....This ce is suffocating.)


    Everywhere he went in the mansion, he saw the eyes, more eyes, and all the eyes of the ves of Tullius. Eyes that harboured no emotion towards him, in other words, eyes that didn''t think anything of Linus. As a noble, he was used to being served, but these stares were physically oppressive to him. He could not feel at peace inside this ce.


    So, he went outside.


    Alone, in the cool summer breeze of the hignds, was he finally able to feel alive again.


    "Whew......."


    Even in summer, the air in the hignds at dusk was cold. That made it invigorating, on the flip side. It was as if all the invisible dirt that had been clinging onto his body was being scraped away.


    "All of them are useless women."


    He expelled something that had been building up in the depths of his mind. But this one did not disappear immediately. The more he said it, the more it welled up in his throat.


    "An evil wife who has no good eye and that bitchy knight. And then there are those ves of Tullius! Why should I be involved with these women?"


    He couldn''t help but feel frustrated. In the royal capital, there was a perfect outlet for this kind of situation. The only thing that made that female ve worthwhile was the fact that she was timid, slow, and tight-lipped. He thought it would be unnatural to bring a ve with no significant role here, so he left her at the main residence, but it backfired. There was no one to take care of Linus'' growing frustration.


    It was a regrettable choice. His marriage with Simone had started in the worst wayst year, and there had been no sign of improvements. He was close to the limit of spending nights with her just out of a sense of duty to have an heir. In that respect, the ve was really good. As his official wife was a noble''s daughter, there were certain things he would never dare to do with his wife. The female ve was different. She neverined at all. The way she surrendered everything to him satisfied his self-esteem. She was much more than Simone, who was a mere baroness but had a very high opinion of herself.


    "Wait, what am I doing......?"


    He halted his thoughts, which were fast approaching a dangerous territory.


    He wasmitting the taboo of keeping a female ve without telling his official wife. In addition to that, it was not a righteous thought to ce a noble woman lower than a ve, even if he had not openly dered.


    He wondered if he''d been brainwashed by Tullius without his knowledge, but there was no reaction from his anti-brainwashing equipment.


    So this idea was borne entirely from himself.


    "No...... that can''t be true!"


    Feebleness struck him and he knelt down on the summer grass. Linus started pounding on the ground again and again.


    "Who am I? I''m Linus Strein Oubeniel, Lord of Volden, Count of the kingdom, and a noble. I''m not like my father or that scum, I''m the head of the respectable Oubeniel family! There was no way such a person like myself would think such a thing. It''s impossible, it''s impossible......!"


    No one was listening, yet he needed to find excuses for himself.


    His father, full of debauchery, was a person who desperately tried to cover up his own ipetence, and then died of fright when he saw the madness of his second son, whom he had misguidedly pinned hopes on.


    His demonic brother made their mother die giving birth to him, grew up killing ves, drove his father to his death, and was probably stillmitting evil, although he had no proof now.


    Linus kept repeating over and over again that he was different from these people.


    Tears began to flow from his eyes. He rubbed himself repeatedly with the back of his hand, but the tears wouldnt stop.

 Chapter 55: Portrait of Linus Oubeniel (3)

    Chapter 55: Portrait of Linus Oubeniel (3)


    "Ugh, gee...... ahhh! Arghhh!"


    A man sat alone in the summer wilderness, screaming with tears on his cheeks.


    If somebody were to look at Linus now, they would have a hard time distinguish the lunatic between him and his brother.


    In fact, Linus going mad should be the expectation. He had spent his most impressionable adolescence in fear of his murderous brother, and had been unable to get rid of him. Without healing his traumas, he had fully grown to be an adult. There were those who took advantage of him like Lavallee, those who didnt want to look at him like Simone, and the many nobles who ridiculed him, and Tullius, who continued to traumatise him. It would be cruel to expect Linus to maintain his sanity while surrounded by such people. It was a miracle that Linus had not shown his disgraceful behaviour to the public, nor had he chosen tomit suicide.


    Linus continued to cry alone as his mind approached his limits.


    It took near dinnertime before he came to his senses again.


    Going back in time slightly.


    After leaving the Count and Countess'' bedroom, Elisha returned to the room she had been assigned. The room was spacious enough to amodate the guests of a noble, but the furnishings were old. The room had been cleaned well and there was not a speck of dust on the floor, but considering the weathering of the room over the years, some people might even feel an eerie sense of difort.


    But there was no way Elisha Balbastre was that delicate of a flower to care for such things. She only thought that it was spacious, old, and that there would be no inconvenience in sleeping here.


    "Wee back,mander. Everyone has gathered."


    "Oh, Al. Thanks."


    When she entered the room, she raised a small hand and answered to the voice of her subordinate who greeted her.


    Gathered in the room were five subordinates. There were four captains who each led 20 guards, and Alfred Simon Prudemache, the deputymander who could be said to be Elisha''s right hand man.


    Even though Volden''s mansion wasrge, it was only a noble''s mansion. There was no way that a knight''s order could be stationed here as a whole like in the royal pce. This was why only the executives of the second knight of the Imperial Guards have gathered here.


    The only people who were given rooms were Elisha, themander of the order, the captains, and a few others who were in charge of guarding Linus and his wife. The rest have taken lodgings in the city.


    Elisha nced at her men and opened her mouth.


    "Fine, everyone sit down."


    With the permission of the chief, the people gathered in the room sat down at their respective seats. There was only one empty seat, a chair located by the window of the table. Elisha walked to her seat and sat down.


    "Well, gentlemen. Let me start by saying the journey here has been long."


    "Yeah."


    "I''m sure it''s fine for big sis since she rode in the carriage, but we were on horseback. My thighs are sore."


    Themanders words were met with a stream of ridicule from her subordinate captains. However, there were no ill feelings. There was a sense of friendliness that belied those words, as if they were idle banter between friends.


    In response, Alfred, the deputymander, cleared his throat.


    "Everyone, please don''t spout rubbish. Also, this is ourmander. I don''t think it''s appropriate to call her big sis."


    "Wow, you''re still as hard as ever, Al the husband."


    "Of course. If I don''t at least be harsh, the discipline of this knight order will cken...... And you can also call me deputymander."


    "Well, let''s just ignore Al''s nitpicking as usual."


    While they quickly dismissed the deputymander, Elisha continued.


    "So, let''s hear your reports. After a quick inspection of the house, did you all notice anything unusual?"


    "No, none at all."


    The four voices replied unanimously.


    A captain took initiative and exined further on behalf of all of them.


    "Of course, it would be difficult toplete a thorough search of the house in a single day, so we have only investigated a limited portion of the house. Nevertheless, we are focusing on the rooms that the head of the family would use. As a result, at this stage, we can confidently say that there is no possibility of assassination, kidnapping, brainwashing, or any other unpardonable behaviour to ur."


    "Same for the right area."


    "Me too."


    "Hmmm......? So, the viscount only came to greet his brother?"


    She twirled her hair, which was tied into a ponytail, lightly like a toy. It was Elisha''s habit when she was thinking. Alfred made a curious expression at the gesture and asked.


    "Are you not convinced, Commander?"


    "I cant really be convinced. Tullius Oubeniel is the kind of person who picks a fight against the old man and wins. I''m sure he''s more than familiar with all kinds of shady tactics. How could he have possiblye to meet his political rival so recklessly?"


    "Then, Commander is suspicious of the Viscount?"


    "Yeah. Don''t let Madam Simone catch wind of this though...... okay? Because she seems to have a soft spot for her brother-inw."


    "In the meantime, may I ask if you have any proof?"


    The beautiful female knightmander sniggered at the deputymander''s question.


    "That stuff is easy. Look at his history since he became a viscount. Not a speck of dirt to be found, is there? A bad boy who used to reek of rumours of ve murders and who was once taken by his father to be exorcised. Normally, a viscount like him should have caused a public incident or two by now. But this guy has only been countering his political enemies."


    "It is possible that he has repented and corrected his behavior."


    "Impossible. How old is he? He was eighteen when he became a lord, and he''s twenty now. He''s not old enough to be able to control himselfpletely. No matter what kind of saint a person is, youth is the thing that would get the person in trouble. In addition, he is a heretic who has gained his notoriety as a ve murderer. If he holds the powers of a lord, he will definitely be up to no good."


    Power was enticing and youthfulness made one susceptible to temptation. A young man who had been killing ves with impunity even as a child had gained power over a region. If nothing particr happened, it would be extraordinary.


    "Hahaha, it''s extremely persuasive when it''s said by someone who has youthful indiscretions herself, isn''t it?"


    One of the captains broke off the conversation by saying so. Elisha continued, unconcerned.


    "That''s why I can say that with conviction. Theck of anything strange is strange in itself...... though this sounds just like a conspiracy theory. Old man Lavallee is also not the kind of naive person to get his ass kicked so easily by a virtuous rural lord. Now then, I wonder what that young innocent lord has behind his mask."


    "So you think that he is the main culprit behind the Great Fire of the royal capital, as the Marquis ims?"


    "I have no proof, though. If you only look at the results,st year''s great fire was carried out in that young master favour. The city was burned down in a mob uprising, and the political instability in the capital was not good for nobles from outside the capital to stay. So it was a good excuse to get out and go home. In the midst of all this, he was wounded by an assassin from who knows where. Thanks to that, the old man was suspected of assassination, which caused him major problems. Those gossiping mouths started to believe that the old man was involved in the arson. What do you think? Everything ended up working in the Viscount''s favour."


    "You said he was stabbed and suffered life-threatening wounds? I also heard that there was no hesitation in the wounds though?"


    "That''s a stupid question."


    She replied snidely.


    "There''s somebody serving him who might be able to do that, right? A person who was formerly known as a strong adventurer, and who seemed like she took part in the ve killing."


    "The ''Silver Wolf'' Uni. One of the main yers in the trial, right?"


    The deputymander said with a snort. The knights of the Imperial Guards, the most elite in the kingdom, were different from other knightly orders that were like lounges for nobles. They did not underestimate the monsters that were a threat to humanity and the ability of adventurers who fought against monsters. Unlike the pampered First Order, in the meritocratic Second Order, if you make a mistake, you will be given the boot on the very same day.


    "She is an exception of the exceptions, as she is ranked C and yet has a nickname. Surely she has some skills to show for it."

 Chapter 55: Portrait of Linus Oubeniel (4)

    Chapter 55: Portrait of Linus Oubeniel (4)


    "Then it might be possible that she possesses the ability tond deep, yet non-lethal cuts?"


    "In addition, judging from the way the Viscount is behaving today, he didnt seem to have anysting physical disabilities. He was stabbed by an assassin who was trying to kill him and barely lived. That allowed him to seed in escaping from the stronghold of his political rival while there seems to be no longsting injuries affecting him. Come on now, how blessed can he be?"


    "You''re right, big sis, it smells fishy."


    The other captains agreed deeply with Elisha''s words. They were often away from the capital to promote their military prowess to the lords, but they were originally guards with the purpose of protecting the city. They have dealt with threats of assassination to the point of being disgusted by it, and they knew how people were like after being victims in assasinations. In light of their knowledge, the assassination of Tullius seemed suspicious.


    "Regrettably, there is not a single piece of evidence."


    "Why don''t you call the former Count Cartan, Lady Josephine, and the witnesses from the trial? There''s no evidence of the assassination, but the trial"


    "I''m sure that old man had already tried that. But it''s no use. No matter how much we try to undo the brainwashing, the High Court has already issued a ruling. If they try to overturn it now, it will be toote to produce the proof. People might think the losing side is just making a fuss the moment that bes the widely epted opinion, it is over."


    "But brainwashing a noble is a huge crime. If it''s true, then the High Court has no time to be care about honour and what not"


    As the deputymander said, brainwashing the nobility was as serious a crime as assassination. Twisting and arbitrarily manipting the will of another person, if used with evil intentions, could cause more chaos in society than assassinations. There was no way it could be overlooked.


    However, Elisha waved her hand, dismissing his argument.


    "I told you it is toote to present any proof. Tullius Oubeniel is now protected by a faction that includes even Margrave Doldran. If we poke them, they''ll protest furiously. "This is fabrication." "They are false usations." Or "it must be a conspiracy by Lavallee." If these mindsets take root, more people will hate the centralists and join forces with the decentralists. Both sides would then have the samemon enemy, the old man. If we arent careful, they will use force and start a civil war. In order to prevent that from happening, we need to target the faction members."


    "As I recall, neither the anti-brainwashing treatments nor magic have shown any effect on the moderates, have they?"


    The nobles in the new moderate faction were unlikely to associate with a man who was abhorred as the man-eating snake. The best exnation they could theorise was that they had been brainwashed. But when they took them into custody, they did not respond to any of the anti-brainwashing treatments. If they did, Tullius would have been sent to the executioner''s a long time ago.


    So why did they team up with Tullius Shernan Oubeniel? She couldnt even begin to guess at the reason. When she queried the nobles, she did not get anything sensible. They would beat around the bush, throw some herrings here and there, or simply say they absolutely could not speak about it.


    "What an indiscernible man, isn''t he? That viscount."


    "Why did you ept such a man''s wee?"


    Alfred said, holding his temples and trying to hold in his headache.


    It was Elisha''s words that ruined their chance to get rid of Tullius. If it hadn''t been for that, they would have been able to drive that monster away to Man. She knew the dangers, so why did she overlook it?


    "It''s obvious, isn''t it? It''s to learn about him, Al."


    Elisha said simply.


    "The reason why the old man, the most underhanded person in the kingdom, was so spectacrly defeatedst year was because he was ignorant of that young chaps methods and did not understand his purpose. We have to find out what his methods are and get at least a part of his secret. If we don''t do that, the situation can only get worse. The kingdom may end up being eaten by the man-eating snake from within. In order to prevent that from happening, we have no choice but to head straight into danger, even if the risk is a bit high. Well, it''s like force reconnaissance."


    "So we, the second strongest Imperial Guard in the kingdom, are scouting out the snake noble? That''s a very manly story, just like big sis."


    "Absolutely! Hahahaha!"


    The captainsughed at theirmander''s resolve. As knights and warriors who considered it honourable to die fighting on the battlefield, the bravery of theirmander could bemended. However, as a deputymander with responsibilities, Alfred couldnt do that.


    "Not only us, but the Count and Countess as well, right?"


    "Yeah, with them along for the ride too."


    Elisha''s reply sounded rather cold.


    "Originally, its a problem within the Oubeniels. It is the fault of the head of the family and his brother, Count Linus, that he became a problem for the entire kingdom. If you think about it, they should be equally prepared to be sacrificed too, don''t you think?"


    It is true that if Linus had not made Tullius a viscount, this would not have happened too. It was said that he was hoping he wouldmit blunders and use them as pretexts for his execution, but the n was too optimistic. In view of the current situation, it would have been better if he had dealt with the situation as soon as possible, even if he had to bear the disgrace of killing his family member.


    "......The Countess is a hell of a mess, isn''t she? She''s in this kind of danger because of her husband''s negligence."


    "That''s why I don''t want to marry a bad man. The woman will be at a disadvantage without it being her fault. It''s just too much to bear."


    That''s what the woman who t out rejected her engagement by bing a knight said.


    Then she released her hair from fingers.


    "However, I can''t be so ungrateful as to leave him to die. Count Linus Oubeniel has some potential in his own right. Protect him as best you guys can."


    "Well, I suppose it would be a disservice to the name of the Imperial Guards to fail to protect them without any resistance."


    "I''ll leave that to you guys. The best of our troops will be by the Count''s side"


    And when one of the captains said that, the magic equipment on his chest made a sharp sound. It wasmunication magic.


    "Excuse me. It''s me, what''s going on? ......I see. Keep going. Let me know if there''s any change, okay? Bye."


    "From the Count''s escort?"


    "Yes. It seems the couple''s quarrel has made the Count ufortable. He went out for a walk to take his mind off things."


    A nket of air drifted into the room.


    The man who had been so vocal about the threat of Tullius was now going out unprotected. From the point of view of the guards, it was uneptable.


    "Of course, one of my man is following him while hiding himself."


    "You are toox. A single shadow guard can''t protect him sufficiently. Hurry up and send more. If you don''t have enough men, send yourself there too. I''ll take care of the countess in the mansion."


    "Yes!"


    At Elisha''s immediate decision, the captain epted the order with a salute without any dys. A satisfied smile appeared on his face. He was old enough to be themanders father and yet, he had no qualms in receiving his orders from her. In fact, you could see the pride he had in hismander.


    The loyalty of the Second Order to their leader was well known. The knights of the First Order imed that "those who call themselves knights in the Second Order are not subjects of His Majesty King Charles, but servants of Queen Balbastre." Ignoring the first half of the statement, the second half was no exaggeration.


    After all, strength was the raison d''etre of this order. Young or old, male or female, no questions were asked. Their creed was that the strongest knights are to be followed. With that in mind, what could possibly go wrong with having her, the youngest and only female leader of the order, at their helm?


    The queen smiled strongly as the men responded to her.


    "Come on, hurry up. We can''t leave the target of our escort unprotected for even a second."


    "Sure thing, big sis!"


    "Hey, I already said. Not big sis, butmander ah, whatever."

 Chapter 56: The Oubeniel Dining Table (1)

    Chapter 56: The Oubeniel Dining Table (1)


    If somebody had to be chosen as a target for Tullius, it would be Linus and that very same Linus was walking about unprotected. The Second Order of the Imperial Guards moved swiftly to protect him. In spite of that, nothing extraordinary happened. For Elisha, who had been anticipating a move on Tullius part, the result was rather disappointing.


    (Well, I''m sure the Viscount is not as shallow as to make a move in this situation.)


    She half guessed what was going to happen. If Linus were to be harmed now, the culprit would be assumed to be Tullius. Even if he wasnt the mastermind, the old man in the royal capital would certainly assume so. It was the height of foolishness to stir up trouble despite knowing this. Otherwise, it was somebody else who wanted to frame Tullius while burying Linus at the same time.


    (No choice then, Ill have to make some assertive moves.)


    She tightened her corset as she thought. She was in the middle of getting dressed for dinner. Even though she was a knight of the Imperial Guards, she was not imprudent enough to wear a suit of armour to a dinner she was invited to. She had ten to twenty dresses for such formal asions. Though, she would be much happier just keeping a single dress while spending the rest of her money on new armour. However, if she lost face as a noble, her parents and a certain old man would be annoyed.


    "How could the daughter of Balbastre, even if she ran from home, have only a single piece of dress?" or "The Imperial Guards also act as a billboard for the royal family, so it''s part of their duties to dress a little, isn''t it?


    She had been lectured to the point where she had calluses in her ears. In fact, she once sold a dress, but a recement was delivered the next day. And that was given to her from both her parents'' house and the Marquis Lavallee. Those guys were usually bickering with each other, but they got along well only at times like this.


    Since then, she kept all of her dresses, and they were either rotting in her closet or reluctantly put on when she needed them, as she did today.


    "Damn, it''s difficult to move in this, as usual. Why do I have to wear something like this......?"


    There was no reply to her mumblings. There was nobody insolent enough to be peeping on her since this was the Second Order and nobody in the whole kingdom would dare to make an enemy of Elisha Rosmond Balbastre. Elisha did not have a squire to help her get dressed, nor a ve. It was tedious, but she had to do it herself.


    She lightly fixed the crumples on her clothes that appeared when she was wearing them, then lightlybed and tied her hair, before putting on her belt which had her favourite sword.


    From the mirror, a beautiful woman who could outshine the moon was standing dignifiedly. The unusual appearance of her sword was just a spice to her unrealistic beauty. And yet...


    "......Well, I guess this isnt too bad."


    These were her personal feelings. In the first ce, where Elisha was about to go was, in some ways, a battlefield. It was a battlefield between nobilities, where words were exchanged instead of swords, tricks and ploys were employed instead of arrows, where deceit was magic itself. She would like to protest with her unwillingness, but since she had been assigned this role, she had no choice but to dance to the tune of it.


    "Well, time to go."


    She patted herself on the cheeks to get herself together and then turned on her heel to the door. Her destination was the dinner table where the "Man-eating Snake" was waiting.


    Linus Strein Oubeniel had a pale look. What was about to begin was a dinner hosted by the most abominable Tullius. It was the worlds most horrible dinner, hosted by a butcher and served with ve prepared food.


    The thought of having such a dinner was unnerving. The mental stability he had just regained was about to crumble again. This was the first time in his life that he felt so reluctant to eat.


    After all, who knew what was in the food. Elisha mentioned that poison would be detected by their equipment, but on the other hand, anything other than poison could be added into their food.


    What if it''s mixed with the blood of the ves he killed?


    No, maybe he dissected humans and made dishes out of them.


    Or perhaps, they might be served with the flesh or raw livers of the most bizarre-looking monsters.


    Gruesome images floated in his mind one after another.


    He wanted to jump out of his seat and return to his room. But his honour would not allow himself to disy such behaviour in front of Elisha and the others who were his guests. He also didn''t want to leave Tullius here and make it look like he was the bigger person in the mansion. It wasn''t a matter of willpower. If Linus couldn''t entertain the guests and let Tullius y host, his brother''s position in the family would appear rtively higher than his. The position of the man as a descendant of the main family of Oubeniel would grow.


    It was unlikely that the ''ve-killer'', who was hated even by the vassals of the main family, would be nominated as the head of the family instead of him, but there were always exceptions to the rule. There were mainstream and non-mainstream factions within the vassals under Linus'' control. What would happen if thetter faction became more and more distrustful of him, the current leader? It was unlikely, but not impossible that they would pick Tullius as their figurehead to destroy Linus.


    Considering that, he could not afford to show any weakness to his brother or his retainers here. Even more so to the members of the Second Order, who were outsiders and could present the events of today to the outside world. It was these thoughts that bound Linus like chains to his ufortable seat at the table.


    In deep contrast to the elder brother''s tormented and awkward smile, the younger brother was in a jovial mood. He folded up his napkin and hummed to himself, as if he was looking forward to the meal. If this man was looking forward to the dinner, then surely something outrageous must be up. Linus frowned.


    "Thank you for waiting, respected sirs and madams. Dinner is ready."


    It was Uni who appeared from the kitchen and greeted them. Linus wasn''t waiting for her at all. He even hoped that she would note forever. But the female ve, whose emotions could not be discerned at all, continued without any conscientious consideration of his disappointment.


    Tullius gave his affirmation, stood up and began to lead the toast.


    "Well then,dies and gentlemen! Let''s have dinner! Only this time, I, the unworthy one, will take the lead in ce of my brother. But before that..."


    He sat back down and brought his hands together in front of his chest and lowered his eyes.


    "O Lord, ruler of the heavens. We thank thee that thou hast given us sustenance tonight."


    He began to offer up prayers that would bemon at the house of believers. It wasmon practice in this continent, and there was nothing remarkable about it. But the fact that this was Tullius Oubeniel doing it, sent shivers down Linus spine. What the hell is this godless homicidal maniac doing now, he thought.


    In any case, it was an appropriate start for a meal. If one failed to do so, it was the worst in terms of manners. Linus grudgingly followed suit. Naturally, Simone, Elisha and the other guests, as well as their apanying retainers also followed suit.


    After Linus finished his prayers and looked up, he saw Tullius looking like he was in an awfully pleasant mood.


    "......Well, let''s eat then!"


    "Wait, Tullius."


    Linus interrupted him.


    "We have not been informed of what food we will be served tonight, have we?"


    If he decided to give an outrageous answer, Linus would send him criticisms. With a smile on his face, Tullius took on his question.


    "Oh my! How forgetful of me! Well, I apologise for the rudeness."


    He scratched his cheek lightly as he said. Theck of remorse in Tullius attitude made him irritated all over again.


    "The season is now summer and you all must be tired from the long journey. So, although it is a little out of season, we have prepared this course with a lot of angui, which is very healthy for the body."


    Angui was an eel. Normally, eels were fatty in the fall and winter, but relishing them in the summer was delicious too. Having learned that it was something more decent than expected, Linus felt slightly relieved. On the other hand, the fact that it was not an ingredient he couldin about was irritating. It was a mixed bag for him.

 Chapter 56: The Oubeniel Dining Table (2)

    Chapter 56: The Oubeniel Dining Table (2)


    "Hors d''oeuvres will be quiche with angui and summer vegetables, and the soup will be warm, considering the cool weather in the hignds. The poisson is braised anguille in wine. We hope you will enjoy thisbination of seasonal ingredients and the specialties of our region of Volden!"


    "Oh, it helps that the soup is warm. I don''t really do well when it''s cold......"


    Simone said casually. She didn''t seem to bear any bit of the same fears that Linus had.


    "That''s good to hear. I''m honoured that I was able to prepare an entree that suits sister-inw, even if by ident. Now, for the main course"


    Tullius'' fluent introduction of dinner continued.


    Whether Linus should be relieved or disappointed, there was nothing miserly about the selection.


    "Oops, I mustn''t forget. The wine is of course our local Cabe. We will be having a 112 year old."


    Linus gave a small grunt. It was a wine from a bountiful year.


    "Oh,e on, Viscount. You can''t take something like that out without telling the head of the family, can you?"


    It was Elisha who made fun of Tullius. A bottle of this expensive liquor could easily pay for the construction of a house. If it came from the wine cer of the mansion, it would certainly be an issue.


    "Don''t worry. It was acquired with my own private funds. I spoke to a prominent person in the area and he gave me one that he had in his warehouse. I could have bought it at a cheaper price in Canales, but it''s summer. They say you can''t let wine travel."


    "Hm? Is that so?"


    "Yes. Sunlight will damage it; temperature changes and the frequent shaking are also bad for it. It''s that kind of delicate drink."


    It was unexpected. Linus had never heard of this carefree kid, who had no regard for themon sense of the aristocracy, having even a passing acquaintance with wine. In fact, the real problem was this former daughter of a Marquis and presently a knight, having no clue on the treatment of wine.


    "Well, that''s enough of my long-winded exnation. I would now like to move on to the dinner toastVictor."


    "Yes!"


    The retainer who had been instructed to do so poured champagne, an aperitif, into the cups of those present. Apparently, he was not thoughtless enough to have a ve pour the wine here. Although it was already a problem that a ve wielded the knife and prepared their dinner instead of a professional cook.


    sses were passed around to each member, and Tullius held one in his grip.


    "So, here''s to thend of Volden, which has now weed its rightful Lord, and to the prowess and glory of all the Imperial Guards...... Cheers!"


    "Cheers!"


    "......Cheers."


    A few bouncy voices mingled with Linus'' somber voice and the clear sound of sses clinking together.


    The dinner began.


    "Hmm, this quiche is cooked just right."


    "It''s really excellent, big sis..."


    "Cough, cough......."


    "Oh, I mean, Commander."


    The knights were already starting to work on the appetisers.


    Since the guests had already started eating, Linus, the head of the family, had to follow suit. There was no reaction from his poison detection equipment. There would probably be no harm brought to him by eating......, at least not to his body.


    After moistening his dry lips with aperitif, he fearfully cut the quiche with his knife. The dough was split open to reveal only eel meat and vegetables, just as Tullius had announced. There was no weird meat mixed in, no reddish-ck, fishy juice dripping out. It was just ordinary  no, delicious looking  quiche.


    He stabbed it with his fork and gently brought it to his mouth. The gesture was at a very slow speed. It was like a child being forced to eat something he didn''t like.


    For a while, Linus stared at the quiche. Simone gave him a dumbfounded look.


    "Oh? Is the quiche not to brothers liking?"


    Tullius called out in a deceptively disappointed manner. More than hating the quiche, he hated the people who had served it more than anything else in the world. And the person who created it, second.


    (Ah dammit, whatever!)


    Linus shoved the fork into his mouth with determination.


    .......


    The first thing he felt was crispiness. The next was the soft cake-like texture of the eel. The vourful fats filled his mouth, while the fresh vegetables, with some bitterness, acted as if to wash it away. Together, they stimted Linus tongue. He wondered if there was some kind of herb in it, since he could taste a refreshing scent in his mouth and nostrils.


    "Oh my, it''s wonderful......" Simone couldnt help butment.


    Linus had to fight off the urge to chime in like Simone did.


    "What do you think, brother?"


    Tullius smiled as if he was showing off a treasure. It was a shame, but it was delicious enough that such an attitude was warranted. Linus grunted in response.


    "Hmph...... not bad."


    "Only passing marks, is it? Wow, thats strict."


    "Don''t be so modest, Sir Tullius." Elishamented.


    The te in front of her was already empty. Even though it was hors d''oeuvres, wasn''t it too early to finish it?


    "It has such a captivating taste. Who made this?"


    "Uni. It may not be proper for a ve to cook, but she is the most skilled in my house."


    "Ohhh?"


    The female knights eyes seemed to glimmer. At least from Linus point of view.


    "Very magnificent. This must be another example of the Count''s excellent education."


    A grinding sound on a te could be heard with a knife somewhere. It was Victor.


    It was still fresh in everybodys mindst year when there was a dispute over the ownership of Uni, who was imed to be the illegitimate daughter of Count Cartan. In any case, it was a big conflict that escted into a court case. In the end, the Count in question was ordered to retire. Elisha''s statement sounded like she was referring to that Count.


    "Miss Elisha, that is"


    "Yes. I heard that she was trained strictly by her seniors when she was in the main house of the Oubeniels."


    Before Simone could chide Elisha, Tullius exined.


    As if unaware, Elisha puzzledly replied, "I see."


    While finishing up the rest of her aperitif.


    (This woman......)


    Linus gave a stern look to Elisha.


    He had not expected her to offer such sarcasm so casually. He thought she was a shrew who knew not what an aristocracy was about, so this was unexpected of her. Perhaps this was why Lavallee had chosen to send her here.


    "Well, since we have a guest who has already wiped her te clean, we can''t leave her waiting like this. It''s a little early, but shall we bring in the soup?"


    "Oh! That''s very thoughtful of you. When I eat good food, I tend to get hungrier."


    "Shh! Don''t talk to His Excellency the Viscount so informally."


    The man who imed to be the vicemander interrupted Elisha.


    With that, Tullius snapped his fingers, and the ve in question brought a bowl of steaming hot soup.


    "Please enjoy it, esteemed guests."


    "Hmmm, speaking of which, I have not heard whats in the soup."


    Elisha muttered to herself while watching Uni ce the soup on the table.


    Indeed. All they were told was that it was warm soup. What ingredients were used remained unclear.


    Linus looked at the soup and noticed an oily film floating on the surface and the reddish liquid beneath. The ingredients seemed to be some kind of meat. Thebination of red and meat made Linus imagine something sinister again.


    Tulliusughed impishly.


    "Oh, my my, I''m sorry. Ipletely forgot to tell you all about it. How about this? Wouldnt it be more fun if you all taste it first and then guess what kind of soup it is?"


    "Mm, doesn''t that sound interesting? I''m in."


    Quick to act, Elisha scooped up a big spoon of soup and put it in her mouth. She rolled it around her tongue for a while to get a feel of the ingredients, chewed on them, before swallowing.


    (I don''t know what the heck this soup is.)


    While Linus was worried, Elisha seemed to be thinking for a while.


    "Chicken? Not really. It''s simr, but a little more wild. It feels like it''s leg meat, but a little thicker. It doesnt seem like a wild bird...... Oh I get it, turtle."


    Turtle. Turtles were a rare ingredient, but it was certainly not umon to be used as a delicacy. It was a creature of longevity, and in some areas it was said to be a good luck charm. If that''s the case, it would suit the taste of Tullius, who was always saying that he wanted to live a long life.


    "Correct! You are really good at this, huh?"


    "Reptiles are simr in texture to chicken. When I was on a mission to defeat bandits, I once ate a lizard because I was out of food. That''s how I first tasted something simr. These legs are thicker and shorter than those."

 Chapter 56: The Oubeniel Dining Table (3)

    Chapter 56: The Oubeniel Dining Table (3)


    "I see. You seem to have lots of interesting experience......"


    It was unusual to see Tullius react as if he saw something special. This was the first time he had seen another person who would be considered weird. But this was nothing to be pleased about. It only made Linus feel sick.


    "Commander, such a topic at a dinner table is not appro......."


    "What''s wrong with talking about food while eating? Mmm, also that lizard didn''t taste bad at all. Fortunately, I had a stockpile of salt, so I ate it with a sprinkle of salt"


    "LEADER?"


    "What is it, Al? You look scary."


    Fortunately, the sensible vicemander cut off the conversation. Linus patted his chest in relief.


    "Eh, you''re really weird, Miss Elisha."


    "Too weird......"


    Simone''s bewilderment was evident in her voice, and Linus'' sigh echoed it. Once again, it was rare to see consensus being made from this chilly couple. However, for Linus, it was nothing to feel happy about.


    "It is very hot. Please be careful."


    Dyed by the knights who had finished their appetisers, Uni then brought Linus and the rest their soup. For a moment, his eyes met those of Uni. Her eyes were as emotionless as ever, but there was a faint hint of dislike. Even if her ve cor had been removed, she was the woman who sent her father to hell and came back to avenge her mother. She would never stop hating a person who fought on the other side from her master.


    It was mutual for Linus. If he could, with his own hands, he wanted to strangle the person who as a ve had served the ve Murderer and who had crushed his marriage ploy.


    He switched his attention to the te in front of him, trying to hide the bone chilling emotions he was trying to conceal.


    The reddish soup that filled the te was steamy enough to make one think that it had been boiling up to the point before it was served. He scooped it up lightly and let it cool a little on the spoon before taking a sip. It was thick and a little quirky, but the taste was rather pleasant. When he saw the steam billowing out of it, he thought it might be overcooked, but then he realised it was the kind of food that was tastier the hotter it was. If possible, he would like to try it in winter, but this was in the hignds where it gets cold at night, so eating it during the summer was fine too.


    (I didnt know......)


    Linus muttered under his breath, sweating lightly as his body warmed up.


    He had no idea that this cold-looking woman could cook food with such warmth. No, he heard that she had often yed people who insulted her Lord. Thinking from this angle, she might be a passionate person at heart. Although her passions might be excessive.


    On the other hand, the other woman with a voracious apptetite,


    "I''d like a refill, if that''s okay."


    She had already emptied her bowl.


    Just like with the appetiser, she ate too quickly. And yet, her gestures were notpletely rude, so she was quite a curious person in that sense.


    Uni bowed slightly.


    "That''s fine, but there will be more from the main course. Are you sure?"


    She was right, they still had a fish dish and a meat dish for the main course. And of course, dessert. Even though it was a soup, too much of it in the stomach would be a problemter. But Elisha dismissed her fears with the wave of her hand.


    "No problem. The more I eat, the hungrier I get. Soup doesn''t count as a meal. It''s more of a side-dish. I''d like to have more of it."


    "Missy''s gluttony is well known in the Order......"


    "Hah, totally man."


    "......stop spreading our shame around."


    "As you wish, Lady. I will bring it to you immediately."


    As the vicemander grumbled to the excited knights, Uni went to get a recement bowl.


    ...Some timeter, the main course was brought out.


    Poisson was the main dish. Linus had noints about the taste of any of the dishes served, to say the least. In fact, if he hadn''t known who made them, he would have praised them with open arms.


    The only thing that bothered him was that the other main dish was St. Gallen style hamburger steak with brown sauce. It was tasty, but food from a barbaric neighboring country was a bit unpleasant. The reason why these knights were sent here was also because of the unrest stemming from that country.


    They ate it without a care in the world, and Elisha even put three steaks in her stomach.


    Finally, dessert was served.


    "We have prepared a chocte cake for dessert tonight."


    "Chocte? I''m not familiar with it... it''s not something weird, is it?"


    To Linus'' concern, Tullius blinked his eyes in surprise.


    "Oh, you havent heard of this? It''s a popr confection among the Canales merchants these days. It is made with imported beans from another continent. The beans are grinded, roasted and then mixed with sugar. It can also be used as a confectionary if it is cooled and hardened."


    "Imported from another continent...?"


    Linus could not get a good impression from that exnation. There was nothing good that came from the other side of the ocean. Among them were potatoes and other bulky crops that had a cheap taste and were poisonous when sprouted. Linus hated those. He heard that they were hardy nts that grew well on infertilend, and were used as an experimental crop to help themon people.


    In direct contrast to her husband, Simones eyes sparkled with innocence.


    "You keeping up with these new delicacies. I can''t wait to try more."


    "Thank you for that. As for me, I hope it''s not just unusual, but also ptable to sister-inw and others."


    No sooner than he said, the dessert tes started to appear on the table.


    The chocte cake was a mixture of regr cake with a brownish hue and a b of pastry on top as an ent. Taking a closer look, it could be seen that the cream used for decoration was also brown. Then this color must be because of the chocte or something. The aroma mixed with the sweet smell of the cream was quite fragrant, and it gave his stomach, which was supposed to be full, an appetite for more.


    As a matter of course, Elisha was the first to put her fork on it.


    "Hm. Chew, chew..... Oh, this is a sweetness I''ve never experienced! You say it''s made from grounded beans, so I was expecting it to be bitter?"


    "Yes. It''s bitter without the sugar. Though the bitterness can be enjoyed as well by controlling the sugar."


    Tullius exined with a self-satisfied look.


    To Linus chagrin, he became somewhat interested. Linus also took a bite.


    "......sweet."


    It was so sweet that it almost made his tongue fall out from his mouth, and yet it had a depth that was not all sweetness. The addition of sugar and cream to something that was originally bitter brought out the sweetness further.


    "Really, it''s so sweet and delicious! ......But if it''s this sweet, I might be worried about the amount of sugar."


    Simone spoke of her very feminine concern. There were many aristocrats who indulged in extravagance and consumed too much sugar, bing fat like pigs. So they might not be able to enjoy the dessert too much if there was an excessive amount of sugar in it.


    "Don''t worry. We''ve considered that, and used a little salt to enhance the sweetness."


    "Huh? Really?"


    "Yes. The human tongue is a strange thing, and it''s easier to perceive sweetness when it''s mixed with something a little salty. Of course, even though the amount is reduced, it still contains a lot of sugar, so it is not good to eat too much of it......There should be no problem unless it is eaten daily."


    Tullius spoke as if it was nothing. But should he be so quick to divulge the secrets of pastry making? Making sweet pastries was a huge money-making venture. If one could save on sugar, which was a luxurymodity, it was even better. The confectioners of the aristocracy would drool over these ideas.


    At any rate, Simone seemed to be relieved. She happily started on the cake again.


    "And yet"


    Elisha, who already had the cake in her stomach, spoke up.


    "This dinner is quite excellent. It''s not every day you get to see such an array of delicacies, even in the pce. I am very impressed, Lord Tullius."


    "Why, Im very grateful for your kindpliments, Lady Balbastre."


    The amused gaze of the female knight shing with the amiable smile of the dinner host.


    "For such delicious food, you must have gone through a lot of trouble to prepare them?"

 Chapter 56: The Oubeniel Dining Table (4)

    Chapter 56: The Oubeniel Dining Table (4)


    "Oh no, haha. Well, I''m well aware that I''m a little too showy for somebody my age."


    Tullius scratched his head in embarrassment.


    As Elisha had said, today''s dinner was too borate in many ways. The food, the wine, and the imported confections. In a crude way, it was too much money for a Viscount to spare.


    If they were as innocent as Simone, they would be happy to see that he was so caring, but Linus and Elisha were not. On the one hand, they were brothers who have been at odds with each other for years, and on the other hand, they were the heads of armed factions. It was also the result of Lavallee''s reforms that allowed the Imperial Guards to expand and allow the Second Order to be known as the best.


    How is it that they were being treated sovishly? He could not help but wonder what the intentions behind it were.


    "Let me get straight to the point. I would like to know about tonight''s hospitality and your intentions in hosting it."


    "By which you mean?"


    "Forgive me. It was unexpected for a simple knight like me to be weed so warmly. Im sorry for seeming ungrateful like this."


    Even as she apologised, Elisha waspletely rxed as she sipped her ss of after-dinner drink. If you''re up to something, tell me now. She implied. There was a limit to how direct one could be.


    Tullius chuckled, amused.


    "Good gracious, the head of the Second Order, the most elite of the elite Imperial Guards, calling herself a mere knight. If that''s the case, then a person like me who simply serves a regional lord has no ce at all. Right, Due?"


    "......Don''t bring me into this, master."


    The man, who had spent the entire dinner keeping to himself, said in disgust. Most likely, he was struggling to keep up with the table manners and was trying to keep quiet to avoid embarrassing himself.


    After teasing his subordinate, Tullius stuck to his impressed expression and continued.


    "Well, this is just my way of apologising."


    "Oh, an apology, huh?"


    "Yes. I''m sorry if this sounds awful, but I''m not as good as my brother. Ever since I was a child, I''ve been a great source of trouble for my brother, and now that I''m older, I feel ashamed of that."


    Linus'' eyebrows drew together grimly. How was he able to spew such lies? Even as a measly viscount, he was still steadily building up his aristocratic faction and was nning to challenge him. Trulyughable.


    Such thoughts swirled in Linus mind, but since he was in the presence of guests, he had to restrain himself. He threw the rest of the cake into his mouth as if to adjust the bitterness in his mouth.


    "My brother raised me to the rank of viscount and even gave me territory. It is a debt of gratitude that I can never repay."


    "You were given the remotend of Man, was it?"


    "Miss Elisha."


    Simone chided her for her provocativenguage. But Tullius shook his head, not caring.


    "Even though we are in the middle of nowhere, we have a lot of potential. In fact, new copper mines and other unexpected new industries have sprung up here. To be entrusted with such a ce, I would have to say that my brother has a good eye. Well, I didn''t think there was even such a thing as a dungeon."


    He said, with a devilish smile on his face.


    Linus felt sick to his stomach as he listened on. It wasn''t the sweetness of the pastries or the richness of the food he had. It felt like ck needles were poking him in the stomach. He felt like holding his ears together and crouching.


    "Thanks to my brother, Ive gained a lot of knowledge that I would not have gained otherwise by being confined to the residence in the royal capital. I can say that everything I have today is thanks to my brother. ......Truly, it is thanks to my brother that I am where I am today."


    Stop.


    For God''s sake, not a single word more.


    "That''s why I wanted to give my brother and his precious guests a taste of my best efforts. That''s all. Truly"


    He said, and Tullius moved his eyes.


    Don''t look at me.


    Please, just for now, don''t turn to me and talk to me......!


    In spite of Linus'' fervent wishes, Tullius fixed his gaze on Linus and concluded.


    "I''m really grateful to you... Brother."


    Unable to take it anymore, Linus got off his seat and stood up.


    The guests looked at him suspiciously, but Linus couldn''t even pay attention to them.


    "Sorry, I''m feeling a little tipsy...... Forgive me for leaving."


    It was all he managed to squeeze out.


    "Hey, dear, whats wrong?"


    Linus shook off Simone''s unusually worried expression and walked quickly out of the dining room. At his back, the voice of the man he least wanted to hear followed him.


    "Oh, if you''re feeling tipsy, please refrain from bathing. It''s not safe for you to stagger and fall in the bathroom."


    "......Of course. I shall rest in the room."


    Linus left without giving a second look.


    It was not praiseworthy to leave ones guests as the head of a Count family. But more than that, he could not afford to sit on the same table as Tullius for any longer.


    What did that man say? He owed his life to his brother? Was he really grateful?


    That''s ridiculous. All Linus ever did was to get in his way. He threw him out of the royal capital to stop him from killing ves as an experiment. He sent them to the poorest and most corrupt backwater in the kingdom. He mixed up his new retainers with spies. He also sent spies to the feast celebrating thepletion of his residence. He also took part in a conspiracy to rob him of his most important servant.


    It was as if he was dering that it was all in vain, that it would only benefit him.


    And objectively speaking, that statement was absolutely correct. Man was now rapidly prospering, and Tullius was even the head of a faction that had taken in many moderate nobles. It''s much bigger than it was before he was expelled from the capital. If he had been kept in Broussonne, he would have been just a blood-drunk lunatic.


    Yes, everything was in vain, brother.


    Everything you''ve done was worthless and pointless.


    No, it''s the other way around. In my opinion, it''s even harmful to the Oubeniel family.


    What do you think, brother? How is it, brother? Why arent you saying anything, brother?


    In an afterimage created by his own mind, Tullius'' smile warped and turned into a sneer.


    Shut up, stopughing, stop talking! Scum, dirt, shit! Dont try to act cocky and imitate a humans voice!


    His fast walking pace had turned into a sprint before he knew it. Linus ran as if something was chasing him from behind. He ran into the living room, locked the door and threw himself on the bed.


    The sheets, exposed to the cool night air, were cold and despite their softness, they seemed to be rejecting Linus.


    "Ughhhh......! No, no more! Please, please let me go back to the capital!"


    He scratched his head and whined as he pressed his face against the bed.


    He couldn''t take it anymore. He didn''t want to see Tullius. He didn''t want to breathe the same air under the same roof with that thing. He had put up with it for years and years, tried to get rid of him over and over again, but all to no avail, and now, he was even being told that he was grateful for it. With a faint smile on his face, he said such cruel things without a care in the world. He didn''t want to be associated with such a monster any longer.


    However, he could not escape. It was his job as the head of the Count family to inspect the territory and review the governance, and it was the intention of the centralist faction, including Lavallee, to send Linus away. He was tied up in a double bind of obligations. Nobody could take over his ce, nor offer a helping hand. Despite his position as a Count of the kingdom, Linus Strein Oubeniel waspletely alone.


    "Help me, Mother. Father, why did you let that monster be born? Lavallee, please, kill that thing as soon as possible......"


    The ramblings gradually took on a hallucinatory quality, and the past and present began to blend together. While his mind was exhausted and overwhelmed, his body was aching with a fever. The imbnce between mind and body was driving Linus further and further to the edge of copse.


    The sound of gnawing nails echoed in the dark room where he was alone. The exasperation he had endured was turning into an urge to hurt himself. Linus couldn''t stop even as his teeth tore through the flesh of his fingers and blood trickled down. If this went on much longer, he might have to take a razor de to his wrist next, or even hang himself.

 Chapter 56: The Oubeniel Dining Table (5)

    Chapter 56: The Oubeniel Dining Table (5)


    But just before that happened.


    "Dear? ......Linus, what are you doing here without the lights on?"


    The door opened and light from the hallway filtered into the room.


    With her back to it, the shadow of a woman appeared in the backlight.


    (Who. Is. It...?)


    His brain was short circuiting and was on the verge of exploding. The past and the present and his jumbled up memories ovepped his vision.


    A dark room. A woman. His exhausted self. He was breathing hard like an animal. The shadow of a woman in the dimness.


    (Oh, thats right......)


    The confusion in his mind and the liquor he had consumed at the dinner gave Linus a conclusion.


    Oh, yes. That''s the woman in front of him.


    his ve.


    Did shee to be struck by me, just like previously? Did shee to be held?


    "............"


    With the impulse from his memory, Linus pulled himself up from the bed and approached the woman. He grabbed her by the hair with one hand to prevent her from escaping, and locked the door with the other.


    He was so happy. He didn''t know that there was someone who would be there for him when he was in so much pain and suffering. He didn''t know that there was someone who would take care of him, someone who would help him through this pain.


    "Ow! Hey, hey! Stop it, you''re hurting me! Linus? Hey, are you listening to me?!"


    Linus smiled gently at the woman who screamed in protest. If there had been a light to illuminate his face, it might have made the viewer think it was a crazy smile.


    "Shut up, ve girl."


    He ordered, as if this had yed out before.


    A ve should not call out to her master like that. She should behave in a more frightened and flirtatious voice, and gently reassure him that he was above her, as she had always done.


    So Linus, as usual, pulled the woman by the arm to the bed and threw her down on it.


    "Yikes! Wait, what? ......what are you doing?!"


    He liked the fierce resistance that was not always there.


    He''ll hold her down with his hands and make her feel helpless to the fullest. Let''s make her admit once again that she was inferior to him. That''s what this is all about, isn''t it? She had always satisfied herself that way.


    Linus chuckled and draped himself over the bed.


    I love you, he admitted for the first time in his life in a whisper.


    "I''m screwed...... I''m screwed......"


    The man was sitting helplessly, muttering in a hollow tone. He took off his hat, which indicated his position, scratched his thinning head, and continued to look desperate.


    The subordinate let out a sigh of exasperation at the man''s condition.


    "I wonder if he''s okay, this guy."


    "No, I guess not, not for a while."


    Another subordinate shrugged.


    "But was it that much of a shock?"


    "It can''t be helped. After all, he lost to a ve."


    "......Dont say that I lost!"


    The man mmed his hand on the chopping board, and his men cowered in unison.


    They were in the kitchen. The man was the head chef of the Count of Oubeniel''s family. He hade from the royal capital to prepare food for the Count, the Countess and their guests.


    However, the one who prepared the dinner they had on the first night was a lowly female ve who was not fit to be in charge of the kitchen. He objected to it and tried to kick her out of the kitchen.


    Before that, please open your mouth a little. Yes, just like thatthen please enjoy.


    The taste of the food that was thrown into his mouth made him lose all words. The man who came from the royal capital with great enthusiasm was overwhelmed by the taste of the test quiche, and was forced to leave the kitchen.


    The chef was stunned for a while, but as soon as he came back to himself, he sank into a depression......, and now he was here.


    "I-I''m no match for that savage female ve! Yes, yes, she must have been cheating! She must have mixed some magic potion into the food to change the taste! She''s an assistant to that alchemist, after all! Damn that whore! She must have shook her ass at the second son and begged him for some weird potion!"


    This time, he manically tried to find excuses for himself and cursed Uni for beating him. The subordinate cooks all struck a pose of disapproval at the sight of their boss. They hated the cocky, iron-faced ve and her notoriously cruel owner. However, when their immediate superior behaved in a way that made them think, "This is not how I want to be as a person," they couldnt decide whose side to take.


    "Well, if you say so......, I hope you can entertain the Count with your cooking tomorrow."


    "Yes, that''s right. And I''m told that the thing is only going to stand in for today."


    "Hmph, of course! I will teach you the taste of Broussonne, the taste of royalty and nobility!"


    The head chef dered with a snort.


    One of his men pointed him to a basin lying in the corner of the kitchen.


    "So, how about we start with a dish that uses the same ingredients to show the difference in ss?"


    "Huh?"


    The chef didn''t notice the basin until he was told about it.


    It was arge basin that took several people to carry. It was filled with water and several live eels were wriggling around in it.


    "What the hell is this?"


    "What is it? Obviously eels."


    "I can see that, you damned fool! Howe there are eels here!"


    "Haa...... maybe they made a mistake in ordering and received too many ingredients. They did say since there are many more of these eels, whoever is cooking tomorrow, please use them."


    He said while dexterously grabbing an eel. The fish, with its long, slimy body, slumped in his subordinate''s hand as if appealing to be released.


    "It''s very active, isn''t it? Well be able to enjoy them for the rest of the week at this rate."


    "Oh, taking a closer look, there''s also a turtle inside...... Ouch! This turtle, it bites! It bit me!"


    The head chef''s shoulders slumped as he watched his men ying with the food in the basin.


    He imagined the menu for tomorrow, and what the nobles would think when they tasted it.


    "Oh, the same ingredients......? You want me to use that? You want me to use the same ingredients to make that delicious... no, I mean, ve made food? Ha, ha, ha ......."


    Of course, if served with dishes with the same ingredients, the eater wouldpare the taste of it with the previous one. What if, as a result, he was rated as a poorer chef than the ve?


    He would be disqualified as a chef.


    He would lose the right to enter the kitchen of the house of the Oubeniels.


    These thoughts passed through his mind.


    "It''s over...... It''s still over...... I''m screwed......"


    The man sank back into despair. He had no choice but to be in despair when he thought about his bleak future as a chef.


    The eels swam unconcernedly in the basin. They were swimming in the cramped water, unaware of the sorrows and joys of humanity and of their own fate as food.

 Chapter 57: The Demon and the Bride (1)

    Chapter 57: The Demon and the Bride (1)


    The next morning.


    At the Oubeniel mansion in Volden, the maids were up early and working busily. However, they were not ves brought by Tullius, but genuine maids. They were the original servants of the Count''s family  the daughters of lower-ranking nobles who were sent to learn etiquette, and the daughters ofmoners who were born and raised in families with a decent background.


    For these women, the ve maids that Tullius brought with him could only be considered aughingstock. The ves served by the side of the wealthy and the powerful, and sometimes even became impregnated with their children. It was a joke that these ves were fulfilling such a role which evenmoners look down on.


    This was acknowledged by all the maids. The maids were a mix of those who Linus had brought from the royal capital and those who had been working at Volden''s mansion from the beginning. However, they quickly got along. The reason for this was because they had amon adversary.


    These ves dared to wear the same maid''s clothes as they did and on closer inspection, their uniforms looked better. They were all vying for the favour of the young head of the family, Linus Oubeniel, but there was room for amicable rtionship between the maids if they were facing these eyesores.


    Especially for those from the royal capital, there was nobody more annoying than female ves. The fact that Linus'' mistress was a ve was an open secret among the women living in the main residence in the capital, though Madame Simone was not informed since she was not popr among the servants. No way could they let the little bitch steal a march on them, especially since this was now a good opportunity where Linus main wife had yet to show any signs of pregnancy. This made their resentment towards the ve ss even stronger.


    Therefore, the existence of the ves of Tullius, who were female ves masquerading as maids, was beyond annoying to them.


    "Here shees."


    One of the maids quietly whispered into the ear of her colleague who was carrying theundry. Out of the corner of her eye, one of Tullius'' female ves was just passing through the hallway. The two maids confirmed this and gave each other a wry smile.


    Let us teach you a lesson in proper behavior, you impudent ve. They had something nned for her.


    They were both maids who had been employed by the house of Oubeniel in thest year or two. That''s why they didn''t know about the time when Tullius was in the mansion in the royal capital. They had heard rumours, but thought it was just a fictitious horror story. He had probably killed a few ves who made blunders and as news spreaded, the stories became wilder. They were probably just stories that could only trick children...they assumed.


    If their predecessors had been here, they would have warned them not to get involved with the ves. Until a few years ago, the mansions in the royal capital had been ruled by ves. Even when Tullius was away studying, there were ves he left behind in the residence working. The sight of the ves reminded them of the appalling massacres that took ce in the basement room. There was a considerable number of people who became mentally ill and quit.


    The maids, unaware of this, were about to bully the ve. Hmph, she was a mere ve of a viscount. Even if the Viscountined about the ve bullying, there was no way the Count would step in since he was on bad terms with the Viscount. Also, when a person gains a title, it means that he has established another family. They thought it was unlikely that outsiders would be able to punish them since they were servants under the Count.


    "Let''s do it, okay?"


    "Yeah, alright. Three, two, one...... take this!"


    When she finished the countdown, the maid threw theundry forward.


    They had intended to cover the ve who walked in with all the dirty clothes. Many of the clothes in theundry were soaked with the sweat of the travelling group after their long journey. If it got on the ves face, it would be very ufortable. If the ve chose toin about it, then they could respond by saying, "You bumped into me and I dropped myundry." They had checked their surroundings carefully and there was no third party around. If it came down to an argument without any evidence, there was nobody who would stand up for the ve. They could ce the me on the ve for carelessly bumping into the Count''s servant. And now, all that was left was to enjoy how the ve reacts ufortably or how she would choose to defend herself. That was their intention.


    But...


    "Huh?"


    The fullundry basket, which she had thrown forward with all her might, was still in her hands.


    The confused maid was met with an annoyed nce from her aplice.


    "Hey, what are you doing?"


    "What? No, that''s......."


    She thought she had thrown it, but before she knew what happened, it was back in her hands again.


    But there wasnt a way she could convince the other maid of what happened. She would only be treated as if she was crazy. While she was racking her head for an excuse, the female ve they were targeting passed them with indifference.


    "Ah, whatever. Now that it hase to this..."


    She was going to feign falling and scream loudly. If she did that, the ve would undoubtedly be caught in themotion.


    She willed herself to fall, flinging her body towards the ground while throwing theundry to one side.


    "Ouch! What are you doing, you ve!"


    "Are you alright?"


    "What''s wrong with you? Are you even looking ahead of you?"


    "H-hey! Thats no good!"


    For some reason, her fellow maid became impatient and stopped her. She thought she was just trying to add fuel to the fire. Well, whatever. Now all they have to do was to get involved in a squabble with this man  huh, this man?


    "I was looking carefully to the front while walking but...... if you are carrying such a bulky load, its dangerous to walk since you wont be able to see in front of you. It would be better to split up theundry and move them in separate batches."


    The blonde-haired, blue-eyed noble was helping her pick theundry scattered on the floor. He was definitely not a maid with a cor.


    "S-Sir Victor Lorge!"


    She couldn''t help but raise her voice. This man was not a ve, but a vassal of Tullius, and even though he was an illegitimate child, he was born into a count''s family and thus, was a big shot. It was not a person that a maid like her should have a beef with.


    "Yes. I''m Victor...... Why are you so surprised? Did you mistake me for someone else?"


    "N-no! Of course not!"


    She apologised profusely and nced sideways at the other maid. She wondered if there were any other people in the area apart from them. The other maid must also be thinking the same as she nervously asked Victor about it.


    "Um, I didn''t see you a moment ago, when did you arrive here?"


    "Is that your question? I had some urgent business to attend to, and though it was rude of me, I came running. When I saw that the person next to you was about to fall, I stopped her in a hurry."


    As he said this, his hair was indeed slightly unruly and his forehead was slightly sweaty. Was it a special trait of a protagonist that he was able to appear cool and handsome rather than unsightly in such a state?


    "By the way, did I hear you say something about a ve?"


    "Ah, yes! Yes, I passed a ve a moment ago and she tripped me. I fell down because of her."


    Sensing that it was a great opportunity, she made herint in one breath. Now they could make him a witness. It was payback for embarrassing them in front of a handsome man, and for her to vent her anger.


    But...


    "......Where is that ve you are referring to?"


    "Huh?"


    Victor gestured towards the back of the maids. Behind them was a deserted hallway. Naturally, there was no sign of any ve or any person at all.


    "I''m sure she hid in some room. Very sneaky."


    "Yes! She must be a cunning ve!"


    Victor''s eyes were somewhat nk as he looked at the maids. However, this was only for a moment, and he immediately put on a serious expression and asked a question in a very sincere tone.


    "So, what were the characteristics of this ve? Because if it''s true, I''ll have to punish her for that. I would very much like to know."

 Chapter 57: The Demon and the Bride (2)

    Chapter 57: The Demon and the Bride (2)


    "Yeah, about that, she had dark hair and her eyes were green!"


    "Her skin was so fair that I can''t tell if she''s had been working at all....... I''m sure she''s azy bum who skips work too!"


    "Yes, yes! She had an impertinent armband on her left arm and a weapon hanging from her waist! Truly an unbing ve!"


    The maids each gave their testimonies. They would never admit that she was beautiful. That would make them admit that they were inferior.


    "That''s quite the unique ve. Hmm, considering it all, it sounds like she is our chief...... no I mean...... Uni."


    "Definitely the Viscounts ve."


    "It would be in the best interests to fire her, or even terminate her. ......Ah, maybe that is too much to ask?"


    She said so in a cat-like voice to Victor, who appeared apologetic.


    And then,


    "......How may I help you, Sir Victor?"


    From behind Victor, a ve in a maid''s uniform appeared silently.


    "Oh, ChiefUni. Just the right person I was looking for. I was told by thesedies that you had bumped into them and caused them to drop theundry?"


    "No, I don''t remember any of that."


    "Is that so? ......Since she said that, what do we do about this?"


    The two maids didnt react to Victor, who was pretending to act as a mediator.


    They were frozen to the ground, terrified.


    (What? When? How......?)


    Where did this ve, called Uni,e from? How did she after passing by them and leaving, and after Victor appearing, reappear once again? In the first ce, once they lost sight of her, when did she have enough time to hide in a room? And did they hear the sounds of her footsteps at all?


    Many questions were running through their heads, but no answers were forting. Or rather, they were forced to believe in the impossible.


    The next thing they knew, she appeared in front of them.


    She was like a ghost


    "I-I''m sorry. I-I think it was just our imagination."


    "Oh, we were up so early in the morning, did we daydream? Ahahaha ......"


    They made forced smiles to try and gloss over their previous usations.


    They had enough. It was too creepy. They were scared. Now they wanted nothing to do with her.


    The maids, witnessing the unbelievable phenomena by the maid in the early hours of a midsummer morning, were gripped by an intense sense of repulsion towards the ve dressed as a maid.


    Victor said to the girls, who were fast turning pale.


    "Both of you don''t look like you''re feeling well. What do you think, Uni? How about you take over their duties?"


    "Yes, no problem Sir Victor. I shall wash the clothes and hang them to dry in the courtyard. Will that do?"


    "Yes. I''m sure the girls will be feeling better by the time theundry has dried...... How about that?"


    "Ah, yes......."


    "Please do so."


    The two maids handed the fullundry baskets to Uni and walked away. They ignored the fact that they were abandoning their duties and the fact that they feared this ve. For now, they just wanted to get away from this silver cored ve. That was the only thing that upied their minds.


    On this day, there would be one more ghost story about the ves of Tullius.


    Victor exhaled deeply.


    "......I hope you exercise restraint when using me toe up with excuses, Chief Maid."


    "Yes, Sir Victor. I will try to do so as much as possible. As long as it is within my masters orders, though."


    "In other words, it''s something that could happen in the future. Sigh......"


    Due Schwarzer was puzzled. Ever since he had met Tullius, he had been ustomed to oundish events and mysterious situations. But what was happening before his eyes was different from the norm.


    "Um, well, could you please just calm down and talk to me?"


    Tullius was troubled. No, this man was also human. He''s downright demonic, the kind of person you want to look for to find horns, wings and tails, but s, he was actually human. There would be times when he appeared troubled and annoyed.


    However, it was very unexpected that Tullius would be caught up in such a situation and be troubled.


    "Help me, Sir Tullius! I can''t take it anymore! I can''t stand living with him!"


    The one who cried and clung to him was Simone, Tullius'' sister-inw.


    Due thought she had not shown up at the breakfast table, but as soon as he went back to Tullius room, she appeared. When he let her in, she immediately clung to her brother-inw with tears in her eyes.


    "Umm...... did my brother say something again?"


    "No, I don''t want to say it, please don''t ask!"


    "What do you want me to do?"


    Tullius looked at Due as if to say, "Do something about it," but there was nothing Due could do about it. If a woman was crying, he could only choose to let her cry until she felt better. A man who was all about swordsmanship and who had only ever had the pleasure of one night stands with women should not be expected to handle situations like these. Even Drei, his closest partner, was not the kind of girl who would burst into tears in front of a man.


    It was hopeless, he tried to say by shrugging his shoulders. He could not offer any better n.


    "It seems like something very personal, so why don''t I just stay out of it? If you need anything, just call me......"


    When Due said that, Tullius made a tantly disgusted face. This man probably found it more disagreeable that he would be left with nobody guarding him than the fact that he was stuck together with Simone, who showed no signs of calming down.


    Fortunately, Simone had buried her face in Tullius'' chest and was crying incessantly, so she didn''t see the look of displeasure on her brother-inw''s face. If she had seen it, it would get even moreplicated.


    "Uuu, uuu...... please, do that. I don''t want anybody else to hear......."


    "Yes, I understand...... So theres that, Due and the rest may leave. Don''t go anywhere on your own, okay?"


    "Alright, lets get going."


    "Yes."


    Together, he took the mass-produced ves that were packed in the room and went out to the hallway.


    Some timeter, after closing the door, they began talking.


    It''s not that he was actively trying to listen, he was one of Tullius masterpieces. His hearing has been enhanced as a result of all the work he has done on his body. A single wall or a single door was not sufficient as a barrier.


    "Please have a cup of tea first to calm down. I''m sorry for my poor brewing skills."


    "Uu...... Oh, thank you. I''ll take it."


    "I wish Uni was here, but she had some business to attend to. It''ll be a little while before she returns."


    As Tullius had said, Uni had left her masters side in the morning to attend to business. Once that was done, the plot to unseat Linus would be closer to fruition. Simone was crying out to the man who was plotting to bring down her husband. It was such an outrageous situation.


    "It''s warm, your tea......ah, it hurts."


    "Oh, what happened? Could it be that there are cuts inside your mouth? Excuse me, may I have a quick look?"


    "Yeah, uh...... Please do."


    The sound of the floor creaking, the scraping of different clothes against each other, and other such sounds filled Dues ears.


    Tullius must have approached Simone so that he could examine her.


    "Yes, please open your mouth. Ahhh."


    "Ahhh......"


    "Mm-hmm. That''s a pretty big cut. You must have bled there too, right? Since you were not treated at the time of the cut?"


    "Well......."


    "Well, if it''s hard to say, I won''t force you to say. I examined you to help...... Alright, it''s healed. You should be able to drink now."


    "Ah......"


    The faint fluttering sound of magic was probably Tullius recovery magic. Then, the sound of bodies separating. The sound of a woman''s voice saying goodbye.


    What the hell is going on here? Why was she raising her voice like that now? Did she really have a thing for Tullius?


    Due shook his head at his own imagination. It couldn''t be. Even her feelings of goodwill towards Tullius was a mistake. To fall in love like that now would be the height of insanity. After all, Tullius Shernan Oubeniel was the exact opposite of the kind of man women liked. He was cold-hearted, self-centered, unconcerned about the feelings of others, and was not afraid to put women in the line of fire for his own survival. He was far from the ideal image of a kind and dependable good man. The only women who could love such a man would be those whose brains were tampered with.

 Chapter 57: The Demon and the Bride (3)

    Chapter 57: The Demon and the Bride (3)


    On the other hand, her rtionship with her husband, Linus, was on the verge of copse. If so, it was not impossible that the desire to rely on her brother-inw, who was in a bad rtionship with her husband, might turn into a love affair.


    (Besides, he has learned how to keep up with appearances these days, damn bastard.)


    It seemed that Tullius was learning to behave more or less like a noble, thanks to the desperate teachings of Victor and Laubert. At least, much more than he himself did.


    Simone saw very few bad sides of Tullius. The Tullius she knew was the brother-inw who came from afar to congratte her on her wedding day, the one who patiently listened to herin about married life, the one who fought against Lavallee and others for the sake of a mere ve. The only w she knew of him was perhaps the rumours circting about him being a ve killer, but it was offset by the way he went all out for Uni during the trial.


    ......If so, then it was a terrible misunderstanding.


    The smile that he shows to others was just an affectionate gesture to avoid unnecessary friction. He smiled because he felt no concern towards them. The only time that Tullius smiled sincerely was when an experiment was progressing well, or when satisfactory results were produced. It was a little too difficult to describe what kind of disgusting smile he had in those situations.


    The only reason he had saved Uni was because she was a valuable asset and there was a good chance he could get her back with little effort. If he failed, he would have immediately burned her and the royal capital to the ground and fled.


    It was not surprising that he had managed to make a good impression from all the points he had listed, but when Tullius facades are peeled away one by one, this is what he really was like.


    (Well, maybe I''m imagining things too much.......)


    Due smiled bitterly and cut off his useless thoughts. It was not the ce for a swordsman to be prying into somebody''s love life. To remove the awkwardness he felt, Due made a small cough and concentrated his attention on security instead.


    Inside the room, they were finally about to get to the core of the matter that Simone had rushed in with.


    "So, you said that you were looking for advice about your life with my brother. And I suppose it has something to do with these scars?"


    "Yes, you are right. ......No, to be precise, its just part of it."


    No matter how much Due tried to concentrate on guarding the room, his enhanced hearing would pick up the voices in the room on its own.


    The following was a brief summary of what she had said.


    Last night, she followed Linus, who had abruptly left the dinner table, to their bedroom. Strangely enough, she found her husband crouched on the bed with the lights off, moaning about something. She was worried and called out to him...... Linus got up and suddenly treated Simone roughly and forced her to have unconsensual sex with him.


    "He grabbed me by the hair and forced me to the ground. When I didn''t like it and resisted, he punched me as hard as he could. Unbelievable, isn''t it? It''s true that I was married to him to carry his child. But, ......uuu......, isn''t that way too much? Even if he doesn''t love me, how could he treat a woman who would bear his child like that?"


    Simone''s voice was hoarse again, as she remembered the fear and humiliation she felt. All the while without knowing that Due had been listening on and was equally mortified by what he heard.


    "That''s terrible. It''s very much not something a married couple would do."


    "I know, right! But that''s not all. Do you know what that guy said to me in the middle of it? ...... He said I was a servant! He said I''m a ve! You''re only here to satisfy me, he said,ughing at me as I cried...... Ahh, I cant do this anymore!"


    Finally, she let out a scream and started to cry in earnest. She almost forgot that Due and the others were waiting outside just beyond the door.


    "I can''t do this anymore! I can''t, I can''t stand it! I don''t want to be with that man! I want to go home....... Please, please let me go home! Please let me go home to my mother and father! Please send me home to my mother and father! ......uuu!"


    As she cried out her painful feelings, her emotions must have gotten stronger. It was as if she had turned into a child. The person there was neither a countess nor a baroness. She was just a lonely girl who had been tossed around by men and was devastated. Even though she was a wife and a sister-inw, if you counted only her age, she looked the same as Tullius. She was no more than a helpless girlcking the strength to take on the hardships and tribtions.


    Due couldn''t help but sigh as he listened. The family home that Simone wanted to return to was nowhere to be found. Her parents were already dead. Both had been burned to the ground by Tulliusst year. He had brainwashed themoners into rioting, and they had all been killed in the aftermath.


    She didn''t know that the man she was burying her face into and seeking help from was her parents'' murderer. Due couldn''tugh at her for being stupid or chastise her for being shallow. No, he had no right to do so. He had unknowingly clung to the hand of a demon, and was now an aplice  a tool  in the shedding of countless innocent blood.


    The demon spoke to her in a hushed voice.


    "Please calm down, sister-inw."


    "No! I''m not your sister-inw! I''m not that man''s wife!"


    ".......Then, Miss Simone."


    There was an unnatural pause in Tullius'' words, as if he was trying to smooth over something. He must have had a momentary expression of displeasure because he had to deal with somebody so annoying.


    "My brother''s cruelness is surprising, but it must be true, given the wounds you have suffered. And I have personally heard what has happened from the wife. As such, I would like to take strict action to ensure that this never happens again."


    "Y-you believe me......?"


    "I believe you. It''s Simone, after all."


    "More than your own brother?"


    "Of course. Last night, I wanted to resolve our longstanding feud, so I held a banquet and tried my best to apologise and talk things over, but he left abruptly. How can I trust him if he behaved like that?"


    How could Tullius say that? Due, who was listening outside, could not help but be amazed.


    If he were Linus, he would have been unable to suppress his desire to kill him as soon as he heard what Tullius was sayingst night. Tullius had foiled all of Linus attempts to get rid of him, was boasting at how he had be stronger than ever before, and was grateful to Linus. The sarcasm was way too much. It was a miracle that Linus had not died of rage on the spot.


    "I believe in you, Simone. So please believe in me, too. I''m going to help you."


    The devil calmly announced. The temptation he presented to her was gentle and sweet. He smiled and said without hesitation that he would grant her wish.


    Even so, the normally firm Simone would have been able to fend it off. But now she was feeling trapped and vulnerable. She was shocked and confused by what her husband had done to her.


    So there was no way to resist such a temptation.


    "Yes, I believe you! No, I''ve believed in you since the moment I met you. Much more than Linus ever did!"


    Without realising the weight of her decision, she chose to believe in the devil.


    "That''s not even close to bad taste, master."


    "What''s that? I was just helping her out, wasn''t I?"


    After Simone left, as soon as she returned to the room, Tullius feigned ignorance. But from Due''s point of view, it was all a scam. All the events that gued Simone were caused by this man, who she wasining to while drinking tea.


    It was because of the conspiracy against Tullius that she ended up marrying Linus, and it was because of him who started the fire that she lost her parents. It must have been because of him that Linus became mentally trapped and began to behave abnormally.


    And yet, he made it seem like he was seeking salvation for the origin of it all. If this was not in bad taste, what else could be?


    "Oh,e on, that''s all too far-fetched, isn''t it, Due? Please dont me me for everything. It was old man Lavallee who chose her to be my brother''s wife, and it was my brother who agreed to it. In the end, it was her parents who made the decision to give up their daughter. The fire in the royal capital was one thing, but please don''t make me the mastermind of everything else as well."

 Chapter 57: The Demon and the Bride (4)

    Chapter 57: The Demon and the Bride (4)


    "So, what about the events in their bedroomst night?"


    "That''s all my brothers fault, isn''t it? I''ve been his brother for twenty years, and I''ve never heard of him being a sexual predator like that. Laubert told me that he was also rough with the ve he imed to be his mistress."


    From the tone of voice, there was no hint of guilt or heartache. In fact, he threw his gaze into the air as if he was ming Linus for being unkind to Simone.


    "Then again, I couldn''t imagine he could do such a thing to sister-inw. If he wanted to do something too daring for his main wife, he should get himself a ve mistress, right? And yet... Yesterday was his first day back in the territory. So he lost his patience and treated his wife roughly. He must have been doing something like that on a regr basis then."


    "The Count did fall because of the sexual tendencies you said. But what about your speech that you gave at dinnerst night? That was very provocative. I wouldn''t be surprised if he got angry and acted out of character because of that."


    At this point, Tullius blinked his eyes in wonder.


    "Huh? Why?"


    He looked surprised, as if somebody had pointed out a trivial mistake on an answer that should have received a perfect score. Due couldn''t help but choke on his reply.


    Could it be that he really said that without any additional meaning to it? Did he really say all that without any malice in his heart, without knowing it would rub Linus the wrong way?


    If that were the case, how insensitive was he?


    "Because now my enemy isn''t an individual like my brother or grandfather. It''s the organisation called the centralist faction. If he is willing to cut ties with them, then I have no reason to fight him. On the contrary, he gave me a great ce to do research in Man. I''m grateful to him now...... Oh, yes. I was nning to be more considerate towards him until sister-inw asked me for help."


    "......I''m stunned. Did you really think you''d be able to make up with your brother now?"


    "That much is, well, you know. But I''ve had the upper hand in the fight against the old mantely. In the first ce, the centralist faction is not a faction that matches my brother''s ideology. The development of Man, which was given to me as a territory, and my faction as a backer. With all of these ingredients, it wouldn''t be surprising if they turned to us, right?"


    Certainly, in terms of pros and cons, the option to work with Tullius was more appealing. That is, if the pros and cons were strictly the only matters being considered.


    "First of all, all I want from him is that he doesn''t interfere with my research, that''s all. If he does just that, I''ll be more than happy to lend him my wisdom and strength. I''ve been saying this since before he became a count and before I became a viscount, but he is always stubborn about it. I can''t stand it."


    Due tried to follow up with something but stopped immediately.


    There was nothing he could say to this man. While he was in the business of opening up the brains of others, ying with them, and twisting their ways, Tullius had no understanding of the human mind.


    No, Tullius was fully capable of understanding the mind. Otherwise, even if he possessed the cheat-like techniques of alchemy, he wouldn''t be able toe up with schemes.


    However, he fundamentallycked the ability to empathise with the feelings of others. The value of others in his mind was one or two orders of magnitude lower than that of a normal person because he was too focused on not dying himself. People other than himself were tools or trash. That was the only reason Due coulde up with.


    Otherwise, it would be impossible to subject several people, even ves, to human experimentation. He would not havee up with the idea of messing with people''s heads to make them obey him. He would not have sacrificed tens of thousands of people just to escape from the grasps of a scheme.


    That was fundamentally why he failed to understand Linus''s suffering. Even if he could understand Linus''s pain, he could not understand his inability to prioritise gain and loss over it. No matter how much his brother hated, angered, or feared him, he could not empathise with those feelings. A man who could not see anyone but himself as a human being could not care for the feelings of another human being.


    "......Let''s just leave it at that. So, what are you going to do about thedy?"


    Due had no choice but to change the subject. All that he would get from continuing that topic was a greater level of suffering.


    Though the topic he was directing towards was also an obviously unpleasant topic.


    Simone had reached a breaking point in her marital life. What should we do with her? Now that it was time for him to speak, Tullius reclined on his chair and answered.


    "I will think of an idea. I''m always grateful to people who treat me well. If sister-inw wants me to help her, I''ll help her to the best of my abilities."


    "To the best of your abilities, you say."


    Those were untrustworthy words. A person who ced himself first doing everything he could for others. In other words, it was a way to help her while achieving his own goals. And as usual, the method employed by Tullius would be the ursed alchemy. Would Simone really be happy if she was helped like that?


    "Well, let''s talk about itter with Uni and Victor. I think it would be better if you all considered my idea."


    "Is that so. ......Then, I''ll hear about the details after preparing myself."


    After a while, they had a discussion with Uni and Victor.


    The determination that Due prepared was... unfortunately not in vain.

 Chapter 58: Interlude: A Weak and Fragile Person (1)

    Chapter 58: Interlude: A Weak and Fragile Person (1)


    Even though it was the height of summer, she was freezing.


    In the corner of arge mansion, in an even smaller corner of a small room, she hugged her knees together as she tried to hold her breath. She had to stay out of sight until she had work to do or he called her. That was her ce.


    She was a ve.


    She was not a ve from birth. Before she was shackled to a cor, she was amoner, the daughter of a craftsman in a local city. She ran out of luck when her father ruined himself by getting into a drinking addiction, and then borrowed money to provide for the family. Before long, the debt ballooned, and her mother ran away. Her father, whose nerves had been frayed by moonshine, sold her in exchange for a month''s worth of liquor. She remembered being more relieved to be away from her father, who used to beat and kick her when he was drunk, than she was miserable to be a ve.


    She was somewhat fortunate, one could say. The vers did not sell her cheaply. Perhaps it was because she was a woman with not bad looks. If she had been a little more beautiful, she would have been groomed for night work. On the other hand, if she had been a little less good-looking, she would have been thrown into the harsh workce as one of those readily avablebour ves. For better or for worse. With such an evaluation, she was sold as a ve to perform menial tasks at the residence of a noble.


    It was a young count who bought her.


    "I have no particr expectations for you."


    Do a job that anyone can do, and do it properly.


    The buyer, with an annoyed expression on his face that didn''t match his handsome features, spat out. As he had mentioned, she was not going to be made to spend the night with him, nor was she going to be subjected to an exceptionally cruel punishment. The work she was given was really nothing more than just chores, and aside from it being numerous and dirty, it was not much of a hardship. She was not worried about the scornful stares of the household members. She had grown familiar to them from the time she was kept in a cage in the ve market or when she was avoided as the daughter of a drunkard and debtor. Nobody raised their hand against her. The ves were the property of their owners, and if they broke or damaged them without permission, it would hurt the Count''s honour.


    Once she thought of herself as a dog or something, it was way better to be the ve of a noble. The quality of the food she received were the same or sometimes even better than when she was amoner. Since these were leftovers, it showed that the diet of a noble was beyond the imagination of amoner.


    As long as she did her routine work day in and day out, she was able to get a decent meal. As long as she could endure the maids and their insults, she didn''t have to deal with the violence from her father. Boring and gloomy, but peaceful. She was grateful to her master for allowing her to spend her days like this.


    But one day...


    "......Damn it!"


    When she went to clean up after the guests who left, her master was in a rage, throwing the tea utensils. The corner of the eye was ring up, his white face had turned reddish-ck, and he was stomping his feet. This was the first time she had ever seen such ferocity unleashed on an inanimate object.


    "Aa?"


    A short scream escaped her lips.


    She remembered her life together with her father, which was even worse than being a ve. He went on drunken rampages, smashing everything from household goods to work tools, and when there was nothing left to smash, he would beat her. Her memories, painted in the gray of poverty and the vivid colours of pain, came back to her in that instant.


    The fears of the trauma made her stiffen.


    "What''s with your eyes......?"


    A voice like a snarling beast. It was only when she heard it that she realised that her master was looking at her.


    Her master''s scrutinising gaze, eyes bloodshot with anger, made her bite her tongue.


    "Uh, um, uh"


    Her feet had chosen to retreat quickly on their own. But she moved ridiculously slowly. Rather than being weak on her knees, her limbs were stiffening up. Still, she tried to force herself backwards, and she fell on her butt.


    Her vision slowly became distorted. She was so terrified that she even started to cry.


    No, it wasn''t just fear. It was more than that. She was sad.


    Her master, who had not been kind to her, but who at least had given her peace, was now as fierce as her father. She felt as if she had been betrayed.


    Fear, sadness, and a little bit of condemnation. Her master''s face twisted even more as he was gazed at with such a mixture of emotions.


    "Don''t look at me like that!"


    In response to his magic infused orders, her cor sent pain to her body. Her eyelids closed in obedience to the cor, and a reddish-ck darkness covered her vision.


    This was the first time she had been subjected to the magic of the cor by her master.


    And this was the first time she understood.


    The true horrors of being a ve, of having all your freedom taken away with one word from the master.


    "No, please don''t, Master!"


    With her eyes blinded, sheid on the floor, begging for forgiveness. She knew from experience what would happen next if she didn''t receive forgiveness.


    "Shut up, shut up!"


    As expected, he behaved as expected. He grabbed her by the hair and pulled her up, before she felt a hot lump on her cheek.


    She was hit.


    Before she could recognise the pain, she cowered from the shock. She copsed on the floor and the man climbed on top of her.


    "Why must I hear that voice now! Why do I have to see that face now too!"


    He continuednding blows on her while saying something iprehensible. The punches were relentlessly directed at her face, her face, and her face again. There was nothing she could do. Just like when she was a child, she had to ept the abuse from her drunken father.


    (A-am I going to...... die like this?)


    Completely shrouded in darkness because she lost her vision, such fears passed through her distant consciousness.


    She felt a burning sensation all over her face, and even though she was lying on the floor, she felt a floating sensation as if she had been thrown into the air. She couldn''t feel any more pain or shock. Was this the end of the world? She thought.


    But it wasnt.


    The man had simply stopped hitting her and changed his way of aggression.


    "Please.....dont... there......?"


    A hand was ced on her clothes. A hot, unnatural tension was pressed against her stomach. She knew what he was going to do to her, despite being unable to see.


    "No, don''t"


    The screeching sound of tearing garments cut her voice off.


    His tyranny changed in form, but grew more intense.


    He split open her unraveled body as if he were ripping open a piece of raw wood. Her buttocks were stretched as if he was whipping a horse. He bit into the soft parts of her skin as if he were going to devour her alive. The hands on her limbs and neck were too forceful to be called an embrace.


    It was the deed of an animal that used all authority and violence to engage in depravity.


    Even the remnants of human dignity that she had maintained despite being reduced to very were swept away in the storm.


    An ordinary woman would even be made to feel that she had to die afterwards.


    But she didn''t.


    "Uu......ugh......guh......!"


    Sobs leaked out between ragged breaths. It wasn''t hers. She didn''t even have the energy to cry.


    The crying belonged to her master.


    "Why...... why do I have to deal with...... all these things!"


    Before she knew it, the order from her master was released. She opened her swollen eyelids in wonder.


    He wasn''t a noble, a ve master, or a scumbag who was attacking a woman. What emerged in her fuzzy vision was a man burying his face in the woman''s chest and letting out tears, like a child clinging to its mother.


    "Save me, Mother......! Everyone, nobody can help me. My dad is dead. He, Tullius, will ruin everything......! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. ......!"


    Then he would whine and cry.


    His brother, who had the abnormal habit of ughtering ves, had caused great damage to the family name. Her master drove him to the backcountry, but now he had created a new spark. His dead father had been cold and uprehending in his hard work. And yet, he was ipetent as the head of the family and notpetent enough to correct his brother who was a cancer in the family. He was treated coldly by the people around him due to rumours he wasnt aware of. He felt the pressure of taking over a family whose reputation has been severely damaged and undermined.


    And above all, he was simply scared. His own brother, a bloody, cold-blooded animal that he didnt know what he was going to do.


    He said that he was unbearably scared and disgusted by the fact that the one person in this world that he disliked more than anything else in the world existed as his blood brother.


    It was a rambling monologue with no context, and the timeline of it was a mess, but it was certainly his true thoughts.


    "............"


    She listened in silence. No, sometimes she even made vague gestures. It was not the kind of behaviour one would expect from a victim in the midst of being abused. It would have been more normal for her to reject him and express her resentment. However, at that time, it seemed natural to her to do so.

 Chapter 58: Interlude: A Weak and Fragile Person (2)

    Chapter 58: Interlude: A Weak and Fragile Person (2)


    From a very young age, she was at the mercy of her good-for-nothing family, and her life was ruined by the convenience and desires ofplete strangers. Thinking about it, he might have resembled herself, who was forced into very by her alcoholic father and her mother who ran away alone.


    As soon as she felt that, everything changed.


    "It''s fine......"


    As she said this, she cradled his head cautiously, which was buried in her chest.


    "I will not betray you, master. I will not reject you. I will ept your everything......"


    She said in a halting voice,bing his golden hair with her fingers.


    She couldnt help but love the weight on her, the body heat of the other person who she should be ufortable with, the person who caused her pain.


    The pain, the hurt, and the abuse were nothing if she thought of it as an outburst of this man''s heartache.


    What was her mental state like to be feeling like that?


    Pity orpassion? Did she mistake submission for eptance? Was it a misunderstanding of the tension and agitation caused by aggression as a fluttering of her heart? Or was it a false goodwill that arose from a desire to curry favour with the other in order to prevent further violence? Or was it the perverse satisfaction of being ardently desired by another, even if she was only used as an outlet?


    She didn''t understand the logic behind it. She was uneducated, young, and in the first ce, it was a concept that did not belong in this world.


    She just believed that the emotion that arose the moment he clung to her was called love. That''s all.


    The man looked up with a dazed expression on his face and started moving again. On the way, he suddenly hit her, cursed at her, cried, and then spoiled her. He also called his mother in a voice that sounded like he was turning into a child. She took it all in, just as she had vowed earlier.


    At the end of the day, they both gained their satisfaction.


    When it was over, he changed his behaviour and became arrogant. Her master was a noble man. It would have been an unbearable humiliation for him to bury his face in his ve''s chest and reveal his true feelings. No matter how strong he was, there was no way he could behave like an ordinary person. He should have been in internal turmoil. It was as if he hadpletely forgotten what he had just done.


    No, in fact, he had probably forgotten about it. It was clear from his wild behavior that he had lost control of his mind due to his overly intense emotions. It was also possible that he forgot himself in the heat of the moment, and thus did not remember the act.


    When she recognised this, she felt a tingling current run down her spine.


    The only person who knows exactly what has just happened here...... was herself. It was a secret that nobody else in the house, not even he himself, knows about. His secret was her own now.


    As she brought her lips together, she tasted something sweet.


    Since then, she had been summoned by him at every opportunity and was forced to deal with him on a daily basis. He didn''t lose his mind as much as he had at first, but he still cried out to her in a childish tone from time to time. When she scratched his head and gently caressed him, her heart was filled with an inexplicable sense of satisfaction. She could endure anything for that pleasure. She could endure anything, no matter how her master treated her, no matter if she was bullied by another maid or forced to do hard and dirty work. In fact, the moment she decided to love him, it had quickly transformed from satisfaction, to some kind of a spice.


    She was happy. She believed that she was happy, even though she was oppressed and despised by others. And she loved him, the man who gave her happiness, with all her heart. His clumsiness and fragility, his hands that didnt want to let go. All she wanted was to continue receiving such affection.


    But now, her desire could not be fulfilled. He was not at his mansion in the capital, but at his estate far away from here. It was the duty of a noble to govern his own domain. Even she, a ve, understood that much.


    Still, the loneliness of being separated from the one she loved was unbearable. The coldness of being separated from human skin reminded her of winter in the height of summer. The skin all over her body was pining for his heated intensity that came with pain.


    There was another thing that made her gloomy.


    The woman who suddenly appeared in this mansionst year. The woman who upied the position of his wife, out of nowhere, was apanying him. For her, there was nobody she hated more than that woman. It was annoying just to have her standing next to the man she loved, but she also didn''t like his personality. She was an insensitive and unreasonable woman who argued with others. She used her education and dignity to point out the ws in others shamelessly. Naturally, she did not get along with him, and it was an open secret in the mansion that they argued every day. On the other hand, she was said to be in closemunication with the second son, who annoyed her master. At this point, she could only imagine that she had malice towards this second son.


    Since their marriage, he has been losing his temper more and more frequently, even during secret meetings. It was obvious to her that his rtionship with his wife was causing him further heartache. She was a self-centered woman who hurt her spouse, and yet always seemed to make it like it was the other persons fault. It seemed only natural that she would be exhausting to be around. It was as if she was abination of all the bad aspects of her parents.


    "That woman..."


    A whisper escaped her lips.


    "That woman is not fit to be with master......"


    It was a murmur mixed with vileness and passion.


    "Ah."


    After she said it, she realised. She didn''t mean to speak to herself like that. It would have been the height of irreverence toin about the Countess, even though she was only just a ve. If by any chance somebody overheard her, at best she would be tipped off and sent away. In the worst case, she could be killed. Fortunately, the gossipy maids had apanied her master to his estate, though there were some maids remaining who did not think favourably of her.


    She hoped those people didnt hear her...


    That fear was only half realised.


    "Hmph, ......jealousy huh. Not a very pleasant emotion to behold."


    Suddenly, a sly, snortingugh echoed in the room. She froze involuntarily at the sound of the voice.


    "!?"


    She had been heard. Somebody heard her. The words that would control her fate were heard by somebody.


    Her face contorted in despair, but then she realised something else.


    (What......? That voice, it''sing from inside the room.)


    Currently, the ve quarters in the mansion were rarely used, and this room was like her own private quarters. So when she wasn''t doing her duties, she was able to get lost in her recollections alone while hugging her knees.


    Why was there somebody elses voice all of a sudden?


    She was confused, but the voice continued.


    "Don''t be so frightened. I''m here to help you."


    In the darkness of the windowless room with the door closed, a faint human-like shadow floated. It was vague and hard to see, but there was definitely somebody in front of her. There was no sign that somebody had passed through the entrance. So, could it be that someone had heard her muttering and somehow managed to enter the room without opening the door?


    She shuddered in horror, as she wondered if it was a ghost. No, the person might really be a ghost.


    However, there was something that shook her more strongly than fear.


    "You will help me...?"


    This somebody said she would aid her. For what purpose would they help a ve who had no position, no wealth, no power, no superior ability, and was merely an outlet for her owner''s frustration and desire?


    A mysterious being who suddenly appeared in front of helpless people and offered their kindness.


    It was as if...


    "Are you a demon?"


    A monster that seduced and corrupted people, forcing them to sacrifice their flesh, blood and souls, as they were often depicted in fairy tales. She was reminded of such a being.


    Then the being that appeared in front of her let out a giggle.


    "Well, well. That''s quite a way to talk to somebody with good intentions. I''m not the kind who would make petty contracts."


    As she said, the owner of the voice raised her hand to the level of her face. It was hard to make out in the darkness, but it was as if she was removing something near her eye.


    "Hm, I did try calling out. But theres no special meaning in doing so...... I will cooperate with you regardless of your intentions, because I will only serve my purpose by doing so."


    Immediately, an ominous glow lit up the air.


    It wasing from exactly where the shadowy person''s left eye was.


    Purple light.


    (So she isnt...a demon)


    She thought to herself in her fading consciousness.


    A monster with glowing eyes that appeared from the darkness and teased humans. How could such a thing not be a demon?


    But what she saw was worse than what she had heard from fairy tales. After all, she was going to act as the monster pleased without a mutual contract.

 Chapter 59: Sounds of Ruin (1)

    Chapter 59: Sounds of Ruin (1)


    <b><i>Notes: Changing name of Count Chambrey to Count Chambery</i></b>


    "Dear brother! Let''s do our best today!"


    With the unpleasant chirpy voice, came a stack of papers that was ced on the desk. It was a scene that had be routine in the past few days at the living room of the mansion.


    Linus red at Tullius, who kept a taut grin on his face.


    "...... What is it this time? What documents have you brought?"


    "This is a n to build roads connecting Man to various parts of the region. Since my territory is undergoing a lot of new development, it will be essential to build infrastructure to support logistics. However, since this is arge project, we will have to obtain several loans from merchants, and since it affects the entire province, we will need the approval of brother, who is the Governor of the region."


    Tullius spoke at great lengths before ending it by presenting the documents for Linus perusal.


    Linus reluctantly opened the documents, inspected the contents and cringed


    "Are you an idiot?"


    Linus''s response was straight to the point.


    "The n says that the road will extend not only to our territory but also to thends of the neighbouring lords. There are limits to how far you can cross boundaries."


    He argued without hiding his discontent.


    As Linus had said, extending the roadworks to other territories without permission went beyond their authority. Roads have a great impact not only on the economy but also in national defense. In the unlikely event that the armies of another country enter theirnds, what would happen if there were routes connecting to the different ces? Naturally, the ravages of war would spread to many ces in the blink of an eye. Although there were advantages for the attacked side in the speeding up of gathering and movements of forces, the mainstream opinion in this continent was more afraid of the aforementioned danger. In addition, they would have to rethink their supply ns, force deployment strategies amongst others. Since it would have such a huge impact, it was not something that could be decided on the sole authority of a single viscount.


    But when Tullius was told this, he gave a nonchnt look.


    "Yes. That''s why I''m seeking your approval, brother."


    Since a Viscount couldnt do it, Tullius wanted a Count to do it. Linus wondered if that was his intention.


    "Nonsense. It''s the same whether or not I approve of it. Even with the authority of a Count, such a thing is"


    "Brother."


    Tullius rudely interrupted the head of the family and leaned forward. Linus couldn''t help but skip a breath at the carefree, but nheless chilling gaze Tullius gave him.


    "In that case, why don''t you ask your friend for advice?"


    "What?"


    Linus shuddered at the meaning of those words.


    This abominable man was asking him to take this matter to the people who ran the country, the people Linus was connected to  the centralist faction.


    It''s true that what a viscount or a count couldnt do, the powerful within the heart of the kingdoms governance could do. They have ess to the ministries, the court, and the authority of the royal family. If they could mobilise these resources, they would be able tounch the road construction project that could improve logistics within the province and develop links to other provinces at the same time.


    And with such arge undertaking, there were often various backroom dealings. The materials for construction and food for thebourers would be provided by the merchants for free as bribes so they would receive various special benefits like being exempted from various obligations. For the centralist faction, which had less territory than the decentralist faction, this was a great opportunity to enrich themselves.


    (Does he want to strike a deal with the centralists through this project?)


    It was not impossible that the tasty bribes could be used as bait to improve rtionships with the centralists with whom Tullius had conflicts with.


    Tullius has zero political background. His faction, which brought together moderate nobles, was not formed to team up with the decentralist faction, but was formed to protect these moderate nobles from the political schemes of the other factions. As long as Tullius his past feuds with the centralists, forming an alliance with the centralists was not out of the realm of possibility.


    He was not joking. Linus was still a member of a faction whose principles he was ipatible with, because he wanted to get rid of this piece of shit in front of him. Why else would he join hands with this wily old fox and his ns to remove powers from the various lords? If there was a reconciliation between Tullius and the centralists, the opportunity to cleanse himself of the many years of hatred would be lost.


    Linus shook his head.


    "T-there is no way it can be done...... The old Marquis Lavallee is also busy rebuilding the royal capital."


    His voice trembled. He needed to convince not just Tullius, but also himself that the n was impossible.


    Yes, the ringleader of the centralist faction was Marquis Lavallee. The very Lavallee that was opposed to the lords who had their own territories and who had bad blood with Tullius. No matter how appealing this idea was, there was no way that the man who now considered Tullius as dangerous would ept his n.


    "He should not have time to worry about this business in Volden though..."


    "No, no. I''m not going to bother the old man with too much work either."


    However, Tullius continued his words as if he had anticipated them again.


    "Im sure you have other acquaintances other than the Marquis? How about, for example...... Count Langogne or Count Chambery?"


    Those names he referred to were all influential figures within the centralist faction.


    Count Langogne was the leader of the younger members in the faction. He was a spirited young man, about a year older than Linus, and he made no secret of his pride and ambition because of his talent. A way to rece the old guards like Lavallee was to use the road improvement project as both an achievement and as tasty bribes for allies to fill their pockets. Surely, it would bring about much attention.


    Chambery was even simpler. He was a firefly that wandered towards sweet gains. He wasnt popr and was considered a background character, but as he was formerly in the decentralist faction and hisrge territory, he was considered above average within the centralist faction. And he was more hungry than anyone else for opportunities to satisfy his own desires and strengthen his position.


    All of them are men who would go to the extent of betraying the leader of their faction if necessary.


    It was brilliant that Tullius chose not to bring up a resolute yet influential person like Count Mearbahn here. He cared not for the big game because he could not be captured and focused solely on those that could be tempted. It was a choice that could only be made by someone who has information about the capital. It''s hard to believe that this was the same Tullius who made the mistake of carelessly falling for Lavallee''s ploy the year before thest.


    "...... rejected."


    Linus stated with a grunt.


    "Such an undertaking is a matter of national importance. It is not a proposal that should be made by a Viscount."


    First of all, there was no merit for him. No, if Linus was a Count who was truly subservient to the centralist faction, he could gain a reputation for improving the territory and gain a better foothold in the faction. However, as mentioned many times, he has no intention of contributing to the faction. He was forced into the faction by Lavallee''s schemes, and his resentment towards the faction was stronger than his gratitude. And he was the head of the Oubeniel family. He believed that he lost honour because of the madman standing in front of him, and that only by killing him would he be able to amend his disgrace.


    As if unconcerned, Tullius smiled.


    "Oh. Is that so?"


    Despite theplete rejection of his proposal, Tullius seemed unperturbed. As if it was not much of a surprise.


    How infuriating.


    "Is that so? Is all you have to say!?"


    Bang. An ear-splitting noise was made.


    Linus mmed his hand on the desk.


    "I told you, know your boundaries! Mind your own business! There''s no need for you to think of such grandiose ns when you''re just a subordinate in charge of the territory I''ve given you!"


    As he shouted, foam flew from the corners of his mouth.


    Hecouldn''t hold back the anger that was welling up. Whenever he opened his mouth, rage gushed out, and even if he tried to stop it, he couldn''t. He simply couldnt maintain his cool in front of this abominable person.


    He wanted to punch Tullius in the face. He wanted to smash his front teeth, crush his nose, and gouge his eyes out. But that was not possible. The other party, no matter how lowly, was also a noble, and Linus would be punished if he assaulted him. In addition, this man wore manyyers of defensive armour so the physical strength of a normal person would not be able to hurt him.

 Chapter 59: Sounds of Ruin (2)

    Chapter 59: Sounds of Ruin (2)


    "Calm down, Count."


    The woman who had been keeping quiet from the corner of the room suddenly spoke up.


    "It''s good that you''re lecturing your brother, but don''t go too far out of your way. A reprimand is only effective if it is reasonable."


    Elisha Rosmond Balbastre. She was a knight of the Imperial Guards who apanied Linus from the capital due to an arrangement by Lavallee.


    Linus was horrified to realise that he had almost lost his mind in front of a third party.


    I-I...


    What was he doing?


    He was bloodthirsty, hitting things, and shouting at the top of his voice. How could he let such a maniacal behavior be exposed so brazenly?


    With a small sigh, Elisha turned to Tullius.


    "Apparently, the Count is not feeling well today. How about discussing political matters on another day?"


    She had no authority to decide on such things. This was a matter for the Oubeniel family, who had inherited thend of Volden from generations ago. So Linus didnt want her to butt in.


    But right now, he hated being face to face with Tullius even more. It was always unpleasant to see his foolish brother, but this summer was especially bad.


    He had no choice but to recline on the chair lightly, as if to affirm it. In fact, he was feeling so tired that he could hardly straighten himself.


    "......As Lord Balbastre has said. I can''t be bothered to talk with you any more. Tullius, you will stand down  no, you shall return to Man."


    Linus was at his breaking point and decided to give the order. He couldnt bear living under the same roof as this person anymore.


    "Oh, is that okay?"


    Linus almost clicked his tongue when Tullius asked him for confirmation.


    "I said yes return and devote yourself to your duties. If I need you, I will call you over. Do you understand?"


    "If you say so, brother. Then, tomorrow"


    "By the end of the day!"


    "I understand, by the end of the day, right?"


    Linus yelled again but this time, even Tullius seemed to be somewhat shocked. It was somewhat therapeutic for his stomach, but he realised that he had acted disgraceful again. Altogether, it was negative to his mood.


    "Now, if you''ll excuse me."


    Linus silently watched him leave the room. It was unpleasant to see the suspicious looks of the guards outside the room.


    As the door closed, Elisha approached the slightly dazed Linus.


    "Are you sure, Count? That your brother is now leaving."


    "......Don''t tell me that now."


    Of course, it was no good. The order from Lavallee was to use the management of the territory as a means of stalling Tullius. It was a poor move to allow Tullius, who he had at his beck and call, to return. Even if Tullius had given himself up from the beginning.


    But Linus was already at the end of his patience.


    Since the night of that unpleasant dinner, Tullius has beening to his room every day.


    It was not the first time theyve talked about political matters, such as discussing the tax rate for the year, or seeking advice about a dispute between viges across the border, or proposing a new policy, as they did today. When Linus showed signs of irritation, he would say something like,


    "Brother, if you''re feeling overwhelmed, why don''t you take a horse and go on a long ride? I''ll apany you! If you want, we can take our bows and go hunting. Wouldn''t it be nice if we brothers could be alone together for once?"


    He was so thick-skinned to even suggest it.


    Since it was Tullius'' fault that he was annoyed, Linus would rather Tullius kill himself.


    Negative thoughts clouded him. As a means of motivating himself, Linus turned to Elisha and said.


    "It doesn''t matter...... As long as I''m in Volden, I''ll have no shortage of excuses to call that guy from Man."


    He pointed to the pile of papers and letters on his desk.


    The tax collection n for fall, the petitions from the viges in the territory, and the proposals for policies...... all serve as a justification for Linus'' to arbitrarily summon his brother. He could say that the documents submitted were iplete, or that he wanted to hear more details of certain parts of his policies, or numerous other things. It won''t make much of a difference if he sent him back to his estate while he took his time to regain hisposure.


    But this rude knight dared to share her tant suspicions against him.


    "Well, I''m sure you''ll have plenty of excuses...... Do you have any intention of calling for him in the future?"


    "......"


    She hit him where it hurt the most.


    He was going to call him back once he calmed down and was mentally ready. He insisted that he would be mentally ready soon, but when would that be? Linus himself did not know.


    If it was for the purpose of killing the devil in one fell swoop, he could have forced himself. But this time, he couldn''t see what Lavallee was nning to do behind the scenes. Before his departure, Lavallee only hinted at a n to halt him, saying in a roundabout way that he would need to conduct various meetings and discussions with Tullius. In short, if Linus was willing  or more likely, if he was not willing  it was not impossible for him to leave Tullius to his own devices.


    If he didn''t mind being further isted from his faction after failing, that is.


    "......I don''t need you to tell me what to do. This is my family''s business."


    Linus realised himself that it was an excuse.


    Countermeasures against the third faction, which stood between the centralists and the decentralists. This was obviously not just a problem within the Oubeniel family. That was why Linus was sent here at the behest of the leader of the centralist faction.


    However, the woman who was supposed to be pointing out the problem only let out a light sigh.


    "Well, good. If that''s what the Count says, then Ill leave it at that."


    Elisha walked out of the room, leaving Linus, who wanted to be alone.


    In the corridor, Alfred Prudemache, the second deputymander of the Second Order, was waiting for her with a bored expression.


    "Commander, how is the Count?"


    "Terrible."


    Her reply was straightforward. Rhetoric was beyond her capabilities. So, every time there were things that required formalities, the deputymander would be put on the spot.


    To her bitterly smiling subordinate, Elisha continued.


    "His brother has been giving him a hard time since forever. Just talking to him makes the Count endlessly nervous."


    "Haha. Sounds like the kind of syndrome new recruits get into?"


    "I bet."


    What Alfred was referring to was the actions towards Simone that took ce in the bedroom after the dinner. The man in question thought nobody found out  at least Elisha didn''t know, and even Linus himself had already forgotten about it  but it had already spread wide and far in the Second Order. Their secret meeting here was also to prevent Tullius from taking actions against Linus and Simone, so guards were ced outside their sleeping quarters as well.


    "A man whose reason had been worn down engaged in extreme acts on a woman to calm his nerves. It''smon to the inexperienced on the battlefield. It is a pity that the Count, despite having no experience in battles, is in such a situation."


    Elishas subordinates felt somewhat awkward at hearing this from an unmarrieddy. It was not a bad thing for women to be understanding towards a mans mental state, but being too frank might not be so pleasant either.


    "If I had to feel sorry for anybody, it would be the countess who was forced to go along with this kind of indignation without knowing why."


    "I sympathise with her. But its not a responsibility we should bear."


    Elisha said and walked away on her own. She was going to console the countess now. After all, the man that the countess had been relying on for mental support was going to be kicked out.


    Madame Simone Meslier-Oubeniel. She was a pathetic woman who was forced to enter into a marriage with the Count just for the sake of a ploy. Elisha couldnt help but feel sorry for her, but on the other hand, Simone must have been partly responsible for the Count''s mental breakdown.


    The woman med Linus for forcing her into an insincere marriage, but no matter the degree, marriages filled with pretense and greed weremonce in aristocratic society. If she hated it so much that she actively denounced and rejected her husband, there was no way a family could be built together. On top of that, Simone had lost her family home in the firest year. Linus'' attitude might have been different if she had been a little more gentle and showed some cuteness.

 Chapter 59: Sounds of Ruin (3)

    Chapter 59: Sounds of Ruin (3)


    Of course, a woman like Elisha, who had run away from her family because she didn''t want to marry for political reasons, couldn''t have said that. She knew the irony in it and thus, couldnt say what she thought.


    Finally, Elisha reached the room where Simone was.


    "Oh, Elisha! I''m so d you''re here!"


    The owner of the room greeted her with a voice that sounded like she was delirious with a fever.


    "I''m sorry, Madame Simone. I''m sure you''re not feeling well. Please pay no heed to courtesy and continueying on your bed."


    Since the day after the incident, Simone had been staying in a separate room from her husband, iming that she was sick. Her excuse was that it might be a dangerous illness.


    Of course, she was feigning illness. She probably refused to share a bed with her husband, who treated her poorly.


    She looked embarrassed for a moment, then obediently followed Elisha''s suggestion andid herself down on the bed.


    "Did you hear, Elisha? I heard that he had another fight with Sir Tullius."


    "Ah. I was there when it happened."


    "Well! So he would do that in front of a guest? I mean, really, that guy......"


    Simone eximed unhappily. She sounded restless, but her slender fingers gripped the sheets tightly as if she were clinging to them.


    She must be feeling scared.


    Simone was frightened by the fact that Tullius, with whom she shared amon enemy, Linus, had been driven out and she was left alone with her tyrannical husband.


    As if to vent her anxiety, she continued.


    "Sir Tullius, you know, told me. He told me to rely on Miss Elisha while he is gone. She''s a fine knight, and she''s also a woman, so she''ll be able to help sister-inw in her time of need!"


    "Oh? Is that so?"


    "Yes, he did."


    Sounds like it came from nowhere, Elisha thought.


    She didn''t remember saying or doing anything that would have earned her that kind of recognition from Tullius. In fact, she had even thrown a few provocative words at him in an attempt to draw out his true intentions, which he simply hid behind a thin smile. Other than that, they mostly shared conversations on administrative rted affairs regarding the territorys military supplies.


    Hardly enough to earn her the level of trust to be tasked to take care of his sister-inw.


    It''s possible that, in their brief conversations, he had enough evidence to discern that she would not act coarsely towards Simone.


    (I guess you just don''t care where you put this woman, huh?)


    There was a possibility that he said whatever that came to his mind to calm Simone who was in a troubled state of mind in order to give her some relief. This sounded more likely.


    From the looks of it, Tullius Shernan Oubeniel was a monster who was only concerned with self-preservation. His outrageous deeds, such as the ughter of ves, were only to the extent that they caused upset in people but did not vite anyw. He didn''t let the allegations, such as the one about the fire in the royal capital, catch him from the back. It was said that he used an unscrupulous method to brainwash people during the trial, and now, he had formed a third faction to protect him.


    He was that kind of guy. He was pretending to protect Simone, but at the same time, trying not to get too deep into the delicate position of her brother and sister-inw.


    Elisha nodded affirmatively, not even trying to think further into it.


    "Then leave it to me. It is one of the duties of a guard to bring relief to the hearts of those being protected. There are not many people in this country who can do that as well as I can."


    "Well, that''s encouraging."


    Simone let out a relieved breath.


    In the end, she and Linus were just like each other. They were both proud, refined, and unable to bend themselves. Because they were the same, they repelled each other and hurt each other.


    If there had been even one time when either sidepromised for the other, this would not have happened.


    For example, if Linus had apologised to her or expressed his guilt a little bit when the political marriage was decided. If he did so, then Simone might not be always ming Linus. But it was highly doubtful that the noble young count would be able to show his weakness to a woman he had just met.


    Or perhaps, if Simone had been able to see the true nature of Tullius. Then Linus might be more at ease with a partner who recognised the same enemy as he did. ...However, being treated as a mere pawn in a plot, it would be difficult for her to side with the people who were the cause of it.


    They were both equally ipatible with each other. Nothing good coulde out of it.


    (But still...)


    Yet, they were still young and had a long life ahead of them. It would only be a few more months before their first marriage anniversary woulde to pass.


    Even if things were at their worst right now, there was always a chance that things would turn around.


    Elisha hoped for such a miracle. It was not like she disliked either Linus or Simone.


    Naturally.


    There was no way that the devil had prepared such a convenient script...


    My brother, who became angry at me suddenly, kicked me out of the ce. We travelled through the night on a carriage for two days before finally arriving back at Man.


    "I''m home..."


    "Wee home, my lord. You''re back early?"


    Laubert, who showed up to greet me, said. He did not appear to be surprised at all though. He must have guessed how it was going to go. If that was the case, there was no need for me to exin at all.


    I opened my mouth while rxing my shoulders, which had be stiff from the ride.


    "Thank you. My brother really has a bad temper. ......I don''t know why he''s so angry when we were just discussing political affairs."


    "Why of course."


    Victor, who came after me, wore aposed expression.


    "Not only did Linus receive a suggestion that was beyond your authority, but you also implied that you were aware of the information within their faction. I''m sure your weak-hearted brother would have shuddered at the thought."


    "Stop saying it like it doesnt concern you, Victor."


    I couldn''t help but roll my eyes.


    "You were the one who came up with this n, werent you? I don''t know what you''re saying, acting like you have nothing to do with this, and badmouthing my brother."


    "No, no. This was also due to the information that Laubert had gathered, so it''s very, very hard for me to im credit for it alone."


    He deftly deflected my eyes on him.


    Yes, being an annoyance and finally being kicked back to Man was a strategy that Victor and gang developed. This time, my brother''s return was a tant attempt by the centralised faction to halt my progress. Since I had no need to y along with them, we came up with a faultless way of retreating. Though I had not anticipated that it would be this effective.


    "The Count is as afraid of your shadow as ady is of a worm or a snake. I knew that if you kept meeting with him day after day with some excuse of sorts, he would no longer be able to keep it up."


    So rude. What kind of insect or snake was he calling his boss? Yeah, the family crest was a snake, but isn''t that the same for my brother?


    It was getting kind of uninteresting, so lets change the topic.


    "Well, I don''t really care about the retreating strategy. It''s the other one that has greater importance."


    The n to get out of Volden was, as they say, a bonus. If it came down to it, I could have left the research to Seis and the others and taken a leisurely summer vacation in the hignds. Of course, I was still happy to have been able to minimize any time wasted.


    "So, shall we get into the crux of the matter?"


    "Of course. The deadline for this is before my brother returns to the royal capital. I have to finish it as soon as possible. I don''t want him to leave in a jiffy while being in a bad mood."


    "I don''t think that will happen."


    Victor confidently asserted, showing no sign of being phased when we moved to another topic instead of discussing his earlier sessful n.


    "That man is very meticulous. He won''t be able to leave the state capital until at least the documents he submitted have been verified. At least for the rest of the summer."


    "Hmm? I guess that''s how it works."

 Chapter 59: Sounds of Ruin (4)

    Chapter 59: Sounds of Ruin (4)


    "As expected of our Victor, you''re so crafty. Are you sure you don''t have that old man''s blood in your veins?"


    "Hm, stop it, Laubert. Else, Ill kill you, damnit."


    As my retainers exchanged heartwarming words, I hurried towards theb.


    "Uni, get me that."


    "Yes. Master."


    I held out my hand as we walked, and Uni handed me an item wrapped in a handkerchief. What emerged from inside was a tightly sealed test tube. The lid of the tube was tightly corked, and the inside was filled with a mysterious fluid, having an aura that seemed to repel the air itself.


    This was it. I went all the way to the Volden to take this from my brother.


    "It was worth all the borate preparations, wasn''t it? I didn''t expect you to do it from day one."


    "Yes. It was sheer luck."


    Or maybe I didn''t have to go through all this trouble and can still retrieve it from him in the future...... Oh well. It''s better for my mental health to know that the risk taken was rewarded.


    As I lightly yed with the object in my hand, Due peeked at me from the side with a stern look on his face.


    "Is that the Counts......?"


    "What are you so embarrassed about? Ehh, I suppose it isnt something that can be said out loud."


    "Its alright, nothing special anyways. ...Also, they had no idea at all right? There was the slightest chance that the poison detecting gear would have picked up on the drugs."


    If it was his own, he should be used to seeing it all the time, but to conceal his shame, Due asked a series of questions.


    But to think he would have such a wrong assumption.


    "I didn''t use any drugs. I just served them a healthy meal. Hey, Uni?"


    "Yes. A fish dish for an appetizer with Anguille. A soup of spotted turtle and sauce made from its blood. And the choctes for dessert had a slight uplifting effect on mood."


    She was a good cook so she could ramble in detail about the food. But even after hearing that, Due didn''t seem to catch a clue on what she meant.


    Cant be helped huh? Guess Ill exin further.


    "You know, Due. Even the liquor you drink every night, if drunk excessively can be poisonous and cause death right?"


    "Uh-huh."


    "But its not like the poison detection amulets would react to alcohol. It''s the same thing. It''s not a poison or a medicine, but an ingredient that has effects on the body and mind. I just served them dishes made with that. There''s nothing strange about it."


    The bottom line was that the detection capability of their equipment was limited to highly poisonous materials. No matter how poisonous it was to drink in excess, if the equipment raised an alert every time a toast was being made, the liquor industry would be out of business.


    In addition, there were many things that we consumed in our daily lives that could be poisonous if taken in excess. Salt, sugar, fat, and even water could cause lethal poisoning if taken in huge amounts in a short time. Even vitamins, which were generally considered to be good for the body, were said to be lethal to humans. At least in the quantities found in the internal organs of pr bears. That''s not to say that we should be so concerned that we should react to ordinary food and water with, "Ah, poison!". I''m sure there are no mages out there who would manufacture such an equipment."


    "The food Uni cooked for us that night was nothing more than a healthy meal that provided energy and improved blood cirction. Just that it might give a little too much energy and make you less patient than usual. Of course, I doubted that it would work on its own, so I brought in more ingredients than I needed and encouraged their cooks to cook with the same ingredients."


    I don''t know why I had to fully exin this obvious trick.


    I blinked in annoyance, and Due frowned.


    "......Are you in a bad mood right now, by any chance?"


    "Yeah, sorry about that. I''m feeling a little heavy thinking about what we''re about to do."


    As I said this, I yed with the sample in my hand. Uni had extracted it from theundry that morning.


    This thing was anaerobic by nature and will die quickly in open air. With magic and elixirs, we were able to keep it alive for longer. We have to use it before it expires.


    To be precise, it''s not the executing of the n itself that weighed me down, but the aftermath of it. It would certainly hurt my brother and the old fox Lavallee, while dealing no direct damage to us. However, the thought of all the trouble that would surely arise made me depressed.


    "Well, okay. Let''s get the bad stuff out of the way as soon as possible, shall we?"


    "Yes. That would be good."


    The reassuring voice from my attendant beside me gave me motivation to finish my ufortable work as quickly as possible.

 Chapter 60: Successor of the Crest 1 (1)

    Chapter 60: Sessor of the Crest 1 (1)


    The end of Summer.


    A carriage with Linus inside was now racing through the streets of the royal capital, Broussonne. Afterpleting his duties in his territory, he left behind the knights who were officially stationed there and returned to the royal capital in a hurry.


    Yes, he returned to the capital.


    From his birth to now, his experience waking up in Volden was the first time he experienced an ufortable feeling, as though he did not belong in the home of a stranger. The strange interior of his room, subordinates he met for the first time, the unfamiliar climate, and the hostility he felt from everyone he met. All of those things made him feel out of ce. After two months in Volden, he decided he was done with the country life.


    In the end, he could only be in the capital, Linus thought. Thetest fashion, music, and the buzz of the city gave him a sense of familiarity. There was no ce outside the city that was fit for him. He could no longerugh at the people of the centralist faction who clung onto the capital like parasites. Linus felt a tinge of mncholy mixed with his homesickness.


    ......After all that, he could not muster the strength to call for Tullius again.


    It''s about time... today is the day... or how about tomorrow


    He was stuck in a constant loop of procrastination. Whenever he made up his mind to finally do it, he was reminded of the sickening face of the man he was supposed to summon and hesitated. Before he knew it, countless days had passed.


    (That old man is going to make a fuss again......)


    Even though what he was supposed to do was hinted at indirectly, Linus failed to follow Lavallee''s instructions. It''s not impossible for him to argue that it wasn''t clear instructions, but he would then lose favour with the kingdoms top political power holder.


    What should he do about itHe immediately stopped his train of thoughts.


    A heavy exhaustion weighted on his shoulders. He had no energy left for this.


    It was fundamentally impossible to expect him to deal with Tullius while performing his duties at his estate. He had to deal with the problems that piled up in his absence, and also had to meet with the influential people of thend. A local lord has numerous other tasks than one might imagine.


    The fatigue from all the nerve-wracking work and the long journey he had to endure made Linus too tired to think further. He wanted to go back to his mansion. He wanted to crawl into bed and sleep for the entire day. For a serious person like him, it was rare for him to feel sozy.


    And the woman.


    During the stay at Volden, Simone started to openly refuse to share a bed with him. At first, she dered she was ill and thus, had to use a separate bedroom. But somehow, even after she recovered, she refused to return to their bedroom. She was faking her illness. When Linus discovered it, he was so furious that he pinned Simone down. She did not resist. But the person underneath him stared at him with cold eyes, as if she was looking down on him. He lost his strength from that.


    He had no choice but to select a few of the maids. Of course he felt guilty at the infidelity, but Linus was a young man. He was not so impotent that he could endure sleeping alone. Especially so when the fruits would fall at his beck and call. One of the reasons for having beautiful maidens serving as servants was because they were expected to y such a role. The aristocracy tolerated such behaviour. Of course, it would ruin the honour of the wife and the matchmaker if they gave birth to children before the wife. Though if he could, Linus would dly smash Simone''s and Lavallee''s faces with my own fists.


    However, he could not be satisfied. He could certainly finish the act without a hitch. He was freed from the days when he couldn''t sleep until early morning because his body and mind were unnaturally excited every night. However, there was no fulfillment in satisfying himself like that. It was just tasteless lovemaking where he simply spat out what he was holding in. It was like fulfilling ones hunger with cheap sweets. Linus wondered if he had chosen the wrong woman, and tried switching women several times, but the end result was the same.


    (As expected, the woman needs to be her.)


    He tried to remember the face of the ve who was waiting for him in the royal capital.


    She was dull, unpretentious, and had no outstanding features. But she was a woman who devoted herself to him. She did not reject him like Simone, nor did she show greed like the other maids. She was a ve who lived only to satisfy him.


    Submissive eyes that silently epted any kind of punishment. Lips that only leaked obedience. A body that desperately tried to quell his rage. No matter how many other women he met during this journey, he always found himselfparing them to her. Linus almost let out a sigh.


    The desire for her skin that had been away from his fingers for so long might just be what it is to be in love.


    (...... It might not be a bad idea to change things up for tonight.)


    On a whim, he wondered. What if he held her gently for once? What if he praised her for waiting patiently at home, and chose not hit her or curse at her?


    Would she be happy? Or would she be confused? Would she think something is amiss? Would she find it insufficient?


    After all, they were the kind of people who show satisfaction when they were being treated roughly. Perhaps, they deliberately misbehave at times so they could be punished.


    Ah, the thought of it brought a smile to his face.


    "Hehe..."


    As he let out an unconsciousugh, there was the sound of a thud.


    It was Simone. She seemed to have misunderstood Linus''sugh and made a recoil. This woman has been acting like that for a while now. If he pushed her down, she looked back at him with contempt, but if he didn''t, she reacted as if she was frightened by his every move. She was like a hedgehog, so to speak. If he touched her, she would stab him in return, but in reality, she was just a timid little animal that was afraid to evene near him.


    He turned away from the charmless person and looked out the window, facing the view of the royal capital. The reconstruction due to the great fire had progressed well, and from the main streets, there were no obvious remains of the tragedy a year ago. Though, if he looked around the slums, there were some residential areas that remained burnt and the impoverished poption seemed to have expanded greatly. However, this should onlyst for a few more years. With the reconstruction and urban nning, the once-burned city would regain its strength and beauty.


    Linus drove all the seeds of depression out of his brain and indulged himself at the sight of his beloved city and the thought of the woman who was waiting for him.


    When they arrived at the residence in the royal capital at dusk, they were greeted by silence.


    Both tired of waiting and suspicious of what was happening, Linus got off the carriage. Even if he brought some of his servants with him when he went to Volden, there were some servants left behind in the capital. When the head of the family returned home, they should be at the gate to greet him.


    However, the only response to the neighing of the horses when they stopped was silence. The main residence of the Oubeniel family was as quiet as if nobody lived in the mansion.


    "What is the meaning of this?"


    When Linus stared at the butler with an obvious grimace, he stiffened and looked back at Linus with a bewildered expression.


    "I-I don''t know. I had informed them in advance with a letter of the date of our return......"


    "You''re sure about that, aren''t you?"


    "A-Absolutely, yes. I''ve definitely sent the schedule."


    The butler who had apanied him throughout the journey answered, his face drenched in sweat.


    If so, then what was the reason for the quietness of the house? Could it be that all the people looking after the mansion had escaped in the night? Linus couldn''t help but imagine such a ridiculous scenario.


    "......Have they finally run out of patience?"


    Simone said in a haughty voice. It''s been a long time since she had used sarcasm, but of course Linus could not be ted about it.


    "Don''t be ridiculous."


    He was fed up with his wife, who had be so stubborn to the point of being gloomy. He was also annoyed by the fact that she was always like this with him, her husband, but regained her old cheerfulness when she spoke to Elisha.

 Chapter 60: Successor of the Crest 1 (2)

    Chapter 60: Sessor of the Crest 1 (2)


    Frustrated, bewildered, and feeling the chill of the early autumn evening, Linus quickly headed towards the mansion. Passing through the front gates without being greeted by his vassals would be a disgrace as the head of the family. On the other hand, it was improper to simply wait until who knows when, while freezing in the cold.


    Those who failed to present themselves would be punishedter. He was not going to give them a half-assed punishment like a pay cut. He was going to flog them with a whip and then beat them. Then he would write a public notice to everybody that these servants have been kicked out. It would be a disgrace to let these servants who knew not even the basics of weing their master serve another family.


    Linus opened the front door while fuming.


    The inside of the house was dark. There were no light sources. Only the setting sun shone through the windows.


    It looked just like a haunted house, but the air he breathed in was clean. This was a sign that the house has been regrly cleaned. Until recently, the mansion must have been well managed by the vassals and servants of the family. Then, why didn''t they show up? It was as if the people who had been taking care of the house had disappeared just as Linus was about to return.


    "Curses! Is anyone here?"


    Linus raised his voice, but all that echoed back was his own voice. Nobody was in sight.


    Not making any further progress, he grabbed the candlestick and lit it. It lit up in a soft glow.


    "Follow me."


    "Yes, sire!"


    "............"


    Linus walked slowly, staying alert for signs of life. He was followed by his faithful butler and a sulking Simone. The wife followed not because of her affection or trust towards Linus. She was simply bound bymon sense that she should be by her husband''s side, and reluctantly followed along.


    Anyway, it didn''t take too long before they ran into whoever was still in the mansion.


    A room on the second floor. In one of the rooms, a dim light leaked out from the door.


    "hah......"


    Not only that, but he could also hear amusedughter.


    The soft illumination provided by the candle revealed Linus bitter scowl.


    (What''s with them? Did they forget to greet their master because they were fooling around?)


    If that was the case, they werepletely making a fool out of him. In anger, Linus quickened his pace and paused in front of the door. He took a deep breath to calm himself down. After reining in his temper, he opened the door.


    "What the hell are you guys?"


    His voice was filled with anger, but it was cut off mid-sentence. It was because he was caught off guard by the scene in the room.


    It was not the scene Linus had imagined, where the absent vassals were ying around, oblivious to the return of the head of the family.


    "Haha. What''s the matter, Count Linus Oubeniel? Why do you look so stunned?"


    A noble, waited on by Linus servants, was sitting on the sofa in the reception room with a wine ss in his hand. As if to mock their original master, who was standing at the doorway, he threw a smile full of pleasure.


    This was a face Linus recognised.


    He had brown hair and brown eyes, and a well-trimmed beard that seemed to add a hint of dignity to his youthful appearance. He was in his mid-thirties, and his smile had a strong softness to it. But those with opened eyes would know that the emotion behind his handsome face was arrogant pride and burning ambition.


    Linus grunted as he spoke the man''s name.


    "......Count Langogne. Why are you here?"


    He was in the centralist faction, a spirited g-bearer of the younger generation of nobles in the faction. They wererades simply because they were in the same faction, not because they were friends. Theyve had their fair share of discussions.


    However, they were not as casual as friends that he could be allowed to barge into his residence without a prior appointment. All the more so if he was casually having an early evening drink.


    In fact, his rtionship with this man tipped nearer to the side of acrimony. This was because Langogne, as a young leader, was wary of the younger Linus, who had the same rank as he and also held arger piece ofnd that he himself possessed. The potential power of Linus was enough to threaten his own position, even if the Oubeniel reputation had been damaged because of Linus foolish brother.


    As if enjoying Linus'' agitation, Langogne scrutinised him from head to toe. Linus felt his annoying gaze. He was a man who could be admired for his eloquence and energy, but not for the real him he hid beneath his robe.


    "Well, don''t just stand there, sit down. You must be tired after your long journey. Oops, isn''t that your wife there? You too,e on."


    And he even said that in a friendly way.


    (Stop messing with me, whose mansion do you think this belongs to......!


    Linus was tempted to throw the candlestick in his hand at him, but he managed to restrain himself. The other party was his senior and also a frontrunner in the faction. He couldn''t just grab him by the cor and ask him what he was trying to do. It''s not that Linus was not angry, but it was more advantageous for him to follow his advice and then speak against him.


    Linus blew out the candlestick and ced it on the table while sitting down on the couch facing Langogne. He didn''t bother to make a bow. It was the least Linus could do to protest his rude behaviour. Simone made a slight bow, and then sat next to Linus......though with a little bit of distance.


    "Count Langogne, what is the meaning of this?"


    Langogne let out a chuckle at the question.


    "Whoa, whoa, whoa. You skipped the greeting? You must be very busy. Let''s enjoy ourselves with a little conversation, shall we?"


    "Speaking of greetings, where were yours?"


    Linus stared at the ss held by the other man across the table.


    What''s the point of asking for greetings when he was having a drink in somebody elses house without asking for permission?


    "Hmm? ......Oh, by the way, the ss is empty now. Can I get a refill?"


    "R-Right away."


    Langogne, unconcerned, raised his ss and began to urge her on.


    The housekeeper poured the liquor without dy and without question.


    Linus'' patience was quickly running out.


    "......What do you think you''re doing?"


    He mmed both fists into the table and leaned forward. Simone became more and more tense from the outburst, and distanced herself.


    Not caring about that, he continued.


    "How dare you break into my mansion when I wasnt present, beg for liquor, and then offer me a seat?"


    He then turned his attention to the vassals who were standing beside the intruder in question..


    "You too! To neglect to greet me, and to indulge in entertaining this guy, you have no idea what you''re doing! Have you forgotten who your master is!"


    "!?"


    One of his vassals, who had been subjected to the full force of his anger, straightened her back and shrieked for a moment, but immediately afterwards hid behind the vaguely smiling Langogne.


    What the heck is this situation, Linus thought with his shoulders tensing up.


    His vassals were ignoring him and following themand of the man who appeared out of nowhere without warning. And the man was treating him with an attitude that could hardly be called polite.


    It was as if


    "Not feeling like you are being treated as a noble, are you? Linus Strein Oubeniel."


    The man on the other side of the room, drinking his liquor, hit the bullseye.


    Langogne waspletely rxed. Towards Linus censure, and his iprehension, Langogne only returned a half-hearted nce.


    And then, out of the blue, he said.


    "By the way, if you haven''t noticed yet, there must be a lot more servants in the mansion. If they were all here, the room would be cramped. I wonder where they have gone."


    "......?"


    "What do you mean? Count Langogne."


    Simone spoke out while Linus was visibly confused.


    The man replied with a worried expression.


    "Oh my, oh my, I didnt want to break the news because you would be most upset...... They have left."


    "Huh...?"


    "I am told that all of them have quit, except for the few in this room now. Oh, how troubling it must be, really."


    "How can that be!"


    Linus bared his eyes wide open and mmed the table again. Even the peaceful looking Langogne frowned, annoyed this time. In his impudent expression, Linus could now sense some anger.


    "How is it possible that my servants and subordinates would resign without notice? If you had wanted to make up some rubbish, at least make it..."

 Chapter 60: Successor of the Crest 1 (3)

    Chapter 60: Sessor of the Crest 1 (3)


    "It''s possible, isn''t it? ......After all, this is the House of the Oubeniels, after all."


    Linus felt as if he had been sshed with cold water.


    It was true. In the past, it was not umon to see people fleeing from this house.


    The time when the abominable heretic''sboratory was located in the basement of the mansion. The screams and cries that could be heard all night, the sight and smell of dead bodies being cremated as if the dead were trees burning. There was no end to the number of people who became frightened and ran away without even tendering their official resignation to the head of the family.


    Was this a repeat of those days, Linus thought. What has Tullius done again? Even though he was in a remote area of Man, far from the royal capital, had he done something that would cause people to flee from his mansion?


    Langogne shed a wry smile at Linus, who was considering the possibilities.


    "Perhaps you''re thinking of your brother? If so, let''s just say that you''re off the mark by a wide margin."


    "Huh?"


    Linus looked, wide-eyed, at the contemptuous look directed at him by Langogne.


    They were emotions that would never be directed at an equal person, such as pity for a naughty child or ridicule for a foolish servant.


    "Let''s get down to the main point, shall we? The reason I''m here today in the first ce"


    The man said, and snapped his fingers.


    His retainer, who was waiting outside, must have received the signal. The door opened behind Linus.


    The sound of footsteps approached. Simone, who had turned to see what was going on, gasped and froze. Linus couldn''t move.


    He had a bad, bad feeling about this.


    He felt an ominous feeling that if he turned around now, his life would be ruined. That sensation forced his head down, and he couldn''t move as if he were paralysed.


    Linus had the right premonition. However, it was futile to refuse to turn around.


    From behind me, he heard a woman''s voice, tinged with joy.


    "......Wee home, Master."


    Linus looked behind him, trembling, as if the voice was grabbing him by the hair. He didn''t want to, he shouldn''t look, but he couldn''t stop his body from moving on its own.


    ......He turned around and saw the ve he had kept, supported by a male attendant.


    "Ah..."


    A cracked voice leaked out from Linus throat.


    He couldn''t believe the scene he was seeing. His ve was standing there with a happy expression on her face. That''s good. But why was she in a different attire?


    A bulging belly obvious to the eye was pushing through her shoddy clothes. She was pregnant. She had be pregnant. Anyone could see that she was carrying a new life inside her.


    Whose child was it, then? Who was the shameless man who fathered a child with the ve of a Count who did not have a legitimate child?


    A voice with no attempt to hide his own superiority gave the answer he sought for.


    "and so, this is the reason why. Congrattions on your first child. Linus Oubeniel? Hahaha! In other words, I''m here to congratte you!"


    He gave a slow apuse.


    Langogne was pping his hands in delight. This person of the same faction as Linus and the same title as Linus had discovered a fatal scandal of his. He was rejoicing in this moment with a big smile on his face. The man was ecstatic at bearing witness to Linus disgrace.


    "What do you mean......?"


    Simone''s murmur was distant.


    It sounded as if it came from a neighboring country, further away than the distance that had been left between them to show the coldness of their rtionship.


    "Oh, pardon me. This must be noughing matter...... Oh, poor Madame Simone. It''s been a year since your wedding. I''m so sorry you''ve had to go through this."


    Langogne''s overly theatrical voice pierced Linus ears.


    While Linus was stunned and had no recourse, the scene continued to progress on.


    "I know this is hard to hear, but let me exin. Linus was having a secret rtionship with that ve girl."


    "Rtion...ship? Even though we do not have a legitimate child yet!?"


    "It is indeed hard to believe. When I first heard about it, I thought it was just a bunch of nonsense. But just to be sure, I did some investigation while you were away, and here we are...... A female ve with a big belly, owned by this young master. What happened between the two of them is in as daylight, isn''t it?"


    "How can this...... Is this real, Linus!?"


    Someone was shaking him hard on the shoulder. Even so, Linus''s gaze remained where it was, as if it had been drawn to a single point.


    The female ve continued to caress her belly as if she were carefully polishing a precious treasure. She wore a dreamy expression and looked towards Linus.


    She paid no heed to the proficient narration of the noble she knew not, nor to his wife''s obvious agitation, but simply begged for her masters attention.


    As if to say, "We have a child now." "Please praise me."


    She innocently waited for him to say something, unaware of the implications the baby would bring.


    "If the other party was amoner or if you have a sessor, then this would simply be an internal family issue...but a ve huh, a ve is no good. Its not umon to seemoners who have made a name for themselves to be ced among the nobility, but for somebody with a cor? Hm? Who in the world would obey a man who has the blood of a domesticated animal? This is a serious problem for the entire noble society. No wonder your vassals ran away when they found out about it."


    Langogne was right.


    What if, by any chance, even after the birth of this ve child, no heir was born to Linus and Simone? ...The legitimate bloodline of the Oubeniels would be passed on to a person with the blood of a status that was looked down upon even bymoners. To nobles, this person would be a failure, unepted by all. This was the birth of an existence that contradicts the obsession with nobility of blood, the foundation of aristocratic society. To have a child with a ve, much less to have it as your first child, was to spit on the very system of this kingdom and the continent.


    "How cruel of you, Linus. To marry such a beautiful bride, and to have a man as great as the Marquis Lavallee to act as the intermediary, and yet cause such a scandal."


    And this problem will surely affect Simone and Lavallee.


    A noblewoman cuckolded by a ve would likely be subject to constant scorn and ridicule for the rest of her life.


    Whereas the matchmaker who arranged a marriage for the man to disregard his wife for a ve would be questioned by those around him on his choice.


    This was an extraordinarily ugly scandal that could hardly bepared to the ve-killing of Tullius.


    "I-It cant be...tell me its a lie."


    "It''s sad, but it''s true, Madame Simone. If you still think it''s a lie......why dont you ask Linus? Command the ve to tell us who the father of the child is. If Linus uses obedience magic, surely she would not be able to tell a lie, would she?"


    Langogne kindly hinted to Simone, but in reality, he was pushing Linus to the thirteenth step of the execution table. Admit your guilt now, he was basically saying. Face your judgement.


    "I-Impossible..."


    The voice that escaped him was not directed particrly to anybody..


    "T-there''s no way its mine ...... I had properly"


    Except for the first time when he was careless, he had always been concerned about that. Ever since he realised that he couldn''t use this woman to bear children no matter what, he had been taking steps to avoid this situation.


    But the user was not concerned at all.


    "What is it? Did you use some kind of fish dder? Or did you use some weird medicine? ......How ridiculous. I''m sure it didn''t work, which is why we''re in this mess today. It''s about time you gave up on finding excuses."


    Linus made a squeaking motion and turned again towards Langogne with difficulty.


    "What......"


    "Hmm?"


    "What do you want?"


    The voice that asked sounded like Linus was throwing himself at Langogne and begging him.


    Such a scandal would have too wide an impact to be exposed simply to kick out apetitor within the faction. There was even a possibility that the centralist faction itself would lose its weight if this entire incident blows up. As the leader of young aristocrats in the faction, surely he was concerned with that.


    It was hard to believe that he was simply trying to protect the reputation of the faction and wanted to handle this matter in secret. If that was the case, it would make more sense for him to report it to Lavallee and receive his approval before moving forward. From Langogne''s attitude, Linus did not think he had such intentions.

 Chapter 60: Successor of the Crest 1 (4)

    Chapter 60: Sessor of the Crest 1 (4)


    If so, he might be nning to offer Linus some kind of deal regarding the handling of this secret.


    Langogne revealed a predator-like smile.


    "You''re not a good listener, are you? But you''ve hit the nail on the head. Indeed, indeed, there are things I want from you."


    "It''s"


    "A change of head of family for the Oubeniels."


    The words came like a ssh of cold water down Linus spine.


    "What?"


    Changing of the head? With whom?


    Linus didn''t even need to think far....... There was only one person in this world at the moment who could rece him as the position of the head of the family.


    (Y-You are telling me to give up the headship to...to Tullius!?)


    Tullius Shernan Oubeniel. He was a bloody madman who was abhorred as a ve-killer and a man-eating snake. Because of him, the Oubeniel family lost all the reputation they had gain from two hundred years of prosperity.


    It was a possibility that he had feared for the past twenty years, even though he thought it was impossible and would never happen. It suddenly became a reality and grabbed Linus by both shoulders.


    "Hahaha. You don''t have to look at me like it''s the end of the world, do you? Well, listen up. Here''s the story I''ve written."


    Langogne''s proposal could be summarised as follows.


    Linus would have to lie low, pretending he was ill with a fever. It will only be a fake illness, of course. And then, when the time is right, he will make this announcement.


    Due to his illness, Linus became unable to have children.


    A man who cannot pass down the blood of his forefathers could not be allowed to continue to upy the position of head of the family. Naturally, the position would be handed over to his younger brother, Tullius.


    And Linus, now that he has retired, should be able to live a life of leisure andfort with his retirement pay. He was a Count of a province, after all. Surely he could afford to have attendants take care of his needs. If he desired, he could surround himself with ves too...


    "With this n, what does it matter if you have a second or third child with the ve over there? After all, you would publicly be unable to have children. This way, you will be able to maintain your rtionship with that ve without adding any lowly blood to your family''s genealogy."


    "......"


    "I think I can take care of Madame Simone, too. Would you like me to n for that? If Madame Simone wishes, I am ready to introduce you to any man I can think of who will marry you. No, I won''t stop you if you want to stay with your husband...... If you just want to remain with the Oubeniels, you can also choose to remarry to the New Count?"


    "Me with...... Sir Tullius?"


    Simone, who was suddenly faced with such options, blinked her eyes.


    In addition to her husband''s infidelity, and the unusual situation of having a child with a ve, she hardly had any time to process the situation. Much less make a decision. Surely she was somewhat confused by it all....though it seemed she was a little bit happy hearing that final part.


    In the meantime, Langogne turned his attention back to Linus again.


    "What do you think, Linus? Isn''t this a wonderful proposition? You''ll be married to someone with whom you''ll have a good rtionship. Madame Simone will be able to start her life anew with minimal ws. The ve over there won''t have to be killed or be forced to abort. Ill at least provide shelter until the whole thing is over. And there will be no loss of reputation for our faction. It''s a win-win situation for everybody. As long as you give up your position as head of the family."


    Since a while ago, this man had stopped referring to him by his title. That may be reasonable? Whether Linus chose to ept or reject Langognes proposal, it was impossible for him to maintain his current position.


    No, to begin with. Count Langogne didn''t see Linus as a noble.


    "Y-You"


    Linus tried toe up with a counter argument but it was futile. Count Langogne raised one eyebrow in disapproval.


    "......you?"


    "No...... I mean, what''s in it for you?"


    "Hmm?"


    "You don''t need to go to such great lengths to bury this matter in the dark. Why are you making such an borate proposal instead of doing so?"


    The quickest way to handle this case was just as this man had nned. Abort the child or kill the mother and child. All that was left was for Linus to keep his mouth shut about the matter. His retainers and others who knew what was going on might make a fuss, but if the mother and child, the literal living witnesses, were dead, it would be nothing more than a rumour.


    At least, there was no need to involve Simone in secret. In addition, Langogne was not the kind of man who would show mercy to a ve, nor was he merciful enough to take care of Linus who showed his weakness. This was evident from how he made a mockery of him up until now.


    This proposal had to be for his own benefit, and not for the sake of others involved.


    Langogne showed his disdain.


    "I struck a deal with your brother."


    "What?"


    "Think about it. The political situation in our kingdom is in a mess because of you brothers quarreling. In addition to us centralists and those damned decentralists, there now exists a moderate faction. He was tormented by you and the old man, so he created it just to protect himself. Thanks to that, there is a new force growing that could shake the bnce between the two factions. This unstable situation needs to be resolved as soon as possible, right?"


    Certainly, the faction that Tullius had created through his dubious methods, incorporating even the Doldran Margrave, was a threat. Although they were inferior in size to the two mainstream factions, if they formed an alliance with one of them, the alliance would have a significant advantage over the other not in the alliance.


    Langogne was afraid that Tullius would team up with the decentralists. The man was based in the countryside, made ties with lords in simr geographical conditions, and was hostile to both Lavallee, the leader of the centralist faction, and Linus, who was under his control. If the two factions were weighed in the bnce, it was obvious that they would naturally gravitate towards the decentralised faction.


    Before that happened, he wanted to get rid of Linus, the root of their conflict, and ingratiate himself with Tullius by making him the head of the family. In addition, it was likely that he was trying to put an end to this ugly scandal with as little problems in the future as possible.


    "What, you wont be lonely just because you are going into early retirement. Your old tea drinking buddy is old. The time hase for him to retire as well. It would not be a bad idea for the two of you to spend the rest of your lives together, away from the troublesome political theater."


    Lavallee, who had been conspiring with Linus to wage a feud against Tullius, would also be asked to step down. The vocal support of Doldran behind that madman, the momentum of the young nobles that the man himself held, and the distrust of the Marquis that had been festering within the factions since the great fire ofst year. Altogether, it was enough to knock the old fox out.


    If he seeded in bringing in Tullius and the others, it would be a big achievement. With his high family status of a Count and the endorsement from his predecessor, the one to rece Lavallee as the leader of the faction would be him, Langogne. News that a neer in his thirties would be taking over after the old and ugly had been purged would also have a great political effect, as it would show a change in the times and promote innovation amongst the political members.


    With this ploy, he can defeat Lavallee, overtake Mearbahn and the other old guards, and take Linus, a potential future rival, out of the picture. Not only that, he would be able to settle the longstanding political dispute between the centralists and the decentralists. Ending off everything swiftly and skillfully.


    Surely, Langogne had a glorious vision of a future, where he would be remembered in the history of the kingdom as a great political leader. From his boastful attitude, Linus could sense his euphoria.


    However, there was a trap that he had overlooked in this scheme.


    "No way I could ept that!"


    A scream of rebuttal.


    "Do you think you can control that thing, that monster? He''s a demon that won an unwinnable trial, brainwashed other lords, and burned down the royal capital just to escape! And you let him be a Count? Are you trying to destroy this country? Are you out of your mind?"

 Chapter 60: Successor of the Crest 1 (5)

    Chapter 60: Sessor of the Crest 1 (5)


    "You''re the one who''s out of your mind."


    The reply was spiteful and straightforward.


    "Use yourmon sense. Brainwashing is very obvious and though it is powerful, there are plenty of countermeasures for it. There is no way he could have sessfully used brainwashing as a method to get his way. As a matter of fact, when the nobles who assisted your brother were experimented with brainwashing cancelling methods, none of them showed any changes."


    "C-Count Cartan...... Count Cartan was"


    "Ah, the former Count. Something tells me he''s making a big deal about being brainwashed too. It''s been almost a year since the trial ended, and it''s not a pretty sight. That''s just an excuse, isn''t it? A former court mage was manipted by the lowly art of alchemy. Isnt that even more shameful?"


    Langogne snorted contemptuously.


    Yes, this was themon sense that one should have. Alchemy was an inferior art to other forms of magic, and the use of brainwashing and other dirty methods were the stuff of fairy tales. Langogne was the one with the sane mind.


    "As for the great fire of the royal capital, ...... well, let''s not pursue it any further, shall we? It would be bad for us if the truth were toe out, wouldn''t it?"


    He was implying that Lavallee wasplicit in that. In fact, Linus had thought so during that time too. Was the fire used as a diversion while purging the countryside nobles who happened to be at the capital for work and Tullius? This suspicion was a good cause for Langogne to oust the old man. Therefore, there was no chance that Langogne would think otherwise about the great fire.


    "Urgh......!"


    Linus slumped his shoulders and looked down.


    He couldnt find the right words to retort with. What could he say in this situation? If he rejected the offer, Langogne would bring the scandal to light. The Centralist faction itself would be damaged, but for Langogne personally, he stood to gain more by bringing Tullius to their side.


    Linus would be used by the whole kingdom of being a fool for allowing a ve to have his child, and the honour of the Oubeniels would suffer yet again. There was no vassal who would willingly support the head of a family with such a reputation. Rather than the father of a child born from a ve, a ve killer might be preferable to the other nobles. Of course, a certain old fox who was the matchmaker for his wedding would be taken along for a ride too.


    It was better to ept the deal. Even if he had to step down, it would be less painful for all parties involved.


    Thats the natural conclusion one with rationality woulde to.


    "N-No..."


    Still, Linus emotions didn''t quite agree.


    "No? What no?"


    Langogne replied as if he was dealing with a child throwing a tantrum. Langogne did not bother hiding any of his exasperation.


    Linus continued.


    "No! I can''t let Tullius, that man, take over the family! I am the legitimate son of this house! Since I was a child, I have never neglected my studies to be my father''s heir. I practiced etiquette. Since the fall of my father, I have been acting as his representative. Who do you think has done the most for this family? It''s me! Look at it this way. What did that man, that abominable child born after my mother''s death, do? He bought a ve with a disfigured face and then ughtered ves one after another in the basement! Studying alchemy? Research? What lies! He was satisfying his sadistic streak, or offering them to demons or evil gods! I will not give this house to a monster who is like that...... The Oubeniel family is my family!"


    The words that gushed out like a waterfall sounded like a heartbreaking plea. What has Linus done up till now? What has his brother done instead? He poured out his deepest feelings.


    Linus'' vision became clouded. He was so ovee with emotion that tears began to well up in his eyes.


    He was angry, he screamed, he cried. But all of this did not touch the heartstrings of the man in front of him.


    "So......? What possible extenuating circumstances could that possibly have to do with the mistakes you have made? If you, before you became the head of the family, put in painstaking effort, does it cancel out the sins you do afterwards? If your brother was killing ves, is it okay for you, his brother, to vite and impregnate them? Answer me this, Linus. If you think that you are worthy of being the head of a Count''s family, why don''t you express your opinion in a dignified manner like a noble?"


    You cant, right? Without saying these direct words, this was being put across to Linus. Langogne casually brought the ss to his lips. As if waiting for an answer, he slowly swallowed the amber fluid. During this time, Linus could not even move his tongue the way he wanted to.


    After a short pause, Langogne continued.


    "If you can''t tell me, I''d like to hear your approval or disapproval of my proposal first. Do you want to swallow the pain and minimize the damage to yourself and others? Or you can refuse, ruining your family''s name and bringing some people down with you to heal the pain. Either way, you''ll be brought down and Sir Tullius would be the one left standing...... I hope you make a wise decision."


    "Take the deal, Linus."


    A cold, emotionless voice. It was Simone.


    "This is a situation brought about by your selfishness and rashness. At least get it over with without causing any trouble."


    What a cruel woman, Linus thought.


    You were the one who betrayed me. You sided with him instead of me, your husband. You chose to support Tullius but not me.


    Linus slowly shifted his point of view to Simone. Her expression was twisted beyond contempt, as if she was disgusted with the filth on the street. Nobody could endure this. Linus quickly brought his line of sight downwards.


    "......It''s okay, Master."


    Suddenly, a warm feeling enveloped him.


    That ve woman, the source of all this, hugged him from behind.


    The touch of her skin, separated for two months, touched him with a horror he had never experienced before.


    "No matter what happens, I''ll be with you. I''ll take care of all the painful things."


    "Ah......"


    "As always, please let it all out on me...... Oh, but I have a baby now, so...... I''d appreciate it if you''d be a little kinder."


    The woman''s voice was subdued. Still, he could clearly hear the joy in her voice.


    Yet, the father of the child was suffering immensely.


    And yet, she was more than happy to cling onto him.


    This is all crazy, Linus thought.


    "Vulgar..."


    Simone muttered from the side. From what the female ve had said, she must have guessed the rtionship between the two of them.


    Linus wanted to shout, this was not true. But he himself couldnt figure out what was not true.


    "Ah. the baby just moved. Can you feel it......? Here."


    The woman pressed her belly against Linus. Her innocence stood out like a sore thumb. It was terribly revolting for Linus.


    Something was going wrong with his head. Crazy wrong.


    Linus''s mind was being shaken by the iprehensible words and actions of a woman he should be familiar with.


    The fear of a madman touching him made his fingers instinctively move in search of a weapon. A few attempts at grabbing nothing but the air, and then the feel of hard metal. The candlestick on the table. Linus grabbed it and raised it violently.


    "!!! Linus Oubeniel, what are you"


    Langogne became anxious for the first time today.


    Linus could hear no longer...


    "Aaaaaaahhhh! Aaaaahhhh! Aaah! Aaaaaaahhhh!"


    "Stop it! Stop this nonsense! Hey, somebody stop him!"


    "No, no......! You murderer!"


    ......Linus didn''t really remember what happened.


    The only thing he felt was a sense of exhration, as if he waspletely freed from something annoying.


    The negative feelings had cleared up and yet, why was he crying......?


    When Linus tilted his head in wonder, he noticed red drops dripping from his hair.


    His blond hair, stained with blood, looked like rust, and he wore an innocent, aimless smile The sight of him killing a ve made him appropriately deserving of the nickname he hated so much. As if he were the same as that somebody.

 Chapter 61: Successor of the Crest 2 (1)

    Chapter 61: Sessor of the Crest 2 (1)


    "How do you intend to take responsibility for this, Marquis?"


    Holding his bruised cheek up, Count Langogne drew near to the old man.


    The centralist faction were having a meeting at the residence of a noble. The topic discussed at the meeting was the incident that urred in the royal capital the other day.


    The man who imed to be involved in the incident gave a detailed and self-serving ount of what had happened from start to end before directing his question to the faction''s leader, Lavallee.


    The old man, exposed to Langogne''s piercing gaze, calmly rubbed his chin.


    "Responsibility, hm?"


    "Yes, of course. I want you to take responsibility for what has happened! The responsibility of bringing such a person to the ranks of us patriots!"


    Burning passion and righteousness were on his face. However, there were instances where his manner of speech seemed to disy his pleasure in attacking his political enemies.


    Count Mearbahn and others could discern this and let out a sigh. It was all an act to rouse everybody up.


    Everybody knew he was just acting up and pretending. But he continued his vehement criticisms nheless.


    "I can understand why this might be hard to swallow, Marquis. Even I still can''t believe what I had witnessed for myself. s, I never thought he was that kind of man......"


    "Umm, Count Langogne."


    Count Chambery nervously directed his question towards the sorrowful Langogne.


    "Is it really as you say? Count Linus Oubeniel"


    "Ex-Count. Count Chambery."


    Immediately, he interrupted Count Chambery to correct him. The middle-aged noble snickered slightly, but continued his question.


    "That the ex-Count had been violent towards you?"


    "Didn''t I say that earlier? This scar is proof of it."


    He pointed to the bruise on his cheek. It was a bruise that could have been removed in the blink of an eye with healing magic, but he had left it as it was as evidence. Once this whole thing blew over, he was nning to get it healed, since there was no reason at all to leave this as a scar. The young noble''s elegant eyebrows quivered as though there was pain whenever he touched the scar.


    ......A few days ago, Linus suddenly went crazy and violently resisted the forces of Langogne who tried to stop him. Screaming wildly while swinging metallic candlestick as a weapon, Linus indiscriminately attacked anybody nearby. The bodyguards how to deal with Linus. Langogne had taken only a small number of men with him in order to carry out his task in secret, but that had backfired on him. In the end, Langogne himself was forced to grapple with him, and as a result, he was bruised by Linus elbow.


    (Hmph. You damn madman. Making me go through all the trouble......)


    Frustration bit at Langognes heart every time he felt pain from the bruise. The thought of having not been able to foresee this oue made the scar on his face seem even bigger than it actually was.


    Langogne thought it would be as easy as twisting a baby''s hand to get Linus to give in to his demands. He would pressure him, frustrate him, take away every bit of his hope, and then dangle a thread of hope in front of him. He thought he would be forced to take that only hope. But what Linus did when he became cornered he became a ve murderer.


    (Just like the younger brother, the elder brother too......it must be in the blood, right?)


    Langogne spat out the thoughts in his chest.


    He was being a sore loser. In the first ce, Langogne had not predicted that the ve, the reason for a scandal, to be killed at thest minute. There was no way he would do such a thing  Langogne was confident in this assumption. He pushed his opponent too hard. It was also a mistake to bring the ve to the scene just because he was too eager to witness Linus dramatic breakdown. He had carelessly ced the threat herself in front of the victim he was ckmailing. It would have been enough to take Linus into custody and bring him out of the mansion.


    However, there was one thing that could be called a blessing in disguise for Langogne.


    "But calling Linus an ex-Count without trial. Isnt that too hasty, Count Langogne?"


    "That is not quite the case, Marquis Lavallee. That Linus Oubeniel, where do you think he is now?"


    "Well, where is he then? It would be customary for us to meet all together and discuss it."


    He was implicitly using Langogne of unterally attacking Linus while he wasnt present. If it was a dispute within the faction members, then the usual way was to listen to both parties and mediate. If that failed to work, the incident would be taken to the High Court. Normally, that''s the way it should be.


    Langogne gives a small snort at the reason why this could not be done.


    "He is at a...... monastery."


    "Oh."


    One of the nobles present rolled his eyes.


    A monastery was a ce where ordained believers lived to pray to God and serve the church. But to the aristocracy, the word had a separate negative meaning.


    "You mean he has gone mad......"


    In other words, it was an asylum for the disabled.


    A jobless illegitimate child disowned by a family. A child who failed to gain recognition. Those with physical disabilities that rendered them unable to fulfill their duties as nobles ...... as well as madmen.


    It was a facility to hide those abandoned by human society by throwing them into the bosom of the infinitely merciful God.


    From the perspective of human rights, this was ridiculous, but unfortunately, this world did possess suchmon understanding of rights. To be more urate, there might be one man who understood such concepts, but he did not value such ideals.


    This meant that Linus Strein Oubeniel now had no ce in this society except in the grounds of the monastery.


    "His maniacal behavior shocked the hell out of me. He killed a ve in front of me, a guest of his, and then went on a rampage until we seized him. Just when I thought he had calmed down, he would suddenly startughing, crying, and getting angry. The words he spoke were utter nonsense."


    "Thats simply...simply so sad."


    "His family hurriedly brought him to a monastery, free from worldly problems, so that he can calm down. I would personally offer my apologiester when he calms down."


    That day would likely nevere. Langogne was almost certain of it.


    Thest look he saw of Linus was incredibly bleak. He would shout randomly,ugh merrily without any restraint, and then start crying gloomily. Just when Langogne thought he had finally calmed down and could make sense out of the words, he would scream something iprehensible like a child. Linus would look at him with a puzzled expression and ask, "Who are you, mister? Langogne felt his skin crawling with eeriness at that point in time. Linus became unable to recognise him, the person who he had beenpeting with all this while.


    Surely a man in such a state would no longer be able to attend meetings or testify in courts. The chances that he would recover was infinitesimally small.


    "ording to the priest''s assessment, it is unlikely that Linus would recover in the short-term. Perhaps, retirement is the only option for him."


    At the end of the day, Linus was forced to leave his position as head of the family. There exists no noble who took care of aristocratic responsibilities in a monastery isted from the world. In the near future, the notorious second son of the Oubeniels would take over his ce and the title of Count would be transferred to him.


    When the source of the scandal, Linus ve was killed, Langogne felt that being torn apart at the same time. But with heavenly providence, Linus too, was destroyed. Regardless of the process, the scheme to rece the head of the Oubeniel family was aplished as nned.


    (The end result was better than Linus choosing to ept his proposal.)


    Langogne hid these abominable emotions within him.


    Originally, Langogne had wanted to ckmail Linus into faking illness and with that excuse, retiring. With this proposal, he could live together with his filthy ve while posing no challenge to society. However, that disgraceful man shed blood and became a madman. This was negative publicity for the centralist faction. He was now truly irredeemable..


    "So, Marquis. Back to the topic at hand, how do you take responsibility for introducing such a lunatic to the faction?"


    Still, it wasnt bad at all. The more ipetent Linus was, the more negligent Lavallee became seen as, since he was the one who embedded him in the faction. Who would have trust in a leader that recruited such a man? A man who went crazy, killed ves, became physically violent against other nobles in the same faction, and finally sent to a monastery?

 Chapter 61: Successor of the Crest 2 (2)

    Chapter 61: Sessor of the Crest 2 (2)


    He turned to the old man and shed a look, as if to say, "What do we do now?"


    Feel free to desperately curse out loud. Show how flustered you are. That shall be the dawn of a new age and the end of the age of the old generation......


    Lavallee looked back at Langogne somewhatnguidly.


    "The Count...... is right on everything. I have no excuse for it. As a leader of the faction who holds all your trust, I have acted too rashly."


    It was an honest statement that was atypical of how he carried his affairs.


    The other nobles present started to stir.


    "So you ept responsibility for this?"


    "Hmm. Now that it has reached this point, I can''t simply abstain from all responsibility. I shall step down from my position as leader."


    "What?"


    It was Count Mearbahn who rose up in surprise.


    That Lavallee, that filthy, old, ugly schemer, was now epting responsibility and stepping down from his position? Even Langogne, the man who had been rebuking him, was baffled.


    The old man continued quietly, leaving hisrades whispering to each other.


    "I am eighty years old now. By now, I should have passed my title on to my children, and by now my grandchildren would be on their way. The time hase to retire, I suppose. It''s a shame that the reason that I do so is because of such a reason..."


    "Wait, wait a minute, ol marquis."


    Mearbahn interrupted, darting his eyes around nervously.


    "This is a very serious matter, so I can only imagine the pain you must be feeling. However, with the current political situation in the region being so unsettled, I believe that there is a great need for your wisdom......"


    Even though Lavallee had to be responsible for this time, he was still necessary for the faction.


    Langogne could not help but chuckle under his breath. If Lavallee were to lose his position, the next person to take control of the faction would be, ording to n, himself. If that were to happen, Mearbahn would be bettered by a man two or three times less than his age.


    It was ridiculous that he was pinning his hopes on the old fox. Mearbahn himself had definitely tried more than once or twice to best his seniors too.


    (In the end, Mearbahn is just some relic from an older generation...)


    The Marquis gave a small shake of his head while the up anding noble simply gave a smug look.


    "The times are changing. Even among the young, there will be those who have the wisdom to influence the times. Allow me to leave the stage here and watch them."


    "Yes. Leave it to me."


    Wisdom? He has it of course. Langogne lowered his head to a bow.


    To kick things off, Linus would be taken out of the picture while bringing down Lavallee as coteral. Then, he would team up with Tullius. In doing so, the alliance between the Centralists and Tullius faction would overwhelm the Decentralists. With the sess credited towards him, he would oust the ve-murderer and consolidate his position within the alliance. After all, they were the infamous brothers, not forgetting that the elder brother made a name for himself a few days ago. He had gained first-hand experience of what a real madman was. Therefore, he would have to settle it cleanly this time. The power to control the kingdom was well within his grasp.


    While Langogne smiled, Lavallee stood up to leave his seat.


    "So be it. I have some things to do before I retire, such as instructing my grandchildren. I think I''ll leave now."


    It was well-known that the legitimate son of the Marquis had died young, leaving the Marquis behind. Fortunately, the grandson of the legitimate line was still alive and well, so he would probably hand over his position to him. Well, this old man was known to have plenty of vigour despite his advanced age. If something were to happen to his grandson, it wouldnt be all that surprising to find his illegitimate heirs springing out of nowhere.


    To be honest, it was a bit disappointing to see him go down so easily. However, enjoying the fall of his political opponent was just an appetiserpared to power he would soon gain. As soon as the old marquis left the room, he quickly took action.


    "On behalf of the Marquis of...... I shall proceed with the meeting. Are there any objections?"


    As he said this, he looked around with a watchful eye.


    Mearbahn kept his face down. Chambery with a vague smile. The rest of the nobles darting their eyes around, confused at the pace at which the situation was changing.


    Everything is ording to n. He was the one in control here. There was no one who would stand up against him since he was the one who ousted Lavallee.


    "No objections, am I correct in assuming? Then let''s continue. First"


    With this momentum, he would start a vote on whether they should form an alliance with Tullius faction. With the merit gained from the alliance, he would secure his position as a leader of the faction. Once he secured a firm position in the Centralist faction, he would start the purge of the decentralised faction  the fools withrge territories. The old man had let these country-dwellers get too carried away by idling and not doing anything to them. Now that he, a young leader, was taking the helm, he was going to demonstrate that things were not going to be the same.


    Once the kingdoms internal problems are settled, it wouldnt be all that bad to go for the prime minister role. It was a position that even Lavallee could not attain, the ultimate position that they, as vassals of the kingdom, could hope to attain. Or perhaps the option of being rted to the royal family would be appealing. With some luck, the lineage of the Langognes would end up as the ruler of the kingdom.


    The thought of it sent an inexplicable rush of pleasure down his spine.


    Langogne was intoxicated by the endless possibilities and future that awaited him. He truly believed that everything was within his grasp. Hepletely forgot about the lingering pain in his cheek caused by Linus Oubeniel.


    "Congrattions, sister-inw."


    "Yes. Thank you, Sir Tullius."


    Simone smiled back, with a hint of embarrassment, after I congratted her. It seemed that there were many shocking things that happened in the royal capital, but I was d that she was feeling better now.


    We were now at my home, in Man.. My sister-inw lost her family once more due to brother causing an incident at Broussonne. It seemed that her rtionship with the servants in the Oubeniel family was not pleasant, and so, at a loss to who to turn to for help, she came to me.


    So, a week has passed. She had beenpletely depressed and sickly when she visited. However, today''s health examination revealed a fact.


    ......What fact? I''m sure anyone would be able to guess by the way she was happily patting her belly, though there were no signs of any bulge at all.


    "Please take better care of yourself from now on, madam."


    Uni respectfully bowed whilementing. After all, this was an examination that should only be performed by another woman. As she was from the same sex, she was more suitable for the job.


    In response, Simone gave a small giggle.


    "Of course, of course. Now that there is a very, very important new life in here."


    Yes, a joyous asion indeed.


    Of course, the child in her belly was truly my brother''s child. I did not possess enough poor taste to consider sleeping with my brother''s wife, nor was I interested in starting any unnecessary rumours. A scandal due to rtionships with women was far more impactful on reputation than human experiments with ves. Naturally, I would be disinclined to be put in such a dangerous position.


    "So, I am about to be an uncle? I thought I was still young, though."


    "Uh-huh. Even so, you''re twenty now, aren''t you? Don''t you think it''s time for you to have a real child, not just a niece and nephew?"


    "Haha, yes, you''re right. I''ll think about it."


    I had simply meant for it to be a light-hearted remark. The unexpected response from Simone left me scratching my head.


    That''s right, I''m already 20 years old. In addition to that, if we were tobine it with my previous life, I''m already old enough to be called an old geezer. I guess it wasnt that strange to have a nephew or two now. It was even more so in this world where the marrying age was much earlier. I would not be surprised if somebody my age had at least one child by now, and in fact, it would probably be considered strange for me to not have any romantic flings...

 Chapter 61: Successor of the Crest 2 (3)

    Chapter 61: Sessor of the Crest 2 (3)


    But, well, depending on the definition of having children, I do have them. I raised Uni and created Fem. Seis calls me her father too. Well, the only person among them who was Simone''s acquaintance was Uni though.


    "But there is no need to be hasty. The House of Oubeniel will be inherited by your twins after all.."


    "Sir Tullius......"


    My words made her eyes moist, as if she was feeling very emotional now.


    Her son would eventually inherit the Oubeniel Count family. I have made preparations to announce that publically. In ce of my brother who was sent to a monastery, I would temporarily take the position and responsibilities as the interim head of this family. However, as long as the blood of a legitimate son exists, it was the right thing to do to return it eventually.


    "Are you sure you want to do this? You can treat it as my thanks to you..."


    "Don''t worry about it. The head of the Count''s family is too much for me to handle...... Brother, ah and Father, when he was alive and well, had always been saying that. Im fully content with governing Man. Of course, I am willing to serve as a substitute so that your child would not have to face too much hardship in the future."


    "I''m so sorry. Ill leave everything to you then."


    "Please dont feel this way. This is like atonement for my sins. I''m sure what happened to brother was partly the stress I caused him, so please let me do at least this much."


    Really, there was no need for her to worry about this and that. Even I stood to gain by having my brother''s child take the reins.


    If there were a formal heir to the Oubeniel family, I would be able to avoid the greedy people who would try to force me into a political marriage. Aside from the factions members who were at my beck and call, the rest of the nobles were apparently excited by the prestige thates with the Count''s family and the territories that came with the rank, even if the Oubeniel name was tarnished. Surely this baby would be able to suppress such people from drawing near. Even if I am rted to him, it would be my brother''s child who would eventually hold authority in the future.


    What I don''t like about political marriages was the fact that they add new rtives to the family. The number of people I have to interact with would increase, and if I ever slight them, it would be one heck of a pain. Even if I tried to suppress it with my own methods, the effort and cost would not be zero.


    I''m going to be very busy with how brother ended up. I shall dly rely on the baby in her belly as a dam against all the trivial matters.


    "Conversing for too long is not good for your health. I''m sure you''re still tired, so why don''t you take some time off and rest?"


    ".......Yes, I will do that."


    Simone stood up somewhat regretfully and walked towards the door.


    Oh, yes. I have to check one thing before I do that.


    "Miss Simone."


    "What is it?"


    She looks back at me curiously.


    "Do you think you are in bliss now?"


    To her current plight, this might seem like an absurd question to ask. A ve has cuckolded her and he has gone mad. She was young with a growing belly. No matter how much her brother-inw guaranteed the future of her child, the situation was not light enough to make everything fine.


    And yet...


    "Yes, I''m happy."


    She smiled brilliantly, as if she were arge flower blooming.


    "My new family is right here...... so close to me. If I don''t call this happiness, what should I call it?"


    She then affectionately caressed her belly, showing her affection to the beloved child she carried within her body. There would be nobody who would think that she was deserving of pity with how happy she looked.


    All mothers be this strong, huh? This exnation seemed to connect the dots for me.


    "That''s good to hear. Well, take care of yourself"


    Victor Dcroix Lorge entered his lords office, switching ces with the former countess. There, the lord, Tullius Shernan Oubeniel, was being served tea by his prized ve.


    "Your Excellency. Did you not serve tea to the Madam?"


    "......I was not trying to be inhospitable. Stimnts like caffeine and herbs are too strong for pregnant women and can be harmful. I wish for her to give birth to healthy children."


    As he said so, Tullius took the cup from Uni''s hand and brought it to his lips. The way he was enjoying the aroma and taking it easy... It appears that Tullius waspletely rxed.


    In other words, things must have gone well.


    "Was your treatment of her a sess?"


    "Otherwise, I would be somewhat more panicked."


    Treatment? Of course, brainwashing treatment.


    Where else in the world could give such happiness to a woman after such an ordeal? When she arrived in Man, Simone was in a terrible state. She looked so devastated and ghostly that Victor thought it would be better to send her to the monastery alongside her husband. It would be impossible for her to recover from such a situation in a short time, unless she was messed up in her head.


    And that kind of external method was the trademark technique of this, casually drinking tea, alchemist.


    "It''s a piece of cakepared to the procedure I did on Drei and you guys. Simone is a lonely person, you know. I biased her view on things a little bit and redirected her loneliness and hunger for affection towards the child in her belly. That''s how we end up with a young and strong caring mother."


    As Tullius sipped his tea, he blurted out atrocities as though they were nothing.


    ......Victor had heard how she cried out to Tullius that summer day, the morning after Linus did something to her. She had said, "Let me go home, let me go home to my parents."


    However, no matter how good an alchemist he was, he couldnt bring her parents back to life when they were already dead. Perhaps he has ideas on how to do so, but the world would not tolerate it. So instead, Tullius gave her a new family.


    Children were the perfect recipients of affection.


    "It is ironic then, isn''t it? To be impregnated in the same manner as the ve involved in an affair with her husband."


    Victor was slightly amused.


    The reason for the events this time was the pregnancy of the female ve. This was all arranged by Tullius. And he used the same method to give Simone a child as well.


    "Being impregnated in the same manner is an odd choice of words, isn''t it? There''s usually not that much variation in the way children are made."


    "Certainly. But the measures you have taken are not the obvious ones, are they? Then I think it''s appropriate to describe it as such."


    "Well, that''s something you and Laubert would say...... Well, I don''t hear of any artificial insemination technique being used anywhere but here, huh."


    Artificial insemination. A technique in which the sperm of a man and the ovum of a woman are extracted to produce a baby entirely artificially.


    This was the technology used in the production of the EE series and Opus 06, Seis. With this technique, the poption of the long-lived elves could be increased as easily as sowing seeds in a field. There was no reason why it could not be used for humans.


    The surprise visit to Volden''s mansion and the hospitality. That was done in order to secretly collect Linus''s semen. In order to do this, the couple were treated to an energy boosting meal. Hopefully, the couple, despite their cold rtionship, would get down to business and the following day, the relevant cells could be extracted from theundry.


    And while Linus was stuck at his post in Volden with his political duties as lord, the ve he had kept was kidnapped. And then, an offspring is nted in her.


    In order to secure the target, Drei, who possesses the eye of mind control and had the flexibility to move with teleportation magic, took action. Even if the opposing party were aware of Tullius brainwashing techniques, there was no way they could prevent everybody from being affected. The cost of protection against brainwashing was very high. The important servants of Linus came along to Volden. The protective gear would have been given to them. Even though she was the mistress of the head of the family, there was no way that a mere ve could be valued enough to be given an amulet to ward off brainwashing or be given security protection. Linus Oubeniel was a person who could not act againstmon sense. Unlike his...... brother, Tullius.

 Chapter 61: Successor of the Crest 2 (4)

    Chapter 61: Sessor of the Crest 2 (4)


    Once the preparations were in ce and the ve was returned to the mansion in the royal capital with a growing belly...... News of it would naturally spread to the nobles who were incentivised to take down Linus and Lavallee. These nobles would act to remove Linus, who impregnated a ve despite not having a legitimate child. That was the n this time.


    "By the way, Victor, you''re not doing all that bad for yourself huh. When I heard that brother killed the ve on the spur of the moment, I thought we had messed up. But as it turns out, it was a great sess. You did great, really."


    "No, no. I''m still very much inexperienced. This time round, you''ve been saved bydy luck."


    Victor let out a sigh of frustration. He had not expected this w in the n.


    Based on the information that Laubert had obtained, the n was to utilise the artificial insemination technique that Tullius possessed. The one who came up with the idea was Victor, of all people. He had poured his heart and soul into crafting the n, hoping to get rid of that eyesore of an old man, but the problem was the pawns he used in the final stages.


    "......Count Langogne. He''s not what he seems to be, is he?"


    They would have never dreamed that he could lead the conversation such that Linus would kill the ve. Fortunately, Linus wentpletely insane and the blunder resolved on its own, but Victor felt very uneasy that he waspletely certain it would not turn out like that. If Linus had not gone out of his wits, he might have been able to argue, despite it beingpletely nonsensical, that it was Langogne who had impregnated and killed the ve. No, if Victor was in his position, he would definitely choose to do that. If the ve was still alive, he could use the magic of obedience to find out who the father was. On the other hand, if she was killed, everything would be buried in darkness.


    Though he did not seem to show much interest, Tullius asked.


    "Was he really that bad? He is the youth leader of the Centralists, right? Didn''t you choose to use him because he was capable?"


    "Nope. I used him because he was just the right pawn to use for this strategy,pared to the other nobles."


    Victor exined further.


    "The first choice might be, my own family, Count Lorge. He would be out of the question. After all, he is a dog of Lavallee who was forced to have a concubine as if she were an object, and even had to recognize the child that was in her belly. If I were to indirectly pass this information disadvantageous to Lavallee, he would probably consult his owner while wagging his tail."


    He cursed his family for mistreating his mother and for letting her die. Tullius, too, snickered, but he nodded in approval and urged him to go on.


    "Next, Count Chambery. He is a bat. A creature that cannot live without a branch to hang on to, incapable of knocking down a decaying tree to pave the way. Thus, he is unsuitable, in my opinion."


    "So the only people in the Centralist faction who were capable of ousting Lavallee are Count Mearbahn and Count Langogne? I wonder why you didn''t choose Count Mearbahn then?"


    "He''s one of the oldest members of the faction. While he may not like the old man, he also trusts him for his strength. He has been by his side for a long time. It''s a 50/50 decision at best. You don''t like risky bets, do you?"


    "Of course. Fifty-fifty is such a low probability, I wouldn''t want to bet on it unless it was the only option."


    Tullius responded without hesitation. For him, risk was a concept to be avoided more than futility. After all, he was not willing to die and was attempting a moonshot  inventing a way to be immortal.


    "See, the only one left is Count Langogne, right? That''s why I had no choice but to use him. Of course, since he''s the face that brings the younger members of the faction together, I was expecting him to hold a certain amount of ability"


    "But, the way it went, it''s not what you had expected."


    "Yes. In the end, he proved to be a man who only has big talk but no real capability."


    Victor tried to think through the achievements by Count Langogne. He was a man who inherited his parent''s position in an orderly fashion and became the face of the young aristocracy as he was carried along by those around him. He was the kind of person who, from birth, walked on red carpetid by others and truly believed that the carpet would stretch out forever. He had never suffered like him, who was kicked out for being an illegitimate child, nor has he worn out the soles of his shoes looking for a job like Laubert did. Surely he must not have had major conflicts with his brothers like Tullius did too. Even though he was over thirty years old, he was still a young man who never faced true difficulty.


    "But..."


    Uni, who had been silently listening to both of them, opened her mouth for the first time.


    "Since he is such a person as you describe, surely he could be easily manipted."


    "If he was ipetent, that might have been the case..."


    Victor smiled bitterly.


    "When the person being manipted thinks he or she is capable, the maniptor has a lot more work to do. Like this time, they''ll do all kinds of unnecessary things."


    "In other words, an ipetent worker?"


    That''s how Tullius summed it up. Tullius usually makes half-baked remarks, but sometimes he has a way of saying things that are right on target. Victor solemnly wished that Tullius could be like that all the time.


    "I see, I can understand now."


    "The problem is that even ipetent workers have to be used. He is a valuable link to the centralist faction. If we can brainwash him, it will be quicker, but it will be difficult if he is a big person with roots in the capital."


    "Theres no end to annoying matters, isn''t it? I have to take over my brother, reorganize the vassals, and negotiate with the centralists. I don''t know when I''ll be able to concentrate on my research. ......Uni, refill."


    "Yes, right away."


    The expression on Tullius'' face as he grumbled gloomily did not show any guilt for driving his brother to madness. In fact, you could even see him ming his brother for causing him trouble.


    Victor thought to himself, he really has an unreasonable lord. However, while Victor might have a grudge against his own father, he had fully devoted himself to a scheme to rid Lavallee of his position. Perhaps then, Tullius and Victor were a great pair as lord and retainer.


    "Then again, we have finally gotten rid of the biggest thorn in our side. Nothing can be considered too excessive in regards to that."


    Victor could feel the dark pleasure crawling up his spine because he finally had dealt a blow to the man who had abandoned him and his mother. It was not enough to have driven him from his position as the leader of the faction, but this was all he could do at the moment. However, if he were to continue aiding his lord, there would be more opportunities for him to give the old man a hard time.


    "Both brother and Lavallee have been dragged down from the stage...... But other than the old man, I think what happened to brother was... unfortunate."


    "Hmm?"


    These were unexpected words. Victor never thought that Tullius would say that he missed his brother, with whom he had always been at odds.


    No, this wasn''t pity, judging from the way he''s been talking. He must be regretting that he couldn''t get his hands on something useful as a pawn.


    Tullius took out a small fist-sized lump from his pocket and released it at us.


    "What is this, sir?"


    "It''s a potato. It''s a crop grown in another continent. It grows well in rough soil and cold weather. My brother was trying to nt this in his territory as a hardy crop."


    "Oh?"


    Now this was certainly interesting. Even Tullius, who could use alchemy to change the properties of the soil, would have difficulty changing the weather. It would not be impossible to do so with the magic of Drei or Seis, but even so, it would be a heavy burden to them. It would not hurt to grow some hardy crops in case of a wheat failure or other natural disasters.


    "Linus Oubeniel is a man of internal politics, isn''t he? Now that I think about it, he had done most of the governing from the royal capital, but there doesnt seem to beplete copse in this far-flung territory."

 Chapter 61: Successor of the Crest 2 (5)

    Chapter 61: Sessor of the Crest 2 (5)


    "Its more amazing than you think. He must have been able to find and correct minor discrepancies from letter reports, and take steps to ensure that nothing is overlooked. Well, if he could have done that, I wish he had taken better care of Man before I arrived, too."


    He was a man of outstanding administrative skills. He was more like a shrewd bureaucrat than a lord. He must have been a very rare talent for the centralised faction for managing territories under orders of the kingdom.


    This would certainly be a shame. But at the same time.


    "However, we already have Sir Victor and others on the internal affairs side."


    Exactly as Uni had described, Tullius have Victor and Laubert here to handle internal affairs. The addition of Linus would certainly make things easier. But after he teamed up with Lavallee, the disadvantages of trying to court him were not bnced by the advantages. It was a bad deal.


    "Yes, I suppose it''s no use regretting what has happened Rather than that, lets n how to grow these potatoes in Man. Wasn''t therend that wasn''t suitable for wheat fields but could be nted with these potatoes?"


    "Yes. I will have the subordinates report on it."


    "Uni, you should share potato seeds with theb''s food department. This should improve our underground self-sufficiency."


    "Yes, master."


    Once that was decided, the rest was history. Linus Strein Oubeniel''s name would never be mentioned again. That was the extent of Tullius brother to them.


    "I''d like to change the subject, your Excellency. I''ve finished that thing, and I will bringing it to you.  Enter."


    "Excuse me."


    At his signal, one of the B-series entered the room with a rolled up cloth under his arm. Victor doesn''t like to have his ves carry such formal items, but their Lord paid no mind at all.


    While worrying about this point, Victor unfolded the item he took from the ve.


    The g was evidently heavy, as itnded on the ground with a thud.


    Painted on it was a red and ck shield with the crest of a snake and its tail.


    "This is the crest of the head of the Oubeniel family. From now on, the seals and decorations used in the house will be reced with this design. Please disy this banner in this room as a token of your honour."


    This symbol of his Lords ascension in power left Victor slightly excited. But as for Tullius...


    "Hmm. Uni, go ahead and do it."


    "Yes, master. It will be done immediately."


    The symbol of the head of the count''s family, which many nobles would have coveted with bloodlust and which his brother had tried so hard to protect, did not impress its new owner all that much.


    "...... I''ve been thinking about this for a while."


    Uni muttered to herself as she quickly hoisted it up and adjusted the angle a few times.


    "This crest is only suitable for master, isn''t it?"


    "Really? Well, its just some fancy design that might bring good luck to me."


    It appears that Tullius did not dislike the g.


    What were Tullius ancestors thinking when they came up with this design two hundred years ago? But for a mad alchemist seeking immortality, no emblem could be more appropriate.


    A serpent in a circle, representing perfection and eternity.


    The symbol of Oubeniel had finally passed to a bearer worthy of its meaning.

 Chapter 61.5 Extra - A fleeting...... (1)

    Chapter 61.5 Extra - A fleeting...... (1)


    This dream...


    I feel like I''ve been in this dream for a long time.


    "......ey. Hey, Tullius!"


    A strong shake on my shoulders woke me up from myfortable slumber.


    I blinked my sleepy eyes and saw my brother looking back at me with a fed up expression.


    ......It was strangely diforting.


    Would my brother, Linus Strein Oubeniel, have been the kind of person who would wake up his napping brother?


    I was curious about that so I asked him.


    "Oh, brother? Why are you waking me up?"


    "Oh dear. Just when you have finally woken up and this is what you say."


    Brother grumbled and sighed.


    "We''re finally at Volden, and he''s still napping next to me. Of course I''m going to wake him up."


    We were now at Volden.


    Those words somewhat cleared my hazy mind.


    Ah. I was in a carriage on my way to Volden, wasn''t I? Since I was headed towards Brothers territory, I sat beside him as a passenger enroute there.


    There''s nothing strange going on. I might be an oddball, since I have memories from a different world, but we were still blood brothers. Its perfectly normal for us to be moving together.


    But why were we together? Why does it feel like some of the pieces in the puzzle dont fit together? This scenery should be perfectly natural, but something feels out of ce.


    As I tilted my head, I heard a chuckle from the seat across.


    "You brothers are as close as ever. I''m so jealous as a fiance."


    It was my brother''s fiance, Simone, who said so with a mischievous smile.


    Well, this wasnt the norm, was it? On a journey by carriage, it was abnormal for two male brothers to sit next to each other without their beautiful fiances.


    That''s exactly what''s so dizzyingly strange about this situation, isn''t it?


    I ignored the nipping difort in my chest and called out to her.


    "No, no, we arent ignoring Miss Simone. I thought you were sitting across me so that my brother could see your beautiful face throughout the journey."


    "Wha! Hey, hey, Tullius!"


    "My, how ttering."


    My brother''s white face flushed instantly, and she responded in an amused, not-too-subtle way.


    ......Looking at such a scene, I couldnt help but feel the unnaturalness I felt after waking up was just my imagination.


    Ah, this must be our daily routine.


    My brother, who was strict but shy, and my future sister-inw, who handled him with grace. My life revolves around such people.


    I don''t know why I''m realising this now, but Simone is turning the water toward me again.


    "Then again, your timing couldnt be any worse, Sir Tullius."


    "Timing?"


    "Yes. You fell asleep just as we were passing through the wheat fields."


    Brother snorted in amusement.


    "Seriously. What kind of idiot snores away when greeted by the fruits of their efforts? Its because you are like this that..."


    "Yes, yes. We can take our time with the lecturingter. Dont we need to make your entrance to the mansion?"


    "Ahaha. Exactly. Thank you for your help, future sister-inw!"


    I quickly ran out of the carriage like a rabbit. ording to the Thirty-six Stratagems, the best thing to do in a tight situation is to beat a retreat. Trailing behind me were, "Wait, Im not done yet! What''s with your terrible manners?"


    While listening to hisints, some memories came back to me.


    I had consulted my brother on a proposal of mine, to improve the territory using alchemy. Specifically, we could make the soil in the fields more fertile with the help of arge number of alchemists, or we could distribute inexpensive elixirs to the poor who could not afford church services. The end result could go either way, but judging from the reaction of my brother, it went well.


    My brother, however, was still blurting out something while getting off the carriage.


    "Really, you......Its because you always behave withoutposure like a child that you have not aplished great deeds."


    "Are you still saying that? Do me a favour and let''s discuss thister, brother."


    "Fufufu, please dont be so mean, Sir Tullius. When somebody is paying a lot of attention to you, it means they care fondly of you, so please take heart."


    And Simone, as the fiance, quickly jumped to support him.


    "Besides, he seems to have a tendency to talk too much when he''s with someone he''sfortable with."


    "Simone, don''t go off on a tangent."


    Simone replied with a dejected look. However, it seemed that such a bashful tonecking in strictness was not enough to stop ady in a good mood.


    "By the way, have you heard yet? He''s wondering whether he should let you take over part of his domain or find a family for you to marry into. That''s why he''s being so harsh with you now."


    "What, is this for real?"


    That''s a bit of a problem. I dont have the confidence that I can handle such a heavy responsibility. The best I could do with my management skills learned under the few years of working alongside my brother was to help in small matters. I''ve no intention of following in his footsteps since I was a child, so I didn''t receive any education in that area, or more like actively avoided them. I cant possibly be tasked with go handle the duties of lord from today onwards just like that


    I must have made a really sour face. When my brother saw my expression, he gave a surprised look while saying Oh?.


    "You don''t have to be so reluctant. It''s true that you are using questionable techniques such as alchemy, but your measures have been producing results. As long as you have the ability, it''s only natural for you to work hard to achieve further results in a position that ismensurate with your achievements."


    "No, a positionmensurate with achievement should only belong on thep of brother......"


    "Ah, no way."


    My excuse was tly rejected.


    "Why is it that we nobles are blessed with warm clothing and food, and are served by our people? It''s because we fulfil our duty as befits our noble lineage. We have the duty to protect and nurture thends given to us by the King and to serve as the royal family''s defences. To let you leisure as you please and allow your abilities to rot away is to go against our duties."


    "Thats Noblesse Oblige, isn''t it?"


    "Yes. It''s called the duty of the nobles."


    It was the duty of those born into privileged positions.


    ......When he said it like that, I felt somewhat guilty. In any case, in addition to enjoying the benefits of the privileged ss, I have also been studying alchemy abroad at the behest of my family. Since I had exercised my privileges to that extent, I should now fulfill my obligations. I have no way to refute when attacked from this angle.


    With no other choice, I raised my hands slowly to surrender.


    "If you say so much, I''ll give it some thought...... but please don''t arrange my marriage. I prefer a marriage born from love."


    "You are an extravagant man, aren''t you? It''s not every day that a noble gets to be with someone he likes."


    That''s what my brother says, but it was he who achieved the ''not-somon'' thing.


    Ourte father had already arranged a marriage for him, but one day he fell in love with Simone, whom he met at a party. This couple caused lots of confusion, since Simones family was from the lower rungs in the centralist faction and especially much trouble for the other party whom brother was engaged to.


    Well, with his territorial management capabilities, he was a person who could ovee any protests. I''ve been helping out a bit, too.


    Anyways...


    "Well, I can always dream right? It''s not like specific ns have been made."


    When I tried to defend my position, a surprise attack came from an unexpected direction.


    "Oh, who is this person that Sir Tullius is dreaming about?"


    It was Simone, of course, who said with deep interest. It seems that even in this world, women love to talk about their love affairs. It seemed that my sensible sister-inw was no exception.


    "For example, the youngdy from St. Gallen who was your schoolmate?"


    She said that she was referring to Frederica-san, who was in the same ss as me when I studied abroad.


    "No, it''s not. She was always mean to me."


    "I don''t know. I think a man like you might be better suited to a woman who can be somewhat direct, don''t you?"


    Even my brother grinned and said so.


    Simone was more on the frank side, so I couldnt help but wonder if he was projecting his own preferences.


    "If she heard this, she would just snicker."


    I let out a dryugh.


    After all, when Frederica was chatting with a schoolmate and when the subject of romance came up, she was heard to have said resolutely, "Im never going to fall in love with Oubeniel. I mightckmon sense as an aristocrat, but theres no way for me to be that dense when such ady had expressed herself so directly. She''s not a bad person, but I don''t feel like I could get close to her even if the world changed tomorrow.

 Chapter 61.5 Extra - A fleeting...... (2)

    Chapter 61.5 Extra - A fleeting...... (2)


    "Besides, we would first need to take care of your marriage ceremony. It''s right after we return from this territorial inspection, right?"


    Sensing that the tides were against me, I tried to change the subject.


    My brother''s wedding was scheduled to be held when summer ended and autumn arrived.


    "Yeah, I guess."


    My brother gave me an embarrassed smile.


    "The territory is prosperous. And Simones formal entrance into our family. Our family has been through a lot, but finally..."


    Inspired by his deeply moving words, I couldn''t help but think of all the things that had happened.


    The sudden death of father, who ruined his health while living in luxury. A quick trip back from studying abroad. Dropping out of school to join brother in quelling internal disputes. After that, he continued to use his skill in internal affairs and ploys to get things done. And then, just when I thought we could take a break, brother, for whatever reason, fell in love with a woman connected to the centralist faction. ......Never mind, lets not talk about that. It wasnt Simone''s fault. It''s the fault of brother, who was usually a serious person, but doing as he pleased at a critical time.


    "Yeah, a lot has really happened. A lot."


    "......Oi, Tullius. Are you trying to say something about me?"


    "Hehe, it''s just your imagination, just your imagination."


    Yes, it''s just his imagination. Its not like Tullius was revealing a crooked smile nor was there any hidden exhaustion on his face. If he indeed appeared like that, it must be because Tullius was thinking about that person, surely.


    As the heartwarming conversation continued,


    "Alright, alright, save your breaths forter. It''s not toote to continue after we enter and rest in our room."


    "......Okay."


    "......Okay."


    We both ended up being scolded by Simone.


    We were so tight-knit, really.


    It became nighttime.


    "......Ugh, I''ve had too much to drink......"


    I opened the window of my room to let in the cool air, and leaned against the frame, while rxing my entire body.


    A wee party was held by the vassals who took care of the territory in the absence of their lord. I drank too much of the famous red wine of Volden.


    I am weak to alcohol, but I was made to drink nheless. Regardless of which world it was, it appears that there are people who refuse to start a conversation without first having a drink. Why is this so? I wish the world was kinder to those who couldnt hold their liquor.


    "Heh. You lookpletely out of it, Tullius."


    As Imented at the injustice of the world, my brother called out to me with an amused look. How could he be like this when his brother is pale and suffering.


    "Are you sure, brother? Shouldnt you stay with Miss Simone?"


    I took a dig at him to counter, and he frowned.


    "Don''t be silly. Even though we''ve pledged our futures to each other, we''re still unmarried. It is unthinkable for us to meet thiste at night."


    "Oh, I see......"


    My face stiffened.


    Man, hes so strict. I guess he thinks that premarital sex is sinful, as would an upright religious person. However, they were both over 20 years old. Surely whatever they do would be tolerated. I wonder if Miss Simone feels like a fish that failed to eat the bait and yet, was caught.


    Well, phrasing it like that might be too crude.


    ...We were both silent.


    Us two brothers stood side by side, admiring the scenery outside.


    The meadows of Volden were illuminated by the fading moonlight. The scenery of the summer grasses rippling in the night breeze caressing the teau made the viewer''s heart feel neither tranquility nor destion. Just emptiness.


    Suddenly, my brother opened his mouth again.


    "Hey."


    "What is it?"


    He looked away once before continuing.


    "When I think about it, Ive been giving you a hard time."


    "I could say the same."


    I said in a jest with the intention of reducing the seriousness in his look.


    However, it was not all a joke. I am sure that my presence had been a burden to my brother Linus Strein Oubeniel.


    Our father was a foolish person, who wanted a superior child to enhance our family name while ignoring everything else and indulging in luxury. What he got in exchange for his wife''s death was this me, a reincarnation of a person from another world.


    My father had unusually high expectations of me, because as a child, I had acted differently since I had my memories and experiences from my previous life. At one point, he even wished for me to be the next head of the family, over my brother who had received a strict education from an early age. It must have been a burden for my brother.


    "If that''s true, you''re the one who should have been in this position......"


    You see, my father''s cold treatment and me as a special being still casted a shadow in his mind.


    I couldn''t resist the urge to sigh as he shared his woes with me.


    "Hah...... I''ve told you many times that we should stop talking about it. First of all, I can''t be the head of the family. I''m a personcking in empathy. Do you think such a person would have the spirit to take on the royal court and the various lords and their vassals?"


    "And what you would always say is brother is better suited for it, huh?"


    My brother looked distantly at me as though he didnt ept such a reasoning, but that was in fact, what I had always thought.


    I wouldnt be able to manage viges and cities while in the royal capital hundreds of kilometers away. The same goes for socialising with nobles from other families. There was no way I could endure half an hour, much less hours of a nobles rhetorics.


    What was required of those who stood above others was neither the knowledge from my past life nor alchemy. The answer was more straightforward and simple. A sense of responsibility, patience, and a little bit of tolerance. That was all that was necessary, and Ick such qualities. That''s why the current situation, with my brother standing at the top and me lending a little wisdom from below, was not the wrong decision.


    Brother shook his head in a pained expression.


    "Even so, because of my powerlessness, your dream..."


    He was probably referring to the time when I had to drop out of the magic academy after father''s sudden death. The study of alchemy and my quest for immortality. That''s what I''ve been pursuing ever since I was born  No, ever since I was reborn. He must be regretting that his brothers dream had to be disrupted midway because I had to lend him a hand.


    But that doesn''t matter now.


    "I don''t mind at all. That was something I knew wasing anyway."


    My voice, shivering in the cool summer night air, was dry.


    The realisation of immortality through alchemy. This ridiculous ambition of mine was like a mirage that gets further away the closer I get. Learning from the wisdom of my predecessors, and with my own unique take as a neer, I had tried different innovative approaches but still could not find any hints to get closer. Whether I was spending all my time experimenting in the basement or studying under a professor at the academy, I could only sigh at how far off to the end goal I was.


    To put it bluntly, I was tired. I''m tired of being ridiculed and despised by people, and I''m tired of achieving eternity.


    "No matter what happens, I don''t want to die. I''m going to reach immortality  Ive been preupied with such foolish thoughts."


    Those who are alive would eventually die. That was the unchangingw of nature even if the world was different. I was not as arrogant as to stay confident that I could overturn it just because I was able to be reborn by chance.


    No, not because Icked arrogance, but because Icked strength.


    No matter how many times I tried to break through, the wall kept getting thicker and sturdier, and I was the one who broke first.


    "Tullius......"


    The voice of my brother was weak.


    Please don''t look so sad. I''m sure I''ve gone back to the orthodox track.


    And that''s all thanks to my brother.


    ......It''s been twelve years now. My father told me to buy my first ve, and I used it as a test subject for my alchemy experiment. Of course, my father soon found out that I had done such a thing. Naturally, father became furious. In the face of my father''s anger, which I could not tell if it was because he was angry or drunk, I used to reply with my impudent arguments.


    You don''t have to be so angry. ording to thews of this country, ves are not people, but objects, right?

 Chapter 61.5 Extra - A fleeting...... (3)

    Chapter 61.5 Extra - A fleeting...... (3)


    "Father and brother have killed ves before, haven''t you?"


    ...... I was no adorable child. On the contrary, I was more likely to be considered insane.


    My father, unable to argue with such unreasonable arguments, turned red and purple, and his mouth was always left agape. My brother, however, was different.


    He punched me in the cheek and rebuked me.


    What kind of idiot kills for fun? Fool!


    Then he began to lecture me earnestly.


    ves were not treated as human beings because of their sins. Sometimes it could be just because of their inability to pay taxes, thus limiting their rights as human beings. The reason why father and I executed ves was because of them sinning further. In other words, they were executed as a punishment. Yes, the end result was that ves were killed, but the process leading up to them is different. It''s not proper behaviour for a noble to let a ve die in a random and frivolous way, justifying it as an experiment......


    I was made to listen to this kind of lengthy lecture.


    Of course, at first I only pretended to understand and held back my tongue. I don''t want to be lectured to. What do you even know, you''ve never been frightened of the possibility that you might die tomorrow....... I cursed secretly while nning on how to conduct my next experiment. Indeed, I was a brat that was humiliating to bring out to anywhere.


    However, I was only able to keep at that for two to three years. My research stalled and my experiments failed to produce the results I wanted. The prospect of me bing immortal was just like finding a needle in a haystack. The more time I spent like this, the more my passion for eternity faded away.


    As my final attempt at the problem, I unreasonably dered that I was moving abroad for studies, but all I learned was nothing rted to immortality. In the meantime, father died and my brother became busy with the sudden change of the head of the family.


    "I''m sure this is for the best, I''m sure."


    I ended my reminiscing and smiled at brother, who still hasn''t opened his eyebrows.


    The wisdom of alchemy that I had learned for most of my life was insufficient for immortality, but it had helped in the tasks that brother was now responsible for. I was able to improve farnd by altering theposition of the soil, upgrade infrastructure such as wells, and reduce the cost of elixirs as an alternative to healing magic. Alchemy became useful to help others, rather than prolong my life.


    Somewhere along the way, I found happiness and satisfaction that my work was useful to others. That would surely be a much more fulfilling and human way of life than pursuing eternity for selfish reasons.


    So I can''t thank my brother enough for putting me back on this path.


    Even if I am drunk, it was not something that I could easily be honest about. Even more so saying it directly face to face.


    I changed the subject.


    "I''ll ask you the opposite, is brother unhappy?"


    "You''ve got to be kidding me...... What have I got toin about?"


    He jokingly concluded with, "Well, I''m not very happy about being bothered by an old man like Lavallee."


    That was what he deserved. He was asking for it by falling in love with a maiden from a family that belonged in the lower rungs of the centralist faction, which was mostly controlled by the wily old fox. From now on, he would have to battle it out until the old man kicks the bucket.


    Leaving it at that...


    "Then it''s good, isn''t it? As long as you''re happy."


    As long as my family was happy and I could spend my days in peace, there was nothing else I could wish for.


    I realised this as I said.


    (Oh, right......)


    Me and brother, we are family.


    I was reborn, and my memories of the past kept pulling me back, and somewhere in my mind, I thought I was a fake. I thought that my real family had been left behind in another world, and that my father and brother living in this world were inadequate recements.


    It was ridiculous of me to think that way. I am now Tullius Shrunan Oubeniel, living on the continent of Itusera. I no longer the XXXX that lived in Japan. In order to live in this world, this was something I had to first recognise.


    I am such an idiot to only realise it now.


    "......I''m afraid I''m too drunk myself. I have said too much."


    I could hear brothers murmuring from behind as I indulged in self-derision. It''s already thiste. Its time for me to go to bed.


    "You should head to bed early. Too much exposure to the night wind can be harmful to your health."


    "Yes, I know. I''m a firm believer of living as long as possible."


    "Huh. That''s not very convincinging from a frequent night owl."


    We joked about it for a while.


    "Good night, Tullius."


    "Good night, brother."


    We exchanged our greetings and parted ways.


    I continued to look out the window, alone.


    A deste moonlit wilderness. As I looked at such a lonelyndscape, the fear of death suddenly appeared in the space between my heart again.


    But I won''t be trapped by that anymore.


    Tullius Shernan Oubeniel is a reincarnated person. But before that, he is a human being living in this world. He lives a finite life, and when he has lived for as long as he can, he will eventually sumb to death. I was not ready to ept my end peacefully without doing anything, but now, I don''t intend to abandon everything and cling to eternity.


    For the first time in my twenty years of living in this world, I felt from the bottom of my heart that it was okay.


    Linus woke up from his long dream.


    He sat up and looked around. It was a small, cramped room with bare stone walls and a poorly made wooden floor. Next to the simple bed, was an old and smelly night pot. The mere act of staying in this room was enough to damage a persons spirit.


    This was a room in a monastery that housed lunatics, those who hadmitted shameful crimes, or those who had fallen from noble society.


    "Ah......?"


    He tried to recall what he had been dreaming of.


    The dream felt so impossible, but he had deeply wished it was true. But he could not remember the fine details. A dream is something that bes vague once the person wakes up. In addition, Linus'' thoughts were muddled by his madness. Trying to remember his dream was impossible.


    He started moaning and groaning.


    "............"


    Eventually, as if he had enough of it, heid down on his bed again.


    He didn''t want to think about anything else. He just wanted to be alone and quiet without anyone bothering him.


    Linus closed his eyes and fell asleep again, while hugging his knees. He tried to forget the past, the present, and reality, as he fell into a slumber once more. A happy life that existed only in his mind. This was hisst refuge.


    "......Good....... Master."


    From my long, long dream, I was pulled back to reality by such a voice.


    My head felt heavy. My thoughts were in a mess. My eyelids felt like they were glued together, because I could not bring myself to wake up from the dream.


    But I had to get up. Now that she was calling me, it was time to wake up.


    Still in a daze, I raised my body. A cool and soft hand pushed me up. I rested my weight on her hand and manage to pry open my swollen eyelids.


    "......"


    Blinded by the morning light, I looked at the owner of the hand that helped me up.


    A girl in a maid''s outfit with green eyes was looking straight at me.


    "Hah ...... Good morning, Uni."


    "Good morning, Master."


    She  Uni  replied to the sloppy greeting with a sigh, without seeming to be offended. Waking up as usual, it''s a normal morning.


    "You look very tired, how can I help you?"


    "Yeah, yeah...... I''ve had a lot of busy stuff going on for a while now. I haven''t been sleeping enough."


    As I said this, I thought back to my recent busy days.


    After defeating my elder brother and taking the position of Count, I became swamped with the responsibilities. It was a series of tedious and uninteresting tasks, such as controlling the vassals of the count''s family and understanding the internal documents of the new territory. I''m tired and frustrated because I didnt have enough time for research. It''s no wonder I have trouble waking up from sleep. Long dreams were a sign that my sleeps were shallow. I don''t think I was in a healthy state.

 Chapter 61.5 Extra - A fleeting...... (4)

    Chapter 61.5 Extra - A fleeting...... (4)


    "You seemed to be having a bit of a nightmare."


    "Yeah? I guess I was dreaming something weird......"


    I tried to recall what the dream was about. But none of the details came to mind.


    The plot felt strangely realistic, but it also didn''t make a lot of sense...... Oh, that''s right.


    "I thought something felt amiss, bute to think of it, it''s probably because she wasnt there."


    I guess that was the reason for the strange feeling I had about the dream. I remembered that someone came out, but it was not the girl in front of me at least, and I think I even forgot about her existence in the dream.


    How could that be? It''s ridiculous that I failed to remember my masterpiece that acted as my hands and feet, even in a dream.


    "Was I not there, master?"


    "Oh, don''t worry about it. It''s only a dream."


    I waved my hand lightly at her, who took my mumbling seriously.


    Yes, I don''t care about the dreams I have while sleeping. They are just the random mix of memories and thoughts that my brain churns out during sleep. What''s more important were the dreams that I held while awake.


    But Uni seemed to be bothered by it.


    "Master, if there''s something I''m not doing right"


    "No, you don''t have to worry about it."


    I chuckled and shrugged my shoulders. She''s got a very feminine side to her, worrying about the dream like that. Well, she is a teenage girl, so I guess it could not be helped.


    "Anyway, why don''t we get dressed and get on with today''s work. What is the schedule for today?"


    "Yes. Doldran Margrave is supposed to visit and congratte you on your appointment as Count."


    "......He''s so diligent. Just one of those congrattory letters would have been enough."


    Margrave Doldran had been brainwashed into being nothing more than apletely obedient pawn, but still, he had to be treated with hospitality. It''s not like his emotions were removed fully, so if he was treated roughly, stress could umte. More importantly, Victor, who is particr about formalities and etiquette, might get annoyed.


    I wondered how I should wee him.


    As I was making the arrangements, I thought about the dream I had this morning.


    I couldnt remember most of the contents, and I seriously don''t think it matters, but the only thing that bothered me was that...... Uni hadn''t been there.


    My first "work". My first achievement in alchemy. What if this achievement never existed?


    Theck of an excellent pawn could pose an issue, but more importantly......, it would have led to my reduced confidence.


    As a lone person, with nobody to understand or help me, how much conviction and stamina could I really muster in order to attain the far-reaching goal of immortality?


    Just the notion of it was enough to bring me chills. Uni said I was having a nightmare and that might have been the case. Life without her help would have been a nightmare.


    When I thought about it that way, I could understand why she was so upset that she hadn''t been there in my dream.


    I paused and turned my head towards Uni.


    "Let me reiterate."


    "Yes."


    "I need you, Uni."


    At my words, she held her breath and opened her eyes widely.


    ......Why was she acting so surprised?


    I have at least a little bit of gratitude towards her for doing so much for me.


    As I was thinking about this, Uni bowed her head in an exaggeratedly deep manner.


    "I am deeply undeserving of such words. Master."


    Two brothers, separated by feelings, distance, and now even position.


    Could the same dream they had on different beds been a coincidence?


    Perhaps it was some kind of glimpse into another world born from a different possibility.


    However, the true nature of this dream would be difficult to discern unless they were gods.


    No, the gods of this world have no way of knowing this.


    It had to be so.

 Chapter 62: Before the storm (1)

    Chapter 62: Before the storm (1)


    Leaves were beginning to dye in the colour of autumn. The autumn harvest was just around the corner. Likewise, the appearance of the Lords office began to change. Tapestries on the walls were reced with banners with the family crest, and small furnishings were reced with fancier equivalents.


    Today, I was weing a visitor to such an extravagant office.


    "Lord Tullius. Congrattions on your appointment as the head of the family and as a count."


    "Wee, Margrave Doldran. It''s a pleasure to have youe all the way for your congrattions."


    The guest could only force a smile as he listened to what was probably an indifferent reply from me, Tullius Shernan Oubeniel. Perhaps the listless expression on my face made it too obvious.


    I''m sorry that he had toe all the way to Man, but my promotion was not that big of a deal. After all, brother, the previous head of the family, went insane and lost consciousness. Society must find the whole chain of events unsettling.


    I, personally, am not happy about it at all. I would be most satisfied if I could spend all my time on alchemy research. Just being the lord of a small area like Man was enough trouble. There was enough work to do as it was. Fortunately, I''ve been told that a visit to the capital could wait since the harvest season is near. The reasoning was that the running of the territory should be stable before the end of the year.


    "The new Count looks exhausted."


    "Yeah, it''s really unbearable."


    As I was saying this, I was reminded of my duties the past few days.


    Entertaining royal envoys who were here to grant me my official title. Gathering documents rted to the administration of the entire province. Integration of my current vassge with the direct vassals in the main family. And the list goes on.......


    Handling the vassals was a particr headache. The old Oubeniel family vassals do not get along well with mine like Laubert, Victor, as well as Due, who was my headmost military officer. They must underestimate my vassals, assuming their main roles were to babysit the second son. There was also a sense of repulsion at the thought of having their properties and interests taken away. There was no way they could all get along.


    Rubbing my temples in mncholy, I offered the Margrave a seat and took my own by the desk.


    "Speaking of which, aren''t you moving to Volden?"


    "No way. I''m morefortable at Man, and its troublesome."


    There was no formal obligation that I have to move to Volden, the capital of this province, just because I was the count. I''m going to stay in Man. I''ve spent a lot of time and effort to build and effective for my alchemy research. There was nothing beneficial in moving to Volden, blessed with its wines.


    "Besides, it would be better for the reorganisation of the vassge if Man is made the administrative center."


    "Indeed. If everybody has to follow your instructions from Man, the men in Volden would eventually submit to you."


    That''s what I''m talking about. Without the approval of me, or the head of internal affairs, administrative matters could not proceed. I would set up a system to handle the administration like this. This way, the rebellious new vassals would have to bow to Man, no matter what they thought of this ce. What if they act without my approval? That would be an intolerable act of defiance against the lord that could set the perfect stage for a purge. If some ipetent people tried to do something like that, Laubert would happily seize incriminating evidences and fire them. If they arepetent or could be used, I could call them into Man using their rebuke worthy deeds as a pretext and then do the usual to force obedience on them.


    If it were only my selfishness that kept me from moving the base, Laubert and the others would have shown more annoyance. In addition, Man was rapidly developing into a city for adventurers. This city would be impossible to handle for a random bureaucrat to take over in a moments notice. Laubert and Victor would have to take care of this city for a while. Judging from the growth the city is experiencing, it is very likely that there would be work in the future.


    And now that we have gone this far in this topic...


    "Excuse me. Here is a drink for the Margrave."


    Uni arrived with a cart full of wine and a few snacks.


    The Margrave''s eyes flickered.


    "Oh, that wine is from Volden. Man, I was thinking it would be nice if I could try that"


    "You like it very much, don''t you? Dont me me if your liver starts to get worse."


    "You don''t drink, do you? If its distilled liquor, it can be treated as water. Oh my, it would be impolite to say such a thing about such an excellent wine."


    "I am weak to it so...... Uni, tea for me."


    "Yes, master."


    I couldn''t hide some disgust that crept into my tone. We were in the middle of a serious conversation, after all. As an ex-Japanese, I couldn''t help but feel unimpressed by the idea of drinking alcohol while the sun was still high up in the sky. Well, I guess it''s one of those cultural differences.


    The Margrave enjoyed the famed wine slowly, but after finishing his first ss, he tightened his expression and asked.


    "So, as for the future, am I correct in assuming that you will be working together with the Centralist faction?"


    He asked, squarely.


    This must be his main reason why he came to visit. As the coordinator of my faction, he hase to discuss the intricate matters that could not be done through normalmunication. I know it''s a hassle, but running arge organisation requires closemunication. This was why the entire Opus series would be involved in review meetings after a major operation.


    While it is a problem to have too many useless meetings, it too was a problem to not hold any meetings at all. No matter how much a brain is modified, human beings are not so mechanical that they can function with a one waymunication channel. A sense of solidarity can be fostered through dialogue. On the other hand, stress builds up when a person simply receives instructions without being exined why. In addition, important instructions were less likely to be misinterpreted if they were given face-to-face.


    "I intend to, for now."


    "Huh? That''s unusually ambiguous of you."


    "Why thank you. In any case, I''m afraid progress at the royal capital is not going well."


    I said, shrugging my shoulders.


    Lavallee was made to take the me for my brother and lost his position, and in his ce, the Count Langogne took over the helm. He had been led by us to think that he could ingratiate himself with me, since he had gotten rid of brother and Lavallee, both of whom I had a feud with.


    The n was sessful. Count Langogne had been going around telling his allies to work with us to pressure the Decentralists. But what happened after didn''t go so well.


    "The young people under Count Langogne are confused, but they seem to be generally on board. However, the rest of them seem to be reluctant."


    "Hm......"


    The Margrave put his hand on his chin and appeared to be thinking about something. At the same time, he lifted his ss to ask for a refill. ...Hey, hey, dont get carried away, mister.


    He took a small sip of the second ss before saying.


    "I don''t understand. I can understand a hard-headed man like Count Mearbahn being unwilling, but a profit seeking man like Count Chambery too?"


    "Count Chambery?"


    As I recall, he was an aristocrat with a bad reputation, though not as bad as mine. He was notorious for being a bat who chased after small gains. It was somewhat surprising that the Margrave would mention this man.


    As I thought, the Margrave gave a smallugh.


    "You think he''s an insignificant figure, don''t you?"


    "Am I wrong to think so?"


    "......Not wrong. A man like Chambery is indeed insignificant."


    "Hm?"


    I couldnt fully understand the point he was trying to make then. So why are we focusing on an insignificant figure?


    "He is like a weathervane. A weathervane can only move in the winds direction, but from its movements, we can tell where the wind is blowing."


    "Oh, I see."


    A small person who was just being carried along by the momentum was somehow going against the flow. That''s why he found it unnatural.


    "So you''re saying that the wind is blowing from the opposite direction of Count Langogne?"


    "I suppose so. No matter how infamous you are, an alliance is an opportunity for the Centralist faction to overwhelm the Decentralist faction. For Chambery to oppose it...it must be a rather strong headwind."


    I pondered for a moment.


    Count Lagogne was bending to our will. He might dislike Count Mearbahn, but I''m sure he did not resent him enough to prevent him from making politically rational decisions. Count Chambery did not have enough power to create a flowrge enough topete with Count Langogne on his own. So, who was the mastermind behind this?

 Chapter 62: Before the storm (2)

    Chapter 62: Before the storm (2)


    ......This is giving me goosebumps.


    "Marquis Lavallee."


    He gave the name of an annoying person. The old schemer who was supposed to have been ousted from his position as the leader of the faction due to his rtionship with brother.


    Ah, it makes sense. If there was something stirring up, it had to be the old man.


    "I heard that the old man, when challenged with your brother''s problem, backed down swiftly without any opposition."


    "Yeah. It''s too unnatural, now that I think about it."


    What did Laubert say when he brought in the information that led to brother''s ousting? He was confident that Lavallee was not aware of this. In other words, the earlier move made should have been aplete surprise. He didn''t even hesitate to admit defeat in the face of it.


    Normally, he would have said it was a mistake and stubbornly resisted.


    Aristocratic grace? That''s impossible for him. This was a person who lived longer as a schemer and as a faction leader than my previous life and this lifebined. When it came to persistence, he was second to none, even to me.


    Why would he so easily give up then? The reason is obvious. If he was reluctant and made a fuss of it, it would affect his n to return to the stage.


    "Uni."


    "Yes."


    "Have Laubert go over the documents from the investigation on Lavallee again. Tell him to focus on the flow of money and goods."


    "Yes, master. At once."


    I doubt it. But at the same time, that old man could have done something.


    What if Laubert was wrong and Lavallee had actually caught wind of brother''s scandal? What if he had sat on it and let our ploy progress? What if he had expected and prepared himself to be ousted by Langogne?


    What would be his final goal then?


    "To distract and stall for time."


    There is another scheme going on under the surface, and the n was to keep us from finding out about it. And to buy time until it was time to use it. In other words, even brother was just a pawn in this.


    Margrave Doldran frowned, though I''m sure he didn''t mean to be in sync with my scowl.


    "If that''s what Lavallee is up to, we''re in a bad spot. Since he still has influence within the faction, it seems that he has a n to take back the title of leader from Langogne when the timees. And he will do it even if he has to give up his position temporarily. He must have in ce a trap that makes it all worth it."


    Definitely. If Lavallee was sacrificing my brother, his position in the Centralist faction, and without regard to my increasing power, it had to be a scheme on a muchrger scale thanst year''s fiasco, which was just a matter of a small political marriage.


    Of course, it has not yet been decided that the old man is up to no good. It''s possible that it''s just a matter of the Margrave and I overthinking things. Of course, for the sake of my peace, that would be the best


    However, such naive hopes would soon crumble.


    Before I could even knock, Uni, who was supposed to have been sent away earlier, came back.


    "Master, Lord Laubert has arrived."


    "Thats fast. Is the matter finis"


    "No, that''s not the point!"


    The man who was brought before, Laubert, carried a look of impatience on his face that I have never seen before. He didnt even seem to notice the Margrave, above him in rank, was present as guest too. That was how anxious he was.


    The nagging feeling inside me grew worse.


    "We have received word from our agents in the royal capital! The neighbouring nation of St. Gallen has dered war on our kingdom! On the very same day, they broke through the border and are now advancing on us!"


    "What?"


    Dering war? Already breached our borders?


    "Doesnt that mean it is a full-blown war?"


    "Yes exactly...... a full-blown war!"


    I blurted out withouting to grips with reality, and received a scream-like reply. Margrave Doldran interrupted us, ignoring theck of master-servant rtionship in our conversation.


    "Calm down, young man."


    "Haa...... oh, this is Margrave Doldran. I''m sorry for my rudeness."


    "Good. I dont think it would stop at that. Perhaps the border that was breached was not Allemande at the north?"


    The name of the ce he mentioned was the only bordering tnd connected to St. Gallen. Common sense would dictate that the other country would choose to start their skirmish from there. But that wasnt where they chose to attack?


    Whoa, whoa, dont tell me...


    "Yes. The enemy nation crossed the mountains from Alpes Roune. It is this province of Volden that is being invaded."


    At Laubert''s answer, I looked up to the skies.


    Volden. My territory, which I had just acquired after eliminating my brother. It''s a defencelessnd that was still in the process of being reorganised, not only in terms of military equipment, but also in terms of the bureaucratic organisation. And it''s a ce that I''m obligated to defend to the death, under the guise of being entrusted thisnd by the king.


    And then, without warning, the enemy attacked us?


    Silence prevailed in the room.


    Slightly earlier, on the same day.


    The mountain range that separated Volden in the Kingdom of Arquell and the province of Erebus Rohtlehrgen in the Federation of St. Gallen - formerly known as Alpes Roune. There was a group who walked through the mountain pass.


    It was an invading army.


    The weather in the mountains was cold and harsh. The chilly air, made worse by the strong winds, was as cold as midwinter on the ins even though it was autumn.


    In the bitter cold and strong wind, soldiers d in meagre winter clothings continued to march, shivering in their teeth. One of them tripped and kicked a pebble in the process. The pebble fell to the bottom of the valley with a crunching sound. The wind was blowing so hard that it was deafening, but the ominous sound was unpleasantly clear. There were some who listened carefully and were relieved to hear that it was not apanied by a lingering scream. More than fifty soldiers had already been swallowed into the mouth of the Reaper through this way.


    Marching through the mountains was tough. In addition to the climate, falling idents, difficulties in transportation, and that they have to fight with monsters that have made the mountains their home before even engaging in battle with the enemy soldiers. There were many factors that increased the difficulty. Those who have seeded in surprise attacks over the mountains have left behind their glorious names in the history of war, but it was understandable that many of the younger generation were hesitant to do the same.


    Many of the soldiers are looking with resentment at those on horseback leading the army. It was the general who forced them to march through the mountains so recklessly. From the hatred in their eyes, it wouldnt be a surprise if in the next moment a mutiny started.


    Why this has not happened yet was because the general...could grasp such a mentality. He led the soldiers who hemanded for this mission, ate the same meals as the soldiers did, wore the same thin winter wear to sleep. He rode on horseback simply because it was necessary to show his authority. As proof of this, even in the midst of a gust of wind strong enough to cause people to bend forward, he stood up with his back so straight that others might have thought there was a rod in him to keep him straight. That''s why the soldiers were enduring as best as they could. They were maintaining whatever sanity they had, trying to release their resentment every time they stopped for a break.


    Suddenly, the general stopped his horse. The neigh of a horse, thin with fatigue, sounded, and the soldiers looked up to see what was going on. Then, as if he had been waiting for enough attention to be drawn to him, the general pointed his saber forward.


    He pointed at the top of the mountain pass.


    The descent started from the area where the horses stood and continued to the ins. The gray clouds parted, and the autumn sunshine shone through the gaps into thend of Volden.


    "......Soldiers, look! That is our promisednd!"


    A voice was raised, echoing through the mountain wind.


    "Do you see, thend illuminated by the sun! At longst, we have arrived at Volden, with its sea of golden ears and flowing rivers of wine! To the Kingdom of Arquell!"


    A look of understanding spread across the faces of the soldiers, then exuberance reced it. Those closest to the front of the line were the first to go, eager to see the sight they had been waiting for.


    Atst, at longst, the time hade for them to be rewarded for theirbour. They would be free from the toil of the freezing cold, of terrible tasting food, and from the tiresome journey.

 Chapter 62: Before the storm (3)

    Chapter 62: Before the storm (3)


    "That''s the Kingdom of Arquell......."


    "Look, the leaves! The forest isn''t ck!"


    "It''s the sun, it''s so warm......!"


    "It''s a wheat field! It''s not harvested yet!"


    One by one, shouts of joy rose up from the crowd, eventually spreading to the back of the line where they could not even see the end of the pass. The eyes of the troops all lit up at once. It was the light of hope and desire.


    The general continued to spur them on.


    "We havee. But for what purpose! To stamp on the ground with our horses hooves, to leave our footprints, to take and conquer!"


    "Ohhhhhhh......!""


    "It''s all ours! The harvest of the fields, the meat from the farms, the gold of merchants, the wine, the women! Do not hesitate. Take it all! Kill anyone who stands in our way!"


    "Uooohhhhhhhhh!""


    A wild shout echoed from the foothills, and a startled wild antelope ran down the cliff in escape.


    The soldiers were now turning the negative thoughts they had directed at their general against the unseen enemy troops.


    The general shouted.


    "......Advance!"


    With hismand, the spearhead of the St. Gallen army began to move.


    Moving their tired bodies with their burning soul, they avnched down to the defenceless earth before them.


    At the same time, in the royal capital of Broussonne, the deration of war was being read out as if it had been nned.


    The attack was perfectly timed with the deration of war.


    and back to Man.


    "......this?"


    I couldn''t help but distort my face as a shiver of realisation came over me.


    "Huh? What is it, my lord? Did something happen?"


    "The Second Order of the Imperial Guards is still stationed here since summer."


    They were led by an absurd female knight called Elisha Rosmond Balbastre. Even after the inspection was over, they continued to stay in the territory, giving excuses such as military exercises, training, and whatnot.


    "Ah, yes. Is this the silver lining? If we work with them and deal with the enemy"


    "Silver lining? What''s fortunate about that?"


    Laubert twitched at my sharp rebuke while Uni looked up.


    "Do you mean that? Master."


    "Ah. Then that must have been an opening move......!"


    A group of knights of the Imperial Guards came to inspect the area under the pretense that there were disturbing movements in the neighbouring country. At the time, we thought it was an escort attached to my brother. No, it may have truly been that as well. However, the true intention of the people who sent them was different. They really thought that St. Gallen was going to attack.


    Margrave Doldran opened his mouth while stroking his beard.


    "Having the Imperial Guards patrol the borders was initiated by"


    "Lavallee. The Imperial Guards was an armed organisation that the Centralist faction could easily win over to their side, and the old man was promising to expand their ranks. He could have easily influenced an Order to do an inspection."


    "Indeed so. He was the one who saw this surprise attacking?"


    The fact that he was able to move his forces to prepare for a surprise attack at the same time as the deration of war, and then have them attack. It was enough to regain his reputation in the Centralist faction, and gain his position as leader once more.


    "It''s probably more than that. I wouldnt think it was as simple as seeing the surprise attacking."


    When things align too well, the first suspect is that it was all nned. That old man also went through this method of thinking and realised that I was the one who started the Great Fire in the royal capital. The Great Fire had moved too much in my favour.


    This time, on the contrary, a big deal happened at the right time to benefit Lavallee. So, I''m going to follow that line of thought as well.


    "And what do you mean?"


    "Of course, he must have yed an active role in fanning the mes of war."


    I said with conviction, and Margrave Doldran blinked.


    Why would he be surprised now? I can''t imagine the old man being a fisherman, patiently waiting for his desired result toe. In fact, since he was paying a not-so-low price and taking a not-so-low risk, he must have started the war in order not to waste his investment.


    After all, he was a centralist with close ties to the nobles. Even before his downfall, he had been encouraging well-connected bureaucrats and ministers to adopt policies that would provoke neighbouring kingdoms.


    He must have realised that he couldnt stop me from bringing more nobles to my side. That''s why he had been nning and executing a secret n to finish me off with a single blow. But I didn''t know that and I was so absorbed in the small victory I imed earlier. For the old man, it was only a bait so that he could deliver a stronger blowter.


    ......He got me this time.


    I was so annoyed that I started scratching my hair.


    "Ahhh, damn it......!"


    A voice that sounded so anxious that I couldn''t believe it was my own leaked out.


    War? No kidding. A ce where countless people try to kill me in a battlefield that is far from what I enjoy. I was the one who spared no expenses in order for me to not die. If all I want was to not die, why do I have to go through all this trouble one after the other?


    I casually look at the scenery outside the window. There was still no sign of the enemy army in the fields of Man and the outskirts of Volden. But over the horizon, I thought I saw the figure of the enemy who had driven me into this predicament  that old man with a wicked grin, standing there as if to say, "How about now?"


    "Well, you''re in big trouble, new Count."


    It''s been a few years since Lavallee left the royal capital for his own territory. In a mansion where even he, who had grown used to the royal capital, did not find nostalgic. In one of the rooms, the old man was sipping tea alone.


    He waspletelyposed. In spite of losing Linus as a pawn, being kicked from his position as the leader of the faction, the fact that the abominable ''man-eating snake'' became a count, and the news of the war.


    He had known everything from the beginning. Why should he be shocked at all?


    "St. Gallen is strong, you know. After all, theyve been my enemies for fifty years......"


    Why had Lavallee a centralist faction in the first ce?


    They had lost the war fifty years ago. It was because they had been defeated by St. Gallen that he preached the necessity of centralisation as a means of building a wealthy and powerful nation.


    In other words, the neighbouring country was the biggest enemy of the old man. It was the reason why he wanted to get rid of Tullius, who was making suspicious movements in the province. In order to fight against such a powerful enemy, the nobles who were undermining the country for their own interests, and those unknowns who he could not trust to have his back were a hindrance.


    No, perhaps Tullius was now the more fearsome of the two. He was a parasite that brainwashed the nobility, corrupted the state from within, and fed on the silkworms. At the same time, he was a monster crafty enough to make a fool of him once.


    Two insurmountable enemies, one on the outside and one on the inside. What should he do about them?


    The old man''s answer was to pit the two tigers against each other. If they kill each other, all the better. If one of them remained, he would take advantage of the power he had left over and strike them down himself. That was Lavallee''s n.


    He had gone to the trouble of throwing away his longtime position, and had even chosen the unstable and dangerous means of war. And this was the first time that the old man had ever pulled off such arge-scale trick. It was truly a bloodcurdling gamble.


    He felt a bewitching energy fill up in his legs. The blood rushed to his old bones, and his body temperature rose.


    "This is the biggest one I have ever pulled. Now, what will you do on this stage?"


    He cast a peeking nce towards the empty seat in front of him.


    It was as though his eyes reflected the image of a young brat.

 Chapter 63: Like Military Boots 1 (1)

    Chapter 63: Like Military Boots 1 (1)


    Naturally, all things must have a cause before they can have an effect. This is true no matter how astounding the event. A few facts overlooked by the people of that era can chain together to propel the situation to a specific event.


    This war was no different. One day, the war suddenly sparked off with a unteral deration from the Federation of St. Gallen. Up until that point, there were countless events that could be said to foreshadow the war.


    Firstly, the mass outbreak of monsters in St. Gallen.


    This problem that has been guing the country sincest year was not taken seriously by the other countries. After all, it wasmon knowledge by those on the Ithush continent that the monsters of St. Gallen were strong. If the disaster had been so great that it had swallowed up the city, people would have thought that the Demon King had returned. However, most of the monsters that overflowed from the forest area known as the ck Forest were worthless low-ranking monsters. The officials from each country were relieved. After all, they were only goblins and orcs, weren''t they? While there were certainly some powerful monsters in the mix, none of them were intelligent enough to form the core of a major offensive. No matter how many of them there are, they will surely be exterminated in the near future.


    But still, monsters are monsters. They are dangerous creatures whose raison d''etre is to end humanity. They kill livestock, steal food, defile fields, and destroy viges. In fact, in some of the remote rural areas, several viges had been destroyed and vast fields were devoured like locusts by the omnivorous monsters. The food situation in those areas deteriorated rapidly.


    Two. Economic friction with the Kingdom of Arquell.


    Since the war fifty years ago, the two countries of St. Gallen and Arquell had maintained a harmonious rtionship. Although there had been territorial disputes and cultural conflicts and Molbaehr Kingdom which often tried to profit from the two countries fighting, there exists themon enemy of mankind, monsters. Humanity was willing to put down their grudges and take actions jointly in the face of suchmon enemies.


    Specifically, the exchange of students between the two countries. Political marriages between noble families. And economic cooperation. Especially in the area of food products, there was a demand for agricultural products from Arquell, which could be said to be the granary of the continent. Trade thrived in the continent.


    This all changed with the Great Fire in the Royal Capitalst year.


    The fire that destroyed Broussonne, the royal capital of the Kingdom of Arquell, has created arge number of refugees. In order to feed them, there was no time to export food to other countries. If we had prioritised exports at this time, there was a possibility that the starving people would turn into a mob and cause another revolt.


    It was the St. Gallen that broke first. They too were facing starvation because they were hit by the monster outbreak in the same year. In fact, they were in more dire straits because they were behind in agricultural production and they hardly hold any grain reserves. It was the urban region in Arquell that caused the food shortage and they don''t contribute much to food production, so why were they cutting back on exports to them? Such were the emotional cries from the people of St. Gallen.


    Nevertheless, there were considerations made by the Arquellian side. The royal capital was the centre of the kingdom, and the main artery of distribution, the highway, began from this very centre. As long as the damaged royal capital was not taken care of, the transportationwork would not be restored. Therefore, it was within reason to send food to the capital to restore residents anger and to restore public safety in the capital. In addition, a governor would obviously prioritise their own citizens rather than people of other countries.


    It was a rational line of thought. But if rationality could fill ones stomach, then there would not be hardship. The people of St. Gallen, unable to bear increasing shortages and intion of food prices, gradually began to resent their neighbouring countries that were sendingrge amounts of food to the royal capital.


    This was brought to a head by the outflow of money. In order to deal with the aforementioned outbreak of monsters, arge number of adventurers from Arquell travelled to St. Gallen. In the name of facing themon enemy of mankind, these adventurers, enamoured by the opportunity to earn money, went abroad to work. With this, the threat of monsters was somehow dealt with, but once it was over, another problem emerged.


    Money. In order to request an adventurers help in defeating monsters, payment must be made to the Adventurers'' Guild. After considering the guilds fee as a middleman, the adventurer thatpletes the request takes the rest of the reward money. In normal times, this was no problem. Adventurers came to the city to eat, drink, sleep, buy equipment and tools, and even have fun. Such was the flow of money in the economy. Some of the money provided for requests would return to the local economy this way.


    This time, however, things were different. A group of Arquell adventurers had suddenly arrived in St. Gallen to respond to the massive outbreak of monsters. For them, the culture of the neighbouring country was unfamiliar. The food, drinks, and customs were all different in this foreignnd. It was said that many of them were unable to adapt and fell ill.


    The barbards of the East are not to my liking.


    As soon as they hadpleted their requests and umted enough money, they quickly set off for home. They were carrying piles of gold and silver coins that would normally be returned to the ce where the request originated. The adventurers from Arquell mostly decided that it would be better to enjoy good food, wine, and women in their own kingdom. St. Gallen''s share of gold and silver in the economy dwindled at a much faster rate than had been expected.


    All that was left were famine-stricken people, deserted towns, skyrocketing food prices, and a shortage of money. The situation was disastrous. The anti-Arquell movement in St. Gallen grew by the day. The sentiment was that Arquell was stingy with their food exports and greedy for money.


    On the other hand, Arquell paid no heed at all. None was wiser about the impact of their joint decisions. What''s more, they were busy handling their own disaster, so it was inevitable that food exports would be somewhat reduced. The general consensus was that St. Gallen should be grateful that adventurers from the kingdom were assisting them.


    Diplomacy between the two countries was seriously hampered as a result. Due to differences in perceptions, the arguments of the two sides werepletely contradictory, and both sides became increasingly frustrated with one another. Within a year, the 50-year-old policy of peace had be a fragile house of cards..


    The year passed. But the situation remained the same. Insufficient food was exported. Adventurers left after profiting as much as they could. St. Gallen viges agricultural outputs showed no signs of recovery. St. Gallen''s patience had reached its limit.


    Because of the selfish behaviour of the West, our country is in a mess.


    Take back what Arquell has stolen from us.


    War. Time to remind the fools of the lesson from 50 years ago.


    Once that decision was made, St. Gallen, thend of forests and elite soldiers, moved swiftly. They made do with what they had in the way of rations, mobilised secretly, and waited for the deration.


    They chose to start the war during harvest season. The goal was to secure food and feed its people.


    The question was where to attack in the first battle. Common sense dictated that they detour around the mountain range separating the two countries and attack from the territory of the Duke of Allemande in the north. However, there was a problem with that.


    First of all, it was obvious for the Arquell side that if they were going to be attacked, it would be from there. In addition, theirnd faced the North Sea, and a considerable amount of forces had already been deployed to deter Marbhea from across the straits. A fierce battle was expected, and it would be impossible to bring them down in a short period of time. It would be foolhardy to invade such and first.


    The current situation in St. Gallen was not conducive for prolonged battles and wars of attrition. The country''s strength itself was declining due to famine and the economic crisis. It was obvious that if it was a war of attrition, they were more likely to lose steam first.


    Attacking Allemande would not be easy. So what was their alternative?


    After a few days of debate, the war advisers eventually settled on a piece ofnd.

 Chapter 63: Like Military Boots 1 (2)

    Chapter 63: Like Military Boots 1 (2)


    Volden. This was thend that bordered the St. Gallen territory of Erebus Rohtlehrgen across the mountain range. The elevation of the mountain range was somewhat lower than other regions. Perhaps it would be possible tounch a surprise attack by crossing the mountains from there.


    Of course, such was not an easy decision.


    Crossing the mountains was not without its dangers. There was a risk of losing soldiers due to idents during the march, as well as risking battle with monsters. In addition, it was difficult for horses to traverse the terrain there, affecting their supply lines.


    But the allure of taking Arquell by surprise was very difficult to resist. After all, St. Gallen had no little time to spare. In a war where food was scarce, it was understandable that they would rely on surprise, where a single blow would be decisive.


    Then a general made one suggestion.


    "......In the war fifty years ago, where did their defeated soldiers escape to?"


    The war in which St. Gallen captured the western half of the Erebus Rohtlehrgen. In the early stages of the war, the Arquell side lost their leaders and lost their ability to organise resistance. Naturally, the St. Gallen side tried to extend the damage of the war by encircling the enemy. In spite of this, many of the enemy forces fled the battlefield and they failed to trap them. This was despite the enemies losing theirmanders. In addition, they had a blockade set up in the Allemande area assuming it would be the most natural escape route.


    Did the enemy forces cross the mountains to escape Erebus Rohtlehrgen into Volden?


    Fifty years ago, there was political turmoil, including the purge of aristocrats who had acted arbitrarily causing the war, and so, the investigation of how the enemy soldiers escaped remained a mystery. After the war, the country shifted to a policy of reconciliation and peace, and refrained from harping on the past.


    With the suggestion of crossing the mountains, a secret survey of the mountain range was conducted, and a startling fact was discovered. To their surprise, a pathway that was narrowly eptable for an army was found. Of course, as was usual in the mountains, monsters existed, but their strength was not high. They could be easily fought off by a well-stocked army. The defeated soldiers of half a century ago must have taken this road to escape and return home. Now, on the other hand, they could use it to attack Volden  the Kingdom of Arquell.


    Thus the decision was made tounch a surprise attack on Volden.


    After crossing the mountains, the army would blitz the cities around there and establish a base. They would gather food and wait for winter to pass. When the snow melts in spring, they would extend their assault to various parts of Arquell, cutting off the roads and inflicting economic damage. The invasion force will be small in numbers in order to quicklyunch a surprise attack through the rugged terrain. In order to support them, the main body of the St. Gallen army would advance toward Allemande. If the enemy tried to rescue Volden, they would attack the thinly defended Allemande, and if they tried to reinforce Allemande, the surprise troops would continue to gouge at their nk. With these attacks, St. Gallen could make a favourable deal with Arquell, asking for reparations and other beneficial conditions. This pincer attack strategy would threaten the Kingdom of Arquell in earnest.


    That was their n. They kept it confidential and it seemed that it stayed confidential the whole was what St. Gallen thought.


    However, there was a man in Arquell that was aware of their n. Not only that, he had long foresaw and envisioned the "next war" with St. Gallen to begin like this and had prepared for it.


    George Henry Lavallee, Marquis of the Kingdom of Arquell. The former leader of the centralist faction. He was also the man who was supposed to have been promoting the policy of reconciliation between the two countries. He must have also been one of the defeated soldiers that crossed the mountains in that war 50 years ago.


    "Arghhh, damn this and that! What on earth is everybody doing? This is now a time of crisis!"


    Count Langogne growled as he pounded his fist on the table in anger. He had driven Linus to insanity, and thus had driven Lavallee from his position as the leader of the faction, but he had been stunned by the news of the war. He hurriedly began to prepare for war, but was met with a series of setbacks from the start.


    The first thing that was necessary in a war was an army. For ordinary nobles, they would recruit soldiers from their domain, and thenbine them with their vassals to form an army. However, Langogne, who belonged to the centralist faction, could not apply such a method. His family, which has been a high-ranking courtier for many generations, possessed a much smaller territory than other feudal lords of the same rank. The only people who belonged to the centralist faction who could secure enough troops on their own was Chambery, who had recently defected to the decentralist faction, and that damned Lavallee, who was now out of the capital. He still held arge piece of territory.


    So, how does a noble like Count Langogne go about gathering the strength to enter the war? It was obvious. If he couldnt prepare it on his own, he would have to recruit an army from elsewhere.


    He would have to hire mercenaries. Experts ready for hire with money. Unlike adventurers who yed monsters, these were traders who exchanged human lives for money. They were bandits who knew nothing of chivalry and had little sense of loyalty, but they were one of the few sources of strength for thend-poor nobility.


    However, it costs a lot of money to gather arge number of mercenaries  enough to keep a presence in the army and to be able to im credit for any merits. Enough money to destroy a Counts fortunes in a single battle.


    In order to prevent that from happening, Count Langogne would have to get a loan from a moneylender to finance the war. But he could not do that.


    "You merchants! You money-grubbing bastards with the stench of coins on your fingers! Look at the feet of this Count Langogne!"


    The reality was that there were difficulties at fundraising.


    When he asked merchants for loans, they were either reluctant to lend him the amount at once or quoted an unusually high interest rate. Ironically, this was due to the fact that Count Langogne was an upright noble in his own right. He avoided expensive purchases and strictly refrained from borrowing money unnecessarily. As for art, he preferred the works of young artists who had the potential but had not yet budded, rather than the already renowned artists. The fact that many of them came into the limelight as a result of this was also his hope, but this is not the point.


    Because of this, he had not been able to build a trusting rtionship with the merchants. The moneylenders have no idea how much to lend, and if they did so, how much he could eventually repay. This made it impossible to promiserge loans.


    Nevertheless, if he had opened his treasury chest and negotiated earnestly, he might have been able to win a certain level of trust even in a short period of time. But again, his aristocratic spirit got in the way.


    Count Langogne was a genuine noble. He believed that it was natural for a noble to be served by amoner, and on the contrary, he believed that it was impossible for a noble to bow down to amoner. And if a noble did bow towards amoner, then he would be no noble in his eyes. In other words, he was not the kind of person who could make concessions tomoners such as merchants.


    If it had been Tullius Oubeniel, he would have bowed without hesitation. He would have bowed as long as it would have gotten him the money and the things he wanted. After all, he was a man who had been making money by selling self-made potions since he was a child. He knew from experience that if he was negotiating with a merchant, that would be one of the options he would choose. In the first ce, he was an abnormal noble who believed that the ss system should not be blindly followed.


    Linus Oubeniel, whom he had gotten rid of the other day, would have other options open to him. That unfortunate young man had arge territory and was skilled at administration and nning projects. Instead of bowing for help, he could prepare any number of materials to make the negotiations more favourable, such as addressing the inadequacies of his offered terms or offering the other party an opportunity to a business venture in his territory. If it was about the notoriety of his brother then there was nothing else he could do.

 Chapter 63: Like Military Boots 1 (3)

    Chapter 63: Like Military Boots 1 (3)


    Langogne could do like neither of them. Not like the madman who could ept the other partys requirements without hesitation, nor could he prepare an alternative, like the man who had been driven mad the other day.


    Stuck in limbo, he could only groan in his room.


    "Sir, you have a visitor."


    With a knock, the butler called out to him.


    "A guest arriving at this time?"


    He said so in a quizzical manner. But soon after, he thought further and frowned. He wondered who would dare visit while he was trying to gather funds in vain.


    Hiding none of this displeasure, he inquired.


    "Who is it?"


    "Yes, sir. It''s His Excellency Mearbahn."


    Tch. This was somebody he would rather not meet. Count Mearbahn was a rival who he had to go against while trying to expel Lavallee and take his position. Since it was only yesterday, his position as the leader of the faction in Langogne was still unstable. It was crucial that he did not show weakness to this man at this time.


    However, he could not avoid meeting him. Regardless of individual beliefs on the matter, they were stillrades in the same faction with the same rank. In addition, Count Mearbahn was his senior. Refusing to meet such a person could start a bad rumour.


    He had no choice but to give his permission.


    "Excuse me."


    A middle-aged man entered the room with an attitude that did not hint a shred of disrespect. Langogne gave a token bow to the noble while keeping his expression stiff as a rock.


    "...... Well, well, Count Mearbahn. Good day to you. So, what can I do for you?"


    Count Mearbahn chuckled as if he could see right through him and then replied curtly.


    "Nope, nothing of the sort. I overheard that you were having some trouble preparing for battle. I thought I''d drop by and see how you''re doing."


    Here ites. Most likely, he was here to point out a rivals failings. Heughed, hiding his annoyance inside.


    "Hahaha...... yet another strange rumour."


    "Rumour, is it?"


    "Is it not? This is the first time in half a century that we are about to engage in an important battle with the East. How dare the rumours say that I am standing idly by in the face of it? It is truly bizarre."


    Langogneughed and made a list of countless names and faces in his head. Who, he wondered, could have made such a rumour?


    In contrast, Mearbahn smiled to rx his facial expression.


    "Is that so? Ah, I mean that was what I expected. It''s a relief to hear Count Langogne''s reassuring words."


    How dare he speak so brazenly? Even though he was either disappointed with not being able to capitalise on an opponents blunder or he was simply mocking him for his bluff. Langone was getting even more frustrated, but he put on a calm expression.


    "It''s not like you to be disturbed by this kind of rumour. Speaking of which, how are things going over there?"


    "Hmm? What do you mean?"


    ".....Dont feign ignorance. I''m talking about military preparation. It would be a bit unfair of me not to ask you how you are doing when you have, after all."


    "Oh, you got me. It is as you say."


    Mearbahn counted with his fingers, as if intentionally being dramatic. And then, just as Langogne was about to get impatient.


    "Roughly four thousand, I''d say."


    "F-four thousand?"


    Langogne blinked at him. Looking at it with amusement, Mearbahn continued.


    "Not much, is it? It''smon for a count to prepare twice as much as that. My, my, Im really ashamed as it is."


    This man imed as such, but that that was the standard for a regional noble with arge territory. As for the aristocrats in the centralist faction, who mainly worked in the capital and served the royal court, that number was exceptional.


    "Oh, most of them are mercenaries, aren''t they? How did you manage to gather that much?"


    "No, no. To tell you the truth, I have borrowed some money from some merchants I know well. If I don''t get some kind of reward for this war, I''ll be in a lot of trouble. Normally, they are always pestering me on loans and debt repayments, but now they are useful. Guess it''s both good and bad to be rted to moneylenders!"


    And thus, the indebted manughed in front of the man who couldn''t find people to borrow from.


    (What are youughing at, fool? Is it so amusing to befriend a debt collector to maintain a life of extravagance? ......It''s your head that''s funny.)


    Langogne looked at the man in front of him with disdain. Of course, he didn''t let such feelings appear outwardly.


    "My goodness, Count Mearbahn is so reliable! It''s exactly the behaviour of a lord. Hahahaha!"


    He let out a particrly loudugh to match Count Mearbahn.


    Though he was sure that the Count Mearbahn could surely see right through the inner thoughts of a young noble.


    (...Hmph. Being such a greenhorn despite being past his thirties. )


    From the point of view of a man of his age, Langogne was a novice who was only familiar with the aristocracy  and that was limited to the royal capital. He didnt know how to deal with merchants, nor have any experience in dealing with crafty regional nobles. He was just a dreamer who talked big with his friends in his room.


    Certainly, this man would be the leader of the young nobles in the centralist faction. However, he could never be a representative for anything more than the young ones. Persuading those who have different dreams, or negotiating with old people who have already seen through to their dreams. He could aplish neither. This man''s eloquence was only effective on those who were immersed in the same dream he held. That''s why he couldnt get a single loan from any merchant.


    He certainly has the vigour of youth. That momentum was what drove Lavallee out of the faction''s leadership temporarily. However, he was unable to continue after that. Count Mearbahn had caught wind that he was nning to team up with the ve Killer to overwhelm the decentralised faction, but he doubts actually has a concrete n for that.


    If we make a deal with Tullius, how do we deal with the decentralists? Do we weaken them by issuing aw that binds the provinces? But of course, any measure to control the provinces would be met with opposition from the faction of Tullius, which is essentially built on provincial lords. How do we rebuke them? Or do we threaten the decentralised faction with force, relying on our numbers? In that case, the decentralised faction would probably resist with force. Was he prepared for a civil war if things turn for the worse? And if they used force, there was a risk that Tullius, who could count on the strength of Margrave Doldran and his soldiers, could take control of the centralist faction from within. How did he n to deal with these problems?


    ......Langogne clearly has no answers to the myriad of issues that coulde up. He just kept mouring for more numbers and more authority. Of course, no one would go along with a n that had no chance of sess. Even Chambery has turned his back on him. If the centralists wereparable to a tree, the fruitless Langogne branch was so thin and fragile that a bat hesitated to hang from it.


    If this man takes charge, the faction is finished.


    Count Mearbahn concluded gloomily.


    In this situation, he had no choice but to request Lavalleee back. That master nemesis of his has probably prepared a number of measures to return. The fact that he easily passed on his position to this easy-to-cook boy was proof of that. He thought about how he could go along with the flow and help the old man, and then take over after he retired, and then he realised.


    He was not getting any younger. He was already approaching the sixty mark. Considering the average lifespan of a man, it would not be surprising if he fell ill and had to retire, or if he simply never got up and died. As for Lavallee, he was at an age where such a fate coulde for him at any time. And yet, the representative of the youngsters who were next in the line was Langogne.


    His gloomy mood only got darker.


    (......Should he start training his son now?)


    Suddenly, he thought about his legitimate son, who was about to turn thirty. Considering his age, it was about time to make preparations for handing over his position to him. At the same time, he should at least educate him to at least be better than Langogne while he was still alive. Tomorrow is not necessarily going to be the same as today. In fact, just a week ago, they had no idea that their kingdom would be invaded by soldiers from the neighbouring country.

 Chapter 63: Like Military Boots 1 (4)

    Chapter 63: Like Military Boots 1 (4)


    As Meahbahn collected his thoughts, a concerned voice called out..


    "What is the matter, Count Mearbahn? You seem a bit distracted, arent you?"


    Behind the friendly tone of his voice, he could see that he was looking down on those who were older than he was. Its no good since he was like an open book. He resisted the urge to say so andughed it off.


    "Ha ha. No, no, a battle is a valuable experience, even if it is a cmity. I was thinking of letting my son help me with something this time."


    "Wow! I really admire your parental love. I know that I have much to learn from you."


    (If Langogne was that admirable, my troubles would be of no consequence.)


    In the face of a problem that, if not solved, would be more serious than a war, the noble, who was soon approaching the edge of ageing, tried his best to stifle his sigh.


    "Well, it seems that Count Langogne in the royal capital is like this in every single way."


    "Wow......"


    While making preparations to go into battle, I covered my eyes when I heard what Laubert had received from the agents in the capital. It''s no wonder Victor had been so critical of the Count. We had done everything we could to put him in a position to lead the centralist faction  though he himself was unaware  but he was already trying to show his true colours. If he continued on his path, he would soon lose allies in the faction. No, it seems that even if he gained allies, he still couldn''t control the opposition within the faction...... It''s getting harder and harder to save him.


    "Still, I wonder why the head of the centralist faction, even if just a provisional one, is busy with gathering soldiers...... Normally, we would amodate the prepared generals to recruit them andter, convince the rest that the main factor for victory was us."


    At the very least, it would be a much better strategy than a court noble leading troops to the frontlines. Could a beginner at warmand troops, or even mercenaries who were more like hoodlums? Were mercenaries evenmendable? If not careful, a situation where both armies, taking advantage of the chaos, end up looting Volden.


    "That''s the thing, though. The Marquis Lavallee ousting seemed to have cut off the military people who were connected to the faction through him. That old man was a great benefactor of the expansion of the Imperial Guards, so the knights from the Imperial Guards in particr must be distrustful of Count Langogne."


    The answer to my casual question was even more serious. Even though they were a centralist faction, the chain keeping control of the most important centre holding military power was cut. Their copse could basically be appreciated as art at this point. It was so artistic that I wanted it to just explode.


    I mean, if he really wanted to get rid of Lavallee, he should have at least done some groundwork. I wonder if he was nning tomit suicide by starting a coup d''etat without having an actual fighting force in ce.


    "Weve been had...... If he can''t control the Imperial Guards and can''t negotiate properly with the merchants, Count Langogne is no more. Sooner orter, that old man is going to revive."


    "You think this is also what the Marquis Lavallee was after?"


    "Of course."


    That somewhat puts me in a bad mood.


    "The old man must have been meeting with merchants here and there to procure supplies for the reconstruction of the royal capital, right? Most likely, he will return to the royal capital just when Count Langogne has fallen into a deadlock, and convince the merchants to bring in war funds, supplies, and mercenaries. He probably ns to stage aeback with those achievements."


    Get a grip, Count Langogne. These should have all been your duties.


    "If I may supplement the words of His Excellency...... it is likely that he will not only provide food and supplies from the merchants, but he will also provide a considerable amount of food and supplies to the military himself. I''m sure he''s going to throw out all the money he''s been scraping together for the reconstruction project. He''s likely going to use this opportunity to throw out all the money that he''s been saving in his own pocket to keep St. Gallen from going into anarchy."


    And Victor. It''s just as I expected from the illegitimate son, he could read his grandfather''s intentions perfectly. Though it is all toote now since there is no way to interfere.


    I looked over at Laubert and he was still shaking his head in disbelief.


    "Really? Because it''s a war, right? Would he go this far for a ruse?"


    "I know he is capable of this."


    Victor spat out.


    "His original target is St. Gallen. I''ve heard that it was after they were defeated by that country fifty years ago that he began to tantly centralise the kingdoms power. If you think about it, it''s not surprising that all of the scheming up until now was for this one battle."


    "But that''s too much of a gamble...... What if St. Gallenes from the Duke of Allemande territory? No, in fact, he seemed certain that the main battlefield would be here in Volden. In addition to that, if we did not set up a n to remove the former head of the family, then"


    "Doesn''t matter either way, not to that old man."


    Yes, it''s easy to understand after putting more thought on it.


    "The Duke of Allemande might have royal blood, but he''s still a noble with arge feudal domain in the provinces, after all. He''ll be an eyesore for the centralists. It would be a blessing if his strength and our strength was wasted. In fact, it''s easier to win the war if we could force them to attack us because our defences were so heavy to begin with. As for my brother, he was a non-factor. If he remains the head of the family, I would be fighting St. Gallen under hismand. He could rely on the strategy of sending me to my death with a reckless order."


    No matter how it turns out, it would all be to Lavallee''s benefit, or rather, it would be to the detriment of Lavallee''s enemies. He''s really an old man whoes up with disgusting ns.


    The only obstacle was whether the Kingdom could beat St. Gallen while embroiled in a messy political situation...... And Lavallee thinks the Kingdom woulde out on top.


    After all, St. Gallen were like locusts attacking us because they didn''t have enough food. It was clearer than day that they were aiming for a short battle. In contrast, the Kingdoms side, or rather Lavallee, has stockpiled plenty of food and could fight for as long as he wanted. The most solid n would be to fortify the defences near the Allemande area to suppress the enemy reinforcements in the northbound direction, and when the offensive of the other side reaches its limit,unch a counterattack and annihte them. This way, the chances of victory for the Kingdom of Arquell were high.


    The strategy on St. Gallen''s side was based on the assumption that the Arquell Kingdom had not prepared for war or at least, it would take some time to prepare. Lavallee has read through this and was determined to turn that assumption on its head. When the shock of the surprise attack stirs Arquell up, Arquell''s side will have the advantage of being fully prepared and able to hit back.


    If only the Kingdom didnt act foolishly fifty years ago, where they messed up in a battle that they were supposed to win and got caught by surprise.


    "So we were sacrificed to fulfil that old foxs wish? Its hopeless."


    Victor was right, Lavallee''s war ns did not take into ount our safety. No, it will be a matter of celebration for him if worries were to be crushed to the ground while fighting against external threats. If I were to survive this war, I could still be punished for failing to protect thend entrusted by the king despite my position as a count. If I chose to defy orders, he could send the army that defeated the St. Gallen army in our direction. It truly was a hopeless future.


    "Exactly. So I''m going to have to work hard to make sure that doesn''t happen."


    Victor and I both nodded and then looked towards Laubert.


    "Do you understand now? That old fox is still alive and kicking."


    "Yes. Sorry, I guess I was in a little disbelief."


    Now didnt seem to be the time to be caught in disbelief, but whatever. If he has already understood the situation and calmed down, then from now he can continue working calmly and carefully as he has, as the best bureaucrat among my vassge.

 Chapter 63: Like Military Boots 1 (5)

    Chapter 63: Like Military Boots 1 (5)


    But that''s as far as we get from talking about who''s responsible for this situation. Now we have to think about how to fight.


    As for that


    "Excuse me. I have brought Opus-02 Due Schwarzer and Margrave Doldran with me."


    Uni returned with the two men who had been outside taking stock of the military equipment.


    "Well, well...what a mess you''ve gotten yourself into, master."


    "Excuse me."


    Due''s expression showed concern for the seriousness of the situation, but nothing more. St. Gallen was his home country, but that country was also abination of thends of different lords, so it was probably not the kind of ce that stimted a sense of belonging. In the first ce, he was originally a rootless adventurer.


    I''m more concerned about the sour look on Doldran Margrave.


    "How is the situation here?"


    " Bad is not even the right choice of word. It''s the worst."


    The words of the noble who had continued to protect the western part of the kingdom were heavy.


    Due scratched his head gingerly and then continued the conversation.


    "First of all, we don''t have enough troops, no matter how we look at it. The total number of soldiers here in Man alone is at most a thousand. I''d say five thousand for the entire province."


    "Oh, I knew it wascking."


    It was a hopeless number.


    I remember that the average mobilised force of a count-level noble in this country was about eight thousand. The number that Due gave was about a little over half of that.


    But it was still too early to despair.


    "In addition, we''ve lost so much in the first battle. In the worst case, we might be down to about two thousand men. Of course, that''s including Man''s troops."


    The real despair was yet toe.


    "We don''t have enough men, but I think the problem is not so much the number of men, but the skill level. Our predecessors seemed to have given priority to internal affairs, and our military equipment is almost unmaintained. Their morale, experience, and even their equipment are second-rate. We can barely use them to fortify the rear. I can''t trust them with the front line."


    Margrave Doldran let out a sigh. This wasnt particrly my brother''s fault. The cause of this problem lies even earlier than that.


    "So the bill from your father''s squandering the familys resources ising due now, of all times. ......"


    Yes. Our father lived and enjoyed himself in the royal capital. He was a useless noble who left the administration of his domain to his deputies and spent as much as he earned. Volden must have been in shambles when my brother took over  when my father copsed  and began to take over the administration. I''m amazed that he was able to restore it to the point where it was no longer a visible problem, even if only just for internal affairs. Although he sacrificed the strengthening of the military, I would say that it was a good job.


    Also, my brother would not have taken military matters so lightly if he had known that there were roads in the bordering mountains for an army to pass through. If that was the case, then either my father or the head of the family before him failed to pass on to his sessor a secret, putting the territory in danger. What were they doing, really.


    "Your brother was really not blessed with good rtives, was he?"


    "Completely not......"


    I nodded in agreement with Due''s words. As for me, even though I was trying to protect myself, I still felt a little guilty and wasteful for having kicked him down. If I hadn''t be a count, I wouldn''t be standing in the crosshairs of war like this too.


    "Which means we have to go to war with the worst possible preparations.."


    Uni returned to the subject with her usual nk expression and a faint hint of mncholy.


    "On top of that, the opponent is St. Gallen, known for its elite soldiers. Furthermore, we need to achieve enough results during the war to prevent the people in the royal capital from making unnecessary usations against us."


    "Theres a limit to how unreasonable they can get"


    Victor and Laubert also raised their hands and shook their heads in desperation.


    With an army that has no troops, no equipment, no skill level, and no morale, we must go to war with the most meathead of a nation on the continent, and we must achieve a certain level of sess. Just winning in these circumstances alone was unreasonable. It''s no wonder that it''s a dark night before the battle.


    "And as a bonus, I''m themander."


    "It is as you say......"


    I said jokingly, but Margrave Doldran gave me a nk stare.


    To be frank, I don''t think I have the military talent to say that I could pull a miraculous victory in my first battle against a strong opponent. I have some modern knowledge that I brought with me from a previous life, but I don''t have the military education to make effective use of it, nor do I have experience in leading an army.


    An amateur running an army with half-understood knowledge was bound to end up like a man who cries and backs his horse. The most I could do was reenact Zhuge Liang crying for Ma Su. Ah, no, no, even Ma Su who was wise enough to hold a conversation with Zhuge Liang for a full night ended up like that in a battle. I couldnt evenpletely remember the 36 stratagems, so I doubt I even measure up to that.


    A flock of sheep led by a wolf is better than a flock of wolves led by a sheep. This was a phrase that clearly expresses the importance ofmanders in war. Unfortunately, the troops in Volden were like sheep, and so am I, who stood above them. And the people who wereing to attack us were really strong soldiers like wolves, and probably couldnt be led by sheep. I could see defeat miles away before it even began.


    As the highest-ranking military officer, Due was also the type of person who would rather fight on his own thanmand the troops to do so. He was a wolf, certainly, but a lone wolf. He was not suited to lead a pack.


    "Well, that''s why I''m counting on you, Margrave Doldran."


    "However, you can''t rely on me"


    The person who was probably the most militarily gifted of all the people here now had an ufortable look on his face. Well, he came here to celebrate my appointment as the head of the family and as a new Count, but unfortunately got caught up in the war. I couldnt help butment the bad fortune.


    "even before we fight, let me make this clear. If we fought a normal battle, the chances of victory are nil."


    And even more so when it''s a battle we can''t win. I knew what I was doing, so I gave my approval.


    "As expected."


    "Whoa, whoa, hold on."


    It was Due who interrupted me. He said fighting was his reason for living, so maybe he couldnt stand to be told that he had to fight a fierce battle?


    "It''s not like we can''t win. If we, the entire Opus series, take a shot, even an army"


    "No. It''s not impossible, but no."


    I held out my hand to interrupt him. It''s true that my "masterpieces" were immensely powerful. If I put all six of them into y, they could kick the army that came from over the mountain with back where they came from.


    However


    "Just think about it. What would happen if such a force...... that could win a war with only six people were made known to the public?"


    As Uni''s matter-of-fact point suggests.


    If the true value of these children were to be discovered, the whole world would be in an uproar like a hos'' nest. Countries would probably order us to hand them over, saying that they were too powerful for a single Count to possess, and if we were not careful, they might use that as an excuse to destroy us. It would be like a small country having nuclear weapons. In the previous world, the freedom and justice believing police of the world, would rain gifts from the sky.


    If we could blow up the enemy with the Opus series, we can certainly stop the invasion of the St. Gallen army. However, the next thing that awaited us would be pressure from all over the continent. The royal court of this Kingdom won''t be able to protect us. If you think about it from their point of view, they would never trust a lord who was holding such a powerful force without telling them. In addition, I have modified Uni and the rest so that only I or someone I delegated could give orders to them. As soon as the war is over, we would just say our goodbyes. Hmm, somehow this sounds like something an animal rights group would be upset about.

 Chapter 63: Like Military Boots 1 (6)

    Chapter 63: Like Military Boots 1 (6)


    "Ah."


    "Do you understand, Due? In the first ce, knights from the Imperial Guards have been sent here by the old man. Maybe they''re trying to find out what kind of strength we are hiding from this war."


    Especially that strange person, Elisha Rosmond Balbastre. She is a woman whocks any kind ofmon sense, but there was a strange sense of danger I got from her. Whatever shecked in some areas, she made it back in others. Her sense ofbat seems to be quite high. If she was shown the full power of the Opus series, it would not be surprising if she could immediately understand the level of danger.


    There were other problems.


    "What are you going to do about Charl, anyway? There''s no way we can reveal such a nasty monster like a vampire lord, no matter how much we wanted to."


    "Vampire! Did you even have one like that in your possession?"


    "See. Even someone as powerful as Margrave Doldran is surprised, isn''t he?"


    Vampires not only harmed humanity, but also reanimated the corpses of their victims as family members, allowing their powers to grow. They were considered especially dangerous among monsters, and if you harboured one, you would be charged with a serious betrayal of humanity. And the fact that Charl was a Lord ss. If he was seen all friendly with us, the Inquisition would be sent straight from the Omnian Empire. This was a friendly country that might potentially send us reinforcements, so we wouldnt want to tear down this bridge.


    "Cough! Excuse me...... Other than that, the golem is also no good. Officials from the royal capital would make a fuss about the private ownership of such a powerful magical creature."


    "And magic big enough to mow down an entire army, too. I''m sure the court mages or the adventurer''s guild would try to keep that magic under control, no matter what."


    Fem was a no, while Uni, Drei, and Seis were greatly limited in their field of operation. Charl was out of the question. The only one who could be utilised properly was Due. If he could destroy the entire army alone, then so be it. However, St. Gallen was not without its own heroes. Surely those people could avoid a lone warrior and fight elsewhere.


    "So you''re saying that the only option we have are the mass-produced products?"


    "Unfortunately, we are tied up there as well. We cannot use the E or EE series. I don''t know how the greedy nobles would react if I gave them a glimpse of arge number of elves in their territory."


    "So you''re saying I could be like someone else somewhere and try to kidnap an entire vige?"


    "Well, yeah. That''s why the only ''products'' that could be used out in the open are the M-series and the B-series."


    "What happened to the S series? If they''re specialised forbat, they won''t stand out as much as the others, and I think they''ll be a useful asset."


    It was Laubert who interrupted me. He''s right, the S series will work well in war. That''s what it was originally designed for.


    Yet.


    "No inventory."


    "What?"


    "Like I said, there arent any of them avable now. I''ve already distributed most of them to the nobles who joined my faction. Also, I don''t have enough ves to use for that."


    It''s not like I can just create a pawn out of thin air. You''ll need materials to make a suit of armor, and you''ll need an elemental body to make a modified ve. I don''t have any ves on hand to modify at the moment. This meant that even if the S series was the lowest cost product, I couldnt even make a single one of them now. In the first ce, modification requires time, so we wouldnt make it in time now.


    The military officers under Due''smand were also scheduled to be converted to S series, but even so, it won''t be an overnight process. It was obvious that the Volden would be overrun by the St. Gallen army before the number of soldiers could finish gathering.


    "Are you an idiot? You''re an idiot, aren''t you, my lord? Why don''t you keep at least a minimum number on hand just in case!"


    "Don''t be so harsh, Laubert. That''s what we get for working so hard distributing them to strengthen the faction as a whole. Besides, think of it the other way around. Most of the lords I''ve brainwashed were in the neighbourhood, and they will be the first ones toe to my aid with their S-series. Wouldn''t that reduce the chance of losing the aplishments to the people who are under the control of old man Lavallee?"


    "No, at this rate, Volden would fall before those reinforcements arrive, won''t it?"


    Margrave Doldran said in a dumbfounded manner.


    Certainly, with the current exnation, it was understandable to think so.


    "Well, if you''re really saying that''s what''s going to happen, I''ll just abandon my role as a noble and run away."


    When I blurted it out, Laubert and Victor looked at me with horrified faces. Youre so cowardly. Their faces seemed to say.


    In fact, the Margrave was unperturbed.


    "Well, if you haven''t started preparing for your nighttime escape, you have ns?"


    "Yes. But in order to do so, I require the assistance of His Excellency the Margrave."


    I looked at him while giving him an affirmative answer to his question.


    Sure, I have some knowledge, but my talent in military affairs is unknown  I don''t think I have much, to be honest  and I have no experience. But what if there was someone who could make up for that? The Margrave, an experiencedmander who has been holding down the western frontier for many years. He would be able to absorb my ideas, digest them, modify them into concrete measures, and implement them.


    After all, I have good luck at this critical moment. I just happened to have the right people on hand at the right time.


    "First of all..."


    When I heard the St. Gallen army crossed the mountains to get here, this n started to cross my mind. It was a n that could mean Volden''s troops wouldnt even need to participate in the fight.


    The reaction from them after revealing my n was not good. Due made his usual bitter face. Laubert and Victor both shouted in opposition. The only one who was positive was Uni. And then there was Margrave Doldran, who had a difficult look on his face.


    "How insane. No, but ...... is there any other way other than this?"


    It seemed to have at least been recognised as a useful n militarily, at least.


    "But it''s a massive operation. Do we have enough hands?"


    "I''ll run the Opus series for backstage operations. They''ll cause problems if they are on the frontlines, but if they are behind the scenes, then there is nothing to worry about."


    Yes, powerful magic and tribal magic would only be a problem if they were revealed in a shy manner. If we continued to work behind the scenes, we could use the Opus series to their fullest. As long as the final result was achieved by a normal army, no one would care about who did most of the work and how they did it. Unlike a modern army which might be meticulous enough to collect all the shell casings of bullets used in an exercise, the old-fashioned military organisation in the continent of Ithush would not bother with the small details.


    Victor opened his mouth with a reluctant look on his face.


    "It''s a measure that could cause a lot of problems politically......"


    "When it is time to ord war merits, our war records could be used as a shield. I did such a good job against St. Gallen with just the single province of Volden. Please just overlook this once...... Gratitude and devotion are the basics of this society. If such courtesy was ignored, even if the war is over, the next thing that would happen would be a civil war among the lords. Even if it was Lavallee, he would not be able to contain it."


    If this n worked, we should be able to expect enough results to make a strong case for it. At the very least, it would be possible to limit the damage to Volden alone. If we made it that far, the merit of defending othernds would outweigh the crime of not defending our territory. What if it was not recognised as such? This wasnt something that could be guaranteed. I have already resolved myself, and I would make sure the old man prepares himself. As well as making sure the royal court, always at the mercy of the conspirators, prepare themselves.


    Finally, Due says in a hushed tone.


    "I know it''s useless, but I''ll ask anyway. You, doesn''t your heart hurt?"

 Chapter 63: Like Military Boots 1 (7)

    Chapter 63: Like Military Boots 1 (7)


    "It''ll hurt a bit. But it''s tolerable."


    This was war, after all. Sacrifices would inevitably be made, and many enemies would be killed. But if we hesitated, we might not be able to protect the most important thing of all.


    And that is only one thing for me my life.


    That was why I could not stop when there was a slight twinge of conscience hurting me. Enemies that threatened my life must be thoroughly eliminated. No matter if it was Lavallee, St. Gallen, or whatever.


    At my answer, he let out a deep sigh.


    "......I suppose. In some ways, there was no point to that question."


    That was the end of the discussion. They epted my n, albeit reluctantly.


    Well, they couldnt be med for not liking it. It''s an uncouth and boring n without the splendour of a noble nor the determination of a warrior. I too would find it difficult to like. But I don''t have any other ideas at the moment. I have no choice but to go with it, whether I like it or not.


    "Well, let''s get a move on then. We don''t have much time and the enemy won''t wait for us, okay?"


    I gave them a pat on the back and sent them on their way, their faces still sullen. I then turned my attention to Uni, who was still standing by my side.


    "Uni. You''re going to bring theb''s M-series and B-series over here, leaving only a minimal shift. Along with that toy you mentioned...... Oh, and by the way. I''m going to use the prototypes as well. It''s gonna be a big wee."


    "As you wish, master."


    "And"


    I reached for her head, which was lowered to a position where I could stroke it easily. It''s been a while since I''ve had this kind of contact with her, I thought.


    "This is the biggest operation we''ve ever had. Naturally, I''ll need you to work as hard as you can."


    "Yes, Master."


    Gently closing her eyes and epting my warmth, she replied in approval.


    Her expression was clear, but the faint breath that escaped from her mouth and the heat that I could feel from it showed that she was more motivated than usual.


    My masterpiece, as you can see, was fully motivated. And in good condition.


    Well, I still have reservations that something unexpected could happen, but as long as I still have this trump card, I felt no need to be frightened at all.

 Chapter 64: Like Military Boots 2 (1)

    Chapter 64: Like Military Boots 2 (1)


    It had been three days since the war began.


    After being ambushed by the Royal Army of the Federation of St. Gallen, the province of Volden lost numerous bases and viges in the blink of an eye, despite sporadic resistance from various regions. The military forces of this region were weak to begin with. If the enemy forces, who were far superior in terms of skill level, took the lead, there was no way they could put up a front. If they went out to fight in the open fields, they would be scattered, if they chose to hold up in a fortress, they would be overrun in the blink of an eye. No matter what they did, there was no chance of winning the battle.


    At this rate, the whole of Volden could be lost in less than a week. The people of thisnd and the soldiers who had been fighting and losing could not help but feel such anxiety.


    But...


    ".....Argghh! We still can''t get past that fort!"


    Themander of St. Gallen''s army bit his teeth at the sight of the small fort in front of him. Their rapid advance after their sessful crossing of the mountains was interrupted here. They had blitzed through the eastern part of the province and were on the verge of reaching the capital city of Volden, when they were stopped in their tracks by this isted stronghold.


    The defence was so fragile with a strong gust of wind. Thats why it was frustrating for St. Gallen, known for its elite soldiers.


    As themander''s face flushed with humiliation, a voice called out from the ramparts.


    "These are the so-called famed troops of the East?"


    The refreshing voice of a woman was out of ce on a battlefield crowded with soldiers and grass-covered corpses. If this was on the street, it would sound so appealing that many would want to perk out their noses and follow the owner of the voice with their eyes.


    However, no one in this ce would behave so casually. Especially if it was a soldier from St. Gallen.


    "......Not as big a deal as I thought!"


    What followed was roars of expletives. Such ridiculous words for somebody who understood nothing. The St. Gallen army was encroaching on thend at a speed like that of a wildfire. How silly to say that of them?


    However, no one here could openly say anything in return. The total number of this army was 3,000, and they were eager to take down the main city in one fell swoop. Yet, it was this woman who had been keeping them at bay from this tiny fortress.


    "Damn...... why is the most elite Imperial Guards knight in this remote area!"


    Gritting his teeth as if grinding them, themander cursed.


    Elisha Rosmond Balbastre. She was a knight of the Imperial Guards of the Kingdom of Arquell, and was a leader in the Second Order, considered to be the most powerful of them. For some reason, this person who should be serving the royal court in Broussonne, the capital, was out here in remote regions.


    Without knowing the Imperial Guards were here, themander had attacked without taking it too seriously since this was supposed to be a lightly defended region. The result was the failure of 3 attempted offensives.


    Their siege weapons, which were limited in quantity since they had to cross the mountains, were destroyed swiftly by the Second Order. The attackers, despite their overwhelming numbers, were crushed by a hundred of their most elite knights. In order to avoid confronting them directly, they surrounded the fortress and shot arrows as if turning them into a hedgehog, but it didnt seem to be working.


    The attacking St. Gallen army was wasting precious time because of the Second Order of the Imperial Guards and their tiny fortress.


    (If we don''t do something about it, we would be outshined by the units...)


    This unit surrounding the fort was one of the separate units in charge of multiple routes of attack. Of course, the other units were fighting on their own battlefields. Would there be another enemy out there that couldpare to this female knight and her knights?


    Surely not.


    Originally, it was nonsense to assume that they would encounter the enemy''s best and brightest in Volden. Or, it might have been ced there in anticipation of this surprise attack, but that was very unlikely. If they had known from the beginning that they would be attacked by St. Gallen, they would not have haphazardly ced only a hundred knights from the Imperial Guards in such a ce. Normally, they would have organised an army of several thousand men, with knights at the core, to defend against such an attack.


    The fact that this had not been done meant that the presence of Elisha and the others here were most likely a coincidence. Perhaps they had just stepped on thisnd for a local exercise or inspection and were identally caught up in this war. Alternatively, there was somebody who predicted their surprise attack, but due tock of approval, could only send a small number of knights here.


    Either way, the other units would not have met with as much resistance as they did. Themander grimaced, wondering if they were the only ones who got unlucky.


    "What are you idling around for?"


    An irritated voice came from behind him. When he turned around, there stood a person who was as unsuitable for the battlefield just like that damned woman.


    He was wearing only a robe and no armour in a battlefield where arrows could be flying around. He was thin but while he looked like he should have nothing to do with violence, he had a vaguely mysterious air about him.


    He was a mage who was with this unit.


    "Such a small fort is no more than a dirt house for us mages. We can clear thend in the twinkling of an eye."


    "You idiot! Why did youe forward?"


    Themander shouted at him, interrupting his sarcasm. Themander had previously ordered the mages to stand by.


    As a result, the mage shrugged his shoulders in disapproval.


    "Of course it''s for the sake of fighting, isn''t it? What, even if it''s an opponent that a small army of soldiers can''t handle, if it''s me who has mastered the depths of magic at the academy"


    "I told you I would call on you when the time was right! And if you want to make a report, use the messenger! You know why I ordered you to stand by..."


    The argument did notst long.


    "......Mage, I found you."


    neigghhhhh......!


    The high-pitched neighs of the horses echoed over the battle cry of the St. Gallen soldiers.


    The sound wasing from the fort. Themander turned around reflexively and looked up. In his eyes, he saw an astonishing sight.


    "I shall take that head of yours!"


    Out of nowhere, Elisha, riding on a horse, jumped down from the top of the fort. Even though they were still being sieged and their current location was still more than a hundred metres away from the fort. The frenzy on her face hardly resembled a woman as she rode closer.


    "Eh!? F-Fireball!"


    The mage immediately tried to intercept her with magic, but to no avail.


    Just before the magic bullet of me that was released hit the approaching female knight, it was neutralised as if it had bounced off an invisible wall.


    Themander was stunned.


    "A Unicorn......!"


    A white horse with a female knight on its back. Its true identity is that of a rare kind of phantom beast.


    Unicorns. They were beasts that had a horn of spiritual power on their forehead while possessing a horse''s body. They brought blessings to their masters. With such a high ranking beast, it became possible for her to get down from the fort in a single jump and easily dispel a half-assed low tier magic.


    And there was only one end for a mage when a powerful knight closes in.


    "Ahh!"


    A sharp sword came down from the horseback. And thats how the head of the careless mage separated from his body.


    "Ahhhhh!?"


    "There she is! It''s the monster woman!"


    Not only that, but the momentum was so strong that the surrounding soldiers were kicked by the unicorn, literally blowing them away. It was a catastrophe.


    (That''s why I told the mages to stand by......!)


    Themander thought, trying to hide the shivers that ran through his body.


    They were the country''s most elite knights of the Imperial Guards even if just in name. They must have been prioritised with anti-magic equipment. Even if they did not expect a high-ranking phantom beast such as a unicorn to appear, it would be too much to call for a mage against a small detached force like theirs. That was why he had ordered them to stay on standby so that they would not collide with each other by any chance.

 Chapter 64: Like Military Boots 2 (2)

    Chapter 64: Like Military Boots 2 (2)


    Bringing him back to reality, a cold de was sent towards his neck from behind.


    "Since Im here, might as well bring back another head."


    Elisha had suddenly decided to pull her horse back and send her de towards him. Her sword was also imbued with some kind of magic that gave it coldness unlike that of other regr metal.


    At this distance, he was unable to resist. He would be taken out. As soon as he realised this, he shouted.


    "......retreat! Retreat and rendezvous with the other troops!"


    Thest order was cut off midway by a sh of blue silver.


    The invaders, who were almost within striking distance of Volden, paid the ultimate price with their lives.


    While he was separated from his body and hovering in the air, his eyes watched the scene of his troops being overrun by the knights who had sortied from their fort.


    "Look! They''re running, those guys!"


    "Hell yeah, you Eastern bastards!"


    "Long live our boss! Long live Commander Balbastre!"


    The enemy soldiers that had surrounded the fort were retreating away like a receding tide. Seeing this, the fierce men of the Second Order raised their voices in joy. After all, this was the first invasion in fifty years. They were the only victors who had defeated the enemy while their allies had fallen. It was aplete victory, with the leader of the group, a woman with a beautiful face, taking the lead in destroying the enemy, while they suffered no damage whatsoever. They were all proud of their victory.


    But the leader of the group, Elisha Balbastre, who was their leader and reason for their victory. As she turned her horse around and was about to return to the fort, her expression was one of boredom.


    "Good work, Commander."


    "Feels tiring."


    She only gave a curt reply to the vicemander, who quickly came by to her side and offered words of encouragement.


    "More importantly, shut those fools who are making merry, Vice Commander. It''s only a small victory that we obtained in a small skirmish."


    "......such harsh words. Even though it is a small-scale battle, it was a defensive battle with hardly any reinforcements. This victory is paramount toter fights. You should be a little more happy with..."


    "Hey, Al. Have you turned into an idiot too?"


    Alfred Simon Prudemache, the deputymander, froze at her harsh, scathing words.


    "Or are you perhaps testing me? I''m sure the other side will challenge us again and again in an attempt to capture the provincial city. And next time, they''ll do it in earnest."


    "Yes. The people we beat off today were only an advance party. It''s mostly a supply corps. They must have been distracted by the weakness of our defences and let them out."


    Alfred, who had quickly restarted his thought processes, stated fluently.


    The St. Gallen army had to march over the mountains, where it was difficult to secure supply routes. Their food shortage and economic crisis were so serious that it became their motivation for war. For these reasons, the St. Gallen army depended on the enemy territory of Volden for the supplies it needed. By now, in various parts of the state, the enemy soldiers were probably looting the wheat fields and breaking into food stores to secure food supplies.


    This time, the group that broke into this fort on the way to the provincial capital was probably a group that had set out with such a purpose. However, the soldiers in Volden were more vulnerable than expected, so they decided to take advantage of the situation and hit the capital. That''s probably why they were attacking here.


    "Oh, so you did understand."


    Elisha dismounted lightly as she said this. The unicorn groaned, perhaps disapproving of the sudden lightness of his back.


    "Besides. I can''t be so lowly as to be proud of a win I picked up in a losing battle. This doesn''t even count as stalling. At best, it''s just a way to score some points."


    "Scoring points? For the old man who sent us here?"


    "Ah, yes. He would im the dispatch of the knights as his foresight and this victory as his merit. As an excuse to criticise the red-haired boy. That''s what the old man would do."


    While the soldiers under the umbre of the Count Oubeniel were losing battle after battle, the knights sent by Lavallee were winning. This was exactly what the old conspirator was aiming for. Tullius Oubeniel, the young man who had just seeded the count''s family, loses his reputation because of the defeats of his subordinates, while Lavallee takes the victories of Elisha and the others as his own achievements.


    "That''s troubling. The war with our neighbours alone is difficult enough, but to have our own political disputes involved as well?"


    Alfred sighed.


    The suspicions surrounding the man named Tullius Shernan Oubeniel, such as his involvement in the Great Fire of the Royal Capitalst year and his brainwashing of the nobles, were certainly serious. If they were true, he should be beheaded at once. However, war was not so easy to win with the country still divided.


    Alfred let out such fears, but Elisha shook her head.


    "By winning we can manage somehow. Look at the equipment of the enemy soldiers."


    She pointed out with her chin, at the wreckage of the enemy scattered around the fort.


    The equipment of the St. Gallen soldiers was all lightly armed. It is no wonder since they had to cross the mountains to attack them. If they wore heavy armour, they would have lost a lot of strength climbing up and down the mountain passes and would have run out of energy in the mountains before crossing the border.


    "I see. If the opponent is only prepared to do surprise attacks, a main force thates in fully prepared can handle them easily."


    There was no need for the reinforcements of the Kingdom of Arquell to wear light armour to get here. A fully equipped army would be able to defeat a raiding party with as though they were naked.


    "If the surprise attack had beenpletely decided, the country would have been in uproar and they would be able to do whatever they wanted. But the old man didn''t just predict this, he even pushed the other side to start the war. If that''s the case, then we were fully prepared for this war. I''m sure he''s back in the capital by now, working hard to send reinforcements."


    If it had been aplete surprise attack, the whole of Volden would have fallen by winter due to the dy in mobilisation, and the relief from the royal capital would not have been able to advance due to the snow, and the war could have been prolonged until next spring. If that were to happen, the invaders that had taken them by surprise could pass the winter here andter move north in response to the main reinforcements attacking the Allemande area while encircling them. They would have been able to take not only Volden, but also Allemande. Even if that didn''t happen, the ying field would at least be somewhat even, and there was no telling how it would turn out.


    However, the main body of reinforcements from the Kingdom of Arquell would probably arrive in Volden this autumn. The Duchy of Allemande was also not weakly defended so that they could go down between the time from now to the end of winter. It would probably take at least half a year for the Duchy of Allemande, a key point for the Kingdoms defence, to fall. The strategy of a pincer attack by St. Gallen''s main army and the invasion force to Volden would be up in smoke if they could not upy this ce and persist until spring.


    Arquell would win. And Lavallee would have the opportunity to take advantage of post-war to purge Tullius, who failed to protect Volden.


    All this was likely, Alfred imagined. The old man''s longing to avenge the humiliation of the Kingdoms defeat fifty years ago. For peace negotiations, he would demand the lostnd of Elpis-Loane. With this achievement as a backdrop, the influence of the centralist would rise and push the decentralist behind. However, anything could happen in a war. It may end up with the armies of the local lords taking credit for the victory. In that case, the purge of Tullius coulde into y. If he was removed, thend of Volden would be without a lord. Volden could be carved out as a reward. After all, thend would be torn to shreds by the ravages of war. The lords rewarded with thend would have to spend their time and energy to grow thend again, and would not have the energy to deal with the centralist faction. It was also possible to reward them with Elpis-Loane


    The more he thought about it, the more it seemed to Alfred that it was a well-designed n. It was a n that the schemer had spent a lifetime devising.

 Chapter 64: Like Military Boots 2 (3)

    Chapter 64: Like Military Boots 2 (3)


    And yet...


    "The Commander is not in a good mood, arent you? Even though the war is probably winnable, plus it is an opportunity to eliminate the Kingdoms internal woes."


    The female knight continued her frown.


    She said,


    "If it''s the old man who set this up, why should I be happy? Why is the most elite of elite Imperial Guards doing here now? A battle in the remote regions against small frys, that brings no meaning even if we win or lose. ...... Ahh, damnit! Not fun at all."


    Not long ago, she single-handedly cut into 3,000 soldiers strong enemy. What would be hell if this woman described the battle as meaningless?


    "Why are those enemy soldiers so weak? The St. Gallen army boasts the most elite troops in the continent, right? I was so excited to hear that we could go toe to toe with them, but when we fought them, they were as slow as snails! Even though they might be inferior in equipment and could be tired from crossing the mountains, it shouldnt be that bad should it?"


    "This surprise attack is also highly spective. The St. Gallen side may have reserved their elite and only sent in their second in line troops. The other side can''t afford to cut corners in the Allemande area either."


    "Ahh, the general of the eastern countries is a fool! The first battle is the turning point of a war. The best of the best can be used as reserve troops as trump cards, but the rule of thumb is to have at least enough troops in the front to hold the line!"


    She started stomping on the ground. Her beloved horse, who was being led by the reins, also stamped on the ground with its forelegs as if following its owner''s lead.


    She did not think that St. Gallen would choose to make such a bad move. In any case, all of the forces defending Volden, except for the Second Order holding onto this fort, have fallen into total disarray.


    "Let''s be happy about the enemy''s blunders rather than ming them. After all, we are in the midst of a losing battle. If the enemy is capable, even if our country wins in the end, there is no guarantee that our Order will survive until then."


    "Hmph, I know what you mean. It''s boring to die surrounded by weak soldiers. Al, while the enemy is retreating, restock provisions. If the reinforcements from the royal capital arrives before winter, I don''t think we''ll have trouble with provisions, but you never know what will happen in war. In the worst case scenario, the current stockpile might not be enough."


    Elisha snorted lightly and gave the order.


    "I don''t care what means we have to take. Tell the knights it doesn''t matter if we have to loot. The people will starve as well, but it will be better than filling the bellies of the enemy''s soldiers."


    It was a harsh decision, but it was the right one. The food and supplies would still be stolen, but if it was St. Gallen that was doing the looting, there would be arson, rape, and even murder. It would be better for them to do it and at least they would show some degree of mercy. They were both losing and gaining from doing so, but at least they were cutting their losses from 100% to 50%.


    So Alfred didn''t argue with that point, but expressed another opinion to change the subject.


    "Oh, you''re not going to enter the main city of Volden? If you were to enter the city and assemble the soldiers or recruit conscripts, I believe we could engage inrger battles."


    "It''s no good. I don''t want to speak ill of the previous Count, but the people here are losers at heart. If they were to face arge army, they would immediately turn tails and run. The militia, armed only at short notice, would even be more unreliable. It''s not in my taste to get caught up in the destruction of our people, and if we simply show them that we''re holding out in this fort, surely they wouldst for as long."


    Rather than joining forces and weakening their average fighting strength, she wanted to keep some distance and show a pretence of cooperation. The soldiers in Volden might be more motivated that way.


    She had a point there. This resembles something like a three-legged race. When several people work together, results would be bottlenecked by the weaker in the group. If their elite group of knights mixed up with a bunch of ordinary soldiers, it was certain that their military prowess would be undermined. Thus, it would be a superior strategy to let the enemy focus their attention on them while drawing attention from even enemies that should not be fighting them. This way, the Second Order would be unhindered while their allies have less of a burden.


    "Thats true. In addition, there might be some differences inmanding between you and the Count."


    Tullius, the new head of the Count of Oubeniel, has yet to show himself. If he were to immand of the troops when he arrived at the battlefield, it might cause unnecessary trouble. As the saying goes, "too many cooks spoil the broth," having two leaders giving orders is a recipe for disaster. In a situation when they were already outnumbered, its best to avoid confusing the chain ofmand.


    At Alfred''sments, Elisha opened her mouth as if she suddenly remembered.


    "Speaking of which, has that new Count shown up yet?"


    Three days have passed since the war began. Even though the new head of the family has no military experience, it was about time he made some kind of move. And even if the man was ultimately defeated by St. Gallen''s army, it would be most preferable if he made some resistance and bought some time. Doing so would create a more favourable situation when the main reinforcements arrive and would also reduce the burden on the Second Order.


    However, there was no report from Man in the southeastern part of the province that the Counts forces had moved.


    "I don''t know. Maybe the message just hasn''t reached us, or maybe he really hasn''t moved yet. I think it could be either. If that''s the case"


    "Then we should assume the worst, huh? Let''s not get our hopes up for that supposedly crazy guy."


    "I think that would be a good idea."


    In any case, it was spected that this person had burned down the royal capital to save himself. If he decides to move out with his troops, he might just eliminate both the enemy and the Second Order at the same time. Since he could not be counted as a reliable ally, there was no loss if they assumed he chose not to do anything.


    With these thoughts in mind, Alfred returned to the fort with his boss.


    The main street of the royal city of Broussonne. On the street, which ostensibly seems to have been cleared of the remnants ofst year''s great fire, wagons were lined up and moving without hardly any gap between them. The wagons were fully loaded with grains such as wheat, processed foods such as smoked fish, and liquor such as rum that could be used as drinking water. But they were not being brought to markets or wholesalers.


    It was for the army.


    The army of the neighbouring country of St. Gallen had invaded the province of Volden, located southeast of the royal capital. These were the necessary supplies for the main body of the Royal Army that was being organised to defeat the enemies.


    And that''s not all. Everywhere around the city, there were soldiers who seem to havee up from the countryside, mercenaries in dirty armour, and patrolmen running around to verify their identities. The personnel who gathered to join the reinforcements to Volden had temporarily raised the poption of the royal capital.


    The curious citizens of the metropolis were chatting about the procession of carriages and the unfamiliar soldiers from afar. Which noble do those troops belong to, or which noble soldiers look weak, or a particr mercenary that looks skillful basically just idle gossip with no proof whatsoever.


    The most astute of the merchants had hastily set up stalls all over the capital. Weapons and armour for soldiers going off to war, healing potions, and magical equipment. There were many new food stalls lining the streets. The sudden increase in the number of people in the city meant that food was selling particrly well. Not only the soldiers who came to the city, but also the citizens who came to watch them were buying food.


    People and things were flying back and forth, and there was a constant buzz from the crowd, or the shouts from drunks who had gotten into trouble. The disorderly activity that dominated the city was somewhat simr to the atmosphere of a festival.

 Chapter 64: Like Military Boots 2 (4)

    Chapter 64: Like Military Boots 2 (4)


    But what would soon begin was war. This was their first battle against the Federation of St. Gallen since the Kingdoms defeat fifty years ago. Many of those who knew of the terrible defeats of the past have already long passed away. Regardless of whether they were civilians, nobles, or soldiers, many of them were unaware of the horrors of war and the tragedy of defeat. However, what the Kingdom was taking on now was undoubtedly a battle to avenge their bitter past. It was a challenge against an opponent that had defeated them before.


    The bustling activity in the streets could be a form of mass hysteria, from the mixture of anxiety of their historical defeat and unfounded optimism of their victory.


    There was a pair of eyes looking down from the second floor of a building facing the street at the restless city.


    "This level of congestion is within expectations...... hmm, can we leave within the week with this?"


    His face is etched with deep wrinkles and lines. His bare chest was covered with ribs, and his skinny stomach was also wrinkled. However, the level of eagerness that could be seen from his lit eyes would astound even the grandest of men. His pale coloured veins gave him an eerie, ghostly impression.


    Marquis George Henry Lavallee. He was the one who created today''s situation by returning to the royal capital as soon as the news of the war broke out.


    "That cannot do, Marquis. The autumn wind is hazardous to your health."


    A coquettish womans voice came from behind the old man standing by the open window. A sheet was wrapped around her bare breasts, modestly concealing them. Thebination of her and the man, who was exposing his old, thin body, was enough to deduce that the two of them, whose ages were as far apart as grandfather and granddaughter, had been indulging in confidential activities since the early hours of the day.


    She climbed down from the bed and gently draped a sheet of silk over his shoulders.


    "Oops, that''s not good. I''m too old to be out in the wind like this...... Or maybe it''s because I was feeling young again just now."


    The woman''s face lit up with a hint of red when he jokingly said as he draped on the robe.


    "Well......."


    She put her hand on her cheek to cool down her flushed cheeks. Her gesture of embarrassment was girlish and unbing of a woman of almost thirty. If one were to look at her, one might think that a naive and asceticdy had fallen victim to the poisonous fangs of this old man.


    But that guess was only half right. The woman''s status was not that of a noblewoman.


    "I always get excited when I see you. Hoho. Your beauty is naturally a given but perhaps the immorality adds to it?"


    Lavallee looked behind the woman with deep emotion. There, carefully hung from the wall on a hanger, was a long piece of women''s clothing. It was a navy blue dress with a seamless top and bottom. The wide white cor gave the impression of neatness  a nun''s robe.


    The woman was a priest. She was also an ordained minister who believed in asceticism and in seeking the way of the God. It was outrageous for her to fall in love with a man half a century older than her.


    She pouted her lips sulkily at the old man''s opinion.


    "Please don''t say that. Oh how sinful......"


    She shook her head. She said it as if she was reluctant, but her moist eyes and warm sighs were almost inviting, even if she wasn''t aware of it. If Lavallee had been twenty years younger, or even ten years younger, he would have been so excited that he would have challenged her to a second fight.


    He chuckled and took out an item he had prepared in a corner of the room.


    "So you''re going to purify your sins with God''s blood?"


    He held up a bottle of wine as if to show it off. It was a mischievous gesture, not unlike an old man who has been described as a fox and a schemer. The woman smiled back at him with a hint of dismay.


    "We cant drink its only noon."


    "Huh. Don''t be so hard on me. Just a moment ago, I was unravelling your body like that."


    "Aww...hehe."


    As he uncorked the wine bottle while joking coarsely, she seemed to have surrendered to his whims.


    "Well, it would be impolite so I''ll take you up on it."


    "Mm. Good  Then I shall be the one pouring it today. Cmon now."


    He slowly poured the red liquid into the two sses on the small table by the bed. The couple used the bed as their chair, as they sat side by side.


    As can be seen from guards outside, this is not just a cheap inn. It was not a noble''s residence either, as it was built on the street where manymoners used to stay. It was one of the hideaways that Lavallee had secretly built while the capital was being restored.


    Normally, those who work behind the scenes for the Marquis family would use it as a base for espionage, but asionally the head of the family himself, feeling mischievous, would use it for a daring rendezvous. In the case of today''s visit, the purpose was to have a secret meeting with her and also to inspect the royal capital ahead of his departure for war.


    The sses filled with wine clinked lightly against each other. The cool sound of the clink echoedfortably.


    "Now, what would this be a toast to, I wonder?"


    "That, of course, is for the Holy King who resides in heaven. May he chide me for my inexperience."


    At the woman''s answer, Lavallee let out a small chuckle. It''s hard to believe that these words areing from a person whose God advocates for asceticism, but has reached the point of no return in a man and woman rtionship. But for this man, a woman who has an invible sanctuary in her heart, no matter how many times he sleeps with her, was also a good thing. A desire for conquest, simr to the desire of wanting to carve footprints in fresh snow, and a desire to protect her purity. Being caught in these conflicting desires was a fresh stimulus even for the old man who should be very experienced in this field by now.


    As he sipped his wine, he abruptly changed the subject.


    "By the way, how will the Omnian Empire act in this war?"


    Located on a penins jutting out to the south of the continent, the Omnian Empire has a long history as the only nation on the continent until seven hundred years ago. It was also a deeply religious nation and was the headquarters of the Holy King religion. It has long been an ally of the Kingdom of Arquell, where most of the people are also Holy King believers.


    "ording to the letter from my home country, the Council of Cardinals are still in discussion...... but we are unanimous in our policy of siding with the Kingdom of Arquell."


    "Of course. Otherwise, we''d be questioning the meaning of our long-standing friendship."


    "Sigh...... So, here''s the dominant view"


    The woman answered Lavallee''s question without hesitation. She was a nun who had been dispatched from the Omnian Empire to the cathedral in Broussonne about five years ago. She had heard that one of the men in her family was an influential priest, so she got closer to him to get information from him. In the beginning, she was very strict with her beliefs and so didnt make much inroads, but now she has be like this, a cute little bird that happily chirps in exchange for Lavallees favour.


    However, if he wanted to seduce a woman to do espionage for him, there was no need for the old head of the family to do it himself. He could simply leave it to the men under hismand. He imed that he was doing it as both a hobby and because it was more practical, but it was obvious that it was to arger extent, a hobby.


    (Hehe, how sweet......)


    With a chuckle, he reached out with a yful hand just as she finished her report. The arousal that had once been quenched had resurfaced, stimted by a mouthful of liquor and their shady conversation. The woman rolled her eyes a bit, but didn''t brush away the knobby fingers crawling up her body.


    "Hmm, again?"


    "What''s the matter? I can stop if you don''t want me to."


    "It''s not that, oh, the Marquis'' condition is......."


    From the words she was giving, it seemed that she was worried about Lavallee''s health. Many men, even those half his age, would be exhausted after the first. She wondered how much of a burden it would be for an old man who was about to turn eighty. It was only natural that such worries had crossed her mind.

 Chapter 64: Like Military Boots 2 (5)

    Chapter 64: Like Military Boots 2 (5)


    But he smiled vaguely, as he was used to it.


    "Don''t worry. It''s part of my regimen. When I touch your young skin, I feel as if a single stroke would remove these wrinkles......?"


    "Oh no, I''m already"


    In the continent of Ithush, where early marriages tended to be the norm, it was safe to say that those who have reached their thirties have missed the prime age for marriage. However, the right age for marriage did not necessarily coincide with the age when one''s body and mind have matured to the point where one can enjoy oneself to the fullest with one''s partner. It was also strange that a nun, who was supposed to be unmarried all her life, would use her age as a yardstick to measure her youth.


    (No, it would be strange for a nun to indulge in this kind of mischief at all, wouldn''t it?)


    Toote to consider all that, as he moved his fingers further. With one hand, he was still bringing the ss to his mouth, while with the other, he was toying with her. He felt mildly satisfied that his skills had not be rusty.


    The woman shouted in protest at beingpletely yed by the hand.


    "Oh, today''s Marquis is being so mean!"


    "Haha, now you mention it. I''ve always been called a mean old man."


    "No, I didnt mean that......!"


    It could be said that he had be more ambitious than ever? Perhaps so, the old man thought. After all, he was one step closer to fulfilling the long-cherished wish he held for fifty years.


    The outbreak of monsters in the neighbouring country and the fire in the royal capital that hit this country. He took advantage of the two incidents to manipte the logistics between the Kingdom and the Federation, forcing the abominable enemy to start a war.


    The battlefield chosen was the Count Oubeniels Volden. If he could utilise this to get rid of the Kingdoms cancer, the ve killer, it would be perfect.


    The forces that will be sent to retake Volden and defend Allemande were steadily being prepared. With the private fortune of the Marquis, and the supplies and funds collected for the reconstruction of the royal capital, everything was progressing smoothly.


    Because of his achievements, he had already regained his seat as the head of the centralist faction. When he was kicked out by the young brat, Langogne, who had been unable to do anything but pace left and right recently, he felt a sense of relief.


    All that was left to do was to annihte the St. Gallen army and get rid of Tullius Oubeniel at the same time  he guessed it was not likely that the little bastard would let the enemy army take his head. The Omnian Empire was more reluctant than he thought, but the least they could do was send reinforcements after the war ended. Combined, they could destroy Tullius and his faction. Finally, the decentralist faction would be no threat at all and they can just get rid of them however he pleased.


    Everything was going so well. The sense of versatility and aplishment was giving his old body a surge of energy.


    "Or is it just the atmosphere of war? It''s been fifty years since I''ve been in a war, and it''s brought me back to that time."


    Perhaps it was the case. However there was a definite difference between now and fifty years ago.


    He was no longer the hopeless third son, George Henry. It had bemon knowledge that when people speak of the name Marquis Lavallee, they were referring to him.


    He was no longer a brute that fought on the frontlines without any preparation. He was now the one who drew the entire war n from start to finish.


    And it was no longer based on pure optimism that he was confident of victory before the fight. He had been fighting for this day for fifty years, and now he was about to achieve victory. His heart seemed to leap with anticipation and hope. It would not be surprising if the outburst from his body were connected to the woman in front of him as an outlet.


    "Here, touch my chest, will you? Its like its jumping around like Im young again."


    With a sudden flirtation, he let the woman''s hand rest on the left of his chest. He innocently thought that she would be able to feel his tion.


    But...


    "M-Marquis ......!"


    She paled from her flushedplexion in a sh. Lavallee wondered at the sudden change in the other''s expression.


    "? What''s the matter? What are you surprised about?"


    "No, please rest right now! Your body, your body!"


    "W-what is it"


    The moment when he tried to repeat the question.


    ng......


    His heart raced louder than it ever had in his entire life.


    His body became hot to the touch, and his cold sweat would not subside.


    "What......?"


    His chest hurt. He couldnt breathe. It became dark in front of...... his eyes.


    The strength drained from his limbs, and the ss he had been holding slipped from his fingers.


    Disappearing vision. Spilled wine. A red stain that spread on the sheets...... andplete darkness.


    (Whatis happening to me)


    "Lord Marquis! Stay strong! Marquis George!"


    In the darkness, only the woman''s scream and his own irregr heartbeat rang in his ears.


    Gradually, however, it became more distant and vague, and soon there was an eerie silence.


    And Marquis George Henry Lavallee''s consciousness soon.

 Chapter 65: Burn, Volden 1 (1)

    Chapter 65: Burn, Volden 1 (1)


    The man sat at his desk in silent contemtion.


    He looked to be in his mid-thirties. His dark brown hair was calm and subdued, and his gray eyes showed a firm will. His slim but toned physique disyed the vast amount of training he had undergone. He was such a strong man. Just the way he sat at his desk, pondering, gave him an air of dignity that would make any onlookers straighten their backs.


    If people from other countries were to evaluate him as they saw him, they would all say the same thing.


    He was a knight.


    His body was well-trained, but there was a certain harmony in his seating posture. He was neither an adventurer, a mercenary, nor even a merebourer. Rather than having the elegance of a celestial being, he carried a scent of a more down-to-earth honesty. As such, one might assume he was one of the lowest nobles directlymanding themoner soldiers.


    But that was not the case.


    He was a soldier by upation. He had more than ten thousand troops at his disposal, but there was not a drop of blue blood in his veins. He was born as amoner, and has lived as such to this date. Such was the man he was.


    It''s not difficult to understand why people misunderstand. It has not been too long since the profession of a soldier and his current rank has been formalised in this world. It has probably been around for about a century at best.


    In the continent of Ithush, professional military personnel who were involved in military affairs during peacetime were usually nobles. Possessing military power meant the same as having political power. If the military was left in the hands ofmoners, the foundation from which royalty derived their rule would be shaken. For this reason, when recruiting talentedmoners into the military, they would be given the title of knight. This meant that they were now a noble, albeit in a lower rank. However, on the other hand, it was a way to obtain those with military prowess or have talent asmanders, and to separate them from the society andmoners.


    What happens if a dispute between the nobles and themoners was started?


    From the noble''s point of view, knights were friends that were now part of the aristocracy. Naturally, they would take steps to prevent the knights from running to the side of themoners, by bringing up their friendship and the favours they did for them.


    On the other hand, what would it look like from themoner''s point of view? How would they view the knights who were fed by the taxes they paid, no longer belonging in the same social circle as them while being friendly with the nobles. It was natural to assume that the knights would side with the nobles. Formoners at the bottom of the stratum, these figures who should be reliable in their eyes, the feeling would be much moreplicated. It''s no wonder thatmoners would hesitate to recognise knights as allies when they were involved in a conflict with nobles.


    In short, the knight system was designed in this way to keep themoners from having military authority. This way, there would be no way for amoner to be a professional soldiermanding arge army. At least that''s how it was in the Kingdom of Arquell.


    However, the situation was a little different for the Federation of St. Gallen. In their country, which was established in the process of exploring the eastern frontiers of the continent, the conflict between humans and monsters was more important than the conflict between nobles andmoners. The strength possessed by monsters in thisnd far exceeded other countries. Of course, there were adventurers who killed monsters for a living, but they were officially under the jurisdiction of guilds. They were not free to move about at the behest of a country or a lord. In addition, adventurers with overwhelming individualbat skills were not easy for the nobility to control. Such adventurers could hardly be depended upon for military strength.


    Hence, the need for a military force. A military force made up for quality with quantity, trained soldiers to follow rules, and operated in the interests of the country. St. Gallen did not want to rely on adventurers, and decided to counter monsters by expanding its military power.


    The first step was to establish a magic academy where any person, regardless of their background, could learn magic and be trained to be a powerful military asset, a mage. As for warriors, the government tried to improve their quality by introducing various policies to promotebat, such as holding regr martial arts tournaments.


    In this way, powerful mages and soldiers were trained, and St. Gallen came to be known throughout the continent as thend of the elite soldiers. However, there was still an issue.


    Who wouldmand them?


    No matter how strong the soldiers were or how capable the mages were, they could not fight through an actual battle without propermanding. To use the metaphor of sheep led by wolves and wolves led by sheep, there was an overwhelmingck of people to lead the soldiers. The St. Gallerians might have had the right number of soldiers, but they did not have the right number of brains. The St. Gallenians btedly realised the need for amander, and junior officers who would lead the front line alongside the soldiers.


    At first, they came up with very simple solutions. What? Why don''t we just increase the number of knights? Let us calcte how many we would need...... The officer in charge of the administrative matters hummed to himself as he epted the document that the military reverently presented to him. And when he saw the numbers on the form, he was astonished. They needed too many.


    Knights were at the bottom of the heap, and even if they were first generation nobles, they were still noblemen. They had to be treated with courtesy. They need to be given privileges and favours thatmoners did not have. Such as,nd, albeit small, or if they were not givennd, they had to be given support from taxes. It was also customary to anoint knights in a ceremony too.


    However, if they had to recruit and appoint the number of knights required by the army as they have always done before, it would be an expense that could bring the entire country down. No, even if the financial resources were manageable, there was another problem. The poption bnce between themoners and the nobles would be out of bnce, and the whole society would be in turmoil.


    Neither could they try to lower their prestige. As mentioned before, knights were considered nobles. If they were treated roughly, the real aristocrats, such as barons and viscounts, would surely start to feel uneasy, perhaps thinking their prestige would be next on the chopping board. Also, the incumbent knights would probably rebel against the idea of losing their prestige.


    In the royal court of St. Gallen''s royal capital, Gallerin, the nobles held their heads in their hands. What could they do now? They knew what the military needed. The military needed as many officers as possible who could effectively lead the troops they had painstakingly raised with the full support of the entire country. However, if they nonchntly chose to raise the numbers of knights, the country would go bankrupt. Hm? Increase the number of knights and go bankrupt?


    A revtion dawned on them. They were in trouble because they''re trying to have knights lead themoners. Then they simply need to let themoners lead themselves. In order to keep rebellions in check, instead of knighting them, they simply needed to increase their pay, which was unavoidable. It was less expensive than knighting them in any case......


    Thus, for the first time among the nations in the continent, the Federation of St. Gallen was the first to allowmoners tomand othermoners, thus introducing generals ofmoner origin. The appointment as a knight still existed as a reward for those with great military merit among the officers, so the traditional system continued to exist in a small way.


    Of course, conventional wisdom that nobles acted as the key yers in the army was yet to be rewritten. Even so, it becamemon formoner generals who have made a name for themselves among the officers to lead the army in some way. Even if a rebellion were to ur, as long as themoner generals do possess the bloodline and status to legitimise their cause, they have little chance to take over thend and establish their authority. Although the birth ofmoner generals was not weed with open arms by all, it was tacitly epted by the upper echelons of the Federation.


    This little sidetrack has gotten too long.

 Chapter 65: Burn, Volden 1 (2)

    Chapter 65: Burn, Volden 1 (2)


    In other words, this man  Jurgen Bauer  belonged to a rtively new breed of professional soldiers that emerged from St. Gallen''s unique military system, and he was one of the raremoner generals.


    "Excuse me."


    A knock on the door interrupted Bauer''s deep thoughts. As soon as he gave the permission to enter, the staff members stepped into the room with light steps.


    This building used to be the residence of the lord of the town that was upied by the St. Gallen army. It was confiscated and was being used as a temporary base. As it was a rural town in the remote eastern part of the province of Volden, the facility was cramped and inconvenient. While annoyed by theck of breathing space in the room, Bauer listened to what his subordinates had to report on.


    "Reporting on the status of the battle to General Bauer."


    "Mm."


    Bauer gave a small nod. The smile on his subordinates seemed to indicate he came bearing good news.


    "Our forces are quickly infiltrating and advancing through Volden, shing with the forces of Arquell at various locations. We have almost defeated all of them!"


    The report was as expected. It was Bauer himself who had designed the surprise attack to be simultaneous with their deration of war. He had put a lot of thought into making it work, so there was no excitement when the results came in.


    More importantly, there were words and phrases that could not be overlooked in the report.


    "Almost, huh?"


    "Ah, yes. A party that nned to march on the provincial capital, has been repelled at the fort defending it."


    "......What the hell are they doing?"


    Bauer couldn''t help but run a hand across his wrinkled brow.


    "The results at the start of the war were very favourable. And that was all part of the strategy I haveid out. Didn''t I order the capture of rural areas to secure food for the troops first?"


    The focus of this battle was, above all, to secure supplies for troops. The surprise attack to cut into the defenceless nk of the enemy consisted of a forced march over the mountains without a stable supply line from their own country. This was extremely dangerous since they could not receive satisfactory supplies. If they were somehow isted, they would starve and copse by themselves. This was the current situation of the St. Gallen army.


    That was why they chose now to start the war. It was just before the harvest season and they could take the wheat from the pristine fields to obtain food. Thereafter, control of the important bases in Volden could be captured as a secondary priority. Even if they failed to take over the entirety of Volden, it would not pose a problem as long as they secured a ce to hide for the winter. Bauer recalled giving strict orders for such a stratagem.


    "I''m afraid themander of that squad will have to be severely punished."


    "B-But"


    "Did he die during the battle?"


    "Yes, that''s correct."


    That was the worst oue. If he had returned alive, he could have made an example of him by cutting off his head as a warning to all. The second-inmand officer was just following the dead idiot, so there was no reason to me him.


    Bauer had no choice but to send an admonition to all troops by messenger. They were in the midst of winning the war and were quickly getting carried away. It was unlikely that the soldiers would listen to him, though it was better than doing nothing.


    "I want allmanders to follow my orders strictly. Steal their food and money, rape their women and children, or kill them for fun. I''ll give permission to do all that. But the attack on the city will have to wait until I give the instruction......."


    "Yes, general!"


    "But, general"


    Then one of his subordinates interjected.


    "I don''t think we need to be this cautious. The enemy soldiers standing in our path are extremely fragile. We can manage to capture this one province in a single concentrated push. We don''t need to get worked up over a single failure, do we?"


    His tone and expression hardly contained the gravity of the matter. It was like a child who had been scolded by a parent or a teacher, but simplyughed to attempt to defuse the situation. In other words, he was a brat who didn''t know any better. Bauer''s eyebrows jumped slightly.


    "You idiot."


    "Yes......?"


    "Remember our situation. We have marched over the mountains and have been fighting without rest. Eventually, we will reach the limit of our strength and the offensive will grind to a halt. We must let our soldiers rest before that happens."


    Soldiers were not machines. They grow tired from moving and get hungry. That was why there was a limit to their offensive. There would be a line in which, without rest and reorganisation, they would not be able to attack any more. Once that line was crossed, the army would be weaker. Right now, they were feeling the adrenaline from one sidedly defeating the small fries, but it did not change the fact that their bodies are in shambles from the marching and fighting. When fatigue catches up, even the weakest soldiers or militias guarding Volden would turn into deadly enemies.


    The day when the St. Gallen army would reach the point of exhaustion was near. Bauer was anticipating it.


    "That''s why the first thing we need is to secure steady food supplies for our army. If were too exhausted to move, we wont even be able to loot food supplies then. Do you understand?"


    "......Yes. Understood."


    The objecting subordinate replied with a look of disapproval on his face. He might have imed to agree, but surely he did not understand the intent of the general.


    Bauer let out a sigh. This was a difficult subordinate to deal with. However, this was still an improvement from before. At the time when the army for this surprise mission was being formed, it was way worse. Insubordination and vition of orders were just the tip of the problem. More than once, subordinates from noble lineages had ridiculed him.


    (But status should have no standing in an argument......)


    While thinking about it, Bauer nced at the g hanging from the wall.


    What was there was not the military g of the Federation of St. Gallen. It was the military g of the Kingdom of Baharia, Bauer''s homnd.


    The Federation of St. Gallen was, as the name suggested, a federation not controlled by a sole dynasty. It was a country that evolved from a military alliance formed by the kings who were the pioneers of the eastern part of the continent, which until a few hundred years ago was uncharted territory. They made an alliance to protect themselves from the powerful monsters and powers to the west, such as Arquell and Molbaehr. The Heidellecht dynasty from the Kingdom of Grandenburg, sat in the royal capital of Gallerin, and called themselves the Grand royal family. They held a prominent position in the federation, as the countries that made up the federation recognised them as a representative of them who upheld their interests. Although their country would dly help in resisting pressure from the west and exterminating monsters, they did not want to be involved in anything more than the bare minimum. Although there was a hierarchical rtionship, there was little in the way of loyalty.


    The Kingdom of Baharia was one of the member countries that were unhappy with the Federation. Located in the southern part of St. Gallen, they boasted an economic level that was unparalleled even within the Federation. However, even so, they did not have the national strength to survive the recent outbreak of monsters and the resulting food shortage and economic crisis on their own. In fact, they were losing power rtive to other St. Gallen territories, by acting as allies in times like these by providing economic support.


    If the crisis in St. Gallen continued at this rate, Baharia would sink under. Concerned about the future of his homnd, Bauer submitted a proposal for a preemptive surprise attack to the upper echelons of the Federation army, who were discussing the pros and cons of initiating a war with the Kingdom of Arquell. And that was the n they were using now.


    Gathering second-tier troops from all over St. Gallen, they crossed the mountains and marched to Volden. The most elite troops, including those directly under Grandenburg''s control, were sent to the Allemande area for control, and if there was an opening, they would invade Arquell from there. The Baharia, which had been under the thumb of the whole of St. Gallen, could breathe a sigh of relief because the poption of the other territories temporarily moved out of the Federation to participate in the war. Since the operation was about local procurement of supplies, the burden on his home country was minimal. If the Heidellecht dynasty in Gallerin seeded, it would be able to win arge concession from the Kingdom of Arquell with little effort. Even if the attack failed, the military strength of the defiant countries within the Federation could be reduced. The biggest reason why the position of amoner general was adopted was the alignment of interests between Grandenburg and Baharia.

 Chapter 65: Burn, Volden 1 (3)

    Chapter 65: Burn, Volden 1 (3)


    However, this meant that the entire St. Gallen territory became involved in the invasion of Volden. In other words, it was a huge mess. Each and every one of them gave priority to their own interests, and shes with those of other origins were frequent. Although General Bauer, themander of the army in this area, had been able to keep a lid on it, he was often underestimated by people from other territories because of his status as amoner. This was despite the fact that he was the one who came up with the entire operation. It was incredibly difficult to handle the soldiers and the army.


    While fretting over the perilous inner workings of his own army, Bauer turned to his staff officers.


    "So, any reports on the food supplies?"


    "Yes, sir. Most of the areas that our forces are currently controlling are in the mountainous eastern part of the province near the mountain range. Therefore, the progress on securing food is lower than expected."


    "So you''re saying we are not in the clear until we upy the ins further to the west?"


    "No, general. At present, I estimate we have enough for our army to be self-sufficient for about a month. After some rest, I think we will be ready to take down the western part of Volden, where most of the major bases are distributed, in another offensive."


    "How soon can we resume the offensive?"


    "As you said, considering the fatigue of the troops, roughly a week from now. "


    "A week, huh. Considering the distance from Broussonne, the royal capital of Arquell, where reinforcements are probably being organised, that''s plenty of time."


    It would take a week or two to travel from Broussonne to the province of Volden by carriage. However, the army cannot move as quickly as a horse-drawn carriage. They have to keep pace with the supply lines and logistics, which will slow them down.


    "......General, do you think it''s possible that reinforcements could arrive before winter?"


    "8 or 9 out of ten I suppose."


    The staff officer blinked at him in surprise.


    "Sincest year, the reluctance on the part of Arquell in terms of trade had been unusual. It was not necessary to tighten exports to such an extent, even though there was the disaster of the Great Fire. It felt as if they were trying to cause us to spiral out of control and incite us to invade themDont you think so?"


    "But originally, our friendship of fifty years"


    "It''s a friendship that was forged because they lost to St. Gallen. They are a prideful kingdom. I''m sure they must have felt very humiliated inwardly."


    It was St. Gallens side that dered the war, but it was Arquell''s side that had thrown down the gauntlet first. Bauer was aware of this. In the face of such a raw provocation, it was natural that they were ready to return the strike.


    "If that''s what you think, then why this surprise attack strategy?"


    "It''s the only thing I could think of."


    If we were going to attack in a normal way, it would have been logical to advance their troops in a straightforward manner from the direction of Allemande. However, the St. Gallen side did not have the strength to do a frontal attack. The Kingdom of Arquell knew that their borders would be targeted. Thus, they would have ced extraordinary defences. St. Gallen, which was not prepared for a long war, did not have the luxury of waging a war of attrition in the Allemande area. The St. Gallen side also had their hands full with fortifying their borders and barely had enough soldiers to send north to invade Volden.


    "And since there were no other alternatives, it was adopted. Then we have no choice but to bring this n to sess."


    Before enemy reinforcements appear, capture Volden, strengthen our defences, and hold out until winter. This way, thisnd on the teau would be impregnable until spring. While the invading forces of St. Gallen rest and pass the winter, the forces of the Kingdom of Arquell expend an appropriate amount of supplies and strength to pass the winter. Then, as soon as the snow melts, they defeat the reinforcements and pincer the Allemande area in cooperation with the home army.


    It was a highly risky strategy. But Bauer knew that the sess rate would be high enough to justify it. The Arquell soldiers defending Volden were untrained. It would take less than half a month to capture the entire province. The forces at the fort that had defeated one of the detachments were also too small to change the flow of the battlefield itself. They could slowly encircle it up after they captured the other cities and bases. In the worst case scenario, they could leave only a certain amount of forces there to trap them and focus on the main body of the Arquell army. In any case, their priority now was to obtain the granaries in the west for supplies and to capture other forts to establish a defensive base......


    "Anyway. Tell the troops to join us as soon as they have enough food. After that, we''ll let them rest, and then we''ll begin the full-scale suppression of Volden."


    "Yes!"


    The staff members who had received the order turned on their heels and left the room.


    Bauer sat at his desk again, deep in thought.


    At worst, it was a 50-50 chance, he thought, ying down his calctions. Even if the enemy''s agitation from the surprise attack was minimal, and they brought in reinforcements without dy, there was still a fifty percent chance of victory. The fruits of Volden were plentiful for a mountainous area, and even if they have to fight a series of tough battles, there should be sufficient supplies to hold out. If they could hold onto a fort and defend it, there was a good chance that they couldst through the winter. Even if this was not possible, there was the option of destroying the fort so that it would not be used by the Arquell side, and then retreating to the east.


    (We can win, no, I will make us win......!)


    His army was 40,000 troops strong. The opposing enemy reinforcements would probably exceed 100,000. Even though the St. Gallen army had sent its most elite troops to the Allemande area, their skill level surpassed that of the average Arquell soldier. As long as they control the important bases in the province first, they would be able to stick around until winter.


    The person who had provoked them on the side of Arquell surely has a n to take back Volden. However, the Federation of the St. Gallen was not so easy an opponent to return a borrowed item for free. If Arquell had forgotten in the 50 years that have passed, then it was time to remind them again. On who are the losers and who are the winners.


    And in the unlikely event


    "Can you hear me? It''s me."


    From his pocket, he took out a device that containedmunication magic that allowedmunication with people far away. The reply came immediately.


    "This is the General. What can I do for you?"


    The voice was muffled, gloomy, andcking in energy. Bauer couldn''t help but dislike this person. But when he thought of the arrangements he needed to make for the uing battles, he had to curb his urges.


    "How''s the adjustments on the thing we have discussed?"


    "It is proving to be a bit of a challenge. It''s a delicate thing, after all. I never thought we would have to carry it over the mountains."


    "When are you nning on finishing it?"


    Hmm. Probably another 10 days or so


    "One week. You''ll have to do something to make it in time for the attack."


    He held his tongue. The person on the other end of the call may have found the request absurd, but he had also conveyed a sense of urgency.


    "As you wish. Let''s get this done as quickly as we can. I''ll get to work on it, then."


    He grudgingly agreed, and before he could stop him, he cut off themunications.


    Bauer rubbed his brow as if trying to hold in a headache. The way he abruptly cut offmunication made it difficult to think he was even being treated as a superior officer, or even a general. However, such people have to be appeased at times or reprimanded at other times to produce results.


    "...... I don''t know how much use those guys'' toys are going to be, but if they can be used, then we have to use them."


    This was a trump card that was forced on them by the people of Gallerin at thest moment before they left. Even now, when the war has already started, they can''t make decisions as they wish. To be honest, its usefulness was questionable, but if what the sender was iming about its ability was even half true, it could be a useful trick up their sleeve.

 Chapter 65: Burn, Volden 1 (4)

    Chapter 65: Burn, Volden 1 (4)


    Jurgen Bauer was now fully prepared for the uing battle with the main body of the Arquellian army.


    However, a single thing haspsed from his mind. The man he was currently fighting is the new Count of Volden, Tullius Shernan Oubeniel. If Tullius wanted to survive, he''ll do whatever it takes, be it getting rid of his rtives, burning his country, or whatever else he had to do, just like a demon would.


    A cold nightly breeze blew across the teau.


    The temperature in autumn was so low that one''s breath turned foggy white at night. Even though frost or snow had yet to fall, if a person was in light clothing, that person could freeze to death before dawn. It was a harsh night for those in the fields.


    In the darkness of the night, tents stood side by side, illuminated by numerous lights. This was the camp of the invading forces of the Federation of St. Gallen. The city that was currently under their control was too small, as it was located in a faraway area of the province. As a result, the city''s capacity for stockpiling food and other supplies were insufficient. Therefore, they had to set up camps in the open like this and manage their own supplies.


    "......So cold."


    One of the soldiers guarding the camp muttered to himself. His fellowrade in arms, standing at a distance, frowned in response. He didn''t seem to notice it and continued.


    "Why do I have to freeze like this even after we''ve crossed the friggin'' mountains?"


    "Shh! Don''t waste your breath."


    He was scolded by his peers, but that didn''t stop him fromining.


    "That''s true, but I can''t distract myself unless I''m talking. It''s hard to stand shivering in silence in this cold weather, isn''t it?"


    "Stop saying cold here, cold there. Now I''m shivering too."


    "Because it''s cold, I don''t have a choice."


    He said, and shivered as he hugged his arm with the spear under his arm. It was a gesture to at least try to retain some warmth, but the faint heat of his body temperature was quickly dissipated by the wind.


    "The rest of the soldiers are doing good, aren''t they? We''re on guard duty here, and they''re the ones with the perks, aren''t they?"


    "For those perks, we have to fight huh."


    "Their opponents were mostly small fries. I heard him bragging earlier about how he had more trouble getting rid of a bunch of orcs at home."


    "Since this country is bountiful and doesnt have strong monsters."


    "You kill all those weaklings and then you drink their booze, eat their food, and fuck their women, right? It''s really not fair. I wonder what the women of Arquell are like..."


    "Come on, man. In the countryside around here, it''s no different than our home, isn''t it?"


    "You don''t have any dreams, do you? Even if this is the countryside too, don''t you think this ce has more meat and good stuff?"


    "It''s the same for peasant girls everywhere. No matter how much money you make, you''ll be squeezed by the nobles and won''t be able to eat as much food as you''d like."


    "Damn, so its the same! Well, if we''re going to target good girls, I guess it''s time to take down the city. I guess I''ll volunteer when we take on a big city, huh?"


    "You know, it''d be quicker to take some goats from that farm and use them."


    "Come on, it''s valuable meat. If there''s anything weird mixed in, I''m not going to eat it."


    "True that."


    "Women are a luxury, but I''d at least like a drink."


    "What about the wine they gave us? They gave you some fire wine to warm you up."


    "Of course you drank it all when you were walking in the fucking cold mountains."


    "I see. Me too."


    "I''m not sure if it''s because we''re on a forced march, but there''s nothing left in the liquor stores. There''s a lot of......liquor ingredients here though."


    He said, and turned to look behind. There was a collection of goods. Weapons that had been transported all the way across the mountains from their home countries. Items that had been systematically looted in Volden. Naturally, there was also wheat and other grains.


    In ancient times, it was strictly forbidden to give more than a day''s worth of grain to soldiers on an expedition. The reason for this was that they would use it to make alcohol, which would consume extra food. The result was, of course, inferior liquor, brewed by amateurs from grain. However, in a camp where entertainment was scarce, the soldiers would appreciate such a product.


    An audible gulp was heard. The other soldier looked at him with deep reproach.


    "Don''t do that. Didn''t the order say that it was strictly forbidden to touch the food? In fact, I''ve heard that five or six people who tried to divert the food have already been cut down."


    "Damn! You''re so stingy, Baharian general!"


    "Hey, you''re talking too loud!"


    "Oh, oops, ......."


    He hurriedly covered his mouth. With General Bauer''s determination to procure and properly manage food, a great deal of effort had been put into the security of the storage area. The guards standing here were just one of the countless patrol teams.


    One of Bauer''s crafty ns was to have each of the territories form their own squads. The two groups, which were from different ces, were keeping each other in check to prevent the other party from getting their hands on the supplies. If someone from another team overheard this conversation, they would be quickly exposed with a tip-off.


    "Did you see anyone near......?"


    "I don''t think anybody is here."


    "Whew...... that was lucky, man."


    "That''s why I told you to stop wasting your time talking. You''re so light on your feet and so quick to go off on tangents."


    "I''m sorry......, but you ended up joining too, didn''t you?"


    "Yeah, well, even I"


    Suddenly, his words were cut off in the middle of the conversation. The soldier blinked at his still figure with a gaping mouth.


    "Hey. What''s going on?"


    There was no time to say anything.


    Something rushed from behind the other soldier with tremendous speed. It circled behind the soldier with a speed that was impossible to catch with the eyes.


    And.


    sh.


    Something hard and cold was thrust from his shoulder to his heart.


    (Ah......?)


    Without even being able to perceive what had happened, the soldier slowly fell to the ground. Just before hepletely fell to the ground, he finally heard the sound of his colleague, who had been killed before him, falling.


    With a light shake of the de, the bloodstains that had stained the sword de scattered on the dying autumn grass.


    Two fallen soldiers. Both of them were dead.


    (A little slow, aren''t they? )


    The speed at which she killed the first and then the second, the degree at which they managed to track her with their eyes, albeit faintly, and the uracy of the attack that left blood on her weapon.


    All of them were at or below par. It was not enough to satisfy her or to bring relief to her master.


    It was probably due to the fact that she had been away from a real battlefield for some time now. It had been a long time since she left the repelling of intruders and sabotage to the rest of her allies. The fact that she did not have to work as much as she used to was a sign that the system their master had set up was getting closer to perfection. While she was happy about that, she was not happy that her own skill level was declining.


    Once this all ends, she would consider getting serious on training again.


    With these thoughts in mind, she walked noiselessly towards her destination.


    Her silhouette was illuminated by the moonlight leaking through the clouds.


    On top of her head was a snow white headdress. A crimson one-piece dress that covered up to her wrists, and a clean pristine white apron. The armband on her left arm. And shining around her neck was a silver cor with a rugged design that did not match her slender limbs or even her pretty face.


    She was Uni. She was the first "masterpiece" that an alchemist pursuing the unnatural had modelled, and recreated from lumps of dying flesh.


    Dressed in a maid''s costume and wearing a shiny ve cor, it was an odd sight in the military camp. But nobody would blink an eye at it. She had entered unnoticed, and killed those who she could not avoid. With her mastery of the art of ambush, breaking into an enemy camp, even one with an army of over ten thousand, would be little more than child''s y. She could easily evade even the search of an adventurer skilled in exploration. It didn''t make much difference whether there were guards or not if they were unskilled. The only difference would be whether there would be dead bodies or not.

 Chapter 65: Burn, Volden 1 (5)

    Chapter 65: Burn, Volden 1 (5)


    Eventually, she made her way to the store and pulled something out of her pocket. It was several corked test tubes. The tubes were filled with an unidentifiable solution.


    She threw them out at regr intervals. The sound of crushing and fizzling could be heard, but nobody else was there to hear.


    The wheat vaporised or dissolved into the ground quickly.


    Then, Uni muttered quietly.


    "......Ignite."


    A tiny me was created above her raised index finger. This was a basic fire spell. She was not good at fire magic. The amount of magic power in her body was in the realm of the inhuman, but even so, she could not ovee her weaknesses in some attributes. When it came to manipting mes, her master, who was probably far inferior in terms ofbat power, was much more skilled. Though for Drei, she was able to control the four major attributes of earth, water, fire, and wind, and for Seis, who specialised in magic, she could use all seven attributes. This was a talent that Uni, being adept in only two attributes, wascking.


    That''s why she relied on these tools to aid her.


    Go-o-o-o-o-o!


    A huge ze erupted in the blink of an eye.


    "This incendiary solution, Greekfire. Hm, its pretty good."


    Uni assessed as the hot wind ruffled her bangs.


    The solution that she poured and ignited was one of the prototypes of the magic weapon that was originally intended to be given to Opus 05 Fem. It was a magical oil created by alchemy that spread vaporised fuel over a wide area to ignite and burn an entire battlefield instantly. In addition, because it burned at such a high temperature, if water was carelessly poured on it, it could break water into hydrogen and oxygen and intensify the fire. A me that cannot be extinguished with water was nothing but a nightmare for those who wanted to put down the fire.


    The mes roared in the sky and rose up as a pir of mes.


    If this was the case, the supplies gathered at this depot would soon be burned to the ground. For the St. Gallen army, which relied on looting for supplies, this would be a greater blow than having 10,000 soldiers killed.


    Satisfied, she quickly turned back.


    "There''s a fire!"


    "T-the supplies ...... the food is on fire!"


    "Hurry up and put out the fire! We must extinguish the fire as soon as possible!"


    She walked out of the encampment, passing the soldiers who had rushed in noisily. No one was looking at her. The fire burning high in the sky, an unavoidably eye-catching presence, caught everyone''s attention and they focused solely on it. It was only natural that a well-trained servant who knew how to bring out the best in her master would be able to strut openly in the midst of everyone else. That''s what Uni thought, and that''s what she actually did.


    Later on, the St. Gallen army tried to gather evidence for the culprit for the fire, but not one of them mentioned the oundish and unusual story of seeing a maid wearing a cor in the camp. Once she had left the encampment and deemed herself far enough away, Uni looked back. Her lips quivered as she looked at the mes that still burned.


    "This is the start of our counterattack, isn''t it, Master?"

 Chapter 66: Burn, Volden 2 (1)

    Chapter 66: Burn, Volden 2 (1)


    The small vige was full of activity early in the morning.


    People were scrambling to get out of the vige as quickly as possible, packing as much as they could into their carts or on their backs. They were trying to avoid the ravages of war.


    "Hurry up, hurry up!"


    "Hurry, or they''lle!"


    "St. Gallen barbarians......!"


    The vigers gathered in the vige square, carrying their belongings, each face coloured with fear and frustration.


    The neighbouring country, the Federation of St. Gallen had crossed the mountains to invade thisnd, Volden. The barbaric acts of the enemy army in the surrounding areas have even spread to this mountainous farming vige.


    "Viges would all be killed and their harvest taken from them."


    "Vige girls would all be gathered for raping."


    "It doesn''t matter if it was a boy or a girl, so long as they possess good looks."


    And so on


    The stories they had heard were a mixture of fact and exaggeration, but one thing was for certain. Nothing good coulde from being captured by the St. Gallen army.


    That''s why they ran away without any hesitation. They even abandoned their almost harvest ready fields, the lifeline for them peasants.


    "Is it really fine for us to leave our fields and escape?"


    "This isnt the time for that! Staying alive is more important!"


    "But if we escape, if wee back after the war and the fields are a mess"


    "Dont say such inauspicious stuff, old man......"


    However, there was still a lingering feeling of regret for the fields they had painstakingly worked to cultivate. After all, they were the foundation of their lives. They paid taxes on the crops and fed themselves or sold the leftovers. That was the way of life for a farmer. Even if they fled to extend their lives today, it would be meaningless if they starved to death the following day.


    Shaking off their fears, they continued to evacuate.


    "I''m sure the lord understands that war is not an option. There may be some tax breaks or allowances."


    "Yeah, is that so? But, how can we expect such magnanimity from a noble?"


    "So you''re going to stay here with your hoes and take on St. Gallen? That''s not going to end well."


    "A-Alright......."


    The farmers persuaded themselves as they escaped towards the castle town.


    They were in dire straits. There was no choice but to cling to the mercy of the lord and beg for tax exemptions and food rations. Now that they have abandoned their fields and fled, it was the only way to survive.


    What if their pleas were rejected? In the first ce, the reason they had to flee was because of theck of protection from the lord. If their destitute selves were subjected to further exploitation, then they were resolved to do one thing.


    To revolt.


    Now that they were now at war, surely the officials would like to have their own people on their side. At the very least, they don''t want to create more enemies. Hence, if they showed signs of an uprising, their demands would surely be epted. Just a little of the tax that they have been offering should be eptable. At the very least, the lord''s army, which suffered a series of defeats against St. Gallen was a much easier opponent to fight against than the monstrously strong St. Gallen army.......


    That was the popr thought of themoners.


    "Mom, w-water......."


    "Patience, my dear! If we don''t get out of here right now, the scary soldiers will catch up with us!"


    "But I''m so thirsty..."


    Suddenly, one of the young men in the vige stopped to listen to a mother and child arguing. Apparently, the mother was hurrying her child who wanted to get a drink.


    "Miss, please give him a drink. It''s going to be a long walk from here to the nearest town. You''d better get him some water while you can."


    When he said this in a friendly manner, his mother turned away, looking unhappy.


    "It''s not like I was being mean to my child..."


    "Okay, I''ll help you draw water from the well."


    "Thank you, Uncle!"


    "......boy, I''m not old enough to be an uncle yet."


    With the innocent joy of the child in his eyes, the man went to the shared well in the vige and drew water. He scooped up the water with adle and presented it to the child''s mouth.


    "Here, have a drink. Just a little, okay? If you drink too much, you''ll get a heavy stomach on the way."


    "Yeah!"


    "I''m sorry you have to listen to the whims of my child......"


    "No, this much is fine"


    Helping each other in the midst of danger. The vigers felt their excessive tension melt away at the warmth of the friendship between neighbours.


    It is alright. They would not be attacked like the other viges, and they would escape. If they could assist each other and encourage one another like this, then they would be able to progress.


    Such optimistic hope even came to mind.


    But it was right after that that something strange happened.


    "Cough, coughgurr!?"


    The child was drinking water. Suddenly, he appeared to be in distress and vomited the contents in his stomach. The abnormally coloured vomit released a sour odour into the air.


    "What?"


    "Hey, kid!"


    While the young man and his mother in the vige were stunned, the child began to convulse and curl up like a shrimp. The vomiting did not stop, and he was intermittently vomiting acidic liquid from his mouth.


    "Gueehh, ohh......!"


    "Hey, what the hell! What''s going on!"


    "Hey, the brat copsed!"


    "What, why are you......? Oh, the water ......."


    "Boy! Hang on! Boy!"


    The vigers heard themotion and flocked to the well. A young man stood dumbfounded. The mother was frantically calling out to her child. In front of their eyes, the convulsions of the fallen child became more and more violent ...... and eventually stopped.


    He was dead.


    "Ahhhh......! Why, what ...... happened to my child?"


    "No, no ......, it wasnt me! I didnt do anything!"


    "Calm down. Nobody is using you of anything yet"


    "Then who the hell did it? What the hell happened?"


    "......Its the St. Gallen army."


    In a vige that was on the verge of panic, someone muttered to himself.


    The viger shuddered as he continued to speak as other people stared at him.


    "It''s St. Gallen. They''ve been poisoning our wells without us knowing it......"


    The Army of the Federation of St. Gallen. They appeared from beyond the mountains and attacked thisnd, looting their viges, killing their people and viting women and children. Their mention of their name spread through the vigers like an eerie ripple.


    "St. Gallen......?"


    "Wait, wait. What do they have to gain by poisoning the vige well?"


    "Well, who else would benefit from it?"


    "They would do it...... They definitely would do it!"


    "They''re going to kill us all!"


    The frenzy that had once almost subsided shook the people with increasing intensity, like the main earthquake after a preliminary tremor.


    "Run ......! Come on, lets get out of here!"


    "They''re getting close, aren''t they?"


    "They''ve snuck into the vige and poisoned the well! Theyre definitely nearby!"


    "Nonoooooooo!"


    "Get out of the way, get out of the way! I don''t want to be killed! I''m not gonna let them kill me!"


    "No, don''t! Stop pushing! My belongings"


    "Don''t just stand there, slowpoke!"


    "W-we have to get out of here fast......!"


    "Ahh!? No, no, no! Don''t step on me!"


    The panic-stricken vigers rushed to the exits of their vige. There was no such thing as consideration for neighbours, nor was there any sense of cooperation.


    Some of them even threw away their belongings and pushed others out of the way in order to save themselves. Others were pushed over and trampled by the vigers who followed. Others were shocked in ce and did not move from the well.


    "My child...... my child......"


    The mother shook the corpse of her dead son, as if unable to ept the situation. No one paid any attention to her at all. Even the young man had left the scene, followed by the other vigers.


    This fear of war that had been tormenting the vigers had finally closed in on them. The water level had risen to the limit, and the moment it materialised in the form of the sudden death of an innocent child, nothing could stop it from flooding in. The wave of people was like a tsunami. Those unable to move were left behind.


    "O-Ouch...... Why was I left behind...... arent we friends in the same vige"


    "Why don''t you wake up, boy? If you don''t, the scary people will"


    Thus, the vige was quickly abandoned.


    And soon, it will fall into ruins.


    The tallest building in the vige, the church.


    There were two shadows looming down from the rooftops as they observed the poor vigers entering a frenzy and fleeing. They were both wearing ck robes with hoods so they were indistinguishable. But from the unevenness of their silhouettes, they would probably be identified as women.

 Chapter 66: Burn, Volden 2 (2)

    Chapter 66: Burn, Volden 2 (2)


    There was no one to find fault with their appearance. The fact that the vigers were running for their lives or were unconscious was one reason, but the robes they wore was the real reason.


    It was concealment armour. Unless it was an expert at spotting enemies, most would not be able to detect their presence unless they were right in front of the person. There was no way that a regr peasant from the countryside would be able to spot the person wearing this on the roof. In the past, they were able to prate the isted viges of the elves, who were naturally good at hearing and detecting, without being noticed. If even the elves were unable to do so, then even if the St. Gallen army were to enter this vige, none of them should be able to spot the two of them above the church.


    One of the two opened her mouth as if being unable to stand it any longer.


    "Hahahahahahaha! Look, look! Humans are running for cover like ants, aren''t they? After all, all creatures that are poked in the nest react in a simr way, don''t they?"


    The voice of a woman who was both rejoicing innocently and mocking mercilessly. Her words were dizzyingly disproportionate to her tall body and the bulges that pushed her loose robes up from within.


    But the other person didnt seem to mind. It was as if she had already gotten used to human behaviour.


    "Hmph. They''re just a bunch of lowly hairless monkeys, the lowest of the low. I wouldn''t be surprised if their intelligence is no better than that of insects."


    What came out from behind the hood were words of unrelenting contempt for the vigers who had fled. She was convinced of her own superiority and hated the human species. The scornful gaze, a mixture of the two, was skin-tingling hot, and at the same time, blood-freezing cold.


    After confirming that the vigers were far enough away from the vige, they made a sign to each other and removed their hoods.


    What appeared were beauties beyond human imagination.


    Silver hair and brown skin. Her right eye was amber coloured and her left eye was covered with an eye patch. A dark elf woman with a seductive yet wild beauty.


    Blonde hair and white. Sky-blue eyes shining with curiosity and sadistic tendencies. She was an elf girl, possessing a licentious beauty and an innocent yet cruel disposition.


    Opus 03 Drei and Opus 06 Seis. These were the demons that reigned as the new rulers of thend, the "masterpieces" that he was proud of.


    "Well, as the master instructed. I instilled fear of mountain monkeys in the minds of the regr monkeys and let them go. And what we have to do next you know that right?"


    She said, turning her gaze towards Seis. She was still unsure of the true potential of this new peer of hers. She could feel superior magical powers from herpared to her own. However, her usual behaviour was like that of a child, perhaps even less than that of a child who might start crying in the middle of nowhere after falling.


    "This mission also serves as a performance test for you. You can''t just stay in theb forever helping master. You understand that, don''t you?"


    That''s why Drei volunteered for this task in the vige which would also serve as a test for Seis. She wondered what the value of Seis would be. Was she just one of her master''s assistants or was she a force to be reckoned with?


    In response to such an implied confirmation, Seis said.


    "Yes, yes! So you''re going to test my power, right? Wow, this is going to be fun!"


    She spread her arms toward the sky, thrusting her ample breasts out, and disyed her pleasure with full innocence.


    Drei was dumbfounded by herckadaisical attitude. Then, she lowered her voice as if warning her.


    "......You. I wouldnt be angry at all if you just acted a little more nervous you know? You''re being tested for your skills, remember?"


    "Huh? But it''s an experiment, an experiment! I''m going to use magic that I''ve never used before, and I''m going to make sure that they are perfect! I think it''ll be fun, but I''m not really scared or annoyed..."


    She put her finger on her jaw and said so without thinking too much of it.


    Oh, that''s the kind of person she is, Drei concluded. She was a manmade elf who had been trained to have a strong sense of curiosity. For her, experimentation was the best form of entertainment. If it was an opportunity for her to show off her abilities that she had been holding back until now, she would be more than happy.


    "Mmm... Well, alright. If you are in such a mood, whatever. Let''s get started."


    "Yay! Well then, presenting to you Opus 06 Seis! Watch me closely!"


    With a cheer, Seis took a step forward and looked out at the scene beneath her.


    A vige devoid of the liveliness it once had. Thepletely intact fields of wheat. She took in the entire scenery and projected her magic on it.


    "......Fire Spirits of the Heavens, Fire Ghosts of the Earth. Unite here to bring forth purgatory."


    Her eyes narrowed, while she chanted her spell fluently and clearly. A huge amount of magic power erupted from her feet, creating a whirlwind and making her clothes flutter. Unlike her usual childish demeanours, she now looked more like an elven priestess solemnly praying to the spirits.


    Drei felt impressed.


    (Huh. So you can do it if you try, cant you?)


    She thought Seis was just a kid with an enormous amount of magic power, but the speed of her chanting, the precision of her magic control, and the rank of the magic she was trying to activate were all top-notch. Drei could do the same if she wanted to, of course, but the fact that she could do it despite being less than a year old was astounding.


    In the next moment.


    "......Eh, what goes next? Ah, so bothersome! Im gonna skip the chant!"


    "You idiot! You''re trying to cause an explosion?"


    Seis resorted to abbreviating most of the chant for her great magic.


    Magic requires precise control during the activation phase. It is a sign of skillfulness for mages that can shorten their chanting or skip it altogether, but mages that omit chants must have nned to do so from the very beginning. Suddenly deciding to omit the chant on the spur of the moment was a surefire way to cause an explosion on oneself.


    However.


    "Activate! Inferno Storm!"


    An iplete technique that should have malfunctioned was forciblypleted by pouring arge amount of magic power into it. The impact of the magic took shape before their eyes.


    Everything was engulfed in mes  the buildings, the ins, the forests, and the fields.


    Scorching hot mes burned everything into ashes and then vanished. It was like a scene of hell. The only difference was that the mes were not purifying mes that cleansed sins, but simply a me that extinguished all lifeforms.


    The person responsible for the scorching hell was smiling broadly with a look of satisfaction.


    "Hahahahahahahahahahahaha! Amazing! Amazing! I can''t believe how amazing my magic is! Everything I can see from here is on fire! It''s all on fire! Kyahahahahaa!"


    A carpet of mes licked up everything, painting thendscape of the vige red. Nobody would believe the woman smiling so radiantly was actually an elf, a guardian of nature. Rather, she was either a pawn of the devil or the devil himself.


    It was a humble vige that had been built over many years by helpless and miserable humans who cleared the forest, built houses, and cultivated fields. A nest of pathetic, lowly,boratory animals, reduced to ashes by her own magic. Of course she enjoyed every bit of the process. She felt a sense of exhration as if she had kicked down a sand castle that some unknown child had worked so hard to build. The pleasure of satisfying her sadistic pleasures impressed deeply onto her young brain. This might be her first time experiencing such a body-throbbing ecstasy since she was born.


    Just as she was at the peak of her tion.


    "Are you stupid?"


    "Ahh!"


    Drei swung down a fist on her as hard as she could.


    As Seis was pulled back from the height of joy to reality with shock and pain, she saw the face of her angry senior.


    "A difficult higher spell, and your first use of it, so don''t just decide to omit the chant just like that! What were you thinking? Do you have a death wish? Did you want get me involved in your stupid self destruction? Or are you simply an idiot!?"


    "I''m sorry! I forgot the full spell!"


    In a full reversal, Seis shrunk down like a small animal and apologised fervently. However, Drei''s anger did not subside, and she continued to squeeze Seis''s temples.

 Chapter 66: Burn, Volden 2 (3)

    Chapter 66: Burn, Volden 2 (3)


    "You forgot? ......if you forgot! Cut the chant off! And start from the very beginning!"


    Although Drei was slender just as most mages were, she did have strong arm strength due to the modifications performed on her. If she did not go easy on the other party, she could easily inflict a whole lot of pain to the head.


    "Arghhhh! It''s going to crack! It''s cracking! My brain''s going to crack! My brain is splitting in half! Ah, was that how I was before...... Ahh, it hurts, it hurts, please forgive me!"


    "I don''t see any remorse, hah!?"


    "Please forgive me~!"


    About four or five minutes had passed. The roof of the church they were using as a foothold began to copse due to the fire, so they moved to the air but the beratement continued.


    "Damn, I don''t know if you''re useful or not. Both Opus 04 and you."


    Drei released Seis as if getting tired of it. On the other hand, the manmade elf girl who was able to finally escape her punishment opened her mouth with tears trickling from her eyes while rubbing her aching head.


    "Sniffsniff... I think Charl is a useful person."


    "Anyway, be careful with magic next time. It doesn''t matter how powerful it is, a mage who can self-destruct randomly is definitely not useful."


    "Okay......, but you''ll admit my magic was at least powerful, right? Right?"


    "Hmph. That''s just it. However, if I don''t see much improvement in control, I''ll have to suggest to master to have you be a suiciding bomb on enemies."


    "Ehhhh~! I''ll do my best! I''ll do my best so father won''t abandon me!"


    "Do that from the start, you idiot."


    In the meantime, the huge fire on the ground was being extinguished. This was because the extremely high temperature of the powerful me magic had quickly burned up thebustible materials on the ground. Where there used to be an idyllic rural vige, only a ckened and charrednd remained.


    Seis muttered, looking at the devastation emotionlessly.


    "......Still, I wonder what father told you. Why did he tell you to let the humans of the vige escape before creating fire?"


    "Of course, to make full use of those hairless monkeys."


    "Hm? Use them? Oh, could it be that they were captured alive and used for some kind of experiment"


    "Then we wouldn''t have to do something so borate. Why don''t you use your head a little more, you stupid girl?"


    In fact, Drei''s manoeuvrings in the vige were a bit more borate.


    She went through the trouble of mixing poison into the well, having random vigers drink it, and then having the randomly brainwashed vigers tell everyone that this was St. Gallen''s doing. It was too roundabout for Drei''s taste. If she were toe up with a n of her own, she would either brainwash the St. Gallen army directly and have them fight each other, or use magic directly to mow them down.


    However, from masters standpoint, he could not choose such measures. He was being suspected of hiding powerful mages or having a method of brainwashing. If the boss of the hairless monkey were to discover the existence of them, they would be in a pickle.


    Her great master that she served was hindered by these petty rules made by the lowly apes. Drei could not help but feel annoyed. But she was her masters tool, and loyalty to her master was of priority. If her master had a n, she would do her best to follow it to the letter.


    "Well, I guess we can''t waste time here forever. We''re heading for our next assignment. Don''t be an idiot, move faster."


    "Yes, yes! I''ll do it right this time without failing!"


    The dark elf took off ahead of her, and the other elf followed behind. The two long-lived species dashed through the sky with the power of magic and left the devastation behind them. They were not even aware of the existence of the poor vigers who had lost their lives in the mes while running away from the well. No, even if they were aware of it, they would not have thought anything of it. They had already aplished their goal of letting a certain number of vigers escape after informing them of the murderous acts of the St. Gallen army, as ordered by their master. They had no intention of devoting their attention to trivial matters.


    ck smoke filled the air, casting a haze over what should have been a clear sky. The cinders that remained buried in the fire were still crackling. There was no harvest to be found on the scorched fields, only destion.


    A small number of horsemen were wandering, cking their horses'' hooves in vain since everything had to turn to soot in these burnt fields. They were followed by foot soldiers. They were keeping a certain distance from the cavalry, inspecting the remains of the fields.


    "That''s the sixth one, huh?"


    The man on the horse, General Jurgen Bauer,mander of the Army of St. Gallen''s invasion of Volden, muttered with a stern expression. This was the sixth time his army hade across the remains of a burned-out field like this. They had aimed to replenish their food stores that were lost in a fire a few days ago, but the rural viges they visited were all razed to the ground, as if their movements were anticipated. Theck of food, which had always been the weak point of the St. Gallen army, was now being exploited to an extreme.


    One of the cavalrymen asked a question while steadying his horse.


    "So the General is saying that this is an intentional act by Arquell?"


    "Indeed."


    Bauer answered immediately.


    "It''s what we call a scorched earth strategy. It''s a technique used to control abnormal monster outbreaks in remote rural areas. I did not think it could be used in wars between humans, though."


    There were omnivorous monsters, eating the same food as humans, such as highly reproductive goblins. They would multiply in the hundreds and thousands and attack rural areas. What would happen then? Even the children of the monsters, who would normally be weeded out due tock of food, could gain a stable supply of food. This would free the monsters from starvation, allowing their numbers to increase more than ever. In order to prevent this from happening, humans would burn down the fields and food stores with their own hands rather than let the monsters steal them. This way, the enemy would no longer be able to fill their bellies, and the abnormally multiplying monsters would die from famine and cannibalism.


    Of course, this was ast-ditch effort. It was a double-edged sword and thest resort. If the fields, the source of ie, were destroyed, the farming vige would die. It was only natural that the tax base of the nobles and the food supply of the people would both be wiped out. If they wanted to revitalise thends, it would take at least ten or twenty years to do so.


    "They arent used in human wars, right?"


    "Of course not. Do you think the aristocrats who live off thend will burn it just because they want to win? Do you think the peasants who live on thend would approve of that?"


    "Yes. It was a stupid question."


    The subordinate was satisfied with Bauer''s answer and withdrew.


    Yes, a scorched earth strategy would never be used in an ordinary war. For countries in Ithush, where feudal aristocrats were in power, it was never used. For the nobles, it would be foolish to taint their ownnds, and for the king who stood above the nobles, giving such an order would cause him to lose the support of all the local nobles. Furthermore, if the people below him were to have their fields burned due to war, they would boldly raise their gs of revolution. Even if they were to win the war, the rest of the country would rot and self-destruct in rebellion or revolution.


    The reason why it was only used against monsters was because it was apetition for survival between species without mutual understanding. If humans were on the brink of being destroyed, then there would be no time to explore every single option. If they could stop the monsters by burning the vige, then that was the best strategy.


    On the other hand, this was not the case when it came to humans. War is just a means of diplomacy. The goal is to get the other side to ept your demands through violence. Destruction and killing was just part of the process. It was nonsense to wage war to the point of self destruction. The power of humanity as a whole would be diminished, and only monsters have to gain from it.


    From that point of view, the invasion by the St. Gallen army might have been over the top. However, even though they were looting, they were only taking a year''s worth of reserves. Compared to a scorched-earth strategy that would damage harvests for years toe, or even decades, it was much more moderate. To put it bluntly, it was the difference between barelymitting a foul andmitting the foul. It isnt like 50 pacesughing at 100 paces (TL: proverb from Mencius describing theck of difference). There was a big difference between stepping on the edge of the ring of political drama, such as the peace conference and postwar diplomacy, and not stepping on the edge at all.

 Chapter 66: Burn, Volden 2 (4)

    Chapter 66: Burn, Volden 2 (4)


    If there was a country that could take such a measure, it would have to be a country with and arearger than the norm, with enoughnd power to survive even if the invaded regions were burned to the ground and cut off. In addition, it would need to have a central authority strong enough to force the provinces to ept such unreasonable orders. There was no such country in the continent of Ithush. Not even Molbaehr, where the royal family held a strong control, or Omnia, where the royal family reigned with religious legitimacy. One was an ind nation, the other a penins nation. Both did not have the strength to survive if they burned their provinces.


    So what if it''s a small country that''s fighting an all-out war? While it was understandable if destruction was avoided by burning ...... but that did not seem to be the case at the moment. Rather than the country falling intoplete ruin, it wasmon for the royalty and nobility of a destroyed country to be incorporated into the conqueror''s regime and be a new nobility. There were also cases where they would be downgraded tomoners. Or other harsher punishments such as annihtion of the entire family or three degrees of kin but those are reserved for the more serious cases. It was not a good idea to leave deep-seated resentment in the governance of the new territory. If this was obvious, then the option of razing the ground to ashes would unlikely be taken. And the popce would not go along quietly with a leader who tried to do such a thing.


    ......Bauer, or rather the people of the continent of Ithush, where the Holy King belief was widely practised, were unaware of another point of view. When countries of different religions and ethnicities fought each other, even if the gap in power between them is enormous, they might try to make a desperate attempt to resist each other by uniting in a fierce scorched earth strategy. But this was an example from another world. Just a little digression.


    Or perhaps using the example of Bauers n to intercept the main body of the Army of Arquell. There was a simr option of the expeditionary force retreating while razing thends they had upied. Nevertheless, burning down one''s ownnd is pure madness.


    "But...... what kind of person is this lord who ordered this?"


    Considering the time of year, reinforcements from the royal capital have yet to arrive. It was doubtful that even the messenger had arrived. In other words, this scorched earth operation must be led by the lord of Volden. A lord who burned down his own territory without hesitation, even in times of war. What kind of heart does he have?


    The enemy had burned enough food to feed 40,000 St. Gallen troops. In other words, they threw away 40,000 people''s food supply themselves. Even if they were to win this war, they would be at their wits end with their territory in ruins and their people starving. This was a foolish measure that no lord should ever take.


    However, the foolishness of this n was certainly driving Bauer and the rest of the Army of St. Gallen into a corner. They lost the food they had gathered, and the yet to be upied viges they had hoped could make up for their supplies were being burned to the ground. At this rate, instead of surviving the winter, they would have to starve to death sleeping this autumn. There was virtually no way out of this desperate lose-lose move. Bauer wondered if the enemy lord was prepared to fight to the death at this point.


    A chill ran down Bauers spine as he thought. Was it caused by the chilling autumn wind?


    "......Its as if the enemy lord has gone mad."


    If he was going to carry out a crazy strategy, he himself must be crazy too. He was setting fire to his own territory in order to drive the St. Gallen army to the brink of copse. Did he have such burning hatred for St. Gallen that he was willing to sink into hell together? Or was he so loyal to his kingdom that he was willing to give up his territory and his position?


    Or did he think this was better than losing the battle and dying? No, that''s not likely either, Bauer denied such a thought in his heart. Victory or defeat was a part of being a soldier, and even if one was defeated, there was still the possibility of a second chance as long as ones life was preserved. Even if defeated by arger sized army or due to poor luck, it would be more highly regarded than to leave behind a stigma of a thousand years by doing this. Moreover, if noble families were executed after defeats, nobility in this continent would die out. If a noble was willing to endure temporary shame and survive, and rely on the right people, the family would be left intact and there would be a chance to survive even if you lose your family status. What happens to another noble family might very well happen to the person causing it. With such in mind, nobles usually would not beat a drowning dog with a stick. The fact that he was so scared of such a possibility that he chose this crazy tactic was either because he was so politically isted, or because he was so suspicious of the kingdom''s upper echelons that he could not expect any mercy from them. Bauer did not know at the time that it was both.


    Perhaps he simply didnt have anymon sense. Either way, it was insane to go this far  though it might be the correct choice.


    "General. Are we going to fight this crazy enemy in a straightforward war?"


    One of his subordinates suggested to Bauer, who was still shaken, though his expression did not change.


    In short, he was suggesting a retreat.


    "Don''t say that....... It would upset the morale of the troops."


    The simple reply contained a strong sense of rejection.


    What would happen if they retreated at this point? Arquell would boldly im to have repelled St. Gallen, and there was no telling what kind of conditions they would impose at a peacemaking conference. The purpose of this war was to correct Arquells unempathetic trade practices. By burning theirnds, they would no longer be able to extract that concession. In fact, they will probably use it as an excuse to be reluctant to export food, along with the excuse of the Great Fire in the royal capital. It was also obvious that they would thoroughly me St. Gallen for causing the fire too. In this way, there was no point in fighting, and the situation was worse than before the battle.


    And the St. Gallen side also had circumstances that would not allow them to withdraw. It was obvious that if the troops from the near dysfunctional territorial countries were gathered and sent out to fight, and then withdrawn without any satisfactory results, there would beints from all over the Federation. What was the purpose of dispatching troops, military funds, and food supplies when they were already low in supplies? There was no excuse they could make in the face of these questions. They had to produce results. It wont be sufficient to destroy a few military forts in the rural area. Examples of eptable results might be eliminating the reinforcement of Arquell so that peace could be obtained on extremely favourable terms or kidnapping many nobles and royalty to extract arge ransom.


    It could be argued that their surprise strategy was not utilised to the fullest. This simultaneous deration of war and sudden attack by crossing the mountains was a one-time trick. If they retreat early while the enemy has room to mount a retaliation, Volden''s defence would be strengthened in the future. As long as they do not stay blind and stupid. A new defence n would be devised considering the possibility of using the mountain pass as a vector. In that case, there was no way that a second surprise attack could seed. And there was no need to take a hard march over the mountains if there was no advantage of a surprise attack. Therefore, in this battle, the results must be worth the cost of ying this one trump card.


    Above all, there was the problem of the way out. As the only road leading from Erebus Rohtlehrgen to Volden was the mountain road, St. Gallen would have to take the same road to return home. They would have to march along the steep and cold mountain road without food or wine to warm themselves. It was nothing short of suicide. The hunger and cold would cause more damage than a half-hearted battle. At least, it would be a different story if there were supplies umted from the looting so far, but even that has been denied from them as their supplies have been burned by someone  probably a saboteur from Arquell''s side. If their supplies were not destroyed, they would not have to be discussing retreat at this point.

 Chapter 66: Burn, Volden 2 (5)

    Chapter 66: Burn, Volden 2 (5)


    For many various reasons mentioned earlier, withdrawal was not possible in the current situation. At least, it was unthinkable for Jurgen Bauer.


    "At the very least, we need to take down the state capital."


    Volden, the capital of the province. The centre of the province, named after the region. The ce where the grain paid as taxes and the goods brought by the trade routes must be collected. The supplies that would be there were bing more and more necessary for the St. Gallen army.


    Whether they retreat using the mountains carrying supplies, or consume them while staying here, capturing the capital of the province became a prerequisite.


    "A-Attacking the city with the tired army?"


    Bauers subordinate finally seemed to realise the gravity of the situation. It really was toote. Bauer had assumed this possibility from the moment he received the report of the burning of their stores, though he tried to consider all the other options.


    "The Volden provincial guards are small in number and vulnerable. Even if they are holed up in the castle, as long as we push strongly or"


    As Bauer began speaking, he could feel some kind of rot in his mouth. This was not a strategy any upright general would consider. It was a doomed strategy for those who only thought of troops as mere numbers, without considering their condition. A terrible war of attrition strategy.


    However, the impossible blunder of losing their food reserves had already happened. If they do not upy a base that can hold 40,000 troops, they won''t be able to resist theing reinforcement of the Arquell army. Without supplies, it would be impossible to even return to St. Gallen. Then they would have to fight and win. No matter how horrible and hellish the battle would be.


    "Message!"


    From the other side of the dusty ash-filled horizon, a cavalryman came galloping.


    Bauer squinted with his eyes and took in the expression on the messenger''s face.


    He was smiling.


    "Message! General Bauer, I bear good news! There is a field of wheat that has not been burned yet!"


    "What?"


    Even Bauer couldn''t believe what he was hearing, then he broke into a smile. There was food. The fields were untouched, and a new source of supply had been found. This news came just as they were losing their reserves, losing their hope of making up for it, and finally preparing for a disastrous war of attrition. It was truly a blessed rain in a drought.


    "Is that report urate?"


    Bauer suppressed his impatience and urged for confirmation. The messenger nodded his head so vigorously that it was going to be torn off.


    "Yes! The viges that exist on the border between the eastern and western parts of the province are still untouched! In fact, ording to those who conducted the reconnaissance, they are harvesting wheat in the western part of the state!"


    "Western, huh?"


    If you think about it, all thend that was sacrificed in the scorched earth campaign was in the eastern part of the province. In addition to being close to the St. Gallen army''s sphere of influence, the terrain was rugged and difficult to defend due to theck of forts. The western part of the province was where the poption of Volden is concentrated. If there was a shortage of food, there was a risk of riots. The Volden provincial guards, which were not only small in number but were also being reduced in numbers, would not be able to suppress this.


    Was there a political situation that prevented them from conducting a scorched earth campaign in the western part of the province? Or was the strategy to starve the St. Gallen army that had conquered the east while the Arquell were supporting themselves with wheat in the west?


    In any case, there was wheat left in the west, meaning there were supply centres within reach for them. That much was certain.


    Bauer gave new instructions to the staff officer beside him.


    "Hurry up and regroup the troops to gather food from those viges in the report. After that, we''ll go back to our original strategy."


    "Yes! Immediately!"


    Somehow or another, they could bring thepass back to their original strategy. Food supply could be replenished, troops could get their rest, and then, they could attack the west side of Volden with a strong and revitalised army. That way, they would have enough time to intercept the enemy''s reinforcement.


    "Hmph. ...... Scorched earth strategy of burning down supplies. I was chilled to the bone seeing that they have adopted these measures, but I guess its backfiring for them since they cant fully aplish it."


    If they were going to do it, then they should have burned the entire western part of the province too. If they had done so, the St. Gallen army would have beenpletely cut off from supplies and would have had to die of starvation in the middle of their conquest. Though, there would be consequences to face after the war by burning your ownnd. If that''s the case, then they should have thoroughly burned everything, scrape the remaining food on hand, and suppress the starving people by handing out rations. 9 out of 10, it would lead to the copse of the country, but from another perspective, from 9 deaths, a more advantageous situation could be created. However, by being greedy and leaving the western half intact, they were giving St. Gallen room to strike back.


    Victory was possible. Bauer thought to himself. With the disruption to the schedule and the reduced amount of time the soldiers had to rest, the battle against the enemy''s reinforcement, which would probably arrive next month, would be tough. However, once the soldiers ovee this predicament, they would harbour greater animosity against the Kingdom of Arquell, and that could raise their morale. Unity can be brought forth and strengthened by the single-minded hatred of the enemy. Considering all the factors, St. Gallen could consider their overall situation as a plus. They have a chance to win.


    At the very least, the fool who ordered the scorched earth campaign would definitely not make it out alive.


    Bauer hated the Kingdom of Arquell. Bullshit trade, bullshit diplomacy, and now this bullshit war. He was not particrly fond of St. Gallen either. He didn''t care about the Heidellechts of Grandenburg, but his homnd, Baharia, was the one that had to struggle and clean up the mess.


    Hence, Bauer would collect that debt. General Jurgen Bauer''s face was stiff, but his will to fight was boiling hot.


    "Reporting, Master. Our guests are expected to arrive as scheduled."


    "Oh? Then we shall have to vigorously wee them."


    "Also, I see that you have found the surprise gift without issue."


    "Hehe, I see. I think they''ll be surprised. We''ve spent a lot of time on it."


    "The problem is, if they are satisfied with the gift and just leave"


    "Thats impossible, Margrave Doldran said. The guests will want to take home as many souvenirs as they can, so they''ll definitelye here."


    "Is that so?. It would be nice if our preparations were not in vain."


    "Yeah. It''s a pain in the ass, honestly. I just wish for them to go home ...... Those people. Or get the hell out of here, perhaps?"


    "I hate to be presumptuous, but I believe this is the critical moment. I think this is an opportunity to sever master''s anxieties once and for all."


    "Well, true. I know that, but whether or not I''m going to do it is another matter, I guess."


    "Then I would like to offer you today''s tea so that you can at least regain your energy."


    "...... More sugar and milk today, please."


    "As you wish, master."

 Chapter 67: Feast of the Dead (1)

    Chapter 67: Feast of the Dead (1)


    "Captain! The vige mentioned in the report is in sight!"


    "......Good."


    The captain of the 1,000-strong squad gave a tantly unenthusiastic reply to the soldier''s report. He was on a warhorse that was as slow as a malnourished donkey, yet he rubbed his eyes with an expression that was even morenguid than it. This was certainly not a look a captain from the continents strongest army should be having.


    His subordinates could not stand the sight of him and so, he asked.


    "Captain? Whats wrong?"


    "No, nothing really......."


    "Huh, but you seem trou"


    The captain dismissed his men with a wave of his hand.


    "Shut up, you''re distracting me. Follow the standard procedures for requisition. I don''t want a report until the work is done or unless something unusual happens."


    "Yes, sir."


    The subordinate''s face tensed up in disagreement, but he quickly turned on his heel and went to work. As he watched them go, the captain let out a single sigh.


    "Haaa....... Yeah, such a pain in the ass......."


    He had not a shred of enthusiasm for his assigned role. Its not that he was ufortable with the looting that was being done under the name of local requisitioning In fact, it was the opposite.


    (Harvesting wheat in a deserted vige. How boring......)


    Raiding defenceless viges, stealing their food and goods, embracing women they could kidnap and finally quenching their thirst with stolen liquor. This captain was greatly motivated by looting, an act that could satisfy any mans desire for conquest. Looting and breaking into homes was the prize of the battlefield. Those were his foremost thoughts on the matter.


    Hence, the task of transporting the wheat from the fields of an empty vige wascking in stimtion for him. Unarmed vigers trying to defend themselves with misceneous farming tools and random sticks. In the name of his mission, he could hunt them as if they were his prey. Then they would break into homes, tear down furniture, loot, and capture wives and daughters hiding in sheds and barns and force them down.


    Such unbearable entertainment could not be enjoyed without the vigers participating.


    The fact that there were no women was especially unbearable. In the midst of the sausagefest that is the army of men, the only thing that could give the captain any respite would be kidnapping beautiful vige women. Unlike the prostitutes that apanied them from their country, they were the best toys. They could do whatever they wanted with them. The preference was to enjoy the woman resisting, rather than a helpless prostitute or a ve whose will to resist was already broken.


    And yet, such enjoyments were not within reach! To this captain, that was a much more serious concern than the army''s supply shortage issue and the outlook of this war.


    "Captain!"


    He was lost in his own unproductive thoughts when a shout pulled him back to reality. When he reluctantly looked towards the voice, he saw his subordinate, who was supposed to have followed his instructions and started looting, running back towards him. He took a nce and clicked his tongue.


    "What is it? I said I dont want to hear from you unless there''s an anomaly"


    "Yes, there is something weird over there."


    "What?"


    The captain''s expression, which had been ck, became tense. He was not apathetic for any chance at military achievements. Under normal circumstances, themander of this expeditionary squad was known to be a straightced person. There have been many who were punished for trivial blunders, and even lost their heads to execution. If one was not prudent, one could be evaluated poorly and lose everything. Therefore, the captain tried to listen as seriously as possible to the report of potential idents.


    "What''s the anomaly? What happened?"


    "Yes, I searched the vige just in case before harvesting the wheat"


    The soldier had checked the building before harvesting the wheat, considering the possibility of ambushers lurking in the vige, as was the standard procedure. This wasmon sense. Luring them in with tasty bait and then attacking them from the rear was not only a basic human military technique, but also a basic animal hunting technique. It was a ssic, but a move that the Arquell army could bepelled to use since they were so weak. It was natural for the looters to check the vige first to ensure their safety.


    What they found was not an enemy ambush. While being alert, they opened the door of the house, and saw a strange sight.


    What they saw was a simple morning mealid out on the table. A fried egg for each member of the family, and thinly sliced smoked meat. White bread that was far superior to the hardened ck bread they ate in the military. A ss of milk. It was as if the family had been eating just a few minutes ago.


    "Nonsense. The vigers should have fled long before we arrived, wouldn''t they? Why would something like that still be in the house?"


    The captain said, frowning dubiously.


    If this was a vige that they had just discovered today, then it would make sense. They were in the middle of eating when they heard the approach of the St. Gallen army and fled as fast as they could without finishing their meal. That was possible.


    However, the vige was only discovered by scouts. At that time, the vige was already uninhabited, with only the unharvested wheat fields. With the excellent eyesight and speed of their scouts, they would have surely spotted the fleeing vigers. Then, vigers fleeing would have been in the scouts report.


    This is strange if they evacuated several days before the scouts arrived, ahead of the approaching army. They may not be at peace, but it is not toote for them to finish their meal and regain their energy before fleeing. If they abandoned the vige and fled, they would never know when they would be able to find a decent meal again. If so, there was no reason to leave the food in front of them unattended.


    The soldier shook his head.


    "Im not sure. Also, very few household items have been removed from the house...... Strangely, this was not the only such house. We investigated four, five other houses and they were all the same."


    "What the heck? Then it''s as if"


    It''s as if one morning, all the living vigers suddenly disappeared.


    As he thought of such a scene, the captain''s plump figure trembled.


    Vigers who had disappeared with some traces of their day to day life intact, what is it really? It''s like a horror story. They were supposed to be here to make war. While it both required guts and bravery, they were not here to deal with ghosts.


    "......At any rate, there are no enemy soldiers hiding in the vige, are there?"


    "Y-Yes! Up to where we have investigated."


    "Then move on to the requisitioning as soon as youve confirmed that there are no enemies."


    "Is that right? I dont think this situation is normal."


    "I know, I know. But what else can we do if it isnt normal?"


    The soldier was at a loss.


    Of course, it was the role of the captain, themander of their unit, toe up with a decision. However, the purpose of their operation was not to solve the mystery of the disappearance of the vigers, but to steal wheat and supplies from the vige. What they saw was indeed creepy, but they were also an army. They were not children. It would not be sufficient of an excuse to fail to procure food because they were scared.


    Nobody else was here? That''s fine then. Let''s just get the looting done quickly. What was there to be afraid of?


    At least, that''s the conclusion the higher-ups woulde to. If they stumbled upon a strange phenomenon and were dyed because of investigations, their procurement of food would be equally dyed. Of course, that would also affect their military evaluation.


    "If it''s some kind of trap, have the escorting unit deal with it. If it''s a ghost, call in the military priest. Understood?"


    "Yes......"


    "Of course, I''ll make a special note of your findings in the report. Before long, an official investigation would be made."


    The captain would not forget to add that in the report. If something happenedter because of it, he might be punished for omission of important information. He was not a fan of being punished so he had to make it clear that he intended to report it to the top brass.


    The soldier turned pale, but obeyed his orders. The captain snorted as he watched him go.


    "Hmph...... Its just these boring things over and over again."


    There was none of the tasty reward that mighte with a requisitioning mission and the only bonus was the possibility of trouble. Only the most curious would find this amusing. He could be said to be curious about the usual affairs from looting, but not unique circumstances from looting.

 Chapter 67: Feast of the Dead (2)

    Chapter 67: Feast of the Dead (2)


    At least, he hopes nothing happens until they finish harvesting the wheat...... With that in mind, the captain watched the progress of their mission.


    In the end, there was nothing out of the ordinary, except for some signs that people had been living in the vige until very recently, as if they had suddenly disappeared. It was creepy, no doubt, but at any rate, there was no obstacle to their work. Then whats left was to finish their job quickly. The soldiers of the requisitioning unit let the guards maintain a defensive perimeter while three hundred of them began to harvest the fields.


    "......Man, the wheat looks awful."


    One of the soldiers suddenly said. Even though St. Gallen was known as thend of forests and elite soldiers, before they became soldiers, they had been regr people. And farmers were thergest proportion of themoner poption. This man who was sent to harvest wheat had been a farmer before the war.


    Even from the point of view of a soldier who had been a farmer, the wheat in this vige looked to be of poor quality.


    "Not so good, huh?"


    The soldier next to him, who was working with unskilled hands, responded without a second thought. Perhaps this was a townsfolk without farming experience. The farmer replied with a slight sense of superiority.


    "Oh. The stalks are ckened, and the ears are too low. Not something that usuallyes from the fields of Arquell. Our fields at home can produce much better stuff than this."


    "Seriously? So the food we''re going to eat from now on is going to be barley porridge and bread made from this useless wheat? I''m losing my appetite already."


    "Dont be greedy. We''re running out of food. It''s better to have some food in the mouth than none at all."


    In fact, the only food they ate during the journey was a small amount of rock hard ck bread, and hot water with salt dissolved in it, which they touted as soup. This was due to their food reserves being burnt. They have no choice but to restock their food reserves with wheat from this vige.


    The former farmer shrugged.


    "Anyway, let''s eat what we can, get stronger, and then think about grabbing better food. After all, it''s the Arquellians hogging all the food that was supposed to go to us."


    "That''s right. The pig I stole the other day was so fat and tasty. That''s what real food from the west is like, isn''t it?"


    "Pig! How did you get such good food? Where did you dip your hands into?"


    "Shhh! You''re talking too loud! ...... You know, thest time we attacked a vige, I didn''t tell the captain but"


    While the soldiers were working with their hands, they were having such an enjoyable conversation.


    "Leave it......"


    There was a sudden whisper from somewhere.


    The two soldiers came to a halt immediately.


    "Hey, were you saying something?"


    "N-no......, wasn''t that someone else?"


    They looked around, but all the soldiers around them were engrossed in harvesting. None of the other soldiers were looking at them, and with the sound they were making while harvesting, a whisper couldnt have made it to them from the others.


    A shiver went down their spines.


    They recall the rumours that the vigers had mysteriously vanished. A strange and unknown voice would of course make them start imagining things.


    They stopped their harvest and looked around in a panicked attempt to find the source of the whisper.


    "Hey......"


    Ahhh!


    A momentter, a voice suddenly called out from behind them, and the soldiers jumped up.


    Could it be a monster? Were they going to be attacked here? Trembling and shaking, they huddled together and looked back fearfully.


    It was


    "Hey, what are you doing?"


    It was their captain, staring at them with a suspicious expression.


    "C-Captain?"


    "P-Please dont scare us like that......."


    "What''s with the surprise? And your hands have stopped moving, havent they? Hmm?"


    The captain was round and fat, even now that the army was running out of food. He growled low as if to intimidate, but with his size, it sounded like a pig squealing.


    In fact, none in the unit respected the captain. He waszy, greedy, and self-serving in his military duties. Hence hisck of poprity.


    "So, what''s going on? Tell me right away."


    "...... Hey, what now?"


    "What do you mean, you......"


    The two soldiers looked at each other. There was no way they could honestly say that they were cowering in fear at the sound of some voice. The only thing that coulde from saying that would be others thinking that they were unnecessarily anxious because of the eeriness of the houses.


    Besides, the captain was known to be unforgiving. If he thought that they had bothered him by saying something unfounded, he might take it out on them in some insidious way.


    "Trying to make an excuse? If you''ve got time for that, get on with it. See, sunset is almost here."


    The captain nced toward the west, his mouth twisted in annoyance. He was right, the sun had been setting for some time now. It seemed that the work was not going as smoothly as he had hoped.


    "Sunset...... when did it..."


    At this rate, they might not be able to finish harvesting by dinner time. There was no way the soldier could just sit back and wait to get scolded. He didn''t want to be ridiculed for their honesty, but he had to say something. If he didn''t say anything, it would be seen as insubordination and he would fall into the disgrace of the captain. The soldier, who had been a farmer, resolved himself and spoke up.


    "Um, we heard voices while we were working."


    "A voice? What voice?"


    "Well, somebody said in a soft voice, leave it...


    That''s when the voice returned.


    "LEAVE IT THERE......."


    With a voice echoing from the depths of the earth, the soldier''s legs were grabbed by something.


    "What? ...... AHH!"


    A hand with a terrifying and cold sensation was on his ankle. A chill of blood crawled up from beneath my body. The difort made him want to jump up and down, but he could not do that with his leg held strongly by something.


    "W-What''s wrong!"


    "What is it! Hey! What happened!"


    As if in response to the voices of hispanions and the captain, the owner of the hand tried to make its appearance.


    An eerie earth-trembling sound was made as something crawled out as if emerging from a grave.


    The bloodless, dirt-coloured skin dripped with dposing juice. The breath that came from it was white, but clearly without the warmth of a normal human. From the chapped lips and ck hanging tongue from its uneven teeth, it hardly looked like an intelligence possessing thing. In fact, there was no reflection in its eyes, which had been opened so wide that they looked as if they were about to fall out. Its narrowed pupils squirming around like caterpirs, looked as if they harboured an enmity against the living.


    It was a zombie. A moving corpse. A kind of undead, the most unholy and filthy race of all monsters.


    "It''s a monster! There''s a monster!"


    The soldier, who was fortunate enough not to be grabbed by the filthy hand, warned the others around him.


    But it was an exercise in futility.


    Rustle.


    Rumble.


    Bop, bop, bop, bop, bop!


    From everywhere in the wheat field, there was the sound of the ground being dug up from below. Dozens and dozens of rotting hands rose up as an unholy harvest.


    "Leave the wheat alone ......"


    "Leeeeeeeave it......"


    "Leave ittttttt......."


    "Zombies!"


    "Where did this horde of zombiese from?"


    The zombies were appearing one after another as the evening darkness encroached. There was no need to warn the rest. The other soldiers could already see zombies appearing everywhere. The horrifying sight caused them to tense and freeze up.


    "T-These are?"


    The plump captain was stunned by the voices of the zombies.


    The soldierughed scornfully.


    "What are you scared of, captain? They may be numerous, but they''re just zombies!"


    The soldier had been equally flustered, but raised his voice as a means to rouse himself, and shed at the zombie that was still holding onto the other soldier''s leg.


    Zombies belonged to the lower ss of undead. Since they were mere moving corpses, theirbat power was only a hair''s breadth above that of the living things from which they originated. In other words, a human zombie could be defeated in the same way as a human. Since they were already dead, there were no vital points to aim for, but because they were not alive, their movements were slow and jerky. It was not an opponent that a soldier could not defeat.


    What''s more, they were St. Gallenians that had to survive battling monsters on a daily basis. There was no need to be afraid of mere zombies. If they were, it was only because of their ugliness and filthiness.

 Chapter 67: Feast of the Dead (3)

    Chapter 67: Feast of the Dead (3)


    However.


    "Huh?"


    The moment the tip of his sword touched the zombie''s flesh, a squishy feeling was transmitted to the hilt and his hand.


    The soldier certainly cut the zombie. But it was shallow. The de was hindered by muscles so strong that it was hard to believe that they were rotting beneath the skin. The de dug in slightly, but stopped without going any further.


    Instead, the foul juices corroded the metal, rapidly rusting it.


    "Quick, pull back the sword! It''s going to be scrap metal soon!"


    "Y-yes!"


    From the rebuke of the captain, he snapped back into his senses and moved away from the monster.


    "A mere zombie is able to talk! Undead with the ability to talk are a higher grade species of zombie!"


    The captain''s shout made the soldier realise his mistake.


    Zombies usually could not speak. They might groan and moan, but they were unable to speak any meaningful words. The fact that they still had enough intelligence to understandnguage despite their rotting brains was a characteristic of a superior species.


    "Leave the wheat that we were taking, huh? These undead must be repeating what they have done as farmers before when they were still alive. .....Tch! So these guys are Revenants!"


    "Re-Revenant?"


    The word "Revenant" meant "one who revisits" in Arquellian. Literally, they were undead that have the habit of returning to the ce where they reside before dying and repeat behaviours simr to when they were alive. A revenant was hostile to anyone who interfered with its behaviour.


    Of course, such specialised knowledge about monsters was not avable to a conscripted soldier. The captain spared no time in exining to his ignorant subordinates.


    "All you need to know is that it''s a strong zombie!"


    As soon as he shouted, he made a sh on the hand holding on the former farmers leg. Then he helped his cowering subordinate up.


    "Come on, get up you fool!"


    "I-I''m sorry! But, my feet are so cold"


    "You''ve been exposed to the miasma! Remove your pants, its soaking up the dposing liquid. If you don''t hurry, your legs will rot too!"


    "Ahhh!"


    The middle-aged man of small stature, disyed decisiveness that belied his appearance and usual behaviour as he ordered his men.


    Having escaped the dreaded zombie, the soldier put aside his usual disdain for the captain and obeyed the captains orders.


    The captain shouted loudly, threatening the enemy with his sword while protecting his soldiers behind him.


    "Gather! Gather together! Get into a tight formation!"


    Themander''s shout overpowered the moans of the zombie and the other soldiers shakened murmurs. It was a brilliant disy of leadership from a small man who was thought to be only interested in looting.


    Distracted by the sudden appearance of the monster, his men, who had been fighting separately, rushed to the captain''s side.


    "Hurry up and gather, idiots! We''re going to break through the weakest point of the zombies and gather with the escort unit!"


    "Y-Yes!"


    The captain then turned his attention to one of the most timid-looking of the assembled soldiers.


    "And that hefty one there. Give me your sword."


    "W-What, why!"


    The soldier who had called out to him turned his sword behind his back as if to protect it. He must be wondering if the captain was trying to extort him at a time like this.


    The captain red at the soldier.


    "There are never enough spare weapons against the undead! The weapons deteriorate from their rotting juice and miasma!"


    "But, but! Without the sword, I can''t fight!"


    The timid-looking young man resisted against the captains order. He was in aplete state of panic. He didn''t feel safe without his weapon at hand, and he couldn''t imagine entrusting it to anybody else. At this rate, he would join the ranks of the dead with the sword in his hand.


    The soldier who had earlier tried to cut the Revenant but failed decided to speak up.


    "Are you able to effectively use your sword to y those strong zombies? They''re twice or three times harder than normal zombies, you know? Can you cut them?"


    "I-I dont know......."


    "The captain had been able to cut it. He shed that thing''s arm and saved this guy''s life."


    The feeble-looking soldier finally gave up and held out his sword. The captain snorted and resumed his shing at the zombies.


    "Leave it......Garhhhh?"


    One of the Revenants that had been drawing in on them was sliced in half diagonally across its shoulder and fell to the ground. To their surprise, it was still moving even though it was cut in half. The captain raised his eyebrows in annoyance and cursed at the literally dead body.


    "Just stay dead! ......Hey, you don''t look like you can fight either. Give it to me! With the sheath!"


    "Yes, yes, yes!"


    The former farmer also handed over his sword. The captain forced the third sword between his hands on his waist belt. After shaking it a few times to make sure it was secure, he said to the soldiers.


    "Alright? These guys are a higher subspecies of zombies called revenant! As such, they are tougher, more powerful, and more poisonous than the average zombie. But thats all they are!"


    As he spoke, he pointed with the sword in his right hand at the oing horde of monsters. The horde of the dead had begun a slow and distant encirclement on their dense formation.


    "As you can see, their brains are rotten and their movements are slow, no different from the inferior species! It''s even possible to chat between ourselves while they are before us."


    "Y-yes......."


    One of the soldiers shouted in agreement. If this was a humanoid monster like an ogre or a troll, they would have been aggressive and would have forced a bloody melee. However, the revenants were still moving sluggishly while moaning their usual nonsense. It would not be difficult to escape from them.


    The soldiers, who had been agitated by their sudden appearance, regained theirposure after the captain''s exnation.


    "It also has a weakness! They cant attack where their arms and legs cant so once weve gotten some distance, theyre as good as dead. It''s also vulnerable to fire, as death-defying creatures usually are. It''s easy to burn them up. And above all, they''re more reluctant to leave their territory than normal zombies! They won''t be able to leave their area for long!"


    "So you think if we can get out of this field, we can escape?"


    "Or if we make it outside of this vige."


    Revenants had strong attachments to the ces where they once lived, due to their habit of copying the lives they had before they died. Troubling as it was, the feeling of remorse amplified their resentment and helped to strengthen their abilities with negative power. But on the flip side, it kept them tied to one ce.


    From the looks of it, these revenants were former vige farmers. If that was the case, their range of action was probably limited to the vige at best.


    "That''s why. If they get close to you, try to fight them off, but don''t pursue them, and make it your top priority to join up with our allies. Understood?"


    "Y-yes!""


    Responding to the captain''s orders in unison, the soldiers began their escape.


    "Leave it......!"


    "Hey, there! Why are you still carrying that in your hand? It''s a burden and the enemy is attacking us for it! I ordered you to make escaping our top priority!"


    "I''m sorry!"


    "Run, you fools! If there''s one thing you''re better at than these rotting corpses, it''s a head that can listen to orders and your rat-like ability to run! If you don''t have that, then you can leave your head here!"


    Ahhhhh!


    It seemed that theirmander, despite his usual behaviour and appearance, was a man who could be counted on in such a critical situation. He calmly gave orders, took the lead in eliminating the enemy, and led his men to regroup their allies with sess.


    However, it still did note without a cost.


    "Leaveeee it......!"


    "Yikes! Theyreing from here too!"


    "Let go of me, you monster! ......Arggggh!!!!"


    As the soldiers retreated, a new group of zombies sprang up in front of them, as if it had been waiting in ambush for them. The soldiers who were unfortunate enough to be within arm''s reach were suddenly caught and brutally torn to pieces.


    That''s not all.


    "Ooooohhhh......!"


    "AARRGGG......"


    As the dead fall victim to monsters, they too rose as new monsters. Some turned into zombies whose flesh dposed at an unnaturally fast rate while others into skeletons stripped of their flesh and reduced to bones. They attacked their formerrades in an attempt to get them to join the dead.


    The captain escaped the wheat field with the survivors, and as soon as he reached his allies, he shouted at the top of his voice.


    "Escort unit! Are the mages here?!"

 Chapter 67: Feast of the Dead (4)

    Chapter 67: Feast of the Dead (4)


    A leader of the 100 man escort unit turned to answer after killing a monster that was present here.


    ".....Yes! Of course."


    Originally, it was a guard attached to prepare for a counterattack from the enemy elite. It was only natural that powerful mages were stationed for the counterattack.


    "I see. Well then, call for fire magic."


    "Y-yes!?"


    The outrageous words of the looters caused amotion around them.


    "Set it on fire?"


    "It''s true that the undead are vulnerable to fire......"


    "Then the precious wheat is going to......."


    "What are you thinking, captain!"


    The captain grabbed one of the ears of wheat that was nearby and disyed it to the others.


    "This wheat cant be eaten anyway! It grew in the field where the undead horde was buried. Of course it''s tainted with poisons and miasma."


    "Ah......!"


    The peasant soldier who had just been saved by the captain had a look of understanding in his eyes.


    He remembered the conversation he was having with the other soldier just before the revenants attacked. The wheat stalks were ckened, as if they were diseased, which was not typical of wheat from Arquell known for their bountiful harvests. It had been poisoned by the undead.


    On closer inspection, the ones that the captain grabbed up and the ones that were growing in clusters all over the field had sinister ck spots on them. The poison of the undead was spreading and there was no way they could feed their troops with it.


    "Besides, I don''t think we can leave such arge number of monsters behind. Right now, they''re just a bunch of rotting dead guarding their territory, but if any of their intelligent brethren join them, who knows what could happen?"


    There was no way anything good coulde from leaving the monsters on their own. If they could kill them now, then now was the best time to kill them.


    "It''s a waste of time, but I guess we have no choice...... Mage Squad, set them on fire!"


    "Y-yes!""


    Ten of the mages began to chant. However, there was a hint of frustration on their faces. It''s no wonder. The mages, who were generally inferior in physical strength to the warriors, had taken the trouble to join the army, even crossing unfamiliar mountains to participate in the war. And yet, the job they were tasked with now, while having empty stomachs, was to light up the fields. Their pride as men, educated at the academy, must have been deeply hurt.


    Nevertheless, if that was the most efficient way to dispose of the herd of undead, they could only endure it. Monsters must be defeated. Especially the undead, who cursed the living and could multiply with each kill. That was themon sense of this world.


    "......Fireball!" "me Lance!" Heat Wind!"


    Even the use of magic in these situations shows the character of the mage. There are those who just use low-level magic to create the fire. There were those who were venting their anger and so, used mid-tier magic when it was unnecessary to do so. There were also those who put thought into their spell and chose a weaker spell but with a wider area of effect.


    Anyway, the mages'' spells manifested and ignited the field.


    "Orghhh!?"


    "ARRRGGGGGHHH! ARRRGGGGGHHH!!!"


    It swallowed the swarm of revenants into a sea of mes.


    "Okay, it''s working! No, it''s working extraordinarily well!"


    "Suck it, you rotten bastards!"


    "Time to go to hell, you sons of bitches!"


    The soldiers shouted with joy as the silhouettes of the dead crumbled into the mes.


    However, the expression of the captain and his subordinatemanders was not good.


    "......Order the mages. Prepare wind magic. Change the direction of the wind to spread the fire and burn the vige to the ground."


    "......Yes!"


    They spread the mes further and tried to burn down the uninhabited vige as well. The soldiers looked at the captain curiously.


    With a grim expression on his face, the captain preemptively answered the burning question his men might have.


    "Revenants are not the kind of undead that grow inrge numbers like this. Sure, they increase in number by adding those they kill to their ranks, but they''re slow-moving and have no interest in anything outside their small territory."


    "But it''s actually arge amount of"


    "Nonsense! Thats why Im telling you, their numbers were artificially increased!"


    The captain''s angry voice flew at the unsuspecting soldier.


    Artificially increased? The horror of such words caused the soldiers to open their eyes widely. Undead monsters that desecrate the living and defied the teachings of the church had been intentionally created? Was such a thing possible?


    While many of the soldiers were stunned, the captain continued his exnation.


    "Recall what we saw as we surveyed the uninhabited vige. There were half-eaten meals left on the table, and no particr signs of a struggle. Wasn''t that right?"


    "Y-yes. But what does that mean"


    "Don''t you get it yet? ......If one of the vigers had be a revenant and attacked his livingpanions to increase their numbers, it would be strange if the house wasn''t in greater disrepair!"


    On hearing that, that was indeed odd. The revenant''s attacked by using their limbs. Theycked precision since they had lost their intelligence. If such a thing were to run rampant through the vige, it would definitely leave traces of its victims'' blood or destroyed items scattered around. At the very least, there would be no clean dishes left on the table.


    "That means that this herd of revenants was made by someone who attacked the vigers and used them as material. And someone intelligent enough to leave no trace of them in the vige, and powerful enough to kill the vigers in their entirety, without letting them escape or leaving any trace of them."


    The possibilities that were suggested were spine-tingling. Even in a remote farming vige, the mastermind had wiped out the entire poption without a trace and turned them into undead. What kind of being would have that kind of ability?


    It could be a powerful and insane necromancer, or it could be a highly intelligent undead. Either way, it was a formidable foe that must remain guarded against.


    The soldier questioned fearfully.


    "You think it''s still hiding in the vige?"


    "Well. As long as it didn''t show up during the investigation, it might have already left the area. But that''s not impossible. There might be a hidden room somewhere in the buildings, and it might be hiding in there...... Considering that, since the vige is uninhabited anyway, it''s better to burn everything just in case."


    The captain looked at the vige with a discouraged expression as the mes spread and burned. The stern look in his eyes seemed to indicate that he was trying to find the culprit who hadid this trap for them.


    "Oh......, what a terrible thing to do, soldiers from my old homnd, St. Gallen. They burned down a whole vige of poor vigers who were trying to protect their fields."


    A sinister silhouetteughed in the middle of the vige, which was doubly red from the sunset and the mes.


    A tall and lean person wrapped in a cloak was tiptoeing while looking afar. His face was beautiful and even noble, but his mockery tinged expression betrayed all of that. Even in the twilight of the day, the inhumane whiteness of his skin gave a creepy feeling rather than beauty.


    It was, as it were, a malicious caricature of the aristocracy. They were depicted as blue-blooded monsters who feed on the blood of the people.


    He was a vampire. A vampire was an undead aristocrat, a monster with a beauty that was twice as horrifying as its beauty.


    His name was Charl Franz Schmidt, also known as Opus 04. He was the fourth ursed masterpiece created by the devilish alchemist.


    "But this. Was what the master nned, I remark."


    What appeared from behind him without a sound was a beautiful but unusual woman with tinum hair and golden eyes. Or something like a woman.


    Her beautiful face was like a statue that had been finely carved by a divine artisan, but her expressionless face was like a statue itself. Her thin, supple, even soft body was actually made of the strongest metal in the world. The earps that extended upward like horns were man-made sensory organs that surpassed even the hearing of wild animals.


    Opus 05, Fem. She was a golem created with lost technology, and a fighting machine that used weapons created with unknown technology. Like Charl, she was one of the "masterpieces" created by the heretic with "unorthodox methods."


    "Reporting. Our guests from the west. Have arrived on schedule."


    Fem put her hands over both of her weirdly shaped ears. She used them to pick up and listen to conversations as far as kilometres away.


    "Look, the vige is on fire!"


    "The army over there its St. Gallen!"

 Chapter 67: Feast of the Dead (5)

    Chapter 67: Feast of the Dead (5)


    "T-The rumours were true......!"


    In the western part of the province, scouts from the Arquell side were dispatched from the provincial capital of Volden. What they saw was the scene of a farming vige on fire at dusk. The distance, the darkness, the mes and the smoke limited the amount of the information the witnesses could gain.


    St. Gallen''s army set fire to the vige.


    Charlughed with amusement at the thought of the scouts who would be stirred emotionally by such a scene.


    "Well, our master continues to think up the most outrageous things! I can''t believe how effectively master had painted the image of an inhumane invasion from St. Gallen ......!"


    "What do you mean? I refute. It is true that the St. Gallen army is inhumane. They have been robbing. The people of this country, killing people, and forcing women. To do things they don''t want to do. Even if we add to that the suspicion of arson, and massacre of the vige, it''s not too excessive, isn''t it?"


    "Well, that''s true, too! What do you call this kind of thing? If you want to hide a tree, do you hide it in the forest? Or is it ...... there''s no smoke without fire? Pfft! Its a joke, so you canugh if you want. Just a joke."


    "It''s not funny at all. Is my opinion."


    "Ohhh, Fem-chan, you''re too stiff!"


    Charl brought his crossed arms to the side of his face and twisted his body in an exaggeratedly reluctant manner. Fem''s mechanical gaze followed intently to his motions.


    He might look like a joke, but it was this man who had secretly attacked the vige, wiped it out, and turned the vigers he killed into revenants. Of course, he was a vampire, the natural enemy of humanity, and if his existence were to be exposed, it would be a serious matter, so he was usually kept hidden underground. As long as he was acting above ground, there was no way he could be allowed to do so on his own will.


    It was all at the behest of his master, Tullius Shernan Oubeniel.


    "I''m very funny, though! No, I''m not talking about the boring jokes, I''m talking about this operation. The people in this province are convinced that the St. Gallenians are the ones who are burning down the viges and fields, even though we are the ones who are doing it under the Master''s orders!"


    "Please don''t waste your breath. I request. This is not theboratory. There is a possibility that somebody is. Listening in."


    "Hahahahahaha! You''re a worrier, aren''t you, Fem? No traces of magical interference in the surrounding area. No sign of any living thing. Unless the person has an umon hearing ability like you, they can''t eavesdrop on our conversation!"


    "But we should be careful just in case. I suggest. This is an important operation, and we are at war. As long as there is a clear adversary, it is not a problem. To be too cautious."


    "Yes, yes. I know~"


    Shrugging his shoulders in amusement, Charl strode through the burning vige. Then, stopping at a corner, he snapped his fingers.


    Immediately after, the ground beneath his feet trembled.


    Pushing aside the dirt, what appeared was a coffin. The coffin was made of thick iron, tightly sealed with thick chains, and even had a lock on it. Of course, it was a coffin that the vampire had summoned. There was no way that the contents of it would be a legitimate corpse.


    Knock, knock, knock!


    As soon as the coffin was wrapped in the fresh air, violent ms came from the inside of the coffin.


    "Well, its quite healthy, isnt it......let''s get on with the next task, shall we? You were called all the way back from the west for this, weren''t you, Fem?"


    "Yes, I affirm. Testing a new product, such as the S series, is one of the tasks. I was given by master."


    While looking sideways at Fem''s face, Charl wondered if there was more to it.


    The golem was actually focusing on Charl. As a vampire and necromancer, his abilities were beneath that of this golem, who did not have a body of flesh and blood and thought with an artificial brain. Her job must have been to monitor his activities, and if he showed any sign of rebellion, she would take care of him. Master must have called her back from her position in the west for this purpose.


    (You really are a horrible person, Oubeniel......)


    The vampire made a small noise in his throat while trying to hide his inner fright with a clownish expression.


    If you want to do something, go ahead, I''ll take care of it right away, and Ill rece you right away. If you don''t want to be reced, you''re going to have to serve me with desperation......


    His masters intentions could be seen clearly, even without words.


    (It''s okay, Oubeniel, my master. You messed with my head to prevent that from happening, didn''t you? Ive sworn allegiance from the deepest of my soul so I cant betray right? So, so, so stop it! D-d-don''t get rid of me!)


    "What''s wrong, 04, I ask you. Your body is shaking."


    At the sound of Fem''s robotic voice, Charl came to his senses.


    He made a smiling face and turned to her, wondering if his smile was too obvious.


    "...... No, this is a kind of warrior''s trembling, you know. After all, this is the first toy that Master has taken the trouble to give me to y with! I can''t help but look forward to it, and I''m sure you feel the same, dont you."


    "I see. I''m certainly looking forward. To see the results of this operation. The only thing that worries me. Is that master seems to be a bit uncertain about it."


    After all, this was a prototype of a prototype, and the raw material for the prototype was a waste product that had been reused. The reason it was being used for this mission was to acquire actual battle data while disposing of it. If they could manipte the current situation by using this while doing so, all the better. The reason why Charl was entrusted with the operation of this was also to test him as well.


    But that''s why he had to use this test subject well. If he could lead a sessful mission using this new prototype, his credibility in front of master would be greatly enhanced. If he could show that he was useful, he could avoid being discarded in the future.


    Even if this prototype was meant to rece him.


    As if to shake off his conflicting feelings, Charl Franz Schmidt raised his voice in an especially cheerful manner.


    "Okay, let''s get started! The sun is about to set, and it''s time for the horror show! Its too early to be relieved, yeah? Dear St. Gallerians!? ......hahahahahahahahaha!"

 Chapter 68: Endless horrors (1)

    Chapter 68: Endless horrors (1)


    The sun sank into the west, casting an ominous afterglow across the horizon and into the skies.


    Volden, a region of mountainous teaus, was weing the season of autumn. Night came earlier than usual.


    After turning the revenants in the abandoned vige into ashes, the St. Gallen soldiers were preparing to camp in the wilderness of Volden. Marching at night was known to be difficult for an army, but it was even more so since this was the continent of Ithush, known to be overrun by human hating monsters. Blinded by the darkness and weakened due to exhaustion, an attack by these evil monsters would cause more devastation than a regr enemy army. Nocturnal monsters usually had night vision as good as owls or hearing as good as bats. In addition, their physical abilities exceeded that of humans. Fighting such monsters at night would be suicidal for the average person.


    Therefore, they held back their desires to return as soon as possible and made camp in the cold autumn fields. A dazzlingly bright campfire was made to drive the monsters and wild animals away. The schedule to sleep and to keep night watch was set and the soldiers cooked dinner with whatever food they had left. Such were the preparations they needed to make before it gotte into the night.


    "And we are still stuck in this rut."


    "Yeah. The food we almost got our hands on was poisonous and inedible. It could be used to raze those corpses. The others in the main camp would be so depressed to hear the report."


    The captain then exhaled a mouthful of purple smoke. What he was smoking was an intoxicant called tobo, which is made by burning a special kind of leaf and inhaling the smoke. It seems it was a custom among some races such as dwarves and dark elves to smoke this. For the short-lived humans, it was said to be a poison that reduced their lifespan, but the captain treated it as he would for alcohol.


    What he was holding was a paper cigarette. It could be smoked easily by simply lighting it without using a special pipe. It was developed by the Academy of Magic as a luxury item for mages. While it might be a hindrance to spell chanting if it''s on the mouth, it was said to be popr to deal with mental exhaustion from mana drain. The mage that gave him these cigarettes had told him so. Well, from the captains use of it, it certainly did help to quell some of his irritated mood.


    "I''m sure General Bauer is most down. All the strategies he had nned are working well."


    "We''ll end up attacking by force with our depleted soldiers. The main army will being over here where we were supposed to be restocking on supplies, so we''ll meet them tomorrow? If we don''t have any supplies, a revolt might ur. Hmmm, what a bummer."


    "It''s not going to be just a bummer. Man, I really dont wanna be left to die in the mountains of Arquell."


    The squad leader under hismand said so with seriousness. As the captain of their group of 1000, he could not help but feel the same. Getting caught up in the copsing army and dying in vain? Give me a break.


    "What? You don''t like the mountains? Wheres your hometown?"


    "The Duchy of Canofer. I was born and raised in the port city."


    The name mentioned was a sea-facing fiefdom near the borders of Allemande.


    "Well, thats a northern country famous for its sailors. What made youe so far south to join us in crossing the mountains on foot?"


    "I''m not very good with boats......, so when I volunteered for the military, I chose to join the army, then it was decided that the army would bebined with the soldiers from various other territories for this expedition, and I joined too."


    "Definitely a bad roll of the dice."


    "Yeah, as you say. What''s worse is that while we are having a horrible time here, the people from Gallerin are sitting around, pretending to guard the borders."


    "Well, that sucks."


    Another squad leader interrupted.


    "The people of Gallerin, the people of Grandenburg, are really shit. They''re just a bunch of useless bums fed by our homes, especially with the royal family......"


    "I agree. The only reason we''re at war at a time like this must be because those guys are licking their chops at the people of Arquell."


    "It''s really bad, isn''t it? I was born in Danehill, a country in the east like them but they treat us like country bumpkins."


    "Speaking of which, where is Captain from?"


    "What, you don''t recognize me by my ent? It''s Vermin."


    In response to his subordinate''s question, the captain brought up the name of a new territory that had only joined the Federation a few decades ago.


    The faces of the people around the captain instantly became different.


    "Well, how do I put this......"


    "I''m sorry for your loss, I guess......"


    "Hmph, whatever."


    The captain responded to the tant pity by snorting.


    The Kingdom of Vermin was a region that had little to do with St. Gallen. The officialnguage used to be quite different from the St. Gallennguage. The reason it was incorporated into the Federation was because it lost a war. Although the monarchy was guaranteed, it was a de facto annexation. Thanks to this, its domestic interests were snatched up by Gallerin and other territories, leaving it destitute.


    "I''ve already abandoned my country, you know. Before this expeditionary force was formed, I was a mercenary. I used to show my face in battlefields all over St. Gallen."


    The captain said as he spat.


    Prior to the start of this war, there had been fifty years of peace, but that was simply because there had been no war between the four major powers. Whether it was the battle in which the Kingdom of Vermin was incorporated into the St. Gallen Federation, or the conflicts between territories, there were plenty of opportunities for mercenaries to profit.


    "Haha, so you were a mercenary, huh? No wonder youre so used to looting."


    "Anybody can boast that they are strong on the battlefield......, but few mercenaries can truly convince others on an actual battlefield."


    After all, mercenaries had no blood or territorial rtionships with their employers. The only connection was money. There were no mercenaries who would fight to the death. Most of the mercenaries hired were there just to inte numbers to intimidate the other party. From the captains experience, he was more likely to be in a situation where looting was happening rather than a war.


    He reminisced for a while, but then came back to himself.


    "Hmp...... stop with the boring stuff."


    He put the cigarette in his mouth again and tried to exhale, but found that most of it had turned to ash.


    "No, it''s not boring, Captain. Let us hear more."


    "Yes, yes. I''m sure the memories of a former mercenary are worth listening to."


    "Dont need to pretend. You guys will be spreading this aroundter, wont you?"


    "That''s well..."


    "Yes, captain! If you share your valuable experience with the entire unit, it will contribute to the improvement of their skills!"


    "Don''t get carried away, idiot."


    The captain said, and lit his second cigarette.


    After the disastrous mission, he thought he would join his subordinates in a chat to help them vent, but he had unwittingly let slip too many unnecessary things. He thought to himself that getting older had made him prone to be distracted by the past. Apparently, it wasn''t just the fats on his belly and under his chin that he had gained through the years.


    When he looked up after a smoke, his men were still looking at him with a curious look on their faces.


    "What the hell, you guys. I''m not going to say anymore."


    "Oh no, please don''t be stingy."


    "Youre not gonna lose anything. It''s not like we''re getting a share of your loot."


    When did you guys be this carefree? He frowned. The people who had tantly tried to bootlick him or avoid him in the morning suddenly became friendly in the evening. What was going on? While wondering about the change in his men, he took a mouthful of cigarette smoke, tasted it, and exhaled.


    "Oh Im gonna lose something alright. Specifically, my lifespan and stuff. Its a g, don''t you know?"


    During the war, soldiers who told stories about the past would die. This was amon gossip.


    Of course, the captain didn''t believe in such things. It was just an excuse to end the long and tedious conversation.


    "In the first ce, if you have the time to be here gossiping, then I want you to use the time to handle your individual squads."


    "No, no. I''m sure the soldiers would feel ufortable with us and their superiors around."

 Chapter 68: Endless horrors (2)

    Chapter 68: Endless horrors (2)


    "Yes, yes. It''s our way of being considerate to them."


    "Idiot. This is right after we screwed up the requisition, remember? Now is the time to keep an eye on them. What would a bunch of anxious, frustrated soldiers do?"


    We don''t know what they were about to reply with, but.


    "...... mes, Light up, Beautiful."


    In the wilderness at night, a young girl''s voice resounded. Completely out of ce for a camp filled with men.


    The captain and the others looked around, wondering at where it came from.


    "Wha......"


    The captain was so surprised that his cigarette fell out of his hand.


    A grassy field under the moon in the early evening sky coloured with a gradient of purple and ck. There was a girl with a strange appearance that made the entire strange scene seemingly fitting.


    Her dull blond hair was long enough to cover her ears, and she wore a in dress on her thin frame. She was fair inplexion, but there seemed to be unfamiliar and painful looking tattoos all over her body. She had a euphoric look, as she gazed deeply at the bonfire set up in the middle of the encampment.


    If the first impression was "bizarre," then the second impression would have to be "crazy."


    However, the girl had one feature that made her more than just a lunatic.


    "...... little girl, whats that in your hand?"


    While his men were dumbfounded, the captain asked as if to start a conversation.


    In her slender arms, she carried a long, strong bow that even a grown man would find difficult to draw. Carried on her back by a tucked belt was, perhaps, a quiver. If the girl was able to use this bow to its full potential, how strong would she be? And what was the purpose of her showing up here with such a thing? Negative thoughts started to well inside of him.


    "You''re an adventurer or something, aren''t you? Hahaha ......"


    One of his men let out a drawn outugh.


    The girl appeared alone in the night, weapon in hand. An adventurer was most apt for such a scene.


    A little whileter, the girl replied.


    "Ad, venturer......?"


    She tilted her head at the word. It was a cute gesture, but at the same time, there was a sense of difort that made him feel a sense of disconnect.


    The girl''s eyes wavered. It looked as if she was thinking about her lost hometown, as if her eyes were very far away.


    Then, she fell on her face and groaned as if she had a headache.


    "Ugh...... No, thats not it."


    "......no?"


    Not an adventurer? Then who are you? Why are you armed in front of the military camp?


    ...... No, wait.


    The captain realised something that he had definitely overlooked.


    (How did this person get so close to them in the first ce......?)


    Then a chill ran down his spine.


    As he instructed many times before, encampments should be set up on grasnds or hillsides with good vantage points. This was to avoid night raids by monsters, beasts, or enemy troops.


    So what are the lookouts doing?


    Dull blond hair. A white dress. There was moonlight as it was still early in the night. With such a conspicuous appearance, how could she have made it right in front of themander without being spotted by the guards?


    Whoever she was, surely she was not his match. The captain made that decision and reached for the sword hanging at his waist.


    Simultaneously, the girl looked up as if she had noticed.


    "I remember! Im Vee!"


    "Vee? Is that your name, little girl?"


    "That''s not what we want to ask"


    The leaders under hismand were still more confused than rmed. Just before the captain opened his mouth to call attention to it.


    "Vampire, Vee!"


    The girl, with a big smile on her face, announced her name in the most horrifying way to the world.


    "Vampire?"


    "You''ve got to be kidding me."


    "......its an enemy attack!!"


    The captain shouted loudly, ignoring the people around him who were dumbfounded.


    "Monsters! All hands, move to retreat! Estimated enemy strength, rank around B to A! I repeat, B to A! All hands, retreat!"


    Yelling, he prayed hard.


    Please let this be a joke. If it was just a joke, he would treat it as a joke from a girl to a grandma. But if it was true, many of his men would die and he too, would die.


    Vampires. Bloodsuckers. A vampire was a demonic noble who excelled in both physical strength and magical power, as well as having a number of special abilities to reign over the dead. They were evil predators who increased their powers by sucking on blood, turning people into their kin, and upying the territories of humans. There was once a country that was brought to destruction by such a high-ranking undead.


    The Adventurer''s Guild had established a grade of at least B for defeating vampires. It was a monster that could take a hundred men, or even a thousand of them, to defeat. Even if St. Gallen''s army was known for its elite soldiers, it would be too much of a challenge for their unit that was formed from conscription.


    They had to find an opening to escape


    Thwack.


    "......ah?"


    The captain looked down at his chest in shock, suddenly cut off from his thoughts.


    An arrow was poking out of his chest.


    He had been shot by her bow.


    "When did you......."


    "Bullseye! Bullseye!"


    The girl who called herself Vee smiled innocently at the copsing figure of the captain.


    She was holding a bow as tall as her. She used it to shoot the captain.


    ......Completely without a trace and anybody noticing, She had pulled on the string, and released an arrow. It was a truly inhuman feat.


    This time, the girl slowly ced the arrows she had taken out of her quiver, as if to put a show for them. Four at the same time. And her sharp pointed teeth peeked out from her smile.


    "My kind, killed, enemies, Vee kill all!"


    "Your kind......? You mean the Revenant in that vige! You were the one who creat"


    "This is no time for that! Let''s get the captain and retreat!"


    "I-idiots......"


    The captain held up his trembling hand to restrain his subordinate who was trying to carry him by his shoulders.


    "Its fatal...... I''m good. You guys, run"


    Thwack.


    Thwack.


    Thwack.


    Thwack.


    Without even waiting for him to finish what was sure to be hisst words, four arrows shot through the leaders under hismand. There was not even a scream. They died instantly. In the hazy vision of the captain, the lifeless bodies of his subordinates fell down one after another. In the midst of all of this, only the vampire girl''s deepening maniacalughter seemed awfully clear.


    She was the personification of evil, uncaring of the circumstances of humans.


    "Hahahahahahaha! It hit! It hit! Revenge for kin! Dead! I''ll kill you all! More! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!"


    "Whaaaaat!?"


    "Damn it! Forgive me, captain...... Retreat! Retreat! A monster has appeared! Don''t even think about defeating it, just retreat!"


    The surviving subordinates finally ran as fast as could, overwhelmed by the sound of the monster''sughter.


    Exhaling a thin, hollow breath, the captain looked away.


    (Ahh, damn......)


    He wanted to curse, but he didnt have the strength to move his mouth. So, he simply cursed in his heart.


    (Why are there only bad end gs)


    It was amon gossip among soldiers that telling stories during war would die.


    The mercenary captain slowly lost the light in his eyes, and finally his thoughts were cut off.


    "Enemy attack! No, it''s a monster attack! It''s a monster!"


    "Its a vampire, don''t even think about standing up to it!"


    The encampment was brightly lit because of the bonfire. The girlughed as she observed the soldiers screaming and fleeing chaotically.


    "Enemies, prey, many! Praise, if kill, many!"


    She licked her tongue as she dered.


    Preys were everywhere. If she killed them, then alongside her kin, she would be praised.


    Her master would be happy that she brought in many new kin, as well as happy that she put her bow to good use.


    There were just too many of them for her alone to kill them all. Her instincts as a hunter told her the approximate number of them. And so, to wipe them all out, she came fully prepared.


    In concert to her will, the tattoos on her body glowed purple.


    "Oh dear family! Come! Summon Familiar Depraved!"


    Her intelligence had degraded from her mental breakdown. Topensate, magical spells were engraved on her body to make up for theplicated chants. The magic form of an unholy god was activated rapidly.


    An unholy army was summoned as if overflowing from the girls shadow, casted by the moonlight.


    "Aooohhhhhhh!!"


    "Kiiiiiii.....Giiii!!"


    "Kch.....Kch...!!"


    ck wolves bared down their fangs and howled into the night sky. Bats with evil looking red eyes. Giant centipedes that made clicking sounds with its jaws while busily moving its countless legs.

 Chapter 68: Endless horrors (3)

    Chapter 68: Endless horrors (3)


    Fearsome and disgusting monsters rushed to attack the St. Gallen army.


    "Familiars of a vampire! Shake them off!"


    "Damn, where are the priests! Do we have any priests?"


    "Like hell I know, perhaps they are in the main camp, damn!"


    "......Leave it to me! mes..."


    It was the elite St. Gallen army. Despite the confusion, they disyed their bravery when fighting monsters in an attempt to repel them.


    Fire was the choice of magic as it was most effective. Familiars of vampires had the same properties of undead monsters. Therefore, they were more susceptible to fire magic than the animals they were originally created from.


    "Giiiii!?"


    Apart from the wolves that could run quickly and the bats that flew through the air, the fire magic was exceptionally effective against the giant centipede that crawled too slowly. The mes spread out the grasnd. The centipedes were suddenly surrounded in the zes, and they could writhe in pain.


    The other familiars were not safe either. The wolf was attacked when it jumped back predictably to avoid the fire, while the bat was knocked down by flying projectiles such as stones, arrows and spears. Even if they were monsters, they were still lowly ranked. They were no match for soldiers who had experience battling monsters.


    "Aw~ my kin!"


    The vampire girl bit her teeth as the pawns she had summoned were defeated with less effect than expected.


    "Summon Familiar Depraved" was an alternative to the usual Summon Familiar". It requires a contract with an individual and creates a disposable familiar with simr traits to its summoner. It could be reactivated to summon low grade monsters so long as the summoner had mana remaining. Even so, the sight of her familiars being defeated so easily was unnerving to the vampire.


    The vampire, with her keen insight for battle, could grasp the situation. Only the tail end of the enemy army was fighting, while the rest were fleeing. If she continued like this, many soldiers would be able to escape. Yet her orders were to exterminate the enemy.


    As the girl started to grow frantic, she suddenly noticed something beneath her.


    Thats right, if she needs more firepower, she just needs to increase her kin.


    "You guys, be my kin! Greater Create Skeleton: Spartoi!"


    The tattoos on the girl who called herself Vee started to glow again. Evil magic was activated and a miasma enveloped the corpses lying on the grassy field.


    The white-boned corpses rose up.


    "Oohhhhh.....!"


    "Thirsty......pain......!"


    "Give it to me...... Give it to me! Give me life!"


    The skeleton warriors, filled with resentment for the living, picked up their weapons.


    The soldiers who witnessed the summoning of the skeletons stiffened up.


    "Huh? The captain and the others have be skeletons!"


    "But they are just skeletons! It''s painful for us since we know them, but this is"


    "No, its no good!"


    The mage informed the soldier, with a pale face, that its only a low-grade undead in order to stay strong.


    "That thing is a horned skeleton! It''s a Spartoi, a higher-level species, with even more enhancedbat power than before it was alive. Don''t let your guard down, it''s an opponent that even skilled adventurers can''t handle!"


    Spartoi were skeleton monsters with horns on their heads. This legendary monster was said to have been born from the corpses of warriors who were made from dragon fangs and who killed each other due to their innate aggressiveness. Whether the myth was true or not is unclear, but it is certain that these powerful warriors were created after death. And in terms of threat in battle, they were obviously superior to ordinary skeletons.


    "Go! Go on! Kill them!"


    "Ohhhh...... Master......!"


    "As you wish.......!"


    The five Spartoi acted ording to the wishes of the vampire, their creator.


    The ughter began.


    "Woah!!"


    "me! Ah, its not gonna make it!"


    "Stop! Captain, it''s me! Please don''t do this......"


    It was a corpse, an undead creature created from the body of the captain, an elite of the St. Gallen army. It was a different level than the low-grade familiars created by magic power alone. The mage had no time to even finish his chanting, and the soldier was cut down before he could even deflect the attack with his sword. The soldiers defending the rear of the St. Gallen''s army copsed in a matter of seconds.


    However, the five undead and the surviving familiars had only overwhelmed the rearguard. There was still plenty of fighting strength from the remaining St. Gallen army.


    "Fireball!"


    "Gaaaahhhh......?"


    The fire magic was unleashed, ignoring the possibility of allies getting caught up, engulfing the army of undead in fire. This was what themander, expecting to be breached, made the mage do.


    "Oh, it''s hot! Oi, Im an ally"


    "Tch......"


    "Do not hesitate, mages! Keep firing! We are not killing our allies. This is about saving those who are behind us!"


    The desperate cries of agony from their own soldiers as they were engulfed in the mes. Themander admonished the mages who were anguished at what they had done. The abilities of the enemy were so extraordinary to the extent that the soldiers left behind were crushed in an instant. If that''s the case, they had to burn the undead as soon as possible even if there were allies in range. It was a ruthless decision, but it was a choice that had to be made in order for more of them to survive.


    "Ill cast again! Oh mes"


    "......Prepare yourselves! Don''t let the undead go any further!"


    "You''ve got to be kidding me! I don''t want to die! No!"


    "Damn it! Goddamn it! Just do it."


    Some of the nameless soldiers abandoned their weapons and ran as fast they could, while others followed behind with tears in their eyes upon realising they were no match for the Spartoi. If they left behind any corpses, the vampire would take their souls and y with them like she did with these skeletons. Even in death would they not find salvation. Therefore, those who knew their injuries were fatal threw themselves into mes together with their enemies.


    "Fireball!"


    "Fireball!"


    "Oh, shit...... Fireball!"


    One by one, flowers of fire bloomed and fell on the fields, burning away the lives of the soldiers. All for the sake of buying a small amount of time against the unholy army.


    A mad scene of humans ditching the lives of their allies, or crying out for their own lives. The vampire who called herself Vee pped her hands andughed at the sight of what was in some ways the most typical of battlefields.


    "Hahahahahaha! Burn! Burn! Beautiful!"


    The monster, which should fear fire and in particr, holy mes, grew ever more fascinated in the human barbeque.


    In her joy, she was reminded of something.


    Oh. She remembered seeing such a scene a long time ago. When was it that she witnessed a me more beautiful than this? She must have had lots of fun and enjoyed herself then, but when was that?


    And then, it came to her.


    "......Me, me too! I can make mes!"


    The markings on her fair skin blinked three times.


    "Here I go! Ignis Fatasssssssssss!! (TL note: chapter 45-46 :


    )"


    Evil mes licked at the wilderness.


    "Gyaaaaahhhh......?!!!""


    The me engulfed dozens of soldiers in a single moment. It was a me that was unnaturally cold and yet, was bright. It was as if it were a jailersntern that burned the souls of the living, guiding them towards the path to death and pain. Ignoring the physical flesh, the demonic mes burned souls that were offered to it.


    Those who risked their lives in an attempt to slow down the enemy were crushed like wood.


    However, the power of the mes wasn''t the only thing that was horrific.


    "Gohhhh, ohhhhh......!"


    "Resentment, pain, and despair......!"


    "More, more, more......!"


    The horde of Spartoi that was supposed to have been destroyed by fire magic from the St Gallen mages. The skeletons, which should have turned to ashes, rose up again with a cry of joy. The bony bodies which should have cracked and fractured under the heat, regenerated like zed pottery.


    Miasma from the anguish of the living and their sorrow, infused the undead with vitality.


    The damage inflicted from the sacrifice of countless soldiers came to nothing.


    "N-No way"


    The next in linemander who had survived the attack fell on his buttocks. He was just outside the area of effect of Ignis Fatas, so he was not burned by it.


    But what good would that do? Whether he was killed by soul-burning magic or directly at the hands of the undead, it led to the same path of agony and despair.


    No, there was a way. The way to escape from the irredeemable end after death.


    Themander drew his weapon from his waist. The dagger was supposed to be his backup weapon.


    "Oh, God! Forgive me for not fulfilling the life Ive been given......!"

 Chapter 68: Endless horrors (4)

    Chapter 68: Endless horrors (4)


    His answer was suicide. Suicide was a serious offense under the Holy King religion, but there was a single exception to it. And that was if facing the undeads. To prevent the undead from tampering with their bodies before it could be returned to their Lord, they could kill themselves to be granted salvation after death.


    He put the tip of his dagger to his throat, as he repeated the religious doctrines in his head.


    "Used, plenty, of, magic. So, hungry!"


    Unexpectedly, the sphemous monster, prevented themander frommiting suicide.


    The vampire, who jumped right in front of him with her inhuman leg strength, grabbed his arm up with her slender arm. No matter how he tried to resist, he could not cause even a slight budge. The monster''s red eyes glowed as if mocking the futile resistance of her pitiful prey.


    The moment their eyes met, his mind broke.


    "Ahhhhhhhhh! Stop it! No! No! Let me die!"


    "Die? Suck, blood, die! Die, be, kin!"


    "Nooooo! Please no"


    His pleas were futile, and the lips that hid fanged teeth drew closer.


    "Ahnn~yum~..."


    It was a pecking on the skin of a lover  a lewd and passionate kiss. The touch thatnded on his neck caused him to shiver because of how cold it felt.


    "Giiyaaaaahhhh?"


    The dying mans screams echoed out into the night. The soldiers ran harder on hearing the screams.


    The only thing in their minds was to make it out of this hell safely.


    They would soon learn that it was all for naught.


    "Uh...... This me, is, different......."


    Standing in the middle of the destroyed camp, the girl who had called herself Vee groaned to herself.


    She could shake off the sense of difort. She felt it when she saw the fleeing enemy soldiers she was chasing set their allies aze, or when she used her magic to burn their souls, or when she poured oil on a randomly captured opponent to set them on fire. There was something different about the mes she once knew, and the way she had used them to defeat her enemies.


    "No, stop it! Please ...... no, I beg of you!"


    The vampire shook her head. A defeated soldier crawling with broken limbs screamed in pain. It was a miracle that the limbs had not been torn off this soldier from the impact. A simple healing spell would not restore his bones to their original shape and position, and even if it did, they would not be in any state to move. If he wanted to bepletely healed, he would have to rely on a mage who was familiar with the human body, or he would have to pay the church and put his trust in the blessings of the priests. However, what the priest needed more urgently at the moment was to exorcise the enemy vampire.


    The girl was unconcerned about the suffering of her prey. When a human being butchered domesticated animals, they might feel a twinge in their conscience, or a sense of gratitude for the existence that fed them. However, it was nonsensical to expect human psychology to apply to literally inhumane beings. Monsters take pleasure in the pain of their prey, and cannot be med for it. Monsters inflict their cruelty to humans like mixing spices with meat on a te. Thats why their hostility to humans was second nature.


    The girl examined around for her next kill, and eventually, the motions of her eyes stopped at the campfire.


    She picked up a stick.


    ".....ming, Sword!"


    With a big smile on her face, she raised the thick piece of burning branch above her head. She was like a young child pretending to be a hero or an adventurer. But considering what this young girl had already done and what she might do with the burning stick, one could only feel nauseated.


    What was she going to use it for?


    The girl approached a soldier with the burning stick in her hand.


    "Please no..."


    "Yarrr!"


    Without hesitation, she swung down with all her strength.


    Of course, there was no way the soldier could withstand the vampire''s physical strength. The soldier''s skull was crushed like a water balloon, and her weapon snapped halfway through.


    "Huh......?"


    She looked curiously at the wooden stick, which had been rendered useless.


    That''s strange. How could this me sword be so fragile? And it wasnt sharp at all. It''s just a blunt weapon doused in me. This was nothing like something she loved...


    "Armament summoning, selecting, secondary armamenthand cannon. ......fire."


    A roar. Then a shockwave. Heat. Pain.


    The girl who called herself Vee was unbearably blown away by the sudden assault on her body.


    "W-Wha!"


    As she regained her footing, she ran her hand over her chest where she felt extreme pain. There was some slimy blood and a small hole. She looked around, trying to identify the source of her pain and fear.


    "Who! Who?"


    As she bared her fangs and let out a threatening snarl, someone approached her, stomping on the grass.


    "Evaluation. Good offensive performance. But intelligence and judgemental abilities arepromised."


    "Well, that''s about it, isn''t it? In the end, the best she can be is a hunting dog for catching small fries."


    A cold and emotionless voice of a woman and a man''s voice with a sarcastic tone.


    Opus 05 Fem. And Opus 04 Charl.


    The vampire girl''s eyes widened at the sight of Fem''s short cylinder billowing smoke and Charl shrugging his shoulders.


    "Aaaah......!?"


    Her bloodless face paled further and she fell on her buttocks. She was doing the same thing that she had made others do.


    In other words, the difference in strength between humans and vampires was exactly the difference between the girl called Vee and these two that had appeared.


    "Confirmation. Has the ability to recognise the difference in strength. Then. What about identifying between friend and foe?"


    "Fem-chan, Fem-chan. You know, you shouldn''t have shot her out of the blue. If you shot me from behind with, what was that, a gun? If I got shot, I wouldn''t think the person who did that is on my side either."


    "Self-examining. You are right. When I came to check on the cause of the slow pace of the mission, I saw her ying. I couldn''t help myself."


    "Ha-ha-ha! Couldnt help yourself, huh! Good for you! If you were serious instead, then this girl would have been blown to bits?"


    Eventually, the two monsters came to a pause in front of the trembling little girl.


    Then, Fem extended her armoured arm towards the vampires neck and held her up into the air.


    "Ahh!?"


    "Okay, I''m going to check for friend or foe identification. Do you know who I am?"


    "Yes, yes! Yes! Opus 05! Supervisor. Of examination! Person, giving orders!"


    "Reply. Correct. Now, the next question. Do you know who this man is?"


    "Opus 04, vice-supervisor......! 05 give the next orders!"


    "Hahaha, that too is correct...! Well done!"


    "Warning. Please don''t interrupt 04. ......good, it seems she is able to distinguish between friend and foe."


    Fem nodded in satisfaction and let go of the girl who was suspended around her throat. Naturally, the girl crashed to the ground.


    "agh!"


    "Oh...... so violent. What if you break the toy we''re testing? Master might get mad at us."


    "Reply. It won''t be a problem. Vampires are sturdy, and they can regenerate, right? I don''t think they''re built soft enough to break from something like this."


    "That''s true, but... You''re treating us vampires too carelessly, aren''t you? We''re the most noble of all monsters, you know? That''s right, high ss~! So, I hope you will treat them with a little more respect...... I don''t really care about all the other defects lying around here by the way......"


    Charlughed and grabbed the hair of a girl of his own race who was sitting on the floor.


    "Ouch! Ouch..."


    "You know, Fem isnt the only one that is angry. I''m also pissed off about how you did the test. Its an important test involving Master''s strategy. You can''t just fool around like that......"


    "Ow, that hurts! It hurts! Stop, stop!"


    "All those little fish you left behind while you were messing around! We had to take care of all of them! We''re too busy babysitting the lowlifes to do any extra work, aren''t we?"


    He increased the strength in his fingers causing her hair to shred.


    Charl no longer had a smile to his face. His face only disyed anger and disgust. It was like the rage of an adult selfishly imposing their will on a child.


    "It hurts, huh? I''m making it ...... painful, so of course it is! If I don''t do this, your rotten, blood-saturated brain won''t be able to make sense of things, will it? You''re an idiot, you know that?"


    "Whaaaaat! I''m sorry! Please forgive me! Please forgive me!"


    "Question. 04, will it be bad to destroy her? You''re the one who warned me about this, so what are you going to do if you break her?"

 Chapter 68: Endless horrors (5)

    Chapter 68: Endless horrors (5)


    "It''s okay, it''s just discipline. We''re both vampires, but her head is only at the level of a brat or an animal. So we have to hurt them a little to discipline them, right?"


    "I see, and I agree. Then, I''ll keep a separate record to verify the effectiveness of this educational method."


    "Please forgive. Please! Please! Vee, will do it properly next time"


    "Error. ......Vee?"


    Fem wondered about the name the girl had said. She was probably talking in first person, hence referring to herself, but the name was unfamiliar to Fem. Fem knew that this individual had never been called that.


    The question was answered by Charl, who clicked his tongue in annoyance.


    "Damn, youre so stupid! ......No, it''s no wonder Fem doesn''t know. This thing cant even remember her own name. ......Hey! I''m gonna ask you nicely again, so make sure to give the right answer! What is your name!?"


    He brushed his dusky blond hair to expose his earlobes, and then shouted angrily.


    Finally, the girl answered with tears.


    "I know! V-V-01Y! V-01Y! Vee is for Vampire! Y is for Y is for"


    "It means prototype Y! Prototype mass production vampire number one! That''s the code name Master gave you instead of your shitty ass name, right? Make sure to remember it!"


    "Yes, yes!"


    V-01Y shook her head repeatedly while sobbing. Charl ignored her with a sigh and looked towards Fem.


    "Well, thats how it is. I don''t know how many times I''ve told her already......Im already sick of this."


    "Affirmative. What is the cause of the deterioration of her intellect?"


    "Well, who knows? Our master was randomly testing her useless body to make sure she wasnt wasted. Perhaps she had been vampirified to the extent of losing her mind. Or"


    "Or? borate please."


    "This technology is designed to stably change a person into a full vampire instead of a lesser, even if they are a non-virgin. It''s possible that the technology and skill isnt perfect......"


    I knew it, it cant be anything but virgins, he thought, as he looked down at the failed attempt that was still sobbing. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a pointed but short ear that had pushed back a tuft of hair.


    It was about three months ago that Charl was informed of the trial to mass produce vampires. It was about early summer.


    He had no experiments to do that day, and was bored with ying with the toys he had been given, so he went to the room to ask his master for something to do.


    "Hey, Oubeniel-kun! Do you still have that half-elf girl you said you got the other day?"


    "What is it, Charl? Last time you said no, you said you didn''t want her because you didn''t like her. You said that a mixed was inferior."


    Indeed, Tullius had asked him once if Charl wanted her, and he replied with a firm no.


    A half-elf adventurer who was sessfully captured in Mans dungeon, the Sea of Darkness. Upon a single look, he immediately made his assessment and gave his reply.


    not enough, he said.


    She wasnt bad looking. No, she was in fact good looking. But she was thin and short. It would be fine if she was just skinny, but she was too small. Charl prefers women on the mature side.


    Besides, he could already smell the brokenness in the girl''s heart. Her soul was already darkened in despair. Charl''s hobby was to destroy and defile them himself, and thus, was not interested in things that have already been polluted. He would torment and break the heart of a determined and prideful girl before making them beg for mercy before finally sucking on their blood. Such games were the most fun.


    So he had dered, "No, I don''t want it."


    "Well, you''re not buying many ves these days, are you? Or, more urately, the number of ves that areing my way."


    "For the mass production of the S series, I buy only male ves with a good physique these days...... No, more than that, you are using up female ves too fast. 10 of them per year, of course its too much."


    "How depressing to hear that from the roughest ve-user on the continent, Oubeniel-kun. Well, in any case, could I please have that leftover?"


    Tullius scratched his cheeks lightly before opening his mouth.


    "Bad timing. I had just used her for a little experiment."


    "Huh? And, but if shes still alive"


    "Well, she is alive. But I think she isnt ideal for your hobbies."


    "I don''t mind, though? As long as shes still a virgin, I can put up with me just sucking her blood..."


    "I''m sorry, she isnt a virgin anymore."


    "What?"


    For a moment, he didn''t understand what he had said.


    He deflowered an experimental subject? This Tullius Oubeniel? A man who has always had the finest looking female ves in his service, and has never touched them?


    Of course, there was no way he had embraced her. His master exined the situation indifferently to the look he was given.


    "Didn''t I tell you about this before? The experiment of brainwashing priests to find out the working principle of sacred magic."


    "Oh, that thing. ying with their brains to change their belief in a god, or manipting them to breakmandments  no way."


    "Yeah, that. The party we captured came together with a priest. I used that priest for my experiment. I wanted to see what would happen if I let them break themandments while their belief in the Holy King religion was still intact."


    In the process, he said, she lost her innocence. What a waste. If they were to be used for such a purpose, there would be no problem with using the mass-produced models instead.


    But, ording to Tullius, this was not ideal. The mass-produced model, though expressionless, still possessed their own minds, and excessive stress could be a burden. Even though they are mass-produced models, they have been modified with great care. It would be a shame to waste them like that, he said.


    Therefore, he said, it would be cheaper to experiment on suitable prisoners.


    "So, that experiment... I got some surprisingly interesting results, you know? There was quite a difference in the disadvantages of breaking differentmandments. In some cases, there was no effect, and in others, their sacred powers were greatly impaired. Sometimes they wouldpletely lose the ability to use a type of sacred magic. There are very few samples, so I can''t say for sure, but I think there is a difference between the precepts that the church teaches and what God actually forbids or considers unclean. So there will be differences in what happens depending on themandment broken."


    "I-I see......"


    "The most brilliant finding is that the sin of infidelity, which the priests forbid at every turn. It had zero effect! I almostughed when I saw the results. Apparently, God had said, Give birth, and multiply, and fill the earth. I wonder what the people in the church were thinking when they came up with such a prohibition?"


    Tullius exined the results of his sphemous experiments. It made him, a vampire, want to cover his ears. Perhaps it was because he was an undead who feared God''s powers and hence was much more pious and God-fearing. He might hate the church, but he feared it just as much or more.


    Manipting a priest to humiliate a young woman and concluding that amandment was a lie? Never before had a man conducted such a disgraceful act to the church. Charl hoped that such events would never have to happen again. Once a necromancer and now a vampire lord, he could not believe the sins carried by this alchemist.


    "Well, I used her as a partner for such an experiment. So she isnt pristine. I''m sorry, Charl. I''ll leave you to your new toy. I hope you''ll be patient with the current situation."


    "Uh, yeah ...... I get it. I know, I know, it''s an amazing experiment. Well, I guess I have no choice......"


    Charl''s voice trembled as he answered, and cold sweat appeared on his face. His habit of stuttering, which he had ovee by bing a vampire, was returning. Tullius didn''t seem to notice the change.


    "Oh, yes. While looking at you, I thought of something interesting."


    "Huh......?"


    "On how to use that half-elf captive. After I used her in the experiment with the priest, it seems she lost it. Even though she was brainwashed, I guess it was too much for her to endure being roughed up by her formerrades turned predators. And that''s why she is now useless in many ways..."


    And I have just the perfect way to reuse her, he added with a grin.


    "R-Reuse?"


    "Yeah. You vampires can''t make non-virgins into aplete kin. Is that right?"


    "Yes......"


    "Isnt that strange? The line between a full vampire or a lesser vampire is a single sexual experience. Why can''t non-virgins be full vampires? ......And that is a worthy topic of research, don''t you think? And a vampire who has ovee all its ws would not be a bad way to perfect immortality. This experiment may be a clue in figuring that out."

 Chapter 68: Endless horrors (6)

    Chapter 68: Endless horrors (6)


    With that one random thought, the fate of the poor half-elf was decided.


    Applying the same procedure that Tullius had used to turn Charl into a vampire, he tried to chimerise her body using vampire blood as a base to prevent her from bing a lesser.


    The result of this attempt, V-01Y, was half a sess, half a failure.


    Indeed, he was able to impart the characteristics of a vampire to her. Her physical abilities have been greatly improved, and she became immortal in the absence of sunlight, and from sucking blood, she could gain strength. Unlike the dried-up, mummified looking lesser vampires, she also retained her looks.


    In exchange, however, she was in a significantly regressed mental state. Her speech was sluggish, and when it came to using magic, she could not even recite spells. This downside could be somewhat improved by adding magical imprints on her entire body, to substitute for chanting, but that would only make her useful forbat. This was not the clue to immortality that Tullius was hoping for.


    Her partner and formerrade, the priest, was also subjected to the experiment to create V-02Y, but he was still too holy, despite breakingmandments, and turned into ashes instead of bing a vampire. Of course, this was just one of those failures that Charl did not need to remember.


    Charl stopped reminiscing on the past and stared at V-01Y, who was still crying.


    "......What are you doing? We have work to do after the extermination, remember? Don''t you remember? Or are you cking because you don''t want to?"


    "Yes, I remember! Enemy corpses! I''ll do it!"


    "Yes, that''s it. So you remember clearly? Good...... If you remember, then hurry on with it! You''ve already healed from the gunshot wound, since you''re a vampire! Come on, hurry up! You can''t just sit around and wait for the morning toe. Or do you want to rx and enjoy the sun once morninges?"


    "Ahhhh! ......I''ll do it! I''ll do it!"


    The girl picked herself up and started to do as she was told. Once, when she had just started working, she had witnessed a servant of Charl being burned in sunlight as punishment for a blunder. The little girl has poor memory, but she vividly remembers the scene.


    "Good work, 04. You''ve put a lot of work into the training."


    "That''s right. Master has been ordering me to do such extreme work. Shes a vampire, so I have to take care of her, he said."


    "Prediction. It''ll only be a short while. The n is that soon"


    "Yeah, I know what you mean. This war wille to a close soon, right?"


    Charl''s tone took a 180 degree turn and it seemed he had regained his good mood.


    The burning of military supplies by Uni, the failure of resupplying due to the viges being burned before St. Gallen could arrive, and now their final attempt to resupply failed. The St. Gallen army was near their limits. Sooner orter, they would have to decide to push ahead decisively or retreat, or simply stay affixed to the ground.


    Either way, that would spell the end of the war in Volden. They would have to, without the necessary supplies, cross the mountains which would be as cold as the middle of winter. Or attempt to stage a decisive battle before they fall to starvation. Thetter option would most likely be chosen.


    I would love to see that happen, Charl thought to himself. People killing each other while driven by extreme circumstances and resentment for one another. The thought of such an appalling scene made his heart skip a beat. The bloodshed on the battlefield may not be worthy inparison to the blood of a virgin, but if it was for decoration purposes, it was enjoyable enough.


    That failure with a stupid head was an important part of the script written by master. He will have to treat her carefully so that she doesn''t break until she ys her part in the spectacr finale. With that in mind, Charl could tolerate the failure that was so annoying to watch. Besides, judging from the poor quality of this prototype, it appears he would not be challenged by alternatives in the near future.


    The vampire lord gloated to himself. All that was watching him was the moon in the night sky and the eyes of the golem. Both gave off a cold, golden light.

 Chapter 69: Provocateur (1)

    Chapter 69: Provocateur (1)


    Volden City, Volden Province, Kingdom of Arquell.


    Surrounded by stone walls, the Oubeniel family''s two-hundred-year-old fief was an average provincial city in this historic country. With the rich harvest of thend as its main product, the city prospered, developed, and finally stagnated. It was an old and somewhat idyllic city.


    In normal times, the area would be crowded with merchants buying grapes and wine, the local specialty, and farmers preparing for the autumn harvest festival.


    But it was different now.


    The neighbouring Federation of St. Gallen invaded from the mountain range borders. They overwhelmed and looted various parts of the province. Naturally, people had begun to evacuate in search of safety. The city, the capital of the province, was the best option for many of the refugees. The city was protected by the sturdy walls and soldiers under the direct control of the lord, and there were food rations avable. Refugees from all over the province of Volden were gathering having considered these factors.


    Naturally, the city had no room to ept many of these refugees. Volden''s defences were originally designed to protect against wild human attacking monsters. Monsters that might sporadicallye from the forests or mountains, such as goblins, orcs, kobolds, and ogres. Later, the walls were also useful against the peasant revolt. The expected number of enemies the city could effectively fight back was about a thousand at best. Even if they were to adopt a siege strategy, they would be besieged for weeks or months by an army of over ten thousand.


    Yes, they had a stockpile of food. It was the season to harvest wheat, and if the city could quickly harvest the wheat from the fields before the enemy could plunder it, the city would have no shortage of food for the time being.


    But there was no ce within the walls for people to live.


    The city was intentionally designed in an intricate manner to prevent the ease of enemy soldiers or rebels from upying them. In addition, even if the lord has no intention to prepare housing for refugees, the city would be moreplicated and narrow if he decided to demolish some buildings to make more space for housing within the city.


    As mentioned before, Volden is an average provincial city in the Kingdom  or rather, in this continent, most castle cities were like that, and Volden had these characteristics too. The only exception would be the morous metropolis of Broussonne, the royal capital, which was the face of the country.


    What would happen if arger-than-eptable number of people tried to squeeze into a small and messy city?


    Obviously, overcrowding.


    The refugees, who had been hoping to seek protection in the city, were rejected by the guards, and were forced outside the gates. They gathered together outside using whatever wood they could find to make a roof for themselves. Such temporary dwellings could not hope to protect them from the wind and rain, and they were on the brink of freezing to death during the night.


    Hygiene-wise, it was the worst. There were no designed toilets, so sewage was everywhere, and the disease-carrying flies had no shortage of food. The people crouched down helplessly, with no energy to fight off the rattling of wings above their heads, and in less than a week, a contagious disease was spreading. The infants and the elderly whocked strength were the first to fall to the scythe of the grim reaper, and there were corpses left exposed in the open.


    Violence and crime were the only outlet for the anger and frustration of those who had lost their minds, and every corner had sounds of arguments. When a man saw a woman, they could care less if she was dirty or not. The women, if they were going to be assaulted anyways, prostituted themselves for small change fit for a child. Sexually transmitted diseases for these people was probably still in its incubation period, but surely it will join the list of diseases that gued the refugees.


    The refugee camps outside of the city were now havens of decadence and destitution caused by the scourge of war. This was the shadowy side of the war stories that bards sang and the boys yearned for, but which were never depicted.


    So, it seems that I, Tullius Shernan Oubeniel, would have to visit such a decadent ce for a job. I have to be in the provincial capital to lead the battle. It was my duty as the lord of Volden.


    Of course, I was not in the least bit interested. I didn''t know why I had to go into the unsanitary, unsafe,wless slums of the city again. It was certainly not good for my health nor had any assurance of safety. It was the ce I wanted to least interact with.


    "If I had known this wasing, I would have left my brother as the head of the family......."


    "What are you talking about, your Excellency? If he had been safe, he would have passed such a task onto you, wouldn''t he?"


    Stuck in the carriage, Iined idly to Victor, who was riding alongside me. At times like this, I rather he be honest and offer words offort instead.


    "That''s true, if you say so, but don''t you think there''s a better way to put it?"


    "No matter how I put it, it won''t make any difference. Putting any effort into sugarcoating it is the embodiment of the kind of waste you hate."


    "I think it''s beneficial enough not to kill my motivation, which I had little to none from the beginning."


    "Haha......, hearing you say that."


    Victor let out a sigh.


    Normally, Uni would support me by this point, but I couldnt expect that from her this time. She was not apanying me at the moment because she was working on other missions.


    ......Well, let''s think positively. If Laubert were here, the lecturing and teasing would be twice as unbearable. That ck-hearted, stingy, gossipy man was left elsewhere to maintain the supply lines from Man, our home base. Though Uni wasnt here to back me up, neither was Laubert here to back them up.


    "Give it up, Victor. The devil is the one who tters others. Of course, this devilish master must have been born with his mouth first."


    And yet another who turned enemy was Due. He was not adept at detailed preparatory work, both in terms of personality and performance, and his official position was that of my military officer. So he has been following me as an escort into the provincial capital.


    I was a little miffed, so I decided to talk back a little.


    "It''s normal for a baby to be born through the mouth, unless it''s a breech birth, right? Humans can''t live without breathing, you know."


    "Sigh...... keep making cryptic statements like that, and Victor will continue telling you off."


    Due was still as outspoken as ever. Now that I have be a count, I am going to have to meet with more nobles than ever before. I''m sure that Due, who works for me, would have to meet them alongside me as well. I wish he would learn to be a little more reserved.


    "Yes, yes, it is my fault. It''s all my fault that my brother went crazy and that St. Gallen attacked us."


    "Isnt that the case.......?"


    "That is quite true. It was our n that drove your brother mad, and the plight of the enemy nation that led to the start of the war was caused by your hunting of monsters and burning of the royal capital."


    I sulked a bit, having been sandwiched between the top civil and military leaders.


    Whether it was a real battle or a debate, it sucks to be isted and helpless. I decided to raise the white g quietly.


    "Well, that''s true, too. ......Let''s stop, there''s no point in talking about this or that any more. It''s my fault, so let''s talk about work instead. Okay?"


    "Aren''t you the one who started this whole thing in the first ce? ...... Im perfectly fine with that if your Excellency fulfils his duties properly."


    "Well, I wouldn''t worry about that. After all, this is the moment of truth for our master. Considering the amount of money he will lose by losing or escaping, he will go for victory no matter what. If he doesn''t, all the hard work will be for nothing."


    "Oh. So you do understand, Due."


    I was in a good mood for a moment when he said that.


    "Of course, the method to achieve victory is suspicious as heck, as always."


    I was somewhat thrown off. Why couldnt we just end the conversation with a clean te?


    "Don''t be so sure, this is still an operation endorsed by Margrave Doldran."


    "I have a feeling that he felt the situation was so bleak that there was no other choice but to reluctantly ept it, though."

 Chapter 69: Provocateur (2)

    Chapter 69: Provocateur (2)


    Victor spoke with much resentment. Together with Lauber, he was in charge of the internal affairs of the province. It was natural for him to dislike the basic outline of the n I''ve drawn up  the destruction of enemy logistics with a scorched earth strategy. After all, our tax revenue would be ruined due to that.


    "For that matter, you canin to the St. Gallen army that went out of their way to attack my territory. Or maybe to the old man who instigated it all."


    "I''ve already said that a million times in my mind. Be extra careful with thetter."


    "...... Oh, okay."


    Due''s cheeks twitched at the reply.


    I think Victor is the type of person who holds back and umtes a lot of things. ...... I''m a little worried that one day he''s going to break down like my brother. They have simr personalities. He has the same blond hair. Maybe a little tougher than him though.


    Victor cleared his throat.


    "At any rate, we are too invested in it now. We must defeat the enemy forces at all costs. For that reason, please do not make a mistake in your duties at the provincial capital."


    "I know, I know. First of all, you''re being sent with me to assist, aren''t you? His Excellency the Margrave is also in the carriage behind us."


    "That''s true, but......"


    I said, looking outside the windows to check the convoy. Directly behind us was the carriage of His Excellency Margrave Doldran, a warrior who had been sessful in pacifying the west. He is considered my subordinate in the faction, but in terms of the kingdoms nobility, he is a few steps above me. To prevent others from looking down on him if he were to ride alongside with a young man who had just be a count, my carriage bore his family''s crest instead. He looked apologetic, but I heard that this was also for the sake of order within the aristocratic society. Was there a point in any of these if we were in the state of war though?


    But it''s not just his carriage that was riding with us.


    "Looking at it this way, it''s quite a spectacr view, isn''t it?"


    "Indeed. It''s the first time I''ve actually seen such columns of military supplies being transported."


    Coincidentally, we were riding up a hill, and because of the angle, we could see quite far back into the convoy. Behind us, there were carriages, carriages, and more carriages as far as the eye could see.


    This was the primary reason why I left Laubert over at Man to handle things. Delivering military supplies from Man to the provincial capital was arge-scale logistical operation.


    "How much money did we spend on all of this......? Considering we had called on whichever merchants who were close friends of ours and bought whatever supplies they had?"


    "If you''d really like to know, would you like to hear a rough estimate?"


    "...... I''ll refrain. Sounds like another long one."


    "We''re going to have to confirm it after the war anyway. Why don''t we do it now?"


    "This is basically unnecessary information for the war right? So we can win the war first, then take our time considering the price tag."


    He then waved his hand in the air to decline. The two retainers both let out another sigh of exasperation, but made no attempt to say anything further.


    I silently looked at the rear of the convoy. The weaponry being carried would be considered a toy to me, but I''m sure it would work extraordinarily well against the St. Gallen army for this one battle. I''m sure they''ll be very surprised.


    I hate war. People try to kill you, it consumes a lot of precious resources and money, and the rewards are rarely worth it. I don''t know what it was about human beings that made them get so excited about it.


    But, well. It does not feel bad at all to be able to thank the people personally who got me involved in the war to the fullest extent. The St. Gallen army, and that old man who''s probably pulling the strings from behind the scenes. If I chance upon their surprised faces, then I wouldnt mind going all out in this war.


    Anyways, if I wasnt forced, then there would be no way I would choose to do this. Oh man, I really don''t like this.


    The government office of Volden, built on a hill outside the city, is a separate building from the residence of the head of the family, and it was where governmental work was conducted in the city. Normally, the building was filled with officials going about their daily business, but since the outbreak of the war, it has been the home of doom and gloom.


    "What the hell does that mean!"


    A man who looked like an official mmed his hand down on his desk, yelling and gnashing his teeth. The person he was shouting at and looking at with a stern, upturned gaze was, of course, the master he was supposed to be serving.


    Count Tullius Shernan Oubeniel. He is a young man who had taken the throne of the Oubeniel family and the title of Count of Volden, recing his predecessor who suddenly went insane and was forced to retire.


    He stayed in Man, his original base of operations when he was a viscount, since the outbreak of the war, but all of sudden, he decided toe to Volden. There were many things he wanted to say about his behaviour, but the official swallowed them all. But even with that out of the way, the new Count had brought up something that he couldn''t stand.


    "I''m not sure what you mean......."


    Tullius gave a nervous smile.


    "There''s nothing more to it than what''s written on that summons order. If you can''t read it, I can read it for you. The aforementioned people are suspected of embezzlement in rtion to tax collection. From today onwards, due to the unprecedented crisis in our state, we cannot entrust such people with such important positions. It''s a troublesome order, isn''t it? In short, anyone whose name is on this list will be fired for corruption...... Oh, by the way, your name is on there too, isn''t it?"


    Then, he took a turn and gave me a cold stare. He directed no mercy nor pity towards the new head of the family. The only emotion that could be described from it was a feeling of depression, as if he had already decided to send these space-wasting tools for disposal.


    Suddenly confronted with such charges and on the verge of being ousted from his position, the official seemed to be distraught.


    "I-Impossible......! What about our long years of service?"


    "Public service, perhaps?"


    The young noble standing beside their masters side said with a cold, rueful smile.


    Victor Dcroix Lorge. He was known as one of the elites of Tullius, being in service since the time Tullius was Viscount of Man. From the point of view of this official who had served the Count''s family since the previous generation, he was nheless a novice. And yet, the youngd was trying to take advantage of the favour he had with the helpless new Count and monopolise power as a vassal of Tullius. As such, the old vassals of the Oubeniel Count family hated such a cheeky person.


    The noble looking man looked towards the official who had caused the ruckus with disdain.


    "How is it public service to misappropriate taxes and use them to build luxury vis and house women? Huh, I wonder when the definition of service in this country was revised?"


    "How......"


    The official was at a loss for words.


    Victor''s words were very precise in pointing out the crimes the man was hiding.


    But the official could not admit it. If he admitted it, he would be considered guilty and lose everything, so he would not voluntarily admit it no matter what.


    That''s a false usation! Theres no basis for it at all. Don''t believe him, Your Excellency!


    "False charges?"


    At the official''s plea, Tullius flung a document on the desk with a disgusted look on his face.


    "This is the evidence. ounting records, discrepancies in the cases you worked on, and notes from the merchant you negotiated with when you bought properties. And theres more where those came from.. well, in any case, sufficient evidence to dere that this isnt a false charge."


    "N-N-noo......"


    "By the way, we have copies, so there is no point in trying to tear it up or burn it. The originals are held in Man."


    The official hung his head.


    In fact, the very thought of doing so had urred to him.


    "B-but ......! Oh, yes, a trial! At least give me a chance to stand trial! You say you have proof, but it is too outrageous for you to decide the fate of your subjects at your discretion! Let everythinge to light with legal processes"

 Chapter 69: Provocateur (3)

    Chapter 69: Provocateur (3)


    "Normally, I would, though."


    Tullius interrupted the official who was trying to be troublesome.


    "I hate to tell you this, but it''s wartime now. I don''t have the time to go through all the hassle of a trial. Ive already experienced such a long-winded affair like that a year ago. ......I''m sure that under martial rule during wartime, the lord has no problem dering charges directly and making quick sentences, right Victor?"


    "Yes, my lord. The code of the kingdom guarantees nobles full exclusive rights over their own territory and people during wartime. After all, it is the greatest duty of a noble to act as the bulwark of the royal family and defend the kingdom."


    "Exactly. Then give up and get ready to go to jail. I''ll call for you when it''s your turn."


    He then gestured to the corner of the room. The man who had been waiting there stood up stealthily and extended his arm towards the official.


    "Due. Show him where to go. And when you''re done, take care of the others on the list."


    "Damn, telling me to do all these boring crap......"


    Due Schwarzer. He was an adventurer turned military officer and one of Count Tullius'' close associates. And to top it all off, he hails from St. Gallen, which is the current aggressor.


    The official shouted in ast-ditch effort.


    "My lord! You''ve been deceived! You''re being deceived by this immature young man and this enemy!"


    "Huh? That''s a big deal if it''s true. Just out of curiosity, is that so?"


    "No." "Of course not."


    The two replied negatively in unison. Tullius nodded his head in satisfaction. It was as if he was convinced that they would never lie to him when asked.


    "Then move along. I''m not wasting any more time on this."


    "Yea. ......Cmon, lets get moving."


    The former official was grabbed by the scruff of the neck like a cat and carried away by Due. He was taken out of the room and was still screaming as the door was closed, but the two remaining people in the room did not pay any further attention.


    Tullius opened his mouth, turning his stiff neck lightly.


    "Now, if I can just leave the rest to Due, I think were done cleaning the government building."


    "Yes, I thought this would have to happen sooner rather thanter."


    "Thanks to the lord''s power during martial rule, the unwanted people in the vassge will be cleared away all at once. It''s one of the few things I''m d about because of the war. Though the bad things are in greater numbers."


    Tullius Shernan Oubeniel was an advocate for efficiency. When told that he was so by others, he denied it by saying that his mentor at the academy was far more efficient than he is, but Tullius subordinates were generally in consensus on their masters work ethics.


    There was no way that he would simply bemoan the outbreak of war and do nothing about it. He would put the unfortunate event aside and take advantage of it as much as he could. For example, it would be a good opportunity to use the concentration of power that came with this emergency to purge dissenters from the ranks of the Oubeniel family.


    Victor let out a chuckle.


    "Yes, but war is a terrible affair. It''s inevitable that there would be more events ending up as a minus."


    "That''s true...... Now, ording to the list Laubert made, the only ones we''re going to keep from this arrest are the 30% who have some use remaining. The rest of the useless ones"


    The chair in which Tullius was reclining creaked ominously.


    The next morning.


    The refugee vige outside the walls of Volden. The temporary home of refugees, with its shabby roofs, was surrounded in an unexpected uproar. A small clearing at the centre of the slum. The ves under the lord''smand were bringing something in one after another, and assembling something.


    "What is that? What is about to happen?"


    "Who knows......"


    The faces of the people watching the work from afar were more cautious than curious. That was natural. They had been shut out from Volden until today. They felt that they had been abandoned by the lords and officials. If they were doing something with the refugee vige after all this time, they could not imagine it being a cause for good.


    "Then again, for ves, they are wearing decent clothes."


    "You are right."


    "Damn...... how many days have we been in our clothes?"


    The refugees looked with resentment at the attire of the ves of House of Oubeniel. The young noble who had just be a count, and his servants, were dressed in butler''s clothes for the men and maid''s clothes for the women. They were made of very high quality material and looked clean. The way they glittered in the sun, they looked like the clothes of a noble.


    In retrospect, what were the rags that they were wearing? Before the invasion of the enemy''s army, they had escaped in whatever they had been wearing and walked all the way to Volden City. Therefore, they had no chance to get new clothings. Their clothes were beginning to look grimy and their body odours were soaked into them. The sleeves and cor were frayed and torn in many ces, and every time the autumn wind blew, they felt cold.


    Why were they, themoners, suffering such misery, while the ves, who should be looked down upon, enjoying the good life? A feeling of animosity slowly began to grow among the refugees.


    In the meantime, the ves proceeded with their work at a rapid pace.


    What they assembled in the centre was a podium. It was about three metres high, and the tform was about ten metres wide. It could be called a stage. A person who stood on the stage would be able to look over the entire crowd of refugees, and for people below the stage, they could also easily observe the people on the stage.


    Soon, a noble appeared on the podium, apanied by an escort.


    He has brown hair that was reddish, like reddish copper, and with blue eyes. His features were well-developed, but the energying from him seemed to becking, making him appear to be a mild-natured person. He looked like he had just turned 20 years old.


    The noble stood on the tform, looked around, and raised his voice.


    "Everybody!"


    His voice drew the attention of everybody in the clearing to the podium. Not only that, but refugees who had been hiding under the shabby roofs and ignoring what was going on came crawling out to see themotion.


    The noble continued after he saw that more people had started to gather around him.


    "Nice to meet you all! I am the Lord of Volden Province, Count of the Kingdom, Tullius Shernan Oubeniel!"


    At these words, the people all blinked and groaned in unison.


    Lord? Count? Such a high ranking person appeared in their small and dirty vige?


    It was unthinkable. After all, the overwhelming majority of nobles don''t even see the popce as human beings. It was unheard of for them to show up in front of the people and speak to them. Most of the time, their intentions were conveyed through their vassals and that was it. If the nobles were to exchange words with themoners, it would only be to a very limited number of people with ability, such as merchants and wealthy farmowners. Why would they talk to the lowly peasants and exiles who were refused entry into the city?


    And to add to the confusion, more improbable events followed.


    "It is truly my fault that I was unable to guarantee the safety of the people of Volden during the invasion of the inhumane neighbouring country of St. Gallen, and due to the events, I have forced you to suffer such inconveniences as we are experiencing today. Therefore, I have decided to make an apology here...... I am truly, truly sorry!"


    Tullius said, and hung his head deeply.


    The people were confused.


    The nobles, who only cared about extracting taxes from the peasants and reducing them to ves if the peasants failed to pay, would actually bow towards them? To the people, who are supposed to be nobles subjects. A bolt from the blue?


    The refugees were surprised, confused, and


    "......The heck with you!"


    Shouts erupted.


    "What the hell are you talking about, out of nowhere?"


    "Yeah, yeah!"


    "You think saying sorry is enough!?"


    "My child died of hunger and disease!"


    "Give me something to eat! Give us a ce to live! Give us back our vige!"


    "Get on with it and defeat the St. Gallen army! That''s what you''re taxing us for, and that''s why you have an army!"


    The people were angry. Their outpouring was filled with anger.


    They had been forced to endure whatever had happened. They were driven out of their viges by the invaders, lost their homes and fields, starved, cold, forced to live in filthy conditions, got sick, and died.

 Chapter 69: Provocateur (4)

    Chapter 69: Provocateur (4)


    How could they forgive a noble''s mistake with just one word of apology after being in such a situation for days? There was no way any of them could. Rather, a specific person they could direct their anger towards had appeared within arm''s reach. It would be natural for all their pent up frustration to erupt at once.


    It would have been different if he was a virtuous saint, or if he were a well renowned lord like Margrave Doldran, who racked up many achievements through the years. The people might pay further attention and listen to what else he had to say. However, the man standing on the podium was a youngster who had just be the new head of the family. In addition, although most people were unaware of this, he was a notorious in noble society for being a maniac who ughtered ves. It would be impossible for him to appease the refugees, who came from different parts of Volden with words alone, let alone Man, which he had rebuilt almost from scratch.


    Yes, if he was limited to using words.


    "......Silence!"


    A loud roar capable of sending shivers, pierced through the abuses hurled from the people.


    The ck-robed military officer, Due, shouted.


    The people became silent immediately. Due, wielding the two-handed sword, looked powerful even though he was the only escort. The people, who were used to violence only in fights between vigers, found it hard to resist the intimidating presence of a former adventurer who had ughtered many monsters in his career.


    Tullius held out his hand as if to rebuke his vassal for scaring the people, and continued again.


    "You are all very right to be angry! The words of one who has a poor track record and appearedte at this perilous time are not to be believed. So..."


    Then he broke off once and signalled behind him.


    "I''d like to present my sincerity first."


    Next, several men and women, were pulled up to the tform by ves.


    The women were attractive looking while the men looked like government officials. They were all tied up with ropes behind their backs and gagged in their mouths. As if they were criminals.


    Tullius howled to the crowd.


    "These are the corrupt officials who have been embezzling taxes for years, and these women are their mistresses. Naturally, sustained by taxpayers."


    "What!?"


    "Our taxes for mistresses?"


    Once again, angry voices erupted everywhere. But the target of their abuse changed from Tullius to those who were tied up.


    Tullius put his hand on his brow with a look of sorrow.


    "I cannot be more sorry that such impudent people exist despite the unprecedented crisis in our state. Most rming of all is the fact that funds that should have been channelled to those who have flocked to the city for refuge have been illegally redirected to their private estates"


    The provocateur whispered into the ears of the people what they wanted to hear.


    They are the reasons for your plight. They were the ones who have greedily snatched up funds for you to keep mistresses.


    The eyes of the people, violence filled, were now fixed on the corrupt officials and their mistresses on the tform.


    "I would like to ask you a question! What should I do with these people?"


    The answer to my question came quickly.


    "Kill them!"


    "Take their heads off!"


    "The death penalty, the death penalty!"


    Death penalty, death penalty, death penalty!


    The unanimous voices begging for death made the criminals tremble.


    Making a strangely kind expression, Tullius removed the gag from one of the criminals and asked.


    "Thats what the people want...... Do you have anything to say in return?"


    The official panicked and yelled.


    "What did I do wrong?"


    The shouting of the people stopped. However, this was a different situation than when they were intimidated by Due. It was a dangerous equilibrium on the verge of explosion, as if a lid was forcibly ced on a boiling pot. The official continued to speak without seeming to notice the dangerous situation he was now in.


    "Wheres the harm in taking some of the taxes? There''s nothing wrong with having women around! Why am I being judged by these filthy refugees! What are you staring at, you lowborn!"


    Seems like he did not understand the situation as he berated the crowd.


    Somebody in the know would think the same. It was as if he was being made to speak everything that was in his mind.


    It was a scene that seemed like a repeat of a certain trialst year.


    But the people present here were the ignorant masses. They must not even know of the trial that had taken ce a year ago. The only thoughts in their mind must be that these officials are looking down on them.


    "You''ve got to be kidding me!"


    "What the hell do you think we are?"


    "Die! Just die already!"


    The people, as if more oil had been poured into a fire, started stoning the criminals on the tform. Some of them were even throwing excrement. Tullius frowned, and instructed Due to execute the sentence quickly.


    "Do it"


    "...... alright"


    He drew his two-handed sword and made a light sweeping motion. At the sound of the air roaring uneasily, the people stopped throwing things. He then stepped on the gagged man, who was still screaming.


    "Waa!"


    "Hey, anyst words?"


    "A trial! A fair trial under the kingdomsws"


    "Thews of that kingdom gives me the right to execute you...... Enough, make it quick."


    Immediately after the new Count announced coldly, a decapitating blow was struck into the criminals neck.


    Without even a scream, his head was lopped off, and blood spilled vigorously.


    Due then moved on to the next person.


    The other man was an aplice. And the woman who knew that she was being paid with taxpayers money. One by one, their crimes were revealed and their heads were chopped off. Each time, the people shouted with joy.


    "Justice served!"


    "Karma!"


    "Hurrah! Long live the lord!"


    They cursed those who were beheaded and praised Tullius for carrying out their sentences. For the peasants, who werecking in entertainment, the execution of criminals was the perfect entertainment. Those who have done evil were judged, while they, effectively the side of justice, watched unharmed. A bloody y on the theme of poetic justice in a straightforward manner.


    The excited and exhrated people were now blindly praising Tullius. They havepletely forgotten that just a while ago, they were focused on their resentment against him.


    The Count on the stage continued without seeming to care about sharp change in the peoples attitudes.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, the evil have been judged, and their private properties have been reappropriated for the public. We will now use these funds to prepare a soup kitchen. We are also preparing to open up their homes and offices to be used as temporary housing for all refugees!"


    "Hurrah!"


    "Food and a ce to stay!"


    "Nothing could be better!"


    "Hurrah! Long live Count Oubeniel!"


    Hooray! Hooray! Hurray!


    The cheers of the enthusiastic refugees were probably loud enough to be heard in the city of Volden. Tullius raised his hand in embarrassment. The man mostmonly known as the "ve killer" or the "man-eating snake" was, for this moment, basking in the support of those he reigned over.


    He proceeded to carefully mix poison into the euphoria of the people.


    "However......!"


    He waved his hand with an exaggerated gesture, and the people quieted down and listened. He had been making announcements one after the other. But this one would be his original purpose.


    "However, Volden is currently threatened by the clutches of the invaders. We have a mere two thousand soldiers to fight back."


    Suddenly, there was a stir. The number of soldiers he announced was too small to even defend the walls of Volden. It would be impossible for them to feel secure with this number.


    "It pains me to have to say something like this to all of you who have endured so much hardship and suffering. But I hope for your understanding! Please, please stand with me and join me in the fight against St. Gallen!"


    Tullius wanted to recruit militias to join the army.


    "Man, what are we gonna do.....?"


    "Of course it''s impossible."


    "Theres only two thousand soldiers...... Its because of losses at battle that the numbers are this few right?"


    Naturally, the people were anxious and hesitant.


    Most of them were peasants who didn''t know how to fight, and the enemy was St. Gallen, whose army was known to be strong. Even though it was a request from their lord, there was no way they could just join the battle.


    The fervour that had risen with the purge of corrupt officials receded.


    "I''m gonna join!"


    From among the refugees, a young man spoke up.


    "Even if the lord gives us food and lets us inside the city walls, we''re screwed if we lose to St. Gallen! They''ll take everything from us again, and we''ll be thrown out into the cold!"

 Chapter 69: Provocateur (5)

    Chapter 69: Provocateur (5)


    The people around him cowered as if momentarily frightened by the sound of his voice.


    They started to remember. Their viges were reduced to rubble all of a sudden. These people raised their voices in unison.


    The enemy came to attack them. The enemy plundered the fruits of thebour while killing those who resisted.


    That''s why they had to abandon their viges and flee towards the city. What would happen if the Lord''s army challenged them with a small force and was defeated? The enemy army would do as they have done to their viges, pour into the city of Volden and steal their food supplies and temporary shelters.


    YesWe cannot run away any further


    "We have no choice but to fight......"


    "Weve gotta beat St. Gallen!"


    The call to fight gradually grew, especially among the men.


    Don''t let the invaders get away with it. Take back our viges, our fields.


    One of the refugees suddenly shouted.


    "Yeah, we can''t just let the enemy do whatever they want! They set fire to any vige they attack!"


    "Really!?"


    "Is that true!?"


    "Yeah! They dont care at all! They burn everything from houses to fields! They even burned the church!"


    "Umm, in my vige, they poisoned the well ...... and one child died because of it!"


    "Ahhhh! It''s like theyre trying to exterminate us all"


    "They are serious about killing us all!"


    Some spoke of how vige girls were assaulted. Others cried that their wives were taken away from them. Or how their children were ughtered.


    Slowly but surely, the ounts of the damage done by St. Gallen came to light. The fact that they had been made known once again added fuel to the people''s instincts to protect themselves.


    And the result?


    "I''ll fight! I''ll fight too!"


    "My lord! Let us join your army!"


    "We''ll take back our vige!"


    There was an explosion of voices begging to join the army.


    Until now, they had been refugees with nothing. But then Tullius guided them. He made empty promises, iming that food and shelter would be provided.


    And now, they believed that there was something worth protecting. Food for today and tomorrow and a warm home to protect against the freezing autumn wind. They believed that they would be given these things, when they have not even seen them in reality, and that they were in danger of losing them all to the approaching St. Gallen army.


    Thats why the people decided to fight. They had to protect and to stop losing anything.


    Among the people who had made up their minds to do so, there were a few with strange expressions on their faces. They looked as if they had been intoxicated by alcohol or drugs. However, the refugees were now in the midst of a manic frenzy. Of course they wouldnt pay any attention to a few drunks here and there.


    The man on the tform smiled at the frenzied voices of the crowd.


    "Thank you...... my greatest thanks to everyone! Let''s work together and bring peace back to thend!"


    "YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAH""


    At the shouts of the agitated people, Tullius bent down and covered his face.


    He looked like he was sobbing uncontrobly......, or as if the devil was trying to hold back hisughter at the foolishness of the people.

 Chapter 70: Battle of Clavicule 1 (1)

    Chapter 70: Battle of vicule 1 (1)


    The soldiers marched in silence through the wilting autumn fields.


    The sight of more than 10,000 soldiers moving forward without so much as a whisper or a whimper might appear as eerie enough for some to think it was a queue towards Hells gates. And when all of them had their cheeks hollowed and looked like they were hungry, it was even more terrifying.


    Their true identity was that of St. Gallen''s army that had invaded Volden. And after the Volden guards of Arquell had been scattered, there was no way there would be any other army walking around in the numbers of ten thousand. Though, reinforcements from the royal capital should be on their way now.


    There was only one reason for the emaciation of the soldiers. Starvation.


    The food supplies they acquired were destroyed in a fire. The Kingdom of Arquell employed a scorched-earth strategy. As a result, they could not replenish the food they lost in the fire and the current situation was such that they could not even provide for themselves on a daily basis. In addition, whenever they did find some food, it would quickly be sabotaged and lost in another fire. Not to mention a thousand soldiers going missing after being sent to gather food.


    The expeditionary force headquarters decided to attack the western part of the province with all its forces.


    If they did nothing, the soldiers would starve. There was even the possibility that the soldiers would desert or revolt. Before that happened, the western part of the Volden, where arge amount of food was stored, needed to be captured. They had to feed the army and then prepare for theing reinforcements of the Kingdom.


    Retreat was not an option. Currently, they had only ravaged the eastern half of the province and taken over a few fortresses. It was a disproportionate result for an army of 40,000 that braved the mountains to carry out the surprise attack. If they were to turn tails and retreat, their own state and other states would be questioning the invasion and criticism would fall on the expeditionary squad.


    In addition, it was extremely difficult to cross the mountains again without food or fuel to create fires. There was a good chance that the army would be reduced to half or even to a quarter just by retreating.


    Thus there was no choice but to fight. Fight and win it all. It was the only way.


    Supported by such a tragic thought, they continued on their way.


    "In the end, we ended up like this......"


    General Jrgen Bauer muttered to himself as he stroked his skinny horse in an attempt to hide a sigh that escaped him. His face was much thinner than before.


    Since he heard the report of the loss of their stockpiled supplies, he had been secretly preparing for a full scale attack. He had hoped to avoid it somehow, but now there was no choice but to carry it out. The anguish of being forced into such a situation was obvious on his face.


    A staff officer who was well aware of their situation picked up the conversation.


    "I guess we have no choice. After all, our remaining supplies will notst for many more days."


    "Mm......"


    Their n for resupply was based on looting the area so they could effectively ignore their logistics. This also allowed them tounch a surprise attack quickly. Initially, there was no problem. As the saying goes, "A wise general forages in the enemy''snd". It waspletely valid for them to rely on the enemy''snd to secure food. Even if a scorched earth strategy would be an effective countermeasure, nobody had thought the feudal lords who depended on the ie from thend would dare to do so.


    However, it seemed that the lord of Volden was different. Without hesitation, he set fire to his own territory, preventing them from acquiring supplies and cornering the St. Gallen army.


    However.


    "Don''t worry, General. We are starving, but the enemy is few and weak. If we can defeat them, we will be able to feed ourselves well."


    As the staff officer confidently asserted, the Arquellian army was indeed weak. At the very least, the forces defending this region were weak. They were unable to respond to their spread out attack, and were defeated by them. Now there were only 2,000, or at best 3,000 troops left. It was unlikely that they would be able to resist the St. Gallen army which numbered a little less than 40,000.


    It would be a bit of a hassle if the Volden lord ordered the soldiers to hole up in their fortress city, but even so, they had a good chance of limiting their casualties to between 3,000 to 5,000. If they had 35,000 soldiers left after attacking, they would still be able to go toe-to-toe with the enemys reinforcements after a quick reorganisation. General Jrgen Bauer had that much confidence.


    "Ah. This will be a victory. Ill make this a victory."


    Bauer dered strongly.


    They had to win at all costs. Attack the provincial capital of Volden, take their supplies and the fortress, and execute the enemy lord that put them in this dire situation. That would be the bare minimum they had to do to even get a start on this war. The main event would be the fight against the enemy reinforcements that should arrive in two to three weeks. This mere prelude cannot hinder them any further.


    The first problem was the fort that controlled the western exit of the basin of the mountains ahead, which connects to the provincial capital. For some reason, the Knights of the Imperial Guards, who were considered to be the most elite in the enemy country, had been sent there. They were only a small army of a hundred or so, but their strength could not be underestimated. For now, they need to allocate about three thousand to bring them down.


    "......reporting!"


    From the front, a single horseman came galloping, shouting at the top of his voice. It might be a report from the soldier sent to scout the area.


    "We have trouble, General! The Arquell army has left the provincial capital of Volden! They''re already in position in the basin ahead of us!"


    "What?"


    Bauer raised his eyebrow.


    How strange. Most of the defenders in this area had been wiped out at the start of their surprise attack. Since their attack was sudden, Volden did not have time to gather soldiers for mobilisation and their numbers were small. Even if they were able to scrape together some soldiers now, their size should only reach a tenth of theirs. It was impossible to challenge them with so few. In such circumstances, their only option would be a defensive stall at their fortress, where even a small number of them might be able to resist for some time.


    The report was only just the beginning.


    "There are more than ten thousand of them! There should be at least 15,000 of them!"


    "How can that be!?"


    The staff officer could not help but stare in disbelief.


    It waspletely ridiculous. More than ten thousand? How were they able to gather that many? This was more troops than what they encountered at the start of the skirmish. What''s more, it''s more soldiers that a single count family in the Kingdom of Arquell could privately hold. Where did he get such arge number of soldiers from?


    "There must be some mistake. Somebody verify it."


    "But I saw them with my own eyes! That number is"


    Bauer pondered in silence as the messenger and his immediate subordinate argued back and forth.


    Suppose the number of soldiers in Arquell''s army was well over 10,000. Where did all these peoplee from?


    "Dont tell me......"


    "I didn''t expect you to be able to bring so many people into the army."


    When Elisha Rosmond Balbastre, Commander of the Second Order, met with Tullius, who was leading the army, she said this directly without so much as a greeting.


    The words contained dismay, surprise, and some disgust. Whether he sensed it or not, Tullius Shernan Oubeniel had a vague smile on his face. Then he scratched his cheek and said,


    "Ah, the people are very angry at this war and the atrocitiesmitted by our neighbours. They dly responded to my call for soldiers."


    How shameless, Elisha thought, keeping the words to herself.


    They were in the central part of the province of Volden, in a mountainous basin that connects the east and west. Their position was tailor-made to prevent the advance of the St. Gallen army. The Second Order received news of the Provincial Guards sortie and decided to join them here. Together they were able to defend against the enemy forces in this area.


    Of course, Elisha was now worried of extraneous actions that might take ce from now. If she was going to defend Volden, then she would rather wait it out in this fortress and prepare for the enemy offensive. That way, they could wait for the Royal Army to arrive and destroy the enemy together. And yet, it seems like Tullius was ready to send the forces out to battle in the open that would certainly create unnecessary casualties.

 Chapter 70: Battle of Clavicule 1 (2)

    Chapter 70: Battle of vicule 1 (2)


    But that was not the case for Tullius. If the Royal Army is sessful in defeating St. Gallen, he would lose his position as the Lord of Volden. He would be criticised for hiding in a shell and forced to take responsibility for his failure in defending his territory.


    In addition, the person behind the reinforcements was the Marquis Lavallee, his irreconcble political enemy. It was quite possible for Lavallee to use the threat of the army to expel Tullius from Volden.


    That was why Tullius had to win the war with his own efforts, no matter what it took. Thus, Tullius had to expend these peasants he deceived.


    "The atrocities of the enemy, huh?"


    "Yes. St. Gallen is terrible. Not only did they loot and rape, but they also set fire to viges and poisoned the wells."


    "Hmm...... The enemy, who should becking in food supplies after crossing the mountains, had set fire to the viges? And poisoning the well that their own troops might require? How iprehensible, Lord Tullius."


    "Yes, it''s really strange. It would seem that there is more to our kingdom than meets the eye. Don''t you think so, Lady Balbastre?"


    Tullius knew what she was talking about but obviously did not admit to anything. However, this only strengthened her suspicions.


    Because Tullius did not show any anger nor sadness. He spoke of the destruction of his territory and the cruelty inflicted on his people. It should have been natural for him to disy such emotions but there was none of those emotions on him. He was so nonchnt, obviously feigning ignorance.


    Ignoring the looting and rape, the arson and poisoning was most likely the work of this man. Marquis Lavallee believed he was the real culprit behind the fire in the royal capital. When Tullius was cornered, he might even burn down his own territory.


    But she decided not to pursue the matter any further.


    "Yeah, totally. .......But thanks to that, you managed to raise an army. Turning misfortune into fortune, eh."


    She said, shrugging.


    She had no evidence to speak of. All that remained were the burned viges and the im that the enemy army had spread the fires of war whilemitting atrocities. If she tried to pursue the matter, she would be med for trying to shield the enemy from censure. Rather than making a fuss here, it was more effective to make use of the soldiers'' enmity towards St. Gallen. At least way more effective than squabbling internally and benefitting the enemy.


    The ashen man, almost ckened, smiled.


    "If you call the sess of the recruitment turning misfortune into fortune, then it is a blessing in disguise that the Second Order is stationed here. Thanks to that, invasion by St. Gallen was kept in check here........ I really can''t thank you enough for your help."


    "Not at all. It was an inspection tour made because of the unsettling movements from St. Gallen."


    "Ah, if you say so, that makes me feel a lot better."


    "I see."


    "Yes."


    Then they smiled at each other.


    What the two of them meant by their conversation was, in essence, a striking of a deal. It was an indication that there were no grudges and that they would cooperate with each other in this situation.


    Yes, while they were in this situation.


    "...... Well, then, let''s move on to the military discussion."


    Tullius said, looking around the tent.


    Elisha Rosmond Balbastre, Commander of the Second Order.


    Alfred Simon Prudemache, the vicemander.


    Due Schwarzer, his military officer.


    Victor Dcroix Lorge, his vassal.


    The general, Margrave Doldran, the acting military strategist.


    And othermander knights of the Volden Guard from the Oubeniel house.


    Lastly,


    "Ive kept you waiting, Master."


    The person who appeared in the tent while saying this was someone who was out of ce in many ways.


    A girl in an apron dress with a white brim on her head. A silver cor that shone around her neck. She was both a maid and a ve. Either role would be an unnatural presence in a military camp.


    Uni, the ''Silver Wolf''. She was the loyal dog of the ve-killer.


    "Please forgive me for the dy."


    "Not really. We were just about to begin."


    The pet owner easily forgave his servant who had prostrated herself.


    Her appearance created some stir in the camp.


    "To think that you would bring your female ve while we are at war"


    "I''ve heard rumours, but to think it was real?"


    "Dont tell me the entire generation of men in Oubeniels have been involved with ves"


    The knights of the garrison were whispering, but intentionally loud enough to be heard. Theyve been vassals of the Oubeniel family and have served thisnd for many years, butpared to Tullius who was born and raised in the royal capital and only recently started working at Man, their ties were weak. It was inevitable that they would frown upon his iprehensible tendencies.


    Furthermore, the person in question seemed to be unperturbed. It was impossible to tell if he had heard or not since he did not respond at all. Instead, he nodded to urge Uni to proceed with something. Uni started to speak.


    "I am pleased to report the results of the reconnaissance. The enemy hasunched their forces as expected and is marching towards us. They are expected to arrive in the vicule Basin by the end of the day."


    The female ve''s report sent waves of agitation to those who were gathered. If it were Elisha, she would have said, "We''re here because we knew the enemy woulde, so why are you all panicking now? However, the knights in attendance were survivors of the defeated armies. A way to describe them would be, remnants of a defeated army or refugees. The enemy that had defeated them splendidly was approaching. Naturally, there would be panic among such soldiers.


    One of the knights turned his bloodshot eyes to Uni.


    "ve! I hope you''re not lying!"


    "Yes, Sir Knight. I am reporting honestly the facts I have seen on the ground. Also, would there be any reason for me to spread falsehood?"


    "Damn impertinent ve......"


    "Cut it out."


    The knight who tried to argue was stopped by Margrave Doldran.


    "What reason do you have for your suspicions? Even though she is a ve, she used to be a well-known adventurer. I think I can trust you to be able to assess that much, can''t you?"


    "Yes sir......."


    A knight was worthlesspared to a real noble like Margrave Doldran and had no choice but to shut up. The reason why he casted doubts on Uni was probably his prejudice against the ve ss. Or perhaps, his fear of the St. Gallen army and thus, disbelief at the report. Either way, it was unlikely he had any legitimate reasons.


    Tullius let out a sigh.


    "Good grief. Why is there so muchmotion for just 1 report?"


    "Guh......"


    The knights under hismand all looked down at their new leader.


    The answer to this was simple. It would be because the men did not have faith in Tullius. If Tullius had absolute control over them, there would be nomotion at all.


    "Lets continue with the n. Enemy forcesing from the east are aiming for the provincial capital Volden in the west. And we shall intercept them here at vicule. That''s the basis of the operation."


    "A question, if I may?"


    The one who raised his hand to say so was Alfred, a subordinate of Elisha.


    "Go ahead...... the vicemander of the Second Order"


    Tullius'' paused unnaturally, as if trying to remember his name.


    "I am...... Alfred Simon Prudemache."


    "That''s a long name that might twist tongues, won''t it? You may call him Al. I will allow it."


    "Wait, Commander!"


    Elisha thought she was offering a helping hand, but his subordinate opened his mouth in dismay. She did not say anything further, but the way she tilted her head showed that she did not understand why.


    "Well, Al. Your question please."


    "Yes...... Can you tell me why His Excellency the Count intends to destroy the enemy army in the open field instead of defending against their siege?"


    "You are saying?"


    "Thanks to Your Excellency''s efforts, our forces are now over ten thousand, but I have heard that the St. Gallen army has nearly forty thousand men. They outnumber us by more than quadruple or triple. If that is the case, it would be safer to hold out in a siege battle than in a field battle."


    Alfred''s question was justified. It was only natural that they were inferior in pure numbers, but what was more problematic was their skill level. They wereposed of militias that can be equated to random refugees wielding weapons. There was no way they were a match for the St. Gallen army.


    Every ten or twenty years, a civil war would erupt between the member states of the Federation, giving the soldiers the experience of war. Although a byproduct of defects in the Federation, the experience of real warfare became a valuable asset for the military. In addition, even the conscripted peasants have fought monsters once or twice in their viges. They should not be considered the same as the people of the Kingdom of Arquell, the most prosperous and peaceful of the four major countries.

 Chapter 70: Battle of Clavicule 1 (3)

    Chapter 70: Battle of vicule 1 (3)


    In other words, if there was a sh between the Federation and the Kingdom in equal numbers, the Kingdom would inevitably lose. In addition, in the current situation where they are outnumbered by more than double, it was as if they were walking into a ughterhouse. Thats why any sane person would challenge the strategy of fighting on the field, almost as if they were naked, and suggest instead to hold defensively in their fortress.


    (Now, how would you reply to that?)


    Elisha stood out like a sore thumb as she smiled intently at Tullius. You cant possibly im that defending the fortress city would allow the reinforcementster to im credit and thus, hurt your position, could you? So how would he assert his position then?


    "No. In this case, it would be foolish to stay in the fortress."


    Tullius was full of confidence.


    "Huh? Is that what you think, my lord?"


    "Yes. The reason for this, though, is that the enemy''s main objective is the wheat and other grains that are left in the western part of the province. They would either want to steal or burn them. Capturing a base is second in their priorities."


    Of course Tullius did not mention that he was the one who burned the supplies in the east before the enemy could get them.


    "If we choose to hold in the city of Volden, the St. Gallen army will surround the castle walls outside, right? And if they start to destabilise due tock of supplies, they will lift their encirclement and move to the surrounding viges to rob them. We will be forced to choose between pursuing them outside the fortress city, or to ignore the damage to the neighbouring viges."


    "I see."


    Elisha, who understood most of what Tullius was trying to say, nodded her head in agreement.


    "So here''s the thing, Count. If we pursue the enemy as they go to take their supplies, we will be brought into a field battle in an uncontrolled manner. The enemy force outnumbering us will have an overwhelming advantage. We want to avoid that. However, if we decide to stay in the fortress and hide, the enemy will be able to replenish their supplies after looting and resume their siege in better conditions. In that case, holding in the fortress or not, we will still be in danger, right?"


    "That is correct, Lady Balbastre. That''s why we need to get a head start in this basin, the choke point to the west, before the enemy forces arrive in the west...... Besides, it''s not clear when our reinforcements will actually arrive."


    As Elisha listened, she nced over and saw Margrave Doldran giving a small affirmative. It was probably a suggestion he made. He was the man who had single-handedly maintained the stability of the west. For Tullius, who was probably an amateur in military affairs, he was a good source of wisdom.


    But Tullius was still a smooth talker. If he had been in a lot of scheming battles with Lavallee, he would have understood the old man''s n and would have known that reinforcements wereing soon. But he took advantage of the fact that there was no official statement from the royal capital and insisted that he could not rely on reinforcements arriving on time. This way, even if he were to be used of arbitrarilymiting to a risky decision, he could simply argue that, "We were not told about it, so it can''t be helped."


    But this would only be possible if we have a chance of victory, that is.


    "But that doesn''t change the fact that we''re being challenged to a disadvantageous field battle!"


    The one who raised his voice was a knight who was an old member of the Count family  and thus a neer under Tullius. Their chances of victory were already slim if they relied on the walls of the provincial capital. Challenging the enemy to a field battle was basically suicidal. A ten percent or even a one percent chance is better than no chance at all.


    However, when the question was posed, Tullius blinked his eyes in surprise.


    "Speaking of which, I thought I was hearing wrong earlier"


    Then he nced at Alfred and the knight who had just spoken up.


    "Why do you all think that I''m ''nning to fight in the field''?"


    "Huh.....?"


    "......eh?"


    Most of the people in the room rolled their eyes. The only exceptions were those who must have known about his n from the beginning, and Elisha, whose eyes were shining with curiosity.


    There was an indescribable feeling in the atmosphere.


    "How have the enemies prepared themselves?"


    The St. Gallen army arrived at the Basin of vicule, the soon-to-be battlefield. General Bauer surveyed the enemy forces on his horse and remarked quizzically.


    He had never seen anything like this in his entire military career. There were no simr situations in his knowledge of internal conflicts between the member states of the Federation, nor were there any examples from the past war lessons he had learned during his officer training. Of course, such a strategy was also unheard of from the war with the Kingdom of Arquell fifty years ago.


    "You don''t think they''re going to use those earthen walls to keep us out, do you?"


    A wall of earth piled high in front of them. It was a primitive and simple barrier.


    The wall was about the height of his chest. There were multipleyers of these walls on the western slope of the basin. Looking closely at the slopes, he could tell that there were former peasants that hardly appeared like soldiers huddling together in their small groups.


    This felt more like stamping out a revolt than a war.


    It was not impossible to feel that way.


    "......What do you think?"


    When I asked the grimacing staff officer, he replied with a stunned expression on his face.


    "I doubt the sanity of the enemymander. I can''t believe they would use such impromptu defences with such impromptu soldiers."


    He followed on with, "Well, the enemymander was already insane when he decided to use a scorched earth strategy."


    Bauer felt the same way. If the soldiers charged into those weak defences directly, that would be the end. Climb over the earthen walls and y the trembling militia behind it. That''s all they had to do. They might lose some soldiers if they counterattack by shooting arrows or slinging rocks, but the enemy soldiers were not skilled, so this was not a big issue. St. Gallen''s army has experience fighting against inhumane monsters and would be able to approach them without being intimidated by the poorly aimed arrows and thrown stones. Despite their soldiers'' hunger. No, in fact, they might fight more bravely than usual because they were starving and desperate.


    "General. I think it would be better to use the power of our mages to break the walls down."


    The man who is acting as the leader of the mage squad interrupted and proposed his n.


    "Hmm. Exin further......."


    "Yes, sir. Even though the walls are weak like sandcastles, defences are still defences. It would be foolish to wear out our troops by attacking too hard. I think we should use magic from afar to tten the walls."


    "I see...... but"


    Bauer hesitated. Bauer was obviously capable ofing up with such a n. But considering the future of the operation, he did not want to unnecessarily wear out the mages.


    The capital city of Volden is just beyond this basin. Their army was designed to be light enough to cross the mountains, and has few bulky siege weapons. Their firepower was further weakened after battling with the Knights in the fortress, the arson incident at their stores, and the missing corps that were sent to retrieve supplies  most probably dead. Considering that a siege was inevitableter, it would be better to preserve the strength of their mages who would be substituting for siege weapons. Even if they had to sacrifice a few of their foot soldiers to do so.


    However, a new report from a scout changed his mind.


    "I spotted a g of the Count Oubeniel in the enemy lines! It''s the g of Lord of Volden! The enemy forces are directly under the control of the lord!"


    "What?"


    The lord himself has appeared with his own troops.


    Then, if we defeat the enemy army here and capture the lord alive, or at least split his army into four or five parts, it would be as good as taking the provincial capital.


    Bauer made up his mind.


    "Mage Corps, use all your strength to crush the enemy defences...... This battle is the decisive battle! Don''t think about the future, use all your strength even if you have to die!"


    "Y-Yes sir."


    The leader of the mages bowed his head and epted the order. He hurriedly ran off to join his men.

 Chapter 70: Battle of Clavicule 1 (4)

    Chapter 70: Battle of vicule 1 (4)


    Soon, the mages'' magic would break down the enemy''s earthen walls like paper shields. All that was left to do was to kick out the ragtag soldiers like ants driven out of their nests and, if possible, capture the enemy lord. With that, the Volden Province was as good as conquered.


    "All mages, prepare to chant!"


    "Yes! ......Fire spirits, dwell in my hands and form ance"


    The chanting started in unison as themander ordered. Bauer guessed that it was fire magic from the chant. The fire magic bullets fired simultaneously pierce through the fragile walls where the Arquell army were foolishly holed up. Considering that they have been suffering so much because of the enemys scorched earth strategy, attacking them with fire felt like an appropriate way to exact revenge.


    The soldiers, too, were eagerly awaiting the burning of the abominable Arquellians. They listened with rapt attention to the chanting of the incantations, while readying themselves with spears in their hands and swords on their hips for the moment when the enemy would leap forward. St. Gallen was so starved of food that they had to start a war, and when they attacked, their food was burned. The resentment against those who had done such an unspeakable act built up in their chests.


    Eventually, with the entire army watching, the chanting of the mage squad finished.


    "me Lance!"


    "me Lance......!"


    "mence!"


    "FFFFFLAAMEEE LANCEEEE!!!!"


    Some were whispering for greater control, while others were screaming to let out their bitterness and resentment.


    Countless fire spears formed up to hit the Arquell army hiding behind the earthen walls.


    Impact, impact, impact, impact, impact.


    A thick cloud of white smoke surrounded the area, hindering visibility, and the heat waves from the blowback caressed the faces and hair of the soldiers on the front lines.


    "Ha-ha-ha! Witness our strength, Arquell bastards!"


    "Suck it! Eat shit in the afterlife!"


    "Kuh-ha-ha-ha!"


    The soldiers shouted with joy at the devastation created by their simultaneous magic attack. Even Bauer, themander, was now predicting the possibility that the enemy frontlines would copse right now and survivors should be retreating.


    "General!"


    "Aye. Get the men ready to charge. As soon as this smoke clears..."


    Cut straight into the enemy lines.


    His instructions were interrupted by the countless popping sounds that could be heard through the white smoke.


    Bang! ......


    Pan! ......


    Pan! ......


    Bang, bang, bang. ......!


    "......This sound is"


    What on earth? The unfamiliar burst of sound did not leave time for the soldiers to be shocked.


    "Argh! Ouch!"


    "Ouch! Ow, ouch ......!"


    "Wha, hmmm ...... what the hell flew in here?"


    "Johan? Hey, Johan! What are you lying on the ground, Johan?"


    Immediately, there were several screams from the frontlines, and the people around the screams appeared to be running frantically.


    Bauer immediately ordered the messenger soldiers on standby.


    "Get themanders to bring the soldiers under control. And then report on the damages!"


    "Y-yes!"


    "......Damn you, Arquellians. What are you up to this time?"


    Bauer turned back to look at the enemy lines, without bothering to see his officers scampering off.


    Eventually, the wind blew and dispersed the smoke, exposing the Arquell army to the light of day once again.


    Bauer''s eyes widened.


    "............What the heck is that?"


    There were enemy soldiers holding strange weapons.


    Iron tubes. The enemies were pointing what can only be described as long metal objects at them. Every once in a while, something explodes from the hold of the tip of the tubes, spewing fire, and momentster, the sound of explosion erupts across the basin.


    Perhaps it was a projectile weapon. Are they using it to kill or wound their soldiers?


    No, rather than that...


    "Why are the earth walls still standing!"


    The enemy soldiers were peeking out of their walls and attacking them with mysterious weapons. Even though the area they were at had been bombarded by their offensive magic, the supposedly shoddy walls were still upright.


    The camp of Count Oubeniel was set up on the west side of the basin.


    Inside the tent, there were voicesing from the countlessmunication devices.


    "This is B-12, we have damage to -03 wall. Over."


    "There''s damage to the -05 wall. Over."


    "-16 and -07 defences are sessful and received zero damage. Over."


    "This is B-22"


    Fuzzy noises like a chorus of cicadas erupted from the devices. Meanwhile, one maid listened intently and wrote down all the information she heard onto a writing pad.


    Of course, this maid was Uni. There was only a single maid capable of listening to the flood of voices, sorting the contents, and extracting only the necessary information. At least among members under Tullius.


    Eventually, she finished summarising all the information and submitted her report to her master.


    "Master, the defensive situation isrgely satisfactory. I''m sure that any walls that have suffered damage will be quickly restored by the ves."


    "Hmmm....... Are there any other issues apart from our defensive structures?"


    "It appears that the soldiers have lost their patience and have begun firing."


    "Oh dear. I thought bringing the military officers asmanders was sufficient. Guess it wasnt enough to keep the soldiers in check."


    "To be honest, I think there is a problem with the skill level of the military officers. They have experience in defeating bandits, but ording to the battle reports, they rely heavily on the personal strength of Due, our top military officer. I would like to propose that we conduct more thorough training."


    "Well, I guess we''ll figure that out after we win this battle."


    "Yes, Master."


    While looking at the conversation between the master and servant, Elisha was curiously ying with the armour and spare weapons.


    "Sir Tullius. Is this the weapon you had the soldiers carry?"


    "Yeah. It''s a musket gun ...... I made it a little while ago for alchemy practice and had it mass produced because I thought it would be useful."


    The new weapon, which was put into actualbat for the first time today, was exined to her without much hesitation. While feeling somewhat suspicious of the situation, she readied herself in a stance with the musket.


    "Hmm. So if I pull this trigger, a ball of lead wille out of the hole?"


    "Wah! Commander, please don''t point it at me!"


    Alfred, who was standing at the end of the tube, jumped back to the side in a panic.


    To this, Tullius smiled gently.


    "It''s okay. The gun cannot be fired without lighting the fuse. See, when the trigger is pulled, the fuse touches this sh pan, right? This is how the gunpowder ignites and explodes inside the tube, and the pressure created forces the bullet to fly out."


    "Ohh? Interesting."


    After the exnation, Elisha inspected the new toy for a while, inspecting the various parts of the musket and peering inside through the muzzle fearlessly, though the gun had yet to be ignited so there was no danger.


    After a while, she appeared to be satisfied and threw the gun outwards.


    "......It feels like shing with the sword is more effective."


    Alfred widened his eyes in surprise even as he caught the gun that had been thrown to him.


    "C-Commander! Dont say that!"


    Regardless of what the situation was, she had straightforwardly rejected the new weapon presented by the other party even though they were temporarily allied. Wouldnt it put the other party in a bad mood?


    However, Tulliusughed in amusement.


    "Ahaha! It''s okay. Because every time expert swordsmen see the musket, they always say the same thing. Isn''t that right, Due?"


    "Hmm? Ah...... Did something like that happen?"


    The military officer, standing in the corner of the camp without a care in the world, said with a distant look in his eyes. Due Schwarzer was a former B ranked adventurer when he was active. Such gunpowder toys were a joke for skilled frontliners like him.


    "Well, a musket is basically a anti-soldier weapon. It has a longer range than a spear, is easier to use than a bow, and harder for friendly soldiers to perform first aid after they''ve been shot....... This is why the most elite Imperial Guards and high ranked adventurers are not the intended users of this weapon."


    "I see. That exins why even newly drafted soldiers are able to use it."


    "......But if the soldiers aren''t well trained, they won''t be able to fire another shot properly unless themander directs them after every volley. Thanks to that, it seems that they couldn''t hold back and fired before the enemies rushed forward."


    Tullius shrugged.


    "There are already 6 reported incidents of gun breaking during reloading. And another two reports of adding too much gunpowder causing an explosion. Its likely more incidents of weapon failure will be reported."


    Uni added nonchntly.


    However, Elisha''s interest had already shifted to something else.


    "For that matter, what kind of trick are those earthen walls supposed to be? They werent affected by St. Gallen''s magic attack? I can''t believe theyre just made of earth. How are they still able to stand?"

 Chapter 70: Battle of Clavicule 1 (5)

    Chapter 70: Battle of vicule 1 (5)


    "Oh, that? Nothing too grand."


    Tullius said and took out a map of this battlefield. On the map, the locations of the earthen walls they had set up were meticulously marked.


    "All of these earthen walls were constructed normally but with simple magic carved into them. After all, the material is earth, so we can''t use advanced magic."


    "That sounds impossible......."


    It was Alfred who muttered in dismay.


    "Earthen wallsrge enough to protect 10,000 soldiers? Do you mean to tell me that you have engraved protective markings on each one of them? Not just that. You im that its easy, but that doesn''t exin how they were able to withstand St. Gallen''s attack unscathed!"


    The magic that the enemy army unleashed was the mid-tier me magic "me Lance". It''s not ridiculously powerful that it could destroy a fortress in a single hit, but it was known for its high prating power and firepower. Walls protected with simple magic should have been easily pierced by such magic."


    Tullius seemed to be taken by surprise.


    "Huh? Didn''t you hear the transmission earlier, Al-san?"


    "Huh?"


    Alfred tried to recall if he had missed any detail. The huge amount ofmunication that Uni had just received. It was more than the level of a lot of information so he couldn''t grasp all of it. It would be more abnormal for him to be able to understand all the information like Uni did.


    Nevertheless, after reexamining what he heard in bits and pieces, he eventually stopped at a sentence that seemed to be what Tullius was suggesting.


    Damage to the barrier wall, restoration works to be started immediately.


    "Is it being restored after being damaged?"


    "Yes. Very simple, isn''t it? After all, the walls are just made of soil. Plenty to be found everywhere. With a little bit of alchemy, most of the holes can be plugged."


    The alchemist directing the battlefield said so without a sweat.


    But the words also contained something else that was truly frightening.


    "With a little bit of alchemy? Could it be that all of the people on the other end of themunications are people capable of alchemy?"


    "Yes. They are all my ves. I''m very good at training my ves, even though I look like this."


    Alfred was truly astonished this time.


    Spread everywhere behind the earthen walls were ves skilled in alchemy? How is that possible? How could there be so many people under a mere count of the frontier - or rather, a man who had only been a viscount until a while ago?


    At the same time, his previous doubts were answered.


    Indeed. With many alchemists, it would be easy to apply protective arts to all the earthen walls.


    The beautiful leader of the Second order softly breathed a sigh of relief while her second-inmand was stunned.


    "Creating a ten thousand strong army from powerless refugees and building walls equivalent to a fortress from nothing? ......Truly alchemy."


    She could only describe Tullius'' skill as just that.


    It was as if he could create things out of nothing, create gold from lead and scrap iron. If this is not alchemy, she didnt know what else it could be.


    But Tullius slowly shook his head at her words.


    "Spare me the jokes. Such acts should only beparable to something like gilding."


    Then he looked at the swarm ofmunication devices ring behind him.


    "M-14 tomand, enemy forces have begun assaulting -02 bunker, soldiers are panicking. Requesting for further instructions and support. Over."


    "This is B-09, -01 cannot hold, evacuating to -01 trench. Over."


    "This is M-20. Command, your response. Command, your response."


    The contents of themunication were all an abrupt change to the battlefield and that they were in a critical situation.


    Uni, themunications operator, looked at Due intently while delivering instructions in rapid session.


    "The walls at -01 to -03 cannot hold out any longer. Slow the enemy while supporting our allies'' evacuation. Can you do that, Due?"


    "Heh, finally some work to do. Then I shall be back in a moment."


    The swordsman carrying a two-handed sword on his back left the camp, breaking into a smile at the prospects of a fierce battle. Tullius looked away silently and then shifted his gaze to Elisha and the others from the Second Order.


    "......Well, thats why. If the other side rushes in desperately, this would happen."


    "Hmm? I see. Indeed, gilding is a very apt term."


    The glow of gold would burn into the eyes for those watching the ted metal, but the slightest w would expose the true metal underneath. In the end, the soldiers were mostly peasants with guns, and the walls were only up to chest height. If the St. Gallen soldiers forced themselves forward bravely, it would be difficult to stop them.


    "Yes. To turn this ted metal into a dazzling victory, I need all of your help."


    An attack would reveal the faults beneath their exterior, that their walls were made in a haste. In order to defend themselves, a small group of elite soldiers with high mobility and superior striking force needs to be deployed to put out the fire. And here, there are elites that had fended off 3,000 enemy soldiers with only 100 of them.


    Tullius was implicitly saying, let me use you.


    "Sir Tullius is a surprisingly well-spoken man. In fact, you must have made a fewdies cry already, haven''t you?"


    "Lady Balbastre is the one that is excellent with jokes. So, what do you say?"


    "Sure."


    Her reply was immediate.


    "Letting the militia fight while hiding above is not a good look for the Imperial Guards. Originally, we epted your invitation to fight here. It doesn''t matter if it''s the front line or the enemy''s main camp, you can throw us anywhere you like. We will fight as we please, survive as we please, and if our fortunes are not good, we will die as we please."


    Alfred stared at Elisha.


    Are you sure? His eyes were saying.


    Lavallee sent them here because he had foreseen the war and wanted to make it look like he had taken corrective measures, as well as to conduct reconnaissance to determine the strength of Tullius'' forces. This Count could be their enemy. Elisha must have been aware of the danger of this man''s existence.


    However, not fighting when they should be fighting was, as Elisha dered earlier, a disservice to their name. How could they avert their eyes from their unreliable allies because they were too busy scheming and plotting? It would be a shame to their pride as knights.


    She was sorry to the political schemers who had been helpful to her and the Second Order, but their first priority was to defeat the enemy. After that, the politicians can slowly work out the details after the war. None of her business. Elisha Rosmond Balbastre is one that fights.


    The Count bowed his head to her.


    "Reassuring words from the Second Orders Commander. I think thats why all your friends support you. Well then."


    He presented to her amunication device and a map of the battle area.


    "Whenever we see a change in the battle situation, we willmunicate the point which needs your support. It would be best if you moved ordingly."


    "Wow....... This is a very well demarcated map. The cover areas are lined up vertically as , , and , and the horizontal rows are numbers. So it''s like this? If I''m told -05, I should be going for the third row and fifth from the left?"


    "Yes. That''s correct. As you can see, Uni is the one directing everybody is that alright?"


    "Don''t worry about it. As I said some time ago, the Second Order also has personnel who were once ves. I don''t care about status....... Let''s go, Al."


    "Yes, Commander."


    After saying this, she left the camp with her right hand man in tow.


    Tullius and Uni were the only ones seeing them off.


    Eventually, when the Second Order was far enough away from the main camp, Tullius spoke.


    "Then again, the muskets aren''t as effective as I thought they would be either. I was expecting to get a higher kill ratio, despite theck of training."


    "With all due respect, Master. I suspect that a front-loaded musket would be difficult to manoeuvre in a tight space."


    Uni pointed out.


    Every time a person fires, he would have to bring the muzzle of the gun to the front, sweep the ramrod in and measure the amount of gunpowder. It was a painstaking task to do behind their cramped quarters behind the earthen walls.


    "Also, there is a problem with the matchlock system. When firing, smoke and sparks scatter everywhere and soldiers are afraid of being burned or dislike the smoke, so they need more space."


    "You mean reduce the density of the barrage? Hmm, I hadn''t noticed that....... I hadn''t experimented with simultaneous firing on such arge scale."

 Chapter 70: Battle of Clavicule 1 (6)

    Chapter 70: Battle of vicule 1 (6)


    One by one, the new weapons that he was so proud of were revealing their ws. Despite this, there was no sense of urgency in Tullius'' expression. Neither did Uni show any overt change in emotion. It was as though none of them expected much from the muskets.


    "Well, it''s just a disposal of our overstock. We don''t have to worry so much about it....... Anyway, Uni, what''s the current time?"


    "I think it''s about 14:53."


    Despite the hurried battlefield control, Uni answered without even looking at her watch. As an experienced thief, she can tell the time by checking her internal clock based on her biorhythm. She was confident that if she wanted to, she could keep her sense of time even if she was trapped underground for a week or two without the sun.


    Of course, the man who had created her did not doubt her answer.


    "If we can stick around a while longer, do you think the sun will start to set?"


    "Yes, master. It''s autumn in the mountains, so I was wondering if the time of sunset would be earlier."


    "If that happens"


    "Yeah"


    They exchanged affirmations as they listened to the mour of the battlefield in the distance.


    Tullius smiled leisurely, while his attendant lowered her eyes as if in prayer.


    "Its my victory." "Master has won."


    The oue of the battle was clear to both of them.

 Chapter 71: Battle of Clavicule 2 (1)

    Chapter 71: Battle of vicule 2 (1)


    Battle cries, shing of metal, and sound of gunshots.


    Amidst the ear-splitting noise of the battlefield, Jrgen Bauer clicked his tongue.


    An opponent who, until this day, should have nothing more than a small army and weak soldiers. A madman that he had underestimated, thinking that he could pull off one time tricks like scorched earth tactics. The man, Tullius Oubeniel, Count of Volden was deploying a masterful strategy before his eyes.


    The new weapon, a mysterious fire-breathing tube  the musket  was the first thing that caught my attention, but the advance preparation to make use of it was also extraordinary. The arrangement of the fortifications in the basin of vicule, the battlefield, was unusual. The earthen walls were ced along the undtions of the basin making the difficult terrain much harder to traverse. Though the walls were weak and had to be restored frequently, the real issue was the positioning advantage it gave to them. The walls were shaped like a U against the St. Gallen troops that were attacking from the east side of the basin. If they tried to attack one of the walls from the inside of the basin, they would immediately be targeted by the troops on the other side ande under heavy musket fire.


    The musket was a new type of weapon that the soldiers were not ustomed with. Furthermore, the people using them were hastily recruited soldiers. Normally, their uracy should be poor enough for hits to be called lucky. But with the enemys strategy of concentrating fire, this was not an issue. They made up for what theycked in skill with dense firing. A saying, Even poor aiming with multiple guns can hit their mark,ter spread from this battle.


    And then there were the earthen walls that stopped the St. Gallen army in their tracks while protecting the defenders who were shooting. It was only after the St. Gallen soldiers charged in that they realised how troublesome the walls were. Bauer found out that they were solid enough to hold up against an onught of spells and that they could be repaired quickly, but it looks like they were positioned such that attackers movements were hindered. In front of the earthen walls was a deep and empty moat. If the attackers were careless, they would get stuck and be shot down. Perhaps they dug the empty moats first, and used the soil from that to construct the walls. It was a clever move.


    Bauer could also tell the trick behind the earthen walls. From the attacker''s point of view, at first nce, the earth was only piled up to chest height. However, judging from the way they moved when they were hit by their magic, there must be a deeper space behind the walls. From the defenders'' point of view, the earthen walls were more of a stairway, and they could shoot from the top by leaning over the top half of the wall. To avoid long range attacks such as magic, arrows and stones, they would duck down to the lower levels.


    Efficient and practical in every way. It was his bad luck in encountering such amander who was so thorough in his battle strategy.


    But...


    "How unfortunate for the Arquellian lord."


    Bauer was convinced that he would win. The new weapons and unexpectedly strong defencesbined were troublesome indeed. However, it was not a hopeless situation.


    Because they, the attackers had approximately 40,000 people, albeit starving, while the defenders were a group of untrained soldiers with less than 10,000 people.


    That is to say, they stood no chance.


    "Hah......hah!"


    The Arquellian soldier continued to pull the trigger over and over again after having already fired a round. His eyes were bleeding, hisplexion was reddish-ck, and even from afar, it was clear that he was losing a lot of blood. The toonmander sharpened his gaze and shouted.


    "You fool! Hurry up with the next round!"


    "Why can''t I unload the round?"


    "Like I said earlier, thrust the gunpowder and the bullet in! Wha!?"


    While the toonmander was chastising his men for panicking, a St. Gallen soldier rushed in for the kill.


    And then heughed loudly as he swung his blood-soaked sword over his head.


    "Hahahaha! What is it? Are you out of ammo for your strange weapons?"


    "Ahhh, ahhhhhh!"


    "You guys are weak after all  Gah!"


    "......This is B-09. -01 bunker is going down, evacuating to -01 trench. Over."


    The St. Gallen soldiers had been finished off by ves wearing butler attires. A strange sight on a battlefield. Still, the attackers far outnumbered the defenders. A group of soldiers had been waiting for the interval when the Arquellian soldiers had to reload their weapons and breached the earthen walls.


    "Don''t let a mere ve stand against us!"


    "Die, ve!"


    "Oh,e on, ves! Do something!"


    "Isn''t that why the lord ced you guys here!"


    Hriously, the Arquellian soldiers clung onto the ve''s arms and legs, waist and all, begging for help. They were literally holding them back.


    "You are a hindrance..."


    "Take that!"


    And then they die, unable to resist the enemy due to the burden of somebody literally holding them back. Compared to the way the ve had earlier dealt with the intruding enemies, dying like this was unlike the full capabilities of the ve. However, in this situation where he was being dragged down by most of his allies around him, it was hard to do anything about it.


    A simr scene was unfolding at the other trenches.


    "This is M-20. Command,e in. Command,e in"


    "Hey, there''s a woman over here! Maid uniform too, must be another ve!"


    "Since there is no response, I shall independently conduct a defensive battle. Defeat the enemy while supporting the evacuation of our allies"


    "We''re in the middle of a battle, keep your lusts in check! Shes stronger than we thought, just kill her!"


    "Y-Yes!"


    "Our forces arecking. Requesting for immediate assistance from themand center. ......Gale Edge!"


    "Gwaaahhhh!"


    "Damn, you are a mage? Crush them with numbers, with our numbers!"


    "Dont get ahead of yourself, little ve!"


    "Ah......! Command, please respond......"


    This was literally speaking, a human wave attack. The waves of people that had been pouring in and out of the walls gradually umted on the other side of the wall without returning. Initially, the Arquellian side had repelled them with heavy fire, but as time passed, their firepower weakened and they were unable to resist the St. Gallen side''s offensive.


    One of Bauers staff officers wore a grin on his face.


    "There are no magic reactionsing from the fire breathing tube. If that''s the case, its probably like a crossbow and will eventually run out of ammunition....... The mages were right, weren''t they?"


    "Yes. If it''s not magic, then even though it is new to us, it will still obey the usual rules."


    Bauer replied while gazing at the state of the battlefield.


    The deafening sounds of gunfire were now only sporadic.


    As Bauer and the others have surmised, the ammunition the defenders had for their muskets was finite. In addition, once fired, a second shot could not be fired unless the gun was cleared and the next round was loaded. A time-consuming process. So, topensate for these shorings, they had taken the strategy of hiding behind those walls and keeping their distance from the enemy.


    "Damn you, St. Gallen!"


    "Wait, wait, wait! This distance is too"


    "I see the enemies! Shoot, shoot them all!"


    "Argh! Hey, I''m your ally"


    In this way, they could not hold back and started firing from outside the effective range, sometimes misidentifying their allies as enemies who were retreating back to them or when they suddenly stood up. They had to go through the time-consuming reloading process again and wasted valuable ammunition. This was on top of the damage caused by killing one another. It was crystal clear that the Arquellian side would soon copse.


    "Truly, what a shame for themander of the other side. If his soldiers had a little more skill, we would have been in grave danger."


    Bauer let out a chuckle at the sight of the enemy soldiers panicking and misfiring. No matter how themander did his best toe up with a good strategy, it was up to the soldiers in the battle to utilise it. A tactical disadvantage in battle would mean checkmate, that much ismon sense. However, if you have a bunch of weak soldiers who don''t know the first thing aboutbat, any kind of clever strategy wille to naught. They would simply be too inexperienced to follow the tactics. Preparing the right troops that can follow the orders is also part of the strategy. And, theck of preparation also cannot be saved by superior strategy. In other words, although the Kingdom of Arquell had gained a tactical advantage with its superior stratagems, it had already been defeated in terms of strategy or more like, political strategy since it could not prepare capable troops that could take advantage of them.

 Chapter 71: Battle of Clavicule 2 (2)

    Chapter 71: Battle of vicule 2 (2)


    Of course, Arquell''s side was not the only side taking casualties.


    "Uooooooooooooh!!!"


    An explosive sound.


    Several St. Gallen soldiers were obliterated all together at the same time the roar, loud enough to be heard across the entire battlefield, was made.


    There was a cloud of dust in the frontlines. A grotesque rain of torn up human remains and blood stter mixed with it sprinkled the ground.


    "Who the hell are you?"


    Alongside numerous frightened soldiers, a man slowly rose out of the smoke. Out of nowhere, a tall,nky, ck swordsman appeared. In his hands was an oversized two-handed sword that was as big as his entire body.


    The man raised his voice.


    "......Due Schwarzer, head military officer of House Oubeniel! Come and get me you bastards!"


    He then shed down the nearest enemy soldier with a single slice. Of course, the soldier died instantly. There was not even a moment for the soldier to scream.


    What was surprising was that even after killing enemies so brutally, there was not even a speck of blood on the de of his weapon. In addition to the unexpected speed and pressure of the sword, Dues technique with his sword did not stress his weapon despite the crazy amount of force he put behind it. He was definitely top tier in his abilities.


    "Wait, wait! Your name, your appearance, you must be from St. Gallen too! Why have you joined Arquell?"


    The question raised by one of the officers was answered by the sh of his sword. The upper and lower jaws were separated with a single blow, and the halved head flew into the air.


    Due yelled back, his face contorted in annoyance.


    "Like I give a damn......!"


    And then he started his indiscriminate massacre again. Blood and flesh rained down all over the battlefield.


    The sudden appearance of a fighter capable of such brutality quickly threw the surrounding area into chaos.


    And to make things worse.


    Neighhhhhhh!


    With a high pitched neigh, a new monster on unicorn-back descended on the battlefield.


    "I am Elisha Rosmond Balbastre, Commander of the Second Order of the Imperial Guards! Add some flowers to my war achievements, St. Gallerians!"


    "Follow ourmander! Charge where the enemy has overextended themselves and crush them!"


    "Ohhhhh!""


    A hundred of the best soldiers led by a unicorn-straddling ''princess knight''. The knights of the Imperial Guards were in high spirits. They knocked over the soldiers of the St. Gallen with their horses, cut them down with their swords from horseback, and began to rampage as if reenacting that day they humiliated another group of St. Gallen soldiers.


    An ordinary general would have lost their cool from their entry and would have ordered a retreat.


    "Send a message to the front lines. Don''t take on those monsters forcibly. Our priority is to control the earthen walls or to capture the head of the enemy general."


    Bauer gave instructions calmly, even in the midst of sudden events.


    "The enemy is losing their patience and has sent their precious reserve troops to the front. If we push them around now, we can capture the troublesome earthen walls. Do you understand?"


    "Yes, sir!"


    No matter how powerful their forces were, the enemy''s elite troops were only a hundred strong, and the lone swordsman, Due, was a single person. On the other hand, even though the St. Gallen army has been reduced in number due to casualties, their current strength was no less than 37,000. They would slow the enemy elite forces while using the rest of their soldiers to capture their base.


    "Have the mage squad go after the swordsman instead. I''ve heard reports that it''s hard for magic to prate unicorn riders."


    "Yes, sir, I will inform them immediately!"


    "And that. Are we able to bring that out now?"


    "The mage in charge reports that it will take some time before we can use them due to the adjustments that were made during the move..."


    "So we cant use it....... Alright, lets mobilise our reserves. We should not dy this battle any longer."


    Bauer said, staring at the setting sun above him.


    This unexpected battle would probably dy their advance for two days. For the St. Gallen army, who were worried about their food situation, the more time they wasted, the more starvation amongst their troops. Their battle with the enemy here was like a slow-acting poison.


    That''s why they need to make a quick breakthrough with a swift blow. If possible, this needs to be settled within the day.


    Bauer secretly and quietly devised a n to achieve this.


    Some soldiers secretly slipped away from the battlefield and began their mission.


    They avoided the basin so they could stay hidden within shrubs and the cover of trees. Slowly but surely, they managed to avoid gun fire, the elite knights and the two-handed sword wielding swordsman.


    General Bauer''s intentions were simple and clear. He selected light troops from the reserve forces, had them move around the basin, and attack the enemy''s main camp from the rear to finish them in one fell swoop. The current Arquell army had sent their reserve troops, including the Imperial Guards, to the front lines, so the main camp was lightly defended. This attack was all but guaranteed to be sessful.


    If this n was a sess, with a single stroke, they would be able to defeat themander of the enemy, Count Oubeniel and also end the battle. This might be overly optimistic, but a sudden assault to their main base should at least lead to confusion in the chain ofmand on the Arquellian side. Their army was a house of cards due to the soldiersck of experience and a little bit of chaos would send their entire system copsing. No earth wall can stop such a copse.


    Then, this battle for Volden would see an end. After all, the lord, the brain and the leader of the province had personally gone into battle with his ragtag group of soldiers. The other cities in the province would likely fall without much resistance with the lord out of the picture. The amount of troops they managed to gather to defend this chokepoint was only this much after all.


    After capturing the city, they can spend time resting and replenishing food. They would be prepared for the enemy reinforcements that were likely about 2 weeks away. The reinforcements would be inrge numbers, but their St. Gallen army should be more than strong enough to survive until winter despite having just fought this field battle. Then, when the snow melts, they could join the rest of St. Gallen in a pincer attack on Allemande, forcing the Kingdom of Arquell to ept their demands for peace.


    Perhaps they would y a critical role in the war. The detachment soldiers were excited at such a thought. Their mission was risky and they might face fierce opposition but their morales were high at being entrusted with such an important task and this gave enough motivation to ovee their fears. If nothing else, being given a chance to strike back at the enemies that have been giving them a hard time with the scorched earth strategy and other petty tricks gave them an inexplicable high.


    They moved very quickly. They took less than two hours despite detouring around arge basin and travelling on a trackless path. It demonstrated the skills of the St. Gallen army.


    "............"


    It was dusk when the detachment reached the main camp of the Arquell army. Those who had been fighting all day would be exhausted, and the setting sun and darkness would distract them from their arrival. It was the perfect time for a surprise attack.


    Far ahead, the disturbances of the battlefield could be heard. The fierce battle was still going on. It drowned out the footsteps of the detachment, making this assault a surprise.


    Luck seemed to be on the side of the St. Gallen forces.


    "......Good. Ready?"


    The captain, who had led the troops, said as he removed the piece of wood he had been chewing on to keep his voice down. The men followed suit and affirmed without raising their voices.


    With a gesture, the captain pointed to the g that was raised outside the camp.


    One of his subordinates  an expert in the coat of arms of enemy nobles  nodded his head silently.


    The g of the Count Oubeniel was definitely there. In other words, the camp that was a stones throw away was undoubtedly the enemys headquarters.


    Bloodthirsty smiles spread across the faces of the entire detachment. The captain drew his sword, which had been stuffed with cloth in the gap between the scabbard so that no sound would leak out. The remaining members of the group also drew their swords in the same silent manner.


    All that was left to do was to break in and y themander of Arquell that they hated, and that would be the end of it. The surrounding area was quiet, not a sentry on alert.

 Chapter 71: Battle of Clavicule 2 (3)

    Chapter 71: Battle of vicule 2 (3)


    They were all convinced that the mission was aplete sess


    "......Stgmite Phnx"


    Despite their confidence in their sess, ny-six out of the hundred infiltrators died instantly.


    "Gah! Guh ......?"


    The few survivors who remained were unable to move, their whole bodies pierced by spears, and their lives slowly drained out of them in anguish.


    (S-spears......? From where......?)


    The only person carrying a spear in his view, tinged red in the evening skies, was the sentry who was guarding the entrance nonchntly without any sign of noticing me. There was no way he was the one who attacked them.


    His vision, slowly bing clouded, noticed the true nature of the spears that had pierced him and hisrades.


    It is sharp, hard, but has a distinctly different shine from metal.


    (S-Stone......?)


    The stone pirs pointing upwards to the skies were milk-white in colour with no lustre.


    Stgmites. A stgmite is an upward-growing mound of mineral deposits.


    Originally, groundwater containing lime dripping from the ceiling of the cave umted on the floor and formed stgmites over the years.


    Of course, there was no way that such a thing could suddenly appear out of the ground and skewer people randomly.


    There could be only one reason for these stgmites to have taken their lives.


    "T-Theres a mage of this calibre"


    The soldiers head hung downwards as he lost strength.


    When all the soldiers eventually expired, the magic spear that had pierced them crumbled. It returned to the earth from which it came from.


    All that was left were a hundred bloodied corpses punctured with holes. As the magic dissipated, none would be wiser of the culprit who had ughtered them.


    And in the tent that the enemies were targeting, the master and his servant were conversing.


    "...... Hmm? What''s up, Uni?"


    "My apologies, Master. A group was closing in on us, so I cleaned them up. A hundred people ambushing us was definitely not in the ns......"


    "Hmm... I see. Thank you for your hard work. It''s a lot of work just to control themunications, and I''m sorry you had to do all the extra work."


    "No, master. For your sake, I would do anything......"


    The dead soldiers were clueless. It was beyond their imagination that they would be disposed of like this with little effort.


    Jurgen Bauer, the man who had sent them there, did not expect this to be possible. He was unaware of the girl who had set fire to their supplies, and now, disrupting his ns once again.


    Finally, the sun vanished from the horizon and the night arrived.


    The time that Tullius Shernan Oubeniel had been waiting for.


    The time that despair and hell will descend on the army of St. Gallen.


    "Time, time, arrived......!"


    With the arrival of night, came evil.


    Night fell and the battle was still ongoing as St. Gallen proceeded to force themselves through. It was the time of day when the troops should have retired for the night and retreated back into their camp. But this time, there was a reason the battle had not halted.


    "By now, the detachment should have made a dent in the enemy......."


    A detachment created from their reserve troops was sent to ambush the enemy earlier. The sess or failure of that mission remained unknown.


    They were givenmunication devices but being in a highly dangerous mission, they could not risk alerting the enemy while contacting them. Ifmunications exposed them and resulted in a failure, no amount of regrets would be sufficient. A little dy in the reports was unavoidable given that the detachment was marching straight into the enemy base without sufficient intelligence.


    If there was an unforeseen incident and the mission had to be cancelled, they should receive some message from the detachment. Otherwise, the mission should be in progress. There was nothing to do but wait and have faith in them.


    General Bauer decided to continue the fighting for an unusually long time due to this expectation.


    "But sir. Our soldiers are exhausted. This should be enough......."


    The staff officer suggested in a pained voice.


    They have been fighting for about three hours now. If the St. Gallen army were in their normal state, they could still continue for another three hours, but they were starving. Also, this battle in the vicule Basin was an unexpected encounter for the St. Gallen side.


    Taking into ount the fatigue of the march to get here, it was not surprising that they were reaching their limits.


    "This cannot be helped, huh?"


    Bauer regretted deeply, but acknowledged the validity of the staff officer''s opinion.


    They should be almost, almost defeating the army of the crazed lord. Half of the defensive earthen walls have fallen and the enemys were running out of ammunition. Even if their assault on the main camp proved unsessful, they were still in a superior position. Choosing to reset their advantage here would be unworthy of the reputation of themoner turned general.


    Still, fighting through the night is not amon tactic employed by military strategists. It was autumn and they were at a basin in the mountains. The cold of the night would be harsh and could potentially kill soldiers. If they didn''t retreat now, their forces might have to sacrifice themselves in exchange for the crazy Count Oubeniel.


    If there was only one enemy, it was a usible choice to continue the fight. But the Arquellian reinforcements will soon be arriving after this battle. They could not let all of their subordinates fall due to a mere Count in the frontiers.


    It was amon sense decision. Normally, he would not have hesitated to support such a decision. However.


    "General, your orders to retreat will have to wait."


    One of the mages dispatched from the academy, a man dispatched directly from Grandenburg nervously cut into the conversation. This was the person that had reported to Bauer about the trump card not being ready a few days ago.


    "I''ve just received a report that the thing you requested is finally finished. If we put it into action, the weak soldiers of Arquell will be brought down in a single blow. We can even defeat the enemymander, Count Oubeniel "


    As well. He was going to finish with that but the cold re from Bauer cut his voice abruptly.


    Whats the point of this now? Bauer seemed to be saying. They had been forced to carry this extra luggage over the harsh mountains instead of other more important supplies. If they didnt need to bring this trump card, they could have lightened the logistics. And only when he was nning to retreat that there was finally a chance to use it? And that we could defeat the entire enemy as well as theirmander in one fell swoop? Am I to entrust the lives of more than 30,000 soldiers to something questionable that is neither from the sea nor the mountains? It felt like the military was being ridiculed at this point.


    There were plenty of things to be annoyed about. But Bauer had other things to say.


    "The report from the academy calls this a prototype that has not yet reached the point ofpletion?"


    The mage raised his face to meet Bauers. He looked like he saw some hope that he might get permission to y with his prized toy due to Bauer phrasing his doubts as a question. His eyes zed passionately.


    "No problem, sir! With the adjustments we''ve made over the past week, I think we''re ready to call it a finished product!"


    "I''ve also heard that your master, who built it, said it was difficult to control."


    "My master is a very profound man! He must have been trying to be humble!"


    Who knows, Bauer thought, disgusted by his high-pitched shrill. He did not know his master well but Bauer was sure that his master was surely more calm than this screaming disciple. Perhaps he should put more faith in this thing instead of fear.


    The second-inmand standing beside Bauer gave Bauer an uneasy look. Bauer agreed with his sentimentspletely.


    Nevertheless.


    "Understood. However, make sure ourrades do not get hit, okay?"


    Use whatever that they could use. This was a situation where he needed to ce his bets.


    The mage smiled widely.


    "Leave it to me! I''ll offer you the head of Tullius Oubeniel!"


    As soon as he said that, he turned himself around and left the ce.


    The second-inmandined in annoyance.


    "Are you sure, General? It''s time for a retreat."


    "I know. All the more so."


    A gasp rose from the side of the room.


    "As a VIP of Gallerien, we have been allocating supplies from our meagre resources to them. For the sake of the starving troops fighting, they have to y their part."


    What Bauer wanted to say was that the secret weapon and those who operated it would be their shield as the soldiers retreated safely.

 Chapter 71: Battle of Clavicule 2 (4)

    Chapter 71: Battle of vicule 2 (4)


    "So youre saying, now that we have stepped into enemy territories, you dont want to get tripped over by a brat forced onto us by the Federation?"


    He affirmed with a bitter smile as the staff officer said sarcastically.


    "I''m fine with that understanding."


    The effectiveness of the new weapon the academy had brought in was highly questionable. Not something to have high hopes of. The priority was to retreat and let the soldiers rest.


    What''s more, they have almostpletely destroyed the enemy''s forces in today''s battle. They could surely defeat the enemy army by tomorrow. It would be troublesome if the enemy were to get away and retreat back into Volden city, but in that case, they could take over other bases in the west and finish their re-supply before surrounding the capital city. If they continue fighting today, their losses would be greater than their gains. The other side was the party that wanted to have a decisive battle here. Bauer had no issues with traversing to the other side of the basin to the western part of the province to secure more food supplies. Hence, it was best to only let those who wanted to fight, fight while conserving the remaining troops for future battles.


    Convincing himself of such logic, Bauer was about to give the go-ahead of the n.


    "Soon, the thing will be used! The rest of the troops will retreat while the enemies are confused"


    That''s when it happened.


    Plop.


    Bauer''s body fell from his horse after being struck on the chest from behind.


    The man who had not given in to the cold in the mountains, nor to hunger, fell to the ground with a thud.


    "General!"


    His staff dismounted immediately to help the general up.


    Simultaneously, panic erupted among them.


    "Guh, ugh...... what is this.....?"


    Every time Bauer opened and closed his mouth in the arms of his men, blood bubbled to the edges of his lips.


    From his chest, a single arrowhead extended. The arrowhead glowed ominously in the moonlight.


    He was shot from behind with a bow.


    "Enemy, important person, strike! I, bow, strike!"


    At the sound of the girl''s voice, which was so weird and unintelligent, the officers in the general''s entourage stared in repulsion.


    "W-Who are you?"


    "Who the hell are you?"


    A scene from nightmares appeared before them.


    Standing on top of a small hill on the east side of the basin was an odd-looking girl with arge bow and tattoos all over her body. The person who shot General Bauer had a big smile stered on her face.


    Surrounding her was an army of the unholy.


    A soldier whose entire body has been turned white.


    A dposing corpse walking around, dripping in filth.


    Mummies with red light in their eye sockets with dried out flesh.


    ck wolves. Giant bats. Centipedesrger than a man. And other horrible animals.


    All sorts of undead and monsters were emerging from the rear of the St. Gallen army as night fell.


    The girl with a strange appearance being served by an army of the dead chanted.


    "mes! res! Rise! Ignis Fatas!"


    Instantly, evil mes swallowed a dozen or more soldiers near the main camp.


    "Ahhhhhhhhhh!"


    "Pain! Cold! Even though theyre mes......?"


    "......enemy attack! Monsters have appeared!"


    "Not the time for war! Intercept them!"


    "Get the priest! Heal the general!"


    The battlefield was suddenly thrown into chaos. General Bauer, who could have prevented the chaos from deepening, had been shot through by a sharpshooter, leaving him in a helpless position.


    The St. Gallen army had expected the battle to pause at night. However, they were now forced to fight against a new enemy that appeared at nightfall.


    The enemies they faced were monsters. An irreconcble enemymon to all human species.


    Of course, the monsters weren''t only targeting the St. Gallen army.


    "Hahahahahahahaha! Lots! Many! Corpses, lots and lots! All, be,rades! ...... Necromancy Contract!"


    The corpses of the dead of both armies wereid on the battlefield. The girl licked her chops at the sight and activated unholy magic. The tattoos all over her body glowed brightly.


    The dark magic released from her body turned into a beam of dark purple light that diffused into multiple threads. It attached itself to the corpses, into the flesh of the dead, and forced them into sphemous contracts.


    The result being.


    "AAAAAAHHHH......""


    "UGRRRRRRRR......""


    Countless corpses, regardless of them being from Arquell or St. Gallen, rose up as zombies.


    As the horrifying scene unfolded, the Kingdom of Arquell, which had been unable toprehend the situation due to the distance and darkness, only came to realise the abnormality now.


    "Haah haah, what''s this...... am I dreaming......?"


    The Arquellian soldier couldn''t believe what he was witnessing and let out a dryugh.


    He was immediately made to ept the reality.


    "AAARRRGGG.......!!!"


    "Giiyaaaaahhhh!!!?"


    The unmistakable pain caused by the bite of the zombie''s teeth on his shoulder.


    "Aaah! Aaaaahhh! Get off me, get off me!"


    The soldier was lifted into the air solely by the force of the zombie''s jaws. He resisted for a while, pping his legs.


    "Ahh! Ahhhhh ......AH......? ARRGG......?"


    Eventually, his life expired, his face, and his skin, quickly became one of the rotting, moving corpses.


    This was the reason why the undead are the most hated of all monsters. They spreaded and proliferated like a gue.


    This was a battlefield, after all. While there were ten thousand living soldiers, there were another ten thousand corpses around. That was plenty of material for the undead.


    "Tch! ......Hey, maid! Can you hear me, maid!"


    Elisha was roaming around on the frontline with her favourite mount, stomping on the dead that were getting in the way while shouting to the device she was holding. It was connected to Uni who was stuck in the headquarters.


    Soon after, Elisha received a response.


    "I hear you, Miss Knight. Several lines have already reported the situation."


    In the middle of the war, monsters appeared and converted the corpses into moving zombies. In spite of this, the emotionless maid responded tly.


    "Well, then we can make this quick. So, what does Sir Tullius n to do now!"


    She swung her sword at the undead that hobbled over as she said.


    Although she felt somewhat spooked at the calmness of the other person on the line, she decided to first confirm the generals intentions.


    "Please wait a moment....... Yes, yes. ...... As you wish...... Okay, here are the instructions from master."


    There was some exchange at the headquarters, and Uni resumed her conversation with Elisha after a short while.


    "I would like to request that the Knights of the Imperial Guards continue working with Due Schwarzer to assist in the evacuation of the troops. After that, please prioritise defeating the monsters."


    "I suppose. With this many monsters, we definitely cannot have a proper war....... Oh, damn it! Dont cling to me, damn zombie!"


    She clicked her tongue while kicking a zombie''s head with her armoured leg.


    "We have conveyed our wish to St. Gallen to have a ceasefire and focus on defeating the monsters. Then, we shall leave the frontlines to youOver."


    "I see. That is for the best! What? Over!"


    She kicked a zombie that had tried to grab her arm while replying.


    She was satisfied that Tullius did not have any delusions of continuing the war at this point. The monster they were facing could manipte this many corpses and was causing chaos in the St. Gallen army. It would not be an easy opponent to deal with if they had to be cautious against St. Gallen at the same time. For the time being, she was grateful just to be able to reduce the enemies they had to face from two to one.


    "Al! We''ll support our allies in their retreat and fight against the monsters! Leave St. Gallen alone, we don''t have time for them! Good? ...... Do you hear me?"


    "Y-yes. Commander......!"


    Her subordinate had been ufortably quiet since a while ago, but when she called out to him strongly, his voice came back in a whisper. It seemed he had not died in the chaotic melee. His dyed reaction might have been due to the continuous fighting or the unexpected surprise of monsters appearing.


    The other knights were also doing their best to wield their weapons against the hordes of zombies. The enemy might be the lowest ranking undeads, but they were numerous. This was possible due to all the corpses on the battlefield. Considering their fatigue from battling St. Gallen, it was probably inevitable to have taken a toll on their spirits.


    "......Where is Due Schwarzer"


    Elisha craned his neck to look for the man who she was to coborate with.


    Not long after, she found the person.


    "Take that!!!!!!!!!!"


    The two-handed swordsman still seemed to have the strength to swing his sword while shouting, even though he had fought as hard as they had. While feeling both relieved and somewhat apprehensive at the same time, she got to a distance where she could call out to him.

 Chapter 71: Battle of Clavicule 2 (5)

    Chapter 71: Battle of vicule 2 (5)


    "Lord Schwarzer! Did you hear thetest orders?"


    "Fight the monsters while letting our troops retreat...... right? But..."


    Due replied, but stared vacantly after blowing away the enemy.


    Almost immediately, a new enemy appeared and Due, with a renewed will to fight, thrust his weapon outwards again.


    Elisha shared the same frustration as him. The new enemy was not undead. It was not even monsters. It was soldiers from the St. Gallen army.


    "Get outta the way, Arquell army!"


    There were many soldiers like this who lost their cool out of panic and came at them like that. Further adding to her headache, some enemies were yelling,


    "Know some shame! Joining hands with monsters to achieve victory?"


    There were some who were quick to assume that Arquell had summoned monsters. Who knows what would happen if many others continued to rant like this in a heated battlefield. It was quite possible that theirrades, Arquell soldiers, would be disturbed by such ims and refuse orders from their superiors. Thats why, Elisha and Due slew those who were trying to bring about confusion as soon as they opened their mouths.


    "...... I see. It seems that the instructions you just received must be difficult to execute."


    "Ahhh, dammit!"


    While having a frivolous talk, they eradicated the enemies around them, whether they were monsters or St. Gallen soldiers. They were trying to prioritise killing the monsters, but it couldnt be helped if the other side came to attack them.


    Uni mentioned that Tullius was nning to have a ceasefire with the enemy forces, but it seems like it had not been made official yet it needs to happen sooner rather thanter.


    "It''s terrible. ...... Gah, piece of shit! No matter how many times I hack and sh, they are all rotting corpses or panicking small fries! Cut it out, dammit!"


    "Yeah. I totally agree!"


    Every time Elisha''s sword slices through the air and Due''s powerful sword swung, enemies, living or dead, scatter. How long do they have to continue fighting like this to protect their retreatingrades?


    As the heaps and piles of corpses and ex-corpses began to umte around them, something changed.


    Thud.


    A heavy sound like the footsteps of a giant echoed from the Arquell army camp behind them.


    It was as if severalrge fires had been lit at the same time.


    The strange phenomenon caused the St. Gallen soldiers to pause for a moment, ignoring the lifeless zombies.


    "What''s that......?"


    Elisha turned around curiously and rolled her eyes.


    Twenty metres to the rear. A huge shadow was standing on the earthen wall.


    It had thick limbs and a hunched physique. It has no head above its shoulders initially, but a head quickly grew out of a stump on its neck. The human-like being looked like a child made with y. Yet, the scale of this being was magnitudes away from a y toy.


    Mud golem.


    These wererge monsters created with earth by expert mages.


    However, the one they were witnessing currently was at least a sizerger than what Elisha knew of regr ones.


    It was standing 5 metres above the ground.


    "Sir Tullius"


    ''ve-killer''. ''Man-eating snake''. The man who became a count after his brother''s downfall. A monster suspected of involvement in a number of conspiracies. A heretical alchemist known for his appalling experiments on the human body. The one who persuaded the people to be soldiers to fight this hellish battle.


    Tullius Shernan Oubeniel.


    The man had holed himself up in the main camp concentrating onmanding the army through Uni. He finally got up to enter the stage. The sight of the exploding mes from therge golem was him unting his figure to the battlefield, as though he was an actor on stage.


    He looked around, took out a trumpet-shaped device from his clothes and started using it. Instantly, an ear-splittingly high-pitched squeal rang out.


    "......all of you who are fighting on this battlefield! Can you hear my voice?"


    Tullius voice was magnified several times over.


    Perhaps that was the effect of the trumpet device. It was a way to amplify his voice to project it further. Elisha, who had a vague idea of the principle did not stir but others who did not understand it or were distracted by battle might have been taken aback.


    Ignoring those who were confused at his voice, Tullius continued to speak.


    "I am Tullius Shernan Oubeniel, Count of Volden from the Kingdom of Arquell. I speak to you all as a representative of the kingdom. As you all know, a powerful army of monsters has appeared where we are fighting. Themon enemy of mankind, monsters!"


    The man''s tone was stiff and tense. Those who did not know the reputation of this man might be misled into thinking he was simply a weak young man with a strong sense of justice advocating against the threat of monsters.


    "My kingdom, Kingdom of Arquell, have unfortunately been caught in hostilities with the Federation of St. Gallen and have caused this bloody battlefield! However! A threat befalls us all Are we going to sit on stands and not do anything about the monsters thate striking at us!?"


    If it were possible, Elisha thought, Tullius would have wanted this situation to continue developing. Just before the monsters invaded, the frontlines of Arquell were on the verge of copse. It was certainly possible for St. Gallen to have been victorious then. Although St. Gallen might have to make camp and rest for the night before that.


    "I strongly believe that is not the case! Even if we have different allegiances, there is no reason to deny that we are all humans. Thats why, in order to stand against the monsters, we need to put our hands together. Let us stop fighting amongst ourselves!"


    Tullius'' solo performance reached its climax.


    He continued to raise his voice and disgustingly so, had tears trickling down his cheeks.


    "What is the most important thing as a person born into this world? To live our lives in peace, free from worries. Nothing is more important than this. That''s what I believe! If these words have touched your heart even a little, please take my hand. Let''s fight the threat and win our futures together! ......I propose a ceasefire to the army of the Federation of St. Gallen!"


    "Ceasefire?"


    "You mean you''re going to stop fighting?"


    Ceasefire.


    The first to react to these words were the soldiers of the Kingdom of Arquell, who were retreating after their defeats in the trenches. Ny percent of them were peasants who had been hurriedly sent out for this battle. They neither liked fighting nor were good at it. They were just people who took up arms because the enemy was attacking. They would dly agree to stop the war in order to fight off the monsters.


    On the other hand, what about St. Gallen?


    "W-we''vee this far and a ceasefire......?"


    "Certainly there are monsters...... but."


    They were the perpetrators who dered war, and at the same timeunched a surprise attack. Now that they have made their moves, they were not able to back down so easily. Moreover, if this ceasefire were to lead to a truce, they would be subject to unfavourable terms. In addition to being the side that started the war, thend they managed to conquer was only the frontier region just east of Volden. There was no hope for negotiations advantageous for St. Gallen. Wouldnt St. Gallen greed break down any chance of peace talks?


    (Seems like 70% of sess.)


    Elisha guessed. If themander of the St. Gallen army was a rational person, he would first ept the ceasefire. After all, they had to put up a joint front against the monsters. Being the aggressor army and then continuing to attack without paying attention to themon enemy of humanity would give them a bad reputation. Even though Elisha was often criticised for herck of political sense, she understood that this was a scandal that would greatly hinder postwar diplomacy. So, the rational decision here would be to take the ceasefire. Whether this ceasefire is temporary or whether it leads to the halting of the entire battle in Volden depends on the intentions and the skill of Tullius, who initiated it.


    But the problem was the vigour and emotions of the soldiers on the other side. On Arquells side, the Imperial Guards and Due were on the field, but the rest of them were weaklingscking in training. Were St. Gallen soldiers willing to ept the ceasefire? What about those that lost theirrades and were driven by vengeance?


    And if themander is a short-tempered person, he might use the attack on the monsters as an opportunity tounch an all-out attack. He would guide the monsters towards Elisha and Due to block their movements and strike the Arquell army in the meantime. The best time to do this was now, when themander-in-chief, Tullius, just came forward to call for a ceasefire. Idiots who cared not for what happens after a war might think this way.

 Chapter 71: Battle of Clavicule 2 (6)

    Chapter 71: Battle of vicule 2 (6)


    She hoped that the other side''smander would be able to make a calm decision and control his troops. Elisha did not have a hobby of ying monsters and having war at the same time. She would much rather concentrate on confronting therge army to fight back against the monsters, rather than getting bogged down in a chaotic battle and dealing with the endless numbers of small fries. She sincerely wished for the ceasefire to go through.


    But...


    "......me Lance!"


    A single magic shot from St. Gallen''s army shattered that wish of hers.


    "Guh! Ahhhhhhhh!"


    The golem that had been used as a foundation tilted from the impact, and Tullius screamed.


    The Mud Golem was weak against magic. Even a low level spell can destroy it by repeated firing on it. And an intermediate level spell would crush it no matter howrge Tullius mud golem was.


    The huge body of earth tilted greatly. In front of the scene, the mage who had unleashed the attack raised his voice.


    "Don''t follow the lies of the vile Arquell army! They are trying to deceive us!"


    "......That''s right!"


    From yet another location, a soldier agreed.


    "They''re the reason we''re starving! No way can we y pretend friends now!"


    "You guys are asking for too much!"


    "You know how miserable we''ve been because of you guys......!"


    Once the wave of hate started, there was no stopping. The St. Gallen soldiers were releasing a flood of bitterness and resentment towards Arquell.


    With their eyes shing in hate, they raised their weapons and began to fight again. Arquellians or monsters, they were the same in their eyes.


    There was no sign that amander was in control of these soldiers.


    "Tch...... has themander over there already been killed by a monster?"


    Theck of an official response and the sight of the hordes pouring in from the rear of St. Gallen led Elisha to assume so. Her instincts were right. General Jurgen Bauer, themander of the expeditionary force of the Army of St. Gallen, had already been shot dead by the girl leading the horde of undead. A priest was on his way to heal him, but was there enough time given how chaotic the battlefield has be? And even if they could heal him, would the general be able to regain control of his army?


    In the meantime, the magic of the mages, the bows and arrows of the soldiers were raining down on Tullius and the golem. Tullius continued pleading despite the scene unfolding.


    "Please stop! Stop fighting, and together"


    His words were ignored and the Mud Golem finally began to copse.


    Magded on the golems chest, stomach, arms and legs, crushing them all back into the earth. The golem sank to the ground facing upwards and created a huge dirt cloud. The figure of Tullius was also caught up in this and he disappeared. Finally, a high-pitched noise was made.


    kiiiiiiiiiinn...... gah gah......!


    Perhaps it was due to the damage to the device that carried his voice throughout the war zone?


    For a moment, a deafening silence ruled the area.


    "M-my lord ......?"


    "It cant be!"


    Attacks continued as a sign of refusing the ceasefire. The faint hopes of the poorly trained soldiers of the Arquell army werepletely shattered.


    The St. Gallen soldiers, on the other hand, were the exact opposite.


    "The enemymander is down! Heres our chance!"


    "Crush them now!"


    "Take their food! To the main camp! I''m sure they''ve brought plenty!"


    In addition to the inferiority of the individual soldiers of the Arquell army, themander of the army, Tullius, disappeared along with the mud golem. From the point of view of the attackers, this was the perfect opportunity to destroy them.


    This time, however, it was not meant to be.


    A sh. A silvery streak from a sword and the head of a St. Gallen soldier was lopped off.


    "Did you really think we''d just let that happen?"


    Elisha, who had drawn her sword, stared coldly at the enemy soldiers as she remained in the same position.


    She then gave her orders to her knights.


    "......Second Order of the Imperial Guards! New instructions! St. Gallen''s forces must be driven back first!"


    "B-big sis!"


    "Are you sure? Earlier, we were told to prioritise defeating the monsters."


    "They''re the kind of people who denied a peace treaty personally offered by the Count of the Kingdom while monsters have appeared. There''s no need to think of them as humans."


    She replied to her hesitating subordinate.


    The ceasefire order that Uni gave earlier was based on the need to fight back against the monsters. Since no ceasefire was going to happen, there was no reason to treat the St. Gallen army as allies.


    And in terms of danger level, trained St. Gallen soldiers were bigger threats than zombies, the lowest level of undead.


    "If they want to be friends with the corpses rather than us, then by all means. We''ll just have to pay them a lesson. They''re a bunch of dirty bastards who would single-sidedly shoot amander trying to make peace with them. Get them now!"


    "Yes!""


    The knights put aside their doubts and resumed the battle against the St. Gallen army.


    After confirming this, Elisha called out to Due, who was fighting nearby.


    "What about Lord Schwarzer? It seems that your master is buried alongside the golem."


    "...... Hah! No way master couldnt deal with that!"


    Heughed it off while mowing down a group of enemy soldiers. Temporarily being freed from fighting after killing the previous group, he turned to face Elisha while shaking his sword free of blood.


    "By the way, Uni is probably with him."


    "In that case......."


    Elisha agreed as soon as Uni was mentioned. This was the ve maid who put her master before anything else. She would surely be able to ovee any crisis her master might face on the battlefield, no matter what it took.


    However, if that were to happen, there would be no one to take control of the Arquell army through themunication device


    "Don''t let them do it! Protect our allies and prevent the enemy from breaking through!"


    A noble on horseback rushed to the front.


    At the sound of his heroic figure and voice, the Arquell soldiers reflexively obeyed and resumed their defence.


    "Until Lord Tullius returns, Doldran will lead this war!"


    "...... Margrave Doldran!"


    The appearance of the warrior key to the west of the kingdom gave Elisha some optimism.


    At present, the tactic of hiding behind the earth walls set up throughout the basin had already failed. Nearly half of the walls have already fallen. On the other hand, this also meant that the significance of coordinating widely dispersed troops throughmunications was reduced. It would be more efficient for a general with the leadership skills of amander to lead directly from the front.


    The army of Arquell saw some respite in this gruelling battle.


    "Strengthen the defences on our remaining walls! The rest in the rear, ready your muskets! Suppress the enemy by shooting them!"


    "Ooohhhhhh!"


    The flow of the war seemed to be turned upside down.


    Command of the Arquell army was quickly taken with the arrival of Margrave Doldran. In contrast, the chain ofmand in the St. Gallen army was still in a mess and they were unable tounch an effective attack on Arquell.


    It could not be helped. The monsters had attacked the main camp of the St. Gallen army. Themander and the senior officers who should be taking overmand from Bauer were still being attacked. Restoring control in such a situation was not something that could be done quickly.


    In addition, the monsters attacking the Arquell side were the lowly zombies, but the ones attacking St. Gallen were the main force of monsters. Naturally, there were more powerful monsters fighting St. Gallen. In addition, because they attacked from behind, they were caught between the Arquell army and the monsters. While the other side only had to fight enemies in a single direction, the other side had to deal with enemies from both their front and back. They also had to reinforce their main camp. The level of difficulty they faced was very much different.


    (The monster attack is a blessing in disguise, in some ways.)


    Elisha thought about it as she fought, and got the chills from thinking so.


    Were the winds of fortune going in Tullius favour once again?


    If the monsters had not appeared, their army would have very likely lost. Their new weapon, the musket, and the fortifications supported with alchemy were brilliant strategies for sure. Yet, even with these, they did not stand a good chance of repelling St. Gallen. At the eleventh hour, the worst of interference came in, switching up the advantaged and the disadvantaged.


    "To avenge our lord!"


    "Damn you Count......! You murderer!"


    The voices of the soldiers struggling to defend themselves reached Elisha''s ears.

 Chapter 71: Battle of Clavicule 2 (7)

    Chapter 71: Battle of vicule 2 (7)


    Tullius proposing a ceasefire in the face of monster invasion bolstered the soldiers feelings to the side of Tullius. Themon sense he advocated for  that humanity should unite to fight against the monsters  created sympathy towards him. In the eyes of many of the soldiers, the young man who disappeared in a cloud of dust seemed to be a tragic hero.


    Notwithstanding the fact that Tullius Oubeniel was the one who had brought them to this miserable battlefield.


    (No, it cant be. Im probably being overly distrustful......)


    She shook her head as she shed at some enemy. It could have been a zombie or an enemy soldier. No matter how hard she tried, she couldnt imagine how this situation could have been pulled off intentionally. He won the trust of arge number of refugees and recruited them to counter the St. Gallen''s army, and finally gained victory. And how is it possible for a human to manipte this many monsters? If such a thing were possible, the bnce between the four major powers would have been broken long ago. Humanity has been fighting amongst themselves and monsters. Monsters were the enemy of all of mankind. It should be impossible to ally with them. Surely this chaotic situation was a product of chance.


    However, no matter how much she tried to think so, a vague unease would not leave Elisha''s heart.


    It grew deeper into the night. The war raged on.


    On the surface, overlooked by the moon and the stars, the battle continued endlessly.


    The army of Arquell were defending the western area of vicule Basin.


    To the east, the Army of St. Gallen was trying to overrun Arquell and take over the basin.


    And behind them, the horde of monsters attacked any human, regardless of their affiliation.


    With three different parties on the battlefield, the war only became more and more chaotic as time went on.


    The Arquellian soldiers shouted.


    "Drive back the invaders!"


    "Avenge our viges and fields!"


    The soldiers of St. Gallen shouted back.


    "Stop lying! Your nobles were the ones who burned thends!"


    "Are you trying to pin the crime on us?"


    And then, even more fierce and hateful curses were exchanged.


    "Stop finding excuses! You burned our vige to the ground! You poisoned our wells!"


    "I saw with my own eyes how you burned the wheat field!"


    "My vige''s daughter was toyed with by you guys! I''ll never forgive you!"


    The two armies saw each other as the perpetrators and called out the guilt of each party. They pointed des at each with more hate than they do against monsters.The chain of hatred spreaded between the humans killing each other. As if to join them, the undead attacked from the side, gnawing on them.


    If hell were to appear on earth, there would be no other better ce than vicule Basin now.


    It was quite the horrifying sight for those witnessing hell unfold from the VIP seats a hill away.


    "Hahahahaha! That''s good, that''s good! Humans who don''t know any better, killing each other in hatred, and turning into blood craved beasts! Nothing beats this!"


    "Are you sure? I express my disagreement. Inefficient attacks, defences, and manoeuvres due to heated emotions. I don''t think any of it is worthy of appreciation."


    "Fem, you''re so serious....... But you''re right, it''s a little boring. One shy spell to them and it would be all over after all!"


    "Indeed. We went to a lot of trouble to prepare this. I would have expected a greater spectacle from the monkeys, though."


    The minions of the devil were busy working at various ces in Volden, spreading the seeds of hatred on both sides. The Opus series. They were the demons capable of taking entire battlefields on their own  the pride and joy of a certain heretical alchemist. All of them, except for the two who were in the midst of battle, were gathered in one ce, watching the fruits of theirbour.


    The dark elf woman, Drei, shrugged her shoulders.


    "But that magic that ruined master''s proposed ceasefire. That was the only nice thing that happened."


    "Oh, that? Yeah, thanks to the idiots at St. Gallen, they saved us a lot of trouble. Pfft...... Such fools! They couldnt even discern who would benefit most from that proposal!"


    Charlughed, hugging his belly.


    "The n was for me or Miss Drei to blend into their camp, right? I''m d they went ahead and did it on their own..... Though I would hate that father was attacked by magic, ahhh"


    "Indeed. I agree with 06. The St. Gallen people. Were kind enough to reduce stress on us."


    "Hey, hey. If they are really kind, then they wouldn''t have bothered us by starting the war, would they?"


    "Hahaha, that''s true too~!"


    While looking down on the scene of the horrific killings, the "masterpieces" were all merry. If the soldiers on the battlefield below noticed them, they would immediately be enraged and rush to attack them. But the "masterpieces" considered such an eventughable. No way a bunch of brutes in the heat of war could ever hope to detect them in their advanced magic concealment.


    "And yet, Mr. Oubeniel still thinks up the most outrageous things. After burning everything to the ground with a scorched earth campaign, he wants to be a hero."


    "What do you mean, Charl? It''s only because of master''s efforts that we can defeat the enemy army with the strength of just one province. Isn''t that much more beneficial than having the whole kingdom go to war? Even the lowly brains of the monkeys can do that kind of arithmetic."


    "Recovering from strategic inferiority with a small number of troops...... That is sufficient. To be deemed as a hero."


    "Yes, yes! Father is amazing!"


    The sound of Seis'' innocent giggling echoed through the air, but was blocked by a sound dampening barrier and did not leak outside.


    Meanwhile, the voices of the soldiers fighting in the basin could be heard by them individually through their own skills. Drei and Seis used wind magic. Charl has hearing abilities far surpassing that of humans. And Fem used her high spec sensing machinery to detect their voices.


    Among the voices, those on the side of Arquell were showing concern to Tullius. They idolised him as a hero for exposing himself to negotiate for a ceasefire.


    They were unaware of the person who led them by their noses to the war, who burned their viges and poisoned their wells. The ridiculousness of it all earned Drei''s scorn, and stimted Charls sadism.


    "However. I present my doubts. I feel that. Being famous is not to Master''s tastes. He does not desire the recognition of the world."


    "What do you mean, Fem? As long as it is advantageous, master would want it."


    Drei gave a wry smile.


    "Yeah, yeah, politics, y''know? The more points you collect, the better off you''ll beter on."


    Charl added.


    "Ugh~...... sounds difficult to understand......"


    "It''s not our area of expertise. I conclude. I am built forbat, and you are for research. If it is in the field of politics, Sir Victor or Sir Laubert would be better than the Opus series."


    As she said this, Fem turned her gaze in another direction.


    An army of monsters was in the midst ofying waste to the St. Gallen''s army. One girl stood out from the rest, rampaging around.


    "I like to change the subject. Rather than that, I''m more interested. In the results of the test subject."


    "The test subject......? Oh, that?"


    Charl became somewhat unenthusiastic.


    The performance evaluation test of the V-01Y, or Vee, had already been done on the thousand St. Gallen soldiers the other day. And in his view, the battle now was no longer a test, and was just a way to sacrifice her. She was being used in a suicide attack against St. Gallen''s army because she and her undead have little connection to Tullius'' camp and there was no problem discarding her. Of course, they were not going to dere her as an ally, so she would naturally be attacked by Arquell too.


    "I wonder if there''s anything left to test on that thing? This fight is just an expanded version of thest one."


    "Oh, I get it! I know what you are hoping to see, Fem!"


    Seis pped her hands in realisation.


    "There is, isn''t there, one person in this battlefield. Someone who could fight a vampire on even terms. Fem, you want to see V-01Y fight that person, don''t you?"


    "You are right. I confirm."


    Fem mimicked a happy smile on her mechanical face. It was rare for this golem girl to even attempt to change her expression. The friends who had the opportunity to see it looked at each other to confirm the unusual sight.


    But she continued.


    "We''ve already evaluated the mop-up battle against misceneous soldiers and given it a fair score. Next, I want data on the purebat capability of targeting powerful individuals."

 Chapter 71: Battle of Clavicule 2 (8)

    Chapter 71: Battle of vicule 2 (8)


    "Hmph, I see. It''s no surprise that vampires can kick the crap out of small fry. So, how powerful are they when taking on a truly powerful opponent? If we don''t see that, we won''t know how well she was truly strengthened."


    "Even though she was made from scrap, father personally strengthened her, you know. It is necessary to check the true scale of her abilities~."


    "Exactly. I "


    The mechanical woman''s cold voice was abruptly cut off. Both of her golden eyes shifted with a click.


    "apparently, there''s been a change in the situation. I report."


    The armies of Arquell, St. Gallen, and the demon army led by V-01Y. A further stone was thrown into the chaotic three-way battlefield. The four onlookers witnessed a new tyranny emerging from the east of the basin.

 Chapter 72: Battle of Clavicure 3

    Chapter 72: Battle of vicure 3


    Go back in time a little. Just before General Bauer, themander of the St. Gallen side, was sent off by a surprise attack from behind. A mage was running desperately into the covered wagon that had stopped far from the main camp.


    "Hahahahaha! Hey, everyone! Permission from the General has been granted! Hurry up and prepare for activation...?"


    The joyfulughter was drowned out by a dead, stinging silence. No, that would be an imprecise expression. No one was silent. There was no one in the carriage who would return silence. Nobody was there.


    Elliott? Georg? Hans? Whe- where did they go!? Everyone, why is there no one here!?"


    While calling out the names of hispanions, he looked around the unlit carriage, but could not find the person he was looking for. He could hear the sounds of the distant battlefield in his bewildered ears. The voices of people killing each other that touched the nerves. At the same time, he was convinced."Oh, I see. Did they flee?"


    The voice that leaked from the corner of his mouth was a feeling of copse. It was in the midst of a barbaric battle, far from the peaceful environment of Galerien Magic Academy. Those from the Department of Mages, who aspired to battle from the beginning and trained in magic, were sent to adjust the new weapons and provide logistical support. Even the same mage has a different attitude towards battle. It is not unreasonable to try to escape because of the tension and fear. He could understand that it''s not unreasonable... but whether he can ept it or not is another matter.


    "H- hmph! You cowards. Even though our research, and that of our great master, the essence of which is about to be demonstrated, and to think that you ran away without even seeing it."


    The man berated his formerrade who had abandoned their research achievements and fled, while slowly creeping towards a massive shadow seated at the back of a covered wagon. With a mix of anger and excitement, he performed specific actions with a touch full of fear and tension--though he might wouldn''t willingly admit it. Syntax of the control spell, verified. Master-ve authority, authenticated. Activation ritual, inputted. Within the brooding darkness, two dim lights flickered. Judging from the part of the entity that gently raised its head, these must be its eyes. The magical power that couldn''t be contained within its body emitted a zing and flickering light as it leaks from its eye sockets. Its mouth opened wide, exhaling hot, white vapor into the cold autumn night. It''s alive. It''s a living creature.


    "Hi, hihihi... I did it! It''s a sess!" Now, the ultimate card in St. Gallen is in his hands. The manughed spasmodically at its imposing presence. "Alright, let''s go! Now that the others have fled, if I achieve military exploits using you, I''ll be the best disciple under that person''s tutge!" While saying this, several facese to his mind. Worthless fellow disciples who abandoned their research achievements with him and their master. Lowly soldiers who never understood the pursuit of profound knowledge. That woman who has nothing to boast about except her skill in potion-making and an insufferable attitude. And... that man who was only under the master''s guidance for a year but stillmands respect from the master--by some twist of fate, he now serves as the enemy''smander in this battle, Tullius Shernan Oubeniel.


    "Please watch, Professor Graumann... I will make the name of the Magic Academy''s Alchemy Department resound throughout the entire continent!" His heart beat faster with delight, imagining the praise from his difficult to please master. But suddenly, a dull shock pierced through his chest. "Huh?" He utters a dumbfounded voice and looked down, only to find something protruding from his chest. It''s a sworda reddish, wet, and dimly gleaming metal mass. The de of a longsword pierced through his back into his chest cavity. In an oddly coincidental twist, he is shot by an arrow from behind at the same moment. As if it were natural, he also slowly turned around. There stands... "Fresh blood... life... give them to me..."


    The appearance of a skeletal monster, its jaw cking without any flesh. The man had no way of knowing, but this is one of the creatures led by a vampire that justunched a surprise attack on the St. Gallen headquarters from the rear. "W-Why... monsters... her-...!?" The question he spat out along with a clot of blood became his final words. Left behindter were the undead responsible for the atrocity and... "!!!"


    With the mage with whom it had formed a master-ve contract was lost, it was now just a weapon without a wielder. "It" reached for its own weapon stored inside the carriage and swung it down upon the monster that had killed its operator, the mage. The awkward humanoid made entirely of bones shattered with a sound akin to stepping on frost. Not only that, but the force was so great that it smashed through the carriage floor, embedding itself in the ground below before finallying to a halt. "" After dispatching the bone monster, Spartoi, "it" fell silent, pondering its next move and the identity of its opponent. After a brief moment of contemtion, it realized what it must do. Emerging in its mind were flickers of hostile intent and several images. In the short time since its activation, traces of the thoughts left behind by the man who was once its master were etched into "its" brain.


    <i>Indeed</i>, "it" thought as it exhaled a breath filled with heat. Human figures emerged in its mindenemies from the nation of Arquell, ignorant and clueless soldiers from St. Gallen, fellow disciples who abandoned "it," and Tullius, the enemy''s leader who still earned recognition from the master. In other words, all the targets were individuals for whom its former operator harbored enmity. Drawing its weapon and shouldering it, "it" brushed aside the curtain and stepped outside. "!!!"


    A wordless roar echoes through the night, engulfing it in darkness. In the line of sight lies a hellish scene where humans and monsters engage in deadlybat. Among them, "it" identifies creatures of the same kind as the one that killed its master, prompting "it" to update its list of targets for eradication. Everything in its field of view is to be killed. Exterminate them all. The artificial monster born from heretical magic recognizes mechanical decisions as absolute and rushes into the battlefield. And then, a new cmity intrudes upon the battlefield.


    ~~~


    "Ahahahaha! So many prey, so many! I! So many! I''ll kill them all!" In the battlefield of the night, a girl bursts intoughter as she leads an army of the deceased. In response to her high spirits, her subordinate monsters increase in number, trampling over both sides'' armies. "Brethren... flesh... life...!" "Thirsty... for blood...!" "Come here...eeee hereeeee...!"


    Spartoi swung the weapon in its hand, the Lesser Vampires sipped blood, and the ethereal undead stole souls. As expected, the majority of those affected by the undead were the St. Gallen soldiers who had been attacked from behind. The zombies created on the distant Arquell side were nothing more than makeshift pawns. The true monsters attacking St. Gallen from the rear were undead creatures positioned in the upper to middle tiers of the undead hierarchy. These genuine monsters possessed abilities beyond human limits, undying vitality, and formidable magical power. The damage caused by them far surpassed the imprecise shooting capabilities of the Arquell army. Above all, the power of the girl controlling the monsters, Vee, was overwhelming. She killed with arrows, bombarded enemies with magic, and turned the dead into her undead underlings. The more allies died, the more her army swelled, relentlessly pursuing from the rear. No matter how strong the St. Gallen army was, they stood little chance against this relentless onught. And now, before their eyes,y the encampment of the Arquell army.


    Amidst the life-threatening escape, the hated enemies they had been fighting until now blocked their path. In this situation, though it might have fanned the animosity toward the Arquell army, it was of no use to reprimand them. They were like a flock of sheep chased by wolves, only gaining momentum as they rushed toward the enemy. "Y-You lot, move aside! Your encampment! The barricade!" "You scoundrels, hiding yourselves there!!"


    Protected behind their defensive barriers, the soldiers of St. Gallen shout words of resentment at the Arquell army, who, along with hordes of monsters, continue to shoot at them. However, there is no Arquell soldier willing to heed their grievances. It was the St. Gallen army itself that rejected the proposal for a temporary ceasefire in the face of the appearance of the monsters and the idea of a joint front against them. Moreover, they are even attacking themander who exposed himself to make the appeal. Having received a deration of war, been ambushed, plundered, and lost manyrades, as well as witnessing the destruction of viges and farnds, they have every reason to reject any eptance of their opponents at this point.


    "Shoot! Keep firing!" "Don''t worry about the remaining rounds! Just keep shooting them down with all your might!" "Whether they''re zombies or St. Gallen soldiers, if we make them riddled with holes, no matter if it''s a corpse, they won''t get up!" Perhaps due to the consolidation of forces from the frontline trenches to the well-stocked rear, the density of Arquell''s firing line had increased significantly. shes of gunfire cut through the darkness, and with each burst, blood blossomed in the air. The St. Gallen soldiers rapidly dwindled in number, from over thirty thousand to twenty-five thousand, and then down to twenty thousand. They were losing their numbers at a staggering pace. Hindered by powerful monsters at their backs and facing a heavily fortified Arquell army in front, theirmand structure had copsed due to the chaos at their headquarters, with no hope of recovery. The once disciplined army of the Forest and Elite Troops Kingdom had turned into a disorganized mob, and eventually, they became part of the corpses scattered on the battlefield. Witnessing the ongoing infighting among humans at this point, Vee narrowed her eyes and sneered in contempt.


    "Kyahahahaha! Humans, so pitiful! Aha, ahahahahaha!" Ugly, truly ugly. Humans are hideous creatures. Envious and jealous of those with longer lifespans, they put cors even on their offspring from different species, directing their discrimination even at their own kind. Killing and robbing each other within their own kind, the strong trample over the weak, while the weak pathetically gather around those even weaker like ants. In the end, when the monsters appear, there is no stopping their actions. They cannot be saved. And yet, they boast about being the "superior" species just because they outnumber other races? It''s trulyughable. <i>Don''t make jokes, you inferior creatures</i>... As she looked down upon the human species from the bottom of her heart, she suddenly stoppedughing. "...You all, are disgusting."


    From the corner of her mouth, a voice filled with something colder than the night wind and more horrifying than the lingering stench of death seeped out. Vee felt her excitement for the ughter and the scent of blood wane rapidly. What is this emptiness? Attacking and killing humans should have been just as thrilling as before, and there are far more prey to be killed than ever before, yet she couldn''t seem to get into it at all. She contemted for a moment, trying to squeeze something simr to this feeling from her maddened and useless mind. Eventually, Vee managed to identify a feeling somewhat akin to what she''s experiencing now. Disappointment. Somehow, this is different. The reaction she had expected from the ones she attacked is not matching the scene before her. What humans should show her isn''t the pinnacle of their ugliness as a species, at least that''s how it should be, right?


    "Uuuh~?" She clutched her head. The answer she arrived at evoked even stronger perplexity than before. Expectations? Was she expecting something from humans? What on earth could it be? From such a dull species? As she pondered, shepared the previous raid with the ongoing battle. "...The previous one... was more beautiful?"


    She started to feel that way. The soldiers she attacked before, numbering around a thousand, seemed "beautiful"pared to the soldiers who are now immersed in killing each other on the battlefield. The captain who pleaded with his subordinates to escape until his dying breath. The magician who, in tears, burned the undead along with allies, and the soldiers who sacrificed themselves to save fleeingrades. Aren''t they much more radiant and beautiful than those being devoured before her eyes now? Her mind envisioned countless faces illuminated by mes. Those who faced irrationality with determination or resignation, those who bravely confronted injustice and perished. The figures floating in the mes were truly beautiful Suddenly, this feeling ovepped with something she couldn''t recall now. "Uuuuuuuh!?"


    Throbbing pain suddenly stroke the core of her head. Vee, clutching her head in agony, sat down. "W-What...? I can''t... remember... something... important" Unverbalizable images kept shing back repeatedly. Fire. Bonfire. Bows and arrows. Herself? A man. A girl. A boy. A sword. A road. A wilderness. A forest. A cave. An ancient castle. Battles. Monsters. A town. An inn. A wilderness. Starry skies. Voices. Laughter. Smiles. Whose? Whoseughter? Whose smiles?... A bnce. Fire. Sword. A sword engulfed in mes. Light. Radiance. That, that is, that is my beloved... our pride, and with it "---Damn it, I have to remember properly... me, myself... uuuuh!"


    Images swirled around in her head, but their meaning remainedpletely elusive. Not understanding frustrated her. It''s painful. Sad? Why, sad?


    The fragments of memories she couldn''tprehend, along with the sudden surge of emotions, intensify the headache.


    "My head... hurts... it hurts... It hurts, hurts, hurts, hurts!!"


    The pain was excruciating. It felt like her head is about to split open. Maybe there was actually a crack in it. What should she do? Even if she''s a vampire, if her head cracks open, she might actually die. She needed to fix it quickly. But how can she heal herself? She could ask the priest, but no, that won''t work. The priest is the enemy. The enemy of the undead. Right, she''s a vampire, so she needed to heal herself by drinking blood. She would prefer the pure blood of a virgin or a young virgin. Yes, if she drinks enough delicious fresh blood, the pain and difort should disappear. ...The vampire instincts began to resurface, overpowering her returning rationality. "A, aha, ahahaha... ahahahaha! Blood! Blood! Bloooooddddd! Ahahahahaha!"


    Once again, she burst into madughter and rose to her feet. Staggering as she walked, she sniffed the air, searching for a person with high-quality blood. However, her crumpled face and sniffing nose gave her the appearance of a crying child searching for home, rather than aughing monster. Eventually, she picked up the scent she was looking for. "...I smell it! A woman, pure, a woman! ...Delicious, Blood!"


    The source of the scent was further ahead, from the army herrades were ravaging. It emanated from the fools, the humans who continued to kill each other in the western forces. It was a womanly, sweet fragrance like that of a beautiful flower, subtly mixed with the scent of blood. It could truly be called the alluring aroma of a valkyrie. With this decision made, she couldn''t stay there any longer. Fooling around like that would have resulted in a high-quality blood holder''s death. After all, that was a battlefield. Her fellow undead might have gotten ahead of her, or she might have been killed in the human ughter. Although she could have drunk blood from corpses, she preferred to savor it while it was still fresh and alive. It undoubtedly tasted much better that way. "Ahahahaha! Blood! Move asideeee!!"


    She ran with a smile that seemed to crack. She smashed through all obstacles. If anything stood in her way, it was simply an obstruction. She mercilessly eliminated even her undead allies, and the human soldiers were swept away like running carriages. Leaving a scarlet red carpet of blood on the ground, the girl who had descended into a monster ran swiftly. She wished for the pain to be healed as soon as possible. ...Immediately after she left, the remaining troops were mowed down from behind by ''it'' that appeared. Both the living and the dead were swept away.


    ~~~


    How many enemies has she in in the end? As she slew the mage of the St. Gallen army just now, Elisha Rousmonde Balbastre hesitated. It had been quite some time since she was sent to fill the gap in the copsed frontlines. The number of people she had killed by now must be in the hundreds, if not two hundred. From the enemymanders she had in with her sword to the foot soldiers she had trampled under her horse''s hooves, and not to mention this horde of undead creatureswait, would it count as killing if they were already dead? Laughing away such pointless thoughts, she turned back and shouted.


    "Oi, how''s the elimination of the enemy mage unit going?!" "It''s mostly taken care of, ma''am!"


    One of the subordinates under the Second Order of the Royal Guards quickly responded with a report. In the chaotic situation of this battle, the extermination of the enemy mages was an urgent task. Although new weapons like muskets had appeared on this continent, magic was still the most powerful weapon in terms of firepower. It was unthinkable to let the enemy forces, who had lost their senses, possess such weapons. Moreover, the current Arquell army had just changedmanders after their previous one was shot. If the newly appointed Margrave Doldran, who had takenmand again, were to be a sacrifice, it would lead to yet another serious situation. Therefore, the report that the enemy was losing troublesome firepower was pleasing. Elisha disyed a fierce smile and gave further instructions. "Good, good. Progress is going smoothly. However, don''t let any escape, alright? The St. Gallen army''s mages are quite powerful, thanks to their academy training. Don''t spare a single one; finish them off cleanly!" "Yes, ma''am!" "And when you kill them, make sure to sever their heads. We don''t want the undead using their corpses. Well, it may not prevent them from bing ghostly spirits, though."


    Especially undead mages like the necromancers were dreadful opponents even to imagine. Not to mention the low-level zombie mages who could only use basic magic, but the skeleton mages, possessing higher intelligence due to their status as a precursor to liches, and the ghosts and wraiths, who maintained their pre-death intellect and couldn''t be harmed by simple physical attacks, were creatures they wanted to avoid engaging in warfare. Of course, if they were fully prepared, they wouldn''t fear such foes, but the current Second Knight Order was ill-equipped for dealing with them. Their armaments were primarily suited for wars against humans, and they had not brought weapons specially designed tobat undead. While Elisha could handle the situation, the burden might be a bit heavy for her subordinates. As they thought about this, searching for more enemy movements, someone from their allied forces called out, "...Ah, in that case, leave it to me. --me spirits, strike them down. me Bute!" A magic spell flew from the allied camp and mowed down the enemy soldiers, along with the surrounding corpses that were still animated.


    "Intermediate-level fire magic!? Moreover, casting it without incantation?" Elisha turned around in surprise. In the current battle, there were no magician units on the Arquell side. It was natural since they only had the remaining forces of the feudal lord''s army and some newly recruited civilians. The exception was the ves under Tullius''mand, but they seemed unfamiliar with powerful magic beyond intermediate level, focusing on learning numerous low-level spells. So, where did this person with the ability to cast advanced spells without chantinge from? The answer to her question appeared casually walking from the rear camp. "Well, I apologize for causing concern. I have just returned to the battlefront."


    "Iyaa, goshinpai o kakete moushiwake nai. Tadaima, senretsu e to fukkai shimashita."


    With a maid with a shining silver cor standing beside him, a young man with a smile that seemed glued to his face appeared. His robe was stained with dust, and his hair was disheveled, but from beneath the fluttering fabric, a myriad of noble aura faintly leaked. He was the Kingdom''s Count and an alchemist. He was also the suprememander of this battleTullius Shernan Oubeniel. "It''s in the middle of the battlefield, so forgive my rudeness while on horseback. So you were safe."


    "Senjin yue, bajou yori shitsurei. Gobuji de irareta ka."


    Of course, Elisha didn''t think for a moment that he had died. He was the kind of man who could confront Lavallee and continue to live. Could a mediocre mage ever take him down? Tullius''s smile deepened.


    "Yes. As you can see--"


    "Ee. Kono toori"


    As he tried to reply, his figure was once again engulfed in mes.


    "...I did it! Direct hit! This time, I got him!" "Yatta! Chokugeki da! Kondo koso, shi-tameta zo!"In the distance, a voice of someone resembling an enemy mage exims in triumph. However, that joy didn''tst more than ten seconds. The mes of magic disappeared without any effect. Emerging from the aftermath was Tullius, not even a single scorch mark on his clothes. "What!? it can''t be!?"


    "Ba, baka naa!""As you can see, I am prepared to withstand attacks that are not up to par."


    "Kono toori, namahan na kougeki de wa kizu hitotsu tsukanai dake no sonae o shiteimasu node."


    As he proudly spoke, he opened his robe, and several glimmers of magic floated up. An exorcism amulet and an outer garment embroidered with protective magic seals. Even from under his shirt, a silvery glow could be faintly seen. The rings and bracelets adorning his arms and fingers were not reflecting the light of the battlefield but emitting their own radiance.


    All of them seemed to be attire designed to protect him.


    "I see. No wonder even if you get caught in the copse of a Mad Golem, youe out unscathed... Can''t I get at least one of them?"


    "Seir. Maddogremu no toukai ni makikomarete mo buji na wake da... Hitotsu kurai moraenu mono ka na?"


    Erisha said with a mix of exasperation, and Tullius wore a wry smile.


    "Eeh? That''s a bit... I can''t give them away for free, you know."


    "Eeh? Sore wa chotto... Tada de to iu wake ni wa ikanain desu kedo."


    "That''s a shame. But, I must say, I''m surprised? I thought as an alchemist, you''d becking in magical power."


    "Sore wa zannen. Sore ni shite mo igai da na? Renkinjutsu-shi to iu kara ni wa, maryoku ni tobo shii to omotte ita ga."


    There are few people who possess magical power, but even fewer who are skilled enough to manipte intermediate-level magic. Those aspiring to be alchemists are usually individuals with limited magical power and lesser talent. Therefore, alchemy is considered a lesser art, and alchemists are said to be inferior to other mages. At least, I have never heard of an alchemist who can use magic with such power.


    "Hahaha. Well, that may be the case, but my maximum magical capacity isn''t that impressive. I have also mastered some decent offensive magic, but it''s not something I can do repeatedly,"


    "Hahaha. Maa, sou wa o-agemasu ga saidai maryoku ryou wa sore hodo demo nakute. Ichion ni wa soko-soko no kougeki mahou mo osame te wa imasu ga, sou nando mo dekita geitou de wa arimasen yo."


    His response is both acknowledging and denying at the same time. After finishing his words, Tullius takes out a small vial of medicine from his pocket and drinks it.


    "...As expected, using attack magic after controlling such a massive golem can be quite taxing."


    "Sasuga ni are dake no gremu o ugokashita ato ni kgeki mah wa, kitsui na."


    While swallowing and writhing, his body was filled with a new magical power. It seems to be some kind of healing potion for restoring magic power.


    ...Switching point of view. While having a conversation, the mage whounched the previous attack was killed by his subordinate. Most likely, this has eradicated the enemy''s magicalbat capabilities. The entire St. Gallen army seems to be losing its organized resistance.


    "So, what about themand? If you return, there is the option to take over from Margrave Doldran again."


    "De, shikiken wa dou naru? Kyou ga fukki shita to nareba, Doldran hankyou haku kara futatabi hikitsugi naosu to iu sentaku mo aru ga."


    "I''ll pass. The Margrave outranks me in title and is better atmanding. Using inexperienced tactics is asking for trouble... So, that''s why I''vee to the frontline to support him."


    "Yamete okimasu yo. Boku yori hankyou haku no hou ga shakui de ue o okasarete masu shi, shikiken mo jouzu desu kara. Namakemono-hou wa kaiji no moto tte yatsu desu. ...Sou iu wake de, ano hito ni shiri o tatare te gensen no shien ni kita wake desu."


    "I see. So, you''re here against your usual nature to support him, huh?"


    "Ha, naruhodo naa. Sou iu douri de, anta rashiku mo naku mae ni dete kita tte koto ka yo?"


    The one who interjected was Due Schwarzer, who had scattered most of the enemies with ease. Despite being in the midst of a fierce battle, he was barely covered in blood, unharmed, and only slightly sweaty. He was once a well-known adventurer, but hisbat prowess was truly extraordinary.


    "Well, yeah. Besides, it sounds bad to just hang back when we have the support of the Royal Knight members... me spirit, strike them down. me Bute"


    "Maa, ne. Sore ni koue no minasan ni joryoku sarete iru noni, hikkomippanashi tte no mo kikoe ga warui shi... Honoo no sei yo, uchisuoeyo. Fureimu Byuuto"


    As he spoke, he unleashed mes that spread like a whip, targeting the horde of undead. Over a dozen zombies and skeletons were reduced to ashes by the magical mes.


    Witnessing this scene, cheers rose from the rear lines.


    "Look! It''s the Lord! The Lord is fighting!"


    "Miro! Ryoushu-sama da! Ryoushu-sama ga tatakatte orareru zo!"


    "It''s true! So he was safe!?"


    "Ho, hontou da! Go buji de irareta no ka!?"


    "Hooray! Long live the Kingdom of Arquell! Long live the Lord!"


    "Oo oo oo! Arukueeru Oukoku banzai! Ryoushu-sama, banzai!"


    The cheers of the soldiers echoed throughout the valley in an instant.


    With the proposal for a truce shattered and the enemy''s attack received, the missing Lord appeared to be alive and well. Not only that, but he was wielding powerful magic on the frontline. It was only natural that such a sight would boost the morale of the soldiers.


    "Behold, that''s Lord Tullius in action! Punishing the vile enemies and ying the wicked creatures! That formidable man is your lord!"


    "Miyo, are naru Turiusu-kyou no tatakaburi o! Hiretsu na ikiteki ni seisai o kudashi, jaaku na mamono-domo o chsuru sugata o! Ano ekko otoko koso, shokun-ra no shushun de aru zo!"


    Even Doldran''s voice, praising Tullius, could be heard.


    (I see, the Margrave must be aiming for this...)


    Taking advantage of the unexpected appearance of the monsters, it seems that they can seize victory in the battle against St. Gallen. If that''s the case, during the triumphant moment of the battle, they will show the heroic figure of Tullius to the soldiers--and also to those who will return to their homes as civilians after the battle. The intention is probably to reinforce their loyalty to the Lord.


    After all, the aftermath of war is tough. Those who performed well in battle will be rewarded, and aid will be provided to the families of the deceased and the injured. Efforts will be made for the post-war reconstruction in the areas affected by the conflict. Especially in this region of Volden, many viges were burned down by the enemy--that''s what is said. Many of themon people will be forced to endure difficult living conditions even after the war. It''s crucial to prevent such hardships from turning into rebellious sentiments against the Lord.


    Therefore, they intended to take measures to gain the support of the people and mitigate the situation.


    Truly, the Margrave Doldran, who governed this challenging western frontier, is remarkable. His every move is well thought out and appropriate.


    As Elisha was thinking along these lines, Uni, who was standing by Tullius, was seen offering some advice while kneeling.


    "Master."


    "Goshujin-sama"


    "Hmm? What is it?"


    "Hn? Nanika na?"


    "How about waving your hand to the soldiers?"


    "Hei no minasama-gata ni, ote o furu nado sarete wa ikagadeshou?"


    "Huh...? Wouldn''t that be a bit showy? I already stand out enough as it is."


    "Ee...? Sore, chotto azatoku nai? Tadasee warui me tachishite iru noni saa"


    "Is that so? Common folk often appreciate when their superior shows them some gesture. Even just a simple wave can greatly win their favor."


    "Soudeshouka. Gekka no mono wa, ue ni tatarareru okata ga nanika o shimesareru koto o yorokobu mono desu. Tatoe migiwa hitotsu mukeru dake demo, ookiku kanshin o kau koto ga odekini naru ka to"


    "Is that how it works... Well, if you say so, Uni..."


    "Sou iu mono nanokana... Maa, Yuni ga sou shiro tte iu nara--"


    Upon hearing this, Tullius lightly raised his hand and waved it towards the soldiers behind him.


    In an instant, cheers erupted.


    "Uooooh! Lord! Count!!"


    "Uooooh! Ryoushuusamaa! Hakushakusamaaa!!"


    "Hurrah for our hero! Long live!!"


    "Warera ga eiyuu ni banzaai! Banzaiii!!"


    "Our hero! The invincible hero, hurray!!"


    "Warera ga eiyuu! Fujimi no eiyuu, banzai!!"


    As the ve maid had said, the effect was outstanding. Themander-in-chief waved his hand as if tomend them, after enduring long and challenging battles. Witnessing their efforts recognized by their superior, the soldiers were enraptured.


    Oveing hardships, it is gratifying to have one''s efforts acknowledged by those in higher positions. They felt the intention behind Tullius''s gesture. Though it might be a mere illusion, their fatigued and exhausted minds interpreted it as truth. Many people tend to interpret things in a favorable light, so it was not unreasonable for them to believe it.


    For Elisha, however, it was a difficult feeling to celebrate wholeheartedly. Even though they were currently lined up together, Tullius Oubeniel was fundamentally their enemy. At the very least, he was not a straightforward ally. He was suspected of being the mastermind behind the Great Fire of the Capital and was establishing a new faction while in conflict with the centralistsa parasite within the body of the nation.


    Dealing with him was already troublesome, and he had gone as far as to win the support of themon people. It was not a situation to be happy about.


    The cunning man, with his ever-ambiguous smile, was still directing it towards their troops.


    "As expected of you, Uni. The effect is remarkable..."


    "Sasuga, Yuni. Koko made kouka-tokumen to wa ne..."


    "I believe it''s all thanks to your virtues, my lord."


    "Kore mo goshujinsama no itoku ga naseru gyou to zonjimasu."


    "Haha, don''t praise me too much, otherwise I might take it seriously. But..."


    "Haha. Anmari mochiagerunaide kure yo, honki ni shichaisou da. Demo..."


    Whether it was a trick of the mind or the flickering light of the battlefield creating shadows, for a moment, Tullius''s expression twisted ominously.


    "An immortal hero, huh? A hero is one thing, but being immortal is quite appealing, isn''t it?"


    "-Fujimi no eiy, ne. Eiy wa tomokaku, fujimi tte no wa ii janai ka."


    An eerie feeling sent shivers down her spine.


    Even someone as bold as Elisha couldn''t withstand the unsettling sensation. Instinctively, she readjusted her grip on the sword she held.


    ...What kind of fate was at y here?


    That seemingly casual movement ended up saving Elisha.


    "Found youu! Found youuu!"


    "Mitsuketa! Miiitsuketaa!"


    A voice filled with distorted delight from a young girl.


    As soon as the voice was heard from the St. Gallen side, an unsettling sound of something cutting through the air approached.


    "Kuh!?"


    She swung her sword on pure instinct and felt the sensation of cutting through something solid in mid-air. At the same time, a jolting impact struck her arm, causing numbness.


    She heard a scraping sound as something hit the ground behind her. It must have been an arrow. Someone had been aiming for Elisha with a bow.


    However, it didn''t make sense. Even now, she could feel the lingering sensation of strength in her arm. The archer must have been incredibly skilled with a powerful bow. Throughout the battle, she had never faced an opponent like that.


    Moreover, a nauseating sense of disgust was swelling within her rapidly. It was as if the arrow carried an abhorrent aura. She wondered if it was due to Tullius'' unsettling presence, but perhaps it was something else entirely. Who on earth could exude such a vile killing intent?


    Feeling the sweat running down her cheeks, Elisha turned her attention towards the St. Gallen forces.


    Right at that moment...


    "GIIYAAAAAAAHHHHH!"


    "A-AAHHHHHH!! Uwaaaaaahhh!"


    Amidst the enemy soldiers'' horrifying screams, the chaotic formation was torn apart. It wasn''t intentionally broken; it was forcibly ripped open.


    The sudden gap in the enemy ranks was quickly filled once again.


    --By a nightmarish horde that had broken through the St. Gallen forces from behind.


    "It''s, it''s monsters!! Monsters have reached the frontline!"


    "R-Run! It''s hopeless!"


    "Hi-hiiiiii!! M-Mom! Help, Mom!"


    Exhausted and thrown into disarray, the St. Gallen forces were in a half-dead state. And now, the final blow had been delivered, causing them to scatter like spiders.


    They fled to ces without enemies, aiming for locations where neither monsters nor the Arquell army could be found.


    Amidst the retreating enemy soldiers, a young girl with a bow at the forefront of the monster army smiled. Her mischievous expression, with her tongue sticking out yfully,bined with her youthful yet well-defined features, could be considered cute. However, one could only find her actions endearing if they could ignore the eerie tattoos covering her entire body and the foul abominations that followed her from behind.


    "Found you! I''ve found it! Prey! Dinner! I''ve found one!"


    She paid no attention to the chaotic St. Gallen army or even to Tullius, who was themander-in-chief. Not to mention the presence of Uni, Due and the other Royal Knights standing beside her.


    This unmistakably monstrous girl, with her eyes filled with intensity, fixed her gaze on Elisha.


    "Undead maintaining their appearance from their past lives. Additionally, obsessed with a woman riding a unicorn. I can''t believe it, but..."


    "Seizen no sugata o tamotta mama no andeddo. Kuwaete, yunikoon ni kouru josei ni goshuushin ka. Masaka to wa omoukeredo..."


    "Probably a vampire,"


    "Vuanpaia, darou na."


    Elisha responded in agreement to Tullius, whose expression was somewhat nonchnt given the circumstances.


    The peculiar girl, her presence unsettling in this situation, maintained her unwavering smile as she replied to their short exchange.


    "Yes! I am, I am Vee! A vampire, Vee!"


    "Sou! Watashi, watashi wa Vui! Vuanpaia no, Vui!"


    The Second Knight Order, despite their usualposure, was shaken by the horrifying revtion. It was a vampire. A creature that sustains itself by drinking human blood, turning virgins into their kin, and lives eternally by shunning the sun. A monster with superhuman strength, the power to control various creatures, and a multitude of abilities.


    In the Adventurer''s Guild, vampires are ranked from B to A in terms of difficulty for subjugation. Even the most elite adventurers in the country would form parties to take down just one of them. And now, a multitude of their subordinates stood before them. How many more nightmares would unfold?


    However, the situation took a turn for the worst.


    "----!!!"


    Amidst the chaotic scene, something leaped forward, crushing objects in its path like andslide. Both the attacking undead and the surviving soldiers of St. Gallen were ughtered as it emerged.


    At first nce, ''it'' appeared somewhat human. But as the dust settled, its monstrous form became evident in the starlight.


    "What, what is this...!?"


    Vice-Commander Alfred''sposure faded, revealing his agitation.


    A body that easily reached three meters towards the moon. Its limbs writhed like those of a different creature. Its rocky face exuded the impression of a fossilized skull despite having flesh and skin. Its dull glowing eyes emitted light of their own, unrted to the reflection of the mes. Overall, it appeared humanoid, yet undeniably far removed from humanity.


    Its most striking feature was the number of arms  two pairs, four in total, double that of a regr person. Each arm held a long buster sword that emanated a palpable aura of killing intent.


    "Is this also an undead!?"


    "Kore mo andeddo na no desu ka!?"


    "No, it''s different."


    "Iie, chigaimasu."


    Responding calmly to the voice that sounded more like a scream of disbelief than a question, was Uni.


    "I can sense body temperature and a positive life force from the target. It''s a living creature."


    "Taishou kara wa taion to seihoukou no seimei-ryoku o kanshikudekimasu. Seibutsu desu."


    "But, I''ve never seen any creature like thisno, not even among monsters!"


    "Daga, konna ikimono waie, mamono mo mita koto ga nai!"


    "Then, someone must have created it."


    "Nara, dokoka no dareka ga tsukutta ndeshou yo."


    While speaking as if it were someone else''s problem, Tullius pointed to the four-armed creature, indicating its chest. There, just like the vampire girl named Vee, there was a tattoo engraved. However, there was a difference. While the vampire''s tattoo gave off a magical aura, the one on this creature had a clear intention. It was a symbol representing a certain organization.


    The emblem depicted two intersecting rods crossing behind a two-headed bird of prey. Recognizing it, Due frowned visibly with a strong sense of distaste.


    "...St. Gallen, Galerien Magic Academy. Are these the masterminds behind this invasion?"


    "......Zankutogaren, Garerin Madou Akadem. Koko ni seme konde kita renchuu no sashigane ka yo."


    ~~~


    To be continued~


    TL Note:


    I just tranted this out of a whim cuz I love this series and it seems the previous trantor has dropped it. So ... yea. Maybe I''ll continue until thest chapter of the raw :'')


    BUT WHYYYYYY???? WHY THE AUTHOR DISCONTINUED THIS NOVEL???? EVEN THO I LOVE IT SOOOO MUCHHH!!! SAME AS DUNGEON DEFENSE ARGHHHH WHY DOES MASTERPIECES LIKE THESE ALWAYS GET THE CRUEL FATE!!!


    Oh and yea I like adding the romanized version of the characters dialogue sometimes. Cuz it feels like watching an anime. And it gives the understanding of the story better if you know what I mean.

 Chapter 73: Goodbye Darkness

    Chapter 73: Goodbye Darkness


    The Arquell Army, the St. Gallen Army, and the monsters led by a vampire who goes by the name of Vee. They appeared on the three-way battlefield, and among them was a four-armed creature that seemed to be a creation of St. Gallen''s magic academy. If this was St. Gallen''s trump card, there was a possibility that the enemy forces, who were driven to the brink by the intrusion of the monsters, could make aeback. However, that didn''t happen. "AAAAAAAHHHH!!" The monster roared in an indescribable manner, swinging therge swords held in its four arms. Its attacks were indiscriminate and seemed to hit whatever was in its reach. Those within its range were crushed equally, without distinction between Arquell''s elite knights, the undead, or St. Gallen''s soldiers. Naturally, even Vee, the boss of the undead, was also targeted. "Wha- What!? What the hell are you!?"


    Baring her long fangs in a threatening manner, she leaped to evade. In mid-air, she nocked an arrow on her powerful bow and let it fly. Three arrows were shot in quick session at the body of the grotesque giant. She effortlessly handled the enormous bow that even arge man would struggle to draw, using it as if it were an extension of her limbs despite having no stable ground to brace against in the air. Moreover, the graceful arc of her leap reached an estimated height of four meters. If the other side was a four-armed abnormality with a massive frame, she was a high-ranking undead. It was a battle of extraordinary physical abilities between monsters, both disying their exceptional prowess. However, the target struck by the arrows showed no signs of pain or irritation. The arrowheads and barbs seemed to have failed to prate its flesh, simply falling off after slightly flexing its muscles.


    It seemed like the two monsters would be entangled in their fight, but...


    "AAAAAAAHHHH!!"


    The four armed creature ignored Vee who was at a distance away and began smashing and crushing the nearby soldiers and zombies that were lying around. Even the vampire, Vee, didn''t seem to care about the thing that had no intention of approaching her, sending cautious nces but not pursuing it.


    For the Arquell Army, it waspletely iprehensible. Judging from the engraved emblem, could this have been the secret weapon brought to the battlefield by the opposing side? But why were they rampaging without distinguishing between friend and foe, humans and monsters alike?


    A murmured voice from Tullius could be heard amidst the confusion of Elisha and the others.


    "Ahh, it''spletely gone berserk, isn''t it..." "Ahh, kanzen ni bousou shite masu ne are wa..."


    "Berserk?" "Bousou?"


    "Yes. Most likely, there was some w in the initialmand settings after activation, and it probably wasn''t given a clear target. That''s why it''s attacking everything that catches its eye like that." "Ee. Ookata, kidou chokugo no meirei settei ni nanika no fubei ga atte, meikaku na hyouteki o nyuuryoku sarete nai ndeshou. Dakara anna fuu ni, me ni tsuku subete o kougeki shite mawaru."


    For a moment, she listened attentively to the exnation that flowed on and on, but soon she were taken aback. "Wait. Do you know something about that creature?" "Mate. Kikou wa ano bakemono ni tsuite nani ka shitte iru no ka?"


    "Rather than ''know'', I figured it out from its characteristics... Probably, it''s a type of chimera."


    "Shitte iru to iu yori wa, tokuchou kara suisatsu shita ndesu ga... Tabun, kimera no isshu desu ne."


    Chimera. A monster created artificially through the magical fusion of multiple living creatures. If done sessfully, it is said to inherit the strengths of the original life forms, resulting in an individual with extremely powerfulbat abilities. Artificial. Yes, the creature ughtering before their eyes was a monster created by humans for the purpose of battle. "That''s a chimera... It''s the first time I''ve seen one."


    "Are ga kimera... mita no ha hajimete desu yo."


    Alfred said so while swallowing hard. Tullius nodded in agreement.


    "Creating a chimera is a challenging task. In most cases, the forcibly transnted parts interfere with each other, resulting in a failed creation that can''t even move properly. But from what I can see, that chimera... yeah, it seems to be quite intricately crafted." "Kimera wa tsukuru no ga muzukashii mono desu kara. Taitei no baai wa, muri ni ishoku shita bubun doushi ga kanshou shiatte, roku ni ugoke mo shinai shippaisaku ni naru ga ochi desu. Mita tokoro ano kimera wa... un, zuibun to tegakonde iru naa."


    "What does it mean, Master?" "Dou iu koto da yo, go-shujin?"


    "That thing, I''m guessing it''s based on humans, Due. And not just one, but several individuals."


    "Are, tabun dakedo ningen o beesu ni shiterun da yo, Due. Sore mo nan-nin mo no, ne."


    With an impatient tone directed at his subordinate, the master expressed a chilling spection. Human? Multiple humans? So that meant they used human lives as materials for the chimera--a weapon? What a sphemous act. If that''s true, the creator must be a deranged madman. Well, even Tullius, who pointed it out, was the same, but if that''s the case, there must be at least one more dangerous individual of the same level as him. And that person was from the enemy country, St. Gallen. Ignoring the speechless elite knights, the alchemist continued.


    "In essence, it''s an application of the concept of flesh golems. Cutting parts from several individuals and consolidating them into a single entity. Taking the trouble to turn it into a chimera suggests they might have added functions dependent on some form of biological activity or it could be a measure against magical defenses. Probably..." "Hassou sono mono wa furesshu gooremu no ouyou da ne. Nan-nin mo no ningen kara paatsu o kiritorite, ikkotai ni shuuyaku suru. Sore o wazawaza kimera ni shite unyou suru nante tema o kakeru tte koto wa, mahou boubou o kangaete no sochi ka, nanika seitai katsudou ni izon suru kinou o tsumande iru kanousei ga takai. Osoraku..."


    However, that speech was suddenly interrupted. <i>W</i><i>hoosh!</i> An ominous sound of an arrow flying through the air. The arrow aimed at Elisha was shed away by her saber.


    "Uu~~~! Woman, gimme, your, blood!"


    "Uu~~~! Onna, chi, yokose!"


    From the direction the arrow came from, there stood a vampire taking the form of a young girl, hungry for blood. It seemed that the vampire''s interest was more drawn to Elisha''s blood than battling the giant monster. Yes, now was not the time to listen to lectures. New intruders kept appearing, causing chaos, but the fight continued. In such a situation, those who wielded swords had a duty to swing them. "Sorry, Count Oubeniel. We''ll have to postpone the lecture for another time. It seems the other side is quite fixated on me." "Warui na, Oobuniru hakushaku. Kougi wa mata no kikai to shiyou. Dou ni mo mukou ga watashi ni go-shuushin rashikute na."


    Uttering those words while turning her beloved horse''s head towards the enemy, she heard the slightly disappointed voice of a young man from behind. "I see... We''ll leave the vampires to you then. We''ll handle that chimera-like monster. That''s fine, right, Due?"


    "Sou desu ka... Vampaia no hou wa o-makase shimasu yo. Ano kimera-rashiki kaibutsu wa, kochira ga ukemotsu to iu koto de. Ii ne, Due?""Yeah. I''m getting tired of dealing with the small fry. If it gives me a chance to take down a big target, I have no objections."


    "Ou yo. Zako chirashi niya, aki aki to shite kita tokoro nan de ne. Oomonogui no kikai o kureru tten nara, izon wa nee yo."


    Due, who had been targeted with water, readjusted his proud double-handed sword. This man also seemed to be quite a battle enthusiast. In other words, he was simr to Elisha in that regard. However...


    TL Note: "" (mizu o mukerareru) in Japanese means "to be targeted with water." It is used figuratively to describe a situation where someone is being subjected to unwarranted criticism, me, or harsh treatment. It implies that someone is being singled out and faced with adversity or unfavorable circumstances.(For some reason... Due Schwarzer should be a formidable warrior, but something doesn''t quite click.) Whether they were enemies or allies, brave and fierce fighters were to her liking. Especially those who shared her love for battles. And yet, despite witnessing his strength, she couldn''t quite find any appeal in this man. If anything, she found herself more drawn to Uni, who she hadn''t even seen fighting in a full-on battle yet. However, there was no time to leisurely ponder about this now.


    "Master. I suggest it would be wise to divide each target with mes here."


    "Goshujinsama. Koko wa honoo de sorezore no hyouteki o bundan suru koto ga tokusaku ka to""Understood. In that case... <<Fireball Stato>>!"


    "Ryoukai. Sore ja-- <<Faia Booru Sutakkaato>>!"In a strange situation where he, the master, was prompted by his servant, Tulliusunched a magical attack. It was a low-level spell, <<Fireball>>, with the added property of dispersion, but it was sufficient for deterrence. "---!?"


    "- mes!?" Upon the swarm of scattered fireballs flying towards them, the chimera and the vampire instinctively leaped back, creating distance. For the time being, the separation was sessful. Taking advantage of that moment, Due charged forward, followed closely by Elisha and the Second Order Knights shemanded. The battle situation had already slipped from human control, and it had turned into a sh between the monsters and the extraordinary beings who had entered therealm of inhumane.


    ~~~


    While raising a battle cry, a gigantic mass of metal swiftly passes by the side of his body and next to his face. The gust of wind from the sword makes the hair stand on end and brings a sense of impending death to the skin. Due Schwarzer finds himself in the midst of an exhratingbat, an experience he hasn''t felt in a long time.


    (Irresistible... I really can''t, damn it.)


    (Tamaranee... Hontou ni tamaranee naa, oi.)


    The four giant swords wielded by a four-armed monster. Despite exposing himself to the continuous onught, he smirked.


    The thrill of knowing that a single misstep in reading the opponent''s moves could lead to instant death. He didn''t even allow the slightest chance for the enemy to strike back as he slipped through its attacks and seized an opportunity to deliver a powerful blow. All of these sensations had been distant experiences since his transformation by Tullius. If it''s enemies, they were countless--thieves like straw bundles for practice, adventurers who had lost themselves in drugs, artificially bred monsters without fangs like sheep for his master''s experimentation, and the countless soldiers he had cut down on this battlefield. Butpared to those fellows, It was an opponent of a different league that could make him anxious of being killed for real. And now, he was shing swords with one of them.


    If he were to voice any dissatisfaction, it would be that his opponentcked consciousness as a magical creature, and while it possessed strength, its sword skills were amateurish at best... But this was a rare and satisfying prey, and there was no room forints. At this moment, he could fully vent his frustrations against this monstrous adversary.


    As he was lost in these thoughts, he found an opening.


    "Oraa!"


    The monster swung its right upper arm downward, gouging the ground. Due to the interference between its arms, the range of motion was narrowed, creating an opening in its right side. Into that opening, Due delivered a shing attack. For a human, it would have been a single lethal strike that spilled their guts and be fatal.


    However, the sensation he felt was different from cutting through flesh. It was like the de rebounded against a thick and resilient mass. It had no effect.


    "--Oops."


    "--tto, to."


    With the force of being pushed back, Due lightly danced backward, stomping on the ground with a quick motion. What formidable muscles it has. The nk, which would normally be a difficult area to train for an ordinary person and could be a vital point even without using a weapon, waspletely impervious to the double-handed sword that had ughtered countless enemies under its de.


    He had no time to be immersed in astonishment. Without pause, he responded to its counter attack--a diagonal cut with its left upper arm, followed by a sweep with its right lower sword, and then continuing relentlessly with the other two swords.


    "Gyaaaaaahhh!"


    "Ooooooh...!"


    The rotating automated killing machine asionally caught unfortunate soldiers and undead in its trajectory, dragging them into destruction. It seemed to be a product of magic, and its weapon appeared to be a magically imbued gear. Even spiritual-type monsters couldn''t maintain their forms when touched by the de, instantly turning into dust. If hit directly by something like that, even Due might not escape unharmed. The sword''s edge tore through the air and everything else indiscriminately, grazing Due''s body in several ces, cutting the tips of his hair, and leaving cracks on his armor.


    And with each instance, his smile deepened even further.


    (Strong.)


    However, it was still not enough. That desire transformed his smile into something more beastly.


    <i>Not yet, it''s still not enough. Can you corner me further? Can you entertain me more? Is your ability just swinging four swords? Aren''t there any other tricks up your sleeve? I can''t be satisfied like this. As proof of that, I still have the luxury to think about unnecessary things. You must have something special that your former homnd, the nostalgic St. Gallen, cherished, right? It shouldn''t be just about being sturdy and having brute strength, with extra arms.</i>


    Such thoughts welled up from his gut, passed through his lungs, and burst out of his mouth.


    "More... entertain me more, damn it!"


    "Motto da... motto ore o tanoshimase yagaree!"


    Amidst the downpour of sword strikes, which was as fierce as a waterfall, there was a fleeting moment. Due extended his sword tip in response to the opponent''s step, delivering a thrust towards its chest. He felt the satisfying sensation of piercing through flesh with a sharpness. This time, it had an effect. His sword prated the monster''s outer skin, reaching into its flesh. However, it was shallow, merely a mere graze.


    Yet, for the opponent, it was the first time it experiencing pain.


    "-----!?"


    The four-armed giant leaped back as if it had been repelled, seemingly bewildered by the sensation of pain. The swordsman sneered at this.


    "Oi, what are you whining about? It was just a little cut to your chest, that''s all."


    "Ou, nani o ottsuite yagaru nda? Chokotto munemori ga kezureta dake darou ga."


    In reality, the strike didn''t even reach the bones, let alone sever any muscles. It was a move one might expect from an inexperienced, boastful brat who had just picked up a sword.


    Step by step, Due, the swordsman, closed in.


    His opponent also took a step back.


    The man, who had most of his boasted strikes repelled, closed the distance, while the monster, who could kill him with a single hit, chose to retreat. This strange development repeated a few times, until the monster reached its limit first.


    With a resounding thud, it kicked up the earth and leaped high into the air, its massive form silhouetted against the full moon.


    (Thinking it can slice me in two from up there, huh?)


    (Zutai ni mono o iwasete, oo-joudan kara ittou ryoudan tte wake ka?)


    The swordsman assessed the situation and found it interesting. It appeared to be a rather amateurish and brute-force choice, but considering the monstrous size and strength of the opponent, the disyed power would be nothing to scoff at. Conversely, this also meant that any counterattack from the swordsman would be equally escted. If the giant was truly determined to end the battle swiftly, then the swordsman was willing to engage and face it head-on.


    However, he had forgotten one crucial fact. Despite its somewhat humanoid appearance, the opponent was a chimeraa bio-weapon created bybining multiple strengths from different living beings. Having merely multiple arms and strong physical attributes was not the extent of the St. Gallen military''s trump card.


    At the apex of its massive leap, the monster''s chest expanded as it took a deep breath. The excess intake of air was so forceful that even Due, who was more than ten meters away, could feel the wind from its deep inhale. This reminded him of a certain attack method possessed by some monsters.


    (--!! This fe, no way...!)


    (--!! Yarou, masaka...!)


    He opened his eyes wide in a sense of impending crisis that crawled up to his spine. However, it was toote. He had already lowered his waist and assumed a stance to intercept the attack. It seemed unlikely that he would be able to deal with the iing assault in time.


    Looking down at Due, who had a look of astonishment on his face, the monster''s expression changed for the first time. Without a doubt, it was a scornful, mocking smile of a winner looking down on the defeated.


    "Aaaargh!!!"


    The scorching hot air descended upon the wilderness of the basin. It engulfed everything in its paththe location where the wielder of the twin swords stood, the ground littered with grass-covered corpses. Drawing oxygen from the air taken in through its mouth and igniting the fuel extracted from its internal sac, it unleashed a breath of inferno.


    Breath: a deadly ability possessed by high-level magical beasts and dragons, where they imbue their breath with magical power and release it upon their opponents, a power of ughter. This was the very reason why Professor Graumann, the creator, hadpleted the four-armed giant as a chimera. For a Flesh Golem, a creature made from animated corpses controlled by magic, the abilities derived from its original life source were insufficient. Moreover, using such abilities would deplete magical energy at an rming rate. Hence, a living creature with transnted parts became a chimera. Only through being alive could it naturally produce and umte magical energy within its body.


    Simr to his infamous disciple in the past, he subjected ves to lobotomies to destroy their self-awareness and made them obedient, modified its skeletons to increase its size, and transnted carefully selected muscle tissue from other ves to enhance their strength. Ultimately, new arms were added, and the monster''s breath sac was incorporateda human-based chimera weapon. That was the true identity of the monster.


    ~~~


    Now, with the basin''s groundpletely turned into a scorched wastnd, the colossal creaturended with a loud thud. In its field of vision, there were no moving shadows except for the spreading mes. Only scattered remainsy around, belonging to creatures that were once either living beings or undead. At the very least, there was no sign of anyone who wielded twin swords and injured itself in the vicinity. Confirming this, "it" revealed a smirk on its face. This expression, along with the previous mocking, was impossible for a former human whose emotions and thoughts had been stripped away. Perhaps that smile was a result of the emotion known as relief, which it should have lost. The feeling of being threatened was gone; it believed that it was now invulnerable to harm.


    However, there was no time for the monster to indulge in human sentimentality. The imperfectly inputtedmand during activation had not yet achieved its objective. It had to quickly carry out the given instructionsto exterminate all enemies present on this battlefield. The artificially imnted mechanical instinct urged it to act quickly.


    The monster turned its thick neck, searching for another target.


    "Gaaaaaaaahhhhh!!!"


    One of the four arms was severed by a shing attack from behind.


    "Gghhh!?"


    The pain was excruciating, far beyond the shallow agony when its chest had been pierced. A scream echoed through the air as the arm holding therge sword fell heavily to the ground. Sttering fresh blood from the wound mixed with the surrounding mes, evaporating into a foul-smelling steam.


    It was utterly perplexing. Despite the area being scorched by the Breath, there was no sign of the enemy. Or rather, that was the strange part. The troublesome foe, the man with the twin swords, was d in armor. No matter how scorching the breath might be, it shouldn''t have melted the iron dding entirely. Even if he were burnt to death, the remains of the armor and that massive twin sword should still be there.


    Then...


    Another strike. This time, the right arm was cut off, leaving both main and auxiliary arms scattered.


    The enemy was still alive. And now, he was still attacking!


    With terror settling in, the monster raised its head and looked around. Amidst the swirling mes scorching the night sky, a ck wind raced through the hellish wilderness. Moving at an inconceivable speed was a twin greatsword with a shining ck gleam, wielded by Due Schwarzer.


    It wasn''t that the enemy''s figure couldn''t be seen. He was just too fast, too swift for the eyes to catch.


    "Guaaaaahhhhh!!!"


    From the swordsman''s mouth erupted a roar unlike anything human. It reverberated through the air, a booming voice that could even overshadow the sounds of war. His eyes bloodshot, teeth bared, he shouted in a manner that could easily be mistaken for the madness of a monster.


    With a thunderous sound, the twin swords swung. The chimera, now reduced to just one arm, hesitantly raised its remaining weapon to intercept the strike. Collision. The sh sounded like forcefully striking an old bell. Immediately after, the chimera''s legs lifted off the ground, and it was sent flying backward with tremendous force. The monstrous figure, though mighty, had been overpowered by a human of no more than two meters in height.


    The creaturended with its heel digging into the ground, leaving behind a long groove. It was trembling, its throat growling, shoulders, and knees shaking. It was frightened. The fear that had been lurking since the painful blow it received earlier now manifested clearly. Thebat weapon devoid of emotions, an entity that could be called a flesh-covered machine, was facing a genuine monster that transcended the realm of humanity, reviving the fear it was supposed to have lost.


    Before its gaze, the jet-ck swordsman took a slow step forward. He had note out unscathed from the Breath attack, it seemed. His face bore burn marks, and smoke wisped from the gaps in his armor. Yet, that only made him more terrifying. Knowing the heat and pain of being burnt by mes, Due continued to hold onto his fighting spirit and martial prowess.


    "It''s the same as in Canales."


    "Onaji da. Kanaresu no toki to."


    In stark contrast to before, he murmurs in a quiet voice.


    "Everything I see slows down, and my head bes unnervingly clear. When I swing my sword, I can muster the stupid strength of a raging fire. Is it that guy''s doing again?"


    "Me ni hairu mono nanimo kamo ga yukkuri ni natte, iya ni atama ga hakkiri shiyagaru. Ken o furya kaji-ba no baka-ryoku mit na baryoku ga deyagaru shi yo. Yappa, ano yarou no shuukan na no ka?"


    It was evident that he didn''t expect any response; his words were more like muttered soliloquies. As he continued to utter them quietly, step by step, he closed the distance between them with certainty.


    ...In truth, his remarks were far off the mark. It was preposterous to think that Tullius, who valued efficiency, would incorporate such a useless and high-risk function that required him to be in crisis to unleash his full power. Due''s physical abilitiesdespite being enhanced by bodily modifications with thick soleswere his true strength. The reason why they weren''t usually fully disyed might be due to themon sense he had acquired in his life, telling him that "this level of power is sufficient," or perhaps it was an unconscious form of self-restraint driven by his desire to savor deadly battles.


    (TL Note: "" (buatsui geta) refers to "thick-soled wooden clogs." It means Due''s physical abilities have been enhanced through some form of body modification, likening the effect to wearing thick-soled clogs that provide additional support and power.)


    Either way, he continued to swing his sword without realizing the absurdity of his own actions.


    "Well, I don''t care. Let''s continue."


    "Maa ii sa. Tsudzukeyou ze"


    The chimera raised its massive sword as if lifting its head. With three arms already severed and part of its body blown away, it understood that its current power was iparable to the opening moments of the battle. The pressured monster once again seemed to step back but then halted.


    Escape was not an option. If it showed its back, the ck beast would immediatelye shing. So the only choice was to meet him head-on. The simple answer was that there was no way to escape unless he was killed, so the only option was to kill him. The chimera now chose to face its enemy, not following the inputmands but guided by its own instincts and will. This change might have been a stunning discovery for the creator and other alchemists, but those who would witness its oue would never appear again.


    In the heated air, too hot to be called an autumn breeze, a wind blew between the twobatants. In that instant, Due''s body blurred, and before anyone could react, he appeared behind the opponent. His twin swords were poised to strike down.


    Then, the colossal form of the chimera split open from the top, left and right.


    Rumble...!!


    With a ground-shaking impact, it copsed.


    ~~~


    Let''s rewind time slightly. On the other battlefield, the battle between Elisha leading the Second Knight Order and Vee leading the undead was also intense. The Princess Knight, who was riding a unicorn, bravely shouted, creating gaps in the enemy''s formation. Anyone in her path, whether they were soldiers of St. Gallen or monsters, fell beneath her horse''s hooves. The majority of the surroundings were filled with enemies, and the only allies were the familiar faces of the elite guards. With no need to worry about friendly fire, they responded to their captain''s courageous actions by sweeping through the remaining enemies and expanding the gap in the enemy''s formation.


    Although known for their fierce nature, the St. Gallen soldiers were now in disarray after losing theirmand structure. They couldn''t possibly be a match for the Kingdom''s finest elite knights. Furthermore, support fire from Margrave Doldran''s rear fortifications and magical attacks seeminglyunched by Tullius wereing from behind. There was no respite. Having suffered a surprise attack by monsters during the battle at dusk and being caught up in the chaos caused by their own war machines going berserk, their numbers were rapidly decreasing.


    As for the undead, even though they increased in number using the remains of the deceased, theycked the intention to conduct organizedmands under a leader. They were a gathering of individuals attacking the living based on their instincts and resentment, a disorganized mass. Unable to mount an organized counterattack, they were also being decimated.


    The momentum of the three-way battle was rapidly tilting in favor of the Arquell army.


    "Unexpectedly, things are somehow working out, Vice Commander!"


    "Igai to nanto ka naru mon desu naa, fuku danchou!"


    As he killed enemy soldiers, Alfred''s stern expression softened slightly when his subordinate spoke.


    "Yes. It''s a big relief that Sir Schwarzer has managed to restrain their secret weapon. I''d shudder to think what would have happened if that thing went on a rampage here."


    "Ee. Mukou no oku no te rashiki mono o, Shubarutsaa kyou ga osaete kurete iru no ga oukii. Are ga kochira de abarete itara to omou to, shoushou zotto shimasu yo."


    Referring to that huge monster known as the chimera, it may be touted as a weapon, but it''s a foolish one that rampages, posing a significant threat with its massive size and brute strength. Engaging in a life-and-death battle while such a monstrosity roams around is an ordeal that no amount of lives can be enough for. On the other hand, the other monster, the vampire, was being dealt with by their leader. Thanks to that, Alfred and the others were only facing the moderately challenging undead or the mostly disarrayed St. Gallen soldiers.


    (If possible, I''d like to go and assist themander, though.)


    (Dekireba danchou no engo ni mukaitai tokoro nan desu ga ne.)


    While thinking, he gazes at the long road paved with blood and corpses that stretches across the battlefield. It is the path where Elisha, riding on a unicorn, and the monster with the appearance of a vampire-like girl passed through.


    (With such a difference in speed, there''s no way I can catch up.)


    (Kou mo ashi no hayasa ga chigatte wa, oitsuku koto mo mamanaranai)


    As the Second Knight Order, they cannot afford to equip all their members with mounts capable of matching the speed of a high-level spirit beast like the unicorn. As a result, in chaotic battles like this, Elisha, the strongest member of the Second Knight Order, ends up taking the lead as the one qualified to ride the unicorn. It''s an ironic situation, but it''s a tradition in the Second Knight Order to have the strongest member as their leader. Thus, they are forced to effectively utilize their most powerfulbatant.


    However, that''s assuming they are facing ordinary enemies. The opponent Elisha is currently fighting is no ordinary undead; it is a vampire. While he doesn''t think she would let her guard down, the thought of any mishap involving the pure woman who rides a unicorn against a vampire''s fangs is unsettling. It''s an imagination he can''t find any joy in, to say the least.


    Perhaps due to being absorbed in such contemtion amidst the chaos of battle, Alfred didn''t notice the ominous figure that had silently appeared behind him.


    "Vice Commander, watch out!"


    "Huh!?"


    Upon hearing the shout from the subordinate, the Vice Commander turned around to see an enemy soldier who appeared to be half-dead or even undead, yet filled with murderous intent, attacking with a sword.


    sh. The sound of the steel de cutting through flesh and bone echoed.


    "Vi- Vice Commander..."


    One of the knights murmured, seeming relieved.


    "--You really shouldn''t startle me like that."


    The enemy, now divided into three parts, copsed to the ground.


    Before them stood Alfred, who had swung two swords and was now in a stance of remaining vignt. Not only the long sword he had been using, but also the spare dagger hanging from his waist, both drawn in a dual-wielding style.


    "Well, well, it seems I let my guard down a bit too much on the battlefield," he said with a bashful yet wry smile, eliciting teasing remarks from the surrounding knights.


    "That''s right. If Lady Elisha finds out, she''ll scold you for beingx."


    "Absolutely."


    "However, as expected from Sir Al. To handle a surprise attack so masterfully, the skill of the ''Prudemache of the Dual des'' is still alive and well."


    The Second Royal Knights Order, a group gathered from the strongest and most fierce warriors throughout the kingdom. The Vice Commander, who held the position of Number Two, cannot be weak. The dual-wielding style, said to originate from the legendary hero "Dual Sword Hero Joshua Mond," who gained fame for ying dragons three hundred years ago, boasts an unmatched sharpness within the ranks, except for Elisha. While he usually acted as the level-headed counterbnce to the wild Commander and didn''t draw much attention, this man was also a formidable and unpredictable individual.


    "Haa... Anyway, we''ve managed to defeat most of the nearby enemies. What''s the situation of the casualties?"


    "Chrisson got eaten. I did him the favor of putting him out of his misery before his soul got tainted, though."


    "Over here, some young ones let their guard down and were attacked by crazed St. Gallen soldiers... damned savages."


    Upon tallying the reports, nearly twenty knights have fallen to the hands of monsters and enemy soldiers. There are even more wounded individuals who should be taken to the rear for treatment. Fatigue from fighting since noon is also bing an issue. Potions for healing are running low.


    "Indeed, the casualties are significant... It seems challenging to catch up to the Commander like this."


    Saying that, Alfred turns his gaze eastward on the battlefield. The path that Elisha had cleared with her battles against the vampires is now being closed as enemy soldiers and undead are pressing in on each other. Leading his exhausted subordinates into the midst of this chaotic battle takes courage, which he no longer possesses.


    "I hope you are safe, Commander. There are only a few knights in the kingdom who can gather and lead these unruly folks."


    His heart filled with the long-forgotten feeling of powerlessness, Alfred bit his lip. All he can do now is to ensure the safety of his depleted subordinates and pray for her safe return.


    ~~~


    In the dark of the night, the battlefield was illuminated by sparks of shing swords, created by the fierce duel between Elisha, wielding her sharp de from horseback, and a female vampire who identified herself as Vee.


    (The idea that closing in on an archer would work is too naive.)


    (Aite ga yumi tsukai nara kyori o tsumereba, to iu kangae wa tanjun ni sugita ka.)


    A wry smile, more feral than amused, appeared on the female knight''s face.


    Vee''srge bow was not just a simple ranged weapon. The ends were covered with metal casings, shaped like the horns of a cow or a sheep, and even sport spikes reminiscent of metal rodsa thorough preparation for closebat. Although it might be unwieldy with the bowstring drawn, Vee swung it effortlessly with monstrous strength.


    "You''re persistent, woman!"


    "Onna, shitsukoi!"


    "Hmph, you attacked me first and now youin!"


    "Han, sochira kara osotte kite oite, yoku iu!"


    In response to Vee''s frustrated roar, Elisha retorted with a savage smile. The battle between the monstrous woman and the genuine monster girl continued as they sped across the battlefield. Anyone caught in their path was sliced, crushed, or shot down. Elisha''s swordy, the horse''s hooves, Vee''s bow strikes, and the stray arrows all unleashed their power, felling those nearby. It was like a deadly tempest.


    Even without the surprise attack from the monsters that came from behind their main camp, this natural disaster-like battle unfolded continuously. Naturally, the St. Gallen soldiers in their path fell into panic.


    "Hiiiiiiiiiiiih!?"


    "We can''t fight here any longer! Let''s retreat!"


    "Wait! You can''t leave me behind!"


    The soldiers lost their fighting spirit, discarded their weapons, and turned their backs on the enemy, fleeing in a desperate attempt to escape. Some of them, caught off guard, fell victim to the ws of the undead, losing their lives. However, the unstoppable force of the breached defensive line continued, and thousands of soldiers began to flee eastward in unison. The chaotic three-way battle was transitioning into a series of one-on-one deadly duels.


    "Ugh! This, will, settle it!!"


    "Uu-! Kore, de, kimeru!!"


    Frustrated by the repeated shes, Vee relied on her leg strength to make a vertical leap. Recognizing that closebat was not in her favor, she escaped to the open air, creating distance to engage in battle using her preferred methods of archery or magic.


    Of course, her opponent would not let her get away without a fight.


    "I won''t let you escaaaaAAAaaape!!"


    "Niigaasu kaaaAA!!"


    From the woman''s throat came a fierce voice that seemed improbable. At the same time, the unicorn let out a high-pitched neigh. The unicorn, too, kicked the ground and leaped high into the air. In order to corner Vee, who had the moon behind her, she ran through the air with the momentum of an arrow.


    A whiteet ascending against the sky. Upon seeing it stretched towards herself, Vee rounded her eyes for a moment.


    "Ahahahahahaha! You fool!"


    "Ahahahahahaha! Baaka!"


    Vee burst intoughter, finding the situation hriously amusing.


    With a low hum, the intricate markings etched across her entire body glowed. At the same time, just as she reached the peak of her jump, Vee''s body defied gravity and floated slightly. It was magical flight. Although the precision of the spell limited her flying speed, it was more than enough to adjust her position and deal with Elisha''s attacks. The attack had been charged with all her spirit, and she assumed Elisha would be waiting for her to clumsily crash into the ground for the final blow. The vampire mocked her prey with a sense of superiority.


    However, twisting reality with magic was not an exclusive privilege of monsters.


    "Air Burst!"


    A tremendous explosion. The air burst right beneath the unicorn''s hooves, propelling it even higher. It was a wind magic spell cast by Elisha. Originally intended to blow enemies away and disrupt their bnce, she now used it as propulsion for herself.


    The heights aligned. Their gazes met. The bloodshot eyes of the majestic beast, the unicorn, and the determined gaze of the rider, surpassing even the beastly nature.


    "He? Eh? Eeeeh!?"


    Startled by the situation that defied her expectations, Vee stammered in shock.


    "Water Stream!"


    A mid-level water attribute magic. It was inferior to Hydro Stream, a higher-level spell, but it released a powerful water current to strike and immobilize enemies. Simr to the earlier Air Burst, the spell''s force was used for propulsion. With a sudden burst of speed, she closes in on Vee.


    A gleaming, menacing horn was directed at her. The single horn, said to be from the sacred beast, the Unicorn, possessed the power to heal all ailments when boiled into a potion and is believed to disy the power to vanquish evil when used as a piercing weapon. Against the undead, beings who defied the natural order and live beyond death, it proved to be a lethal weapon.


    Collision. Impact. Shock.


    Then, the lone warrior and the monstrous creature were forcefully propelled in opposite directions, as if repelled by some unseen force.


    ~~~


    At the moment of impact, a jolting force surged from under her crotch. Elisha endured it by tightly squeezing her thighs against the horse''s belly.


    It hit. She struck her opponent head-on. The eleration, weight, and magical chargebined into a powerful thrust of the Unicorn''s horn, capable of delivering a devastating blow to even a vampire like Vee. Even if it didn''t cause instant death, it should have inflicted a serious wound. The thrill of havingnded one unconventional move after another sent shivers of satisfaction up her spine.


    However, sending her opponent flying was not an ideal oue. The adversary was the immortal vampire. Creating distance allowed them time to recover from any damage. Elisha knew she needed to keep up the pressure, minimize the recovery time from thending, and continue her pursuit


    At that moment, she suddenly realized something.


    (Wait. Why did she get blown away?)


    (Mate. Naze, fukitobu?)


    Elisha was supposed to pierce her opponent with the unicorn''s horn. If that was the case, some of the impact should have been absorbed by the force needed to pierce the opponent''s body, and she shouldn''t have been blown away so beautifully. No, that''s not the main issue. The sensation of cutting through the wind, both for Elisha and her mount, being blown away in the opposite direction. This is definitely not the result of the unicorn''s horn striking the opponent.


    Burururu...!?


    As she sensed her beloved horse''s hips was losing its strength, Elisha realized something was wrong. Reflexively, she released her feet from the stirrups, kicked off the horse''s back, and leaped into the air. Flipping her body mid-air, she nced down and witnessed the Unicorn copsing awkwardly. She was shocked. Her cherished mount was no ordinary spirit beast; it was a well-trained and honed steed. During past training sessions that left even the Vice Commander pale, the horse had shown incredible feats, descending down impossibly deep valleys using only its four legs. The idea of it faltering during a simplending was unimaginable.


    The spirit beast slid across the ground with excess momentum. Its head sank as if it had plunged into deep snow, and the iconic single horn swayed limply as if deted.


    "Cou- could it be...!"


    "Ma- masaka...!"


    After nullifying the impact with levitation magic and barelynding, Elisha ran towards the direction where the enemy had disappeared. The image of her twitching mount was forgotten from her mind. It might be heartless, but there was no way that unicorn could be saved. What mattered now was to ascertain the enemy''s condition.


    Indeed, the enemy''s presence was found within a hundred meters, not having made much progress.


    "Ughhh...!"


    The vampire girl groaned in pain, her bloodshot eyes shining with malice. Around her, enemy soldiers who seemed to have been caught in the crash were writhing and twitching on the ground. Her legs were crushed and mangled as if caught in a millstone, likely injured during the collision in midair. At the same time, it became apparent that it was a trick to evade the horn.


    At the moment of impact, Vee didn''t avoid the charge; instead, she charged right in. Stretching her legs to avoid the oing horn, she delivered a powerful kick. Utilizing the recoil, she leaped forcefully, blowing Elisha and the others away while propelling herself in the opposite direction, narrowly avoiding danger.


    "What a creature..."


    "Nante yatsu da..."


    Unconsciously, a voice of awe escaped. Dodging the charging horse and instead aiming for the head with a crushing kick  it was a disy of extraordinary and unorthodox thinking. What abination of acrobatics and daring tactics. However, the girl''s true identity was that of a vampire, a being beyond human capabilities. With her supernatural physical abilities, it might have been a challenging feat, but not an impossible one. As evidence of this, she was standing on the ground, although she should have been on horseback.


    "Blood, it''s not enough..."


    "Chi, tarinai..."


    Before Elisha could close the distance, Vee''s arm extended beneath her, grabbing a St. Gallen soldier who was twitching and convulsing on the ground. Despite her appearance as a petite girl, the soldier likely weighed around forty to fifty kilograms. Enduring such impact after falling from high above, it was a testament to the strength of St. Gallen''s elite troops. However, it could also be just a lifeless corpse exhibiting involuntary reactions. The only certain thing was that it served as an excellent source of sustenance for the vampire.


    With a slurping sound, Vee''s fangs pierced the soldier''s throat. Indelicately, she sucked on the blood, further enhancing the vampire''s regenerative abilities. Broken bones audibly connected back together, and torn flesh rapidly returned to its slender form.


    Of course, Elisha couldn''t stand idly by and watch this unfold.


    "Kieeeeeeiii!!"


    With the momentum of her sprint, Elisha swung down with a powerful strike from above. However, her attack caught not the intended target but only a pitiful victim.


    "Uwa, aaaaah, aaaaah..."


    The former soldier, who had been drained of blood and reduced to a desated Lesser Vampire, was gruesomely bisected from the shoulder, his body crumbling away to dust.


    Anding sound echoed behind her. Elisha swiftly turned around, but Vee stood there, gazing in bewilderment at her own hands.


    "My... bow..."


    "Watashi, no, yumi..."


    There, lying in front of her, was the broken longbow. The cursed bow that had taken countless lives as a monstrous weapon was now snapped in half, reduced to useless junk.


    "I won''t forgive you...! How dare you, how dare you! My bow...!"


    "Yurusanai...! Yokumo, yokumo! Watashi no, yumi wo...!"


    Her dazed muttering quickly turned into a growl filled with rage. The vampire''s voice resounded with murderous intent, carried by the night breeze. Despite the tension escting, Elisha calmly opened her mouth, as if cracking a joke.


    "Don''t bark so loudly. I''ve lost my bestowed beloved horse too, you know. If we''re talking about the value of what we''ve lost, I think mine might be greater."


    "Hoeru na yo, urusai na. Khi datte kougisareta aiuma o korosarete iru nda. Nakushita mono no kachi de ieba, kochira no hou ga ookii to omou nda ga?"


    "I''ll kill you! I''ll suck your blood and kill you!"


    "Korosu! Chi wo sutte, korosu!"


    She was supposed to face a human who should have been nothing more than prey, yet she lost their weapon and being shown such an attitude. Naturally, this infuriated Vee.


    However, this was exactly what Elisha had intended. Those who sumb to anger lose theirposure and often resort to direct violence. This applies to both humans and monsters alike. The idea was to make the opponent so angry that they would charge recklessly, intending to deliver a blow.


    The owner of extraordinary strength that could kill a horse, moreover, a high ranking spirit beast that was charging forward, by kicking it. To engage in closebat with such a formidable opponent might seem foolish. However, vampires were a race skilled not only in magic and supernatural abilities. As seen earlier, Elisha was not incapable of using magic, but she excelled in swordsmanship. Comparatively, she had a better chance in a sword fight than in a magical duel.


    In the end, Vee took the bait and epted the challenge.


    "DieeeeeeeEEEEEEE!!!"


    "Shiii... neeeeEEEEE!!!"


    With eyes glowing red in the excitement of bloodlust, Vee charged towards the opponent. Amidst the thunderous sound of trampling dead leaves, a gruesome and eerie noise echoed.


    Looking closely, long curved ws extended from each of Vee''s ten fingers, resembling the appearance of hooks. It must be one of the abilities of a vampire, a physical transformation. Vee had remodeled her own body into a shape suitable for tearing prey apart and bathing in their blood.


    The fingers, now transformed into wicked weapons, approached with a menacing growl.


    "--Such a reckless attack!"


    "--Zatsu na seme da!"


    However, it was nothing more than a move fueled by momentum,cking both tactics and finesse, clouded by the hunter''s instinct even in anger. Elisha skillfully parried by cing her sword along Vee''s w, gracefully spun around, and with a swift pass, sliced into Vee''s back.


    The sword of the "Princess Knight" undeniably tore through the vampire''s skin, cut into its flesh, and brought the blood-sucking fiend to spill its own blood.


    "GaAAAAAH!?! It hurts!? Blood, came out!? Aaaaaaahh!!!"


    "GaAAAAAH!?! Itai!? Chi, deta!? Aaaaahh!!!"


    Vee became even more frenzied, wildly iling her limbs. Leveraging the typical regeneration ability of vampires, the wound on her back disappeared the moment the de was pulled out. A deep wound that would have been a decisive blow for a human becamepletely ineffective. Yet, she continued to rampage, seemingly oblivious to the pain.


    "This sword is also a kind of ceremonial equipment. Therefore, it works exceptionally well against the undead, huh?"


    "Kono ken mo reisou no isshu. De areba, andeddo o kurushimeru ni mo koukou tekimen, ka."


    If only it could also dy their healing. Elisha frowned while muttering, then readied herself again. Normally, she should have seized the opportunity and continued her attacks without pause. The reason she hesitated to do so was because...


    "ARRGAAAH...!?


    "Hih!? Gyaaaaaaaaaah!?


    "GUOOHHH...!!!


    One after another, the undead creatures surrounding Vee either turned into minced meat or were crushed. Also among them were the St. Galen soldiers who were too slow to escape. This was the sight before Elisha''s eyes. Vee was simply thrashing about in pain, destroying anything caught in her path without a second thought. It was like diving into a swirling vortex of destruction, akin to trying to stop the spinning des of a gigantic windmill with bare hands. It was evident that they would be ground to pieces in an instant. Once again, Elisha recognized her as a monster. Her physical abilitiesstrength, speed, agility, stamina, and endurancewere all on an entirely different levelpared to humans. Even her own body, which she thought had a decent chance, was outmatched by these capabilities. Losingposure and not using magic made Vee an excellent target, but how much of afort would that be? ording to Elisha''s assessment, Vee''s subjugation rank was undoubtedly at least A-rank, if not almost A+. She were a high-ranking vampire, one step away from being a Vampire Lord. It was a realm where even top-tier adventurers would struggle without forming a group or an alliance. And she was taking it on alone. Unbeknownst to her, Vee''s physical specifications were not far behind even Charl, the Vampire Lord. She only fell short in terms of magical power and its application. Nevertheless, herplete inability topete was solely due to the hierarchical priority imposed on them. <b>The creations of an ouw alchemist contained capabilities that, despite being considered failures, could still shake the world. </b>Even the elite guard representing a nation, the leader of the Knight Order, was hopelessly outmatched by the monstrous power gap. In the face of it all...


    "Ahh... splendid...!"


    "Ahh... iizo...!"Elisha Rosmond Balbastre let out a serene smile. In this life-or-death situation where a single mistake could mean death, the sensation of the Grim Reaper''s fingertips touching her skin caused her to involuntarily exhale a heated breath. She had never faced such a formidable opponent in her ten years as a knight. A strong enemy. In other words, an alluring prey. Elisha loved battles. There was no specific reason or trigger for it; it was simply an inherent trait. Leaving the Marquisate of Balbastre wasn''t solely to escape an unwanted marriage. It was also because she chose to pursue what she truly desired. Honorable battlefields, formidable foes, moments where life and death crossed paths, igniting sparks! Everything she had dreamed of since childhood was now within her reach. Her gaze, like that of a love-struck maiden, was directed at the vampire girl who continued to recklessly rampage.


    "Oi, look over here."


    "Oi, khi wo miro yo."Uttering those words like a song, Elisha took one step, then another, closing the distance between them. "You hate me, don''t you? You want to kill me, right? Then why are you wasting your time on such pointless tantrums?"


    "Watashi ga nikui ndarou? Watashi o koroshitai ndarou? Sore nara doushite, kudaranu yattsuatari nado ni kamakete iru no da." As she spoke, even she found her own demeanor strange. It was as if she were sulking. No, in reality, she was indeed sulking. The beloved person she had finally met was nowpletely engrossed in some mundane crowd, losing sight of her. She had never felt so jealous before. "Ah...?" Vee finally managed to calm down, and with just her head turning, she looked at Elisha. And as if recalling something, her hatred towards Elisha ignited once more. Elisha felt it too. Her heart was pounding, and a pleasant tension spread through her limbs. She felt a tingling of sorrow in her chest, and her body felt damp with emotion. This was just a prelude, and yet it was already like this. How much greater would the joy be when they reached a conclusion? "...I''ll kill you!"


    "...Korosu!" "That''s right! Look only at me! If you want to kill me, then do it! No need to hold back, I''ll kill you too!"


    "Souda! Watashi dake o miro, koroshitai nara korose! Enryo wa muyou da, watashi mo korosu!"Yelling at each other, the human and the vampire shed. One driven by hatred and hunger, the other by joy and desire. Elisha''s sword parried, deflected, and countered the vampire''s ferocious ws and fangs. At times, she managed to leave a cut with a counterstrike, but the female knight knew that it wouldn''t change the tide of battle. At first nce, it might seem like Elisha had the upper hand with her skillful technique. She avoided taking a direct hit from the opponent''s attacks and inflicted several wounds on them in return. However, it was different. Vampires were hardly affected by minor cuts. Their immortality allowed them to regenerate in an instant. To inflict damage beyond their incredible healing abilities, Elisha would have to sever limbs or target their vulnerable points like the neck or heart, the same as with any vampire. But aiming for those points amidst the storm-like attacks would be an immensely difficult task, even for a seasoned warrior. On the other hand, regardless of the form of attack, a single strike from Vee could be fatal. After all, it was the overwhelming strength of a monster. A mere graze could rip flesh, sever tendons, or even break bones. No matter where itnded, it would surely tear offrge chunks of flesh. Therefore, whether it was a ncing blow or a direct strike, she couldn''t afford to be hit. Vee''s both arms increased the speed of their devastating attacks to a catastrophic level. Elisha''s defensive moves utilized precognition and intuition to withstand them. The heated deadlock gradually shifted the bnce in Vee''s favor. Elisha was slowly being pushed back, and the timing of her counterattacks became slightly dyed. The umted fatigue from consecutive battles, the limits of her concentration, and the weight of the opponent''s strikesall these negative factors pushed against the female knight''s sword. And finally, Elisha''s right shoulder slumped.


    "An opening...!!"


    "Suki ariiiii!!" With a joyful cry, the vampire extended her ws. Elisha''s right arm, holding the sword, drooped with exhaustion, presenting an undoubtedly perfect opportunity. No longer able to rely on minor parries, she decided to make her move and settle the battle in one fell swoop. And in that very moment... "!? Kiiee" In an instant, Vee lost sight of her prey and became flustered. In her wide-open left eye, she saw... "Such an opening on your part!"


    "Sochira koso, suki ari da!"The armored heel of Elisha''s boot had sunk in. Elisha''s body sank down without losing the momentum from lowering her right arm, performing a somersault on the ground. Then, with her body still agile, she extended her leg and struck forcefully into Vee''s face as she came charging. It was a front kick. Exposing oneself to a fall right in front of the enemy is considered a showmanship move used by professional wrestlers. To choose such a move in a life-or-deathbat situation, and to sessfully deliver a powerful blow, required an incredible amount of courage. Now, the vampire clutched her crushed left eye, writhing in pain.


    "GaaaAAAAAAAaahhhhh!? My eyeeeEEEeee!? My eye, hurtsssSSSsssss!!"


    "GaaaAAAAAAAaahhhhh!? Me gaaAAAaah! ME GA, itaiiiiiiiii!!"


    "It''s payback time for my horse. Enjoy it without holding back."


    "Watashi no uma no okaeshi da. Enryo naku ajiwatte kure"As she spoke, Elisha got up and raised her saber, causing the guard to vibrate with a ringing sound. The vampire''s recovery would take time to recover if the target was a delicate organ like an eyeball. The bnce of the battle had once again shifted in Elisha''s favor.


    TL Note: "" (tsuba-nari) refers to the ringing sound produced by the guard (tsuba) of a Japanese sword, such as a katana or saber, when it is struck or moved against something. It is a distinctive sound associated with the drawing or handling of a sword and is often used in literature and media to create an atmospheric effect during sword-fighting scenes."Wait, I will strike with a decisive blow now. O six flowers of the heavens, fierce winds crossing the earth. Now, unite here and dwell within my de"


    "Mattero, ima kakujitsu na todom o sasu. Ten no rokkay, chi o wataru retsuf yo. Ima koko ni aiyorshite, waga yaiba ni yadore"As she chanted, she pressed the tip of her index finger against the de, forming a sword finger, and traced a line of magical power from the guard to the tip of the sword. She was preparing the one decisive strike that could finish off even an immortal monster like a vampire. The vampire, still wincing in pain from her crushed eye, was unable to do anything. Just as it seemed like victory was within Elisha''s grasp, the situation changed once again. A loud and distant thunder-like shock echoed, apanied by a faintly scorching heat on her skin. Looking across the battlefield, she saw that the location where Due was fighting a chimera-like monster was engulfed in crimson mes. (What? It''s toorge of a scale for that boy''s magic.)


    ("Nanda? Ano bya no mah ni shite wa kibo ga kii ga.) Elisha''s thoughts were limited to that extent. But she couldn''t afford to be distracted. She had to finish off her opponent for sure. However, the vampire, who was still clutching her face in pain, had a different reaction.


    "me? me, I, save..." "Honoo? Honoo, watashi, tasukeru..."She lifted her head vaguely, and in her remaining right eye, it seemed to reflect something that wasn''t here and now. Then, in response to the emotions that were brought to mind, the tattoos on her body began to glow. Elisha didn''t know. She wasn''t aware that this vampire''s method of using magic was different from the usual. Due to the madness that gued her in her past life, or perhaps due to the side effects of turning into a vampire with prior experience, her intelligence had regressed, making it difficult for her to perform proper incantations. Topensate for this, magic forms was inscribed all over her body and she''ll fuel them with mana to activate magic. As a result, she could cast any spell without an incantation, albeit with much worse mana efficiency.


    She had shown this to the St. Gallen army only. She had used it against Elisha only for a simple flight spell that was easy to use without an incantation. The massacre of many soldiers at once had been an event that yed out behind the thick curtain of the enemy army for the Arquell Kingdom members. So, they were unaware of this. Therefore, this was an ignorance leading to a fatal mistake. While it might be harsh to me her, it was a dangerous miscalction that could lead to her death. Unaware of all this, Elisha, who was about to release her secret technique, was hit by the vampire''s magic, filled with a killing intent, and unleashed at the cost of an enormous amount of mana. "--BuuuuuUUUUUuuurrnnnnnn!! Ignis Fatasssssssssssss!!"


    "MoeROooooOOOOooooo!! Ignis FatasuUUUUuuuuuuuu!!" "Wha--" "Na--" Once again, the ursed mes lit up in the vicure Basin.


    ~~~


    "Ahahaha! Aha, ahaha, ahahahahahaha!!" Before the mes that burned with such intensity, Vee burst into a loudugh. With squelching sounds, the repair of Vee''s left eye was finallypleted. The impudent prey, the woman, had disappeared, consumed by the inferno. The enemy was gone. Vee had won. It felt good. mes were indeed on her side. Even in such a transformed state, they still protected Vee. "Ahahaha! That feels refreshing! So refreshing! Feels, good!"


    "Ahahaha! Sukkiri! Sukkirishita! Kimochi, ii!"Although there was a sense of weariness due to theck of magical power, it was still a delightful feeling. Perhaps due to unleashing her full power without thinking, the headaches and difort had vanished somewhere. What, so it was simple. With just recklessly venting her full power, all the unpleasant and oddly sad feelings will disappear. By giving in to the impulse brought on by this blood and only obeying the orders of those above her, everything was resolved. There was no need to worry about anything.


    So even without remembering anything "Gu?! Ugh, uuu...?"


    The headache that she thought had disappeared came back again. Again, whenever she tried to remember something she couldn''t recall, her head hurt. Her chest hurt too. Somewhere else hurt as well. It was painful and agonizing. She''d be fine if she just didn''t think about it, so why did she keep trying to remember? Was it because of what that person, Opus-04, said, that she was bing foolish? No, no, she shouldn''t think about it. She shouldn''t think about anything. It hurt because she thought. Her head was already in a mess, so it wasn''t good to force it. She should just listen to orders and focus on carrying them out. That''s all she needed to think about. Then, she would be rewarded and wouldn''t have to endure terrifying punishments. Like a tamed animal, she''d behave nicely and obediently. Just follow the training, and everything would be fine. Don''t think, don''t think, don''t think...!


    "I-I am, Vee... a vampire, Vee..."


    "Wa- watashi wa, Vui... vuampaia no, Vui..." As she reaffirmed what she was, she felt a bit calmer. That''s right, she was a vampire. One of those creatures, like a familiar, kept by that <b>terrifying monster. </b>And that was fine, wasn''t it? If she epted that, she wouldn''t be troubled by such a headache. About herself that was anything other than thateven imagining it was not permitted. "A, aha, ahahaha..."


    She tried tough again. To show off her newfound strength. To take pride in her current self. However, for some reason, she felt reluctant to let out suchughter. She was tired. Perhaps it was because she had used too much magical power. Maybe it was due to the strain of repeatedly forcing her recovery. She didn''t want to do anything anymore. But there was still work to be done. The "Trial" assigned by Opus-04 and Opus-05 was not yetplete. She had to annihte the group of people called "Army" present in this basin. She had been told that "Army" referred to a crowd of humans who possessed fighting power. Since there were still plenty of capable individuals to fight, she had to kill them too. "Y- you damned, monster..."


    "B-bake, monome..."


    "...Hmm?" When she turned her face towards the sound, she saw several people who fit the definition of "Army" lying around, caught in the zing mes of Ignis Fatas, which continued to burn. She had aimed to shoot that woman, but she had poured a considerable amount of magical power. The effective range had expanded, and they were also caught in it. There was no inconvenience, though. The order was to annihte the "Army," so killing them was within that scope. There weren''t many of them still alive, but since they were there, she might as well drink their fresh blood. Her magical power had decreased, and she was weak. Unfortunately, the woman who could have been a delightful treat was already dead. The blood of the deceased didn''t taste good since itcked the vor of life. In that case, the artificially vored blood used for cultivation was better. It seemed there were no virgins among the men lying around, but she would refrain from indulging. She should be satisfied with being able to taste fresh blood. "My stomach, hungry. Dinner... dinner!"


    "Onaka, suita. Gohan... gohan!"She advanced slowly, getting closer to one of the surviving men. If she could thoroughly scare him, seasoning his blood with negative emotions, the taste of the blood would improve significantly. Among the things Opus-04 had said, this was one of the few useful ones. She closed the distance with him, torturing him psychologically, and once he waspletely terrified, she would catch him. And then, she closed the distance one more step


    "...I told you to look only at me!"


    "...Watashi dake wo miro to itta darou!"


    Tearing through the cold mes, an even colder and freezing wind blew towards her.


    As she turned around in response to something, a de pierced through her right wrist.


    "Aaah!?"


    Her severed arm fell off, followed by a searing... no, a freezing pain that ran through the wound.


    "It hurts!? I- it hurts! It hurts, cold, cold, ithurtssssss!!"


    "Itai!? I-itai! Itai tsumetai tsumetai itaiiiii!!"


    Something invaded her body through the wound, crawling up her arm, causing excruciating pain that felt like her insides were being torn apart. Vee clutched her body and rolled on the ground. It was cold. As a vampire, she knew she had no body temperature, but this coldness was different. It felt as if countless ice needles were being plunged into her blood vessels, freezing everything they touched. It was no illusion. Beyond her severed wrist, the skin on her arm was blistered, and frozen blood spurted out like red flowers. And the invasion of frozen blood continued to advance upward on Vee''s right arm with each passing moment. The agony inflicted upon Vee was indeed that of a frigid hell. At the moment her body was cut by the sword, it was invaded by ice magic, and eventually, her body was frozen and destroyed from within. Trembling from the cold, she was subjected to a beautifully cruel torture and execution. Instinctively realizing her own fate, Vee resorted to desperate measures. "Gaaa, aah, aaahhhhhhh!!!"


    Before the freezing erosion could reach her torso, Vee cut off her right arm from the shoulder. The detached arm condensed and shattered as it hit the ground. The one-armed vampire red at her enemy, breathing heavily from the intense pain and exhaustion, yet burning with hatred as if trying to dispel the lingering coldness from her body. Standing before her was Elisha Rosmond Balbastre, the female knight who should have been consumed by the mes of "Ignis Fatas." The woman who was supposed to be dead stood there unscathed. With a slightly irritated smile, she unted her barbaric appearance, as if she was pleased that she could still fight. However, what caught Vee''s attention was the elegant saber that Elisha wielded. "...That, sword, is...?!" "...Sono, ken, wa...?!" The seemingly insignificant weapon that had caused only minor pain moments ago now took on apletely different appearance in Elisha''s hand. The magical light illuminating the night, the cold blizzard swirling around the de. As if the ice magic itself had taken residence within the sword, it exuded an aura of freezing enchantment. "--A magic, sword." "--Mahou, ken."


    Magic Sword. A skill that allows a sorcerer to temporarily create a magical weapon of legendary proportions by imbuing their spells into a sword, as sung in myths and legends. Indeed, with this, it wouldn''t be strange to break through and defeat ''Ignis Fatas.'' After all, those people have shown it in front of her before--Again, her head hurts. The female knight caught Vee''s voice as she held her head in her left hand. "Oh? So you knew about it, my trump card, ''Blizzard Fang.''"


    "Hou? Shitte ita ka, watashi no oku no te ''Burizdo Fangu'' wo."Vee may not know, but the magic sword ''Blizzard Fang'' is considered an advanced spell among simr magic. Its essence lies in thebination of two attributes: water and wind. By adding wind to water, which controls low temperatures and freezing, it creates a blizzard that enhances the power of freezing. When swung with this power imbued in the sword, the synergistic effect is as you can see-- even against a vampire''s body, which is not a weakness to freezing attributes, it brings about a fatal effect. "Ah, aah, aaaah...!"


    Vee, now left with only one arm, hesitantly stepped back in fear. She couldn''tprehend it. Why did it turn against her? Wasn''t that magic, that ability, supposed to be theirs, theirrades''? So why was the enemy able to use it? Why was it hurting her? She couldn''t understand, couldn''t understand, couldn''t understand...! The pain, the shock, and the confusion of memories put her thoughts into a state of paralysis. Her fighting spirit and desires were gone somewhere. All she felt was sheer terror. Above all else, she feared being annihted by the same techniques her formerrades once possessed, although she couldn''t recall them now. It was as if they were condemning and judging her, who had be tainted by the darkness... "...Uwaahhhhhh!!" At that moment, unable to bear it any longer, Vee lunged at the opponent. Swinging her remaining left arm like a spoiled child, she cried as she shed. That technique, that sword, couldn''t be real. Those belonged to them, no, to those people. There was no reason for them to be here. So it must be a fake. Fakes shouldn''t be spared... ...But if it was indeed real... "Haaaahhh!!" In response, the female knight''s sharp sword extended. With a sweeping sh, it severed the grotesque w, then swiftly pierced Vee''s chest. Her target was the heart, the weakness of a sentient being, be it living or dead. The de of absolute zero embedded into Vee''s chest from the tip of the sword, piercing through her back. "...Ah."


    With the momentum of their charge still remaining, the two women collided with a loud thud. Their faces were so close that it seemed like they were about to touch. For a vampire, it was a distance close enough to sink their fangs into their prey. However, Vee remained motionless. "...Hot."


    "...Atsui." Vee felt the magical power invading her body. It was so cold that she seemed to experience a burning sensation in contrast. Yet, she believed in that heat as if it were real. The magic sword, unbreakable even with the power of darkness, radiated a precious brilliance. That was what it truly was. Fragments of her past memories resurfaced, ying vivid images at this critical moment.


    --A gentle priest who guided her when she was lost. --A stubborn girl she shed with many times due to their opposite personalities. --That boy who reached out to her first and captivated her with his eyes. --The radiant sword of me forged by the bond between the boy and the girl. The pain and heat piercing through her chest were proof of their existence. Her formerpanions, whom she thought she had lost forever, had returned. They were here to pass judgment on her, who had fallen into the clutches of wickedness and be a minion of <b>demons. </b><i>...Those people were truly heroes of justice. ...They were scolding her properly for the wrongs she had done.</i>Feeling a strange sense of relief, she epted the approaching end. Suddenly, she noticed an unfamiliar woman standing before her. Who was she again? She felt a vague sense of recognition, but she couldn''t remember. As she didn''t want to depart without knowing who would witness her final moments, she asked. "...Who are you?"


    "Anata wa... dare?"Upon hearing the question, the woman blinked and then showed a slight hint of confusion before answering, "Come to think of it, I didn''t introduce myself. ...I am Elisha. Elisha Rosmond Balbastre. As you can see, just an ordinary knight."


    "Sou ieba, nanigoto tte inakatta na... Elisha da. Elisha Rozumondo Barubasutoru. Mite no touri ikkai no kishi da." She kindly provided her name. <i>...I see, that''s your name. ...Come to think of it, my name is...</i> "...Ah, I see."


    "...Aa, souka."


    Finally, she remembered. Her forgotten name. The name she used to dislike, but grew to like a little after being called by herpanions many times. "...I am..."


    "Watashi wa..."<i>...I am Sheeran.</i>


    ...Watashi wa Shiiran da.Sheeran, the half-elf. An adventurer and the fourth member of the party ''Guardian of Scales'' Why had she forgotten something so important? Her forgetfulness was soical that it made herugh. The fact that she could recall it now made her strangely emotional, enough to bring tears to her eyes. At the same time, magical power surged into her body from her chest. With a smiling and tearful expression, the girlpletely froze. Then, in the next moment, she shattered like blooming flowers. Like premature snowkes dancing in the autumn night sky, she fell to the ground and melted away. The monstrous being that appeared on the battlefield without warning, terrifying both sides, was no longer there.


    ~~~


    "Uni, did you see her?"


    "Uni, miete ita kai?"


    "Yes, Master."


    "Hai, go-shujin-sama."


    "What do you think of her, from your perspective?"


    "Kimi kara mite, kanojo wa dou dai?" "Her physical abilities are not exceptional. The same goes for her magical power. However, her pure swordsmanship surpasses Due. The sharpness of her trump card too--with her current weapon, it may not match Fem''s, but if she acquires a powerful new equipment, it might. Above all, her explosive power is dangerous to underestimate."


    "Karada nouryoku wa sore hodo dewa arimasen. Maryoku mo onajimidesu. Shikashi, junsui na kengeki no hodo wa Due o shinogu deshou. Kirifuda no kireaji mo--genjou no buki dewa Fem ni tsuuji wa shinai deshou ga, arata ni kyouryoku na reisou o te ni irerereba, arui wa. Nani yori, ano bakuhatsuryoku wa azuru ni wa kiken ka to." "...Leaving her alone might be troublesome, is that what you''re saying? Well now, what should we do?"


    "...Houchi sureba yakkai ni nari kanenai, to iu koto ka na. Sate, dou shiyou ka?" "Master, I implore you to make a decision from a high vantage point and consider the overall situation."


    "Go-shujin-sama ni wa, douka koujo taikyaku kara no go-eidan o ba." "Hmm. In that case, then--"


    "Fumu. Sore jaa--"


    ~~~


    After confirming theplete disappearance of the vampire who called herself "Vee," Elisha swung her saber in the air as if shaking off the blood and deactivated the Blizzard Fang spell. At the same time, she was ovee by a sudden wave of exhaustion and fell to her knees on the ground. "Kuh...! As always, it consumes an absurd amount of magical power..." Thebination of two attributes and the prolonged maintenance of the magic sword resulted in an enormous consumption of magical energy. As a result, Blizzard Fang had be ast resort that couldn''t be used frequently. Furthermore, while Elisha possessed excellent aptitude for the two attributes, she was fundamentally a swordsman, not a mage. Her focus was on swordsmanship rather than enhancing her magical power, so her overall magical capacity was not particrly high. If it were a single-attribute magic sword, such as one made solely of water or wind, she might have been able to conserve more magical energy. However, that would make it difficult to deal significant damage to vampires. It was a dilemma. Elisha was tormented by a sense of fatigue. At that moment, she heard cheering voices in the distance. "Commander! Are you okay, Commander!" "Look, over there! The Commander is safe!" "We did it! The Commander defeated the vampire!" "You''re amazing, Commander!" "Yeeeahhhh! Second Royal Knights Order, the best!" When she turned around, she saw her subordinates, the members of the Second Knights Order, approaching. Almost all of them were in a battered state, and some of them had missing faces. They should have been at the rear and had suffered severe losses. Seeing her reckless troops, her fatigued expression twisted even more in frustration.


    "Al... What are you doing?" "Commander! The St. Gallen army is in full retreat! It''s a victory for our side!" A man, who seemed to have decorated the word posed" on his forehead, was now wearing a silly, jubnt expression as he ran towards her. He must havee searching for Elisha despite having retreated once, unable to resist checking on her after witnessing the enemy''s defeat. "You fool... As the old saying goes, tighten your helmet after winning--" Elisha tried to shout and scold him, but her bodycked strength, and she couldn''t raise her voice. The armor that she usually wore as if it were clothing now felt heavy, and even she felt reluctant to sheathe her sword. Exhausted from continuous battles since noon and the bloody battle with the vampires, she had lost so much strength that she was no different from an average woman at this moment. ...And it was at that time. "Master... Where...? Blood... thirsty!" A Lesser Vampire appeared by her side, dragging its crumbling body. "What, the hell...?" Elisha murmured in astonishment. It must be because the one who controlled it, Vee, had disappeared. The Lesser Vampire''s body was emitting white smoke from various ces, appearing as though it could disintegrate at any moment. Yet, even so, if it could suck the rich, virginal blood, it might be able to sustain its false life with that nourishment. Whatever twist of fate it was, there was only one exhausted woman before the monster. Moreover, that woman exuded a pure and sweet fragrance, maintaining her innocence. And there was distance from the interfering knights and soldiers.


    "Woman...! Give me, blood...!" "Gah...!?" With what seemed like ast burst of strength before disappearing, the monster lunged at Elisha with a force that didn''t seem like it was about to die in any sense. Elisha had no strength left to resist. She was overwhelmed by the monstrous creature, whose emaciated arms resembled withered trees, and fell helplessly to the ground. The cold air carried with it a chilling stench of death, making her feel nauseous. "C-Commander!" "R-Right there...!" Her subordinates'' voices sounded distant. Even though they were just a dozen meters away, it felt as if they were calling from across the ocean. She attempted to put up some resistance, but her frail arms could only exert as much force as they appeared to have. She couldn''t even push away the dry, lifeless body pressing down on her. (Is this the moment I''ll die?)


    With her own hands, she had in formidable foes, and her allies were winning the battle, yet she was about to be taken down by the hands of a insignificant lesser creature after exhausting all her strength. She felt regretful. If possible, she didn''t want to die in such a manner. If she were to die, she would have preferred it to be at the hands of a formidable enemy, forcing them to acknowledge her strength. However, Elisha understood that this was what battles were like. Both enemies and allies, the strong and the weak, herself and her opponents, all engaged in a game of chance with their lives on the line. That''s what battle was. Whether faced with the absurdity or the injustice of it all, once defeated, it was only natural to lose the stakes. Embracing cruel and hard-to-ept oues should never be overturned. To do so would tarnish all the victories and defeats umted up until now. It would be an act of betrayal to the enemies she had defeated and killed with her own hands. The bitter and harsh taste of regret was also part of the taste of battle. When a cup is poured, it should be emptied as a sign of respect. If that''s the case, then she should ept this death and regret. (There''s no helping it. I gave it my all in the battle...) If she had been killed without understanding the circumstances, while still having some strength left, the regret would have been far greater. This was the result of giving her all in this battle. It was incredibly frustrating, enough to make her want to cry, but crying andmenting before dying were the duties of a loser. She couldn''t go against that, especially not now, when she had been winning until today. In that case, she might as well die whileining. With that thought, even though it was a matter of life and death, she felt somewhat amused. Starting with that, "I''m a woman too... If possible, I wish I had been taken down by a more handsome opponent." "Watashi mo onna da na... Dekireba, mou sukoshi mitame ii aite no te ni kakaritakatta zo."


    She voiced her dissatisfaction towards the ugly and withered creature.


    ---


    --


    "...Fireball" A fireball flying from the side directly hits the Lesser Vampire. "Fire...?! Ah, aaahhh...!" The easily mmable undead creature, already weakened without its master, couldn''t withstand the impact of the magic''s impact and transformed into smoke and ashes, finally crumbling away. Amidst the shock of suddenly being saved from death, Elisha and her subordinates hear a carefree voice. "Oh, that was close, wasn''t it? Luckily, I made it in time."


    "Iyaa, abunai tokoro deshita ne? Nantoka maniatte, yokatta, yokatta."Approaching them was a man with the same nonchnt expression as always, apanied by a maid who seems to be his ve. Slithering between the gaps of the knights, he walked toward them from behind. It was Tullius Shernan Oubeniel. "Lord Tullius..."


    "Turiusu kyou..."


    "Hello, Lady Balbastre. I apologize for leaving you with such a demanding task during the battle with St. Gallen. And congrattions on your great achievement in defeating the Vampire. Uni also thinks so, right?"


    "Doumo, Barubasutoru kyou. Zankuto Garen to no sentou kara kakoku na o-yakume o makasekkiri de, moushiwake arimasen. Soshite Vanpaia no toubatsu to iu taikou, omedetou gozaimasu. Yuni mo sou omou darou?" "Yes, it''s an extremely joyful and celebratory event, indeed."


    "Hai, taihen shukuchaku saikyoku to zonjimasu."


    He said so while pping his hands and made Uni beside him bow her head as well. It was a rather ostentatious and theatrical disy. The approaching knights were taken aback by the sudden turn of events and his out-of-ce behavior. His excessive ir made his actions seem insincere, and it was somewhat diforting. Nevertheless, it was a fact that he had saved her at a critical moment. "I owe you my life. Thank you."


    "Tasukatta. Rei wo iu.""Oh no, it is I who should express my gratitude. Without the strength of the Second Knights Order, this battle would have been quite different."


    "Ieie. Orei o iitai no wa kochira no hou desu. Anatagata, Konoe Daini Kishidan no o-chikara ga nakereba kono tatakai mo dou natte ita mono ka."Finally, the surrounding knights began to rx and resume their movements. "Th-thank goodness, Commander! ...Truly, I''m relieved you''re safe...!"


    "Na, nani wa tomoare, danchou! ...Hontou ni yokuzo go buji de..!"


    "Yeah, you too, Al."


    "Aa, omae koso na, Aru."


    Vice Commander Alfred, with tears welling up in his eyes, stood at the forefront of the knight order and saluted. While it might have been appropriate to scold him for his earlier indiscretion, it would be unkind to dampen the joyous atmosphere. Even in a fierce woman who was called a "Princess Knight," there existed such a level ofpassion.


    "Well, I must say, it''s truly astounding. Just the 40,000 soldiers from St. Gallen were hopeless enough, and on top of that, monsters led by vampires and as addition, an iprehensible monster."


    "Iya, hontou ni tamagemashita na. Zankutogaren-gun yonman dake demo zetsubouteki da to iu no ni, sore ni kuwawarate Vanpaia ni hikiirareta mamono, omake ni wake no wakaran bakemono desu ze?"


    TL Note: He means the chimera. Monsters that Vee led: mamono, and the chimera: bakemono. I know I have to figure out other word to distinguish these two.


    As Alfred said so, causing Tullius to finally wonder what had happened to Due who was fighting that monster. He couldn''t hear the roaring and screams that had filled the air during their battle. Did that man manage to defeat the monster or did they kill each other...? It was when he pondered about this. "Yo, it seems you''ve settled things on your end too."


    "Yo. Shi mo katazuite ita no kai."


    A man in ck appeared dragging his tired body while puffing up smoke. The hot wind that can be felt in the middle of that battle seemed to havee from the ce where Due was fighting. The cheeks of his fearless face were painfully burnt. "Due, good work. Here, a healing potion."


    "Due mo otsukaresama. Hai, chiyu no poushon.""...Yeah"


    "...Ou."


    With an unenthusiastic gesture, he reluctantly epted the vial that Tullius tossed to him. Elisha can sense an ufortably stifled expression on his face. Before she knew it, she finds herself speaking to him.


    "You seem quite bored."


    "Zuibun to taikutsu-sou na kao da na."


    "Huh?"


    "An?"


    "It appears this battle didn''t get you fired up."


    "Douyara kono ikusa, kiden wa moenakatta you da na."


    "Hah! I have no idea what you''re talking about. Whether I was fired up or not, it''s obvious from the way things turned out"


    "Ha! Nani itte yagaru sappari da ne. Moeta moenai de ieba, mite no toori"


    With a yful gesture, Due pointed to the burn mark on his cheek. However, his deliberately nonchnt attitude in trying to dodge the question provided a clear answer to the doubt brewing inside Elisha.


    "You don''t feel like you''re truly alive. You seem to have that look on your face, Due Schwarzer."


    "Ikite iru jikkan ga nai. Dokoto naku sonna fuu ni omoeru kao o shite iru yo, Due Shubarutsaa."


    Or perhaps that could be the source of the difort that bothers her. She spoke although she hinted at such continuation without explicitly saying it. "--!" The reaction was dramatic. Ignoring the man who fell silent as if his most painful spot had been struck, even more so than a scorching burn, Elisha turned towards her subordinates. "...Anyway, everyone. You''ve worked hard. Since I joined the Second Knights, it was an intense battle like never before, but you managed to survive." "...Tomo are, shokun. Gokurou datta. Watashi ga Daini Kishidan ni haitte irai, katsute nakatta gekisen datta ga, yokuzo ikinobita mono da."


    "Hehe, this time, I really thought it was hopeless." "Hehe, kondo bakari wa dame ka to omoimashita yo."


    "When the captain was in danger, I really felt a chill down my spine..."


    "Danchou ga ayauku natta toki wa, hontou ni kimo ga hie mashita naa..."


    The subordinates spoke as they touched the wounds and damaged armor on their bodies. Of course, just a moment ago, Elisha had been attacked by remnants of demons. Because of that, she kept a careful eye on her surroundings while making light-hearted remarks. However, it seemed that her worries were unnecessary.


    "AAAHHH..."


    "It''s, disappea... ring... Crum... bled..."


    "Kie, ru... kuzure, ru..."


    "You bastarddddddddd...!"


    "Onoreeeeeeeeee...!"


    Amidst the wailing of resentment, the horde of undead disintegrated, turning into dust or dissipating into the air. With the defeat of the spellcaster, Vee, just like the previously crumbling Lesser Vampire, the ties that kept those deceased being in the mortal realm lost.


    The battlefield, which had been in such a tumultuous state, quickly fell into silence. The St. Gallen army had already scattered, fleeing to the east.


    ...It was a victory for the Kingdom of Arquell.


    "Now, everyone! Let''s return to the main camp!"


    "Saa, minasan! Honjin ni modorimashou!"


    In the basin enveloped by a silence as if life had ceased to exist, Tullius'' cheerful voice resonated incongruously.


    No, such an impression was undoubtedly wrong. He had the right to say that. He had driven out the enemy troops, preventing their invasion of the western province, and even swept away the suddenly appearing horde of monsters. For that, many soldiers were wounded, lost limbs, and died. Because of that, for the sake of the surviving soldiers and those who had sacrificed their lives, they had to proudly sing the song of victory.


    It was both the leader''s right and duty.


    On the western side of the basin, within the Arquell Kingdom''s army camp fortified with earthworks, bonfires were zing brightly. Soldiers stood on top of the ramparts, looking down upon the battlefield now devoid of all enemies.


    Their number was approximately five to six thousand. The force that had counted fifteen thousand before the encounter had now vanished, with about two-thirds of them turning into casualties on the battlefield. Undoubtedly, the enemy suffered heavy losses as well, but it had been a severe battle nheless.


    Approaching the main camp anding within hearing distance of the surviving soldiers, Uni prompted something to her master.


    "Come on, Master."


    "Sa, goshujin-sama."


    "Hmm, it''s a little embarrassing after all--"


    "Uun, yappari chotto hazukashii keredo--"Tullius scratched his cheek in embarrassment for a while, but eventually, he made up his mind and thrust his right fist toward the sky. "It''s our victory!"


    "--Bokutachi no, kachi da!"It was a deration of triumph.


    "Long live Arquell Kingdom! Long live King Charles!"


    "Arquell Oukoku, banzai! Kokuou Sharuru Heika, banzai! Ba, banzaaaaaaiii!"


    With an air of inexperience, the victory cry retained a sense of innocence. ...However, the actual approach was quite the opposite. He incited the people, led them into battle, and ground them down for the sake of victory. With unexpected fortifications and new weapons, they also fought against enemies that are superior to their skills. As an added bonus, various concoctions and even monsters disrupted the St. Gallen army, dealing a heavy blow. Judging solely from this battle, one could see him as a formidable general. While their own forces suffered losses, in terms of the ratio of casualties, the enemy undoubtedly bore the brunt. Many allies died, but they managed to repel the enemy. They won. It was a gritty, bloody, and luck-favored victory. --But was it really so? (Could it be possible that this man manipted the monsters to attack the enemy?)


    (Kono otoko de areba, mamono-domo o tebiki shite teki o osowasetemo, fushigi de wa nai no de wa aru mai ka?) It seemed unthinkable. Monsters had been humanity''s enemies even before the establishment of the Holy King''s teachings. It would be odd for him to resort to such methods, even if they were cornered. Yet, in reality, Tullius, who should have been taken by surprise at the beginning of the war, continued to achieve favorable results. (Oh well, I''ve be suspicious all of a sudden. I can''t even mock Sir Linus Oubeniel.)


    (Yare yare, itsu no ma ni yara utagawashiku natta mono da. Watashi mo Rainasu buruniru-kyou o waraen na.) As she pondered, on the other side, Marquis Doldran stood at the forefront, shouting to the soldiers.


    "...All troops, shout cheers for Count Tullius Oubeniel, the suprememander! Hurrah!"


    "...Zen-gun, soushireikan Turiusu buruniru hakushaku ni shouwa seyo! Banzai!"The reaction was dramatic.


    "Hurraaaaaahhhhhhh!""...Banzaiiiiii!"Thousands of men chanted in unison. The cheers, filled with overwhelming emotions, gradually transformed into individual expressions of their feelings. "Long live victory! Long live Volden!! ...Long live the Lord!" "We won... We really won...! We did it, we wonnnn!!" "Take that, St. Gallen! Damn you and your monsterckeys from the day before yesterday!" "I survived, Joseph, Marco. Th-thanks to you guys... Ugh...!" The cheers erupted, breaking through the night sky like a thousand thunderps. Every surviving soldier gathered on the battlefield was ecstatic with the taste of victory. Oveing adversity and seizing triumph, they forgot all the hardships of the past and the battles yet toe, immersed in the joy of the moment. "...Well, it''s just within the bounds of the scenario, I guess."


    "...Maa, girigiri de shinario no hanchuu ka na."Unaware of the fact that <b>everything had been within the hands of the devil.</b>


    ~~~


    To be continued~


    TL Note: I''VE COMPLETED IT!!! ANOTHER CHAPTER!!! YEAH!


    Also, consider leaving ament--it can boost my mood to work on this! And if you find any trantion error please feel free to correct me!

 Chapter 74: Dealing with the Banquet

    Chapter 74: Dealing with the Banquet


    Five days had passed since that nightmarish night.


    Jrgen Bauer sat in the office of the upied city''s town hall, lost in contemtion. Though not an umon sight since the invasion of the Volden province, there were a few peculiar aspects this time.


    Firstly, his body was covered in wounds.


    During the Battle of vicure, a vampire emerged from behind the St. Gallen army and inflicted severe injuries upon Bauer. Miraculously, he managed to survive, but it was a close call. Amidst the chaos, the priests who would usually perform healing magic were given priority targets as the natural enemies of the undead forces. Therefore, it was a mage, not a priest, who tended to his wounds. Unlike the divine miracles performed by priests, this rough magic forcibly reshaped his body, leaving the wounds sealed but still painful. To fully recover, he would require the skills of a renowned professor from the Academy.


    Next, it was oddly surprising that despite sustaining such injuries, Bauer''splexion wasn''t pale. This was due to the improved nutritional situation in the army. They hadn''t received additional supplies or seeded in new looting efforts. With the army reduced to less than half its size, the avable rations per person had increased. The problem that had gued the expedition force for a long time was ironically eased by their major defeat.


    And finally... his expression remained fixed, etched with deep anguish, almost like a mask.


    "What should I do..."


    "Dou sureba ii no da..."


    Only his lips moved like another creaturebut dyingand spat out his distress.


    The current military strength was roughly 16,000. This was still more than double the military force left in the Kingdom of Arquell in Volden. To the untrained eye, even an optimistic thought woulde to mind.


    Sure, we have been depleted as well, but they have suffered the same. We have already experienced their tactics, so we could devise countermeasures and face them again. If we do that, we might win this time... or so one might think.


    However, it''s not that simple.


    For a military, troop numbers were never something that could be taken at face value. Soldiers were not just countless individuals; each one was like a cog in the machinery that constituted the army. The Zanktgalen army, reduced from forty thousand to sixteen thousand, was akin to a damaged machine missing twenty-four thousandponents. Such a thing could hardly be expected to function properly.


    One might have thought that the solution was to reorganize the army to operate with the sixteen thousand troops avable. However, the process of reorganization was not as simple as it sounded.


    Units that had suffered casualties and fallen below their designated strength naturally needed new recruits to fill the gaps. One could have likened it to new employees or transfersing to a workce. To ensure that these new soldiers could function effectively within the unit, what was required? It included taking over the responsibilities from their predecessors--the deceased or incapacitated--establishingmunication and understanding among existing members and neers, conducting training to confirm movements and improve coordination, and so on and so forth. There were countless tasks to be done, and not a single one could be overlooked.


    To rebuild a once-copsed army, such a tremendous and intricate process had to be undertaken.


    ...even to the point of further overburdening the soldiers who were depressed by the defeat.


    Of course, these tasks were being executed at a rapid pace. Without such efforts, they wouldn''t be able to face the Arquell Kingdom again, let alone escape and return to their homnd beyond the mountains.


    However, it would still take nearly another week toplete. Despite their impressive number for this continent, but the reality was that the training and morale were disregarded, and only the appearance of the army was arranged. Engaging in war with such an army was simply madness.


    Nevertheless, it should be possible to defeat the smaller Volden enemy force in terms of numbers. The Arquell side also needed reorganization. In that case, the more experienced St. Gallen forces couldplete the process more efficiently. Once they regroup and advance again, there was a chance to conquer the western region of Volden.


    However, there was no hope of defeating the main force of the Arquell Kingdom, which woulde to reinforce the enemyter. The current situation had incurred far more losses than they could afford, and despite the food supply improving, they had too few troops. Time was also against them. The western invasion had already been stalled after the battle at vicure, leaving them with the arduous task of rebuilding the army after the defeat. The schedule was severely dyed. Under such circumstances, it was even possible that enemy reinforcements might arrive during their next invasion. Even if they managed to conquer the west before reinforcements arrived, they wouldn''t have time to rest their troops. Trying to hold out until winter in a defensive battle was risky, given their small and weary army, victory was far from guaranteed.


    In other words, there was no hope of winning. The St. Gallen Federation''s strategic n hadpletely copsed less than a month after the war began.


    "What should I do..."


    "Dou sureba ii no da..."


    Another sigh escaped his lips.


    No matter what, the course of action had already been decided at this point. They needed toplete the reorganization quickly and withdraw beyond the mountain range. If they couldn''t win anymore, there was no choice but to retreat. Engaging in further battles would only needlessly sacrifice soldiers and make him a futile and nameless leader. Such a decision would be merely driven by Jrgen Bauer''s personal stubbornness, and he was well aware of that.


    However, the problemy in that very stubbornness.


    What would happen if they withdrew after suffering a major defeat here? They would lose twenty-four thousand soldiers without even conquering a single province of Volden and would be seen as aughingstock by the Federation and the Baharia Kingdom. He could handle it, but his homnd would be scorned by the royal family and other territories. His family, asmoners with little support, could face unimaginable consequences.


    To avoid that, he needed to achieve a glorious military victory, even just once. He was willing to sacrifice his own life and the lives of all his soldiers for it. Even if the entire war ended in defeat, they needed some semnce of a significant achievement. After all, he was a member of Baharia, the essence of the St. Gallen Federation. He had to show a battle that would garner such acim from all over the country.


    However, such military prowess was beyond his grasp. Even for fully equipped armies, it would be difficult to achieve. For a ragtag group of defeated and scattered soldiers like his, it was nearly impossible. He wasn''t so naive as to believe it could be done easily.


    On the other hand, running away now... No, it would be better than dragging the soldiers into a reckless operation.


    His thoughts circled, and he couldn''t find an answer. That''s why he found himself groaning, wondering what he should do. However, he couldn''t continue to agonize forever. Once the soldiers'' reorganization was done, action would be the only option.


    Advance or retreat. There was no room for hesitation or stagnation. If they wasted time like that, the enemy''s main force would be reinforced with additional troops.


    Caught in this unenviable dilemma of choosing between two impossible options, Bauer continued to struggle.


    But that time woulde to an end today.


    "Sir, it''s terrible! General Bauer!"


    "Ta, taihen desu! Bau shougun!"


    One of his subordinates rushed into the room with a panicked expression.


    Bauer''s already wrinkled forehead furrowed even more, as themotion seemed far from appropriate for someone visiting the quarters of the suprememander of the military.


    "You seem quite agitated... What about the guards'' briefi--"


    "Awatadashii na... Sore ni eibei no toritsugi wa doushi--"


    "It''s not the time for that! Th-the, the Arquell army... The Arquell army!"


    "Sore dokoro de wa arimasen! A, a, Arukru-gun ga... Arukru-gun ga!"


    Clearly overwhelmed and in a state of agitation, the subordinate''s report was disjointed, interrupting Bauer''s reprimand. But from the creased brow and pale face, it was evident that the news was far from being good.


    "--What happened to the Arquell army?"


    "--Arukru-gun ga, doushita?"


    When Bauer inquired, the subordinate took a couple of breaths topose himself before finally uttering coherent words. However, it seemed toote to report the situation.


    "The Arquell army is attacking! They areunching an assault on this town!"


    "Arukru-gun no shuugeki desu! Kono machi e to, kougeki o kuwaete orimasu!"


    "What...?"


    "Na, ni...?"


    Bauer couldn''t believe it. The current Arquell forces within the state couldn''t be more than six thousand, even with a generous estimate. Here, their numbers had a significant advantage, and they were fortified in a town that, though smaller, was still a city and held superior military strength. So why attack here?


    Furthermore, the Arquell side should also require reorganization of their troops. They had lost nearly two-thirds of their forces, totaling around ten thousand soldiers. Not to mention that the main body of their enemy''s forces was made up of recently conscripted farmers with no significant training, and they had just undergone a harsh battle. It would be near impossible for them to march to the eastern part of Volden and undertake a siege.


    Then, the enemy force attacking must be...


    "The reinforcements they called in? No, but...?"


    "Raen shita hontai, ka? Iya, shikashi..."


    That also felt wrong. If they gather and organize troops in the capital and then proceed towards the Volden Province, it would take at least until next week, even if they act quickly. It was simply impossible to reach East Volden, away from the main roads, at this very moment.


    Furthermore, if there were so many reinforcements nearby, there would be no reason for the enemy lord to march into the vicure Basin. They could simply defend the provincial capital and coordinate with their main forces to encircle the St. Gallen army from both inside and outside. That would be a more prudent strategy.


    This possibility also didn''t exist. So, where did they send the troops to attack this ce from?


    "...There''s no time to hesitate. I will takemand of the counterattack--"


    "It''s no use! The enemy forces have already infiltrated the city! We were taken by surprise, and our chain ofmand has been severed!"


    The despairing reports continued.


    What was this? Only five days have passed since the defeat at vicure. No matter how exhausted and beaten down they were, they were the St. Gallen army. There should have been a vignt defense in ce. They shouldn''t have easily overlooked the enemy''s march, let alone their invasion into the city.


    But still, why?


    "What''s going on!? Weren''t there lookouts"


    "We don''t have time for such discussions! General, we need to escape from here!"


    "Y-Yes..."


    Being scolded by his subordinate, General Bauer shook off his stupor. Indeed, there''s no use in dwelling on what went wrong. First, he needs to escape from the midst of the enemy assault and regroup their forces.


    Struggling with the pain of remaining wounds, Bauer left the room with the help of his subordinates.


    "What the--?"


    However, they were forced to stop the moment they left the room. A foul smell of blood filled the corridor, and the stench of scattered organs hung in the air. The floor, walls, and ceiling were dyed in red, red, and red. The enemy had already breached their defenses.


    And within this horrifying scene, there was the figure of the one who had brought this cmity, as expected.


    "Identifying the individual presumed to be the enemy''smander. Moving in for capture."


    "Teki no shirei-kan to suisou sa reru jinbutsu o kakunin. Kakuho ni utsuri masu."


    Covered in full te armor and wielding arge sword, the warrior-like figure seemed almost mechanical and inhuman, with a t tone in their voice even though only a small part of their face was visible, almost giving the impression of being a golem or something of the sort. Their movements were more precise and swift than any machine.


    "Run, General"


    The subordinate who pushed Bauer was sliced in two, joining the countless pieces of avant-garde art on the floor. Left alone to face the enemy, the wounded and weakened General whipped his body back into action, drawing his saber from his waist.


    "...Don''t underestimate the General of St. Gallen, no, Baharia!"


    He hadn''t risen to the rank of the general of St. Gallen, a country of forests and elite soldiers, solely based on his intelligence. His swordsmanship was as skilled as that of any ordinary soldier could never match. His thrust found its mark, piercing through the joint of the enemy''s armor, and all the way to their heart.


    There was a feeling of impact. He had seeded. The enemy soldier, who seemed to be the one responsible for his subordinate''s death, let out a gurgling sound as blood foam bubbled from their mouth and fell dead on the floor. Jrgen Bauer''s swordsmanship remained undiminished. However, this was not something he could do repeatedly. With just one swift attack, the wound from the previous battle opened again, and blood oozed out steadily.


    "Guh... I must... escape and rejoin the army."


    With a fierce resolve to his battered body and clouded mind, he crawled forward. Along the way, he came across the puddles of blood left by his fallenrades killed by enemy soldiers, but he pushed through them without a second thought. He had to reunite with his allies as soon as possible. ording to the reports from his deceased subordinates, the enemy''s attack had severed their chain ofmand. If he didn''t bring order to this chaos, the reorganizing army would be inplete disarray. Now was his moment of truth, and he moved forward on all fours, drenched in his own and hisrades'' blood.


    Before him appeared,


    "Identifying the individual presumed to be the enemy''smander. Moving in for capture."


    "Teki no shirei-kan to suisou sa reru jinbutsu o kakunin. Kakuho ni utsuri masu."


    "Attention. Confirming the presence of S-51''s corpse. Upgrading the threat level of the target."


    "Chuui. Esu-gojuuichi to omowa reru shitai o kakunin. Taishou no kyoui-do o jouhou shuusei shimasu."


    "Understood. Modifying the top priority from capture to neutralization."


    "Teigen o ryoukai. Saiyuusen jikou o taishou no kakushu kara muryoku-ka e to shuusei shimasu."


    Just now, he had just killed an enemy, or so he thought. But now, three new soldiers, dressed and behaving exactly like the one he had killed, emerged before him.


    (What... What the hell are them!?)


    The same armor. The same helmet. The same sword. The same t tone. Everything about the figures before him resembled the soldier he encountered earlier. They looked like triplets, or if you include the first one, quadruplets. However, upon closer inspection, their heights, facial features, and voices werepletely different, yet their appearance, most notably their demeanor, was so strikingly simr that it made him dizzy. Combined with the blood-drenched surroundings, it felt like he had wandered into a nightmare.


    The nightmare-dweller creeps up on Bauer with the mass of reality.


    "What are you all...?"


    "Nanimono nan da, kisamara...?"


    In response to his inquiry, the mechanical voices answered.


    "We are the Arquell Army. We are here to apprehend you."


    "Wareware wa Arukru-gun desu. Kikan no mibun o kakushou shimasu."


    "Resistance is futile, so please understand."


    "Teikou wa mu-imi to iu koto o rikai shite kudasai."


    "Moreover, there is a risk of unnecessary damage to your mind, body, and life for the sake of suppression."


    "Dokoroka, chin''atsu no tame ni fuyouna dameeji o kikan no shinshin, oyobi seimei ni ataeru risuku ga arimasu."


    With these words, the three enemies readied theirrge swords without dropping their guard. There was no escape route. He had no strength left to resist. The general, who had ovee mountains with unwavering determination, felt as though the pir supporting him had broken.


    Finally, he murmured a bitter utterance of defeat.


    "S-such... such a ridiculous war, I can''t bear it...!"


    "Kon, na... konna bakageta sensou ga, atte taeru ka...!"


    And then, like a doll with broken strings, he fell down on the floor. In the distance in his consciousness, he could hear the scraping of his armor and feel the touch of a hand admonishing him.


    ~~~


    "Report from Fourth Squad: We have sessfully taken control of the northeastern part of the city."


    "Daiyon shoutai yori houkoku. Shigaibukutoubu no seiatsumi, kanryou shita to no koto desu."


    "Simr reports have been received from Fifth and Sixth Squads."


    "Daigo, dairoku shoutai kara mo douyou no renraku ga hairimasu."


    "Eighty-seven percent of the northern area has been secured. Shall we proceed with mopping up the remaining enemies?"


    "Hokubu eria no seiatsu wa hachijuunana paasento kanryou. Zantei no soutou ni ikou shimasu ka?"


    The headquarters of the Arquell Army, which had advanced into the eastern part of Volden, resembled the chaotic scene during the previous battle in the vicure Basin, with rapid exchanges ofmunication and reports within the tents.


    However, one notable difference from the previous time was that the overwhelming volume ofmunication was not being managed by just one person, but instead by several ves.


    One of these ves asked for instructions, and after a moment of contemtion, Margrave Doldran spoke up.


    "No, instruct the unit that has secured the northern part of the city to focus on supporting our allies in other areas rather than conducting mop-up operations against remaining enemies. They shouldunch attacks from the rear or the nks. The enemy, already fatigued, will crumble with just such pressure."


    "Iya, shi-nai hokugawa o osaeta tai ni wa, zantei soutou yori mo houhoumen no mikata no shien ni mawasu. Kouhai ya sokumen yori kougeki o kuwaeru dake de yoi. Sore dake de hihei shite oru teki wa kuzureru darou."


    "Understood. I will ry the orders ordingly... To all units responsible for the northern area from M-27, I repeat, from M-27"


    "Kashikomarimashita. Sono you ni tsuutatsu shimasu... M-27 yori hokubu eria o tantou suru zentai ni tsuutatsu. Kurikaeshimasu, M-27 yori"


    As he nced at the mechanical transmissions, he let out a deep sigh. He had apanied Tullius, the suprememander, as an advisor, but whether it was during thest campaign or the current one, he had been casually handed over the actualmand. Admittedly, in terms of military experience, Doldran had a vast advantage over Tullius. However, the main protagonist of this war was none other than Lord Tullius of Volden. Despite being political allies, or rather, in essence, subordinates, it sounded unpleasant to have someone from another house relinquishing their authority.


    During the vicure campaign, it was necessary to portray it as an emergencythough they had to do sobut surely this time Tullius should be the one takingmand. He had suggested that, but...


    "Well, you know, each person has their own expertise. I''ll leave it to you, Your Excellency, the Margrave, who is a specialist in these matters. Considering the interests of your own household, it wouldn''t be a bad idea to earn some points here, right?"


    "Iya, maa, mochi wa mochiya to mo iimasu shi. Koko wa senmonka de aru henkyou haku kakka ni o-makase shimasu yo. Anata mo ieju no koto o omoeba, koko de tensuu o kamaide oku no mo warukunain janai desu ka?"


    He couldn''t help feeling a bit frustrated by how smoothly he was brushed off.


    The man who came up with strategies like using musket-like new weapons, focusing on disrupting supply lines, and employing tactics involving trench warfare, regardless of appearances. One might question what he wasn''t an expert in.


    However, when it came to actual discussions and nning operations, there were sometimes misunderstandings and discrepancies due to basic knowledge. In response to this peculiar imbnce, Tullius exined that he was a creator, not a fighter who used the tools.


    <i>Well, words can be deceiving.</i> He sighed again as he muttered so.


    "Oh my, oh my. What''s troubling you, Your Excellency, Margrave Doldran?"


    "Oya oya. Dou itashimashita, Dorudoran henkyou haku kakka?"


    Inquisitively, a nobleman approached him, noticing his mncholic demeanor.


    Doldran put on a forced smile if to hide it and replied,


    "Oh, it''s nothing. Just suddenly thinking about how war has changed."


    "Iya, nani. Sensou wa kawatta, to fui ni omotte na."


    The sentiment he expressed was not merely a superficial lie.


    The fact that he wasmanding such spine-chilling battles, where generals stood apart from soldiers, remotely manipting armies like pieces on a chessboard, causing enemies to die and allies to perish, sent shivers down his spine. It was himself, of all people, who was leading these eerie and unsettling battles. It was only natural to feel ufortable and dissatisfied.


    However, the man before him seemed to interpret Doldran''s words differently.


    "No, no, not at all. Such fierceness in battle has its precedent in history. His Excellency Count Oubeniel''s skill is truly awe-inspiring."


    "Iya iya, mattaku. Kono youna ikusa no shiburi wa kokon ni rei ga gozaimasu mai. Oobuniru hakushaku kakka no shuwan ni wa, makoto ni osore hairimasu na."


    Saying that, he smiled and his eyes sparkled with delight.


    This nobleman''s name was Baron Alrez. He was a noble from the Volden region, governing the port town of Alrez in the southwest. During the time Tullius was still a Man Viscount, he was brainwashed by him and incorporated into his faction. The contents of his brainwashing were the same as Doldran''sonly the removal of the right to refuse orders and the will to resist. However, for some reason, he held a favorable view of Tullius.


    "Thanks to our achievements this time, our faction is finally entering a period of rapid progress. If we apply this method to the entire national army, our country''s defense will be secure. No, we might even be able to unify the continent... Oh, I might have gone too far. Hahaha!"


    "Kono tabi no senkou ni yori, warera ga ha wa iyoiyo mottete yakushin no toki o mukaemashou. Sono akatsuki ni wa kokugun zentai ni kono shuhou o mochiireba, wagakuni no boubou wa antai. Iya, hyottosuru to koto koso kanou ya mo shiremasen na? ...to, kore wa ii sugimashita ka. Hahaha!"


    That''s the reason.


    He was captivated by the brilliance of knowledge and gold brought by the alchemist. He was a greedy man who had sold his soul to the devil. That was the true identity of Baron Alrez.


    It might be distasteful, but Doldran didn''t think it was wrong. Once brainwashed by Tullius, there was no way to undo it. There might be a way, but Tullius was not the kind ofpassionate person who would allow someone trying to remove the chains he put on them. So, Doldran chose to submitpletely and reap as many benefits as possible under that man''smand. It was something he and other faction members were doing to varying degrees. Still, he couldn''t help but feel difort with the nonchnt obedience.


    Suppressing the feeling of weariness, Doldran nodded politely.


    "...And it''s thanks to your provided forces that we achieved this military sess. On behalf of the Supreme Commander, Count Oubeniel, let me express my gratitude."


    "No, no, it''s not at all necessary. Originally, Count Oubeniel was the one bestowe"


    "Shh!"


    Suddenly, Baron Alrez''s words almost slipped out, but he was sharply scolded.


    "...Those troops, you personally procured them, right? It''s strange, but many families in our faction seem to have simr ones."


    "Ha, hahaha... ye-yes, that''s right. Well, the Count''s generosity has been so abundant that I sometimes forget whether I bought them myself or received them from him."


    The forced smile on Baron Alrez''s face was evident. His presence in the army, which was absent during the battle of vicure five days ago, was due to the fact that the main force of this army belonged to the so-called "Tullius faction" or the "moderate faction"a group of peripheral nobles who provided support. They entered Volden shortly after the recent battle, and although they couldn''t make it to the battle of vicure, they decided to participate in the campaign to regain the eastern region.


    The core of their force wasprised of the modified ves, the S-Series soldiers, of which there were about twenty. These soldiers possessed incredible strength,parable to a hundred men, making them capable of subjugating even the monsters in the western border.


    Their effectiveness on the front lines matched the reports given by the ves who controlledmunications. They sent small groups of soldiers in multiple stages to infiltrate the enemy''s cities without triggering their alert systems, and as a result, they overwhelmed the St. Galen army, swiftly reiming the cities one after another.


    If it were known that Tullius had deployed such a force, it would surely be seen as a sign of rebellion against the Arquell Kingdom, causing an uproar among the centralist faction.


    Currently, only members of their own faction were present in this headquarter. However, Alrez seemed to have a loose tongue, and if he were to identally reveal this information elsewhere, it could lead to trouble.


    Furthermore, in the capital city of Volden, the Second Royal Knights Order was stationed for rest and reorganization. They were affiliated with the centralist faction, which had connections to the crown. Although they weren''t part of this army, there was a possibility that they had discreetly ced spies within the ranks.


    "Well, you don''t have to be so nervous, it''s fine."


    "Maa, sonna ni shinkei-shitsu ni naranakute mo daijoubu desu yo."


    The voice that came from the back of the tent was none other than Tullius Shernan Oubeniel himselfthe mastermind behind the devastating Scorching Earth operation, the cunning interception at vicure, and the chiefmander of this pursuit. He was the man responsible for most of the tragedies, big and small, that had urred in Volden.


    He nced over a report from his subordinates without raising his face and continued speaking.


    "The surroundings of this camp are being monitored by the Opus series on rotation. I wonder if it''s Uni and Drei''s turn right now? Those two have skills in guerri warfare, so not many enemies can approach undetected."


    "Kono jinchi no shuui wa, Oopasu shiriizu ga koutai de kanshi o okonatteimasu. Ima wa Yuni to Dorai ga tantou suru jikan kana? Ano futari wa yobukemari no kokoroe mo arimasu kara, metta na aite wa chikadzukemasen tte."


    "I see."


    "Sayou ka."


    "But, well"


    "Demo, maa..."


    He raised his face slightly and looked at Baron Alrez with cold eyes, like peering down at a dish filled with reagents.


    "I must agree with the Margrave on the matter of handling information. Especially Baron Alrez, whose territory is geographically close to Canales. I''ve entrusted you with the task of collecting information in the Omnia and Canales regions, so I hope you to be cautious about that."


    "Jouhou no toriatsukai ni wa chuui shite moraitai, to iu no wa henkyouhaku to dou iken desu ne. Tokuni Arurezu danshaku wa, shoryou ga chiriteki ni Kanarezu ni chikai. Omunia, Kanarezu houmen no jouhou shuushuu mo o-makase shite irun desu kara, sono atari ni wa ki o watatte hoshii desu ne."


    "Y-Yes... Your Excellency, Count Oubeniel, I will pay utmost attention from now on."


    "Ha- hai... buniru hakushaku kakka. Igo, saishin no chuui o haraimasu."


    His voice trembled, and cold sweat dripped from his face. He was indeed like a frog caught in the gaze of a snake.


    (He truly lives up to the name "Man-Eating Snake.")


    Internally, Doldran assessed the situation in that manner. Seeing that Tullius had sufficiently made his point, he once again lowered his gaze to the documents.


    "Yes, I understand. If you can be cautious where our reach doesn''t extend, I don''t mind. This tent is safe, so please feel free to rx and chat. I will also talk freely with my subordinates. ...Now, Fem, I wanted to talk about your report."


    "Un, igo bokura no te no todokanai tokoro de gochuui itadakeru nara kamaimasen yo. Kono tennmaku no naka wa anzen desu node, kutsuroide go-kandan kudasai. Boku mo buka to suki katte ni shaberimasu node... de, Femu. Kimi no repto no koto nanda kedo ne."


    "Yes, Master. I said to reply. Feel free to ask any questions."


    "Hai, goshujin-sama, to, henji o shimasu. Nannari to go-shitsumon kudasai."


    Standing beside the alchemist was a golem shaped like a woman named Fem. Within this faction, she was primarily responsible for evaluating the performance of new weapons. A situation where a human-like weapon evaluates another weapon creates a twisted atmosphere, even causing a slight dizziness.


    "Looking at the performance of V-01Y, it can be given a certain level of evaluation as an offensive weapon in the V-Series. However, there seem to be issues with its operability and stability."


    "V-01Y no seino o miru ni, kousei heiki toshite no V-shiriizu ni wa tei teki no hyouka o ataerareru darou. Keredo, dou ni mo sousa-sei to antei-sei ni mondai ga mirareru ne."


    "Indeed. I said to express my agreement. Unlike other mass-produced models, it''s difficult to tamper with its emotional domain."


    "Tashika ni, to, dooi itashimasu. Hoka no ryousan-gata to chigai, joudou ryouiki ni te o tsukeru no ga muzukashii nodeshita."


    "Because of that, trying to restrict its bloodsucking impulse could lead to logical contradictions, causing its mind to copse. Thanks to that, it''s challenging to maintain the stability, which is one of its strengths."


    "Sono seishitsu-jou, heta ni kyuuketsu shoudou o seigen shiyou to suru to, ronri mukoton o okoshite seishin ga jikai suru nda yo nee... Okage de ''seihin'' no chousho de aru antei-kan o iji suru no ga muzukashii."


    "However, the ability of a single ''product'' to deal a devastating blow to an entire enemy army is quite appealing, I refuted."


    "Shikashi, ''seihin'' ittai de ichigun ni kaimetsuteki dageki o ataerareru seinou wa miryokutekidesu, to, hanpuku itashimasu."


    "No, if you want to unleash attack power, there''s no need to stick with vampires. Even the EE-Series,bined with powerful magical carpet bombing, can handle it. Also, having many weaknesses is a downside. It wasn''t a problem this time because the enemy was ill-prepared against vampires, but it could be an issue in the future."


    "Iya, kougeki-ryoku o dasu ndattara vanpaia ni kodawaru hitsuyou wa nai yo. EE-shiriizu demo narabete, kyouryoku na mahou no juutou bakugeki de sumu. Sore to jakuten ga ooi no mo mainasu da yo ne. Konkai wa aite ni kyuuketsuki-you no sonae ga usukatta kara mondai ni naranakatta kedo."


    "Then, what about its suppressive capability? I proposed. We can increase the number of monsters that serve as infantry through vampirization and necromancy."


    "Dewa, seigyuuryoku no hou wa dou deshou? To teigi shimasu. Kyuuketsu ni yoru kenzoku ya shiryou-jutsu nado de tousuu o fuyashi, hohei no yakuwari o ninjou suru monsutaa o zousan deki masu ga."


    "To be honest, that''s what I dislike the most. If we leave them unchecked, they''ll multiply uncontrobly. If we ever lose control, it could be a catastrophe. It''s also a hassle to cull an excess of undead if ites to that."


    "Shoujiki ni iu to, soko ga ichiban kini iranai. Hotte oitara fueru tte no ga komaru nda. Man''ga ichi ni mo seigyo o ushinattara dai sanji jaa nai ka. Fueru sugita andeddo o hitotsu hitotsu maibu hiku no mo mendou da shi."


    What a sacrilegious conversation indeed.


    Talking about using the most dangerous creatures, vampires, who were the enemies of humanity, and employing them for war purposes, and discussing how to utilize their achievements, was unsettling. Any sensible person who heard this would immediately seek refuge in the church and request the Inquisition of Tullius.


    "However, it was you who went through the trouble of preparing such things, wasn''t it?"


    "Shikashi, sonna mono o wazawaza koshiraeta no wa onmi darou?"


    Doldran couldn''t help but interject. ording to the rumors he had heard, the vampire that was unleashed upon the St. Gallen army under the pretense of coincidence was apparently just a young girl. She was transformed into a monster and ultimately discarded. To belittle this as if it were a worthless act was something that truly bothers him.


    Tullius raised his head.


    "Well, that''s true, you know... It''s all part of the experiment. Vampires, often touted as symbols of immortality. If I can ovee their ws, it would be a shortcut to achieving my ideal. However, the results haven''t been as promising as I hoped."


    "Sore mo sou nan desu kedo ne... Maa, shosen wa jikken no ikkan desu yo. Furofuji no daimei go no you ni utawareru kyuuketsuki. Sono kekkan o kokufuku suru koto ga dekireba, boku no risou jisseki e no chikamichi desu no de. Keredo, dou ni mo kekka ga omowashiku nai mono deshite ne."


    He spoke nonchntly, showing no remorse. Ignoring Doldran''s exasperated expression, he continued.


    "That''s why I''ll postpone full-scale production of the V-Series. The subject itself is intriguing, so I''ll continue the research, but the production will be scaled down."


    "Sou iu wake de, V-shiriizu no hongaku ryousan wa miokuru yo. Kyoumibukai daizai dakara kenkyuu jitai wa tsuzukeru kedo, seisan jitai wa shukushou suru to omotte ite kure."


    "It''s a shame, indeed, I said to give ament. Even though its catalog specs are top-ss among all the products."


    "Zannen desu ne, to, kansou o daki masu. Katarogu supekku jitai wa, zenseihin-chuu de toppu kurasu na no de suga."


    "If it''s just its physical abilities, it was just a step below someone like Charl. That aspect is regrettable, but it''s not enough of a plus to outweigh the drawbacks. However, well, it''s not aplete waste. Creating vampires through chimerization using blood as a material... I''m envisioning new experiments based on this know-how. We had the chance to witness some intriguing subjects in this battle too. I''m quite confident in this direction. Perhaps, in the near future, a new ''masterpiece'' might be born again."


    "Mentai nouryoku dake nara Shaaru atari no ippo temae da shi ne. Sono ten wa oshiku wa aru kedo, ketten o nomeeru hodo no purasu dewa nai ka na. Kedo maa, mattaku no muda to iu wake jaa nai sa. Ketsueki o sozai ni shita kimera-ka ni yoru kyuuketsuki sakusei... Kono nouhau o riyou shita atarashii jikken o kousouchuu nan da. Choudo, konkai no tatakai de kyoumibukai daizai mo miireta shi ne. Khi no hou wa kekkou jishin ga aru yo? Hyottoshitara, chikai uchi ni mata arata na ''sakuhin'' ga umareru kamoshirenai."


    In the end, it seems he was plotting something else, something dubious. What kind of monstrosity did he intend to create with this new ''creation''? With just one disposable pawn that was said to be inferior to the ''masterpieces'', he managed to ughter thousands of soldiers from the St. Gallen army. This time, he will likely bring about another terrifying situation.


    Even imagining it sent shivers down the spine.


    "...And that would be a discussion right after this wares to a close."


    "...Sore mo kono sensou ni ichidanraku tsukete kara no hanashi darou."


    "Yes. In other words, it''s a matter of the near future. ...Or maybe it''s still going to be dyed?"


    "Ee. Tsumari wa sugu saki no hanashi desu yo. ...Sore tomo, mada saki ni nobisou nan desu ka?"


    At the Margrave''s feeble attempt at rebuttal, came a response that seemed as if it could devour a person. Truly, this person was one who always has a retort ready.


    TL Note: Arghh I really can''t understand what''s this sentence mean: So I tranted it to something that has the most sense and closest in meaning. Forgive me I did my best :)


    "No, let''s decide in no time. I have a lot of free time despite being entrusted to takemand anyway."


    "Iya, ma mo naku kesshiyou. Shiki o azukaru watashi ga, koushite hima o moteamashite oru kurai da shi na."


    "Hahah, that''s good to hear. ...Then, Fem, contact theb and tell Seis who got returned earlier than the others to start the preparations. The detailed instructions are"


    "Hahaa, sore wa nani yori. ...Jaa, Femu. Kimi wa rabo ni tsuushin o irete, hitoashi saki ni kaeshita Seisu ni junbi ni tori kakaru you itte oite kure. Shousai na naiyou wa"


    "I see, I see... I said to make a note of that. I will convey Master''s instructions ordingly."


    "Naruhodo naruhodo... to, meiki shi masu. Sono toori ni go-shiji o dentatsu itashimashou."


    However, the mechanized golem did not move as instructed right away. Before that, it voiced one question.


    "By the way, Master. I said to change the subject. Regarding Elisha Rosmond Balbastre and her subordinates, the Second Royal Kights Order, is it really okay not to take any action to dispose of them?"


    "Tokoro de go-shujin-sama, to, wadai o tenji masu. Erisha Rozumondo Barubasutoru, oyobi reika no kongou daini kishidan ni tsuite desu ga, hontou ni shobun o okonawanakute mo yoroshii desu ka?"


    "As I''ve already informed you, there is no need for any changes. I haven''t recognized any necessity for that."


    "Sono koto ni tsuite wa, sude ni tsutaeta toori da yo. Henkou no hitsuyou wa toku ni mitomete inai."


    "I see. I said to confirm. ...Then, I apologize for the intrusion."


    "Sayou ni gozaimasu ka, to, kakunin shi masu. ...Sore dewa, shitsurei itashimasu."


    Having said that, Fem exited from the tent. Doldran wondered if her somewhat dissatisfied demeanor was just his imagination.


    Leaving that aside, while she was awaypleting themunication, a report arrived stating that they had captured a person who appeared to be the enemymander.


    The sudden war, which began with the surprise attack from the St. Gallen army, came to an end in less than two weeks from the start of the hostilities.


    ~~~


    "Ahh, finally it''s over... I''m exhausted, sluggish, sleepy..."


    "Aa, owattaaa... tsukareta, darui, nemuii..."


    Several dayster, our group returned to the capital city, Volden, after finishing the rtively easy battles of pursuit and reiming the eastern region of the state. I, who had worn down my nerves with unfamiliar tasks in an unfamiliar environment, finally made it back to my private room within the government office building and immediately jumped onto the bed.


    "Thank you for your hard work, Master."


    "Otsukaresama deshita, go-shujin-sama."


    On the other hand, as for Uni, despite having handled various demanding tasks, she remainedposed as always. Well, she''s different from ordinary people in terms of training, and besides, it was me who made her that way.


    ncing at the bed where Iid down, she remarked, "Forgive my presumption, but it seems firmer than your usual bedding."


    "Sen''etsu nagara, fudan otsukai no shingu yori katai you ni miemasu ga."


    "Well, of course. The beds they have at the government building in the city are nowhere near as luxurious as those in noble houses."


    "Sorya sou da yo. Toshi no seicho ni okareteru beddo ga, kizoku no ie no mono yori joutou na wake nai shi."


    Thanks to that, lying down here isn''t particrlyfortable. Still, it''s a world of differencepared to sleeping in the military camp.


    "If that''s the case, maybe I can help ease some of your tiredness... If you don''t mind, would you like to rest your head on myp?"


    "Sore dewa toreru tsukare mo torenai ka to... yoroshikereba, watashi ga hiza o o-kashimashou ka?''


    "Mmm... Yeah, sure, go ahead."


    "Nn... jaa, tanomu yo."


    I readily epted her offer without a second thought. Uni''sp pillow was quitefortable. Of course, it wasn''t as soft as a real pillow made specifically for sleeping, but she adjusted the position and the pressure around her legs to make it morefortable for me. I can vouch for thefort of this experience, having tried it several times. If she wanted to, she could probably make money just by offering herp to people.


    "Alright then, excuse me... Please go ahead."


    "Dewa, shitsurei shite... douzo."


    "Yeah... Excuse me as weell..."


    "Ussu... khi koso shitsurei shimaasu..."


    I rested my head between her legs, who had climbed onto the bed and sat in seiza position.


    TL Note: Seiza = Kneeling. In case any of you don''t know, just google it.


    Ah, so rxing... It feels like finding peace as if returning to my childhood home. Well, in this world, my actual home isn''t a ce that brings me muchfort, though. But this was what they call an idiom, I guess.


    "By the way, I would like to get my ears cleaned while you''re at iiit."


    "Tsuide ni mimikaki mo onegaishichaou kanaa."


    "As you wish. Then, please turn your ear this way."


    "Kashikomarimashita. Dewa, o-mimi o kochira ni."


    Even though it was a sudden request, Uni promptly took out an earpick from her pocket. It seemed to be one of the essential tools that maids should carry with them at all times. She answered so when I asked her a while ago, so maybe it''smon sense for maids in this world to have it. Probably.


    For a while, I enjoyed the ticklish sensation of her cleaning my ears and theforting feeling of her hands massaging my neck, relieving some stiffness. Ahh, it feels so good... I want to fall asleep like this, all warm and cozy.


    However, as they say, happy times don''tst forever.


    The door made a firm knocking sound, and in response, Uni''s thigh, which had maintained the perfect softness, tensed ever so slightly.


    "Excuse me, Your Excellency. It''s Victor. May I have a moment of your time?"


    The voice I heard from the other side belonged to one of my capable subordinates in the internal affairs department. As diligent of a worker as he was, even when I returned tired, he still probably wanted to assign me some tasks.


    "...Is it just you? Did you bring someone else along, perhaps a guest?"


    "...Kimi hitori kai? Dareka okyakusan demo tsurete iru no kana?"


    "No, it''s just me..."


    "Ie, watashi hitori desu ga..."


    Well, that''s a relief. No, not really, but having more people would be even more troublesome.


    "You cane in."


    "Haitte ii yo."


    "? Then, if you''ll excuse meWhat are you two doing?"


    "? Dewa shitsurei shitenani o shite irun desu ka, anata-gata wa?"


    Carrying a stack of documents, Victor entered the room, initially showing surprise and then a mixture of exasperation and understanding. He sure changed his expressions skillfully in a short span. I wonder if charming individuals were inherently suited for acting.


    "Don''t you get it just by looking? I was getting ap pillow from Uni and rxing. And she cleaned my ears too."


    "Mite wakaranai kai? Yuni ni hizamakura shite moratte, kutsuroide ita. Tsuide ni mimikaki mo"


    "Well, it''s apparent from the sight of it... But don''t you think you look a bit debauched?"


    "Sore wa mireba wakarimasu ga ne... Gojibun de, jidaraku na sugata da to omowaremasen ka?"


    "?"


    "Stop looking so puzzled! In which world does a nobleman return from a victorious battle and immediately rx with a woman''sp pillow?!"


    "Fushigi sou na kao o shinaide kudasai! Doko no sekai ni, kachi ikusa kara kaette mazu saisho ni, josei no hizamakura de kutsurogu kizoku ga imasu ka!?"


    He went on, ranting with such vigor that it could be depicted with a "gaah!" sound effect. Was it really that unusual? I thought nobles in general tend to have women catering to their every whim.


    "Even Chief Maid as well... I''ve repeatedly asked you not to spoil His Excellency like this, haven''t I!?"


    "Chiifumeido-dono mo desu. Are hodo, kakka o amayakasanaide itadakitai to saisanku moushiageta deshou!?"


    "I apologize, but I cannotply, Lord Victor. Master is tired. And if I can ease that even a little, it is my duty as a servant."


    "Moushiwake arimasen ga ukeire kanemasu, Vikutoru-kyou. Goshujinsama mo o-tsukare de irasshaimasu. Naraba sore o wazuka nari tomo yawarageru no ga, jusha no tsutome deshou"


    As she spoke, she ced her hand on my shoulder as if protecting me. Even while talking, her fingers danced like a pianist, massaging my shoulder.


    What a devoted ve she is. I found her dedication somewhat motivating, so I decided to provide supporting fire in return.


    "That''s right. You could say this is a reward from Uni and myself to celebrate my hard work."


    "Sousou. Kore wa iwareba, ganbatta boku e no, Yuni to boku jishin kara no gohoubi da yo."


    "What are you talking about, saying such a spineless thing? It goes against integrity. If others see you like this, they might lose their loyalty to you."


    "Nani o funuketa koto o osshaimasu ka. Setsugi ni hantaru to itte iru nodesu. Konna sugata o miraretara, tsukaete iru mono mo chuusei o ushinau to iu mono deshou."


    "What are you saying, Victor... The people who serve me are mostly brainwashed to prevent betrayal, aren''t they?"


    "Nani o itte irun dai, Vikutoru... Boku ni tsukaete iru ningen wa, daitai ga noumiso o kaizou shite uragirenai you ni shite iru janai ka."


    When I said that, one of the brainwashed individuals stumbled over their words. Yes, checkmate.


    "Well... understood, I don''t care anymore. Then, I don''t mind you stay in that position, so please listen to my report."


    "Haa... wakarimashita yo, mou kekkou desu. Dewa, sono mama no shisei de kamaimasen no de, houkoku o o-kikikudasai."


    "Yeah, yeaah... We did it, Uni. It''s our win."


    "Hai haai... yatta ne, Yuni. Bokura no kachi da."


    "Congrattions, Master."


    "Omedetou gozaimasu, goshujinsama."


    "Victory from what..."


    "Nan no shoubu desu ka, nan no..."


    While Victor held his temples, he smoothly flipped over the first page of the documents.


    "Alright then, let me briefly state our damages first. The detailed figures arepiled in the documents, so please confirm themter."


    "Dewa, mazu wa waga hou no son''gai o kantan ni nobe sasete itadakimasu. Shousai na suuji wa shorui no hou ni matomete orimasu node, ato hodo go-kakunin o onegai shimasu."


    "Mm, I understand. So, how is it?"


    "Nn. Wakatteru. De, donna mono nan dai?"


    "Let me be clear. It''s so devastating that it''s enough to make you want to cry. In the eastern part of the province, this season''s harvest can be considered aplete disaster. It was plundered and consumed by the St. Gallen army, and on top of that, they set fire to the fields, leaving them in ruins. Truly, what a cruel thing they havemitted."


    "Hakkiri to moushimashou. Nakitai kurai ni hidoi desu ne. Shuu no tou-bu de wa konkiki no shuukaku wa zenmetsu to miru beki ka to. Zankuto Garen gun ni yotte ryakudatsu sarete hishou sare, sara ni wa hi o kakerarete hatake ga hakai desu kara na. Iya haya, hontou ni zankoku na koto o shidekashite kureta mono desu."


    "Wow, how could the St. Gallen army do such terrible things?"


    "Uwaa, nante hidoi koto o shite kuretandarou Zankuto Garen gun wa."


    "Exactly. It''s an unforgivable act tomit such atrocities in Master''s territory."


    "Mattaku desu. Goshujin-sama no ryoudo de kono you na bukai o hataraku nado, yurushinai shogyou desu ne..."


    As we nodded in agreement at each other, he looked at us as if he had something to say. What kind of expression was that? He''s ruining his handsome looks.


    But well, there''s no other way, right? If we hadn''t utilized the Scorched Earth tactics, the enemy would have taken it anyway. Even if we hadn''t, we would have been driven out of Volden as soon as the reinforcements arrived, who would soon im all the credit. The fact that we canment the damages was all thanks to our victory.


    "...Shall I continue? The damage to thend is severe, but the loss of life might be even worse. After all, in the initial skirmishes, we lost two thousand soldiers, and in the vicure battle, over ten thousand drafted civilians lost their lives. What is this level of loss? The numbers are staggering."


    "Tsuzukemasu yo? Tochi no higai mo shinkoku desu ga, hito-teki higai wa sore ijou kamo shiremasen. Nanise, shosen de kechirasareta hei ga nisen-nin, Kuravikyuuru-sen de wa choubiku shita tami ga ichi-man-nin ijou gisei ni natteimasu kara na. Nan desu ka, kono higai wa? Keta ga chigai-sugiru deshou."


    As Victor pointed out, it''s unheard of to have tens of thousands of casualties in a single battle. In this world, usually, the damage was contained before it esctes to that extent. Well, more often than not, in such intense battles, the soldiers would flee on their own. After all, for those soldiers who were once civilians, there''s no obligation to sacrifice their lives for a war brought about by noble''s convenience.


    But in this case, things were different for various reasons.


    "It''s because they were charged into trenches with no escape route, and they were supervised by the M-Series and B-Series. This war is different from any previous ones where soldiers could escape if they wanted."


    "Nigeruba no nai zangou ni tsukkonde ita ue ni, M-shiriizu ya Bshiriizu ni tokusen saseta kara ne. Sono ki ni nareba dassou dekiru ima made no sensou to wa, chotto katte ga chigau yo."


    That''s right, that trench was protected by earthen embankments. It served not only for defense but also to prevent the soldiers from escaping. They were packed in the ground like graves, exposed to the surveince of my men. Without proper training, those pseudo-soldiers with guns would have fled if we hadn''t taken these measures.


    In essence, it was simr to a ranch fence. It protected the livestock from frightening wolves and also prevented them from escaping ughter. By depriving them of an escape route, that was why we had so many casualties.


    Victor let out a sigh. But really, why were there so many people around me who sigh while looking at me?


    TL Note: Lmao


    "Truly, you have a harsh way of handling people. Moreover, all the casualties were not mercenaries but drafted soldiers from the civilians. When so many able-bodied men disappear at once, it will affect the future management of your territory, won''t it? And not just from the battles, there are also casualties among nonbatants due to enemy looting and violence. When considering the amount of condolence money, it gives me a headache."


    "Mattaku, hitotsukai no arai okata desu na. Shikamo shinda no wa mina, youhei dewa naku tami kara choubo shita hei desu. Kore dake no otoko te ga ikki ni kie ta to naru to, kongo no ryouchi keiei ni mo sashisama shimasu yo? Sore ni sentou ni yoru mono dake de naku, tekigun no ryakubutsu koui ya boukou nado de, hi-sentouin ni mo higai ga dete orimasu. Mimai-kin no gaku nado o kangaeru to, atama ga itai desu na."


    Nobles were reputed for looking down onmoners, but it was a basic principle to avoid causing harm to the source of tax revenue, which were themoners. They were treated with care as livestockying golden eggs, that was what a proper noble does.


    "As for that... well, let''s hope that the ns you and Laubert came up with work out. It depends on how the centralist faction acts."


    "Sono hen ni tsuite wa... maa, kimi to Rubeeru ga kangaeta an ga umaku iku koto o negaou ka. Chuuou shuuken-ha no dekata shidai da kedo ne."


    "We also need topensate for the exhausted ''products.'' We still have the EE-Series, but they are quite costly to produce."


    "Shoukou shita ''seihin'' no hotei mo hitsuyou desu ne. Ima wa EE-shirizu ga imasu ga, arera wa nanpun, seisan no kosuto ga takai mono desu kara."


    The one who said that was Uni. In this battle, the M-Series and B-Series also participated and suffered some losses while in enemy hands. To fill this gap, as Uni pointed out, the EE-Series was expensive to produce and their elven-like appearance made it difficult to deploy them in human society. We still need the efforts of the early ''products.''


    The S-Series we borrowed from Baron Alrez also didn''te out unscathed. Some of them have been damaged one way or another. Truly, the St. Gallen Federation, thend of carnage, they managed quite well, despite being a second-ss surprise attack unit that suffered casualties.


    "Exhausting a massive amount of manpower, resources, and funds, and ending up with a devastated territory... truly, war is not something that can be done casually."


    "Jin''in mo busshi mo shihin mo tairyou ni shouhi shite, ageku no hate ni ryouchi wa kouhai. Mattaku, sensou nado suru mono de wa arimasen ne."


    "That''s true. And it''s all because St. Gallen attacked us. Also, someone who intentionally provoked that country."


    "Hontou da yo ne. Sore mo kore mo Zankutogaren ga semete kita seii da yo. Sore to, ano kuni o waza to aotta dokoka no dareka-san no ne."


    Truly, I''ve suffered such a terrible fate because of that rotten old man. However, we must get a return for the expenses we''ve paid. After all, we have fought hard to protect thend entrusted to us by His Majesty the King. If they still find fault with this, then I''ll let them know that I have some n.


    "But this war is over now. Well, I mean, the peace negotiations are probably not finished yet, but we''re pulling out here. If they want to continue the war, let them handle it with the soldiers they gathered in the capital. We''ve done enough."


    "Kedo, kono sensou mo mou owari da. Iya, mada waahei no koushou wa sunde inai darou kedo, bokura wa koko de ashinuke da ne. Sensou o keizoku suru tte iu no nara, outo ni kakiatsumeta heishi o tsukatte jibuntachi de yatte morau yo. Bokura wa juubun hataraita kara ne."


    "That''s right. We obliterated a 40,000-strong enemy force from thend. If we can''t bring this to a peace negotiation, then there''s no one in the capital except the ipetent or greedy wolves who crave military achievements. Even if we were to dispatch troops for the punishment of that country, Volden is now and that has been attacked by an enemy nation. We will have to defend this territory."


    "Desu na. Yonman-nin kara naru teki-gun o, jimen kara shoumetsu sasete yatta nodesu. Kore de kouwa ni mochikomarenakattara, outo ni wa munou ka senka o hoshisuru garou shika inai, to iu koto ni narimashou. Moshimo ano kuni e no choubatsu no tame ni shuppei suru ni shite mo, kono Vorudan wa ichido tekikoku ni osore rareta tochi. Wareware wa kono ryouchi o shubi shinakereba narimasumai."


    Victor wore a wicked grin.


    We''ve aplished enough in the initial skirmish. Even if we were to continue the war, there''s probably no one asking for our services. Other nobles want to achieve military merits and receive rewards, so I''ll avoid a situation where I have to contribute more. Besides, we''ve achieved sessful defensive battles despite the significant losses. If they want to continue to exploit us, I won''t hesitate to go on strike to improve our treatment.


    "Alright, let''s get the handling done quickly for that. First, we''ll send an envoy to the capital city, where the reinforcements are currently marching from. We have arge army and enough provisions to support them for a while. We''ll ask them to take the St. Gallen prisoners of war. We don''t have that luxury over here."


    "Jaa, sono tame ni mo chatcha to shori o katazuke you ka. Mazu wa kougun chuu darou outo kara no kyuugun ni shisha o dasu. Tai-gun to sore o shibaraku sasaeru dake no shokuryou ga arun da. Renchuu ni Zankutogaren gun no hoshu o hikitotte moraou. Khi ni sonna yoyuu nante nain da shi."


    "Indeed. Given the state of our kitchen, we can''t afford to host guests for long."


    "Tashika ni. Daidokoro jijou ga akka shita ijou, okyaku-sama o muri ni kochira e ohiki tomeru wake ni wa mairimasen ne."


    "Additionally, our forces are stretched to their limits. If anything, we might end up with more prisoners than soldiers. That would cause various issues."


    "Kuwaete kochira no senryoku wa girigiri mo ii tokoro desu kara na. Heta o suru to hoyuu suru heiryoku yori horyo no hou ga ooi kamo shiremasen. Kore de wa iroiro to mondai mo demashou."


    The three of us groaned. Right now, Volden was in dire straits. There was not enough food to spare for the prisoners, nor enough manpower to keep the captured enemy soldiers detained for long. Moreover, due to the acts of invasion, looting, and attack on themander despite the ceasefire, the people of Volden had developed a deep hatred for St. Gallen. Although I did y a part in fanning those mes. Anyway, keeping enemy prisoners in such a ce wouldn''t yield any good results. It was better to send them back to the appropriate authorities as soon as possible.


    "Then, shall we ask for those in the Second Knights Order to take on the role of messenger? And we will also send a member from our faction''s nobles as an escort. The exchange of prisoners will probably take ce around Novyon."


    "Dewa, shisha no yaku-mei wa daini kishi-dan no kata ni onegai-shimashou ka. Sore to waga ha no kizoku kara mo zuin o dashi-masu. Horyo no hiki-watashi wa, osoraku Noviyon atari de okonau koto ni naru ka to."


    The name Victor mentioned refers to a province located northwest of Volden. It was a strategic location for the kingdom, serving as a vital transportation hub in the south and east. The city also has the capacity to amodaterge military forces. If Volden were to fall, the n would likely be to advance troops from this location to reim the territory. It would be an ideal location to meet and hand over the prisoners they captured.


    "Alright, let''s proceed with that n then."


    "Jaa, sou iu houkou de hanashi o susumete oite."


    "Understood. By the way, speaking of the Second Knights Order"


    "Kashikomarimashite gozaimasu. Tokoro de Daini Kishidan de omoidashita nodesu ga"


    As soon as the mention of the Second Knights Order came up, Uni''s thigh tensed up again. And it couldn''t bepared to when she noticed Victor''s presence before. Noticing nothing, the young nobleman, who was a thorough bureaucrat, continued.


    "Are you alright with letting them live? Honestly, it seems like they wouldn''t get along with Your Excellency."


    "Ano renchuu wa ikashite kaeshi te mo yoroshii no desu ka? Shoujiki, kakka to aiawaseru koto wa nai you ni miukerareru no desu ga."


    The Second Royal Knights Order and its Commander, Elisha Rosmond Balbastre. I was well aware of the danger theyno, she posed. Uni, the one who observed her battle with V-01Y had warned me about them. The other Opus series members also generally shared the same opinion. Well, except for a certain someone who jokingly remarked, "She may be a bit headstrong, but she''s beautiful and still a virgin, so it''s a waste to eliminate her." As for Due, he seemed to be hesitant and kept his judgment reserved, right.


    To be frank, I''d rather take care of her as soon as possible. She was the leader of a martial force connected to that old man and was a fierce warrior unafraid of death. Ourpatibility was like oil and water, and if she were kept alive, she might leave behind dangerous repercussions.


    However.


    "Stop sounding like you''re testing me. Laubert also suggested keeping them alive, and I assume you''re in agreement?"


    "Tamesu you na iikata wa yame na yo. Ruberu kara mo ikaseru nara ikase tte iware te iru shi, kimi mo dou iken nan darou?"


    That strong willed Onee-san was also a political bomb. She was not someone that one could casuallyy a hand on.


    "I appreciate that. I''m relieved to know that you understand that although their formal ties have been severed, disposing of the daughter of the bigshot from the Decentralist Faction, Marquis Balbastre without much thought, is significantly dangerous."


    "Sore wa doumo. Go rikai itadakete iru you de hotto shimashita yo. Keishiki jou en ga kirete iru towaie, chiho bunkendai no oomono de aru Barubasutoru kou ga go musume, sore o karugaru ni shobun suru kiken wo, ne."


    Yes, it''s easy to forget, but that "wild boar," unfortunately, was a daughter of a powerful noble family. Although she cut ties with her family and established herself as a knight under a different name, the connection was not entirely severed. Her family still reached out to her, sending letters to admonish her for her unrestrained behavior and even providing her with new dresses to ensure shecked nothing. Despite being seemingly disregarded by her family, it was evident that they held a strong desire for reconciliation. It''s quite lenient treatment for a daughter who had been causing all sorts of trouble.


    "After the war is over, when it''s time to settle things with that old man once and for all, it would be troublesome to have a new political enemy emerge. Eventually, we will sh with the Decentralist faction as well, but among the nobles in that faction, he is a sensible and moderate individual. She could serve as a channel for negotiations, and with a show of goodwill, it might be easier to explore alternative solutions."


    "Senso ga owari, kore kara hongakuteki ni ano oiran to khaku o tsukeyou to iu toki ni, arata na seiteki ga toujou sarete wa komarimasu kara na. Izure wa chihoubunken-ha to mo butsukaru koto ni narudeshou ga, ano go-jin wa renchuu no naka demo ryoushikiteki na onken-ha. Koushou no madoguchi to naru deshou shi, mune-eri o yurumeru teido no koui ga areba sore igai no tedate mo toriyasuku nararemasu ka to."


    "Even if we have to brainwash her like Margrave Doldran and the others, it''d be much easier if shees willingly to my invitation."


    "Dorudoran henkyouhaku-tachi mitai ni sennou suru ni shitemo, boku no shotai ni notte kureta hou ga raku da kara ne."


    There was a possibility that I might be suspected as the cause of his daughter''s death, and if he thought that way, he might try to lure me in and use me as a pawn, or even turn into an enemy if he hardened his attitude. While Elisha''sbat capabilities were indeed a cause for concern, for now, it''s just thata concern. The priority was lowerpared to the clear danger posed by the Decentralist faction. That''s the situation.


    "If it is the decision of Master and Sir Victor, I believe it to be the right course of action."


    "Goshujin-sama to Vikutoru-kyou no gohandan de aru nara, sore ga tadashii koto ka to gozonji agemasu."


    Even though she said so, but Uni''s body still retained some stiffness.


    "Is Uni really that afraid of thatdy?"


    "Yuni wa sonna ni ano onee-san ga kowai kai?"


    "To be honest, that is correct. It''s a bit challenging to quantify or put into words, but she gives off an unsettling and mysterious vibe."


    "Shoujiki ni moushiageru to, sono toori de gozaimasu. Suuji-ka, meibun-ka suru koto ga sukoshi muzukashii desu ga, etai no shirenai fuan o kanji saseru kata desu."


    It''s unusual to see this child showing regret to a decision like this. It must be a difference in sensibilities. Me, Victor and the others were thinkers, while Uni and the others were fighters. For a warrior like her, V-01Y was a formidable opponent,ing close to the Opus-series in terms of specs. Elisha-san''s battle prowess in defeating V-01Y was both impressive and, at the same time, potentially dangerous to Uni.


    But I wanted her to rest assured. Though I hate to say it, I''m fundamentally a coward. There''s no way I would keep an opponent who would most likely be an enemy for long, right?


    Daga, anshin shite hoshii. Kou ha nanda ga, boku wa nekkara no okubyoumono da. Sono boku ga juuchuuhachikyuuteki ni mukau darou aite nante, sou nagaku ikashite oku wake ga nai darou?


    "Well, everything is just a story until we take care of that old man. Once that''s done, there''s no way I would left even a single unsettling element left within the country."


    "Maa, subete wa ano jii-san o shitomeru made no hanashi sa. Sore sae sunda ra, kokunai ni fuan youso nante tada no hitotsu mo nokosu mono kai."


    Marquis Lavallee''s n to make me and St. Gallen crush each other has now been foiled. It''s our turn now. The Marquis used resources and wealth to reim power amidst the chaos of war, but that war was about to end. Once that happened, the beginning of a political struggle to pursue responsibility for the war''s damages will start.


    For the old man to survive that, he had to eliminate the enemy country with the army under hismand and strengthen his position with military achievements. However, those achievements were already in our hands. So all that was left for that gramps was the responsibility for the crackdown that led to St. Gallen''s outbreak and the record of promoting reconciliation policies with untrustworthy enemy countries. Even if it was for the sake of gaining national interests in this war, it wouldn''t be easily forgiven. As I mentioned earlier, the aplishments needed to secure forgiveness were the ones we had already obtained. It''s going to be interesting to see how far that wily old fox could swim amidst the storm of investigation.


    Victor strongly agreed, saying ''Indeed, that''s right,'' as Iughed in a rare moment of bellicose mood.


    "We should eliminate every single one of those who align themselves with that detestable old man. Especially those who possess military power, as they may be pawns in ndestine struggles."


    "Imaimashii roushuu ni kumi suru yatsura nado, hitori nokorazu shukusei subeki desu. Antou no tegoma to nari kanenai buryoku no mochinushi nado wa, tokuni ne."


    "But, the time for that is not now. If we go to the capital, there are plenty of people there who align with the Second Knights, who boast their strength and believe in meritocracy."


    "Demo, sono toki wa ima janai. Outo ni ikeba, jitsuryoku shugi o kakagete kata de kaze kiru dainikishidan ni fukumu tokoro ga aru renchuu nante, ikurademo iru sa."


    TL Note: I don''t really understand what''s this sentence means. Here''s the raw:


    People like the "decorative" First Knights Order and the extremist of the Decentralist Faction. There is no need for us to dirty our hands in Volden and be the top suspects. Exining it that way, it seems that Uni has alsoe to terms with it within herself, and...


    "If that''s the case..."


    "Sono youna go-jijou de areba..."


    Reluctantly, she epted it with a dissatisfied expression. Good grief, who would have thought that I would have such a difference of opinion with this child? It might be the first time, actually. However, I should keep in mind that it was none other than Uni who is so insistent on this matter. Elisha Rosmond Balbastre was a candidate for elimination, second only to Lavallee. I had to think that way.


    "Then, regarding the treatment of the Royal Knights, that''s all for now. And as for the next report"


    "De wa, Konoe no atsukai ni tsuite wa koko made to iu koto de. Sore to tsugi no houkoku na nodesu ga"


    I wonder if it''s still continuing. I thought to myself, feeling exasperated. War was such a troublesome affair, whether during the action or after it''s over. I''m getting tired of dealing with it.


    Well, it should settle down after a while. After all, this war was the first in fifty years. So, the next war should be far off in the future. Dealing with the aftermath of this war and preparing for the next one would take considerable time.


    From now on, I would focus on resolving domestic issuesdealing with that old man and the Knights affiliated with him. After that I could devote myself to research at a leisurely pace.


    As I rested my head on Uni''s legs, who has regained some softness, I pondered such calctions.


    --


    -


    Immediately after, those ns were thwarted by an unexpected turn of events. The intelligence agency under Laubert''s control brought back information. ording to that information, the leader of the centralists, the recently resurgent Marquis Lavallee, had fallen ill and was now in critical condition.


    ~~~


    To be continued~


    TL Note: Here''s another chapter~~ I''m so stupid to prefer doing this rather than working on my piled up homework. Even though today is a holiday~~ Arghhhh, why does my precious holiday have to be ruined by those math problems ...


    Oh, and if any of you know what those two sentences I noted mean, please correct me.

 Chapter 75: And then, Preparations for the Banquet (1)

    Chapter 75: And then, Preparations for the Banquet (1)


    As the winter''s footsteps drew near, the expeditionary force triumphantly returned to the royal capital, Broussonne.


    The neighboring country, the St. Gallen Federation, had shamelessly invaded the kingdom''s territory through a surprise attack. However, their army was unable to defeat even a single count in the southeast and was instead repelled, with all remaining forces taken as prisoners.


    Furthermore, this battle caused the enemy''s strategic ns to falter in the initial stage. Both nations swiftly entered into peace negotiations.


    It was a splendid victory for the Arquell Kingdom, celebrating its 500th anniversary since its founding.


    The news of the victory sent the entire country into a frenzy. After all, the opponent was St. Gallen, which had made the kingdom tasted bitter defeat fifty years ago. Yet, this time, they werepletely annihted in the opening battles and forced to the negotiating table for peace within less than a month. The capital city was filled with celebrations and revelry day after day, where nobles andmoners alike were intoxicated with the joy of victory.


    However, there was one mansion isted from the surrounding excitement.


    Inside that mansion was a dying lord. It was the residence of Marquis Lavallee.


    "Milord, it appears that the army has returned."


    "Koushaku-sama. Gun ga o-modori ni narareta you de gozaimasu."


    Standing by the sickbed, a devoted nun who attentively cared for him spoke. Upon hearing her words, the old man remained silent for a while, as if pondering their meaning while lying on the bed, and then finally opened his mouth.


    "...Yes."


    "...Umu."


    His thin and haggard face was as pale as wax. The mncholic expression and ambiguous color of his eyes entuated the deep wrinkles etched on his face and intensified the shadows. His responses were brief, and his voicecked the rity it once had.


    Such was the current appearance of Marquis George Henry Lavallee.


    "...So they have returned before winter."


    "...fuyu o mae ni, modotta no ka."


    "Yes. Congrattions. I''ve heard that it''s the great victory on your side."


    "Hai. Omedetou gozaimasu. O-mikata no daishouri to kiki oyondeimasu wa."


    The woman tried to cheer up the old man with a bright voice.


    However, the old man''s lips twisted with sarcasm at her words. In his n, the expeditionary force was supposed to deal with another enemy besides St. Gallen.


    Count of Volden, Tullius Shernan Oubeniel. ording to the n, he should have either suffered the disgrace of losing his territory to St. Gallen army or been executed with the scandal he had prepared. Realizing that he was still safe and sound, Lavallee bit his dry lips hard.


    TL Note: I tranted this paragraph while smirking. Damn.


    "...I managed to pull through, huh?"


    "...Kiri nuketa ka."


    "Yes, yes. This country has safely ovee the war. It''s all thanks to Your Excellency''s efforts."


    "Hai, hai. Kono kuni wa buji, senka o kiri nukemashita wa. Kore mo kshaku-sama no go-jinryoku no okage desu."


    "...Hehe."


    "...Fufu."


    Amidst the conversation thatcked coherence, a bitter smile escaped.


    This naive mistress knew nothing of Lavallee''s machinations behind this war, nor his intentions to eliminate unsettling figures during it. She was naturally kind-hearted and unaware of any dark schemes. It was precisely because of this innocence that she fell victim to the schemes of this old monster.


    However, despite everything, thest person standing by Lavallee''s side was this very woman.


    On that fateful day when Lavallee suddenly fell ill and copsed, it turned out to be fortunate that his secret rendezvous was with a priestess. Thanks to her healing magic, he managed to cling to life until today. Apparently, she earnestly nursed him while sobbing and crying. Truly, she was not the type of woman one would expect to be involved with a mastermind.


    There were a few other mistresses, but when news spread that Lavallee was gravely ill, some of them appeared with the sole intention of iming their share of his inheritance. Of course, he managed to silence them with a small sum of money, but some wouldn''t stay quiet. To his amazement, some old women even tried to use their past rtionships from twenty or thirty years ago to get what they wanted. Dealing with such people had been exasperating. In the end, he had to rely on his covert operatives to deal with them. If those women were so desperate to have a conversation with a dying old man, they could do so peacefully in the afterlife.


    In the midst of sorting out his rtionships with various women, Lavallee couldn''t fathom why this woman remained. She refused to leave and remained by his side, demanding only that she be with him. Moreover, she seemed ready to care for him until the very end. No, more than that, she might even hope to defy his impending death and heal himpletely.


    What could this aging man possibly mean to her for her to be so devoted? Lavallee himself found it puzzling.


    "...I have a favor to ask."


    "......Tanomi ga aru."


    "What is it? Please tell me, anything you wish."


    "Nandeshou? Nannari to osshatte kudasaimashi."


    "...Regarding the handling of the war. I want to speak with the Prime Minister."


    "...Sensou no shori. Saishou-dono to, hanashi ga shitai."


    "N-No, you can''t! You''re still in such a state that you shouldn''t be dealing with political matters"


    "Da, dame desu! Mada, sono you na seimu o yarareru you na joutai dewa"


    She just said "anything you wish," didn''t she? He tried to be sarcastic, but it was too much trouble.


    Instead, He said something else.


    "...I have prepared a letter. Just tell a retainer to deliver it..."


    "...Tegami o youi shite oru. Kashin ni itte, todokesaseru dake de, yoi..."


    Tullius repelled the attack from St. Gallen and survived his scheme. Naturally Lavallee had anticipated this possibility in advance. There was a time that he himself falling or facing circumstances beyond his control due to his age. Therefore, he had already written a letter with a n in ce.


    Even at this critical moment, the man named Lavallee could not fully abandon his cunning nature.


    "...The desk, second drawer. It''s an utmost secret, so... until it''s delivered, do not open the seal..."


    "...tsukue, nidanme no hikidashi. Hichuu no hi, yue... todokeru made, fuu o akete wa..."


    His voice trailed off. Even breathing was exhausting. When he paused in speaking, his consciousness scattered, and he couldn''t resume.


    Nevertheless, he managed to convey the main points. Confirming the woman''s nod, Lavallee once again buried his head in the pillow.


    "I''m a bit... tired. I''ll rest, for a while. If something happens... wake me up..."


    "Sukoshi... tsukareta yo. Shibaraku, yasumu. Nanika attara... okose..."


    "Yes... understood, Your Excellency. Then, as you have instructed."


    "Hai... wakarimashita wa, koushaku-sama. Dewa, oshiraretatouri ni."


    After seeing off the woman with an almost tearful expression, he dozed off for a short while.


    It was a pleasant autumn afternoon, with a warm and gentle breeze. It was perfect weather for an old man to enjoy a nap. As he thought about it, he realized that he hadn''t had such an opportunity in a long time.


    (Thinking back, I''ve been working tirelessly for these fifty years...)


    (Omoeba kono gojuunen, hatarakitsume de atta koto yo na...)


    His life of prolonged struggles that has continued since the defeat of Elpis Roanne rose to his mind.


    He came to the realization that he must change the country. To begin with, he desired to hold the power for that purpose. He ughtered even his own brothers to obtain the position of the head of the Marquis family. He organized the nobles and established a centralized faction. He purged many regional nobles and an equal number of opposition members from his own faction. He manipted the court, controlled ministers and prime ministers at will. In order to seek opportunities to defeat detestable enemy nations, he suppressed his own desires and continued with a conciliatory approach. As a result of holding on to power and upying the position of the head of the family, he lost his eldest son. Seven years ago, he could not prevent the assassination of the Crown Prince and others, which was a regretful matter. And in his final years, he shed with that deranged young man.


    All of these memories were nothing but bloody, dark, and full of shame.


    There were many regrets in his heart. St. Gallen was not an opponent to be underestimated in just this one battle, and he was concerned about Molbaehr''s movements as well. And above all, the greatest threat within the country was still alive. He couldn''t die like this.


    ...Until just a short while ago, he thought that way.


    (I want to rest...)


    (Yasumi tai nou...)


    After copsing, thoughts like that constantly upied his mind. As his heart weakened, so did his spirit, and his passion faded, making everything feel tedious. His family, whom he had treated with neglect, only offered minimal visits when he was critically ill, and the only person who stayed by his side until the end was the woman he had just sent away. It made him feel a little lonely. This was a sentiment he had never experienced before.


    He wondered if this was what old age felt like, although it seemed toote to be contemting such matters.


    (It''s enough, I guess.)


    (Mou, juubun ka.)


    Under the warm sunlight, he decided to go to sleep.


    There was no end to regrets and unfinished business. Life seemed to be nothing but unresolved matters. However, he had made the final arrangements, so it should be fine to feel satisfied and at ease with that.


    "...Goodnight."


    "...Oyasumi."


    He said this to no one in particr and closed his eyes.


    The man who had lived for over half a century in a world of conspiracies finally found peace and drifted into a peaceful sleep.


    After a while, the woman returned to the room, tears welling up in her eyes.


    The man, who had told her to wake him up if anything happened, would never wake up again, no matter how much she called out to him.


    ~~~


    Count Langogne was ecstatic.


    Just the other day, the peace treaty was reached in the war against St. Gallen, the Volden Campaign, which resulted in a victory for his homnd. The resounding triumph of Tullius Shernan Oubeniel, which he had been promoting within his faction for some time, had greatly strengthened his position.


    His good fortune continued. With the outbreak of the war, the thorn in his side, Marquis Lavallee, shamelessly returned. But that old, detestable monster had finally met his end.


    Now, there was no one among the centralists who could rece Count Langogne. Mearbahn was just a bold hermit who was all bark and no bite. As soon as Lavallee fell, Chambery shamelessly approached the Count, suggesting, "Shall we go visit the Marquis together?" The others were either Langogne''s loyalists or insignificant nobodies.


    In other words, he, the Count of Langogne, was the undisputed top figure in the capital city of Broussonne.


    With such pride swelling in his chest, Count Langogne weed the man in question.


    "Nice to meet you for the first time, Count Langogne. I am Count Tullius Oubeniel of Volden."


    "Doumo, ohatsu o me ni kakarimasu Rangonyu-hakushaku. Vruden koushaku Turiusu buniru desu."


    With a carefree smile, the young man lightly nodded. He was Tullius, the one who achieved his first victory in the Volden Campaign. There were no attendants with him. His chief military officer, who had aplished great deeds, was born in the enemy country, St. Gallen, making him unsuitable for the victory ceremony. The other military officers were of lower rank, and there were no civil officials with enough status or achievements to join the audience. Langogne couldn''t help but feel pity for their humble household.


    Putting that aside, Langogne''s good mood was immediately dampened by Tullius'' first words.


    "... I believe we have already met before, Count Oubeniel."


    "... Wareware wa hatsu taiken de wa nakatta to omou ga, buniru hakushaku."


    "Huh? Is that so?"


    "Are? Sou deshita kke?"


    The easygoing young man replied without a hint of concern. For a moment, Langogne''s forehead creased with a slight displeased wrinkle.


    "We met several times at partiesst year, introduced by your brother, remember?"


    "Sennen ni nando ka, paatii de kao o awaseta to kioku shite iru nda ga ne? Hora, kiden no ani-kun no shoukai de."


    After Linus'' weddingst autumn, this carefree youth had been brought by his brother to several tea parties and garden parties attended by nobles. Langogne was certain that they had met at that time. In fact, he remembered Tullius'' uninterested expression during those asions and even the exchange of greetings they had.


    Was this man iming to have forgotten all that? If that were true, he was aplete fool. Socializing and recognizing faces weremon practices among nobles. Even if they had met only once, Langogne was a high-ranking count. It was inconceivable that someone could forget meeting him.


    While maintaining a smile on his face, Langogne observed him with a feeling of contempt. However, Tullius pped his hands after a while.


    "Oh, that time! Oh dear, my apologies. Last year at this time, so many difficult things were happening in session. I suppose I just couldn''t recall it well."


    "Aa, ano toki desu ka! Iyahaya, moushiwake nai. Sakunen no imagoro wa, nanika to taihen na koto ga tate tsuzuke ni okotta deshou? Sore de doumo, umaku omoidasenakatta you de."


    "Haha, well, that might be true! You must have had a lot going on too. No worries, I don''t mind at all."


    "Haha, sou darou to mo, sou darou to mo! Kimi mo iroiro taihen datta naa. Sore de wa shikata nai darou yo, ki ni shite wa inai sa."


    Ah,e to think of it, there was that infamous trial uproar, the great fire in the capital, and even the assassination attempt against Tullius. In that case, it wouldn''t be surprising to forget about some noble whom you met only once... Of course he wouldn''t think like that.


    For nobles, connections were their lifelines. Neglecting their lifelines due to the danger to their lives would have been nothing but a sign of foolishness. Indeed, like the elder brother, so was the younger brother.


    He may have performed well in the war, but he was ultimately only skilled in barbaric acts. He possessed a bloody talent worthy of the infamous title "ve Killer." There was no need to involve himself with such a filthy fool. Once he used him to his advantage, He should make arrangements for him to live peacefully with his brother in a monastery.


    As Langogne was making such calctions in his mind, someone chimed in,


    "Ooh, are you Count Oubeniel? I''ve heard about you for a while. I am a Count of the Kingdom, Chambery. I look forward to working with you."


    "Iyaa, anata ga buniru hakushaku desu ka. O uwasa wa kanegane ukagatte orimasu. Watashi, oukoku hakushaku Shamberi to mousu mono. Igo, yoshinani onegai itashimasu."


    For some reason, Chambery, who had been tagging along in this encounter, preemptively greeted Tullius politely.


    <i>What is he thinking?</i> Langogne was displeased.


    Isn''t greeting someone of lower status first an indication of respect? Though Chambery may be despicable, he was an experienced and prominent noble. It''s normal for a young peer, who has just turned twenty, to not even bother with them until they bow first.


    Tullius was also slightly taken aback, but he quickly responded.


    "...Ah, thank you very much for your courtesy. I am Count Tullius Shernan Oubeniel. Likewise, I look forward to your kind support, Count Chambery."


    "...Aa, kore wa go teinei ni doumo. Turiusu Shurnan buniru-hakushaku desu. Kochirakoso, Shamberi-hakushaku ni wa yoroshiku o hiki tate no hodo o."


    He immediately put on a hollow smile in response. As Langogne witnessed the two shaking hands, he inwardly sneered.


    (Hmph... the handshake of the despised bat and the sniveling snake.)


    (Fun... kirawaremono no koumori to, hananasumi mono no hebi no akushu ka)


    Being eyed with contempt by others from different families, they seemed to have found camaraderie. Langogne didn''t dwell too deeply on such thoughts and let it pass.


    He gracefully turned on his heel and addressed the two.


    "Shall we proceed? The other distinguished guests must be eagerly waiting as well."


    "Dewa, mairou ka? Hoka no orekireki mo, kubi o nagaku shite matte iru de arou."


    With a gesture, he indicated behind them.


    There stood the elegant white castlethe heart of the capital, no, the kingdomthe royal pce.


    Today, the royal pce would host a ceremony to reward the nobles who participated in the Volden campaign. Count Langogne''s purpose in personally weing Tullius wasn''t just to maintain appearances within factions. Primarily, it was to guide him as he entered the court for the first time today.


    "Oh my, indeed, passing through the gates of the royal pce always makes one feel a bit more tense! Even someone like me, who has seen it countless times, can''t get used to it."


    "Iyahaya, yahari oukyuu no mon to iu mono wa, tooru tabi ni mi ga hikishimaru omoi ga suru mono desu naa! Watashi nado, nando to naku me ni shiyou to nareru kehai ga shinai nodesu yo."


    "Hahaha. Well, that''s true. Um... It''s so huge, I feel like I could get crushed."


    "Hahaha. Maa, sou desu ne. Eeto... kou ookii to, oshi tsubuse sou de kowai desu ne."


    "And the magnificent sculptures decorating the front yard! Don''t you think they suit our beloved Arquell Kingdom, thend of art?"


    "Sore to zen''ba ni kazaru soureina choukoku no kazukazu! Kore zo daichi to geijutsu no kuni, warera ga Arukru Oukoku o irodoru ni fusawashii to omoimasen ka na?"


    "Yes, you''re right. The statues adorning the fountain are truly splendid."


    "Ee, sou desu ne. Ano fuen ni kazurarete iru zou nanka wa, migoto na mono da to omoimasu."


    "Oh, be careful when passing through the reception hall. The brilliance of that grand chandelier! It''s said that ifmoners happen to catch a glimpse, they might be blinded by its radiance."


    "Otto, Resepushon hooru o tooru sai wa oki o tsuke o. Ano dai shanderia no kenran-sa to kitara! Gekka no mono nado ga ukkari me ni irereba, mabushisa de tsubusare kanenai to uwasa de shite na."


    "Oh, really? I''ll be careful, then."


    "Haa, sou nano desu ka. Ki o tsukemasu."


    Although his intention was to guide him, it seemed that Langogne''s introduction had not received a favorable response. Tullius kept giving insincere responses like a child shown an uninteresting toy and even let out sighs from time to time.


    (What a disrespectful man...)


    (Nanto fukei na otoko ka...)


    Behind his elegant smile, he further intensified his contempt for this young man.


    How could he remain so indifferent to the sight of the pce, the representation of the kingdom''s authority and the symbol of the royal rule? It seemed like the insensitivity of a rural noble, but it was not so simple. asionally, when asked about famous artifacts or artworks, he would surprisingly give urate responses. It appeared that he had some sense when it came to art.


    So, what was the reason for his indifference?


    ...He must have very little respect for the royal family.


    Indeed, even Langogne harbored a sense of disdain for the man who ruled this magnificent pceKing Charles VIII. Hecked ambition, yet was temperamental and cowardly, and slow to respond to crises. Such a king could never earn Langogne''s admiration. However, he could not deny the royal family''s prestigious bloodline. At the pinnacle of the blue blood that justified their rule, nobles should hold a deep sense of respect. Looking at the scenery of the pce, a symbol of that history, one should naturally straighten their cor with reverence.


    But this mancked that sense. His awareness as a noble was questionable.


    Langogne reached that conclusion.


    (Well, it doesn''t matter. With such a fool, when he bes of no use, I can dispose of him without any regrets.)


    (Maa, ii wa. Sono you na utsuke de areba koso, youzumi ni natta sai ni kirisutete mo, oshiku wa nai to iu mono.)


    While toying with such thoughts, he guided him through the pce.


    Since they had time before the ceremony began, Langogne showed him the areas where ess was allowed, as far as he knew. They visited halls adorned with ceiling paintings created by artists invited from Omnia, the splendid flower beds of the north-facing garden, and even teased from afar the pce built as the residence of the king''s favorite mistressthough it was no longer used.


    "...Is Count Langogne fond of this sort of thing?"


    "...Langogne-hakushaku tte, kou iu koto ga suki na kata na no desu ka?"


    "Ha, hahaha... H-he''s not a bad person, but he does have a bit of a childish side."


    "Ha, hahaha... Wa, warui kata de wa gozaimasen yo. Shibashi, wakage ni afureta tokoro mo arimasu ga."


    asionally, it was bothersome to see Tullius and Chambery behind him whispering to each other. He had no desire to be friendly with the likes of these noble brats, but it didn''t sit well with him if they were keeping secrets from him.


    *Ahem*, he cleared his throat with a single cough.


    "Hm, we''ve spent quite some time, haven''t we... Well then, shall we head to the antechamber soon?"


    "Umu. Daibu jikan o tsukatte shimatta na... de wa, sorosoro hikae no ma e mukau to suru ka ne?"


    "Ah, Count Langogne. Before that, there is something I would like to consult with you."


    "Aa, Rangonyu-hakushaku. Sono mae ni hitotsu, go-soudan shitakikoto ga gozaimashite."


    Once again, Langogne felt irritated by Tullius'' words.


    As a senior member and someone who had extended the courtesy of including him in their faction, it was rather impudent of Tullius toe seeking advice like this. Moreover, the fact that he wanted to discuss it before heading to the antechamber suggested it was a confidential matter he didn''t want other nobles to know. Langogne didn''t want to get too involved with this man, but...


    "Well, well! Count Langogne is known for his eloquence and depth of understanding among the younger generation. While I''m not sure what troubles Count Oubeniel, I believe he can surely offer you some wisdom."


    "Sore wa sore wa! Rangonyu-hakushaku wa wakai katagata no naka demo yuuben-sa to futokoro no fukasa de shirareta okata. Oobuniru-hakushaku ga nani o onayami ka wa gozonjimasen ga, kitto yoi chie o o-kashi itadakeru deshou."


    Before he could refuse, Chambery had already taken the conversation in a direction of his own.


    Well, having this bat-like man involved means that the information will also reach the ears of the faction members through him. Considering this, it would be unwise for Langogne, who was the one advocating for Turius'' eptance, to refuse to hear the consultation. He didn''t want any rumors about him being a turncoat or anything of the sort.


    "Of course, indeed. Go ahead and tell me anything."


    "...Mochiron de aru tomo. Sa, nan demo itte mitamae."


    "Thank you, Count. The consultation is regarding the management of my territory."


    "Arigatou gozaimasu, hakushaku. Sore de soudan to moushimasu no wa, ryouchi no keiei ni kansuru koto deshite"


    To summarize Tullius'' words, his territory had suffered from the war, and his people were scarce. The invasion of St. Gallen had caused damages, and losses were incurred from conscripted soldiers in the Battle of vicure. As a result, there was a shortage of poption in his territory, and it was beginning to affect the management.


    Langogne thought it had nothing to do with him. Tullius was nothing more than someone to use and discard once he lost his value. Langogne desired the numbers and military power of moderate faction nobles like Margrave Doldran. Tullius was like a mere nutshell; Langogne reluctantly took him and would eventually dispose of him.


    However, it wasn''t the right time to show such tant disregard. If this man, in a fit of disappointment with the central faction, said something like, "Is that so? Then I''ll rely on the decentralized faction," it would be a shameful oue for Langogne. For a little while longer, he wanted to keep Tullius under his influence.


    Yet, he didn''t have any wisdom like Chambery said.


    "Hmm, it''s difficult... It''s not easy to increase the number of people. Especially through migration between territories"


    "Uumu, muzukashii na... hito nado, sou sou fuyaseru mono de wa nai. Mashiteya ryouchikan no idou nado"


    The quickest way to increase Volden''s poption would be through immigration. However, for nobles, their subjects were the source of taxation revenue. Not many nobles would willingly cooperate and provide their subjects for migration. Moreover, the central faction was predominantlyposed of court nobles with small territories. Small territories meant a scarce poption. There were hardly any nobles who could spare any people. Perhaps someone like Lavallee or Chambery, who had defected from the decentralized faction, might be able to contribute something.


    "I see. Is it difficult? Um, then... What does Count Chambery think?"


    "Sou desu ka. Muzukashii desu ka. Eetto, jaa... Shamberi-hakushaku wa dou omowaremasu?"


    "Huh, me? W-well, let''s see. Immigration, immigration... Even if we straightforwardly propose immigration, it won''t be epted. We need some pretext, right?"


    "Eh, koko de watashi desu ka? So, sou desu naa. Imin, imin... Sunao ni imin to itte mo, oujirareru wake wa nai desu na. Nanika meimoku ga iru darou."


    "A pretext, huh... It would be nice to have some pretext that would force other nobles to provide people."


    "Meimoku kaa... Nanika meimoku ga aru to iin desu kedo ne. Yoso no kizoku ga tami o dasazaru oenai you na meimoku."


    "That''s right. Something like that, perhaps conscription during war could be a pretext, but we''ve already made peace."


    "Soudesu naa. Sonna mono wa, sore koso sensou de no chouhei kurai dewa nai desu ka naa. Mou kouwa shite shimaimashita ga."


    "That''s it!"


    "Sore da!"


    Having gained a brilliant idea, Langogne couldn''t help but exim.


    At the sudden loud voice, Tullius and Chambery blinked, but Langogne continued without minding them and exined the n that he was confident of.


    "Yes, conscription. We can gather people under the pretext of conscription and send them to Vorden, where they can work as farmers. It''s a well-known fact that Volden''s military strength has been reduced, and it''s only natural that it urgently needs replenishment for national defense. With this, we''ll have an unassable justification, won''t we?"


    "Sou, chouhei da. Chouhei no meiyo de tami o atsumete Vorudan ni okuri, genchi de wa noumin to shite hatarakasereba yoi darou. Vorudan-shuu no heiryoku ga hetatte iru no wa shuuchi no jijitsu de ari, kokubou no tame ni sono hoten ga kyuumu de aru no mo mata touzen no koto. Kore naraba dare ni mo monku o tsukerarenu taigimei-bun to narou?''


    "So, you mean... the so-called ''tonden-hei'' (military settlers), is that it? Haha, that''s a great idea!"


    "Sore wa tsumari... iwayuru tonden-hei to iu yatsu desu ka. Hahaa, sore wa yoi o-kangae desu ne."


    "Exactly, exactly. As expected of Count Langogne. Right, Count Oubeniel?"


    "Shikari shikari. Sasuga wa Rangonyu-hakushaku desu na, Oobuniru-hakushaku."


    The fools who hadn''t thought of such a thing were expressing admiration and approval. Listening to their pleasing voices, Langogne continued.


    There was more to this n.


    "And, let the local nobles be responsible for providing those soldiers. In the Volden Campaign this time, Count Oubeniel fought personally, and we centralists also put in great effort to reinforce. Now, let''s ask for assistance from other distinguished nobles."


    "Soshite, sono hei o kyooshutsu suru no wa chihou kizoku ni tantou shite itadakou. Kondo no Vordaan sen''eki, Oobuniru hakushaku wa mizukara tatakai, warera shukenha mo zoen no tame ni hone o otta. Kondo wa hoka no orekireki ni chikarazoe o oshite moraou dewa nai ka."


    By doing so, they can address the Volden situation without causing harm to the centralists, and at the same time, weaken the power of the regional decentralists. It''s truly a brilliant n.


    ""Ooohhh...""


    The two fools, who could only listen to Langogne''s opinion, let out relieved sighs in unison. Despite meeting for the first time today, they strangely seem to be in harmony. Birds of a feather flock together, one might say.


    (Heh, did you see that? Even without the likes of Lavallee, there are still those who cane up with ideas. And it''s none other than I, myself.)


    (Fu, mita ka. Ravare no gotoki youkai ga oran demo, chie o daseru mono wa iru to iu no da. Hoka naranu, kono watashi ga na.)


    While indulging in a sense of superiority, he silently disys his achievement.


    Perhaps Mearbahn feared the absence of a wise figure like Lavallee and supported his return, but his judgment might be clouded. As long as Langogne remains, the outdated old foxes are no longer necessary. He has even stood at the apex of the faction. Eventually, he will ask Mearbahn to step down as well.


    "So, is that all for the consultation? If so, it''s about time I make an appearance in the reception room, or people will start to wonder."


    "De, soudan to iu no wa sore dake kana? Naraba, sorosoro hikae no ma ni kao o dasaneba, ibukarareru koroai da."


    "Yes, yes. No problem at all. My concerns about my subjects are now resolved!"


    "Ee, ee. Mondai arimasen tomo. Boku no ryoumin ni kansuru fuan wa kore de kaiketsu desu ne!"


    "Exactly. Let''s consult on how to push this n through in the uing meeting at the court."


    "Sou desu tomo. Sassoku jikai no kaigou de, kono an o toosu tame ni kyuutei e hatarakikakeru you ni satorimashou"


    Langogne walks ahead, pulling two goldfish poops onto his buttocks. He was in a good mood, taking slightlyrger steps than usual. He couldn''t see the scene behind him.


    "Ah... Centralists, they''re quite a handful, aren''t they?"


    "Haa... Chuuou shuuken-ha tte, taihen nan desu ne..."


    "Hahaha. It''s easier nowpared to when Marquis Lavallee was still around... Sometimes, I miss the old days when things were more challenging."


    "Hahaha. Ravare-kou ga gokenzai de atta koro yori ka yariyasui desu yo... Tokiori, taihen de atta hazu no mukashi ga natsukashiku narimasu ga..."


    "But still, Victor can be quite troublesome with his instructions. To think he''d tell me to go out of my way to prompt this man toe up with ideas."


    "Ni shite mo, Viktor mo mendou na shiji o dasu naa. Wazawaza, kono hito ni jibun kara kangae tsukaseru you shimukero, da nante..."


    "It''s essential to give credit to the other person, isn''t it, Count Oubeniel? Especially when dealing with someone as proud and sensitive as him."


    "Aite o tateru koto wa daiji desu zo, Orbnil-hakushaku? Tokuni kono kata no you na, hokori takaku ki no komayaka na o-hito to taisuru toki ni wa, desu."


    "Count Chambery... Thank you for your cooperation. It seems I misunderstood you."


    "Shanberi-hakushaku... Gokyoryoku, arigatou gozaimasu. Douyara boku wa, anata no koto o gokai shite ita you desu."


    "I''m just as greedy and cautious as the rumors say. I''ve learned how to navigate through life in my own way, that''s all."


    "Watashi nado uwasa doori no yokufuka na shoushinsha desu yo. Tada, sou de aru nari no yowatari o kokoroete iru dake deshite."


    Meanwhile, the two behind exchanged whispers and seemed to be getting along well.


    ~~~


    Brousonne Royal Pce, Throne Room.


    A red carpet embroidered with golden thread extended through the vast hall, forming a splendid corridor leading to the elevated throne at the far end. On both sides of the carpet stood a line of nobles, the core figures of the Alquer Kingdom, including officials from both military and civilian domains. They all stood in perfect formation, ensuring that they did not ce their shoe tips on the carpet, reserved only for the King and those specially granted permission by him.


    Along the wall near the entrance, a band of musicians was arranged, ying soothing melodies repeatedly. Their music would crescendo like thunder in unison with the king''s entrance, as it was customary for such a performance during the King''s arrival. The musicians awaited that precise moment while reaching yet another repeat of their piece.


    Soon, a man entered from the entrance and walked on the red carpet. He was not the king. One would not expect the person who stands at the pinnacle of this kingdom, with or without an entourage, to appear at such an asion.


    His name was Duke Rochebourg. He had risen to the position of Prime Minister of the kingdom and was granted the title of duke, typically reserved only for those of royal blood, for one generation only. However, in the presence of this figure, there was no one showing reverence or awe. It was a well-known fact among the nobility present in the pce that this person had obtained his position through the maniption of thete Marquis Lavallee, who had passed away recently. The current Prime Minister was seen as a puppet of the deceased marquis.


    Duke Rochebourg walked proudly through the cold gazes of the feudal lords. However, his inner thoughts were undoubtedly different. His greatest patron, Marquis Ravare, was already gone. Therefore, the time hade for him to manage the court with his own abilities. But what could a man who had merely danced to the tune of an old man achieve? For Count Langogne who was observing from the sidelines, it was truly an intriguing matter.


    (Hmph, this puppet... He should havee crying to me sooner.)


    After Lavallee''s death, the leader of the centralists was Langogne. Although he oncegged behind Lavallee''s resurgence, his endorsement of Tullius, who achieved sess in the Volden War, made it natural for him to inherit the faction with his foresight. Therefore, to cling to the seat of the prime minister, Langogne''s support was essential.


    The fact that there had been no word from him until that day implied that he might cut the strings set by the centralists and start dancing on his own. Alternatively, there might have been a new puppeteer who had attached new strings. Either way, that prime minister was unnecessary for Langogne.


    (Old blood had to be reced promptly.)


    In his mind, he listed up potential prime minister candidates that suited him, and naturally, he ranked himself as the top candidate. As the prime minister took steps forward, Rochebourg stepped back beside the stairs leading to the throne and received a parchment paper with reverence from the ceremonial official.


    Then, he took a deep breath and spoke in a firm voice.


    "Hail to His Majesty, King Charles VIII, ruler of Arquell,nd of earth and arts by the grace of God, arbiter ofw and order, defender of the rights and authority of the lords, guardian of faith, doctrine and church! Wee!"


    "Kami no onchou ni yoru daichi to geijutsu no kuni Arukueeru no toujisha, hou to chitsujo ni yoru saitekisha, shukou no fuku beki kenri to ken''i no yougo-sha, shinkou to kyougi to kyoukai no shugosha de aru Sharuru hassei-heika, go-irai!"


    At the same time, the orchestral music intensified, seemingly emphasizing the King''s dignity. Rochebourg''s voice resounded in the hall, not to be overshadowed by the volume of the music.


    To recite such a lengthy address loudly and without hesitation. He inadvertently impressed. He must have been appointed as the Prime Minister for his skill in this art.


    Amidst the grandiose flood of sound, King Charles VIII made his entrance, supported by the Minister of the Pce as if he were being drowned by it. As he approached, attendees near the entrance knelt down one by one. Above their heads, ceremonial guards also knelt, raising the tips of their gleaming ives. This gesture signified that anyone showing disrespect or rebellious intent before the King would be swiftly punished. However, it was not the nobles who knelt in fear at the sound of the spear shafts resonating, but the King himself, supposedly protected by his soldiers. It appeared that the current ruler, His Majesty, still harbored timidity and delusions of victimization.


    Before it was his turn to kneel, Langogne stole a nce at the others in the line near the entrance. Tullius, who had just taken over the position, was a young and inexperienced leader, and the Oubeniel family''s status was rtively lower than other county. Naturally, he was assigned a seat closer to the end during this ceremony.


    He wondered if that man might cause unnecessary trouble or fail to perform his duties properly. Langogne was concerned about it. This was the grand stage of the King''s audience. If that man were to make a blunder in such a ce, it might reflect poorly on Langogne as well in the end. He had taught him the etiquette of chewing and swallowing appropriately in the antechamber, but it was a pressing matter. Moreover, he couldn''t believe that the man was intellectually capable. If he could buy safety through worrying, he would have worried endlessly.


    Perhaps his prayers were answered, as Tullius followed the ceremony smoothly without any sign of danger. Since there were no signs of disturbance or mockery among the courtiers, it seemed he hadn''t done anything strange. For the time being, Langogne felt relieved.


    Soon, all attendees, including Langogne, knelt down, and King Charles VIII ascended the steps to the throne with sluggish movements. It was neither weighty nor light like a cloud, but rather a gait that seemed to sink. There was no other way to describe it but as sluggish.


    (As always, he remains an unenthusiastic king.)


    Whether he knew or didn''t know about the cynical evaluation he received, the King sat heavily on the throne, pretending to be regal.


    The Prime Minister also ascended to the middle of the stairnding and stepped aside, standing outside the red carpet while extending the parchment paper with the ceremony written on it, preparing for his customary loud voice.


    "Now, in celebration of the victory in the Volden War, which resulted in a sessful peace negotiation, His Majesty''s royal decree shall be granted! All courtiers should listen solemnly!"


    "Kore yori, saki ni kouwa no natta Vorudan sen''eki no shouri o kashite, Heika no gyokuon ga kudasaretamau! Shokei wa shinmyou ni mimi ni suru ga yoi!"


    After such an introduction, the war victory ceremony and rewards for merit finally began.


    The progress of the ceremony was generally as follows:


    First, the ceremonial guards simultaneously lowered their outstretched spears and stepped back while standing up. At the same time, all attendees stood up. It was desirable to position oneself about two steps away from the carpet during this moment.


    Then, they would listen to the King''s somewhat unclear congrattory address, and finally, the main event wouldmence.


    It was the beginning of the determination of rewards and punishments for the noblesthe rewards for merit.


    The Prime Minister called out the names of the attendees.


    "Margrave of the Kingdom''s bordends, Leonard Christophe Doldran!"


    "Oukoku Henkyouhaku, Reonaaru Kurisutofu Dorudoran!"


    "Yes!"


    "Ha-ha!"


    When called, the noble would promptly respond and take one step forward. Just one step. Until granted permission by the King, they were not allowed to put their feet on the carpet.


    "Ce...closer!"


    "Ch-chi... chikayore!"


    It was only upon receiving such a summons that one could step onto the red-carpeted floor with their shoes and sink into the feeling of triumph.


    However, there was one exception to this case. If the Prime Minister called out someone''s name, but the King did not acknowledge them, it signified that the individual hadmitted some mistake and would be punished. Those who were guilty had no right to walk the path leading to the throne. That''s what it implied.


    At first nce, one might have thought that there would be no one among the attendees who would do something to warrant punishment during this ceremony, which was meant to reward the merits of the Volden War, which concluded in just under two weeks.


    However, at that moment, it was also a judgment seat where rewards and punishments were determined by the King''s authority. Therefore, it was not impossible to exclude nobles who were inconvenient for the asion. In times of war, vast amounts of money, resources, and people were in motion, beyond what could beprehended at a nce. One could use this to use others of negligence, embezzlement, or misappropriation, and confiscate their territories entirely or partially. Otherwise, rewards might be insufficient.


    Let''s get back to the point. The one whose name was called this time was Margrave Doldran of the bordends. During that war, he served as an advisor and assisted the novicemander-in-chief in making decisions, and on some asions, he led the troops himself, achieving great sess in repelling the St. Gallen army. He was undoubtedly a distinguished hero. Naturally, he gained the right to be summoned by the King and approached the throne.


    After bowing and stepping forward to the front of the stairs, he knelt once again.


    "In this battle, your wisdom, valor, and hard work have achieved remarkable sess, greatly contributing to the victory, which His Majesty graciously acknowledges. Therefore, in recognition of this"


    "Kono tabi no gassen ni oite wa, kiden no chiyu to funtou ga kou o tomonau, sono hataraki ga shouri e to kouken suru tokoro dai de aru to, osoraku mo Heika ga omitome de araserareru. Yotte kore o houshi"


    And so on, the Prime Minister''s words continued.


    Following this, the King asked,


    "Do you have any wishes?"


    "Nanika nozomi no suji wa aru ka?"


    In response to this question, one must not straightforwardly express their desires, stating things like "I want this" or "I want that." Rewards bestowed in such ceremonies are often predetermined during the nning stages. Unexpectedly voicing unforeseen desires could cause dys in the proceedings.


    Therefore, the response was,


    "No, Your Majesty. Everything is as you wish."


    "Iie, gozaimasenu. Subete Heika no goshin no mama ni"


    When questioned, it was customary for the vassal to decline in this manner. First, the vassal would demonstrate their selflessness and loyalty to win the King''s satisfaction and favor. Once that was done, the King would praise their spirit and bestow pre-determined rewards, which the vassal would ept and then step back.


    This was the sequence of events.


    The ceremony progressed without any problems. Many nobles were called by name, summoned closer to receive rewards, or kept at a distance from the throne to receive reprimands and punishments. Langogne, of course, belonged to the former category. Although he had only joined the army that departed from the capital and learned of the end of the battle before arriving, it was a fact that he had served as part of the military forces. As he contributed troops and demonstrated loyalty, the King had an obligation to reward his actions. Without grace, there would be no service. It was a fundamental principle of the feudal system.


    And then, another person''s name was called.


    "Kingdom''s Royal Knight, Elisha Rosmond Balbastre!"


    "Oukoku Konoe Kishi, Erisha Rozumondo Barubasutoru!"


    "Yes!"


    "Ha-ha!"


    As the young woman''s voice echoed, Langogne''s brow slightly furrowed. He had grown ustomed to the voices of the men, but this one was different. The one called was a young woman holding the title of Commander of the Second Royal Knights Order. She was someone he didn''t like. Her origin was from the Balbastre Marquisate, a political rival of the centralist faction. She had caused various disturbances, defied her family''s expectations by bing a knight, and escaped the constraints of her noble lineage. Just like Oubeniel, she was one of the fools disrupting the order and hierarchy of the noble society.


    During the war, she boasted about battling monsters that supposedly intruded duringbat, iming they were even vampires. Such ims seemed highly exaggerated and doubtful. Though officially recognized and praised before the King, Langogne suspected that her achievements were embellished to enhance the reputation of the Royal Knights.


    "Do... do you have any desires or wishes?"


    "Na, nanika nozomi no suji wa, a, aru ka?"


    "I have none. I will follow His Majesty''s will."


    "Arimasenu. Heika no go-shin no mama ni"


    Saying this, she solemnly lowered her gaze, disying a demeanor of eptance to the royal decision. In these moments ofposure, she showed the elegance befitting a nobledy of her refined lineage.


    "T-then, ept the reward from m-me."


    "Dewa, you kara no houbi wo, to, to, torasu."


    In response to King Charles VIII''s words, the court official approached slowly and handed a new parchment paper to the Prime Minister.


    "Prime Minister, read it on my... b-behalf! I allow you to voice out my will!"


    "Sa, saishou! Yo ni, ka, kawatte! Wa, waga i o yomiageru koto o, sa... sashi yurusu!"


    "Yes. I humbly ept."


    "Ha-ha. Kashikomari nagara uketorimashite gozaimasu."


    After bowing to the throne, Duke Rochebourg walked towards Elisha, who remained kneeling.


    The assembled nobles murmured among themselves. In such circumstances, the custom in Alquelle was to merely read out the list of rewards without physically presenting them. If any gifts were to be given, they would be receivedter through an official envoy. The Prime Minister approaching someone with rewards was a rare urrence and only happened on exceptional asions of receiving high honors.


    Even Elisha seemed perplexed, and she unintentionally lifted her face, which should have been lowered.


    "Lady Balbastre, I humbly offer to read and convey His Majesty''s intentions to you. Therefore, please assume the proper posture and listen."


    "Barbastor-kyo, kore yori kashikomari nagara Heika no go-i o haiyoku shi tatematsuru. Yueni, sono tsumori de shisei o tadashishi, kiku ga yoi."


    "Yes... My apologies for the rudeness."


    "Haa... kore wa shitsurei o ba."


    With Elisha once again bowing her head, Rochebourg read out the contents.


    "King Charles VIII has been greatly impressed by your bravery in the recent campaign and your aplishments in defeating the monstrous vampire, who pose a threat not only to the kingdom but to all of humanity and the church. Therefore, he bestows upon Knight Elisha Rosmond Balbastre... the rmendation and appointment as a Holy Knight, to serve the Holy Church!"


    "Koku Sharuru VIII-sei Heika wa, kikou no konjiseneki okeru yuusen, narabi ni oukoku no minarazu zenjin no kyoui ni shite kyoukai ni tai suru boufuku-teki haikyou-sha taru kaibutsuvanpaia no toubatsu, korera no gyouseki ni itaku kanji-irareta to no yoshi. Yotte, oukoku kishi Erisha Rozumondo Barubasutoru o... Seiou Kyoukai e to suisen shi seikishi ni oya-mesareru!"


    An intangible shock reverberated through the throne room.


    A Holy Knighta knight among knights, tasked with protecting the teachings and followers of the Holy Church. It was considered the highest honor for a knight to be appointed as such. To have a young woman of merely twenty-four years receiving such an appointment was an unprecedented event. Many of the attendees exchanged nces with their neighbors, whispering in disbelief. It was truly an unimaginable urrence.


    Yet, at the same time, some thought otherwise. After all, it was a testament to the highest recognition a knight could receive. Even if the Prime Minister were to present her with rewards in a formal manner, it wouldn''t be strange at all.


    "This is the appointment letter and the permit for your journey to Omnia to undergo training as a Holy Knight. Please ept them with respect."


    "Kore naru wa ninmei no shojou ni shite, seikishi toshite no shugyou o ukeru tame no Omnia e no wattei kyokashou de aru. Tsutsushinde uke yo."


    "...Yes! I am truly honored and deeply humbled by this unexpected recognition!"


    "...Haha! Makoto ni bougai no eiyou o tamawari, mi ga hikishimaru omoi desu!"


    Elisha remained on one knee and extended both palms above her head, respectfully receiving the appointment letter.


    Langogne was not pleased. Despite Elisha''s strong ties to the central authority as a member of the Royal Knights, she originally hailed from a decentralist noble family. Moreover, rumors had it that her Second Knights Order were a group of rough and uncouth individuals, far from the ideals of chivalry. That such a person would be a Holy Knight was a sign of troubling times.


    <b>... However, events that truly showed the world was in turmoil were yet to unfold.</b>


    "Count of the Kingdom, Tullius Shernan Oubeniel!"


    "Oukoku Hakushaku, Triusu Shurnan buniru!"


    "Yes."


    "Hai."


    Towards the end of the ceremony, precisely at the climactic moment, the name of this man was called. In the rewards and punishments of the ceremony, thest to receive an award was traditionally the individual with the greatest achievements in the battle. Thus, despite being vexing, there was no one else who could be more deserving than this man.


    After all, he was themanding officer who defeated a force of 40,000 soldiers from the St. Gallen army, despite being in a numerical disadvantage. No matter how displeasing it may be, it was imperative to recognize his aplishments, or else it would set a bad precedent.


    "Ce closer..."


    "Chi... Chikayore..."


    "Yes."


    "Ha-ha."


    Tullius'' feet were ced on the prestigious red carpet. Langogne felt as if he were rubbing filth on gold. If that man were to step on the crimson floor, the pools of blood shed by the ughtered ves would be more fitting.


    Still, his rxed and unhurried steps, as well as his smooth and natural way of kneeling, were somehow bothersome. At first nce, there seemed to be no problem, but it caused an ufortable feeling, as if a small bone were stuck in the throat.


    Langogne thought about the reason for this and eventually realized it.


    (Hecks tension.)


    He recalled Tullius'' striking indifference to the royal pce when he was shown around. That was the key.


    Normally, the King would be the greatest authority in the country. Even Langogne, who knew the pathetic reality of the King, would feel some nervousness if he were to step forward before the throne. The education ingrained into him since childhood would make him regard the elderly man sitting on the throne as an untouchable figure.


    Tullius, on the other hand,cked that. He simply stepped forward when called and performed the prescribed actions because he was told to do so. That''s the way it seemed to be for him.


    (Count Oubeniel... Does heck awareness when facing the King?)


    That man didn''t fear the King or the Prime Minister. It wasn''t that he underestimated King Charles VIII or Duke Rochebourg. It was more like he saw the King and nobles the same way he sawmoners and ves. He appeared to have no interest in the hierarchical system that governed this ss-based society. His posture of bowing towards the throne looked like an ill-conceived clown show.


    Langogne wished for it to be over quickly. Tullius Oubeniel himself was just a tool that should be disposed of swiftly once the decentralists were dealt with. It was unbearable to watch someone behaving so arrogantly without understanding his ce.


    While these thoughts lingered, the ceremony continued. Duke Rochebourg praised Tullius'' military achievements,plimented him in a ceremonial tone, and finally urged him to receive the King''s words. The rest of the proceedings followed in a customary manner, with the catalog of rewards being recited smoothly.


    "Is there... anything you wish for?"


    "Nanika... no, nozomi no suji wa aru ka?"


    Throughout the ceremony, the King repeated this question multiple times. If Tullius answered like everyone else, saying that he would follow His Majesty''s will, the end of the ceremony would be near.


    However, unexpectedly, he responded,


    "Yes, there is something I would like to ask of Your Majesty."


    "Hai. Zehi tomo heika ni onegai shitai koto ga arimasu."


    This man had disrupted the flow with his abrupt words.


    "...W-what?"


    "...Nan, da to?"


    Charles VIII''s voice seemed to lose its emotional color as it echoed through the throne room. It was a murmured voice that unintentionally escaped. Despite not being particrly loud, it was heard by all the attendees, indicating just how silent the hall had be.


    The spectators all widened their eyes, their gazes fixated on the throne.


    What Tullius did was outrageous. Though formally speaking, he was being asked by the King to make a request, this was a moment where one should express a modest desire, saying, "I have no requests. I shall ept whatever Your Majesty deems fit." This was the proper way to show respect, regardless of one''s true thoughts. It was the etiquette and tradition of the kingdom.


    To disregard this and state his request was an unprecedented act of defiance.


    The malicious aspect of this acty in the fact that, formally speaking, the question and answer had beenpleted. In this ceremony of praising a vassal''s distinguished service and bestowing rewards, the King asks the vassal, and the vassal responds with their request. But what if the King cannot fulfill that request?


    The King''s authority would be greatly damaged. The King, as the sovereign, would be seen as unable to reward his loyal subjects'' service, thus deeming their loyal service, even one wagered with their life, as worthless... this was how they would be treated.


    The purpose of incorporating this formality into the ceremony was also to prevent such situations. The rewards were predetermined, and the vassals would express their willingness to ept whatever the King prepared for them. This way, the likelihood of damaging the King''s authority was minimal.


    By ignoring this protocol, it meant that Tullius did not care about the King''s authority or what consequences might arise. He openly dered as much in front of the King himself and the entire assembly of nobles.


    (Y-you fool! Didn''t I teach you multiple times how to respond to this question?! All you had to do was politely decline and leave it to His Majesty! Why can''t you even do such a simple thing!?)


    (Ba, bakamono!? Kono mondai ni tsuite wa, nando mo kotaekata o oshieta darou!? Kotowari o irete, Heika ni o-makase shimasu to iu dake de ii nda! Naze sonna koto mo dekinu no da, kimi waa!?")


    Langogne pressed his hand against his mouth, restraining the anger that was rising to his throat. He nearly made the mistake of raising his voice in the middle of the ceremony. That''s how much shock he felt at the moment.


    The reason was that it was Langogne who had instructed Tullius on the protocol of the ceremony. In a sense, if Tullius disyed uncouth behavior, it would reflect poorly on Langogne as well, as the one who taught him.


    In fact, some of the attendees were sending usatory nces their way. They must have witnessed Langogne instructing Tullius on the ceremony in the antechamber. Their eyes were coldly condemning, as if saying, "What on earth were you teaching him?"


    After a tense silence that felt like sitting on pins and needles, King Charles VIII finally spoke with a sullen expression.


    "...Very well. Speak your wish."


    "...Yokarou. No, nozomi wo, ie."


    A stir ran through the hall. The disturbance was even deeper than when Tullius had blurted out something outrageous. The reason being, the known King Charles VIII was nothing more than a foolish king who struggled to follow standardized rituals. Last year, during the Great Fire of the Capital, he acted like he knew nothing and abandoned his responsibilities, revealing his ipetence. Yet, in response to this unprecedented breach of protocol, he handled it without showing any anger or agitation, which was simply unbelievable.


    Behold, even the instigator of this situation, Tullius, looked wide-eyed in astonishment at the unexpected response.


    "... Huh?"


    "... Eh?"


    "W-What? You, you have a wish, right? What''s the matter?"


    "Na, nanda? Negai ga, a, aru no darou? Do, dou shita no da?"


    "Y-yes,.. I was prepared for your anger, as I spoke with full awareness of my rudeness."


    "Ha, haa... burei o shouchi de moushiageta node, oikari o kau no de wa to migamae te orimashite."


    These words caused a vein to throb on Langone''s temple.


    (He''s aware of his rudeness?!)


    (Bu, burei wo shouchi da to?!)


    In other words, he did it fully understanding that he would be told not to do it. This was nothing short of contemptuous behavior towards others.


    "M-making me wait is more rude, isn''t it!? I-I''m the king! It''s the king''s i-inquiry! N-now, answer quickly! Or... i-is it a lie that you have a request!?"


    "Yo o, ma, matsuaseru hou ga burei de arou!? Yo, yo, yo wa kokuou da! Ou no, to, toi da! Ha, hayaku kotae yo! Sore tomo, negai ga aru to iu koto wa, i, itsuwari ka!?"


    As expected, King Charles VIII was still King Charles VIII. Whether he was getting impatient with the long ceremony or had exhausted his patience for the day with the previous response, he suddenly erupted into a fit of anger and started shouting.


    Ignoring his outburst, Duke Rochebourg stood in front of Tullius and urged him on.


    "Count Oubeniel, act as His Majesty wishes."


    "buniru-hakushaku. Heika no goi no mama ni nasare yo."


    "Very well, then I shall make my request to His Majesty."


    "...Dewa, kokuou-heika ni onegai moushiagemasu."


    With these words, Tullius changed his posture. He went from kneeling on one knee to prostrating himselfpletely, with both knees on the floor and his hands also touching the ground.


    He was now fully prostrated.


    Then, he addressed the King.


    "I beseech Your Majesty''s mercy for the people of Volden."


    "Heika yori, Vordan no tami ni ojihi o."


    "Mercy, you say?"


    "Ji, jihi to wa?"


    "Yes... Ournds have been struck by the cmity of war, suffering deeply. We have lost tens of thousands of soldiers alone. And when we add the civilians who fell into the hands of the barbaric soldiers of St. Gallen, the number of lives lost is beyond measure"


    "Hai... Waga ryou wa kono tabi no senka ni mimawasare, shinjin ni kizutsuite orimasu. Hei no senshisha dake demo man o kazoemashou. Sore ni yaban na Zankutogaren-hei no te ni kakatta tami o awasereba, dore dake no inochi ga chirasareta koto ka"


    Pausing for a moment, he raises his head.


    "Since Your Majesty has acknowledged this humble vassal''s military achievements, you must also be aware of this, I presume?"


    "Shin no senkou o onotamenarareta ijou, heika mo sore o zonji agete orimashou?"


    It was a provocative remark. Acknowledging Tullius'' military achievements, praising him, and granting rewards during such a ceremony. In that case, the King must be well aware of how many casualties this war has caused, right? Though his words were carefully adorned on the surface, in reality, that''s what Tullius'' words conveyed. Observing closely, Charles VIII seemed to slip from the throne and desperately hold onto the armrests. He must have been greatly shocked. To think there would be someone who would speak such words to the King of Arquell, it was unbelievable.


    Feeling the need to intervene, the clearing of the throat by Duke Rochebourg resonated in the hall.


    "Since I do not wish to take up His Majesty''s precious time, no need to use preface. What mercy do you seek from His Majesty, spesifically?"


    "Heika no kichou na o-jikan o kashite oru yue, maeoki wa fuyou. Tantouchokunyuu ni mouse. ...Kiden ga heika yori tamawaritaku omotteiru jihi to wa, gutaiteki ni wa nandearou ka?"


    Tullius'' answer was, as he was asked to, straightforward.


    "Tax exemption for the Volden province."


    "Vorudan shuu e no menzei"


    "What the...?"


    "Nanto..."


    The Prime Minister groaned.


    It was an outrageous demand. To request the exemption of taxes on the Volden province from the King meant that even the taxes owed by Tullius, who ruled over thatnd, would not be collected. In other words, this man openly refused to pay taxes to the kingdom.


    Furthermore, this demand was troublesome because it involved tax exemption in the name of the King. The exemption would apply only to the portion paid to the country, while the portion paid to the lord would remain untouched. Otherwise, the lord would be left in despair, losing a significant source of ie needed for various expenses and supporting his retainers. After all, the necessary funds for various projects and support to his retainers were derived from the tax revenue.


    In essence, it meant taking taxes from the people while contributing nothing to the country.


    (So he has revealed his true nature, the parasite from the countryside! Of all ces, why here...!)


    (Honnou o arawashiotta ka, chiho no dani ga! Yori ni mo yotte, koko de...!)


    Langone also raised an eyebrow.


    Establishing his dominance in the regions, fattening his own pockets, and yet refusing to pay taxes. Who did he think he was? After siding with the centralists as soon as Lavallee, whom he had been fighting against, disappeared, now he wanted to go against that very policy.


    "The cmity that befell Volden was not limited to the tens of thousands who died in battle. Fields were burned, wells poisoned, and even the survivors were groaning in pain from war wounds. Even then, they continued to suffer. I humbly request a small measure of mercy for them."


    "Vorudan ga ukeotta wazawai wa, man-yo no senshi-sha nomi dewa arimasen. Ta hata wa yakare, ido mizu wa doku ni kegasare, ikinokotta mono mo senshou ni shingin shite orimasu. Ima mo kurushimi tsudzukeru karera ni, hitohira no ojihi o tamawaritaku zonjimasu."


    "T-to show mercy to the people...? Is that... your wish?"


    "Ta, tami ni, jihi o, ka...? Sore ga... omae no nozomi ka?"


    "Indeed, Your Majesty. As I mentioned earlier, since you have recognized this vassal''s achievements in battle, I believe you are also aware of the sacrifices made by the people of Volden. Their unwavering dedication and sacrifices for the kingdom are not to be underestimated. It is my earnest desire to repay them for their valor and devotion."


    "Gyoi ni gozaimasu, heika. Sakihodo, sen''etsunagara moushiagemashita toori, shin no senkou o o-mitome ni narareta ijou, karera no gisei no hodo moie, karera vorudan no tami ga miseta, fusoku shinmei no tatakai buri mo o shirioki itadaite iru to zonjimasu. Karera e mukuiru koto ga, hisai ni mo karera ni gisei o shiita shin no, sekishin kara no nozomi de arimasu."


    And with this cunning rhetoric. It''s no more than the King showing mercy to the citizens, all for the people''s sake. A virtuous deed. Surely the people will be grateful to the King, shedding tears of joy. They will renew their loyalty to the kingdom. So, it should be done by all means... that was the grand justification he prepared for it.


    "Count Oubeniel."


    "Oobuniru-hakushaku."


    The Prime Minister interjects.


    "Is that the only thing you wish for?"


    "Sore nomi ga nozomi ka?"


    "Yes, that is the only thing I desire."


    "Hai, sore dake ga shin no nozomi desu."


    "No other rewards are necessary?"


    "Hoka no onshou wa fuyou to mousu ka?"


    "If in exchange, you could grant generous favor to the people."


    "Hikikae ni tami e no goonkou o atsuku shite itadakeru nodeareba."


    "...And how long is the tax exemption tost?"


    "...menzei no kigen wa ikaga hodo da?"


    "A duration, you say?"


    "Kigen, desu ka?"


    "Yes. I am aware that the Volden subjects are suffering greatly. It is an auspicious time of victory. It is not a stingy period to consider tax reductions. However, until when will it be? Surely, you wouldn''t propose an eternal exemption from taxes for Volden."


    "Sayou. Vorudan rymin ga totan no kurushimi ni aeideiru koto wa zonjite oru. Senshou to iu medetai ori da. Zei no genmen ni tsuite kangaeru no mo, yabusaka dewa nai jiki dearu. Ga, sore wa itsumade de aru no ka na? Yomo ya, eikyuu ni Vorudan kara wa zei o toranaide itadakitai, nado to wa mousumai"


    The words of the Prime Minister were only natural. A region that did not bear the obligation of paying taxes to the kingdom was no longer a part of the Arquell Kingdom. It would be an independent, separate country, a privilege granted only to a duke, not a mere count like Tullius. Therefore, it was only reasonable for the tax exemption to have a time limit.


    Now, how long should that time limit be? Granting a year of tax reduction as a reward for victory in war wasmon, but Tullius'' request was for a tax exemption in exchange for his own reward. Naturally, it wouldn''t be limited to just one or two years. Most likely, he would demand a tax exemption for a period of ten to twenty years, during which he could amass wealth to his heart''s content. That seemed to be his true intention.


    Everyone, including Langogne, and not just the Prime Minister, gazed intently at Tullius, waiting to hear the number of years he would request. The number he would utter would directly reflect the audacity of that man.


    (Hmm... It would take around ten years to rebuild Volden and achieve a surplus. If we consider the earnings required to justify such a demand, a reasonable request would be for fifteen years. If he gets greedy, then maybe twenty years. Surely, he wouldn''t dare say he doesn''t want to pay taxes for thirty years, right?)


    Expecting the request to fall between fifteen to twenty years, Langogne''s estimation was overturned.


    However, it was to the opposite direction.


    "Then, I hope for a tax exemption for the next five years."


    "De wa, kongo go-nen no menzei o kibou shimasu."


    ""Five-!?...""


    ""Go-!?...""


    Somewhere in the hall, several people let out a groan at once.


    Too short.


    That was themon thought among them. Five years was insufficient to take advantage of the tax exemption privilege and amass personal wealth, let aloneplete the reconstruction. After all, it was half of the necessary ten-year period that Langogne had estimated.


    "Ugh... But, with Count Oubeniel''s abilities..."


    "Mu-mu-muu... daga, Oobuniru hakushaku no shuwannara..."


    Count Chambery mumbled with hesitation. This man had been interested in Tullius''s skills as an administrator for some time. He knew of Tullius''s aplishment of quickly reviving the remote and almost destend of Man in the Volden region during his time as a Viscount.


    Hearing Chambery''s muttering, Langogne had a gut feeling.


    (I see, you madman! So you believe that with your skills, you can still make a profit within a short time limit. And yet, you artfully impresses others with yourpassion andck of greed... So that''s your scheme! I''ve seen through it!)


    (Wakatta zo, kyoujin-me! Kisama wa jibun no shuwan nara mijikai nengen demo rieki o agerareru to, sou kangaete iru no da na!? Sore de ite shuui ni wa, jihibuka-sa to muyoku-sa o azatoku inshou tsukeru... Sore ga kisama no takurami ka, minuita zo!)


    Thinking this, Langogne felt contempt for the shallowness of Tullius''s character. It was despicable to be concerned about others'' perceptions while greedily seeking personal gain. He couldn''t bear such behavior as a human being. With these thoughts, Langogne grimaced, and his breath grew heavy as he snorted through his nose.


    However...


    "Hmm... But no matter how you look at it, it doesn''t match."


    "Uumu... Shikashi, dou kangaete mo miaimasen naa..."


    Once again, Chambery''s mutter contradicted that expectation.


    No matter how skilled he was in domestic and civil affairs, five years were still unrealistic. Firstly, ording to Langogne''s own estimate, it would take ten years for the reconstruction of Volden, and an additional five years to start seeing profits, totaling fifteen years. If it were reduced to five years, the period would be only a third of what was required to generate profits. This meant that unless Tullius possessed the skills of an absurdly capable superhuman, capable of producing three times the results of an ordinary lord, it would be difficult for profits to materialize.


    So, why was he demanding such a short period?


    Rochebourg, the Duke, must have thought the same. He continued to question Tullius.


    "It''s rather short, isn''t it?"


    "Sukoshi, mijikai na."


    "I have some confidence in my ability to govern and improve the livelihood of the people. I will restore Volden to its former prosperity and increase the tax revenue within five years."


    "Shin ni wa minsei no shuwan ni isasaka na jishin ga gozaimasu. Go-nen de Vorudan o, moto-doori no zeishuu o agerareru made ni kaifuku sasete misemashou."


    "But wouldn''t that be of little benefit to you?"


    "Sore de wa kiden ni ri ga nai you ni omoeru ga?"


    "To bring tranquility and prosperity to thend inherited by my ancestors, the territory of the House of Oubeniel, is my ultimate goal. Your Majesty and Your Excellency, I humbly beseech you to grant me the assistance I need to achieve this as a reward."


    "Oukoku yori tamawarishi buniru-ke fusou denrai no chi ni, seibitsu to han''ei o motarasu koto koso, shin no ri de arimasu. Heika, narabi ni Saishou-kakka ni wa, sono tame no go-ichijo o onshou toshite kudashi tamawaremasu you, fukushite onegai moushiagemasu."


    (What is this creepy flowerynguage?)


    (Nan na no da, kono kimochi warui bijireiku wa?)


    As Langogne listened, he felt his face bing grim. To him, Tullius'' demands seemed entirely uncharacteristic of the Tullius he knew. Yet, every word was meticulously constructed with logic and justification. The sense of incongruity was unsettling.


    Wanting a tax exemption period for the sake of the people and the revitalization of his territory? iming to achieve something in five years? Willing to disregard his own interests for that purpose?


    Who on earth was this man?


    A person who could genuinely speak such words would have no reason to be dubbed the "ve Killer" or the "Man-Eating Serpent" as the bloodcurdling rumors suggested. There must be something hidden beneath the surface, but Langogne couldn''t grasp it. Nevertheless, the argument was not without merit, and it didn''t seem to be without benefit for the kingdom either.


    "...Your Majesty."


    "...Heika."


    "Uh, yes..."


    "U, umu..."


    The King and Prime Minister seemed to have no choice but to ept it.


    "I s-shall issue the royal decree and have it heard! Be prepared, li-listen carefully!"


    "Gyo, gyokuon o kikase te torasu! Kokoro shite, ki, kike!"


    "Yes!"


    "Ha-ha."


    "Y-your loyalty, and righteousness, a-are truly praiseworthy. T-therefore, as you wished, we shall grant you the desired r-reward! ...For the next five years, Volden Province shall be exempted from taxation by the kingdom! Work d-diligently for the recovery of the province!"


    "So, sonokata no chuushin, soshite jingi, ma, makoto ni tenhare nari. Yu, yue ni, no, nozonda toori no, ho, houbi o torasu! ...Vorudan-shuu wa kongo go-nen, oukoku yori no chouzei o menzuru! Sochi wa doushuu saisei no tame ni, e, eii funrei seyo!"


    "...I am deeply grateful for your benevolence, Your Majesty, and I have certainly epted the decree to work diligently for Volden''s restoration."


    "...Arigataki shiawase. Heika no ojihi to, Vorudan no tame ni eii funrei seyo to no gyoi, shikato tamawarimashita."


    "Y-yes."


    "U, umu"


    Langogne narrowed his eyes. For a moment, it seemed as though Tullius had smiled. It wouldn''t be surprising for him to show a smile after having his request epted, but there was something different. Langogne sensed a different meaning behind that smile, but he couldn''t quite grasp it.


    The answer came from Chambery, who had been muttering to himself earlier.


    "It seems like things are going to be quite difficult, Count Langogne."


    "Taihen na koto ni narisou desu naa, Langonyu-hakushaku."


    "What do you mean, Count Chambery?"


    "Nani ga da ne? Shamberi-hakushaku."


    "The King has issued an order to work diligently for the revival of Volden, you know?"


    "Vorudan no tame ni eii funrei seyo, to no gyoi ga demashita zo?"


    "So what? Of course, Count Oubeniel must do his best toply with the King''s wishes, what of it"


    "Dakara nan da ne? Gyoi ni somukanu you, Oobuniru-hakushaku mo ganbaraneba naranu ga, sore ga"


    "It''s not just about him. You were also involved in advising Count Oubeniel regarding the revival of his territory, were you not?"


    "Tanin goto de wa arimasen zo. Sono Oobuniru-hakushaku kara, ryouchi saisei ni kanshite soudan goto ni azukatteita de wa arimasen ka?"


    Involuntarily, he almost eximed in surprise.


    That was right. Before the ceremony began, while being guided through the royal pce, Tullius had consulted with Langogne. He talked about the declining poption in Volden due to the war''s devastation and expressed his desire to do something about it. Langogne had suggested recruiting people from the territories of decentralization advocates under the pretext of conscription and sending them to Volden.


    Of course, at this moment, he was infuriated by Tullius'' outrageous behavior, and he had no intention of lending his support. He believed that he alone should bear the responsibility for his ipetence, which had caused a decline in the poption.


    However, now, there was the King''s decree.


    The conversation between Tullius and King Charles VIII, just now, had indicated that granting tax exemption to Volden was intended as a reward, and the King''s words, "work diligently for the sake of Volden," were meant to...


    "That means it''s not just a mere reward, but your wish for this one to strive desperately for the recovery of the province, is that correct?"


    "Sore wa tan''naru houbide wa naku, hisshi ni shuu no fukkou ni hagemu koto o nozomu, to iu imidesu ne?"


    Tullius offered an expanded interpretation. He sought confirmation if that was not incorrect, and the King responded,


    "Yes, that''s right."


    "Umu, sou dearu"


    And so the King agreed. It ended up in such a form. Although the King probably hadn''t intended it that way, once someone insisted on it, a flow was created where it couldn''t be denied as a fact. A trivial conversation had taken ce in the context of a reward ceremony. As a result, the King''s wish for Volden''s recovery had been turned into an established fact. Later, he would reconfirm that Volden was part of the kingdom, and thend was granted to the Oubeniel family in the form of being entrusted by the King. If asked whether they wanted thend, which was nominally their own, to be recovered, the answer would undoubtedly be "yes." Once the king''s intention was expressed, it couldn''t be overturned.


    Now, no matter how much Langogne personally couldn''t stand Tullius'' behavior, the previous conversation couldn''t be dismissed anymore. If the king instructed him to restore hisnd, as a centralist, Langogne had an obligation to act for the recovery of Volden. Even if it was an exaggeration, staying silent while knowing about the measures that would contribute to the reconstruction would make things worse. At the very least, he had an obligation to present his ideas to his factional colleagues.


    After all, the centralists were a faction that pursued various policies to control the regions, ostensibly to support the King''s rule. If he were to act contrary to the King''smand at this point, it would undermine the very justification of the faction itself.


    Still, if he remained silent, he could pretend as if the consultation hadn''t happened. But...


    "However, this is a tremendous task, isn''t it? To achieve recovery in five years, Count Oubeniel will have to spend a considerable sum of money, won''t he?"


    "Shikashi, kore wa dai shigoto desu naa. Go-nen de fukkou to naru to, buniru-hakushaku mo soutou ni mizeni o hakidasaneba maniaimasumai"


    At that moment, Count Chambery started speaking.


    The greedy bat, enticed by desires, seemed very interested in the various projects rted to Volden''s recovery. Naturally, it was to exploit these endeavors for his own benefit, making it his prey. And, as a matter ofmon sense, prey tasted better when well-nourished. If there was a way to fatten up Volden without using his own purse, there was no reason not to take that path. If Langogne wouldn''t propose it, then Chambery himself would suggest it as if it were his own idea and see it through to fruition.


    Frustration swelled within Langogne. This irrational behavior crushed hisposure and tarnished his appearance during the ceremony, making him feel embarrassed. He was now forced to support this madman, fearing that until he eradicated the decentralists, he had no choice but to make use of him.


    While Langogne gritted his teeth, the voice of Prime Minister, Duke Rochebourg came into y.


    "However, Count Oubeniel, this kind of matter is merely an exception. If there is another opportunity, we expect you to behave in ordance withmon sense. ...You understand what I am saying, don''t you?"


    "Shikashi, Oobuniru-hakushaku. Kono you na go-sata wa akumade tokurei da. Tsugi no kikai ga areba, sono toki wa joushiki ni nottotta furumai o kitai suru. ...Watashi ga nani o itte iru ka wa, rikai dekiru ne?"


    "Yes! I apologize for expressing presumptuous desires and causing a disturbance, Your Excellency."


    "Ha-ha! Sashidemagashii nozomi o nobe, shinkin o sawagase matsuri, makoto ni moushiwake gozaimasen."


    "Very well then. Show your gratitude to His Majesty for his mercy and benevolence."


    "Yoroshii. Dewa, Heika no o-jihi to go-ondoku ni kansha o shitamae."


    Truly, both of them were men who were only good at saying things with their mouths.


    However, this troublesome celebration and award ceremony will finallye to an end. After this, the King will dismiss that shameless person, the Prime Minister will give the closing address, and then the King will leave as they bid him farewell. All that remains was for Langogne to go home quickly and rest. He wanted to pour whiskey and drown his weariness in alcohol, then just fall asleep. He was mentally exhausted, and today, he had no intention of spending time with a woman.


    ..No, not just tonight, but perhaps he should avoid women for a while. When he visited Lavallee before he died, Langogne had used him of having a secret meeting with a nun from Omnia, but it indirectly hinted his own scandalous affairs. Moreover, he have already acknowledged in his will that renewal would be required. Although the true cause of the old man''s copse should have been a major issue, no one mentioned it for this reason. If someone were to ignite that topic carelessly, it could lead to coteral damage on their side as well.


    While his heartburn was triggered again by the unpleasant memories he inadvertently recalled, Langogne desperately wished for the event to end quickly.


    However,


    "...Up to this point, this is the reward to honor your military achievements."


    "...Koko made ga, kiden no senkou ni mukuiru houbidearu."


    "Huh?"


    "Ha?"


    There was no sign that Charles VIII intended to dismiss Tullius, and instead, Duke Rochebourg seemed to be trying to say something to him, trying to hold him back.


    The venue buzzed once again. Having already rewarded the recipient, they were now going to say something else. It was an unprecedented action in the history of ceremonies.


    It was unlikely that they were going to punish him for any misconduct after giving him the reward for his achievements. Everyone hoped that it wouldn''t turn out that way. Tullius had just been tasked with the duty of "striving diligently for the recovery of Volden." If that duty were to be nullified immediately afterward, it would undermine the authority of the king.


    So, what woulde next? The attendees watched with bated breath, curious about what would unfold.


    "Next, as a reward for your humility, you will be granted another gift."


    "Tsuzuite, kiden no sono kenkyo-sa o shou shite houbi o watasou."


    "Uhm... Prime Minister? I can''t quite follow what you mean..."


    "Sono... saishou kakka? Hanashi ga yomenai ndesukeredo...?''


    Even that shameless man seemed puzzled by the turn of events. His fake smile was strained.


    The confusion extended to the nobles, including Langogne, who were witnessing this. A reward for humility? Such a thing was unheard of, especially when bestowed upon a vassal.


    However, the Prime Minister continued without hesitation.


    "The previous exchange was a test to assess your qualities. Now, once you have proven yourself worthy to receive what is to be granted, we shall proceed with that."


    "Ima made no mondou wa, kiden no shishitsu o miru tame no tameshi. Kore yori kashi sareru mono o uketoru shikakuga aru ya hi ya, sore o tashikameru tame ni na."


    "I, no, this humble vassal is already grateful for the exemption from taxes..."


    "Boku, ie, shin to shite wa menzei no gosata o itadaketa dakede juubun na nodesuga..."


    "By the way! ...Have you realized it?"


    "Tokorode! ...Kiden wa kizuite oru ka na?"


    No one knew whether he heard about Tullius'' hidden skills or not. The Duke of Rochebourg, uncharacteristically amused, crossed in front of him.


    "Our kingdom and the St. Gallen Federation have achieved peace thanks to your efforts. In the peace treaty, some of that country''s territories were ceded and most of them were given as rewards, but there is one piece ofnd that has not been given as a reward to anyone yet."


    "Wagakuni to zankutogaren renpou oukoku wa, kiden no doryoku mo atte konotabi waboku to ainatta. Kouwa ni saishite wa ano kuni no ryoudo mo katsujou sa re, sono ooku wa onshou to shite kudasa reta nodearuga  aru tochi wa, mada darenimo onshou to shite ataete oran dearou?"


    "That is... considered to be His Majesty''s demesne, isn''t it? It seems to be a difficult territory to handle, after all."


    "Sore wa heika no tenryou to sa reru node wa? Nanise, atsukai ga muzukashii tochi to miemasu node."


    "Exactly! It is indeed a troublesomend there. Therefore, one n was to leave it as His Majesty''s demesne rather than entrusting it to nobles. Initially, that was the idea. However..."


    "Sou tomo, sou tomo! Jitsuni komatta tochidearu naa, asoko wa. Sore yue, kizoku ni makasezu tenryou to suru no mo ikkei. Tousho wa sou kangaete otta noda. Daga na..."


    The Prime Minister''s voice continued to chirp in a lively manner.


    Has this man ever been so carried away like this before?


    Langogne retraced his memories... and then he remembered. He understood.


    "Recently, a letter arrived from a certain noble. In the letter, they made a proposal regarding the handling of thend ceded in the peace treaty."


    "Senjitsu, aru kizoku kara tegami ga todoite na. Kouwa jouyaku de katsujou sa reta tochi no atsukai de nayande iru nonaraba, to shomen de kensaku ga atta noda yo."


    This country''s prime minister was nothing more than a puppet controlled by a mastermind behind the scenes. If he was confidently dancing around like this...


    "That person had written these in the letter... ''That young man possesses both wisdom and courage, he knows how to showpassion to the people and yet remains humble and content. Why not entrust that ce to him? If you have any concerns, let me offer you a prophecy to ease them"


    "Sono o-kata wa, kou tegami ni shitatamete ita... ''Ano wakamono wa chiyuu ni hiide, tami o itsukushimu koto o shiri, soredeite taru koto o shiru kenkyona hitogara no mochinushida. Asoko wa isso, kare ni makasete mite wa dou ka? Fuan ni omounara sore o yawarageru tame ni, washi ga hitotsu yogen o shite sashiageyou"


    "Wai- I-is it..."


    "Cho- ma, masaka..."


    "He will decline the reward and, in exchange, request a tax exemption for the war-torn territory. As proof that it does not stem from greed, the duration will probably short. The period requested will likely be five to seven years, as he is confident that he can rebuild his domain within that time frame. With such a person, there should be no problems, right?"


    "kare wa onshou o kotowari, hikikae ni sensai ni mimawa reta ryouchi e no menzei o motomeru hazu da. Sore ga yokushin kara deta monode wanai shouko ni, sono kikan wa mijikaku narudarou. Osorakuha go-nen kara nana-nen. Soredake no kikan de ji ryou o tatenaoseru jishin ga aru noda. Sonna ningen naraba, mondai wanakaroute'' ...to ne?"


    Then, behind him, there must be strings pulling the puppet. Duke of Rochebourg wore a wide grin, an inappropriate, cheerful smile for such a solemn ceremony. It was a twisted smile, looking down on the trapped opponent.


    "Your Majesty, please bestow upon him the reward as agreed!"


    "Heika... douzo torikime-doori no houbi o, kono mono ni!"


    "I-I know! O Tullius Shernan Oubeniel! Y-your intelligence and bravery disyed in battle, your confidence in governing your territory, a-and your selfless loyalty and love for the people that you have shown earlier, have all been recognized"


    "Wa, wakatte oru! Na, nanji! Turiusu shurnan buniru yo! Ga, gassen ni saishite miseta chiyuu, ryouchi o shihai suru tame no sei e no jishin, so, soshite ima miseta, mu, muyokunaru chuushin to ai-min no jou o hyoushi"


    --


    -


    "Furthermore, I acknowledge the rmendation in ordance with thete former Marquis George Henry Lavallee''s testament! Y-you shall be granted the honor of receiving Elpis Roanne province as your fief, and be appointed their governor, by royal decree!"


    "Mata imahanaki sendai Ravare-kou Joruju Anri no yuigon ni yoru suikyo o shitou to mitome! Na, nanji ga saiyuu ni, e, Erupisu-ronu ryoushuu o kazou shi, sono taishu to naru eiyo o, cho, cho cho, choku ni yori ataeru!"


    The Throne Room fell into silence, filled only with the sound of King Charles VIII gasping for breath after his long speech.


    Elpis Roanne. The disputednd between the two nations, the St. Gallen Federation and their own kingdom. A name that held a deep historical significance, lost during the war fifty years ago and now regained through the recent campaign''s peace negotiations.


    And now... they are to grant it to Tullius? ording to Marquis Lavallee''s testament? But weren''t they supposed to be in opposition? Why? How?


    Numerous questions swirled in the minds of those present. Not only Langogne, but all the nobles in the audience must have been equally puzzled.


    Amidst this confusion, Tullius spoke with a stern voice.


    "...However, to hold the governorship of three provinces with the title of a count would have too much burden."


    "...Shikashi, san-shuu no taishu ni hakushaku to wa, ni ga kachi sugimashou."


    "O-of course! Y-your rank will be elevated even further! You shall be a Marquis! From this day forth, House Oubeniel shall be raised to the rank of a Marquisate!"


    "Mu, muron! Sha, shakui mo kai o, su, susumeru koto to naru! Koushakuda! Kyo, kyou yori nanji ga buniru-ke wa, koushaku-ke ni ressuru!"


    (What!?)


    (Baka na!?)


    Upon the King''s words, the assembled nobles forgot the solemnity of the ceremony and became agitated. Although Langogne managed to restrain himself, those around him were exchanging nces and words eagerly.


    "The House of Oubeniel... bing a Marquis?"


    "buniru-ke ga... koushaku ni noboru?"


    "A neer to the ranks of the nobility, appearing in the kingdom''s history halfway through?"


    "Oukoku-shi mo hanbun o sugite kara kizoku ni retsu sa reta, shinzan ga ka?"


    "No, to begin with, the previous generation has gone mad, and the current one is like that..."


    "Iya, somosomo sendai wa kyou shite, toudai wa are de aru zo..."


    Naturally, there was not a single favorable opinion among them. The few Tullius'' supporters, including Margrave Doldran, were also taken aback by the sudden turn of events. Some of them approached to inquire about what was happening. Langogne shared the same thoughts.


    (That lunatic... the House of Oubeniel... a disgraceful lineage... surpassing me in rank?)


    (Ano kyoujin gotoki ga... buniru-ke ga... haji sarashi no kakei ga... watashi o shakui de nuite ikudato?)


    The House of Langogne had contributed to the court for generations, dedicating their unwavering loyalty since the kingdom''s founding. Why should they be limited to the title of Count while the House Oubeniel, with a history of merely two hundred years, could upy the position of Marquis?


    The previous generations of the Oubeniel family were known for their extravagant and inappropriate behavior, earning mockery from the social circles. The previous head of the family went mad and was sent to a monastery, and the current one was nothing more than a "ve-killer" before his eyes. How could such a lineage be ranked higher than Langogne, higher than their ancestors from generation to generation? It was absolutely intolerable. While disregarding the earlier breach of etiquette was enough to boil his guts, this time, it felt as though blood was about to gush from his eyes and ears out of anger.


    As Langogne writhed in hatred and jealousy, that man still shamelessly continued his insolent behavior.


    "Your Majesty... I have only recently been granted the title of Count this autumn. Moreover, I have been upied with many duties, and that is why I couldn''te to express my gratitude earlier. To bestow the title of Marquis without a suitable interval seems a bit..."


    "Heika... shin wa kono aki ni hakushakui o tamawatta bakari. Sono ue, tabou yueni orei o moushiage ni sanjou suru mae demo atta midesu. Sore o ma o okazu ni koushaku-i to wa, isasaka"


    "It is a royal decree! A royal decree! A royal decree!... O-objection shall not be tolerated! It is the King''s decree! You shall remain silent and dly ept it!"


    "Choku dearu! Choku dearu! Choku dearu! ...I, iron wa yurusanu. Ou no choku na noda! Kisama wa damatte, yo, yorokonde uketorei!"


    "Yes, indeed. As His Majesty says. Excessive humility can sound sarcastic. Henceforth, you shall be more mindful of your words... Is that right, Marquis Oubeniel?"


    "Hai. Mattaku motte heika no ossharutoori ni... Kenkyo wa bitokudearuga, sugireba iyami ni kikoeru mono. Kongo wa iyoiyo motte o kotoba ni wa ki o tsuke rare yo... Naa, buniru-kou?"


    "Yes. I have gratefully received your words. It is an honor that strengthens my resolve for the great responsibility bestowed upon me... I shall never forget this favor throughout my life."


    "Ha-ha. Gyokuon, shika to tamawarimashite gozaimasu. Tainin ni mi ga hikishimaru omoidesu... Kono go-on, shuusei wasureru koto wanaideshou."


    As Tullius knelt before the throne, Langogne stared at his back with an intense loathing.


    You betrayed me.


    You deceived me.


    You colluded with Lavallee and kept it all hidden from me.


    He convinced himself firmly through this whole sequence of events. Tullius'' humble attitude and his attempts to decline seemed like nothing more than a defensive facade.


    Lavallee''s rmendation and the test to assess his qualities were all nothing but a web of lies. There was no way to predict such an outrageous situation from the beginning. It was all carefully orchestrated, with everything fitting perfectly, as if performing a monkey show before the throne. The true purpose was to pass the baton of the centralist leader, Lavallee, to Tullius.


    (Damn you, Lavallee... Oubeniel...!!)


    (Yatte kureru na, Ravaree... Oobuniruu...!!)


    Why did Tullius, who had been in opposition to the centralists, responded to his proposal with a friendly approach? To take control of the faction from within. And the fact that Lavallee supported him like this meant that the previous conflicts were likely a charade. Probably, Tullius nned to eliminate people like him within the faction and temporarily take the centralist leadership position. Then, after some time has passed, he will hand over that position to Lavallee''s grandchild.


    The heir who seeded Marquis Lavallee after his death was still young and weak. Tullius was being used as an intermediary until the heires of age. The cooperation''s reward was the additional territory and the title of Marquis. That should be more than enough. If, by any chance, Tullius betrayed the n, he will be exposed as someone who plotted to gain these rewards from the King. While Tullius was still alive, Marquis Lavallee was dead. If the plot was revealed, only the living one will be unterally judged and suffer the consequences.


    That''s how he secured his position as the sessor. It''s just like something Lavallee would do. That old man was a schemer until the end. And Tullius yed into it, gaining significant additional territory and an excessive title. The interim position was taken by the Rochebourg family. They were close to Lavallee and he had also sent his biological son to serve under Tullius...


    Throughout these inexplicable events, Langogne was certain that this was the underlying scheme.


    "S-step back!"


    "Sa, sagarei!"


    "Yes..."


    "Ha..."


    With a turn of his heels, Tullius returned to his ce in the line. Every eye in the throne room followed his movements, filled with perplexity, hatred, jealousy, and contempt. The emotions directed towards himcked any trace of positivity.


    Despite the overwhelming negativity aimed at him, Tullius, the newly appointed Marquis Oubeniel, maintained a stoic expression, his lips drawn tight like a mask. Many of the nobles saw this as further evidence of his audacious rise and deepened their disdain.


    With this unweed birthright, the ceremony came to a close.


    <b>Yes, he received no blessings from anyone.</b>


    ~~~


    To be continued~


    TL Note:


    Huwaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh another long chapter....... Hell, it took longer than I thought, maybe cuz I''m quite busy with real life stufftely. I''m sleepy, it''s now 23.59 and tomorrow I have school so I''m gonna go sleep right now.


    Btw tranting the King''s stuttering was really troublesome.


    Also, consider bing my patreon to keep me going!

 Chapter 76: And then, Preparations for the Banquet (2)

    Chapter 76: And then, Preparations for the Banquet (2)


    "Your Excellency, Tullius. Congrattions on your promotion and elevation to the rank of marquis. I am truly delighted for you."


    "Turiusu-kakka. Kono tabi wa kazou oyobi koushaku-i joshaku, makoto ni shuuchaku shigoku desu na."


    "Margrave Doldran... You seempletely unenthusiastic. Try again."


    "Dorudoran-henkyou haku... Kokoro ga mattaku komotte imasen ne, yarinaoshi desu."


    Upon hearing myTullius Shernan Oubeniel''sindifferent response, the nobleman, who was a guest, visibly smiled wryly.


    "Then, allow me to put it this way. You were outmaneuvered, yes?"


    "Dewa, kou iwasete itadakimashou ka. Shite yararemashita na."


    "Yes, indeed... He got me until the very end, that old man."


    "Ee, hontou ni saigo no saigo made yatte kuremashita yo, ano go-roujin wa."


    He let out a sigh as if spitting out something sour that welled up in his mouth.


    I, with my elbow on the desk and my head in my hands, was in the study of the Oubeniel Estate in the capital city. Until a few months ago, it belonged to my brother, the Count, but now it belonged to me, his younger brother, as the Marquis. To be frank, it wasn''t afortable seat. The chair was old, impressive only in appearance,cking in softness, and the desk prioritized ornamentation over functionality. Why should I be grateful for something like this?


    It was supposed to be a victory celebration and a reward ceremony, but it ended up with an unexpected oue. We gathered for this meeting to discuss the subsequent arrangements and other matters, but unfortunately, my mood as the host had tilted in the worst direction. I was not in the mood to discuss constructive topics for a while.


    Amidst all this, there''s one man who seemed puzzled and unable to bring up the topic of discussion.


    "Hey, is it really such a bad thing? After all, you''ve been promoted, right?"


    "Naa, sonna ni warui koto na no ka? Ichio, shusse shitan daro, anta?"


    It was Due Schwarzer, the chief military officer of the family. As the head of the military division under me, I would like him to have just a bit of understanding of political matters. His statement sounded like that of an amateur.


    "If you are seriously saying that, then I can''t help but doubt your insight."


    "Sore wa honki de osshatte iru no deshou ka. Deshitara, isasaka kenshiki o utagawazaru oemasen ga."


    Those harsh words came from Uni. Despite her usual im of being outside the realm of politics and publicly admitting so, she still understood the clumsiness of the situation. On the other hand Due held a public position in his work, so maybe it''s good for him to be criticized more harshly.


    Victor, who was standing by the side, also shrugged his shoulders lightly.


    "Even Chief Maid-dono is quite strict. I agree with her sentiments, though."


    "Chfu meido-dono mo o kibishii. Kochira to shite mo doukan de wa arimasu ga."


    "Ugh...! T-then, what''s the meaning of all this?"


    "Nugu...! Ja, jaa, dou iu koto datte nda yo?"


    "At present, Lord Victor and the others are in the midst of establishing governance over the recently inherited Volden Province. And now, this new territory, Elpis-Roanne, is added to their responsibilities. While it is considered one region, strictly speaking, itprises two provinces, right? If we say the current workload has tripled, it should be easy to understand the enormity of the challenges they''ve been presented with."


    "Genjou demo vikutoru kyou-tachi ga, hikitsuida bakari no vorudan-shuu no touchi o kakuritsu shiyou to o honeori nasatte iru saichuudeshou. Soko e kite kono shin ryouchi desu. Erupisu roaanu wa hitotsu no chiiki to sa rete imasuga, genmitsu ni ieba shuu futatsu, deshita ka. Ima no shigoto-ryou ga san-bai ni naru to ieba, dore hodo no nanji o kasa reta ka wakari yasui to omoimasu."


    This evaluation came from Uni. She pointed out that I had just inherited the province from my brother and was already struggling with the aftermath of the war in Volden. Yet, on top of that, I''ve been burdened with two new states. I had to establish governance structures in all three provinces, put them into practical operation, and achieve results that satisfied the superiors. It was truly absurd. Clearly, it was exceeding our capacity.


    "That''s not all. Elpis-Roanne has been a region that was part of St. Gallen for the past fifty years. Naturally, the officials governing that area were nobles from that country. ...When it was ceded to Arquell, I wonder how many of those individuals remained?"


    "Sore dake dewa sumimasen yo. Erupisu ronu wa kono go juu-nenkan, zankutogaren no ichibudatta chiikidesu. Touzen, soko o osameru tame no yakunin mo ano kuni no kizoku... Arukueeru ni katsujou sa reta sai ni, sono mono tachi ga dore dake nokotte irudeshou ne?"


    Victor sighed as he spoke. There''s no obligation for the defeated nation to leave officials in thends they''re about to cede, to assist in the rule of the victorious nation. Most likely, they have been withdrawn. Still, there might be individuals with strong local ties who remain, but it''s honestly unlikely that they''ll behave cooperatively towards us.


    Furthermore, the mindset of the people is also an issue. It wouldn''t be easy for those who were St. Gallen residents until yesterday to readily ept that they were Arquell citizens today. Thews to be upheld, thenguage spoken, and the rulers to be revered are all different. How much time it would take for them to assimte to our governance was uncertain.


    As for thenguage... The officialnguages of the countries in the Ithush continent somewhat resembled thenguages of the European countries that developed from Latin on Earth, so if you learn the foundation of one country''snguage, well, it bes easier to quickly learn thenguages of other nations. I''m a good example, having studied in St. Gallen in the past. Still, the effort and cost of education were significant.


    The western half of that region was Arquell territory even fifty years ago. It''s being reimed through this peace treaty. People might adapt quickly over there, but the eastern half is pure former St. Gallen territory. It wasnd immersed in the enemy nation until just recently. Governing it would be challenging.


    Having exined all of that at length, Victor casted a fleeting nce in our direction.


    "Excuse me, Your Excellency, but do you have any insights on other points of concern?"


    "Shitsurei desu ga, kakka. Hoka no mondaiten ni tsuite o-kokoro atari wa gozaimasu ka?"


    Even at a time like this, it seemed he was still testing me. Good grief, don''t joke with me.


    ''Excuse me'' isn''t a preface that allows any kind of rudeness to be excused. It wouldn''t hurt for him to consider my feelings a little.


    While grumbling to myself, I extended one hand.


    "Uni, bring me the map and writing materials."


    "Yuni, chizu to kaku mono o."


    "Here you go, Master."


    "Kochira ni narimasu, goshujin-sama."


    The map quickly spread out on the desk. Taking the fountain pen from Uni, I dipped the nib in ink and dropped it onto the map. First, I outlined the entirety of Volden, the territory I had inherited from my brother, with a line, emphasizing it.


    "This is Volden, which I''ve just recently inherited from my brother. And the area added this time is"


    "Koko ga boku ga ani kara uketsuida bakari no vorudan. De, konkai kazou sa reta no ga kono"


    Next, I circled the ins that stretched beyond the mountains.


    "the Elpis-Roanne region ceded through the peace treaty. See, it''s easy to understand like this, right? While they are adjacent in administrative terms, geographically, it''s an enve beyond the mountains. It''s been isted enough that people have thought for fifty years that there''s no way an army woulde across there for a surprise attack."


    "Kouwa jouyaku de katsujou sareta Erupisu-ronu chihou da. Hora, kou miru to wakari yasuidarou? Gyousei kubun-jou wa tonari atte iru keredo, chiri-teki ni wa yama mukou no tobichi na nda yo. Masaka guntai ga kore o koete kishuu shite wa konaidarou nante, go juu-nenkan mo kangae tsuzuke rareta kurai ni hedatatte iru."


    It was impressive that the St. Gallen army managed to cross it so often. This narrow mountain path hadn''t been properly maintained for over fifty years. Just being able to march through such a route was worthy of admiration. Well, for someone like me who was on the receiving end of attacks, it''s nothing but a nuisance.


    "The mountain path between Volden and the new territory... Even just traveling through this route normally is tough, and in winter, it bes impassable due to snow. I''ll be governing two regions that face difficulties inmunication due to weather conditions for a quarter of the year, and sometimes even more. This alone is already beyond reasonable."


    "Vorudan to shin ryouchi no aida no yama michi... kono rto wa futsuu ni yukiki suru dake demo taihen datte iu no ni, fuyu ni nareba yuki de tsuukou funou ni naru. Ichinen no yonbun no ichi, kishou jouken ni yotte wa sore ijou no aida, shisha no ourai ni sura shishou ga aru futatsu no chiiki o touchi suru nda. Kore dake demo muri nandai tte reberu janai yo."


    By the way, using teleportation magic to shorten travel time was a no-go. We tended to use it casually, but Greater Teleport was originally an advanced spell in the realm of high magic. If we''re seen using it recklessly, it could be another source of trouble.


    "Indeed, it''s tough... -Right! If we follow the t terrain, there should be no issue. It''s inconvenient because it takes time, but"


    "Tashika ni taihen dewa aru ga yo... -souda, hirachi zutai ni ikeba mondainee daro. Jikan ga kakaru no wa fuben daga"


    Well, that''s a rather shallow opinion. Look, Uni even gave an incredulous look. Her expressions didn''t change much normally, so these slight shifts were quite noticeable. Eyes speak as much as words, indeed.


    "When you say it takes time, do you have any idea how much time we''re talking about? If you choose to go through the t terrain, how many noble territories from Volden to Elpis-Roanne do you think you''ll have to pass through? Each time, you might be dyed at checkpoints, and depending on circumstances, you might even need to negotiate with the lords themselves."


    "Jikan ga kakaru to hitokoto de iimasu ga, doredake kakaru ka wa okangae desu ka? Heichi-bu o erande susumu baai, Vorudan kara Erupisu-Roanu ni itaru made, ittai nan-nin no kizoku no ryouchi o tsuuka suru no deshou? Sono tabi ni sekisho de ashidome sa retari, koto to shidai ni yotte wa ryoushu jishin to sesshou suru hitsuyou koto mo aru yamo shiremasen ne."


    "Ah..."


    Due opened his mouth wide in surprise after being pointed out by her.


    The Kingdom of Arquell was a feudal nation. Nobles owned the people and thend, collecting revenue from them to manage their regions. But what if the peasants escape to another noble''s territory? Tax ie from thatnd decreased, and the lord couldn''t sustain themselves. That''s why lords regted the movement of people through checkpoints to bind them to their ownnds.


    Of course, it''s the nobles who blockade the borders of their territories with checkpoints, not the king. So, there''s no need to pay a toll for passage. There''s nothing to pay to equals.


    However, even though there''s no toll, there were other obligations. People from other territories were essentially foreigners to feudal nobles. Therefore, each time you pass through, a cumbersome diplomatic ritual was necessary. Sending letters of introduction, giving gifts, attending banquets, and so on and so forth... There''s an overwhelming amount of things that need to be done.


    The real issue was with Novion and Armand. These two must be passed through on every ovend route, and both are major nobles with vast territories. You''ll have to make some concessions. No matter how bothersome it is.


    And,


    "Moreover, the new territory faces St. Gallen across just one river. We can''t stay peacefully behind the mountains as we used to. We''ll need to organize and station troops, fortify our defenses against potential enemy invasions... In terms of military matters, we''ll have to invest more effort than before. Even though armies are nothing but money-draining parasites that can''t produce any profit."


    "Sore ni shin ryoudo wa zankutogaren to kawa Ippon o hasande mukaiau kakkou da. Ima made mitai ni yama o kabe ni shite an''non to shite irarenai yo. Guntai o soshiki shite chuuryuu sasetari, teki shinkou ni sonaete yousai o seibi shi tari... gunji-men ni mo, ima made ijou ni chikara o hairenakya ikenai. Guntai nante, sore dake ja nanra rieki o umenai kanekuimushi datte iu no ni ne."


    A new expenditure in the form of the military emerges. Until now, we''ve been managing internal affairs by reducing our own knight orders and fortifications, thus cutting down the costs of military affairs. But that approach won''t work anymore. Not to mention, considering the preparations needed for St. Gallen, how much military power will be required? Thinking about the budget, even Laubert, who''s currently back at Man, would be astonished.


    "Yes, we can''t afford any negligence in our military preparations. Your Excellency Tulius'' heroic achievements in the Volden Campaign have been acknowledged, and you have been granted thosends. As such, the court expects you to contribute to the defense of the realm as well. If you do anything half-hearted, you can expect emissaries of inquiry toe knocking."


    "Umu. Gunbi ni oite tenukari wa dekinu na. Turiusu kakka wa vorudan sen''eki no eiyuu-tekina senka o hyouka sare, ano chi o tamawatta. Dearu ijou, kokubou ni kiyo suru koto mo kyuutei kara kitai sarete iru hazu. Namanakana koto o shite wa, sugu ni kishin no shisha ga tonde koyou."


    "...Margrave Doldran will likely be apprehended, too."


    "...Dorudoran-henkyou haku mo, hotsoku, doumo."


    This person, having served in border pacification for many years, seemed to have experienced the hardships of such matters quite a bit. There''s a sense of reality lingering in the edges of his words.


    However, the way the Margrave spoke hadpletely changed since that incident. While the Marquis and the Margrave were almost equal in terms of authority over the borders, the Marquis holds a higher rank in terms of formal status. It seems that the equal footing they previously shared is no longer the case. It''s all very well-structured, but since this promotion is not something I desired, having it brought to my attention feels a bit stifling.


    "And on top of having to handle this challenging task, we can''t even expect support from other nobles."


    "Demotte, konna ni muzukashii shigoto o konasakya naranai noni, hoka no kizoku no engo mo kitai dekinai."


    "Why is that?"


    "Nande mata?"


    "Because I''ve been forced upon such a thing as a Marquis title."


    "Koushaku-i nanka o oshitsukerareta kara ne."


    As I spoke, I recalled what had happened just a little while ago. The gazes directed at me from the nobles gathered in the throne room during that deration. They must have really disliked me. While I had never been well-liked to begin with, the emotions I used to receive were mostly condescension and disdain. Being treated lightly meant that while I might have been regarded as a bit of a fool, serious animosity wasn''t directed my way. Except for a certain brother and a certain gramps.


    However, gaining the Marquis title changed all that. With the exception of royalty, the prime minister, and dukes, only Marquises were conferred upon in our noble hierarchy. Apart from them, one could say that the Marquises represented the pinnacle of aristocratic society. upying such a high position, what was directed towards me were feelings of jealousy, hatred, and desires to erode my considerable fortune. Nothing but dangerous emotions that could easily lead to animosity and potential hostility.


    Honestly, why did these people covet and desire something like this? Every one of them asserted with just their eyes that, Tullius Shernan Oubeniel was not worthy of the Marquis title. That they were more suitable than I was.


    I''d have loved to say something like "If you want it so badly, take it," but unfortunately, it was by the gracious will of our king, His Majesty Charles VIII. I couldn''t casually throw away the benevolence of our esteemed king. No noble would have believed anyone who acted in such a manner. Social credibility would have plummeted drastically. While I didn''t really care about nobility interactions, it was painful that I wouldn''t have been able to conduct proper business with merchants. After all, nobody would have invested in bad debt, so in order to consistently acquire experimental subjects and materials for research, there was no choice but to present oneself as a valuable asset.


    "Is it really that significant?"


    "Sonna ni daiji na no kai?"


    "Yes, it''s a major issue, Due-dono."


    "Ee, ichidaiji desu yo Doue-dono."


    Victor looked at Due, who seemed uneasy.


    "The problem at hand isn''t solely attributed to His Excellency, the notorious figure we have. It''s about the hierarchy of the Oubeniel family itself within the noble society."


    "Kono-ken no mondai wa, warera ga waru nadakaki kakka o-hitori dake ni ki suru mono dewa nai nodesu. Kizoku shakai ni okeru, buniru-ke sono mono no joretsu ga tadasareteiru no desu yo."


    That''s quite a harsh way of putting it. Even though you could''ve used a little bit gentler remark.


    "The Oubeniel family isn''tposed of founding heroes. They belong to the category of newly elevated nobility, established around two hundred years ago. Even within families of the same rank, they''ve often been regarded as a step lower."


    "buniru-ke wa kenkoku irai no koushinde wa naku, ni hyaku-nen hodo mae ni toritate rareta shinkou no burui ni zokusuru kizoku. Onaji shakui no ie no naka demo ichidan hikuku mi rareru koto ga ookattadeshou."


    "Two hundred years... That''s around the time the Federation was formed in St. Gallen. And you call that ''newly elevated''? What kind of joke is that? It''s old enough."


    "Ni hyaku-tte... zankutogaren de ieba renpou ga seiritsu shita bakari no koro ja nee ka. Sorede shinkou toka, dou iu joudan da? Juubun furui darou ga."


    "Isn''t it utterly ridiculous? However, that''s the perspective of the nobles in the Arquell Kingdom. The older and more established, the higher their rank without question. ...It''s absurd. Even wine bes undrinkable after fifty years, yet they only appreciate things that are old."


    "Honto ni bakagete iru darou? Demo, sore ga arukru oukoku no kizoku-tachi no kachikan sa. Furukute yuisho aru hou ga, mondou muyou de joretsu ga takai... Bakabakashii. Wain datte go juu-nen mo sureba nometa mono janaku naru tte no ni, furui mono bakari o arigatagaru."


    Saying that, I forcefully leaned back against the chair''s backrest, bearing my weight rudely. There was an unpleasant creaking sound.


    Of course, not all aspects of the values rooted in ancient bloodlines were negative. An extremely meritocratic andpetitive society, by extension, indicated a state of ongoing instability. Attempting to resolve all arising problems solely through strength would naturally expend an immense amount of energy. In exchange, if history, tradition, and lineage were effective as authorities to stabilize society, there''s no reason not to utilize them.


    However, from what I''ve observed, the current Arquell Kingdom seemed to rely too much on authority, and it''s as if they were suffering from hardening of the arteries. Even if there were positive aspects to it, it''s clear that the system was malfunctioning.


    Leaving that aside,


    "Count Langogne in particr was giving me quite a look, wasn''t he...? With that, the n of using him as a way to intervene with the centralists is probably no longer viable."


    "Toku ni rangnyu-hakushaku nanka wa, erai me de nirande kure teta yo ne... Are jaa, kare o tsuujite chuuou shuuken-ha ni kainyuu shite iku tte saku wa, mou tsukaenai darou sa."


    "He had quite an expression indeed. Most likely, he had some unfounded spections about that old marquis and this time''s Master''s glory."


    "Mono sugoi hyoujou o sarete oide deshita ne. Osoraku, ano go-roukou to konkai no goshujin-sama no eitatsu ni kanshite mo, aranu souzou o megurasete ita koto deshou."


    As Uni pointed out, he probably thought that gramps and I were involved in some sort of secret deal. Honestly, what part of that damned old man he had been observing all this time? Lavallee moving to give away his territory to someone else? Of course it''s just a way to catch his opponent off guard.


    "Seriously, he''s always preupied with unnecessary matters. If only he could channel that imagination into something else."


    "Mattaku, yokei na koto bakari ni atama ga mawaru hito dayo ne. Sono souzou ryoku o motto betsu no men de ikaseba ii no ni."


    "...Wait a moment. Why is Uni talking about Count Langogne as if she have seen him?"


    "...Chotto mate. Doushite Yuni ga, rangnyu toka iu hakushaku ni tsuite, mite kita mitee ni itte iru nda?"


    What are you saying, Due? The answer to that is already predetermined, though?


    "Do you think I''d leave Master alone?"


    "Watashi ga goshujin-sama o o-hitori ni suru to omowaremasu ka?"


    She had been assigned as my shadow guard and apanied me into the pce, so it should be obvious.


    Naturally, she must had been lurking in the shadows somewhere in the throne room, whether behind a pir or above a chandelier. After all, I had plenty of enemies, and the king of this country was emotionally unstable. You never know what he might say. A pce like that, with its eerie atmosphere, was not a ce you could just stroll into by yourself.


    "I understand. I''ve asked quite a foolish question, even by my own standards."


    "Nattoku shita. Warenagara bakana koto o kii chimatta ze."


    "Well, normally it wouldn''t make sense for someone to bring a shadowpanion into the pce, especially ves. What if they were to be noticed by those who care about status and etiquette?"


    "Iya, futsuu wa oukyuu ni in kyou o tsurekomu nado, nattoku dekinu dearou... Tokuni dorei nado, mibun ya kakushiki ni urusai renchuu ni kidzukarereba koto dearu zo?"


    "Your Excellency Margrave Doldran, this is themon sense of our master. Once we''ve been brainwashed, there''s no escaping it. It might be best to get used to it quickly."


    "Dorudoran-henkyou haku-kakka, kore ga waga shujin no joushiki na no desu. Sennou sareta ijou nogareru jutsu wa arimasen no de, o-hayaku nare rareru no ga tokusaku ka to."


    Well, Victor was right. As long as I remain who I am, I couldn''t do things any other way, so it''s important for my allies to adapt to it.


    ...I got off topic.


    "So, as a result of being burdened with such tasks and having our cooperation with other nobles cut off, that''s the current situation. If things go well, we might be able to bring in someone like Count Chambery, but the chances are slim. A Marquis with control over three provinces would be too big for him to control, so he''d likely want to cut it down and distribute the fruits of profit."


    "Sou iu wake de, kadai bakari oshitsuke rareta ageku ni, hoka no kizoku to no renkei o tachikirareta no ga genjou na no sa. Umaku ikeba shanberi hakushaku kurai wa hikikomeru kamo shirenai keredo, nozomi-usuda ne. Sanshuu taishu no koushaku tomo nareba, kyodai sugite koumori no te ni wa amaru. Kiritaoshite rieki to iu kajitsu o bunpai shiyou to suru darou."


    "What about the decentralist''s faction? They were originally enemies of the centralists, and you approached them because you saw an opening, right? If you align with the local nobles this time"


    "Chihou bunken-ha wa? Motomoto shuuken-ha to wa kataki doushi de, suki ga mieta kara chikazuita dake nandaro? Kondo wa chihou kizoku to kuttsukeba"


    "No good. A newly established Marquis with control over three provinces, and a family that''s risen to prominence only two hundred years agodo you really think those folks would willingly ept us as allies? Moreover, I already have my own faction. While the decentralist faction might sound good, they''re essentially just idiotic locals who hate the centralist faction, gathered together. They''ll try to cut into the profits of our territories, dismantle my faction, and only think about enriching themselves in the process."


    "Dame da ne. Shuu o mittsu mo motsu arata na koushaku, shikamo ie ga dekite ni hyaku-nen teido no nariagari nante, renchuu ga sunao ni nakama ni irete kureru to omou kai? Shikamo boku ni wa sudeni jimae no habatsu ga aru. Bunken-ha to ieba kikoe wa ii kedo, shosen wa chuuou shuuken-ha nikushi de yori atsumatta, chihou no yoku boke-domo sa. Ryouchi no riken ni kuikomi, boku no habatsu o kaitai shi, sorede jibun-tachi o uruosu koto shika kangaenai darou."


    Would gatherings of well-established corporations easily ept a newly emergingpany led by a young CEO as part of their profit-sharingmunity in their industry? No, probably not. They''d first try to put a cor on it and tame it, or dismantle it for their own gain. In other words, that was the situation. Rivals who were neers and haven''t been in the game for long were seen as nothing but protruding nails. The norm was to hit them as much as possible.


    I had cut ties from the centralists. Engaging with the decentralists had be too costly at this point. It''s a tight spot.


    "If we think about it, the situation has be quite dire, huh... Maybe it''s worth considering even starting a rebellion?"


    "Kangaete mirya, zuibun to hidoi joukyou ni natchimatta na... Isso no koto, hanran demo okoshite miru ka?"


    Due spoke half-jokingly, which meant he''s also half-serious.


    I understood the sentiment. I, too, would love to just tear down this country. The gray monkeys screeching on the throne, puppets manipted by the dead shadows, and the rest of the riffraff. Being swayed by such people and wasting time for valuable research is intolerable, and I was afraid of getting sick from the stress. So the option of rebellion is quite appealing. It would be satisfying to break all the shackles and crush all the sources of frustration, to tten everything out.


    However, it''s impossible. That schemer''s final n wouldn''t easily crumble from just a little rash action.


    "...Oi oi, Due Schwarzer. Can''t you read a map?"


    "...Oi oi, Doe Shubaruts. Kimi ni wa chizu ga yomenai no kai?"


    "Huuh?"


    "Aang?"


    "Here, look. I''ll make some marks so that even you can understand it easily."


    "Hora, mite mi na yo. Ima, kimi ni mo wakari yasuku kakikomi o shite yarukara sa."


    While speaking, I added new information to the map.


    Doldran, Alrez, and other nobles who were subjected to brain maniption and joined under mymand. I encircled their territories with lines, marking the boundaries between their holdings and those of other factions. When I connected them to my own territories...


    "...Look, from Elpis-Roanne to Doldran, there''s a single elongated belt extending east to west. Looking at it this way, you can see that my influence is mostly concentrated in the southern part of the kingdom, right?"


    "...Hora, Erupisu-Ronu kara Dorudoran made, touzai ni hosonagaku nobiru ippon no beruto no dekiagari da. Koushite miru to, boku no seiryoku wa daitai oukoku no nanpou ni shuuchuu shite iru no ga wakaru darou?"


    "Now that you mention it, yeah."


    "Iwarete mireba, soudakedo yo."


    "So, let''s say I initiate a rebellion. It''s just a what if. First, the royal regr army wille from the north."


    "De, boku ga hanran o okoshita to suru. Suruto, da. Mazuwa kita kara oukoku seiki-gun ga semete kuru."


    Drawing arge arrow from the capital city southward, I then created branches extending to the west, reaching Doldran''s border. Additionally, I extended ink from the Armand Duke''s territory toward Elpis-Roanne.


    "Next is the south. The Omnia Empire... Ultimately, this war didn''t allow for reinforcements from them to arrive in time. They only sent some monks to treat the wounded and bury the dead. But well, technically they are allies of the Arquell Kingdom. If the rebellion were to drag on, they''d surely send some sort of aid."


    "Tsugi ni minami. Omunia koukoku... Kekkyoku, konkai no sensou wa zouen mo nani mo maniawanakatta ne. Bousan o yokoshite fushou-sha no chiryou ya senshi-sha no maisou o shita kurai da. Demo maa, ichiou wa arukru oukoku no doumei kuni dakara sa. Moshi hanran ga chouki-ka shitara, engun no hitotsu demo okutte kuru ni chigainai."


    Drawing a thick arrow from the southern penins towards Volden, I also added small branching arrows to the southern coastal regions, including the territory of Baron Alrez.


    "Omnia... It''s troublesome that the Second Knights'' Commander was sent there as a candidate for Holy Knight. It''s likely to create some estrangement between her and Master, and she might even have been given the role of being a liaison between that country and the kingdom. But it''s not easy to dispose of her before her departure."


    "Omunia... dai ni kishidanchou-sama ga sei kishi kouho to shite okurarete shimatta no mo yakkai desu ne. Goshujin-sama ni kakui o motsu kata ga ken''i made ete shimaware masu shi, jutchuuhakku ano kuni to oukoku to no renraku-yaku no nin mo obite imashou. Ka to itte, tokou mae ni shobun suru no mo muzukashii ka to."


    "Even Uni is starting to understand politics quite well... I''m sure this is also one of the old man''s arrangements, isn''t it?"


    "Yuni mo nakanaka seiji ga wakatte kita janai ka... kitto kore mo, jii-san no tekubari no hitotsu da ne."


    Even if she was a candidate, if it were toe to light that we killed or brainwashed a highly esteemed holy knight, we would end up picking a fight with a religious authority head-on. Omnia would transition from a virtual opponent to aplete enemy. I remembered that thete marquis had connections there as well. It wouldn''t be strange if he had intended to rmend and send a knight with influence as a holy knight candidate, to serve as a wedge for influencing the upper echelons of Omnia.


    Setting that aside...


    "And then there''s St. Gallen Federation. They surely want to reim Elpis-Roanne that they yielded to us. On top of that, after the scorched earth tactics and trench warfare in Volden, they''ve been given a taste of their own medicine, so to speak."


    "Soshite, zankutogaren renpou oukoku. Koitsu-ra mo katsujou shite shimatta Erupisu-ronu o torikaeshitai darou. Omake ni vorudan ja shoudo sakusen dano zangou-sendanode, bokura ni itai me o mise rarete irukara ne."


    "Moreover, the stigma of the scorched earth tactics has been attributed to them. They must bear a deep grudge."


    "Sono ue, shoudo sakusen no omei wa achira ni tenka shimashita kara na. Urami kotsuzui deshou."


    "Shut up, Victor... So naturally, if a rebellion urs in the Arquell Kingdom, they will immediately intervene directly. In this case, the odds of them siding with me are low. It''s probably impossible even if we betray the kingdom and ask, ''We''re no longer Arquell nobles, please let us join you,'' isn''t it?"


    "Urusai yo, vikutoru... Dakara touzen, arukru oukoku de hanran to nareba sokuji chokusetsu kainyuuda. Kono baai, boku no mikata ni mawaru kousan wa hikui. Osoraku khi ga oukoku o uragitte, ''arukru kizoku yamemashita, kyou kara nakama ni irete kudasai'' tte tanonde mo muri darou."


    Speaking of which, I wonder if there was a past incident where I got into a conflict with a noble''s son from over there and got expelled from the academy, I thought while continuing my work. Two lines extended from the federal capital of the Federation''s main city, Grandonbourg, and the southern federal constituent state of the Kingdom of Baharia. These lines werebined into a singlerge arrow.


    And how about that?


    On the map, the image of my territory being surrounded from all sides by the four major countries was depicted.


    "See, look? Among the Four Great Nations, three of them are turned into enemies at the beginning of this major war. Moreover, there''s no safe zone at the rear due to our location. It''s going to be a brutal battle, isn''t it?... Do you really want to engage in such a fight?"


    "Hora, goran? Shi-taikoku no uchi, jitsuni san-kakoku mo teki ni mawashite no dai sensou no hajimari da. Kuwaete, rhi-teki ni kouhai to naru anzen chitai ga mattaku nai. Hidoi tatakai ni narisou da nee... Kimi, konna tatakai ga yaritai no kai?"


    I asked with a convulsing, strained smile on my face. The scene imagined from the map was enough to make anyone feel ufortable. While Due might have a battle-hungry side to him, he generally had a sensible way of thinking. It was hard to believe that he would willingly engage in such a foolish battle.


    Naturally, he made a grim expression in response to my question.


    "...You can''t be serious. This won''t even turn into a proper fight. We''ll just be tortured to death."


    "Joudan ja nee. Kore ja koroshiai ni mo naranee darouga. Tada naburigoroshi ni sareru dake da."


    "That''s right. To add more, this time around, St. Gallen will be sending their best forces directly under the royal family''smand. It''s a genuine, continent''s strongest army, far beyond the mishmash of the confederate states we faced in Volden. Just dealing with the entire nation of Arquell is already a daunting task, but with Omnia aiming at us from behind, we''ll also get hit from the side by those guys. Anyone who can find joy in this situation must be quite twisted, more than just a mere masochist. They''d be a true harbinger of destruction."


    "Sou iu koto da ne. Sara ni iu nara, zankutogaren mo kondo to iu kondo wa, oukimike chokkatsu no sai seiei o kuridashite kuru. Vorudan de yariatta ryouhou shokoku no konsei-gun nante hikaku ni mo naranai, honmono no tairiku saikyou guntai no odemashi sa. Arukru ichi kuni o aitedoru dake demo taihen nanoni, omunia ni ushirokara neraware nagara, sonna renchuu ni yoko kara bunnagurarerunda. Kore de yorokoberu youna ningen wa, mazo dokoro janai. Tannaru hametsu shugi-sha da yo."


    Of course, I was different. I absolutely hated destruction and pain. My preference was quite the opposite. I wanted to continue living in eternal peace and happiness.


    So, knowing that I''ll be driven into such a battlefield, there''s no way I could start a rebellion.


    "...It''s truly well-crafted. As expected of the final work of the kingdom''s top strategist. In this situation, I have no choice but to focus on internal affairs to prevent my territory from falling apart, prepare our defenses to not show any vulnerabilities to neighboring countries, and stay quiet to avoid punishment from the capital. I''m forced to work diligently for the sake of this kingdom."


    "...Hontou ni yoku dekite iru yo. Sasuga wa oukoku dai ichi no sakushi no isakuda. Kore jaa boku wa, ryouchi o hatan sa senai you naisei ni hagemi, ringoku ni suki o misenai you gunbi o totonoe, outo no renchuu kara chuubatsu o ukenai you otonashiku shite iru shika nai. Kono oukoku no tame ni, kenmei ni tsukusanakya ikenaku natta wake da."


    It''s the realization of the centralists'' ideal of "local nobles working to fulfill the wishes of the capital." And it''s me of all people who became that.


    Just thinking about it, that old man''s smug face seemed to appear before my eyes. At this point, the wrinkled face that should be covered by a coffin, sealed by a tombstone, must be mocking me as if saying, "See that? This is what you''ve be."


    Like a ghost. How tactless.


    As I sink into mncholy, I saw Margrave Doldran gently stroke his chin.


    "However, I can''t fathom it. The strategy of burdening His Excellency Tullius with such a heavy load. How did that old fox manage to y this hand? By predicting your actions at the ceremony through recognizing the pre-established will, he secures the legitimacy of this forced imposition... But isn''t this kind of maniption full of too many uncertain elements?"


    "Shikashi, hogusenu na. Turiusu-kakka ni kore dake no ni o showa seru to iu saku. Ano furugitsune-me wa, doushite kono youna te o uteta no da? Arakajime yuigon o mitomu shita tame, shikiten no ba de no kyou no koudou o atete miseru koto de, murioshi no seitou-sei o kakuho suru... kono youna tekubari, fukakutei youso ga oo sugiyashimai ka?"


    That loud-voiced Prime Minister said that that old man Lavallee had rmended me as the Marquis of Elpis-Roanne in his will and predicted that I would take an action befitting such a weighty responsibility. At first nce, it might seemed baffling how he could have known that.


    But well, the trick was quite simple.


    Da ga, maa, torikku wa kantan da.


    "...Were there really just one will?"


    "...Yuigon wa, hatashite hontou ni ittsuu nomi datta no deshou ka?"


    When Uni said this, the Margrave and Victor, along with Due, widened their eyes as they looked at her.


    I didn''t really care. I had already figured out something like that.


    Boku wa dou demo ii. Sono kurai no koto wa wakatteita.


    "Preemptively specte on actions that would likely be taken by Master and record multiple scenarios in writing. Send them to the Prime Minister, and only adopt the wills that match the actual events that transpired. As for the letters containing incorrect predictions, he can burn themter, and no one will know their content."


    "Arakajime, goshujin-sama no o-tori ni nari-souna koudou o suiryou shi, fukusuu no patn o shomen ni shirushimasu. Sore o saishou-sama ni okuri, sono naka kara jissai ni okotta dekigoto ni atehamaru yuigon dake, saiyou sureba yoroshii deshou. Soshite hazureta yogen ga kaka reta tegami wa, nochihodo yakisutereba darenimo naiyou wa wakarimasen."


    When you thought about it, it''s a simple trick to deceive children. However, when this was executed by the Kingdom''s Prime Minister, Duke Rochebourg, and the setting was before the King''s very presence, that was where the cunning side lies.


    Even if someone imed it''s a lie or a fraud, the Prime Minister could simply reach into his pocket, pick out a piece of paper, and present it to the courtiers to confirm Marquis Lavallee''s prediction. If it''s someone skeptical, they might notice that there were multiple wills. But who in the world couldy their hands inside the pocket of a Prime Minister as well as a Duke right in front of the King sitting on the throne? No matter how much you use him of fraud, the evidence was within the greatest sanctum of this country. It couldn''t be helped.


    "Ugh... certainly."


    "Nuu... tashika ni."


    "B-but what if Master didn''t take actions that would lead to such a ridiculous reward? What if you just followed protocol and received the designated reward without doing anything extraordinary?"


    "Da, da ga yoo, moshi goshujin ga, konna bakageta onshou o yareru youna koudou o okosanakattara dou suru nda? Futsuu ni nani mo sezu, sahou-doori ni kime rareta onshou dake morau you ni ugoitara?"


    "...In that case, His Excellency would have met with ruin, I imagine."


    "...Sore o sureba, kakka wa hametsu shiteita deshou ne."


    Victor said with a pale face.


    "Likely, if His Excellency followed the pattern Due-dono had said, the reward would involve not a simple increase, but a change of fief. Separating him from Man, which he''d nurtured, and moving him whether to Elpis-Roanne or the territory of a fallen noble. Then, they would burden him with impossible tasks and eventually dismantle his position. Considering that... it''s frustrating, but our current situation is likely the best."


    "Osoraku, Doue-dono ga iwa reru patn de ugoita baai no onshou wa, tanjun na kazou dewanaku kunigae to naru hazu. Vorudan, ie, teshio ni kakete sodateta Maruran kara kirihanashite, Erupisu-Ronu demo, kaieki sa reta kizoku no ryouchi ni demo ii kara betsu no tochi e to oshikomu. Sono go, kochira ga narenai tochi no touchi ni temadoru aida, nanya kanya to muri nandai o oshitsukete tori tsubusu. Sore o omoeba... kuyashii koto desu ga, genjou ga sairyou no burui deshou na."


    "By obtaining tax exemption for the Volden state and also being entrusted with a role in national defense, it leaves me limited in my movements. Conversely, the pce can''t take hasty actions against me either."


    "Vorudan-shuu no menzei o kachitotta shi, kokudo bouei no ikkaku mo ninawasarete iru kara ne. Sou naru to boku mo ukatsu ni ugokenai shi, gyaku ni oukyuu no soba mo heta ni kirenai."


    "No, wait. If they could do something like that, why even bother with the prophecy and reward? Why not just use the prediction as a pretext to execute you for breaking the etiquette? It would be the easiest solution for old man Lavallee."


    "Iya, mate yo. Sonna mane ga dekirun nara, onshou ga dou no toka yaru hitsuyou wa nee daro? Goshujin ga rei no mondou no sahou o yaburu tte yogen shite, sore o koujitsu ni burei uchi de shokei surya ii. Ravare no jii-san ni totcha, ichiban raku na houhou ja nee ka."


    As always, Due seemed to be missing the point. I inadvertently let out a sigh.


    "You know, who do you think I am? I''m the man who burned the capital down to survive. That old man already knew that, ages ago... So, doing something like that is out of the question."


    "Ano nee, kimi wa boku o dare da to omotte iru ndai? Jibun ga ikinokoru tame ni outo datte yaita otoko da. Sono koto wa ano jii-san datte, tokku ni gozonji da yo... Dakara, sonna koto wa dekinai."


    "Huh?"


    "Aan?"


    "Because, you see, if they tried to kill me then and there... they''d end up getting killed instead. The king, the prime minister, and other major nobles."


    "Datte, ano ba de boku o korosou to shitara sa... gyaku ni korosarechau janai ka. Kono kuni no chuusuu dearu koku-ou, saishou, sonota dai-kizoku no menmen ga sa."


    Saying that, I looked at Uni. My most trusted sword, which had infiltrated the royal pce that day to protect me from the shadows.


    "Rather than the country killing me, I''d destroy the country. That''s the kind of person I am, and old man Lavallee must have known that too. If they make a move to take me out, I''ll turn the whole board upside down with a move that''ll bring everything crashing down. So, he decided to just set the stage for a checkmate eventually."


    "Kuni ga boku o korosu kurai nara, boku ga kuni o buttsubusu. Siu otoko datte, ravu~are no jsan wa shitte ita darou sa. Heta ni oote o kakeru to, banmen-goto hikkurikaesu youna mane o shidekasu. Dakara, izure tsumi ni itaru fuseki o utsu dake de yoshi to suru koto ni shita nda yo."


    That old cunning man''s annoying trait was that he never loses his cool even when facing his own death. Instead, he calmly makes calcted moves to control the situation. Those who were consumed by their schemes might attempt to kill their arch-nemesis out of desperation as their time runs out. As a result, they''ll try to defile the ideals that they should protect and bring about a result that puts the cart before the horse.


    However, Lavallee was steering in a direction to limit my movements so that I couldn''t further erode the kingdom. He cut my ties with other nobles with rank strikes, thwarting any opportunities for brainwashing, and keeping me upied with domestic and defense matters. As long as I quietly fulfill the imposed obligations, there''s no immediate danger. At least, for a while.


    "If I were merely a local noble who used Margrave Doldran as a parasol, then they might have tried to win me over and make me an ally, perhaps even tried to incorporate me by offering rewards. But when my status esctes to that of a Marquis, it''s a different story. If I''m integrated carelessly, both the centralist and decentralist factions would be wary of me, fearing that I might engulf their factions. In the worst case, two major forces that were once sworn enemies could join forces against me."


    "Boku ga Dorudoran-henkyou haku o higasa ni shite iru chihou kizoku teido nara, mekoboshi mo sareta darou shi, umaku mikata ni tsukeyou to yakki ni mo natta darou. Keredo shindai ga koushaku ni made fukure agaru to dame da. Ukatsu ni kumikomeba habatsu o nomikomare kanenai to, chuuou mo chihou mo sensenkyoukyou ni naru. Heta o sureba, fugutaiten datta hazu no ni dai seiryoku ga te o kunde, boku o kougeki shi hajime kanenai."


    "If you dislike that oue, then serve the kingdom. If you''re a dog rather than a wolf, I will keep you as a pet. There''s an old saying, ''When the crafty hare dies, the hound is boiled.'' However, as long as there is prey like St. Gallen, the fate of the hound should be secure... This is the true will that the old man has left for His Excellency."


    "Sore ga iya nara, mikuni no tame ni houkou seyo. Ookami dewanaku inu naraba katte yarou. Korai, koutoshishite souku niraru to iu. Daga zankutogaren to iu emono ga iru ijou, souku no mi no ue wa antai dearou... konna mono ga, ano roujin no hontou nokakka ni muketa yuigon dearimashou."


    Victor concluded, and a heavy silence filled the room.


    As if the withered hand of the deceased old man had covered his mouth from below the grave.


    Before long, Due scratched his head and broke the silence.


    "How can I put it... He managed to escape in victory, huh. That old man."


    "Nante iu ka... Kachi-nigesareta na, ano jii-san ni."


    Those words seemed to hit Victor hard, and he lowered his head, as expected.


    The illegitimate child who resented and hated Lavallee for abandoning his mother and himself, aspiring to surpass his detestable father. Yet, it seemed that he was denied that opportunity, and Lavallee managed to escape through the guise of natural death. Perhaps these were the thoughts that gued Victor.


    Aah, how


    Aa, nante


    "Ridiculous."


    "Bakabakashii."


    "Y-Your Excellency?"


    "Ka, kakka?"


    "W-What happened to you suddenly? Master..."


    "Ki, kyuu ni nanda yo? Goshujin..."


    Both Due and Victor were making meugh.


    Escaped in victory? Couldn''t surpass your father after all? Can''t we put an end to this foolish sentimentality?


    "Don''t talk nonsense, Due. There''s no time to be down, Victor. Honestly, you two are letting yourselves be too influenced by the old man''s shadow."


    "Baka na koto o iu na yo, Doe. Ochikondeiru hima wa nai darou, Vikutoru. Mattaku, futari tomo jii-san no kage ni furimawasare sugi da yo."


    "Yes, Master... It''s frustrating to have him pass away before we could repay the debt we owed him. However, it''s true that his elderly body had run out of options to respond to changing circumstances. After all, humans can''t take action once they''re dead."


    "Hai, goshujin-sama... Kari o okaeshi suru mae ni mimakarareta no wa kuyashiku arimasu. Ga, o routai ni wa kore ijou, joukyou no henka ni taishi utsu te ga nakunatta no mo jijitsu desu. Ningen, shineba te o ugokasenai nodesu kara."


    "Exactly. You''d have to sell your soul to a monster and be an undead or the likes."


    "Sou. Mamono ni tamashii o utte, andeddo ni demo naranakya ne."


    With a joking tone, I nodded in agreement with Uni''s words.


    No matter how I tried to phrase it, that old man passed away before he couldpletely drag me down. I might be on a board that could lead to a checkmate, but as for Lavallee... he''s dropped out of the game.


    So, if we were talking about winning or losing,


    "I''m the winner. The old man died, and I''m still alive... Am I wrong, you two?"


    "Katta no wa boku da. Jii-san wa shinde, boku wa ikite iru ndakara ne... Chigau kai, futari tomo?"


    "That''s..."


    "Sore, wa..."


    "That''s a bit too much of a sore loser, isn''t it?"


    "Sasuga ni chotto, make oshimi ga sugirun ja nee no?"


    Victor seemed to regain some spirit, but Due was still as clueless as ever. Seriously, he really didn''t get it, did he?


    "After all, who''s left in this country after the old man? A senile king and a now its strings have broken puppet-like prime minister. The centralists don''t have a clear sessor for their leader, and the decentralists are just a gathering of nobles seeking their own territory''s interests. My elder brother is sent to a monastery, Margrave Doldran is on my side... There are still plenty of obstacles, but the only real enemy, Lavallee, is gone due to old age. Luck might have yed a part, but I''ve won."


    "Datte, jii-san no nochi ni kono kuni ni wa dare ga nokotte iru? Mouroku shita ou-sama ni, kondo koso ito no kireta ayatsuri ningyou no saishou. Chuuou shuuken-ha wa ryoushuu no koukei-sha ga meikaku janaku, bunken-ha wa kekkyoku ji ryou no rieki o motomeru kizoku no yoriai de shika nai. Ani-ue wa shuudouin okuri de, Dorudoran-henkyou haku wa boku no mikata... uzou muzou no shougai-mono wa mada mada aru keredo, yuiitsu teki to ieru Ravare wa jumyou-gire de inaku natta. Un yoku to wa ie, boku wa katta."


    Certainly, I seemed to be surrounded and cornered. Politically, I was isted from the two major factions within the country and strategically, under the pressure of three powerful nations.


    However, making all these elements cooperate required time and connections that were sorelycking. The centralists and decentralists might have viewed me as an enemy, but they would have needed to set aside their mutual grudges and join forces. Such a maneuver wasn''t something that could happen overnight. Especially when the current head of the centralists was Count Langogne, of all people.


    Being wedged between Arquell, Omnia, and St. Gallen might have seemed concerning, but I should only have worried about it if I had decided to rebel. As long as I focused on domestic affairs and research, turning my back on power struggles, there was nothing to worry about. St. Gallen might have held a grudge, but they had enough trouble between the Grand King''s household and the federal states. Their top priority should have been addressing the aftermath of their defeat and tidying up their own country. Turning my attention to Arquell would have had to wait a little longer.


    For a while, I wouldn''t have been able to move significantly, but the nuisances wouldn''t have been able to move either.


    Lavallee indeed managed to showcase a remarkable n. A truly remarkable... desperate struggle.


    "If that old man wants to im victory from beyond the grave, I''m happy to concede it. Yes, indeed, you ''once'' managed to defeat me... like that. But after that, even though I would have my turn, Lavallee wouldn''t have his. In a game where the stakes are survival, only those who are still living can participate. This way, the game literally wouldn''t be a match."


    "Jii-san ga haka no shita kara jibun no shouri o shuchou suru nara, kokoro yoku mitomete yaru tomo. Ee, sou desu, tashika ni anata wa ikkai boku ni kachimashita ne... tte sa. Dakedo, kono ato ni boku no tn wa atte mo, Ravare no deban wa mawatte konai. Ikinokori o kaketa gmu ni wa, ima o ikite iru mono shika sanka dekinai ndakara. Kore jaa, mojidoori shoubu ni naranai jaa nai ka."


    "If I may exin a bit further"


    "Sarani to tasa sete itadakimasureba"


    Came Uni''s voice.


    "That Marquis seemed to have forgotten a fact that should not be overlooked. What would happen if he were to offer territory to Master for the sake of his machinations."


    "Ano koushaku wa, miotosubeki dewa nai jijitsu o wasurete oraremasu. Bouryaku no tame ni goshujin-sama ni ryouchi o kenjitara, nani ga okoru no ka o."


    Now that it was mentioned, it was true. The beginning of my involvement in this power struggle could be traced back to my brother, Linus, making me a Man''s viscount. Thanks to that, I obtained Drei from Canales, secretly built ab underground, and concealed beings like Charl and Fem as my pawns in hidden ces. And now, it had escted to me bing a Marquis with three states. It''s one thing to be extravagant, but this was going a bit far.


    Upon hearing our words, Victor trembled slightly.


    "Heh heh, I see... so it''s about the living winning, is it? A mistake on that man''s part! Hahaha, I got it now! I don''t have any reason to be disheartened, do I? This is a masterpiece...!"


    "Kuku, naruhodo... ikite iru mono no kachi, desu ka. Ano otoko no miotoshi desu ka! Hahaha, tashikani! Watashi ga ki o otosu riyuu nado, nani mo nai dewa nai desu ka! Kore wa kessaku da...!"


    It seemed our encouragement was well received. He showed us a cheerful smile.


    Even Margrave Doldran, while stroking his beard in that characteristic manner, chimed in.


    "Your Excellency''s arguments may be extreme, but they hold a point... It''s only by being alive that flowers can bloom. Rather than being captivated by flowers of death or vengeance, it might be more constructive."


    "Kyoura no ben wa kyokuron dewa aru ga... ikite ireba koso hanami mo sakou to iu mono. Shinibana, ada hana no rui ni me o ubawareru yori ka wa, kensetsu-teki dearu kamo na."


    "Indeed. Everything requires being alive, after all, doesn''t it?"


    "Sou desu tomo. Nani goto mo ikiteite koso, desho?"


    I raised the corner of my mouth and shrugged my shoulders.


    Of course, the situation was still dire. I was ced on a precarious board where one wrong move could lead to copse. However, there was no longer anyone in this country who can seal my fate from there.


    The biggest mistake of George Henry Lavallee, the Marquis, was not in burdening me with unnecessary strength to ce a heavy load on me. It was in failing to prepare a proper sessor, whether in terms of bloodline or ideology. The grandson to inherit the title of Marquis wasn''t granted session until his grandfather was on the verge of turning eighty, and his faction, the Centralists, as you can see, was in disarray. If he didn''t intend to live forever like me, then not having preparations in that area was a major oversight.


    However, the man who was probably the most qualified sessor candidate in terms of talent and ideology was under mymand andughing heartily.


    Ah, finally, my mood was starting to settle. I felt like I''m finally returning to my usual self.


    That''s right, there''s no need to be irritated. I mentioned it earlier as well, but in this country, my only enemy was Lavallee. Now that he''s gone, the others could be dealt with given enough time. It''s frustrating that I had to reduce the time to researching immortality, but this too was necessary for my survival. It can''t be helped.


    "As we''ve been talking for a while, my throat has be dry."


    "Nagabanashi shite iru to, nodo ga kawaichatta na."


    "Understood. Please wait a moment."


    "Kashikomarimashita. Shoushou omachi o."


    And so, as usual, Yuni went to prepare tea for me. Since Margrave Doldran was also here, she probably needed to bring some wine and snacks as well.


    And my future as well was just like that. The same as always, same as before, it''s just that there are a few new tasks to take care of. Completely normal progress. It''s just that the annoying misceneous things have increased.


    ...Too bad for you, old man. If this were a game of nobles you were good at, you would have ended up winning. Even without a final move to seal my fate, once a siege of this size had beenid, there''s no going forward, no second chances. But I was, above all, an alchemist. My noble status was just an afterthought. No matter how disgraceful or shameful it was, as long as I survived and reached eternity, it''s my victory. For that, I didn''t care if I crushed territories, power, people, nobles, kings, or even the country itself like ves. The foundation of our game is different... that''s why you and I can''t be matched in this contest.


    Farewell, my first enemy who appeared in my second life. In this world without you, I have won without even fighting you. So, old man, you can peacefully go to the afterlife, still basking in your triumph.


    While waiting for Uni to return, I closed my eyes and silently offered a prayer.


    I hope that troublesome enemy wouldn''t turn into a ghost and wandering back into this world.


    And also


    (Even that old man could die, huh. Even though I thought he''d keep living stubbornly until I kill him.)


    (Jii-san mo shinu nda na. Boku ga korosu made wa, oujougiwa waruku ikite iru to omotte ita no ni.)


    I hope I could ignore the small lump that remained in my heart.


    By thinking that death was merciless and equal, I hope I could avert my eyes from it.


    ~~~


    The capital city of St. Gallen Federation was situated in the eastern region where the forest gave way to an open in.


    It was the city of Gallerin, also the capital city of The Federation''s dominant league, The Great Kingdom of Grandenburg.


    The distinctive feature of itsndscape could be summed up in one word: simplicity. Itcked the profound historical sentiment of the imperial capital Omnia, the artistic delicacy of the Arquell Kingdom''s capital, Broussonne, or the mysteriousndscapes seen in the capital of Morbaehr, Heptark. However, the cityscape, filled with functional beauty crafted through meticulous urban nning, managed to seamlessly juxtapose the dual elements of ruler''s authority and vibrantmon life within the gray stone streets.


    The city was divided into a grid-like pattern radiating outward from a central avenue. At night, this grid was illuminated by numerous tall magicalmps set up along the streets. Parks teeming with greenery provided sce to the citizens. The city featured various borately designed buildings such as theaters, concert halls, art galleries, public halls, schools, churches, and other structures. These elements added vibrancy to the meticulously nned cityscape, preventing it from bing monotonous.


    An orderly metropolis. This might have been the most sinct phrase to describe the city of Gallerin.


    However, an unusual disturbance hung over the well-organized city at this moment.


    It wasn''t a crisis. People on the streets showed no signs of rm, and shops continued their trade as usual.


    Yet, the scene unfolding in the city today was remarkable enough to draw astonishment.


    Soldiers, soldiers, soldiers marching down the central avenue. A mounted officer led the march, followed by foot soldiers in ceremonial attire. Despite their decorative outfits, they were armedspear and bow. A military force equipped with spears and bows marched through the city in an intimidating disy. Cavalry units advanced at evenly spaced intervals beside them, and in the middle of the formation, sorcerers on chariot-like carriages showcased their presence.


    It was a military parade.


    As we know, St. Gallen had previously suffered defeat in the Volden Campaign. However, their behavior resembled that of a victorious army on a triumphant march. Curiously, most citizens watching the procession didn''t seem to condemn it. Universally, they praised the splendor of the marching royal procession, ced faith in its strength, and didn''t doubt its military prowess.


    To capture their perplexing psychology in a single sentence:


    The defeated were not our own country.


    In Volden, the army that fell behind the count of the neighboring country was, after all, a second-tier forceposed of troops from various territories united together. Compared to the Grandenburg Kingdom''s elite forces directly under the royal family, they were nothing more than inferior foot soldiers. While there might be a sense of mockery for their ipetence, there was no room for anger, sorrow, or regret. As evidence, look at our army now, proudly disying its imposing figure here. The ones who lost are from the same St. Gallen, but from the perspective of the citizens of Gallerin, they are a different country''s army... It''s the distortion of national identity due to the federation where multiple nations havee together.


    From an outsider''s viewpoint, it might seem odd, but from the perspective of the people of Grandenburg residing in Gallerin, it''s natural. It might be strange to others but it was a matter of course for those belonging to the Grandenburg Kingdom living in Gallerin. From the balcony overlooking the street, there was a group of people who watched the procession.


    "Well, well, as expected from St. Gallen, or rather, the elite royal army. Impressive equipment and discipline, indeed."


    "Hahaha. To receive such praise is a credit to the soldiers as well. It''s the pinnacle of honor."


    "With this army unleashed, we might be able to reim the ceded territories in a single day."


    "Ceded territories? Well, our Grandenburg and the Heidelberg Royal Family have not dedicated even an inch ofnd to other nations, I must say."


    "Oh, my apologies. It was the members of the territories who, unfortunately, suffered defeat and cedednd to Arquell. That was not the case for our Grandenburg. My words were quite amiss."


    "No need to worry. This is just another aspect of our nation''splex makeup. Don''t be concerned about it."


    "Hahahahahaha!"


    Exchanging emptypliments was the duty of those involved in diplomatic affairs between nations.


    On one side stood a courtier from St. Gallen, unquestionably a representative of the Grandenburg Kingdom. On the other side was an ambassador dispatched from the ind nation across the sea, the Kingdom of Morbaehr.


    Due to the defeat in the Volden Campaign, the Kingdom of St. Gallen lost a force of forty thousand soldiers. Even though these were troops from various states that didn''t fall under the jurisdiction of the principal alliance, the numbers were still significant. Moreover, the costs incurred by the campaign were far from negligible. Ordinarily, a nation''s strength would have diminished due to such financial setbacks.


    But not in this case. The power of the grand kingdom and its royal family hadn''t diminished in the slightest. The presence of these soldiers and officers assembled here in the capital city was evidence of that.


    Do not underestimate us; for if you did, this army would have exploited that vulnerability. Bear this in mind fully...


    This parade was orchestrated for the purpose of conveying such intentions both domestically and internationally.


    "In reality, your country had the upper hand, no, was overwhelmingly dominant in the Armand region."


    "To receive such recognition, our soldiers must be quite pleased. For us, though, we had hoped to at least diminish even one of Armand''s renowned fortifications."


    "Oh no, imposing a defensive stance on the enemy is possible thanks to the might of the St. Gallen main forces. It''s for this reason that you managed to acquire provisions from that country without losing troops, right?"


    Upon hearing the words of the Morbaehr ambassador, the Grandenburg diplomat let out a wicked smile.


    While a separate unit was being annihted in Volden, the main force responsible for the northern front wasn''t idly ying around. The strategic core of the Armand Ducal House was defense. Essentially, they would entrench themselves in fortresses, withstand any field battles with unwavering positions, and counterattack after awaiting reinforcements from their homnd. As the opponent focused on defense, the Grandenburg Kingdom''s main forces, under direct control, would freely plunder from the yet-to-be-harvested fields.


    The cause of the war was a scarcity of food, and what they sought was also food. If that could be obtained, there would be no incentive to continue the war. In exchange for silencing the voices demanding reparations and offering a piece ofnd, they could then close the matter. Even the states forming the federation, discontent with territorial cession, could be silenced by sharing the spoils from the acquired food this time. Those like the Baharia Kingdom''s separate detachment, who had drawn the short straw and were in financial straits, would probably not be appeased by this... But the military might that could back their assertions disappeared before the young Arquellian. For St. Gallen as a whole, it was a significant loss to have both been defeated and lost territory. However, for the federation''s leader, the Grandenburg Kingdom, this situation presented an opportunity to increase their influence across the federation while avoiding a food crisis.


    "When ites to provisions, your country''s support has been truly appreciated."


    The courtier from St. Gallen spoke, his gaze lowered in gratitude.


    "Thanks to the food imports from Morbaehr, we can barely manage to make ends meet. I must find a way to repay this kindness."


    "Oh? What are you talking about?"


    The Morbaehr ambassador''s smile carried a hidden meaning.


    "Our merchants merely traded food for their own profit. There''s no reason for gratitude."


    "Well, well... Your words are truly modest."


    "Speaking of modesty"


    A shrewd glint appeared in his narrowed eyes.


    "the recent actions of Arquell were trulycking in modesty. To monopolize a bountiful harvest and sell high-priced wheat to a neighboring country in distress without a second thought. That''s truly an audacious act."


    "Indeed, indeed. One would not think that they are fellow Ithush continent''s resident, devoted to the service of the Holy King."


    "Our Queen of Morbaehr has also expressed her displeasure regarding this matter."


    "What! Your country''s queen, known for herpassion?"


    "Arquellians behaving mercilessly and greedily. If they were truly familiar with benevolence and humanity, they would not readily ept such actions..."


    "I see. So, it''s only natural behavior, then?"


    "Yes."


    Voices united in condemnation, expressing a shared intent to criticize the Kingdom of Arquell. With this unanimous sentiment, the intentions of both nations were clear. It was a synchronized stance against the Kingdom of Arquell. The two great nations that stood at the pinnacle of the continent were nothing but an alliance marching in step to confront thismon adversary.


    This time, the Kingdom of Arquell had emerged overwhelmingly victorious. Prior to the war, they had profited immensely from trade with St. Gallen, and after the conflict, exploiting both their overwhelming military gains and the opponent''sck of sustained warfare capabilities, they had swiftly secured favorable terms in a short period of time. Expanding their territory eastward on the continent, their national strength grew even further. If they remained idle, not only St. Gallen, but also Morbaehr would be unable to restrain Arquell, and it was clear that both nations would suffer diplomatic and trade disadvantages.


    To prevent this, the St. Gallen-Morbaehr alliance was formed. It was a covert handshake aimed at countering the major obstacle of mutual national interestan alliance to counter Arquell''s influence.


    "For the time being, let Morbaehr offerprehensive support for your country''s food procurement. Our merchants have been slightly overcharging, after all. We intend to somehow persuade them to show a little more flexibility and lower the prices."


    The provisions obtained from Armand were, after all, just the harvest of a single region for a single year, and only a fraction of that at best. While it provided a respite from the famine, it still fell far short of what was needed for bold future endeavors. In such a context, this offer of support was nothing short of a timely blessing.


    "Oh, this is reassuring. In the meantime, our St. Gallen... no, Grandenburg will..."


    "Will fortify your position and prepare for a rematch, yes?"


    "To achieve that... I believe it would be wise to clear away any unnecessary weeds so we won''t lose our footing, right?"


    What they were discussing was how to deal with the member states of the federation. The most disadvantaged in this campaign were the federation constituents, including the Baharia Kingdom, which had sent troops with the expectation of victory, only to suffer severe losses. Suppressing their dissatisfaction and boosting the authority of the federation''s leader, the Grandenburg Kingdom, the aim was to fully showcase their capabilities through the marching army below.


    A congregation of nations and their presiding leader. Not content with their unstable and vulnerable position, they aimed to unite andmand the entire eastern continent, striving to be an absolute monarch worthy of the title the Grand King, transcending the confines of the federation. This was the intent of Grandenburg, and by extension, the intention of the ruling Heidelberg Royal Family.


    The colossal beast, previously constrained by the yoke of the federation, was now moving towards even greater expansion. In this promation of unveiled ambition, the ambassador, hearing it, smiled with a nod of approval.


    "The sight of a friend''s garden being neatly tidied up... shall delight not only gentlemen but also nobledies."


    In a country where gentlemen at the pinnacle serve under the most renowned noblewoman on the continent, known as the Queen. The man who had arrived from Morbaehr, often referred to as thend of the sea and the Queen, moistened his throat with tea as he spoke.


    "Well, well... then, during the grass-cutting, I shall be thorough."


    "That''s quite the spirited intent, I must say."


    The men responsible for diplomatic affairs between the two countries exchanged gentle yet vignt smiles.


    Just then,


    "Yaawwnnn..."


    "Fuaaaaa..."


    Ackluster yawn from an elderly man interjected.


    "...You two. You''ve been engrossed in conversation for quite a while now, and it seems rather pointless for me to be here. I don''t have a hobby of killing time at a tea party. If you have no business with me, I would like you to let me go back home."


    "...Kimi-tachi. Sakihodo kara futari de hanashikonde bakari de, washi no oru imi ga nai dewa nai ka. Chakai de jikan o tsubusu shumi wa nai de na, you ga nai nara kaerasete itadakitaku omou ga?"


    "Please, Professor, do stop."


    "O-tome kudasai mashi, kyouju."


    Beside him, a woman gently reprimanded the elderly man who had spoken words quite childish for his impressive silver hair.


    "You, too, are a noble, aren''t you? If you disdain such exchanges, then you won''t find much socializing with others from different households, will you?"


    "Anata mo kizoku ni gozaimashou. Koushita yaritori o iya tte ite wa, take no mono to no shakou sura mama narimasen deshite yo?"


    "Even though you say I''m a noble... well, before that, I''m a schr and an alchemist. My estate is just the size of a cat''s forehead, and the tax revenue is as tiny as a sparrow''s tear. It won''t even add up to extra research funds. If I could make a profit by sellingnd and title, I''d dly give them up today"


    "Kizoku to yuute mo naa... washi wa sono mae ni gakuto ni shite renkinjutsushi yo. Ryouchi mo neko no gaku teido dearu shi, zei no agari mo suzume no namida hodo. Kenkyuu shikin no tashi ni mo naran. Tochi to i o utte mouke ga deru nara, kyou ni demo tebanashite mo"


    "Pro-fes-sor! We are in front of a visitor from another country!"


    "Kyo-u-ju! Takoku kara okoshi no kata no mae desu!"


    "Good grief, you''re still as nagging as ever, girl. That''s why you''re already twenty years old and still haven''t found a suitor"


    "Yare yare, aikawarazu kuchi urusai musume da. Dakara hatachi to natte mo ikkou ni yome no moraite ga"


    "...Did you say something?"


    "...Nani ka osshaimashite?"


    "No, it''s nothing."


    "Iya, nandemonai."


    In a diplomatic setting where hidden beneath the calmness was an air of tension, aedic exchange began between a man and a woman of significant age difference. The ambassador of Morbaehr was taken aback by their behavior.


    "Um, who might this be?"


    "Ano, kochira wa?"


    "Ah, sorry for the rudeness. This person is a schr from our magic academy who assisted with one of the performances in this parade."


    "Aa, shikkei. Kono pardo no dashimono no hitotsu ni kyouryoku shita, touhou no madou akadem no gakuto deshite na."


    "...Go ahead, Professor. Introduce yourself."


    "...Hora, kyouju. Go aisatsu o."


    "Why bother with such futile matters? With the likes of a Morbaehr envoy, surely our interaction is only until today. If we won''t meet again in the future, there''s no necessity to remember faces or names"


    "Naze, sonna muda na koto o. Mrubea no shisha nado, tsukiai wa kyou kagiri ni kimatte orou? Kongo ni au wake demo nai aite deareba, kao mo na mo oboeru hitsuyou nado"


    "Just-do-it!"


    "I-i-ka-ra!"


    Pestered by a young woman apanying him, the elderly gentleman with silver hair and a silver beard frowned as he spoke.


    "...I am Paul Egbert von Graumann, Professor of Alchemy in the Gallerin Magic Academy. From now onyou don''t have to keep this as our acquaintance."


    "Garerin madou akadem, renkin gakka kyouju, Pauru Eguberuto von Gurauman to mousu. Igobetsu ni o mishiri oki sezutomo yoi."


    "What was it with that abnormal greeting... My apologies. I am also a research student in the Alchemy Department, Frederica Julianna von Castelbern. I humbly request your generous pardon for the oversight of my mentor."


    "Nan desu no, sono hijoushiki na aisatsu wa... shitsurei. Onajiku renkin gakka kenkyuusei, Furederika Yuriannna von Kasuteruberun tomoushimasu. Waga shi no sosou ni kandai na o-yurushi o itadakemasu you, onegai itashi shimasu wa."


    Continuing, the girl with xen hair performed a graceful curtsy, bowing her head.


    An alchemist. Even within the magical advanced nation of St. Gallen, they were considered practitioners of a menial trade, positioned one or two steps lower than other mages. They were like chatans boasting of turning lead into gold through gilded deceit. The fact that someone with such an unofficial reputation had been brought into a diplomatic setting, albeit with a strong informal vibe, caused the ambassador to furrow their brows.


    At the end of that gaze, the girl who introduced herself as Frederica whispered quietly to the diplomat.


    "That''s why I mentioned it so strongly. To expose something like this to the eyes of other nations, would only bring disgrace."


    "Dakara are hodo moushiagemashita deshou ni. Kon''na mono nado takoku no me ni fure sasete wa, akappaji o kaku dake desu, to."


    (TL Note: The kanji written as  (Professor) with furigana written as  (Something like this.) So what she meant by ''Something like this'' was Professor Graumann.)


    "No, I never expected his behavior to go this far..."


    "Iya, masaka, koko made no furumai o sareru to wa..."


    "Uhm, I can''t quite follow the conversation. What''s going on?"


    "Sono, hanashi ga mienai no desu ga?"


    The ambassador interjected in a hushed voice.


    Both the courtier and Frederica swiftly turned and blushed in unison.


    "A-ahaha. Uhm, about the courtesy we are about to extend to you, it''s significant that both of them are coborating for this purpose. By all means, I would like you to be acquainted with them."


    "A, ahaha. Sono, nan desu ka. Kore yori o-me ni kaketaki gi ni kanshite, kono ryoumei no kyouryoku ga dai naru wake deshite. Zehitomo kiden ni mo o mishiri oki itadakitaku."


    "Alchemists, you say..."


    "Renkinjutsu-shi ga, desu ka..."


    A biased voice containing prejudice was clearly leaking through. Throughout history, alchemists were practitioners with limited magical abilities, often resorting to concocting elixirs and such, or otherwise being chatans, as was mentioned before. The St. Gallen Academy of Magic seemed to persist in its studies even to the extent of establishing departments, though he heard it was of small scale. Inparison to the Military Magic Department that nurtured true mages as one would expect, there was a world of difference.


    It seemed the other party had also perceived this. A cantankerous-looking old man by the name of Professor Graumann snorted.


    "Hmph. Neither Morbaehr nor St. Gallen are any different from Arquell. Bound by preconceptions, they lost sight of the essence of matters and wasted time and resources. How long would it take to seek understanding of my path in this way? It would have been better to continue my research elsewhere rather thaning to a ce like this."


    "Fun. Mrubea mo Zankutogaren mo, Arukru to kawaran na. Sennyuukan ni toraware koto no honshitsu o miushinai, jikan to shizai to o rouhi suru. Korede wa waga michi e no rikai o motomeru no ni, ika hodo no jikan ga kakaru ka. Kore dewa konna tokoro ni konai de, kenkyuu no tsuzuki demo shite ita hou ga mashi deatta na."


    "Professor! We are in front of the honored guests, you know!?"


    "Kyouju! Kokuhin no mae desu wa yo!?"


    "I do not care. Whether they are dignitaries or paupers, it does not matter at all."


    "Shiranu shiranu. Kokuhin darou to sekihin darou to, shikkai dou demo yokarou."


    With that, he turned his face away with a dismissive puff. It was almost childlike. It was difficult to believe that this was the behavior and speech of a white-haired old man. Perhaps he was regressing to a childlike state, but he appeared to be in his mid-sixties. It might still be a bit early for such behavior at that age.


    "Truly, these politicians are nothing but people who fail to understand the intentions of researchers. Just the other day, they confiscated a prototype chimera before even collecting data, all in the name of national policy or something. Have you heard about the oue of that, Castelbern? It seems they forced it intobat and it went berserk. I''m sure I warned them to stop that, didn''t I!"


    "Mattaku, seiji-ya-domo wa kenkyuusha no i o kaisanu mono bakari ja te. Kono mae mo dta o toru mae no shisaku kimera o, kokusaku da nani da to sesshuu sareta bakari to iu ni. Are no tenmatsu o kiita ka, Kasuteruberun? Muri ni jissen tounyuu shita ageku ni bousou shitarashii zo. Dakara are hodo tomeyo to yuutadearou ni!"


    "It''s a tragic situation indeed. The fact that you, Professor, don''t seem to mourn for the disciples who were conscripted as adjustment staff is particrly..."


    "Itamashii koto desu wa ne. Chousei sutaffu to shite chouyou sareta o deshi-tachi no koto o, kyouju ga itande irassharanai atari ga, tokuni."


    "Huh? Those guys aren''t disciples, they''re just students from a simple seminar. Whether they live or die, I couldn''t care less. The students I call disciples are at least of your level ofpetence is the minimum threshold."


    "? Ayatsu-ra wa deshi dewa nai zo, tannaru zeminru no gakusei-domo da. Shinouga ikiyouga dou demo yoi. Washi ga deshi to yobu seito wa, kimi no reberu ni tassuru no ga saiteigen-do dearu to ninshiki shite oru no da ga."


    "Yes, yes, I''m an inept, immature, and minimum-threshold-skilled disciple. I apologize for that!"


    "Hai hai, watashi wa fudeki de mijuku de saiteigen-do no deshi desu wa ne. Doumo moushiwake arimasen koto!"


    As the two exchanged words in this manner, the courtier stered a desperate smile on his face, sweating profusely.


    "Well, he''s certainly an entric individual... Ah, well, I assure you of his skills. He is the finest, no, the best alchemist in our country."


    "To maa, kawatta o-hito dewa arimasu ga... u, ude no hou wa hoshou shimasu. Waga kuni kusshi, ie ichiban no renkinjutsu-shi dearimasu."


    "Oh... I see."


    "Haa, sayou desu ka."


    Even if it''s said he''s the country''s best alchemist, the ambassador couldn''t help but feel troubled. No matter if it''s number one or number two, it wasn''t the sort of profession that would normally appear on asions like this. It''s akin to being introduced to a fast cleaner or a skilled shoe polisher as if they had an air of importance at a party venue, There was no way not to be taken aback.


    "So, about the results of their research"


    "Sore de karera no kenkyuu no seika desuga"


    "Our research? Don''t be absurd. Do you think I can confidently assert that that childish imitation amounts to research results? Do you think of this Graumann as such a petty individual who pilfers aplishments from his disciple and then bes arrogant?"


    "Washi-ra no kenkyuu? Baka o mousu na. Ano you na hitomane no jigi, kenkyuu no seika nado to mune o hareru ka. Kono gurauman o, deshi no seika o nusunde hanatakadaka ni naru you na kobito to o omoi ka?"


    "Professor, please maintain your silence."


    "Kyouju wa damatte ite kudasaimashi."


    "Ugh..."


    "Muu..."


    "In any case, please look over there."


    "Tomokaku, achira o goran kudasai."


    Saying that, the courtier gestured downwards towards the main road, pointing out the rear of the parade.


    Within the military procession, there was an unusual unit. There was something resembled iron rods, affixed with wooden stocks. Roughly ten soldiers were carrying these peculiar items. These iron rods appeared to be cylindrical in form, and upon close scrutiny, apertures could be discerned at their tips. Awkwardly protruding ropes were visible near the base, imparting an unseemly appearance. While it was reasonable to presume these were weapons due to the soldiers'' possession of them, they didn''t seem to exude significant strength.


    "What are those might be?"


    "Nan deshou na, are wa?"


    "Well, I would appreciate it if you take a look."


    "Maa, mite ite kudasai."


    The St. Gallen side was oddly boastful.


    As the perplexed ambassador looked on, they arrived at a space just like a square beneath the balcony. The parade soldiers halted, and bundles of straw, bound to human-shaped training targets, were lined up. Soldiers, positioned about ten meters away, readied iron rods toward them. Fire was set to those rope-like objects protruding as they emitted a sizzling, burnt smell that reached this distance.


    With themander''s signal, triggers built into the stocks were squeezed.


    Bang! Bang, bang, babang, bang!


    Intermittent explosions reverberated.


    At the same time, the straw bundles targeted were scattered as if struck by an invisible force.


    Spectators in the crowd first let out astonished gasps, followed by cheers.


    "T-these are...!?"


    "Ko, kore wa...!?"


    "These are new weapons created based on testimonies of soldiers who returned after being taken captive. From the bitter experience the Confederation nations faced in Volden, the previously mentioned Arquell army."


    "Furyo to natta nochi ni kikan shita hei-tachi, sono shougen kara tsukuraseta, shin heiki desu... Ryouhou kokka no renchuu ga Vorudan de kuhai o nameta, rei no Arukru-gun no, ne."


    To the Morbaehr ambassador, who was stunned by the deafening sound and its aftermath, an even more astonishing fact was revealed.


    Arquell''s new weapon? They remade this? Just from the soldiers'' testimonies?


    That''s absurd. If what they just witnessed was truly what the Arquell army used, the timing doesn''t add up. It has only been a month since the Volden Campaign. Even if there were replication techniques at y, the development period was remarkably short.


    St. Gallen, the country of forests and elite soldiers. A nation boasting thergest military might on the continent. This was like a vivid demonstration of their true strength.


    With a bored expression, Graumann said while ying with his beard.


    "I believe they called it a musket. Boring. It''s nothing more than a simple toy based on basic principles. It''s all about igniting a rope soaked in gunpowder to set off an explosion within the barrel and propel a bullet out. That''s all there is to it. Just a useless weapon for wiping out foot soldiers with other foot soldiers."


    "Tashika masuketto, toka itta ka. Tsumaran. Tanjun na genri no omocha ni sugin. You wa kayaku ni tenka shita nawa de motte chakka shi, tsutsu no naka de bakuhatsu sase, sono atsu de tama o uchidasu. Sore dake no mono yo. Zouhyou ga zouhyou o uchiharau dake no, kudaranai buki da."


    "...But for the gunpowder used in that ''useless weapon,'' I went through a great deal of trouble, though? Dealing with sulfur, impure soil, and all sorts of foul-smelling things during the concoction process"


    "...Sono kudaranai buki ni tsukau kayaku o chougou suru tame ni, watashi wa taihen kurou itashimashita no desu keredo? Iou dano gofujou no shita no tsuchi dano, kusai mono bakari o atsukawa sarete"


    "Hmph, you should be grateful that there weren''t any explosion idents during the mixing"


    "Fun, chougou-chuu ni bakuhatsu jiko ga okoran katta dake yokarou yo."


    "Exp!? You mean to say you had me concocting such dangerous things!?"


    "Ba!?-So, sonna kiken na mono o tsukurasete itan desu no!?"


    "Sulfur and saltpeter, aren''t they mmable alchemical ingredients? If you mishandle them, you''d have one or two explosions."


    "Iou mo shouseki mo hi no reiyaku dearou? Atsukai o shikujireba, bakuhatsu no hitotsu ya futatsu okiru wai."


    Listening to the alchemists'' banter, the man from Morbaehr''s mind spun so fast that it practically made a whirring noise. It wasn''t an analysis of their technical prowess... no, what upied his mind was something more practical and military-minded.


    (Packing explosive alchemical substances into iron barrels, igniting them, and using their force to propel bullets? Could this... be scble to arger size? If so, while it might be challenging to transport ovend, it could be feasible by cing them on ships. But hold on. Ships!? Right, if I were to upscale this and load a substantial quantity onto naval vessels, the firepower of warships could significantly increase without depending on scarce mages!... But I can''t act hastily. This could be a turning point to further strengthen our navy! I need to urgentlymunicate this back to our homnd...)


    "What''s the matter, Ambassador-dono? You seem lost in thought."


    "Dou nasareta, taishi-dono? Nani yara kangaekonde orareru you dearu ga."


    The courtier from St. Gallen inquired with a smile, attempting to be friendly. To the party who must have been taken aback by the musket presentation, they undoubtedly felt a certain childish sense of superiority.


    Of course, the Morbaehr envoy excelled in the gentlemanly game of exchanging smiles and words. Reading between such lines was easier for him than deciphering a child''s hidden intentions.


    "Well, well, the unexpectedly loud noise caught me off guard. Additionally, with the introduction of a new weapon, my mind has been preupied with considering how to strategize."


    "...Iya haya, omoi no hoka ooki na oto ni kimo o tsubushimashite na. Soreni arata na buki no toujou to naru to, dou kouryaku suru ka o omou to atama ga ippai ni narimashite."


    He wasn''t lying. He did indeed intend to strategize with this musket. However, it was through a more potent, powerful weapon, inspired by this diminutive innovation.


    On the Ithush continent, there was a joke-like maxim: Interpret cooking to understand diplomacy. Its essence... don''t believe the words of a Morbaehr''s tongue for either. Apparently, the St. Gallenian before him had carelessly forgotten that saying.


    "Oh, is that so? Of course, naturally. After all, the musket is a creation Arquell had introduced ahead of us. For us, pondering how to neutralize this is also a matter of brainstorming."


    "Sou desu ka sou desu ka! Touzen no koto deshou naa, nanishiro masuketto wa Arukru no renchuu ga sakinjite dounyuu shita shiromono. Wareware to shite wa, kore o dou muryoku-ka suru no ka ni mo, chie o shiboraneba narimasumai."


    "Absolutely. After all, this is a challenging issue..."


    "Mattaku desu na. kore wa nanbutsu dearimasu yue..."


    Feeling relieved that he had sessfully concealed his own ideas, the Morbaehr envoy looked down on the simple-mindedughter of the St. Gallenian. Naturally, he carefully concealed his true intentions behind the mist-like smile of his homnd''s capital, Heptark.


    (Heh heh... They are nothing but a country bumpkin from the east, after all. Obtaining something novel, they seem unable to resist showing it off.)


    St. Gallen, relying on military might, flexing its strong arm to exert control over its domains, and striving to establish its foothold in the eastern continent. To them, countries like Morbaehr were mere tiny ind nations. They probably saw them as little more than tradingpanies that conveniently imported goods like food.


    However, the reality was different.


    (Your country''s food issue still hasn''t beenpletely resolved. Now is the time for your popce to recover, to wait for the restoration ofnds devastated by the emergence of monsters and famine. Yet, you''re trying to leap into oblivion with our assistance, aiming your fangs towards our subordinate domains. ...How foolish. That will only earn you the resentment of the federal member states.)


    No matter how formidable a military force one possessed, it was impossible to rule an extensive federal territory solely through forceful domination. Especially for a single kingdom like Grandenburg. As an ally, Morbaehr would undoubtedly have the obligation to provide tangible and intangible support while being concerned about the unstable political situation of a friendly nation. However, relying on foreign power for governance would inevitably nurture seeds of discontent within the country.


    Moreover, to appease that discontent, both food and luxury goods were imported from Morbaehr. In the absence of food self-sufficiency, the supply of essential goods relied on foreign nations. St. Gallen merchants also formed connections with Morbaehr, opting to purchase Morbaehr''s affordable food rather than their own country''s struggling rural areas in recovery.


    And what would happen then? Morbaehr would wield influence over the entirety of St. Gallen, whose recovery hadgged behind, in terms of both politics and economics.


    The invasion of the Country of Sea and Queen doesn''t necessarily have to involve shedding blood. For dealings of this kind, one could simply release items from the ships.


    Then, send a puppet-like St. Gallen and induce the weakening of Arquell Kingdom. After that, take the appropriate measures to increase one''s influence on both countries through mediation. Alternatively, deliver the final blow to Arquell all at once and amicably divide their fertilend with the friendly nation.


    (Dance, dance, fools of the old continent. In the end, our Queen will rule over all.)


    (Odore odore, kyuu tairiku no gusha-domo yo. Saigo ni wa, warera ga Joou ga subete o touchi shitamau, sa.)


    Having painted a vision of victory for his homnd in his mind, the man who hade from Morbaehrughed. Concealing his true intentions deep within, he engaged in conversation with his diplomatic partner while feigning camaraderie on the surface.


    Perhaps it was due to being engrossed in such thoughts.


    The man hadpletely missed the conversation that was taking ce right next to him.


    "Still, considering it''s something that man worked on, the musket is surprisingly anti-climatic, isn''t it?"


    "Sore ni shite mo, ano otoko ga tegaketa ni shite wa zuibun to otonashii shiromono desu wa ne, masuketto wa."


    "What, it''s him we''re talking about, the cautious one. He probably has something more powerful up his sleeve as a hidden ace. As I said before, this is nothing more than a toy in the end."


    "Nani, shinchou na aitsu no koto da. Osoraku wa yori kyouryoku na nanika o kakushi-dama to shite kakaete orou. Sakini mo yuuta ga, kore wa shosen omocha no iki o den yo."


    "He really only makes rather outrageous things, doesn''t he? I heard he achieved great sess through his military exploits in this war... It''s hard to believe. Does Arquell Kingdom wish to self-destruct from within...?"


    "Hontou ni roku demo nai mono shika tsukurimasen wa ne, are wa. Nan demo kono sensou de no bukou de taisou shusse shita to kikimashita keredo... shinjiraremasen wa ne. Arukru oukoku wa uchigawa kara horobitai no kashira...?"


    About the man who would likely hold the key to the continent-shaking turmoil.


    Tairiku o yurugasu souran no kagi o nigiru dearou otoko.


    The conversation of the two alchemists that carried information that would lead to him.


    Sore ni tsunagaru jouhou o himeta, renkinjutsu-shi-tachi no kaiwa o.


    ~~~


    Omnia.


    It''s the name of the Empire known as thend of history and faith, the heart of thergest religion on the continent, the Holy King Faith. It is also the name of the capital city of the empire, serving as its seat of power.


    In the ancient tongue, "Omnia" means "all" or "everything," and fittingly, the empire once stood as the sole nation in the continent.


    Over a thousand years ago, the Ithush continent was under the dominion of monsters, and humans were but a small and feeble race forced to take refuge on a southern penins. People huddled within fortress cities on the ins, trembling in the face of monstrous threats. Weak andcking in civilization, they were at the mercy of the mighty beasts, who it seemed would soon eradicate them.


    A turning point arrived when a saint emerged.


    The Holy King.


    His true name was shrouded in secrecy even in the scriptures, and its exact details remained elusive. His origins were subject to various theories, but from the records of his words and deeds, a person of refined knowledge and virtuous nature could be gleaned. Thus, historians generally agreed that he likely came from a rtively prosperous background that allowed him to receive education. True to his name, he might have been born into the royal family of an ancient city-state.


    He preached to the people on the brink of extinctioncourage, hope, trust, lovethe greatness of humanity. He cared for the poor by visiting those by the eastern walls, mourned with tears at the funeral processions to the west, blessed the births in the south, and rode forth to join battles against monsters in the north.


    People saw hope in his presence. If it was him, then humanity''s flickering me could be saved. Many flocked to him, united, and fought.


    Ordinarily, this would mark the end. Humanity''s forces would push back the monsters, and they''d celebrate a happy ending, amonce heroic tale conclusion.


    But it didn''t happen that way. Hence, the legend of the Holy King acquired an eerie vividness, and the existence of this saintly figure took on an uncanny realism.


    The Holy King''s army suffered a devastating defeat in their battle against the monsters. Hope was shattered, victory turned into an illusion, and love could save no one.


    Humanity was swallowed by despair once again. Smiles faded, the budding friendships were crushed by the strain of betrayal. What remained was a crucible of negative human nature. Amidst that maelstrom, hemented, grieving for himself.


    Why can''t I save them?


    Why can''t I bring smiles to the people I love?


    Will the dayse when people can wee the morning sun with hope in their hearts?


    He wept, grieved, and amid the remains of a defeated army reduced to only thirty, the Holy King began his retreat, heading toward the current location of the Omnia capital.


    ...And then, for the first time, a miracle urred.


    "[And so, the man ascended to the Divine Seat alongside the Twelve Apostles. He became one with the Father of Light and became The Holy King of The Gods. Thus, he was thereafter known as the Holy King, and thend of ascension was named Omnia through prayers of blessings.] ...Is that correct?"


    "[Kakute, ano hito wa juu ni no shito to tomoni Kanza ni nobotta. Chichi naru hikari to hitotsu to nari, kamigami no seinaru ou to natta. Yue ni ano hito wa igo, seiou to shousare, shouten no ji wa, subete ni shukufuku are, to no inori ni yori Omunia to nadzuke rareta] ...datta ka."


    "The final passage of the first volume of the Twelve Canons, ''Chronicle of Ascension.'' You seem quite familiar with it."


    "Juu ni Masanori no saisho no ichi-kan, [Shouten-ki] no saishuu-bushi desu ne. Yoku gozonji de."


    "It''s nothing remarkable. The most essential scripture, and perhaps the most famous passage within it. Anyone on this continent, except for the most incredulous, would surely recognize it."


    "Dou to iu koto wa nai. Saijuuyou no seiten, sono nakademo mottomo yuumei na issetsu da. Kono tairiku no ningen nara, yohodo no fushinjin-sha igai, dare datte soranjirareru darou."


    With those words, Elisha Rosmond Balbastre shrugged her shoulders.


    This was a corner of one of the several cathedrals in the capital city, Omnia. The building, constructed from uniform white stone, was magnificent yet pure. Itsposed presence held a solemnity that renewed the faith and straightened the spines of the pilgrims who visited.


    Of course, she was a woman known as the strongest of the Royal Knights, charging into battles. She didn''t journey here for pilgrimages or sightseeing.


    During the recent Volden Campaign, she had recorded the subjugation of vampires. For the Holy King Faith, which extolled the protection and prosperity of humanity, vampires, who drank human blood and turned those they bit into impure monsters, were particrly dangerous creatures. Elisha, who had defeated them, was acimed for her deeds and bestowed with the title of holy knight. Her visit to Omnia was for the purpose of fulfilling the name she had been given.


    Walking alongside her in the cathedral corridor was a nun who apanied her from the capital. She had decided to visit Omnia while on her way back to the homnd. From her demeanor along the way, she seemed to be a clear-headed and calm exemry nun, asionally showing a slightly sorrowful expression. This aspect of her piqued Elisha''s curiosity.


    The nun, ncing with interest at Elisha, who unexpectedly hummed a passage from the scripture, spoke up.


    "By the way, why did you suddenly bring up those words?"


    "Tokorode, doushite kyuu ni sono o kotoba o?"


    "Well, it seems I''ve been influenced a bit too much by the atmosphere here. Somehow, those words slipped out of my mouth on their own."


    "Iya, watashi to shita koto ga, koko no kuuki ni ate rare sugita ka na. Naze da ka porori to katte ni kuchi o tsuite dete ita."


    "I think it''s a very good thing. It''s evidence that you hold a steadfast faith in your heart."


    "Taihen kekkou na koto ka to. Kijo no mune ni, tashika na shinkou ga nezashite iru akashi desu wa."


    "...I wonder about that."


    "...Sore wa dou dearou ka na."


    A faint wry smile formed on the knight''s lips. Elisha couldn''t imagine herself as an ardent believer. The Holy King preachedpassion and revered harmony among people, but her innate nature was quite the opposite. She reveled in battles against the strong, became exhrated by the crimson flow of blood, and breathed heavily in the moments of life and death. A woman like her couldn''t possibly be a devout follower of the Holy King Faith.


    Her modesty might havee across as peculiar. As the nun tilted her head curiously, Elisha continued her words, trying to divert the topic.


    "However, uhm, about that... I''ve been curious about this passage since long ago."


    "Shikashi, sono, nanda. Mukashi kara kono issetsu wa fushigi ni omotte ita."


    "What is it?"


    "To, moushimasu to?"


    "[He became one with the Father of Light and became The Holy King of The Gods]... This sentence here. What exactly are the Gods?"


    "[Chichinaru hikari to hitotsu to nari, kamigami no seinaru ou to natta]... Kono ichimon sa. Kamigami to wa, nan na no dearou?"


    In the Holy King Faith, there was only one God. The Holy King, who ascended to the heavens to bestow blessings upon people, repel monsters, and bring them tranquility, was the sole deity. There was no mention of other gods. Moreover, the concept of other gods was introduced suddenly in the original and most widely known scripture, the ''Chronicle of Ascension.'' It was not recorded in any other subsequent scripture. There were records of the activities of the apostles who remained on Earth after the ascension in the ''Eighteen Apostolic Chronicles,'' the birth of the precursor to the Empire in the ''Founding Chronicles,'' themandments that the faithful must follow in the ''Book of the People''s Teachings,'' the military chronicles of the expeditions since the Holy King''s time in ''Chronicles of the Holy Crusades,'' and the records of spreading the gospel on the Morbaehr Inds in the ''Gospel to the Seven Kings''... Yet, no other scripture contained any mention of gods other than the Holy King.


    Her curiosity from long ago was by no means a lie. This issue had been a lingering question, never settling well and remaining like a knot in her chest. Thus, when she unexpectedly pondered about her faith, this question surfaced first in her mind.


    Exining and then suddenly realizing the position of the other party, she interjected.


    "But, suspending doubt over sacred verses might be considered impolite."


    "Seiku ni taishite gigi o teisu to wa, fukokoroe kamo shiren ga na."


    "There''s no need to worry about that. In order to uphold the sacred teachings, it''s important to contemte and understand their meanings. In fact, forbidding such contemtion would hinder the development of theology as a discipline."


    "Sonna koto wa gozaimasen. Sei naru o-kotoba o mamoru ni wa, sono imi o rikai suru you kangaeru koto mo daiji desu kara. Dai ichi sore o kinjite ite wa, shingaku to iu gakumon ga naritachimasen."


    In response to her calm and rather appreciative words, a sense of relief washed over her. In the world, there were many priests whose fervor for their faith had overcooked their brains, making them as rigid as overboiled eggs. The nun before her, however, seemed free from such narrow-mindedness.


    "Come to think of it, you do have a point. Now, I''d like to hear your perspective, if you don''t mind?"


    "Iwarete mireba tashika ni na. Dewa, sankou made ni kijo no kenkai o ukagaitai no da ga?"


    "Generally, it''s said that it refers to the Twelve Apostles who ascended to heaven alongside the Holy King. They also attained divinity and continued to serve the Lord as they did on Earth. It''s suggested that the description was deliberately omitted to emphasize the divinity of the Lord. ...Personally, I find that interpretation usible."


    "Ippan-teki ni wa, seiou-sama to tomoni ten e to nobotta, juu ni no shito o sasu node wanai ka to iwa rete orimasu ne. Karera mo mata kami e to itari, chijou ni ita toki to onajiku aruji e to tsukaeta. Sono moto no kijutsu wa, aruji no shinsei o kyouchou suru tame ni aete habuka reta node wa, to... Watashi to shite mo, sore ga datou na kaishaku ka to."


    "In that case, what about the ''Father of Light''?"


    "Dewa, chichi naru hikari to wa?"


    "In the ''Chronicle of Ascension,'' the teachings of the Holy King often employed light as a metaphor. One famous passage goes... [Love people as the light descends from the heavens, warmly shine on them, and illuminate their paths just as you interact with your neighbors. By doing so, just as light descends from the heavens, you too will be warmly brighten and your path will be illuminated.]"


    "[Shouten-ki] ni kaka rete orimasu. Seiou-sama no seppou ni wa, hikari o mochiita tatoe ga ooku gozaimasu. Yuumei na no wa... [Ten yori kudaru hikari no you ni, hitobito o aishi nasai, atatakaku, michi o terasu you ni rinjin ni sesshi nasai. Sou sureba, ten yori hikari ga kudaru you ni, anata mo mata atatakaku, michi o terasareru deshou.]"


    "Aah, yeah, I remember that. It was in Chapter Eleven... I think."


    "Aa, atta na. Tashika juu-isshou... datta you na ki ga suru."


    "Chapter Eleven, Verse Twenty-Two, indeed. Stories emphasizing light such as this were quite frequent, after all. At that time, it''s said that people referred to the Lord as the Son of Light. Over time, this concept evolved to unite with the Lord as God, resulting in the concept of the ''Father of Light,'' I believe."


    "Juu-isshou nijuu-ni setsu desu ne. Kono you ni hikari o kyouchou shita o-hanashi ga ooi mono desu kara. Touji no tami wa aruji no koto o, hikari no miko to yobinarawashite ita sou desu. Sore ga tenjite, kami to nararemashita aruji to gouitsu suru gainen toshite, chichi naru hikari to iu kotoba ga umareta no dewa nai deshou ka."


    ording to the nun, the description that referred the Holy King as the "Son of Light" was found in non-canonical ancient texts rather than in the official scriptures. Originally, it had been a collection of writings from the time when the Holy King was on Earth, considered to be citizens'' works. As the idea of venerating him as a figure of faith had not yet taken hold, these texts often contained elements that were quite derogatory or mocking towards the Holy King, as if trying to tarnish his image. The term "Son of Light" itself originally carried a significant amount of irony and ridicule. Consequently, when the churchpiled these historical documents, they reportedly refused to treat them as official scriptures. Although they were preserved as valuable records of the time around the birth of the Holy King, copies were not permitted, and ess was granted only to "faithful who could withstand the words of the devil," so it seemed.


    Seemingly not something to be widely spread, this was added yfully at the end with a remark, "This is a secret, okay?"


    "I see. I kind of understand... or at least, I feel like I do."


    "Naruhodo na. Nantonaku wakatta... you na ki ga suru."


    She said that outwardly, but deep down, she couldn''t quite get full satisfaction. It felt somewhat like a contrived exnation just to keep things consistent.


    It seemed like the nun who had provided a brief lecture could see through her thoughts as well.


    "If you''re interested in deciphering and interpreting scriptures, please do visit the theological hall. umting knowledge and deepening your understanding of our divine Lord can be considered a part of a Holy Knight''s training. Someone as esteemed as Lady Elisha would surely find schrs and professors happy to engage in discussions."


    "Kyouten no kaidoku, kaishaku ni kyoumi ga o-ari deshitara, zehi tomo shingaku no koudou ni okoshi kudasaimase. Chishiki o takuwae, goshintaru aruji e no rikai o fukameru koto mo, Sei kishi no shugyou no ikkan dearimashou. Erisha-sama hodo no koumei na o-kata deareba, gakusha ya hakase mo yorokonde o-hanashi suru to omowaremasu wa."


    "I appreciate your advice. I''ll consider it, at least."


    "Go-jogen, kansha shiyou. Ichiou, kangaete oku koto ni shiyou ka."


    Perhaps, there won''t be many opportunities for that. Elisha thought to herself. She wasn''t good at silently listening to conversations or studying. Well, to be precise, she struggled with studying subjects that didn''t pique her interest. She was the type to find studying fields with little appeal burdensome. Practical fields like military studies, which aligned with her preferences, were something she could endure lectures on for hours. However, she didn''t have much interest in theology or the ancient history of Omnia with its strong mythological aspects. She didn''t have the patience to study for days just to resolve minor questions.


    As she entertained these thoughts, which might not be the most suitable for a prospective holy knight, a loud voice erupted from one of the rooms she passed by.


    "because of that! I''m asking the you all, the Warrior Monk corps for a bit more effort!"


    "dearu kara! Gobou-ra souhei-dan ni mo, ima sukoshi no hataraki o motomete iru noda!"


    The voice of a man shouting echoed out. The nun stopped her guidance abruptly.


    "Oh, so here he was..."


    "Aa, kochira ni oide deshita ka..."


    "What''s the matter? Aren''t we going to see the supervisor of the training?"


    "Dou shita? Shuuren no kantoku o okonau sekinin-sha ni sekken shi ni iku no dearou?"


    "Yes, that''s right. It seems the person is in this room."


    "Ee. Choudo sono kata ga, kochira no heya ni irareru you de."


    Saying so, the nun nced towards the door.


    Judging by its design and its position within the cathedral, it didn''t seem like a room used by high-ranking clergy for public matters. It could be a meeting room for lower-ranking priests, and its usage frequency didn''t appear to be high. It was likely used for private and confidential discussions, but with voices raised this loudly, it was questionable how well the secrecy could be maintained.


    "While that may be the case, if we be too preupied with worldly matters"


    "Isn''t it the unstable state of these worldly matters that''s leading to the deterioration of people''s hearts?"


    "And that''s precisely why it''s the duty of the clergy to preach the doctrine and bring peace to the masses, isn''t it?"


    "While we''re standing around with such words, how many of our followers do you think we''ve let down?! The rampage of monsters in St. Gallen, that was the distant cause of the battle. If we continue like this"


    "Are you suggesting the legendary Demon Lord is going to resurrect? Shall we cling to the hem of a hero''s robe then?"


    "Stop ying around with nonsense! Enough, you''re always like this!"


    The nun knocked on the door where the voices of argument could still be heard.


    "Excuse me. Is Cardinal Phantony present?"


    "Shitsurei shimasu. Fantni suukikyou-geika wa irasshaimasu deshou ka?"


    The quarrel on the other side of the door came to a sudden halt, and an awkward silence filled the air for a moment.


    After a brief pause, a stern response could be heard.


    "...What is it?"


    "...Nanda?"


    "Please don''t ''what'' me, Your Eminence. It''s regarding official duties. We''ve brought a new Holy Knight, Elisha Balbastre, from the Kingdom of Arquell. As the Commander of the Omnian Holy Knights, we request an audience with you."


    "Nanda, dewa gozaimasenu geika. Go-koumu desu. Arukru oukoku yori arata na sei kishi, Erisha Barubasutoru-sama o o-tsure shimashita. Omunia seikishi danchou to shite, go-inken negaimasu."


    "Understood. I''lle right away."


    "Wakatta. Sugu ni ikou."


    "Oh my, oh my. How about His Eminence engages in some work before making us work? Wouldn''t that be fitting?"


    "Oya oya. Warera o hatarakaseru mae ni, gobou mizukara ga tsutome ni hagemarete wa ikaga ka na?"


    "Ugh...!"


    "Kuh...!"


    Pushed by the persistent sarcastic voice, a man appeared by opening the door.


    The first impression that struck Elisha was that of natural granite. A robust physique, solidified with reason and devotion, like coolingva turned into a resolute body. His heavily trained frame was clothed in simple monk''s attire, resembling that of a pilgrim. This giant of a man, referred to as the cardinal, must have been one of Omnia''s most formidable figures, yet he didn''t project that impression through his appearance. It wasn''t an awkward or out-of-ce presence, but rather a manifestation of simplicity. This might have been due to his facial features and physique''s robustness, along with the moral virtues cultivated as a clergyman.


    On the other hand, seated on a wooden chair in the room, a lean man observed them. In stark contrast to therge man, this man exuded an aura of negative resonance. His borate robe, the stole hanging from his neck, the staff he held in his hand, and even the way his shoes barely touched the floorall of his attire was opulent and grandiose. He was the embodiment of what themon folk would imagine when hearing the term "high-ranking priest," emanating an air of religious authority. However, all these visuals distracted from the man himself, who left a faint impression. The only notable features that stood out on his face were his vulgar and debased eyes, which seemed to size people up.


    No matter how splendidly adorned, not a shred of holiness could be found. It was like a living satirical illustration of a fallen priest. As if to hide this man''s presence out of embarrassment, therge man closed the door behind him. He then turned to face Elisha and introduced himself in a subdued, low voice.


    "I am Gianfranco Paolo Phantony. Within the Church, I hold the title of cardinal and also lead the Holy Knights Order."


    "Janfuranko Paoro Fantni da. Kyoudan ni atte wa suukikyou deari, seikishidan o hikiiru mi demo aru."


    "Yes."


    "Ha."


    Elisha knelt on the hallway. The man before her was a key figure within the Holy King Church and also the one she was about to seek guidance from. There was no better way to show respect.


    "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Your Eminence, the Cardinal. I havee from the Kingdom of Arquell as a candidate for the Holy Knights Order. My name is Elisha Rosmond Balbastre. I look forward to your guidance and instruction."


    "O-hatsu o-me ni kakarimasu, suukikyou geika. Arukru oukoku yori sei kishi kouho to shite mairimashita. Erisha Rozumondo Barubasutoru dearimasu. Yoroshiku, go-shidou go-bentatsu no hodo o."


    "Yes. From now on, let''s get along well. We shall discuss the details in my room. ...You may follow."


    "Umu. Igo, yoshi na ni. Kuwashii hanashi wa watashi no heya de shiyou... Tsuite kuru ga ii."


    Saying that, Cardinal Phantony walked ahead, his back evoking the image of a rock, and Elisha followed, feeling as if burdened by his imposing footsteps. This reminded Elisha of his earlier argument with the man just now.


    (Even Omnia is still a human nation. Even the Church is still a human organization, huh.)


    (Omunia to iedo hito no kuni. Kyoudan to iedo hito no soshiki ka.)


    The scent of power and conflict, which she had grown familiar with in Broussonne, lingered. The radiant and sacred realm of the Omnia Empire seemed to be unable to escape the taint of human interests, calctions, and desires.


    What might their Holy King, seated in the heavens, think of this state of affairs? Does hement the impurity that has tainted the goodness of the people he loved, or does he ept that humans are inherently wed?


    Following the solemn steps of Cardinal Phantony, Elisha walked along the corridors of the cathedral. Along the way, she pondered a new question that she would likely never pose to priests or theologians, turning it over in her mind.


    ~~~


    In the beginning, there was darkness. Then light was born. A blue and flickering impure me. Countless souls of people eerily drifting in the sky. Countless spirits who died in regret. That was their light. Despite the presence of countless sources of light, the world remained shrouded in darkness.


    There, they awoke after a long while.


    "...The scent of regret. The scent of curses. The scent of death. Once again, it seems there''s been a war in the world of humans."


    "...Munen no nioi. Juso no nioi. Shi no nioi. Mata, hito no yo de sen ga okita ka."


    "At this scale, it must be a battle between two of the Four Great Nations."


    "Kono kibo. Shi-taikoku no izureka doushi no gassen da na."


    "If that''s the case, it''s been roughly fifty years. The cycle is gradually getting shorter."


    "To naru to, ooyoso go juu-nen-buri ka. Shuuki ga sukoshi zutsu mijikaku natte iru na."


    "How foolish. It doesn''t change no matter how many centuries pass. Born in ignorance, living in ipetence, and dying unsightly. They can''t be saved, there''s no use in saving them. And they''ll be consumed by uus."


    "Oroka nee. Nanbyakunen tatte mo kawaranai. Muchi no mama umare, munou no mama iki, soshite buzama ni shinde iku. Sukuwarenai, sukui-you ga nai. Soshite atashi-tachi ni sukuwa reru nda waa."


    Four voices resonate in the darkness. They weren''t merely produced by the trembling of the air. It was magic with a mass so immense that it caused even space itself to creak. Their slightest movement generated ripples, carrying a curse deadly enough to kill those with weak hearts through their voices.


    "...In this time''s awakening, perhaps one of us can venture outside after three hundred years."


    "...Kotabi no mezame, sanbyaku nen buri ni warera no hitori kurai wa soto ni derareyou."


    "Oh, just one persoon? It''s the casualties of war, you know? It could be enough for two, don''t you thiink?"


    "Ara, hitori dakee? Sensou de no shinin yo? Futari-bun kurai ni wa narun janai kashiraa?"


    "Most of those souls... have likely been called to the heavens. It seems there are still plenty of fools who believe in that guy."


    "Ookata no tamashii wa... ten ni mesareta to iu koto darou sa. Aitsu-me o shinjiru orokamono-domo mo, mada ooi to iu koto da."


    "To the merciful presence of the Holy King, huh? ...I don''t like it. To think he''d want to save even humans who degrade, curse, hurt, steal, vite, and ultimately kill. To call it love! ...Ah, there''s no one among the gods I dislike more than him!"


    "Jihibukai seiou-sama no o-moto ni, ka... Ki ni iranai na. Kenashi, nonoshiri, kizutsuke, nusumi, okashi, ageku ni koroshi ni made te o someta ningen sura sukuou tte iu no ka. Aisuru tte iu no ka! ...Aa, kamigami no naka de yatsu hodo ki ni iranai mono wa inai!"


    Only the anger that had leaked out caused the emptiness to scream. Fragments fell from the high and distant ceiling, and the souls that were dancing in the air scattered in a panic. Some of them were extinguished by the aftermath.


    One of the voices sharply intervenes, restraining it.


    "Silence. These souls have flowed towards us for a reason. If you scatter them needlessly in your frustration, the next awakening may be further dyed."


    "Shizumare. Sekkaku, watashi-tachi no hou ni nagareta tamashii da. Yattsu atari nado de mui ni chiraseba, tsugi no mezame mo tounoku to iu mono darou."


    "As well as the resurrection of the great one, you knoow?"


    "Idai naru o-kata no fukkatsu mo nee?"


    "Tch!"


    "Chi!"


    "...Good grief. You''re still as grumpy as ever after waking up."


    "...Yareyare. Kisama mo aikawarazu neoki ga warui."


    The space regained its silence, but it wasn''t a calm serenity that filled it. It was a tension, where the four entities held each other in check, a tension that felt like it could shorten the lifespan of anyone witnessing it.


    They wanted to go outside. That was their shared desire. However, there was only one ticket avable. Each of them wanted to seize that privilege for themselves, and that''s why they were holding each other in check.


    One of the voices broke the silence.


    "So, who''s going?"


    "De, dare ga iku?"


    "It''s obviously going to be me. Don''t worry, I won''t keep you waiting. I''ll kill, and kill, and kill, and gather your share as well in no time."


    "Ore ni kimatte iru darou. Naani, omaera o matase wa shinai sa. Koroshite koroshite koroshi makutte, sugu ni mata omaera no bun made tamekonde yaru kara na."


    "...Foolish. We finally have barely enough for one person. It''s premature for us to take action ourselves. Have you forgotten how your short-sightedness wasted a chance three hundred years ago? You better not."


    "...Oroka. Ima da ni hitori-bun ga yatto no tokoro na no da. Warera ga mizukara te o kudasu no wa, jiki shousou to iu mono. Sanbyaku nen mae mo, kisama no tanryo de kikai o fui ni shita koto, wasurete wa orumai."


    "What did you say"


    "Nan da to"


    "I''m telling you not to get agitated. Besides, there''s also this. Direct disys of force might even unite them. There''s a possibility that overt aggression could rally them together, including your hatedno, our detested servants of the Holy King. I doubt we''d want to gift them with opportunities for martyrdom."


    "Dakara gekisuru na to itte iru. Sore ni, da. Chokusetsu teki na boui wa yatsura o danketsu saseru osore mo aru darou. Omae no kirai naiya, warera no imubeki seiou no geboku-domo ni, wazawaza junkyou no kikai o kurete yaru wake ni mo iku mai."


    "Then for now, we''ll let the humans kill each other, riight? In that case, I wonder if it''s me or you who''s more suitable?"


    "Shibaraku wa, ningen-domo jishin no te de koroshi awaseru tte koto nee. To naru to, atashi ka anta ga tekinin kashiraa?"


    "...I''ll refrain. As one who excels in binding, I won''t match up to you, skilled in misleading, tempting, and corrupting."


    "...Ware wa enryo shiyou. Shibaru koto o honryou to suru ware de wa, madowashi sosonokashi otosu koto ni taketa kisama ni wa oyobu mai."


    "Agreed, then."


    "Kimari, da na."


    "Oh, really? Thenn"


    "Ara, sou? Sore jaa"


    As soon as the decision was made, an anomaly urred. The souls that had faintly illuminated the vast hollow began to converge towards a single point as if drawn in. The faded blue fireballs coalesced into a massive me, gradually taking on a human-like form.


    And once again, darkness was born.


    However, it was a darkness deeper than darkness itself. It was a thick, intense crystallization of darkness that clearly manifested its form in a world devoid of light. It wasn''t merely a shadow caused by the absence of light; it was the embodiment of evil that defiled and consumed light.


    The being that had regained its form appeared to be a woman at first nce. Hair cascading gently like silk. Gemstone-like eyes glistening and overflowing. A well-proportioned nose and sensuously thick lips. Her lithe body possessed graceful limbs, depicting a meticulously crafted golden ratio with ample curves at the chest and a slender waist. At a nce, she could be mistaken for an enticingly beautiful woman.


    However, to describe her as such would involve overlooking too many aberrations. What were those distorted sheep-like horns that stretched through her hair? The vertically split eyes that changed colors depending on the angle. The emotions conveyed by her disturbingly twisted lipswhat were they? What about the two pairs of wings sprouting from her back, resembling bats, and the snake-like tail with a scythe-like head rising from thescivious interstices?


    A beautiful woman? No, a grotesque one.


    This woman, revealing such an otherworldly form, was no human. She wasn''t even an elf or any other long-lived race.


    She was a monster beyond monsters. A pinnacle entity of evilthe demon race.


    Also known as devils.


    In the darkness where her kind now resided, this woman with a form as demonic as it could be smiled enchantingly at her fellow beings.


    "Well then, I guess I''ll go ahead and have some fun?"


    "Sore jaa, hitoashi sakini tanoshinde kuru wa nee?"


    A seductive yet arrogant smile, as if reveling in the right to fulfill her desires. Despite the repulsiveness stemming from the peak of beauty, the demons sent her off.


    "Yes, go ahead. The suffering of the living and death are our ultimate desire and sustenance."


    "Aa, iku ga yoi. Sei aru mono no kurushimi to shi koso, warera no hongan ni shite kate."


    "The more you enjoy yourself, the closer our turn approaches."


    "Omae ga yukai ni asobeba asobu hodo, ore-tachi no deban mo chikazuku wake da."


    "...Do not underestimate the situation."


    "...Seizei, yudan nado senu you ni na."


    "Underestimate? Am I have to be cautious about such foolish creatures as humaans?"


    "Yudan? Kono atashi ga keikai suru hitsuyou ga aru kashiraa, ningen nante o-baka na shuzoku nii?"


    "Foolish, huh. Indeed. However, don''t forget. Even horses have hooves, and deer, in addition, have antlers. Both are prey for hunting, but if carelessness leads to painful consequences, you may be an even greater fool than a horse. Keep that in mind."


    "Baka, ka. Tashika ni sou da ga wasureruna. Uma ni mo hidzume ga ari, shika ni wa kuwaete tsuno mo aru. Izure mo kari no emono ni chigai wa nai ga, yudan kara teitai me o mireba, baka ni mo otoru gusha to narou. Yoku oboete oku kotoda."


    "Yes, yees. I''ll remember if I feel like iit."


    "Hai haai. Ki ga muitara oboete oku wa nee."


    Without taking the warning to heart, the female demon vanished along with the light of her magic. She must have used teleportation magic to depart. The three shapeless darknesses emitted a sigh-like presence.


    "That whore still as shallow-headed as ever. Are you really okay leaving things to her?"


    "Aikawarazu atama no karui baita da ze. Hontou ni makasete daijoubu ka?"


    "...No, it''s not her head that''s shallow, but her eyes. If only she doesn''t look at enemies lightly, she would be wiser than you."


    "...Iya, karui no wa atama dewa naku me da. Teki o karuku miru koto sae nakereba, kisama yori yohodo no chiesha yo."


    "That''s why she''s an idiot, isn''t it? ...Oops, following your analogy, if someone suffer from idiots, they be a fool inferior to idiots, right?"


    "Sore ga dekinai kara baka nan darou ga... Otto, omae no tatoe ni naraeba, baka aite ni itai me o mitara baka-miman no gusha ka."


    "Stop with the sarcasm. Right now, there''s no trace of the loathsome hounds of the ursed God on the continent. Most likely, she''s gotten carried away with that fact."


    "Hinikuru no wa yose. Ima, tairiku ni imaimashii kami no souku no kehai wa nai. Ookata, sore de maiagatte iru no darou."


    "...Seven hundred years ago, and three hundred years ago. They obstructed us in this world"


    "...Nanahyaku nen mae to, sanbyaku nen mae. Warera o habanda, kono sekai ni a"


    "Stop, stop! Just hearing about them makes the wounds they left ache!"


    "Yamero yamero! Kiku da ni yatsura ni kizama reta kizu ga uzuku!"


    "Are they still not here, or are they still weak? Either way, the biggest obstacle is not present. Let''s hope that woman does well. For the sake of our Lord"


    "Mada inai no ka, sore tomo mada yowai no ka. Nan ni seyo, saidai no jama mono wa inai no da. Ano onna ga umaku yaru koto o inorou. Warera ga okata ni"


    With those words as a signal, the three consciousnesses turned towards the depths of the dark void.


    There, a throne awaited. It was unlike any human king''s throne, iparably grand in size.


    Requiring such height to sit upon, for whose existence could such a throne be prepared?


    """We offer from this point forth, awaken with the countless spirits, our eternal master, the great Demon King."""


    """Kore yori sasagu, amata no mitama mote mezame tamae, fumetsu naru warera ga aruji, idainaru Maou-heika"""


    From the depths of the earth, the depths of hell, and the impure abyss, the words of prayer echoed.


    Ironically, the sincerity of their supplication was simr to that of humans who prayed to gods.


    ~~~


    To be continued...


    TL Note:


    Yeah monstrously long chapter as always. Btw, after all there''s no isekai without Demon King lmaoooo~~ I managed to find time working on this between my busy days ... Awawawawawawawa please consider supporting me~~~~~~~~~~ I''m just a broke 17 year old student awawawawawawawawawawawa~~~

 Chapter 77: Behold, the Hero is Coming

    Chapter 77: Behold, the Hero is Coming


    Ouroboros Record ~Circus of Oubeniel~Chapter 077 : Behold, the Hero is Coming


    Author Note: The novel you are currently reading is indeed "Ouroboros Record ~Circus of Oubeniel~"


    ~~~


    [Surely, you too can be a hero!]


    [Kitto anata mo, yuusha ni narerun desu!]


    On a certain holiday, in the middle of the afternoon, a boy stopped in his tracks upon hearing these sudden and striking words in the bustling downtown area. As he looked, through the window of an electronics store, a t-screen TV disyed what seemed to be a talk show program. The content of the video appeared to be an interview or something of the sort. Surrounded by text captions on the screen, a fair-skinned young man came into view. His face was recognizable as that of a game creator who had gained fame recently.


    [Virtual Reality technology has made remarkable progress in the past few years. Yes, it''s a groundbreaking breakthrough. Within twenty years at thetest, we''ll have an era where you can enjoy VR games right in your own homes. Yes, absolutely!]


    [Vcharu riariti gijutsu wa koko suu-nen de kakudan no shinpo o togemashita. Ee, kakki-teki na bureiku-suruu desu yo, kore wa. Osokutomo ni juu-nen inai ni wa, gokatei demo VR gmu o tanoshimeru jidai ga kuru koto deshou. Hai, kanarazu desu!]


    "Virtual Reality. Abbreviated as VR. The concept alone had been around since the previous century. Instead of just watching images and sound through a screen, it was an interface that allowed you to experience things as if they were real by directly sending electrical signals to the brain.


    The modern technology has indeede this far, the boy thought with admiration. However,


    (Even if they say you can be a hero, it''s still just inside a game, right?)


    (Yuusha ni narerun desu tte itte mo, kekkyoku gmu no naka dake daro?)


    The boy was entertaining a sarcastic sentiment within himself.


    "Yoo, Erimiya. What are you looking at?"


    Yoo, Erimiya. Nani miten da?


    Suddenly called by his name, the boy turned away from the screen and looked behind him. The person addressing him was a friend from the same ss at high school.


    "Oh, its you, Tanaka. Check this out."


    Tanaka ka. Kore da yo, kore.


    "What is it? [You can be a hero too!? The future of games changed by VR technology?] huh. It''s kind of unusual, isn''t it? Talking about the game industry on a show like this."


    Nani nani? [Kimi mo ysha ni!? VR gijutsu de kawaru mirai no gmu to wa?] datte? Nanda ka mezurashii naa, kou iu bangumi de gmu gyoukai no hanasun no tte.


    "Maybe cuz it''s such a groundbreaking topic? It''s about VR after all."


    Sore dake kakki-teki na wadai tte koto nan janee no? VR da shi.


    Towards his friend who showed keen interest, the boy, Erimiya Yuuto, responded randomly. The friend, oblivious to this, continued the conversation cheerfully.


    "Feels like wanting to try a VR Game once, right? Love simtion game or anything like that is geeky so Ive never tried it before, but with realistic VR, it might actually shake my beliefs a bit."


    Ippen yatte mitee yo naa, VR gmu. Ren''ai g toka otakuppoi kara yatta koto nakatta kedo, genjitsumi no aru VR de tte naru to, ore mo chotto shinjou ga yurai jau kamo.


    "Right. It sounds like an exciting game."


    Sou da na. Tanoshimi na gmu da na.


    Indeed, a game. No matter how close to true reality it gets, virtual reality remains just thatvirtual. In the face of genuine reality, it''s a fleeting illusion, a mere constion.


    (It''s a story for ten or twenty years down the line... By that time, I''ll probably be a working adult. Maybe I''ll be a regr sryman, or at worst, I''ll end up as a part-time worker. Though it would be nice if they release it when I am still a university student with time to spare for hobbies.)


    (Juu-nen, ni juu-nen wa saki no hanashi tte sono koro ni wa ore mo shakai-jin ka. Tabun, futsuu ni sararman ka nanika ni demo natte iru ka, heta surya sore sura muri de furt ka. Dekiru nara jikan o shumi ni tsukaeru daigakusei no koro ni wa hatsubai shite kurerya ii noni na.)


    While notpletely devoid of anticipation, the prospect of a dull and dry future takes precedence in his mind. Erimiya Yuuto was such a boy.


    Yuuto found himself lost in thought. When did he start bing like this? During his childhoodkindergarten and the early years of elementary schoolhe seemed to have a more innocent and straightforward personality. He admired the protagonists on TV and in manga, and he was engrossed in the achievements of athletes. Everything he saw was fresh, and the entire world sparkled. When did that feeling leave him?


    In the ssroom, he crammed his studies as if it were routine work, and in the ser club he was a part of, he didnt aim to be a professional, nor did he have a determination to win in a tournament, and participated in practice out of habit. Once home, hepleted homework assignments, half-heartedly flipped through the pages of weekly manga magazines to stay up to date with trends. It wasn''t that he had no pleasures, noints, or felt worthless. However, his daily lifecked that essential passion and radiance, asionally making him want to shout out in frustration.


    He wanted to be extraordinary. Amid the ordinary life of a high school student, a probable future as an ordinary college student and then an ordinary working adult. Discarding themon and attainable, he wanted to achieve something that only he could do. He wanted to see things he hadn''t seen before. He wanted to feel passionate. He longed for a goal worth pursuing with his entire beinga goal that would set his heart on fire.


    (Well, Its because I couldnt find something like that that I''m indulging myself in games and whatnot as a substitute.)


    (Ma, sonna mono ga mitsukaranai kara, gmu dano nanda no o daishou ni, jiko manzoku shite irun da kedo na.)


    He muttered such thoughts to himself, almost in self-deprecation. Revealing such sentiments in front of his ssmates would surely result in being ridiculed as a dreamy person despite his age. Come to think of it, young individuals who struggled with such extraordinary aspirations were called "chuunibyou" or "eighth-grader syndrome" more than twenty years ago. It originated from the kind of mindsetmon in around the second year of junior high school, but Yuuto was now in his second year of high school. It should have been a mindset he had graduated from two or three years ago.


    Before he knew it, the program had moved on to a different segment. It was a heartwarming but not particrly impressive report about a baby pr bear being born in some zoo. The two high school boys unconsciously walked away from the electronics store and continued side by side.


    "So, Erimiya, if VR games became a reality, what kind of game would you want to y?"


    De? Erimiya wa moshi VR gmu ga dekitara don''na no ga yaritai no yo?


    His ssmate asked as they walked along. Yuuto thought for a moment before answering.


    "I guess an RPG. If I''m going to y, I want to do things that are impossible in real life."


    Yappa RPG janai ka na. Douse nara genjitsu da to dekinai you na koto, yatte mitaishi.


    "Nah, that won''t do! The recent ones are all about watching movies and don''t feel like were ying it. If not, what are they called? DLC? We have to pay extra and buy additional scenarios to understand the story, right? Aren''t straightforward games like fighting games or sports games, where you just move around and have fun, the better option?"


    Kaa, dame dame! Saikin no wa mb bakka miserarete asonderu tte kanji shinee shi, sou de nai no mo DLC tte iu no? Kakin shite tsuika shinario kawanai to hanashi no suji ga wakannee no bakka jan. Kaku g toka suptsu-kei toka, sou iu ugokashiteru dake de tanoshii no ga anpai nan ja ne?


    "R-right."


    ...So, sou da na.


    He responded, trying to appear as calm as possible. In reality, Yuto liked RPGs. He particrly enjoyed games where you could watch in-game event movies or uncover hidden settings and backstage stories through additional scenarios. Of course, if a game excessively pushed for microtransactions or had an extreme ratio of cutscenes to actual gamey time, he didn''t hesitate tobel it as a bad game.


    "Also, I''m honestly tired of fantasy stuff. They all have handsome protagonists and indistinguishable girls. Even if they''re set in a different world, they all seem to have simr plots and atmospheres"


    Ato, fantaj mono toka shoujiki aki aki dashi. Dore mo kore mo bikei no shujinkou toka kubetsu tsukanee onna no ko toka bakka dete ite sa. Isekai toka iwarete mo, nan katta tte nita you na tenkai ya funiki bakka de


    His friend continued with a critical tone, seemingly unaware of Yuuto''s true feelings. Yuuto decided that he should avoid discussing games with this guy from now on. It wasn''t that he was a bad person, but there were certain aspects of their interests that just didn''t align.


    Not feeling particrly cheerful, Yuuto decided to forcefully change the topic.


    "Different world, huh. Speaking of, what if there were such a thing? Would you want to go if it existed?"


    Isekai, ne. Sou ieba sa, moshi sonna no ga atta to shitara, omae wa itte mitai to omou ka?


    "Not at all."


    Zenzen


    It was an immediate reply.


    "I don''t really like normal trips or anything like that, even if its in a different world, Im not interested~."


    Ore, futsuu no ryokou toka mo suki ja nee shi, chigau sekai toka iwarete mo kyoumi nai wa~


    "Haha. So you''re more concerned about what happens next in a drama?"


    Haha. Sonna no yori dorama no tsuzuki toka ga kininaru kuchi ka.


    "Rather, for me, I''m quite satisfied with my current life. I''m not craving excitement to the point of sticking my nose in other people''s business"


    Te iu ka, ore-teki ni wa ima no kurashi de kekkou manzoku na wake yo. Wazawaza yoso-sama ni kubi tsukkomu hodo, shigeki ni wa uete nee ttsuu ka


    His friend continued with a knowing look.


    "First of all, just because you go to a different world doesn''t necessarily mean things will be more interesting or better than they are now, right?"


    Dai ichi, betsu no sekai ni itta kara tte, ima yori omoshiroku nattari ii koto ga attari suru to wa, kagiranee jan ka.


    ~~~


    A fist as rugged as a rock mmed onto the round table, producing a resonating thud that reverberated through the room. Some of the seated high-ranking clergy and men dressed in priestly robes flinched, their gazes converging on the source of the noise. The attention was fixed on the one who had caused the soundnot exactly a priest but rather a burly warrior-like figure who had earned fame in battles. His massive and sturdy frame was d in a simple robe, yet the long sash, known as a stole, hanging from his neck indicated his elevated status as a high-ranking priest.


    His stern face, apanied by a piercing re and the clenching of his back teeth, radiated an intense anger that hardly befitted a holy man.


    "...What did you just say? Emilio Lazzaro Candra, Commander of the Warrior Monk Corps."


    ...Ima, nanto osshatta noda? Emirio razarro karandora souhei danchou.


    His voice was surprisingly quiet, yet it contained a simmering heat and a tremor as if barely containing an impending eruption. Those who heard it couldn''t help but feel the pent-up fury beneath the surface. One could only wonder what might happen if that emotion were to explode.


    However, the individual to whom these words were directed snorted as if mocking, shrugged his shoulders, and replied with a sardonicugh.


    "Oh my, my. Has the esteemed abbot''s hearing perhaps gone dull? Lord Gianfranco Paolo Phantony, Commander of the Holy Knights."


    Oya oya. Gobou to shita koto ga, mimi ga tooku narareta ka na? Janfuranko paoro fantni seikishi danchou-dono.


    With a voice that resembled the slimy trail of a crawling slug on an earlobe, and a malicious, cold-blooded, bestial re that seemed almost like a personified malevolent creature, this individual exuded an adhesive and viscous quality. Despite wearing resplendent attire befitting a saint, including a silvery thick cassock that was more silver than blinding white, and a bishop''s mitre conspicuously donned as if it were a festive asion, this was a true representation of the splendid appearance of a saint. However, the only impressions left by this man were those of a wretched and mean-spirited little man.


    Emilio Candra, the Commander of the Warrior Monk Corps, a man who adorned himself with symbols of authority, continued his words with an overt expression of wicked delight.


    "Shouldn''t we hold the Hero Summoning Ritual for the first time in three hundred years? That''s what I suggested."


    Sanbyaku-nen buri ni yuusha shoukan no gi o toriokonau beki dewa nai ka. Sou moushiageta no desu yo.


    "Don''t you dare speak nonsense!"


    Fuzaketa koto o mousu de nai!


    Once again, apanied by a furious shout, both fists mmed onto the table. Whether the tremor that shook the space around the round table originated from the voice or the aftermath of the blow was unclear. The incensed clergyman, Cardinal Phantony, who also held the title of Commander of the Omnia Empire''s Holy Knights, rose up in his agitation.


    "The Hero is originally a warrior summoned from another world for the sake of the sacred war against the Demon King. And now you''re proposing to summon one without any definite signs? Are you trying to make enemies of all three major nations!?"


    Yuusha to wa, somosomo maou toubatsu no seisen ga tame ni yobareru ikai no senshi dewa nai ka. Sore o kakutaru choukou mo nashi ni shoukan suru da to? Kisama, san-daikoku o matomete teki ni mawasu ki ka!?


    "P-please calm down, Lord Phantony."


    O, ochitsukare yo Fantni-dono.


    The cardinal seated next to him extended his palms and spoke to soothe the situation.


    "This is a sacred meeting of the Cardinal Council. It would be wise to maintain tranquility and conduct discussions."


    Kore naru wa shinsei naru suukikyou kaigi no ba dearimasu zo. Geki suru koto naku, seihitsu o tamotte giron o nasareru beki ka to.


    "Grrr..."


    Gumumu


    In response to his words, Phantony clenched his teeth and growled, while Candra curled his lips with an expression saying look, its your fault.


    The Omnia Empire, the oldest country within the four major countries in the Itucera Continent and the headquarters of the Holy King Church. The Cardinal Council was where the policies of the nation and the inseparable institution were determined. The attendees were eighteen cardinals who hold key positions within the nation, all gathering in the imperial capital, Omnia. The number eighteen was derived from the remaining apostles on Earth upon the Holy King''s ascension. Following the ancient saint''s example, the conference carried the intention of deciding the fate of thend of Itucera and its faithful in this solemn setting.


    TL Note: I changed the continent name from Ithush to Itucera.


    In contrast, there was Emilio Lazzaro Candra, a cardinal who did not match the gravity of the situation. The topic of discussion causing turmoil in this assembly was his proposal for summoning a hero.


    "Good grief. My proposal was supposed to be a countermeasure to the situation that you were concerned about in the first ce, you know?"


    Yare yare. Watashi no teian wa, somosomo gobou no kigusareta jitai e no taisaku dearu hazu nano daga ne?


    "Indeed, indeed. The war between Arquell and St. Gallen, and the appearance of monsters on the battlefield. Moreover, the root cause of the conflict lies in the abnormal appearance of monsters in the east."


    Shikari shikari. Arukru to zankutogaren no sensou, soshite senjou ni arawareta to iu mamono no gunzei. Somo, kaisen no en''in wa touhou de shoujita mamono no ijou hassei ni aru.


    "Even within the borders of Arquell, there are reports of new dungeons that even A-ranked adventurer parties cannot return from. With such a series of cmities, it wouldn''t be unnatural to consider them harbingers of extraordinary events."


    Arukru kokunai demo, A-kyuu no bouken-sha pti de sura seikan no kanawanu arata na danjon ga arawareta to ka. Kore dake no kyouji no renzoku, jinjou narazaru dekigoto no maebure to toru no mo fushizen dewa nai deshou ni.


    TL Note: Bruh most of it are Tullius doing lmao


    Candra and his supporters began to criticize Phantony one after another. What was the man who usually condemned the cautious stance of the monk soldiers and ardently advocated for stronger intervention in the recent continental situation, now saying? This was the essence of their argument.


    "Im saying that solution like that is too extreme...!"


    Sono taisaku ga kyokutan dearu to iu noda!


    The sternmander of the holy knights retorted in a frustrated and low voice.


    "The power of a hero is not something to be wielded recklessly. In the mortal world, it is so immensely powerful that it could disrupt the bnce between nations. To summon one without definite proof of the Demon Lord''s resurrection, what would be the purpose?"


    Yuusha no chikara to wa, midari ni furuu beki mono dewa nai. Gense ni atte wa shokoku no kinkou o kuzushi kanenu hodo ni kyoudai dearu no da. Maou fukkatsu no kakutaru akashi mo nashi ni shoukan shite nani to suru!?


    "Lord Phantonys words are indeed most valid. A hero is an apostle sent by the heavens to the earth. It is right to say that they shouldn''t be summoned frivolously."


    Fantni-dono no gen koso mottomo ka to. Yuusha to wa tenjou no omo ga ji ni tsukawasu shito. Akugi ni yobidasu beki dewa nai to iu no ga, seiron dearimashou.


    "Really, No. In the first ce, the resurgence of the Demon Lord is said to stem from the disorder of people''s hearts. It is crucial to first preach the teachings to the people and spread harmony throughout the world. That should be the priority and the correct path."


    Iya, mattaku. Dai ichi, maou no fukkatsu wa jinshin no midare ni tan o hassuru to souba ga kimatte oru. Mazu wa tami ni oshie o toki, yo ni wa o hiromeru no ga senketsu ni shite hondou ka to zonjiageru.


    The opponents of the summoning were subtly casting me upon Candra, the central figure of the proponents. Their eyes carried a faint hint of condemnation towards him. It was the same Candra who had abused the privileges of a cardinal to indulge in vulgar extravagances, and yet, had until now used the boundary between the sacred and the secr as an excuse to remain hesitant in intervening in foreign affairs. The question arose: What was he trying to achieve by speaking out now?


    (Most likely, he intends to enhance his own position by incorporating the hero''s strength and overseeing the grand ritual of summoning. Corrupt merchant of faith...)


    (Ookata, yuusha no buryoku o torikomu koto to, shoukan to iu dai gishiki o sahai suru koto de onore ga tachiba o kyouka suru kokorozumori dearou. Kusare maisu-me ga)


    With a stern expression, Phantony red at his political rival sitting across from him. He had never liked Candra from the beginning. His nature of indulging in power for personal gain, the recklessness of getting entangled in diplomatic rtions with the neighboring country Arquell due to a conspiracy, and the ingratitude of withdrawing from the previous campaign despite being involved in that incident, all of these shed with Phantony''s values of sincerity and resilience. As a religious figure, Candra had too much secr influence, and as a politician, his personal interests overshadowed everything. He was a man known as the "Gray Cardinal," Emilio Lazzaro Candra.


    So, about why was such a person upying the seat of a cardinal within the Holy King Church


    "Hm. Then why did I consulted my esteemed colleagues about this grand n? Let me exin the reason."


    Fumu. Dewa, doushite watashi ga kono soukyo o shokei ni hakatta ka? Sono riyuu o kaichin shiyou dewa nai ka.


    With a poised snap of his fingers, the door of the conference room was solemnly opened.


    "Excuse me."


    Shitsurei itashimasu.


    A voice as pleasant as the ringing of a bell, soothing to the ears. Despite maintaining an upright posture and a sense of dignity, there was an air of modesty about her. Her face could bepared to a pure white lily. At first nce, it seemed odd for a young woman no, a girl to be attending the meeting of venerable clerics who had reached their positions through years of devotion.


    Entering the room apanied by a group of temple guards, the girl wore somewhat unusual attire. Aside from the circlet adorning her forehead, she was dressed in blue nun''s robes that covered her neck and below. Several Holy Symbols and sacred inscriptions were affixed to the robe, carefully sealing something within. As she walked, or rather, as her immature chest rose and fell with her breath, a faint shimmering urred.


    "Irmae Aurelia Candra hase by the invitation of the Warrior Monk Corps Commander."


    Irumaerra oreria karandora. Souhei danchou no o maneki ni ouji sanjou tsukamatsurimashita.


    Possessing an immense strength of divine power, a high priestess with an extraordinary degree of sanctity, necessitating multipleyers of seals due to its magnitude. That was her. And perhaps by some twist of fate, as her name indicated, she was the daughter of the Warrior Monk Corps Commander, Emilio Candra.


    (As usual, a father and daughter who are simr yet so different.)


    (Ai mo kawarazu, nite mo nitsukanu oyako yo.)


    While her father was being dismissive yet self-satisfied, the daughter disyed the demeanor of a perfect saint. In a contrast that seemed like a joke, it made Phantony feel dizzy. In reality, this parent and child were pr opposites in every way. While Irmae possessed an unprecedented level of magical power within the church, her father Emilio had only a fraction of the power possessed even by the average monk. The Candra family was a former noble house that had fallen from grace three generations ago due to power struggles within the church hierarchy. He managed to regain his status by showcasing his daughter, born with unparalleled magical potential, and promoting her as a saint. The positions of Warrior Monk Corps Commander and Cardinal were both achieved through the reflected glory of his daughter, rather than his own abilities.


    However, this also meant that Irmae''s influence was so strong that such measures had to be taken.


    The man who warmed the seat of the Cardinal''s chair with the prestige of his daughter spoke in a condescending tone.


    "My daughter, you shall inform the esteemed individuals present, including the Holy Knights Commander, of what you know."


    Waga musume yo. Seikishi danchou-dono o hajime to suru o-rekireki ni, omae no shiru tokoro o kikasete sashiageru ga ii.


    "...Yes."


    ...Hai.


    While being used as a pawn in political struggles, Irmae maintained herposure and nodded calmly, her expression faintly shaded. Her demeanor evoked the image of a saintly woman, which struck a chord even with those who opposed the Candras like Phantony and the others. As mentioned repeatedly, this father-daughter pair wereplete opposites in every aspect. If the father was a worldly man who abused authority and power, the daughter was a devoted believer in faith. And yet, it was their blood connection alone that led her to be exploited for base reasons by her father. It was hard not to feel the unfairness of her situation, being manipted by her father''s selfishness despite her saintly influence.


    Regardless, the testimony of the Imperial Saint had begun.


    "I''ve been having nightmares every night from the previous battle between Arquell and St. Gallen."


    Saki no Arukru to zankutogaren no gassen yori, watashi wa maiban akumu o miru no desu.


    "Nightmares, you say?"


    Akumu, to na?


    One of the attendees blinked while contemting.


    "Yes. And beyond the westernmost desert. I witnessed a scene where impure blue mes rose from thatnd."


    Hai. Nishi no saihate, sabaku o koeta saki no chi. Ano chi yori fujou no aoi honou ga tatsu koukei o mimashita.


    An almost inaudible buzz of unease filled the hall.


    The western penins. A forbiddennd, extending endlessly with deserts and infested by formidable demons. It was once the very ce where the most terrible cmitythe reign of the Demon Kingthreatened the entirety of the Itucera continent.


    The Demon King''s first historical mention dated back seven centuries. It was an era when humanity gained divine blessings upon the ascension of the Holy King, and the eradication of monsters progressed over the span of around three hundred years. During that time, the Holy Omnia Empire continued its expansion northward, conquering what is now the Arquell Kingdom and subjugating the tribes of the Morbaehr Inds in the northern seas. The continent thrived under a unified nation. The age where humanity faced extinction due to the demons had long passed; it was a time when the influence of the Holy King''s teachings reached even across the sea. At that time, in the western penins, which was being gradually incorporated into the Holy Omnia Empire and was undergoing conversion, demons began to emerge suddenly. In an instant, the local poption, knights and priests dispatched from Omnia, as well as elves, dwarves, livestock, wild beasts, birds, fish, and even ntsall were ughtered by the ws and fangs of dark entities. That day, humanity recalled memories from a century pastmemories of the era when they were on the brink of annihtion, an age without divine protection. They remembered their struggle against an overwhelming force of darkness that had threatened their survival. And at the heart of countless malevolent creatures, an entity that chanted curses of human annihtion,manding an army of evil. That entity was the Demon King.


    The battle against the Demon King was chronicled as a fierce and pungent conflict. The powerful demons under hismand, unlike their predecessors, possessed intelligence and sought to torment and kill humans, not merely for sustenance or self-defense. Even among the subjugated demi-human races such as goblins, orcs, and ogres, which were known for their ferocity, there were those who submitted to the power of darkness, bing demons themselves. Omnia''s expeditionary forces faced these hordes in battle and suffered defeat on three asions.


    Ultimately, the first Hero, summoned by the princess of that time, engaged in a duel to the death with the Demon King and managed to seal him. Yet, the former Holy Omnia Empire fell into a period of severe decline. The damages from the war were extensive. Moreover, a significant number of the soldiers who never returned from the battlefield included high-ranking priests and even members of the imperial family, who had served as knights due to their noble bloodline. The former Holy Omnia Empire entered a state of significant weakening. The aftermath of the war resulted in the extinction of the old imperial lineage within a century. The various kings who had been under the emperor''smand dered their independence. The once-thriving Holy Omnia Empire copsed, leaving only the penins, its birthce, as a remnant.


    The culprit of the potential extinction of humanity and the subsequent copse of the former Holy Empire, that was the Demon King.


    "So youre saying the dreams you''ve seen are a premonition of the Demon King''s revival?"


    Kijo no mita yume ga, maou fukkatsu no yochou dearu to?


    "With due respect, yes, that is what I am saying. More precisely, I believe it to be a servant of the Demon King, a member of the demon race."


    Osore nagara, sou dearu to moushiagemasu. Seikaku ni wa maou no shimobe taru mazoku dearu to omowa remasuga.


    "Demon race...!"


    Mazoku!


    Once again, a ripple of unease spread among the people present.


    High-ranking monsters that serve as the hands and feet of the Demon King and work in the shadows for his revival were referred to as members of the demon race. They were devils that tempt and corrupt humans for the purpose of offering them to their master, stealing souls to be sacrifices. They were like evil dragons that brought massive destruction and consumed numerous lives. Regardless of the specifics, they were monsters that exceed the kind of creatures adventurers typically face.


    "The previous premonition of the Demon King''s revival was three hundred years ago... At that time, the hero of that era seeded in preventing the revival by defeating the demon race, right?"


    Zenkai mirareta maou fukkatsu no yochou wa sanbyaku-nen mae sono ori wa, touji no yuusha ga mazoku o uchihatasu koto de fukkatsu no soshi ni seikou shita no deatta na.


    "Nevertheless, the terror of the demon raceand monsters strongest among them, Four Demon Generals, cannot be underestimated. The fact that we let the establishment of St. Gallen was due to the decline of Arquell as a result of that battle."


    To wa ie, mazokunaka demo yubiori no kaibutsu dearu shi-ma-shou no osoroshi-sa wa anadorenu. Zankutogaren no seiritsu o zashi suru koto ni natta no mo, ano tatakai de Arukru ga suibi shita ga yue dearu kara na.


    "So, youre suggesting we should summon the hero ahead of time while only the subordinates of the demon race are awakening?"


    De wa, mezamete oru no ga haika no mazoku nomi dearu uchi ni, sakinjite yuusha o yobidashite oku to?


    "...Perhaps there is no other choice."


    ...Sore mo itashi kata nashi ka.


    The gazes of those seated at the conference table quickly converge on a single point. This is due to the unexpected change in stance from Cardinal Phantony, who was supposed to be the vanguard of the opposing faction, but then spoke in favor of the Hero Summoning ritual. Naturally, the cardinals who were aligned with him in opposition to Cardinal Candra wore displeased expressions.


    "However, Holy Knights Commander, isn''t it just a child''s dream after all?"


    Shikashi na, seikishi danchou. Shosen wa onna kodomo no yumemi de arimasu zo?


    "Yes, indeed. It seems rather weak as a basis to rely on."


    Sayou. Konkyo to suru ni wa isasaka hakujaku ni sugiru ka to.


    At that point, being swayed by Phantony would have only further emboldened the detestable "Gray Cardinal" Emilio Candra. Despite the words spoken by the esteemed Saint Irmae, it ultimately came down to the fact that she was that man''s daughter. This must have been another maneuver to strengthen Emilio''s position. Yet,promising like this, as always, he had been lenient toward his daughter, hadn''t he?Unspoken words seemed to convey this sentiment.


    However, the steadfast expression of the Holy Knights Commander, carved from rock, remained unshaken.


    "Of course, conducting such a significant ritual based solely on dreams is insufficient. However, it is not the first or second time that Saint Irmae has received divine revtions."


    Muron, yume ga dou no to iu riyuu dewa kakaru dai gishiki o toriokonau ni wa fusoku. Ga, seijo Irumaerra ni takusen ga kudatta koto wa ichido ya nido dewa nai.


    Indeed, even the recent outbreak of monsters in St. Gallen was predicted by her in advance. When the forest overflowed with monsters, attacking people, and death approached from the eastern ck woods, she tearfully expressed her anxieties, seeking advice. And it was none other than Phantony who listened and offered counsel.


    "...Though I remember it was once crushed by a certain someone in the past."


    ...Katsute wa, sore mo dokozo no dareka ni nigiri tsubusareta ki ga suru ga na.


    Saying that, he red at the man sitting across from him, who was smirking with self-satisfaction. This man had once dismissed the words of his own virtuous daughter, who had elevated him to a high position, as mere nonsense, believing that intervening in the Easternnds would bring him no personal gain.


    Perhaps he realized that this retort had etched a w in his confidence in victory, as Emilio Candra''s thin face contorted into an ugly expression.


    "It is precisely because I regret such mistakes that I made this proposal. Trying to find fault in minor details like this is rather unpleasant"


    Sono you na kashitsu o kuita kara koso kotabi no teigi de arimasu. Kaku mo ageashi o tora reru to wa, shoushou fuyukai ni


    "Which is why,"


    Nareba koso,


    Cutting off his gaze from the worthless man who only took advantage of his daughter, Phantony continued.


    "Which is why we need to determine whether her nightmares are mere dreams or true revtions. It''s necessary to confirm this point."


    Nareba koso, kanojo no mita akumu ga tan naru yume ka, soretomo makoto ni takusen dearu no ka. Kono ten o kakutei shite oku hitsuyou ga aru.


    "and, you''re suggesting?"


    to, iimasu to?


    "In the next full moon, I propose that we conduct a ritual to formally receive the revtion."


    Tsugi no mangetsu, gishiki o okonai seishiki ni takusen ga kudaru no o koinegau.


    Arranging for the disy of a miracle called revtion by offering prayers from multiple priests to the Lord in heaven. If its contents align with Irmae''s dream, then they could proceed with the matter of summoning a hero. Reckless hero summoning should be avoided, but allowing the unchecked rise of the demon race would be even more detestable. Therefore, making the necessity of summoning more certain was a natural progression.


    "Furthermore, to ensure fairness in the ceremony, I think it''s necessary to appoint a neutral party, how about it?"


    Mata saishi wa, kousei o kisu tame ni dare zo chuuritsu no mono o tateru hitsuyou ga aru ka to omou ga, ikaga ka?


    And to prevent the distortion of the revtion''s content, it was proposed that someone who wasn''t in favor or against the summoning would oversee the ritual.


    "Hmph... Seems like a reasonablepromise."


    Fun datou na sen ka to.


    Emilio grumbled with evident irritation. He probably anticipated that Phantony would staunchly oppose, and was nning to step in and take control of the ceremony himself. Such foolishness. If he had started by mentioning the possibility that his daughter might receive a revtion, the conference would have reached a conclusion long ago. It''s because of the intention to either provoke or expose the opposition, Phantony and the others, resorting to such petty tactics like presenting arguments after the fact, that things have turned out this way.


    Despite feeling a sense of satisfaction at his political rival''s blunder, Phantony lightly shook his head. Such behavior was not befitting of a clergyman, let alone themander of the holy knights and a cardinal. With a slight clearing of his throat, he refocused his attention.


    "*Cough*... We two have reached an agreement, but do any of you have objections?"


    Gohon warera futari wa goui ni tasshita ga, shokei-ra ni wa izon wa aru ka?


    "Oh no, not at all."


    Ie ie, messou mo nai.


    "It''s none other than the Holy Knights Commander and the Warrior Monks Commander who are being endorsed together. Why would we need to interfere?"


    Hoka naranu seikishi danchou-dono to souhei danchou-dono-ra ga tomoni osa reru no desu. Nani o ka kuchi o hasamu hitsuyou ga gozaimashou?


    "Exactly."


    Sayou.


    "Regardless of the oue of the Revtion Ritual, it should be made known to the various nations that Omnia is concerned about the disturbances in the world."


    Takusen no gi no kekka wa dou are, Omunia ga yo no midare o kigu shite iru koto wa shokoku ni shuuchi saseru beki deshou na.


    "Indeed, indeed. There have been many individuals in recent years who indulge in behavior that contradicts wealth and ethics. For instance, the one from Arquell who was recently appointed as a Marquis"


    Shikari shikari. Kinnen wa tomi ni jinrin ni motoru okonai ni fukeru yakara no ooi koto. Tatoeba sakidatte koushaku ni retsusareta Arukru no


    Though their inner thoughts may differ, the other attendees also agreed, and the proposal was passed unanimously.


    Now, all that remained was the Revtion Ritual to be held on the next full moon, and its results.


    "I want to rify in advance that it was I who proposed the idea of summoning a hero. Please keep this point in mind."


    Arakajime kotowatte okimasuga, yuusha shoukan no teian o okonatta no wa watashi desu zo? Sono ten ni tsukimashite wa, dou ka yoku o oboe itadakitai.


    At the end of the meeting, Emilio emphasized this. He seemed to be keen on iming credit for the suggestion, likely to secure the position of leading the uing hero summoning ritual. After all, the ritual would be a grand event that hadn''t taken ce for three hundred years. He appeared quite eager to take on that significant responsibility.


    "...Ah, yes. His Eminencesmitment to ensuring the sess of the ritual, Ill remember it well."


    ...Aa. Gobou ga sono gi o irou naku nashitogeyou to go shuushin dearu koto wa, yoku kioku shite oku.


    Inadvertently, ironic words slipped out of his mouth. Implying, can such an important ritual truly be entrusted to someone with lesser magical abilities,cking in virtues and experience?


    "! Pardon me...!"


    ! Shitsurei suru!


    The person being addressed turned away with a flushed face, perhaps greatly embarrassed.


    As she saw him off while sighing, Irmae apologized in a timid voice, lowering her head with a bow.


    "Um... I deeply apologize for my father who is always causing trouble."


    Ano itsumo chichi ga go-meiwaku o o-kake shite, moushiwake arimasen.


    "...It''s fine. You''re the one who''s been struggling, far more than I have."


    ...Kamawan. Sochira koso, watashi nado oyobi mo tsukanu hodo kurou shite orou.


    "N-no, it''s not like that."


    I, ie. Sonna koto wanai, desu.


    She shrank back and looked down at the floor. Despite being hailed as a saint and all, she was still in her mid-teens. When away from official duties, glimpses of a shy and fragile child''s face would appear from time to time.


    (To burden such an innocent girl with such heavy responsibilities and even use her in petty disputes...)


    (Kono you ni itaike na musume e to juuseki o oshitsukeneba naran bakari ka, kudaranu arasoi no dashi ni suru to wa)


    Once again, he pondered the difficulty of her position and the foolishness of her father. And in his own position, he recognized the limits of how much he could support Irmae. After all, Phantony was the political rival of her father, Candra. There were plenty of people who would make unnecessary fuss over even the slightest kindness he showed.


    (If Irmae''s words are trueno, she''s not the kind of girl who can lie easily, so it''s likely the truthhumanity will once again fall into crisis. Yet even the holy headquarters of salvation, Omnia, finds itself in this situation.)


    (Moshimo Irumaerra no gen ni itsuwari ga nakubaiya, uso no ieru you na musume dewa nai kara, mazu shinjitsu darou gajinrui wa futatabi kiki ni ochiiru koto to naru. Nanoni guze no souhonzan Omunia de sae, kono-sama ka.)


    Even the subjugation of demons and the summoning of a hero were pieces in the game of political power. Thinking about this, even the valiantmander of the holy knights couldn''t deny a slight unease.


    (...Can we really prevent the revival of the Demon King even if we summon a hero?)


    (...Hatashite yuusha o yobidashita to shite, buji ni maou fukkatsu o soshi suru koto ga dekiru no ka?)


    The unspoken question continued to coil beneath his thick chestte, remaining there indefinitely.


    One weekter, the omen of the resurrection of the demon race, heralding the return of the demons, was officially recognized as a divine message. And thus, the ceremony to summon a hero was to be held for the first time in three hundred years.


    ~~~


    Along the way, the two of them had shifted their conversation to the topic of school assignments.


    "Seriously tiring, right? That report about Japanese history from Yoshinaga-sensei. ''Listen carefully, okay? Copying from the inte is not allowed, you knoow~. When you go to universityy~, you''ll have to do proper research at the libraryy~.''... Sheesh."


    Maji de tarii yo naa, nipponshi no Yoshinaga-sense no repto. Ii desu kaa? Netto kara no maru utsushi dewa dame desu yoo~. Daigaku ni shingaku shitaraa~, chanto toshokan de shirabe koto toka shinakya ikenain desu kara nee~... nante yo.


    Said the friend, imitating the newly assigned female teacher with an unnecessarily elongated and falsetto voice.


    Yuuto made a disgusted expression and interjected,


    "Come on, it didn''t sound anything like her just now."


    Warui. Zenzen nitenakatta wa, ima no.


    "Haha, really? Hmm, maybe a bit more ''charm'' is needed,"


    Haha, yappa shi? Umu, mou sukoshi iroke ga hitsuyou ka.


    "Don''t you start with the ''charm''... Anyway, about that assignment, what are you going to write about?"


    Omae ga iroke dasu na yo de, sono kadai nanda kedo, omae wa nani o daizai ni suru nda?


    The assignment was about "Local History in the Edo Period." They were supposed to research and write an essay about the history of their town by visiting museums and libraries. It felt a bit challenging for a high school Japanese history ss. The new Japanese history teacher seemed to have a habit of oveplicating the difficulty of these assignments with her fresh enthusiasm.


    His ssmate seemed to think for a moment before speaking.


    "Well, if we''re talking about things from the Edo period around here... What about that story of the Christian samurai causing a bigmotion? Something like that could be a safe topic, right? What was his name again...?"


    Uun, kokora hen de Edo jidai ni atta koto to ieba rei no kirishitan bushi ga dai abareshita tte hanashi? Sore toka daizai to shite bunan ppoku ne? Nante itta kke na, soitsu.


    "Ah, you mean Yoshitani Omomizu."


    Aa, Yoshitani Omizu no koto ka.


    A slight bitterness was mixed in his response. Yuuto had also been considering using that figure as his topic.


    Yoshitani Omomizu was the name of a samurai who caused an incident in this vicinity about three hundred years ago. He suddenly disappeared from his lord''s service without warning and remained missing for nearly a year. Then, just as suddenly as he had vanished, he returned, but he waspletely transformed. He now wore a gold ne resembling a cross and was d in armor that seemed foreign, possibly of Nanban origin. Omomizu had converted to Christianity.


    His lord was furious. Not only was there the shame of missing without permission, but the shock of being associated with a Christian was even more profound. During that time in Japan, under the Tokugawa shogunate''s policy of istion, the prohibition of Christianity was enforced. Christianity was forbidden. If it became known to the authorities that there was a Christian among the retainers, it could lead to the confiscation of theirnds or even the dissolution of their family. The lord selected skilled warriors from his retainers and ordered an assassination on Omomizu.


    The incredible part came next.


    "I''ve heard that the story goes, he was attacked by a group of assassins, maybe around ten or twenty, and he managed to defeat them all."


    Kiita hanashi da to, koroshi ni kita aite o juu-nin da ka ni juu-nin, sorotte kaeriuchi ni shita rashii kedo.


    He said, recalling a folktale he had heard from his grandparents as a child.


    The assassins sent by the n numbered more than ten, all aiming to kill. It''s said that they all fell to Omomizus dual-wielding swords. During the time he had disappeared, he not only converted to Christianity but also greatly honed his martial skills, surpassing all expectations.


    Yoshitani Omomizu couldn''t be stopped by spears or swords. It''s been told that his final moments involved bringing out a matchlock gun, and only then was he shot and killed. Another version says he sustained a gunshot wound to his shoulder yet managed to evade pursuit and escape to Nagasaki, then fled the country on a foreign ship. Yuuto believed the former version to be more credible. Realistically, if a samurai had broken through the country''s istion to seek asylum, it would likely have be a significant event recorded not just in local history but even in Japanese history textbooks. The fact that this wasn''t the case suggests that, after all, he couldn''t ovee the musket and was tragically killed.


    "Taking down ten people with dual-wielding swords? Totally unbelievable, man. Sounds like something out of a hack-and-sh game."


    Nitouryuu de juu-nin kiri toka, arienai yo naa, futsuu~ Doko no musou g da ttsuu no.


    "Well, it''s certainly a shy story."


    Ma, hade na jiken dewa aru yo na.


    "It''s a great topic for the report, no doubt. But it''s way too famous around here, isn''t it? Its troubling cuz it might end up ovepping with what others choose..."


    Repto no daizai to shicha moushibun nai wa na. Kedo, kokora hen no mukashi banashi to shicha yuumei sugi daro? Hoka no yatsura to kaburi-sou na no ga chotto naa


    "Right."


    Sou da na.


    In reality, Yuuto had been considering the exact same topic. Given that teacher''s tendencies, submitting a report with a simr theme could easily result in losing points. Just thinking about it made his head


    Throb.


    His head was hurting.


    "Hm? What''s wrong, Erimiya?"


    ? Dou shita no yo, Erimiya.


    "No, just a bit of a headache..."


    Iya, chotto zuts ga


    Pressing his temples, Yuuto came to a stop. A sudden piercing pain made him stagger. His friend offered support, concern evident on his face, and passing pedestrians cast curious nces their way. Meanwhile, the pain intensified. His vision blurred, cold sweat broke out, and a high-pitched ringing pierced his eardrums. His knees gave way, and he could no longer stand.


    "Oi, are you okay, oi!? You really seem in trouble, you know? Should I call an ambnce?"


    Oi, daijoubu ka yo, oi!? Hontou ni guai, yaba sou da zo? Kyuukyuusha, yobu ka!?


    "Ugh, ah..."


    Gu, a


    His friend''s voice felt distant. Despite being shaken and spoken to right by his ear, it was as though the words were being called out from across a wide river. As this continued, the disturbance worsened. His surroundings turned into a sea of bright light, and he couldn''t see anything. The headache grew more intense, making him feel nauseous as if someone was stirring his brain with a spoon.


    Amidst all this,


    Answer my plea...


    Kotae... Tamae


    A voice reached his ears, a voice not belonging to his nearby friend. It was a high, cool, soothing voice of a girl that brought a sense of tranquility just by hearing it.


    Answer my call. O one who resides afar. Bearer of the Holy King''s blessing. If you are willing to respond to the summons, raise your voice and answer me!


    Waga motome ni kotae tamae. Haruka ke ki tokoro ni owasu mono. Seiou no kago o ninau mono yo. Nanji, shourai ni oujiru o yoshi to suru naraba, sono koe o age ga ni kotae tamae!


    The voice continued to earnestly beseech. Answer, it said. Raise your voice and respond to the call.


    Yuuto hesitated. Should he really answer this voice? The intense headache that made him nauseous, the overwhelming fatigue that prevented him from even standing upwas this all just a hallucination brought about by his sudden disarray? Would it not be better to reassure his friendwhose concern was palpable and who should be right beside himthat he was fine, rather than responding to something as unreal as this? Hismon sense was leading him to reject this surreal phenomenon.


    But then,


    Please, I beg you


    Onegai desu, dou ka


    In an instant, as the voice echoed in his mind with a tinge of sorrow, those thoughts melted away.


    "Who, is that? Who are you?"


    Dare, da? Omae wa, dare nanda?


    With the little breath he had left, he voiced those questions towards the sound. In the midst of his vision filled with white light, a change urred.


    An intense dark purple, like the swirling of the cosmos, a glittering void. It was like a hole opened in the very fabric of space. Yuutos intuition told him that this was something like a ''gate''. A gate that separated and connected here and elsewhere, reality and unreality.


    Reach out your hand. Take my hand...!


    Te o nobashite. Watashi no te o, totte!


    The appeal had transformed from a prayer-like resonance to a desperate plea. Or perhaps it shifted from a ritualistic utterance to a sincere and straightforward expression of desire. Before he could fully process its meaning, instinctively, Yuuto extended his right hand toward the ''gate''


    In that moment, the world changed.


    The first thing he felt was the sensation of his right hand being enveloped by someone''s soft hand. Then he noticed that the ground he was kneeling on had transformed from rough asphalt mixed with gravel to smoothly polished stones. Most of all, the air was different. The exhaust fumes of automobiles, the hustle and bustle of excessive poptionfor the first time, he experienced a clear atmosphere without those characteristic urban scents and taste.


    (Where is this?)


    (Doko da yo, koko?)


    With a slight sense of trepidation, he gradually opened his eyes that had been tightly shut without his realization.


    ...In front of him stood an angel. A face that resembled a white lily, with a refined and graceful expression filled with elegance. A girl with a beauty that was unearthly, or rather, detached from realitya kind of beauty he had never seen in the 21st-century Japan he had lived in. He was momentarily tempted to check if she had wings on her back.


    ... ?


    The angel opened her mouth, letting out a gentle and concerned voice. To Yuuto, he couldn''t understand what she was saying, nor could he determine thenguage she was speaking. It was almost as if she were using celestialnguage, possibly angelic words. However, her voice somehow felt reminiscent of the voice he had heard just moments ago.


    "Um, where is this? Who are you?"


    Etto, koko wa doko? Kimi wa ittai?


    He asked in a puzzled tone. In response, the girl blinked in surprise, her actions disying a very human-like gesture. Suddenly, the impression of her being an angel faded, and she seemed like an ordinary girl. It wasn''t in a negative way, but rather, he felt a sense of cuteness and familiarity.


    Once again, she whispered iprehensible words, and at the same time, her eyes closed, face tilted downward and bing closer to him. Their lips aligned perfectly. At this rate, perhaps, by any chance, the so-called


    *Kiss*


    a small, wet sound resonated as their soft parts made intense contact.


    (A-a kiss!? Why!? Me, and such a beautiful girl, even though weve just met? Huh? W-why!?)


    (Ki, kisu!? Nande!? Ore ga, konna onna no ko to, atta bakari de sonna, ee? Na, nande!?)


    Yuutos eyes widened in shock at the sudden turn of events. While he often tried to project a cool demeanor, he had never experienced anything intimate with a woman before. Especially not with a seemingly unreal foreign beauty like her.


    But he didn''t have the luxury to fully process this sudden development.


    "Mm, hm, nngh...!?"


    N, mu, nnn!?


    Through the kiss, a sensation as if something invisible was flowing into his body and into his mind. Voices, words, and knowledge flowed into him supernaturally, independent of his own learning. As this indescribable surge of sensation subsided, their lips parted as if by mutual agreement.


    "Mm... How is it? Can you understand my words?"


    N ikaga desu ka? Watashi no kotoba ga, o-wakari ni narimasu ka?


    "U-uh y-yeah. Wait, what? Can you actually speak Japanese?"


    E, eetto u, un. E, nani? Jitsu wa nihongo hanaseta no ka?


    While uttering a rather absurd impression that didn''t quite match the fact that they had just shared their first kiss, Yuutos gaze naturally followed the girl''s lips, which had touched his moments ago.


    And then, he realized.


    "Japanese? Is that perhaps thenguage used in your country?"


    Nihongo? Sore wa moshikashite, anata-sama no o-kuni de tsukawa rete irassharu gengo na no deshou ka.


    (Her lip movements are...?)


    (Kuchibiru no ugoki ga?)


    The words he heard from her mouth and her lip movements had no connection at all. It was like watching a foreign movie dubbed into anothernguage. A scene where the voice had been addedter in post-production, as if the actual visuals were paired with a voiceover.


    (Perhaps it''s some super advanced real-time trantion technology? They say VR is about to be practical, and if such a technology exists... No, no, that''s too much, right? I''m hearing her in Japanese without any timeg, but why can''t I hear her speaking in her originalnguage? And I''m not wearing any earphones or devices. So, what is this that is happening right in front of me?)


    (Hyotto shite chou haiteku na douji tsuuyaku ka nani ka? Mou sugu VR mo jitsuyou-ka datte iu mon na, sonna gijutsu ga hatsumei sarete itatte fushigi waiya iya, dai ari daro. Koe ni dashite jikan-sa-nashi ni nihongo de kikoete iru shi, gyaku ni gen no gengo de shabetteru koe wa doushite kikoenai nda? Te iu ka, ore datte iyahon toka sonna kikai o mi ni tsuketenai Jaa, me no mae de okotte iru kore wa, nan nanda?)


    A sense of dizziness overwhelmed him. It was different from the interference he had experienced a moment ago, something born purely from his inner confusion.


    Whether she noticed Yuutos disorientation or not, the girl knelt by his side with what seemed like a blissful expression, her eyes slightly moist.


    "...At any rate, a contract has been formed here. Once again, I thank you for responding to the summoning."


    ...Tomo are, koko ni keiyaku wa musubaremashita. Aratamemashite, o-maneki ni oujite itadaki kansha itashimasu.


    "Huh? A contract? Wait, more importantly... summoning?"


    Ha? Keiyaku? Iya sore yori manei, ta?


    The intoxication and confusion vanished as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head. So, was she the one behind the voice he had heard in the city after all?


    "I humbly prostrate myself upon calling you. I am High Priestess Irmae Aurelia Candra of the Omnian Holy King Church. I respectfully seek your honorable name."


    Onmi o o-yobi matsuri hizamazukimasu wa, Omunia seiou kyoukai hai puriesutesu, Irumaerra oreria karandora to moushimasu. Osore nagara, go sonmei o ukagaitaku zonji agemasu.


    "I-im Yuuto. Erimiya Yuuto. Uh, to foreign people, should I say Yuuto Erimiya?"


    Yu, Yuuto da. Erimiya Yuuto. Etto, gaikoku no hito ni wa Yuuto erimiya tte itta hou ga ii no ka?


    Still bewildered, he introduced himself. The girl who identified herself as Irmae blushed even deeper and continued.


    "Yuuto Erimiya-sama... I have duly received your honorable name. I humbly request, I humbly implore"


    Yuuto Erimiya-sama go sonmei, kaku shikato uketamawarimashite gozaimasu. Nanitozo, dou ka nanitozo


    "to save this world from the threat of the Demon King, Hero-sama."


    maou no kyoui kara kono sekai o o-sukui kudasaimase, yuusha-sama.


    "...Huh?"


    ...Ha?


    Unable to digest the unreal words, he let out a goofy sound.


    What was this girl talking about? A Demon King? And referring to himself as a hero? He didn''t want to entertain the thought, but was it possible that he had lost his sanity? Could he be unable to distinguish between games, anime, and reality?


    Simultaneously, despite his agitation, he finally managed to survey his surroundings. They stood on an altar made of white stones. The location was inside what appeared to be an impressive cathedral reminiscent of those he had seen in documentaries of foreign countries. This was nothing like the streets of Japan he had walked with his ssmates just moments ago, the hospital room he might have been taken to after fainting, and certainly not the scene of his own room after waking up from a dream.


    The scenery had changed abruptly. The phenomenon of understanding an unfamiliarnguage as Japanese was sudden and inexplicable. ...And then there was the enigmatic girl who referred to him as a hero.


    The thought processes imbued with various elements eventually led his mind to a preposterous conclusion.


    Could it be that he had


    (Did I... end up in a different world?)


    (Ore wa, isekai ni kite shimatta no ka?)


    And so, the third hero, Yuuto Erimiya, had descended onto the continent of Itucera, while consumed by deep and overwhelming confusion, much like his predecessors of three and seven centuries past.


    ~~~


    To be continued...


    TL Note:


    What a great use of a veryyyyy mainstream plot. Makes me curious about our mcs interaction with this new hero in the future. Btw the Demon King is immortal right? Sooooo Im thinking that. maybe Tullius will use the Demon Kings immortality as an inspiration, or even use him as a guinea pig???????? Bruh my thoughts are too wild.


    Also, I would be very grateful if you would be so kind to support me~~ This way I can make faster releases.

 Chapter 78: The Foreigner (1)

    Chapter 78: The Foreigner (1)


    Weing the arrival of spring, in the radiant and illustrious nation of faith and history, the Omnia Empire.


    Elisha Rosmond Balbastre, who had been appointed as a holy knight the previous year, continued to train within the nation. Receiving the highest honor as a knight was a rare distinction. However, the challenges one had to ovee for that honor were more grueling than imagined. Even though the title of "Princess Knight" sounded elegant, the reality was enough to make one cry out in agony.


    "Now then, Lady Balbastre. There have been four saints canonized in the year 782 of the ascension. Name them all."


    Dewa Barubasutoru-kyou. Nobori-reki nana hachi ni-nen ni ressei sareta seija wa shi-mei iru ga, sono subete o kotaeyo.


    "Yes, Your Eminence! ...I have no idea about any of them!"


    Hai, Suukikyou-geika! Hitori mo wakarimasen!


    Elisha raised her hand straight up and thrust her chest forward, surrendering with an attitude that was undeniable. Seeing her demeanor, Cardinal Gianfranco Paolo Phantony, who took the teaching personally, stiffened his face like a rock.


    "...Listen, Lady Balbastre."


    ...Naa, Barubasutoru-kyou.


    "What is it, Your Eminence?"


    Nandearimashou, Suukikyou-geika?


    "I believe I presented this question just the other day."


    Kono mondai wa, senjitsu mo shutsudai shita hazu da ga.


    "Yes! I remember that as well."


    Ha! Watashi mo sou kioku shite orimasu.


    Phantony ced his fist against his forehead as if enduring a headache.


    "Then why can''t you answer? If you didn''t know before, couldn''t you have looked it up in books or asked someone?"


    Dewa, naze kotae rarenu? Kono mae ni wakaranakatta no naraba, shomotsu o himotoku nari hito ni tazuneru nari sureba yokatta dewa nai ka.


    "Yes! I did think like that and asked a Sister."


    Ha! Watashi mo sono you ni omoi, shisut ni shitsumon shimashita.


    "Then why do you im you dont know?"


    Naraba naze, wakaranu to iu?


    "I did asked about the answer, but I forgot!"


    ...Kiki wa shimashita ga, wasuremashita!


    Elisa looked upward, straightening her spine and answering loudly. This was a stance she had learned since her days as a junior member of the Second Royal Knights Order. When admitting a mistake to a superior, she was taught to clearly exin her error, maintaining a rigid posture in preparation for any reprimand. To acknowledge mistakes meant taking responsibility and making amends. That was the protocol.


    However, things seemed to be handled differently in Omnia. Elisa had been bracing herself for the formidable Cardinal, known for his martial tendencies, to reprimand her with his stone-like fist. But there was no sign of him resorting to such measures. Instead, he seemed to be trying to patiently convince her.


    "Why is it that you can''t answer such a simple question? Memorizing the names of four individuals shouldn''t be difficult, isnt it? You should have been able to easily memorize moreplex sacred magical incantations."


    Kikei, doushite kono you na kantan na mondai ga wakaranu no ka ne? Jinmei o yon-nin hodo soranjiru dake dewa nai ka. Kore yori nankai na shinsei mahou no saimon wa, tayasuku anki shite otta dearou ni.


    "Yes, Your Eminence. I struggle with academic fields unrted tobat."


    Hai, geika. Tatakai ni kakawaranu bun''ya no gakumon wa, dou ni mo nigate deshite.


    "Even though you remember the years of the holy wars and various battles in our religious history."


    Kyoushi ni oite mo, seisen no nengou ya moromoro no gassen wa oboete oru to iu no ni.


    "Yes, because Ive been learning those valuable past wars lessons."


    Hai, kichou na senkun o manabemasu yue.


    "...You really have nothing on your mind except warfare, do you?"


    ...Hontou ni ikusa no koto shika kangaete oranu na.


    "Yes! Because I believe I was born to be a warrior!"


    Ha! Watashi wa onore o tatakau tame ni umareta ningen dearu to kangaete orimasu no de!


    "Don''t say it as if you''re proud of it. A woman of your age... Listen closely. The duty of a Holy Knight is not merely to battle demons and heretics. It is also to exemplify the teachings to the people through one''s attitude"


    Mune o hatte iu denai, ii toshi o shita joshi ga Yoi ka? Somosomo sei kishi no yakume to wa, tanjun ni mamono ya haikyou-sha to tatakau dake denaku, sono shisei ni yotte shujou ni kyougi no nantaru ka o shimesu koto mo


    The conversation continues, touching upon the Cardinal''s perspective on the broader role of a Holy Knight and Elisha''s focus onbat.


    "The suppression of heresy entails not only eliminating it throughbat, but alsopleting it by teaching the correct doctrine to the misled popce and leading them onto the right path. Therefore, in addition to learning sacred magic, a holy knight must also possess knowledge of religious history, theology, rhetoric, and more. These are the required"


    Itan no toubatsu to wa, sentou ni yotte kore o haijo suru dake denaku, akuma ni madowasareta tamigusa ni tadashii oshie o toite seidou ni fukusaseru koto o motte kanryou to suru. Sore o omoeba, shinsei mahou o oboeru dake denaku, kyoushi ya shingaku, benron-jutsu nado mo sei kishi ni hitsuyou na


    (This is not good... I''m feeling exceptionally sleepy today...)


    (Ikan kyou wa ichidan to nemuke ga hidoi)


    Struggling to stay awake and prevent her head from nodding forward, she bites her tongue to endure it. Elisha did not approach today''s training with a sense of idleness. She thoroughly reviewed the parts she couldn''t answer before or had answered incorrectly, and she participated after studying all night. Yet, this is the result she obtained. She couldn''t help but think that she might just not be suited for this fundamentally.


    As if seeing through her thoughts, Phantony directs a sharp, white gaze towards her.


    "Are you listening, Lady Balbastre?"


    Kiite iru no ka ne, Barubasutoru-kyou?


    "Y-Yes! I am listening, Your Eminence!"


    Ha- ha! Kiite orimasu, suukikyou-geika!


    "I wonder. It seemed like your mind was wandering."


    Sou ka na. Dou ni mo ki mo sozoro deatta you ni miukerareta ga.


    If he was doubtful whether she was genuinely listening, maybe he should have just punched her once. Having spent most of her teens among rough individuals, Elisha believed this without irony.


    However, this man, who could seemingly take on a bear or an ogre with his appearance alone, appeared to dislike resorting to violence against those he imparted teachings to. Perhaps he was being cautious due to her being female. It was regrettable as an educator. Even though there were people in the world who wouldn''t understand unless shown physically, regardless of genderand such irreverent thoughts ran through the mind of the perpetrator himself.


    "Hm, it seems time is up."


    Mu, jikan ka.


    Hearing the sound of bells that resonated from a distant bell tower, Phantony announced the end of today''s training.


    "Well then, Lady Balbastre. As you will be presented with the same problem at ater date, please make sure to study it once more."


    Dewa, Barubasutoru-kyou. Gojitsu, saido onaji mondai o dasu yue, mou ichido benkyou shite kuru you ni.


    "Yes! Thank you for your guidance again today!"


    Ha! Honjitsu mo go shidou, arigatou gozaimashita!


    "Indeed. That''s a good response... Only your response is good though."


    Umu. Yoi henji da Henji wa yoin da ga naa.


    Saying so, the cardinal left while scratching his short hair with his thick fingers. Watching his departing figure, Elisha flopped down on the long table in the lecture hall, devoid of strength.


    "Phew, I''m tired... Is this actually a more intense battlefield than Volden?"


    Tsu, tsukareta koko wa Vorudan ijou no gekisen-ku ka?


    The words that escaped from lips that had lost their color due tock of blood were her honest feelings. Facing studies that could make the crown of one''s head itch and never-ending sermons, it was honestly easier to be in a war. People in the world might deny it, saying "No, that''s absurd," but Elisha thought that from the bottom of her heart, so she couldn''t be saved.


    (While the title of Holy Knight is honestly delightful... Could it be that it''s not suited for me?)


    (Sei kishi no shougou wa sunao ni ureshii no daga hyotto shite, watashi ni wa muiteinai no dewa nai ka?)


    Such anxieties rose in her mind, but it was a self-awareness that came toote.


    The duty of a Holy Knight was to abhor bloodshed and minimize it, yet her inclinations were exactly the opposite. When she heard about battlefields soaked in blood, her heart raced before the pain set in. She didn''t feelpletely indifferent about innocent civilians getting caught up in it, but once she was in the midst of battle, sword in hand, she forgot about it in three seconds and becamepletely absorbed in the fight. A person as bloodthirsty as her being a Holy Knight candidate was a sign of the world''s decline.


    "Good job, Lady Balbastre."


    Otsukare-sama desu, Barubasutoru-kyou.


    The person who called out with those words was the same Sister who had apanied her from Broussonne to herest year. At the beginning of their acquaintance, the woman had an odd stiffness and darkness about her, but now she was apletely familiarpanion. Come to think of it, she had once earnestly asked, "I heard that you have a unicorn as a beloved horse. Is that true?" What was the intention behind that?


    Suppressing trivial questions that drifted through her mind due to sleepiness, Elisha weakly raised one hand in response to the voice.


    "Oh, Its you, Sister... I might be hopeless... The duty of a Holy Knight is indeed challenging. Ugh, I thought I was prepared to endure any harsh training, but I never imagined it would be this tough..."


    Aa, shisut ka watashi wa mou dame kamo shiren yahari sei kishi no nin wa muzukashii. Ku, donna tsurai shugyou ni mo taete miseru to kakugo shiteita tsumori da ga, masaka kore hodo to wa


    "I-It''s alright. Normally, most people would give up during swordsmanship or magic training, but youpleted that in just three months, right? I''m sure the academic exams will be fine too... probably."


    Da, daijoubu desu yo. Futsuu deshitara, kenjutsu ya mahou no shuuren de zasetsu sareru kata ga taihan desu ga, kijo wa sore o san-kagetsu de shuuryou shita no deshou? Gakumon no shiken mo, kitto daijoubu desu wa tabun.


    Receiving encouragement from an acquaintance and exposing one''s pitiful state wasn''t preferable. pping both of her cheeks lightly, Elisha quickly changed her mood and recovered herposure.


    "...Yes! That''s right. Probably, I''ll be fine Selling myself short like this isn''t like me. If that''s decided, I should probably swing my sword for a change of pace."


    ...Umu! Sore mo sou da na. Tabun, kitto, daijoubu da Konna tokoro de abura o utte iru no mo watashi rashikunai. Sou to kimareba, kibun tenkan ni ken demo futte kuru to shiyou ka.


    "E-even if its a lie, shouldn''t you say something like you''re going to review historical teachings in the library?"


    So, soko wa uso demo, toshokan de kyoushi o oboe naosu to iu beki dewa?


    "What are you saying? A Holy Knight candidate, who''s supposed to uphold the ideals of all believers, shouldn''t tell lies."


    Nani o iu ka. Zen kyouto no kihan taru sei kishi kouho ga, uso nado haite wa ikan darou ni.


    "No, it''s not about that"


    Ie, sou iu mondai janakute


    "By the way, Sister."


    Tokoro de shisut.


    Elisha suddenly changes the topic as she just remembered something.


    "I feel like today''s training from His Eminence the Holy Knights Commander has be considerably shorter. Could it be just my imagination? Normally, even if the bell rings, the sermon would continue for at least a quarter to half an hour."


    Kyou no seikishi danchou-geika no kyouren wa zuibun to mijikaku natte iru you ni omou no daga, ki no sei darou ka? Fudan deareba, kane no oto ga natta to shite mo shihandoki kara han-toki wa sekkyou ga tsuzuite ita hazu da ga.


    The sister''s face remained in a wry smile, visibly tense. Isnt it because he is frustrated with your attitude in ss? she swallowed those words. Instead, what came out of her mouth was different.


    "Perhaps because he has been taking care of the person recently entrusted to the Holy Knights Order."


    Osoraku, sakigoro ni seikishidan de azukarareta kata no osewa o nasatte iru kara ka to.


    "Hm? Thats kind of a peculiar way to put it."


    ? Nandaka myou na mono ii da na.


    She tilted her head at the strange choice of words.


    What did she mean by "entrusted to the Holy Knights Order"? If someone was entrusted, it wasn''t as if they had been rmended as a candidate for a holy knight like Elisha. Regardless of whether it was Arquell or St. Gallen, or even Morbaehr or other small countries, all the nations on the Itucera continent had the Holy King''s Teachings as their state religion. Therefore, all the holy knights chosen from among the followers of the Holy King''s Teachings were members of the Omnia Order of Knights. It just wasn''t appropriate to phrase it as "entrusted."


    "I don''t really understand it either. It''s been said that a certain noble person has been receiving assistance from the Order of Knights for their training."


    Sore ga watashi ni mo yoku wakaranai no desu. Saru kouki na o-kata ga, shugyou no tame ni seikishidan no chikarazoe o itadaite orareru no dewa, to mo iwarete orimasu ga.


    "Even so, it''s hard to believe. I can''t imagine His Eminence Phantony devoting this much time and attention to a pampered child from a noble family."


    Da to shite mo shakuzen to sen na. Ano Fantni-geika ga, meika no bonbon zure nado ni eko no sata o kudasu to wa omoen.


    After nearly half a year of interaction, Elisha understood the personality of that big man, uncharacteristic of the clergy in a positive way. It was hard to believe that someone like Phantony, who values strict discipline for himself and others, would dedicate such time to someone who isn''t a legitimate candidate, even if it''s for training. He didn''t seem like the kind of man who would readily approve of such special treatment.


    However, if that were the case...


    "...Perhaps it''s because that person is an extraordinary exception."


    ...Soitsu ga tobikkiri no tokurei dakara, dearu kamo na.


    "Lady Balbastre?"


    Barubasutoru-kyou?


    The sister let out an anxious voice to the woman knight who had a sly smile, but Elisha rose energetically as if she hadn''t heard it.


    An individual whom that Phantony had no choice but to treat them with special consideration. What kind of person could that be? Was this person someone so remarkable that it was worth drawing favor, a young warrior with a promising future, or perhaps an unpredictable explosive force that one couldn''t take their eyes off?


    Whichever it was,


    "Sounds interesting, I''m curious now! I''ll go take a look at the training ground for a bit!"


    Omoshiro-sou da na, kyoumi ga waita! Sukoshi shuuren-ba no yousu o mite kuru zo!


    For Elisha as well, it was a subject that piqued her curiosity. She couldn''t stand still and immediately left the lecture hall.


    "...Looks like the next lecture is a lost cause as well, I suppose."


    ...Kore wa tsugi no go-kougi mo dame mitai desu ne.


    The words, mixed with a sigh, spoken behind her, didn''t reach her ears.


    ~~~


    A day had passed since the summoning, and Erimiya Yuuto, also known as the Hero Yuuto Erimiya, was still in a state of confusion. Naturally so, considering that he had been suddenly transported to another world and then asked, "You are the hero. To save this world, please fight and defeat the Demon King," and had promptly epted without a second thought. Of course, he was an ordinary boy, as recognized by himself and others, and his personality was far from being such a rare exception.


    (No matter if its such a cute girls request, whats impossible is still impossible.)


    (Ikura kawaii onna no ko no tanomi darou to, muri na mon wa muri daro.)


    Shaking his head lightly, as if trying to shake off the lingering soft sensation on his lips, he thought about it. Even though it was part of the ritual of their contract, she had been his first kiss. But, it was just impossible for him. After all, he was being asked to risk his life in battle for and and people he had no connection to whatsoever. The value of a delicate maiden''s lips was certainly significant, but demanding one''s life in return for it was quite an extreme deal.


    (Though she probably doesn''t realize she''s doing something like that from her perspective...)


    (Mukou to shicha, sonna koto o shite iru tte jikaku wa nain darou keredo)


    He recalled the demeanor of the girl who had summoned him to this world, Irmae. Because he had responded to her summonsat least, from her point of viewshe seemed to have a one-sided affection for him. When he once called her Irmae-san,


    "Please don''t be so formal, Yuuto-sama. Please feel free to address me casually."


    Sono you ni go kenjou nasaranaide kudasaimase, Yuuto-sama. Watashi no koto wa dou ka kiyasuku o-yobisute kudasai.


    "No, it feels a bit presumptuous..."


    Iya, sore mo nandaka oohei na kanji ga shite


    "Then, if you are okay with it, how about calling me Irma as a nickname?"


    De wa, anata-sama ga yoroshikereba, Iruma to aishou de oyobi ni narareru no wa ikaga deshou ka?


    Such a conversation was a first for him, being asked by a girl to use a nickname. In any case, being treated with such respect made him feel somewhat ufortable. It dulled his desire to pursue the matter of being abruptly kidnapped to another world. Thoughts like, "If she''s doing this intentionally, she''s quite the cunning woman," also crossed his mind.


    "What''s the matter, Yuuto-sama?"


    Dou nasaremashita, Yuuto-sama?


    Being addressed by the person walking ahead of him, Yuuto felt a bit embarrassed.


    "No, it''s nothing, Irma."


    Iya, nan demo nai yo Iruma.


    "I see. Hehe, it''s nice that you''re calling me by that name."


    Sou desu ka. Fufu, chanto sono na de watashi o yonde kudasaru no desu ne.


    Even though she was only being called with a nickname, Irmae paced, unsure of what made her happy. Yuuto was currently being guided by her through the interior of a building called the Grand Cathedral of Omnia. Therge stone church, resembling European cathedrals in some ways and featuring elements reminiscent of Imic mosques, had an architecture that seemed to blend various styles. As a normal highschool student, he had no deep knowledge about it, but there were also elements that vaguely reminded him of Jewish synagogues. In essence, it was a structure where the images of monotheistic religious churches and their characteristics had been somewhat mixed and confused.


    "It''s said that this Grand Cathedral has undergone multiple renovations and expansions over the thousand-year history of the Holy King''s Teachings. As a result, architectural styles from different eras have mixed in, giving each section its own distinctive features."


    Kono dai-seidou wa, seiou kyou issen-nen no rekishi no naka de, nando mo kaichiku to kakujuu o kurikaeshita no da sou desu. Sono eikyou ka, jidai-goto no kenchiku youshiki ga hairi majitte, kukaku-goto no tokushoku ni natte iru no da to ka.


    Irmae exined, seemingly anticipating Yuuto''s impression.


    "It might be a bit confusing if you''re not used to it, but it can also serve asndmarks when you walk through the spacious interior, you know?"


    Narenai to tomadowareru kamo shiremasen ga, gyaku ni hiroi naibu o aruku toki no mejirushi ni mo naru no desu yo.


    "H- Hmm..."


    Fu- fuun


    Yuuto could only respond with a nonmittal grunt. Even though she mentioned these details, he had no knowledge or interest in architecture or religious studies. He acknowledged that it was a solemn religious facility with a valuable historical heritage, but he couldn''t summon any deeper emotions. He was a modern teenager who wasn''t particrly devout. If he were to encounter excessively fervent faith, he suspected that he would feel a sense of skepticism mixed with preconceived notions before experiencing awe or repentance.


    Of course, in his current situation, surrounded by priests and nuns, he didn''t have the courage to voice any of these thoughts.


    "Ah, we''ve arrived. This way."


    A, tsukimashita. Kochira desu.


    Irmae had brought him to the outskirts of the eastern side of the cathedral. The sky was visible overhead as there was no ceiling, but it was an area surrounded by high stone walls, more like a sparse, open space with exposedpacted earth than a garden. To call it a garden would be misleading. It resembled arge area, with the ground packed solid underfoot. It was roughly equivalent in size to a small sports field or a school gymnasium that he was familiar witha ce designed for physical activity, with all other elements stripped away.


    "What''s this ce?"


    Koko wa?


    "This is the training ground where the members of the Holy Knights Order conduct their regr training. Today, you are scheduled to meet the Holy Knights Commander here."


    Seikishi-dan no katagata ga, higoro no kunren o okonau tame no renshuu-ba desu. Kyou wa koko de, seikishi danchou-sama to o-ai ni natte itadaku koto ni natte orimasu.


    Upon hearing that, Yuuto had a bad feeling.


    (Why would they choose a training ground as the ce to meet?)


    (Nande au tame no basho ga kunren suru tokoro nanda?)


    If it was just for a meeting and conversation, an indoor location should have sufficed. Why would they specifically opt for a knights'' training ground?


    However, before he could delve deeper into this thought,


    It is a pleasure to meet you, Hero-dono.


    O-hatsu o-me ni kakaru, Yuusha-dono.


    A burly man with a robust presence appeared from a different entrance than the one they had entered through.


    He was big, square, and heftythose were the immediate impressions he gave. He resembled solidified rock, with a heavily muscr physique. He wore a simple white robe, and one could barely discern any clerical motifs, giving the impression that he might be a martial artist rather than a clergyman.


    The giant approached them with heavy, earth-shaking footsteps and knelt down, cing his right palm over his left fist.


    "I am Gianfranco Paolo Phantony, the Commander of the Omnia Empire''s Holy Knights Order, and one who holds the rank of Cardinal in the Holy King Church. I am grateful for the privilege of being in your presence, guided by the benevolence of the Lord on High."


    Sessou, Omunia-koukoku seikishi danchou no nin to, seiou kyoukai suukikyou no i o azukaru mono dearimasu. Na o Janfuranko paoro fantni to mousu. Tenjou no aruji no o-michibiki ni yori onmi no chiguu o erareta koto e, kansha o.


    Despite not being a loud or threatening tone, it was a deep bass that seemed to resonate in his abdomen, causing Yuuto''s stomach to churn. If the other hadn''t offered a greeting, Yuuto would probably have fled without a second thought.


    He swallowed hard, uncertain about how to respond. Given that the man had introduced himself, it was only natural for Yuuto to return the courtesy. But in a situation where the other person was being so humble, how should he respond? Should he kneel down like the other, with both knees on the ground? However, the bear-like man who introduced himself as Phantony seemed to be humbling himself. Would it be okay to salute him properly, or would that be a mistake? Yuuto didn''t know what the correct approach was. As a boy who was a member of the ser club, which ced him on the athletic side of things, Yuuto felt that it was customary to bow his head to the older and superior man who had that intimidating appearance, but


    Irmae prodded his rigid back with her slender fingers.


    "Don''t worry. I think it''s fine to approach this in your usual way, Yuuto-sama. After all, you''re a hero who hase from another world."


    O-ki o raku ni. Yuuto-sama no fudan nasatte iru yarikata de daijoubu da to omoimasu. Yuusha to wa ikai no ji yori okoshi no kata na no desu kara.


    Her advice was almost whispered, reassuring him that he didn''t need to force himself to conform to the other''s manner. Relieved by her words, Yuuto rxed, offering a slight bow.


    "Uh, nice to meet you. I''m Yuto Erimiya. Um, I guess I''m supposed to be a hero."


    Do, doumo. Yuuto Erimiya desu. Eetto, nanka yuusha rashii desu.


    He added a slight gesture, cing his hands together like when one prays to a Buddha statue. It was partly due to the solemnity of the Holy Knights Commander, which reminded him of guardian deity statues or sumo wrestlers.


    After precisely three seconds from Yuuto''s greeting, Phantony straightened up, brushed off the dust from the hem of his robe, and then faced Yuuto again.


    "I am deeply grateful for your prompt response to this sudden summon."


    Kotabi wa kyuu na meshiyose ni o-kotae itadaki, makoto ni arigataku zonzuru.


    "Uh-huh"


    Haa.


    Yuto didn''t really respond, only because Irmae had called him, so he merely did as she said without knowing anything. However, he wasn''t the kind of person who could easily bring that topic up in front of such an intimidating figure, when the person in question was right by his side.


    Whether the big man before him knew this or not, he continued without cracking a smile.


    "It has been a night since your summoning. How are you doing? Though I can understand that being summoned to an unfamiliar world can be bewildering."


    Shoukan yori hitoban tatta ga, ikaga ka na? Mishiranu sekai e yobidasare, tomadowareru koto mo ooi no dewa nai ka to zonjiageru ga.


    "Well, everyone has been very kind, so it''s not that harsh..."


    Iya, mina-san yoku shite kudasattemasunde, sonna ni wa


    Of course, its just ttery. There weren''t many students who could remain unfazed after being abducted to another world. The dinnercked meat and sufficient seasoning, resulting in a rather nd taste, which made him dissatisfied. In the end, he had left about half of his meal untouched. However, it could also be attributed to the mental exhaustion from adapting to an unfamiliar environment, which might have affected his appetite. He hadn''t been able to take a proper bath, and the toilet was inconvenient and dirty. It was a relief that the bed had a luxurious canopy and was so fluffy that you could sink into it, but his eyes were so clearst night that he hadn''t been able to fully enjoy itsfort. It wasn''t that he was being mistreated. He could clearly feel that the people around him were considerate of his needs. This made him realize once again how blessed he had been to live in 21st-century Japan.


    Whether he sensed Yuutos hidden frustration, Phantony shed his eyes.


    "No need for restraint. Since we all rely on your power, if you have any requests, feel free to ask without hesitation."


    Enryo wa muyou. Warera wa mina, kiden no o-chikara o kariukeru mono de arimasu yue. Go shomou no mono ga araba, kitan naku youkyuu sarete mo kekkou.


    "Huh? Then, what if I say I want to take a bath?"


    E? Sore jaa, furo ni hairitai to itte mo?


    "Understood. I''ll make preparations for today right away. Of course, it won''t be every day, if its just once every three days, theres no problem."


    Ryoukai shita. Sassoku kyou no bun no junbi o saseyou. Muron, mainichi to iu wake ni wa ikanu ga, mikka ni ichido to itta teido de areba.


    "As for the meals, I''d be happier with a bit more meat. Also, I prefer rice over bread. And I think I want more spices..."


    Shokuji no hou nanda kedo, mou sukoshi niku ga ooi to ureshii desu. Ato, pan yori mo kome no hou ga. Koushinryou mo, mou sukoshi hoshii kamo


    "We can arrange for meat and rice immediately. However, when ites to spices... since they are primarily produced in a different continent, it might be difficult. There are also things that cant be helped with only budget."


    Niku to kome wa sugu ni demo tehai o. Ga, koushinryou wa itairiku ga omo na sanchi dearu yue, muzukashii ya mo shirenu na. Yosan dake dewa dou ni mo naranu koto mo aru.


    Surprisingly, as he voiced hisints and desires, he was met with understanding. Despite his humble appearance, the person before him had a dignified demeanor and treated him with great respect. What Yuuto felt there was not joy or satisfaction but rather anxiety and fear.


    (They''re going to this extent for someone like me, who just appeared out of nowhere... It''s not just Irma. All of these people seem genuinely intent on treating me as a hero.)


    (Pottode no ore o aite ni, soko made suru no ka yo Iruma dake janakatta. Kono hito-tachi zen''in, honki de ore no koto o yuusha to shite atsukau ki de iyagaru.)


    For what felt like the umpteenth time since arriving here, he swallowed hard and felt a lump in his throat. He seemed to have been led down a one-way path, with no escape or excuses, in the form of this generous treatment. It was as if in a ser game, he was given the ball but continuously had his passing options closed down by the opponent''s press. Or perhaps, it was like being made to shoot the ball right where the enemy wanted when facing the goalkeeper. The fact that his opponent wasn''t aggressively cornering him added an extrayer of unease.


    "So, what if... I said I wanted to go back to my original world?"


    Sore jaa, moshi ore ga moto no sekai ni kaeritai, tte ittara?


    With determination, he voiced the crucial request. Last night, amidst the confusion of being summoned and the unfamiliar surroundings, he hadn''t been able to bring himself to say these words. He sensed a slight tremor from Irmae, who was standing nearby.


    Yuuto stared intently at Phantony''s face, waiting for a response. He was summoned to another world as a hero to defeat the Demon King. But what happens after he fulfills that purpose? No, depending on the circumstances, one might even refuse to fight immediately after being summoned, arguing that they haven''t heard about it. If Yuuto were to say something like that, what would Phantony do?


    Summoning him was one thing, but itd still be better if they turned their backs on him, saying that he wasn''t worthy of being a hero. At worst, to avoid admitting the mistake of summoning an unsuitable hero, they might even kill him.


    While he didn''t want to provoke such an extreme reaction, the situation was what it was. He felt that leaving this part unaddressed and being carried away by the circumstances could be even more dangerous.


    "If you desire to return, then you may return."


    Kaeritai to nozomareru naraba, kaerareru ga yokarou.


    "...Huh?"


    ...E?


    He was taken aback by the unexpected response. However, right after that,


    "Of course, it''s about what happens after you defeat the Demon King."


    Muron, onmi ga maou o datou shita nochi no koto dearu ga.


    With that statement, his hopes of returning dwindled.


    Disappointment and frustration caused Yuuto''s body to stagger slightly. However, his frustration wasn''t directed at Phantony, who had skillfully chosen his words.


    (Idiot! Of course, they would want to assess me as well!)


    (Manuke! Mukou datte khi o misadameyou to shite iru no wa, atarimae darou ga!)


    His frustration was directed at himself for behaving as if he could easily see through someone as perceptive as Phantony. Despite his stern appearance, he was undoubtedly over twenty years older and had ample interpersonal experience. He held grand titles like the Commander of the Holy Knights or the Cardinal. There was no way such an adult would be so carefree as to readily open up to a student barely half his age, especially someone he had just met today. He should have assumed that this man was sizing Erimiya Yuuto, the brat that was summoned as hero, up. In this manner, he unintentionally revealed the extent of his desire to return, which was his greatest hope.


    Turning towards Yuuto, who was gnashing his teeth in regret, the imposing giant calmly spoke.


    "The summoning of a hero is a grand ritual that requires immense magical power. It''s not something that can be done repeatedly within a short period. The return to your original world is simrly limited. ...However, there is a loophole that involves using the magical energy obtained from the defeated Demon King. Therefore, if you wish to return, defeating the Demon King is the quickest way, in my opinion."


    Yuusha shoukan wa bakudai na houriki o mochiiru dai gishiki. Tanjijitsu no uchi ni, sou nando mo okonaeru koto dewa nai. Moto no sekai e to onmi o kaesu soukan mo mata douyou Ga, kochira ni wa taoshita maou kara kangen sareru maryoku o tsukau to iu, nukemichi ga aru. Sore yue ni, kikan o negawareru no de areba maou o taosu koto ga nani yori no chikamichi to zonjiru.


    He stated this without any embarrassment. In the end, his argument remained the same: if you want to return to Japan, defeat the Demon King. The young boy thought bitterly.


    "...Why me?"


    ...Nande, ore nanda?


    He muttered with a tone that abandoned the unfamiliar politenguage.


    "Why, you ask?"


    Naze, to wa?


    "Because isnt it strange... I''m just a student who has never fought before, I''m not even a resident of this world. So why was I summoned and forced to fight as a hero!?"


    Datte, okashii daro ore wa tada no gakusei de, tatakatta koto mo nakute, sore dokoroka kono sekai no ningen demo nai janai ka. Nanoni doushite, wazawaza yobidasarete, yuusha to shite tatakawanakya naranain da!?


    Finally, his voice grew so loud that it reached the point of shouting.


    A day had passed, and the initial confusion had given way to frustration. Trying to calm himself and make sense of his emotions and situation had only made the current irrationality of it all even more infuriating. Another world? Summoning? A hero? What was all that, and why him? It was true that his life in Japan had been mundane, with no clear goals. He had longed for something new and exciting in his daily routine. However, that desire was to fill the gaps in his life. It was not a desire to throw away everything that had defined him up to that point, let alone to make such a reckless pact. No, absolutely not. Why would he, Erimiya Yuuto, be forced into such an unreasonable contract? What''s up with the Holy King? Even the devil would have offered him a more reasonable contract. His frustration and pent-up anger exploded during his first meeting with the seemingly know-it-all adult, Phantony.


    "That... is because Yuuto-sama was chosen by the guidance of the Holy King"


    So, sore wa Yuuto-sama ga Seiou-sama no o-michibiki ni yotte


    "Stop right there."


    Tomesu ga ii.


    Phantony interrupted Irmae, who had spoken with an almost desperate tone, by raising his thick palm.


    "Why you were chosen as the hero. We want to know that just as much."


    Doushite onmi ga yuusha to erabareta ka. Sore o shiritai to negatte iru no wa kochira mo onaji koto.


    As he spoke, he turned on his heel and headed towards the wall of the training ground. There, he effortlessly lifted a sword that seemed to be for training, with a casual grip.


    "Originally, a hero is not necessarily someone strong enough to defeat the Demon King right after being summoned. It''s through daily training and battles with monsters that one gains strength. I''ve called you here today to start your training, but"


    Moto yori, yuusha to wa shoukan chokugo kara maou ni uchikateru hodo no tsuwamono to iu wake dewa aranu. Hibi no tanren, soshite mamono-domo to no tatakai ni yotte, chikara o tsukete iku mono. Kyou o tanren no hajime to iu tsumori de o-yobi shita nodaga


    With a free hand, he gestured towards Yuuto.


    "If you''re feeling frustrated, it might be just right. I''ve also called you here to assess your abilities, so it''s also a way to vent your frustrations."


    Funman yaru hou nai to araba choudo ii. Sessou mo onmi o hakarasete itadaku yue, usabarashi mo ke mairareyo.


    In essence, it seemed like he wanted to have a match right there.


    "...Are you saying that this time, you''ll resort to violence instead of words?"


    ...Kondo wa, kotoba dake janaku bouryoku ni uttaeyou tte iu no ka?


    "N-No, His Excellency, the Commander of the Holy Knights, is not that kind of person."


    Se, seikishi danchou-geika wa sono you na kata dewa arimasen.


    "Its fine, Irmae-dono... If you''re so afraid of me, how about we impose some restrictions on myself? In this match, I''ll only use my non-dominant side."


    Yoi, Irumaerra-dono Sonna ni mo sessou ga kowai to iu no nara, kono mi ni seiyaku o kasou dewa nai ka. Kochira wa kono shoubu, kesshite kikiude dewa nai soba shika tsukawan.


    He said as he switched the grip on the sword to his left hand.


    That wasn''t the issue at all. Without sufficient understanding, Yuuto had been brought to this Itucera continent, or whatever it was called, to be dered a hero and forced into battling this so-called Demon King. What he was frustrated about was why he had been chosen as a hero in the first ce. On top of that, they want to know why he was chosen as a hero? Making him fight because they want to measure his strength? What was that all about? It was insulting beyond words. He had no desire for violent conflicts like fighting or killing.


    "But that doesn''t mean I"


    Dakara tte, ore ni sonna tsumori wa


    "If you''re going to say you''re frightened, that''s fine too."


    Kowa kidzuita to mousareru nara, sore wa sore de kekkou.


    For the first time, there was a change on Phantony''s usually stern face. It was a smile. A smirk, a condescending and mocking grin.


    "I have no intention of forcing someone without courage to be a hero. We can consider this summoning a mistake and you can go on living, perhaps making a meager living in themon folk. You don''t have to worry. Aiding the weak is also a teaching of the Holy King''s faith, and Irmae-dono here is apassionate woman in that regard."


    Isamu naki mono o yuusha to, muri ni matsuriageru tsumori wa nai. Shoukan wa nanika no techigai to iu koto ni shite, onmi ni wa shisei de sutebuchi demo morai nagara ikite moraou. Nani, ki ni suru koto wanai. Jakusha kyuusai mo seiou kyou no oshie dearu shi, soko no Irumaerra-dono wa jihibukai josei de mo aru.


    <i>If you don''t want to fight and you''re a coward whocks the spirit to take on a challenge even with a handicap, there''s nothing more to be done. Like a feeble coward who hides under a woman''s skirt, go on pretending you can''t do anything...</i>


    It was a tant provocation. The intent to anger him was crystal clear. Responding to such a trivial taunt would be beyond foolish.


    "Don''t screw around, old man...!"


    Fuzakeru na yo, ossan!


    Then, its fine if I am a fool, Yuuto thought.


    He had been abducted, burdened with a dangerous role, and now, if he couldn''t perform it, he was being scorned as a coward. This was the height of unfairness. Someone who pulled such nonsense and wore a carefree expression while doing so was not worthy of forgiveness. This was the first time in his seventeen years of life that he had been so infuriated by someone.


    "Fine, if you like violence that much, I''ll y along till you get sick of it...!"


    Ii ze. Sonna ni bouryoku ga o-konomi nara, ore ga iya tte hodo furumatte yaru!


    "Well said."


    Zenzai.


    Seeing Yuuto had picked up his provocation, Phantony grinned fiercely. As much as Yuuto hated it, things were going just as the man had nned. However, there was no guarantee that it would stay that way to the end.


    (...I''ll definitely make him sorry.)


    (...Zettai, hoezura kakasete yaru.)


    Yuuto thought, filled with seething anger, as he prepared to face his first battle as a so-called hero.


    ~~~


    TL Note:


    And that was the end of part 1


    Since this chapter is very long Ill divide it into parts (I was very reluctant to do this, tho). And Im very sorry I took quite a long time because of 12th-graders business. Study, mock exams, and the likes.


    Also this chapter was brought to you by my patrons, Sier, McConnaheyhey, TheHunt3r Gaming, and Viks. Thank you guys!


    Join my patreon to read the advanced chapters and help me release faster~

 Chapter 78: The Foreigner (2)

    Chapter 78: The Foreigner (2)


    "Um, Yuuto-sama? Your frustration ispletely understandable, but perhaps His Eminence also has something in mind"


    Ano, Yuuto-sama? O-okori wa go mottomo desu ga, geika ni mo nanika go-kangae ga


    Which side are you on? With such thoughts in mind, he ignored Irmae, who called out to him in a scolding manner. Yuuto started some light stretching to prepare for the match.


    At the same time, he pondered. When it came to which side Irmae was on, it was undoubtedly the other. She was the one who had conducted the hero summoning ritual and held a high position within the Holy King Church. While she appeared empathetic toward Yuuto, her alignment was clearly more in line with Phantony.


    With growing frustration and a rough manner, Yuuto also retrieved a weapon that had been provided on the wall. As he took the weapon into his hand, he began to understand. Phantony, the giant, had been casually holding his weapon with one hand, but this sword was originally meant to be wielded with both hands. It was oversized for a one-handed grip, both in terms of bnce and for effective swings.


    Simultaneously, he thought,


    (What? It''s lighter than I expected.)


    (Nanda. Omotte ita yori karui na.)


    Contrary to its heavy appearance, the weapon felt surprisingly light in his hand, which left him somewhat dumbfounded. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that the tip and edges of the de were rounded, suggesting that it wouldn''t be very sharp. It was likely a training sword or something of the sort. So that''s why it felt so light, huh, he thought.


    "Are you ready?"


    Junbi wa yoroshii ka?


    "Yeah."


    Aa.


    With his sword hanging casually and his weight leaning to the left, Phantony stood nonchntly, holding his weapon upright. Yuuto faced him, attempting to mimic a stance he had seen in historical dramas. As Phantony observed Yuuto''s posture, he let out a conspicuous sigh.


    "...When wielding a sword with both hands, it''s best to keep your fists apart. If they''re too close together, it will slow your reaction time and weaken your arm strength."


    ...Ken o ryoute mochi suru toki wa, kobushi doushi o hanasu no ga yoroshikarou. Sonna ni kuttsukete ite wa, kaeshi ga okureru shi ude no chikara mo hairanu.


    "S-shut up! This is how I do things!"


    U, urusai na! Kore ga ore no yarikata nanda yo!


    Although he retorted, Yuuto secretly marveled at his opponent''s advice. So thats why he felt some stiffness lingering in his shoulders. He should have chosen kendo as a martial art of choice for his physical education instead if he had known, that feeling of regret appearedte. He remembered he hated the reused, sweat-soaked protective gear, so he opted for judo instead because he is used to ser when ites to physical confrontations. But it seemed that choice hade back to haunt him now, in this ce.


    "Well, fine. Then, let me see your way of doing things, Hero-dono... Begin!!"


    Maa, yoi. Dewa, yuusha-dono no yarikata o misete moraou ka Hajimei!!


    For the first time, Phantony raised his voice. It was a thunderous shout that could not only be heard but also felt throughout his entire body, causing not only his eardrums to ring but also his skin to tingle. For an ordinary teenager like Yuuto, it would have been unbearable without being driven by anger. In fact, just standing about five meters apart from each other, he couldn''t stop sweating. Even though it was just a lightweight training sword, he was facing a human holding a weapon-shaped object. The situation was putting immense pressure on him, much more than he had anticipated.


    Yuuto didn''t move. No, he couldn''t move. The moment he took a step forward, he could envision the massive, bear-like figure leaping toward him.


    For a while after the starting signal, time seemed to stand still. Ten seconds? Thirty seconds? Maybe even a minute had passed. Eventually, Phantony casually spoke up.


    "Aren''t you going to make a move?"


    Mairarenu no ka?


    "It''s my show of respect for your handicap. Ill let you take the initiative."


    Hande no rei da. Sente wa yuzuru yo.


    It''s a lie. Yuuto''s aim was a counter, which, unintentionally, was simr to the concept of "Go no Sen" in Kendo, a martial art he wasn''t familiar with.


    In sports, not just martial arts but in general, seizing the initiative by taking the first move was usually a tactic used by advanced practitioners. It was because making a move often disrupted one''s stance or formation, creating openings. So, it was challenging to avoid your opponent''s attack and win decisively in one swift move. On the other hand, counterattacking was often considered a strategy for weaker individuals. It involved focusing on defense during a match, waiting for the opponent''s move, and then striking when the right moment came. It was rtively less physically demanding as it didn''t require maintaining an advantage throughout the match. This strategy was especially effective in sports where a single point or strike could change the oue dramatically, such as ser (where scoring a goal could turn the tide) or tennis. Kendo, a sport where the match could be won with a single decisive strike, was no different.


    Of course, this was a strategy that even an amateur would think of when using a sword for the first time. Someone with the title of Holy Knights Commander, like Phantony, should have been well aware of it. However, he didnt banter and spoke seriously.


    "That''s the spirit. Well thenhere Ie!!"


    Sono iki ya yoshi. De wa aratametemairu!!


    Without further ado, the giant''s left foot exploded with extraordinary strength. The overwhelming power from his leg smashed into the ground, creating a cloud of dust.


    (S-so fa!?)


    (Ha, haya!?)


    In a rocket-like eleration, the massive man charged at him, which took Yuuto by surprise. It was expected that he would have incredible explosive power, but the speed of this burst was far beyond what he had anticipated. Counterattacking under these circumstances seemed risky.


    A powerful horizontal swing. Yuuto crouched to avoid it, and right after, he heard an unnerving heavy whooshing sound pass overhead. A few strands of his ck hair fell in front of his face. He had been grazed. With a deless mock sword, the power of this strike was astonishing. It made Yuuto wonder if Phantony was using the same weapon or not; such awe-inspiring strength was on disy. He couldn''t help but be filled with questions.


    However,


    "Openingg!!"


    Suki arii!!


    The onught and the force of the sword were tremendous, but they proved counterproductive. Phantony''s massive body passed Yuuto as his momentum carried him forward, leaving his back exposed as he nted his left foot on the ground. The sword in his hand was entirely swung, and its return was dyed. In other words, he was vulnerable. Given the difference in body size, agility would favor Yuuto in this situation. If he turned around and delivered a blow, it would undoubtedlynd.


    Yuuto''s overhead strike. His opponent remained showing his back. Its decided


    "Close but not quite."


    Oshii.


    Normally that would be the case. However,


    "...Huh?"


    ...Ha?


    A heavy, dull sh of metal against metal resounded, and before Yuuto''s eyes, his swung sword was intercepted in mid-air by another sword, right in front of the enemy''s back.


    Phantony, with his left arm, had managed to bring his sword behind him and precisely block Yuuto''s strike over his shoulder. What was terrifying was that he didn''t even nce back at his opponent, as if he had eyes in the back of his head or had foreseen Yuuto''s sword path from the beginning. In any case, it was an incredible disy of skill and prediction. What was the point of relying on sheer force earlier? It was as if he had been strumming a shamisen while someone else yed the tune. If he couldn''t dodge and counter an attack of this level, then there was no point in continuing the match. This strike was only a test.


    The pinnacle of martial prowess on Omnia, or rather, on the Itucera Continent, the Commander of the Holy Knights Order, Gianfranco Paolo Phantony, could not be so thoughtless as to rely solely on his physique and strength.


    "That''s why I mentioned earlier that you should separate your fists when gripping the sword. When your shoulders hunch up, it narrows the range of your sword''s path. Therefore, it''s quite easy to predict. Also, because you''re not putting enough strength into it, this awkward stance, with just one left arm, is more than enough to encounter."


    Dakara saki hodo, ken no nigiri wa ryou-ken o hanasu beki to moushita dearou. Kata ga chijikomari tachisuji no han''i mo sebamaru. Yue ni shigoku yomi yasui. Chikara mo komoranu kara, kono muri na taisei, hidari ude ippon demo juubun taeuru.


    "This guy...!"


    Koitsu!


    "Your transitions are also too slow. Engaging in guard shes with an opponent who surpasses you in strength is the height of foolishness. If you can''t finish off your enemy in a single strike, there''s no need to cling to it. Simply return your sword and prepare for the next move."


    Kirikae mo osoi. Wanryoku ni masaru aite to tsubaseriai o tsuzukeru nado, gu no kotchou. Teki o shitome rarenanda ichigeki ni miren nado nokosazu, sunao ni ken o modoshite tsugi no te o utsu ga yokarou.


    With these words, he turned and pushed Yuuto''s body back through their exchanged sword locks. As if effortlessly moving a ssroom desk aside during cleaning, he easily pushed back the weight of a single person. Unable to resist, Yuuto took several steps back, creating distance... or rather, it was forced upon him. He had been given the respite to prepare for the next move.


    "Don''t... underestimate meeee!"


    Na, namerunaaaaaaa!


    With a spirited yell, Yuuto delivered the next strike as the big man wished. Phantony still kept his sword hanging towards the ground and did not assume a stance. He silently asserted that there was no need for it.


    "Ooh, you''ve adjusted your grip, huh."


    Hoo, nigiri wa naosareta ka.


    While it irked him to follow the advice of a detested opponent, Yuuto had indeed let go of his fist from the hilt as instructed. It allowed for a bit more freedom in his shoulders, and he understood how the left hand that he had added acted as a fulcrum to increase the power. However, the second strike, sharper than the first, was still effortlessly defended against.


    "But this time, your upper body is too tense. The power shoulde from your legs and lower back. Rx your shoulders, elbows, and wrists even more. That way, you''ll gain more speed."


    Ga, kondo wa joutai ga rikimi sugite iru. Chikara o ireru no wa ashikoshi da. Kata, hiji, tekubi wa mushiro datsuryoku shite shinayaka ni. Sono hou ga sokudo ga noru.


    "Shut, uupppp!"


    Uru, seeeeee!


    "Another high strike. Your offense is too one-dimensional. You should use different techniques like shing, sweeping, and thrusting depending on the situation."


    Mata joudan ka. Seme-te ga ippentou da na. Kiru nomi dewa naku, joukyou ni oujite, nagu, harau, tsuku to tsukai wakeru beki ka to.


    Three, four, five, six


    He stopped counting beyond seven. Every strike was with a sword that seemed to be swung carelessly, received, deflected, or blocked. It felt like a bad dream. Reluctantly, Yuuto had followed the advice given to him as his attacks progressed, far surpassing the clumsy initial strike in terms of speed, sharpness, weight, and even the variety of attack methods. It was hard to believe that all of this was being executed by the same human being.


    However, despite all this,


    "Your feet are nted. Move around more. Because you''re smaller than I am, it''s best to use your agility to find openings."


    Ashi ga tomatte oru zo. Motto ugokimawarareru ga yoi. Onmi wa sessou yori kogara dearu yue, komawari o ikashite kangeki o ukagau no ga tokusaku dearu.


    (D-dont joke with me, this bastard...!)


    (Fu, fuzakenna yo, kono yarou!)


    Yuuto was breathing heavily through his nose, baring his teeth. His expression seemed to be fiercely suppressing something deep inside. However, the emotion he was holding back wasn''t anger. If it were, there would be no need to hide it and he could express it freely. What he was feeling was a stronger sense of fear.


    (In the meantime... you aren''t following a single thing you say, are you!?)


    (Sou iu anta wa itte iru koto o nani hitotsu mamotte iya shinai janai ka!?)


    Yuuto''s frustration with Phantony''s contradictory actions was building. The man''s sword, in stark contrast to his precise advice, was something else entirely.


    You should hold the sword with both hands, he said, but he only held it with his left.


    Use your lower body, not your upper body, he advised, but he was clearly relying on his shoulders and arms.


    Don''t stick to one type of attack, he rmended, but he had been using the same charging strike repeatedly.


    Move around more with your legs, he suggested, but he was standing still except for his attack steps.


    This man seemed to be an eloquent half-knowledgeable expert, but the opposite was true. Hepletely disregarded all the irond rules of swordsmanship he should have learned throughout his life. Despite that, he continued to read Yuuto''s attacks, avoid them, and engage without taking a single hit on himself, all with minimal movements and actions. He provided advice suitable for improving the opponent''s skill, apanied by an extra serving of ignoring all that advice.


    It was like watching an adult dealing with a yful baby or a small animal. It didn''t even seem like he was facing the same human being. Yuuto had been told to fight the Demon King as the Hero, but as far as he knew, the most Demon King-like entity he had ever seen was the monster he was currently facing.


    He couldn''t win. In fact, he didn''t even feel like he couldnd a hit.


    In that moment, something inside the boy snapped.


    "Uaaaaaaaarghhhh!!"


    Uaaaaaaaaaaaa!!


    "Huh?"


    Nu?


    For the first time during this match, Phantony''s eyes widened in surprise. Not because Yuuto had delivered an incredible move at thest moment. On the contrary, it was the worst move he had ever made, and he swung the sword with a recklessness that ignored the advice regarding the grip. It was like passing through a set hurdle rather than oveing it.


    Nevertheless, Phantony''s reaction was slightly dyed due to the unexpectedness of the situation. As a result, his response was different from what he had anticipated He shifted his weight to his right foot while deflecting Yuuto''s reckless swing.


    Yuuto, on the other hand, swung his sword in an unreasonable position, and as the vector of the sword was swept away, he fell towards Phantony''s back as if brushing against him. He collided face-first with the ground, unlike the fall he had experienced the previous day. It tasted like blood and soil.


    "Yuuto-sama!"


    Irmae, who should have been watching from a position where the sword couldn''t reach, rushed over with a concerned expression. Yuuto didn''t move. It wasn''t because he had hit his head or had nosebleeds. During that brief moment of passing by, he had realized something.


    As they brushed past each other, Phantony had tilted his body to the right to block Yuuto''s attack and briefly disyed an expression. Wasn''t that expression caused by guilt? So, what was the real reason for his guilt? Was it because Yuuto had gotten injured like this? No, that wasn''t it. Even though Phantony hadn''t used any technique, his attack had been forceful enough that if it hadnded, Yuuto would have been injured for sure. It was a strike strong enough to cut hair with a deless sword. If it had hit directly without being avoided, a fracture would have been almost certain.


    "Th-This is bad! There''s blood... I''ll heal you right now, okay!? Heal!"


    Ta, taihen desu, chi ga ima naoshimasu kara ne!? Hru!


    In addition, as Irmae was doing, it seemed that there were healing magic spells in this world capable of instantly treating injuries. So, there should be even less guilt involved.


    Now, as for the true reason behind Phantony''s guilt...


    "...Right foot."


    ...Migi ashi.


    "Huh? Did you injure your right foot too? I-is it a sprain!?"


    E? Migiashi ni mo o-kega o? Ne, nenza deshou ka!?


    Ignoring the nonsensical response from the girl who had muttered, the young man got up and directed his gaze back towards the giant. However, there was no longer any fighting spirit in his eyes. Instead, what was there was a sense of defeat and fear. It wasn''t the fear of violence; it was the fear of acknowledging the truth he had just realized.


    "You, for the first time, you used your right foot just now, right? You put some weight on it just a little, though."


    Anta, ima hajimete migiashi o tsukatta yo na? Honno sukoshi, taijuu o kaketa kurai datta kedo.


    "Huh?"


    E?


    "..."


    Phantony didn''t deny it.


    "Looking back, something was off from the beginning. Your first attack when the match started You kicked the ground with your left foot, and even after that, younded on your left foot. Doesn''t that sound absurd? Normally, when you kick off with your left foot, the right footes next. The kicking leg swings back, and the other onees forward."


    Omoi kaeseba, saisho kkara okashikatta nda. Anta wa shiai ga hajimatte saisho no ichigeki jikusoku datta hazu no hidari ashi de jimen o kette, sonogo mo hidariashi de chakuchi shite ita. Bakagete iru yo na? Futsuu, hidari ashi de fumikittara tsugi ni jimen ni tsuku no wa migi ashi daro. Keri ashi ga ushiro ni mawatte, gyaku ni shi ga mae ni deru nda kara na.


    "..."


    Phantony didn''t deny it.


    "...Why did you do that?"


    ...Nande, sonna koto o shita?


    "It was part of the initial agreement, thats why."


    Sore ga saisho no yakujou dearu kara na.


    Phantony affirmed Yuuto''s spection, a spection that he had hoped would be wrong.


    "...If you''re so afraid of me, how about we impose some restrictions on myself? In this match, I''ll only use my non-dominant side."


    ...Sonna ni mo sessou ga kowai to iu no nara, kono mi ni seiyaku o kasou dewa nai ka. Kochira wa kono shoubu, kesshite kikiude dewa nai soba shika tsukawan.


    That''s what was told to him before the match.


    Using only the non-dominant side. Not just the arm but also the leg, which Yuuto had taken to mean in a simpler sense of just sealing the dominant arm. However, in reality, it was different. Phantony had indeed fought without using his right arm and right leg. While his right foot touched the ground, it was merely there, not even carrying his weight. In other words, this man had been capable of incredible speed and movement using only the bending and stretching of his left leg. Despite this seemingly superhuman ability, it brought nofort. The fact remained that Yuuto had been overpowered by an opponent who used only one arm and one leg, regardless of how unnatural that ability was.


    His spirit was broken. He couldn''t even get up from his sitting position. The attempt to prove something by forcing his opponent to use his right leg resulted in this. What did it matter if he used his right leg that was supposed to be restricted as a handicap? The fact that he was dominated by an opponent who didn''t do the simplest things like walking or standing on both legs was what weighed him down the most.


    "Hm. Leaving that aside, given your performance in this battle, the fact that the hero summoning hasn''t been publicly disclosed might have been a wise decision."


    Fumu. Sore ni shite mo kono tatakai-buri kara suru to, yuusha shoukan no jijitsu. Kouhyou senan de oite, seikai deatta ka.


    Yuuto, who was in the state of being aplete loser, was struck by the words of the winner who was grinding his jaw.


    "What do you mean...?"


    Dou iu, imi da yo?


    There was no strength left in Yuuto''s voice as he weakly questioned. His tonecked any resistance, and he seemed on the verge of breaking down, with a feeble and fragile sound in his words.


    "Oh, havent you heard it from Irmae-dono? The hero summoning is a major event that could shake the world. Despite signs of the Demon King''s resurrection, conducting it unterally without informing neighboring countries could cause diplomatic issues. That''s why there was a n to focus on training you for a while, and only announce the existence of the hero once the impending crisis to humanity bes widely known"


    Aa, Irumaerra-dono kara wa kiite ora renu no ka? Somo, yuusha shoukan wa sekai o yurugasu ichidaiji. Maou fukkatsu no choukou ari to iedo, Omunia dokudan de okonatte wa shuuhen shokoku ni sashisawari mo arou. Yue ni shibaraku no aida wa, onmi o kitaeru koto ni sennen shi, jinrui no kiki ga shuuchi to natte kara yuusha no sonzai o kouhyou suru keikaku datta no dearu ga


    And then came the final blow.


    "If the world were to know that this is the ability of the summoned hero, there would be a great uproar."


    Kore ga shoukan sareta yuusha no jitsuryoku ka to sejin ni shirarereba, sekaijuu ga oosawagi dearou yo.


    "...Ugh!"


    "Yuuto-sama!?"


    He shook off Ilmae''s attempts tofort him and turned his back on both of them before sprinting away.


    He couldn''t bear it any longer. He had been abruptly brought to this world, burdened with a role he never asked for, and had rebelled against it only to be met with a crushing defeat. He felt utterly miserable, to the point where he didn''t want to live.


    He longed to return to Japan. But to do that, he needed to confront and defeat the Demon King. He couldn''t even win against one of the people who had summoned him. In other words, Yuuto realized that he was trapped in this world, with no way to return home.


    As the bitter taste of humiliation and the sourness of despair contorted his face, the boy fled from the training grounds.


    ~~~


    "Haah... haah..."


    How far had he run? He had somehow found himself in an unfamiliar section of the cathedral. The cathedral was vast, and for him, who had only been here for a short time, unfamiliar ces outnumbered familiar ones.


    (Having lost myposure, suffered defeat, ran away... and now I''m lost, huh. Hahah)


    (Kirete, makete, nigete omake ni maigo ka yo. Hahah)


    In return for his feelings of shame, a dryugh escaped from his lips. It was only his voice that was dry. Tears streamed from his eyes, and the sound of his sniffles echoed constantly.


    "samaaa! Yuuto-samaaa!"


    From behind, he could hear Irmaes voice calling his name, most likely she chased after him. However, he didn''t want to face her right now. He didn''t want to show her his tear-streaked face. His shattered pride stung. Above all, she was the one who had summoned him to this world. He knew she had a kind nature, but given his current emotional turmoil, he didn''t know what he might say.


    With those thoughts in mind, he hid himself in the shadow of one of the columns lining the hallway.


    "Yuuto-samaaa! Where are youuu? Uuh, I thought he went this way, though."


    Yuuto-samaaa! Doko desu kaaa!? Uu, kochira no hou e irashite ita to omotta no desu keredo.


    As he peeked from the shadows of the column, he saw Ilmaera drooping her shoulders in disappointment. His heart ached. Yesterday, her face had radiated with joy at the sess of the summoning, and he had inadvertently clouded that expression. When was thest time someone had ced such expectations on him? While he felt a sense of inconvenience, betraying the trust she had ced in him weighed heavily on his heart. Furthermore, he felt a sense of guilt for hiding from her.


    At that time,


    "...You''re being quite noisy, Irmae."


    ...Sawagashii na, Irumaerra.


    A voice, somewhat irritating, echoed through the corridor. The owner of the voice approached from the other end of the hallway, deliberately making the marble floor ck with each step. Yuuto stealthily peered in that direction, and involuntarily, his mouth fell open. The man who was walking towards him was dressed in a shy and ostentatious attire, as if he had adorned himself with gemstones for clothing. He didn''t seem like a high-ranking priest, in the exact opposite sense from the big bear-like man from earlier. Only the decorative sash around his neckformally known as a Stis the same as Phantony''s. That means he is probably in the same position as that person.


    "If you continue with your thoughtless behavior, it will eventually tarnish my reputation as well, you know? Hmm?"


    Omae ga tsutsushimi ni kaketa furumai o sureba, sono akuhyou wa meguri megutte watashi ni made oyobu no da zo? Nn?


    Irmae who was called out stiffened her shoulders.


    "F-Father..."


    O, otou-sama


    (By Father she meant Irmas? This guy...? Huuh!?))


    (Otou-sama, tte Iruma no? Koitsu ga?  Ee!?)


    Yuuto prevented his voice from escaping by covering his mouth with his hand. On one side was Irmae, a girl who seemed like she was made of words like pure and lovely, almost unreal in her beauty. On the other side was a man who, despite his shy attire, left a in and sinister impression, with nothing particrly memorable about him except for his gaudy clothing. Surprisingly, they didn''t resemble each other much for a father and child.


    The man known as Irmae''s father directed a persistently clingy voice toward his timid and downcast daughter, to the extent that you could almost hear the onomatopoeia "nechinechi" in his voice.


    "By the way, where did the hero go? I heard that he was scheduled to meet with the Holy Knights Commander around now, though..."


    Tokoro de, Yuusha-dono wa dochira e mukawareta no dearu ka na? Yotei dewa imagoro, ano seikishi danchou to menkai shite iru to kiita nodaga


    "Thats, you see..."


    Sore wa, sono


    "Your response is rather hesitant. Answer firmly. Isn''t this your father''s question? Hmm? Gratitude to one''s ancestors and filial piety towards one''s parents are also duties of the followers of the Holy King''s faith, you know? Well, judging from your reaction, it seems like things didn''t go well, did they? Kukuku."


    Hagire ga warui zo, shikkari kotae yo. Kono chichi no toi dewa nai ka. Nn? Fuso e no kansha to oya e no chuukou mo, seiou kyouto no gimu dearu zo? Maa, sono hannou kara suru to, dou ni mo fushubi deatta to mieru ga naa. Kukuku.


    A voice that was unmistakably full of amusement.


    "Listen, Irmae. It was the Candra family who led and achieved the hero summoning. Absolutely, without a doubt, not the Holy Knights led by that sweaty barbarian! I suppose you also understand the significance of this achievement?"


    Yoi ka, Irumaerra yo. Yuusha shoukan o shudou shi nashitogeta no wa, warera Karandora-ke da. Danjite, sou danjite, ano asekusai yaban-jin ni hikiirareta seikishidan nado dewa nai! Kono kouseki no juudai-sa wa, omae ni mo wakatte orou?


    "...Of course, Father. To call forth the hero and assist in their sacred duty is an honor for the followers of the Holy King''s faith."


    ...Mochiron desu, otou-sama. Yuusha-sama o o-yobi matsuri, sono seimu ni chikarazoe suru wa, seiou kyouto no homare desu.


    "That''s right, that''s right! Therefore, we don''t want any unnecessary interference in the Demon King''s subjugation. We, who have been involved in this matter from the beginning, must shield the hero from irrelevant distractions and ensure that his sacredness remains untarnished. As the saint who conducted the summoning and entered into a contract, your role is to serve as a supporting character to that person from another world. Stick by his side and protect him, understand?"


    Sou darou tomo, sou darou tomo! Yue ni, maou toubatsu ni yokei na sashideguchi ga hasamareru no wa konomashikunai to iu mono. Koto no hatsugi kara kan''yo shite iru ware ware koso ga, yuusha-dono o iranu zatsuon kara saegiri, sono seisei o otoshimeru koto no nai you ni seneba naran Omae wa shoukan o toriokonai keiyaku o kawashita seijo to shite, ano isekai-jin no wakiyaku o tsutomeru no ga yakume. Shikkari to haritsuite, o-mamori o shite yare yo?


    Listening to this conversation made his stomach feel sick. The vulgar manner of speech, far from what one would expect from a clergyman, made his ears feel tainted. Above all, what bothered him most was that the reason he had been summoned to this other world was rooted in the base and selfish ambition of a man who shamelessly sang praises to himself.


    (What the hell is that...)


    (Nandayo, sore)


    With just the sound of a voice and an outstretched hand, he had been summoned to another world, burdened with the role of a hero. He was subjected to torment under the guise of testing his strength. And now, on top of it all, is this. He was nothing more than a pawn in the power games of corrupt politicians, given the title of a hero.


    (Whats a hero? What...!)


    (Nani ga yuusha da. Nani ga!)


    *TL Note: Help I dont know how to best express the above sentence in english T^T Like I know the meaning but struggling to trante it.


    He engraved the curses he had repeated countless times throughout the day into his heart once again.


    Candra continued in a good mood, unaware that he was earning disappointment and scorn from the hero in question.


    "Yes, yes. I wouldnt mind if you go all the way as well, you know? It may sound unsavory for a priestess to engage in premarital rtions, but after all, the partner is none other than the honorable and graaateful Hero-dono. If it leads to raising a virtuous child, who can strongly object? It could also serve as a bond between our families, and you''ve admired the fairytale hero since you were a child, haven''t you?"


    Sou sou. Nandattara, yukitsuku tokoro made itte shimatte mo kamawan zo? Seishoku-sha ga konzen koushou to iu no wa kikoe ga warui ga, aite wa nanise, homare takaku arigataaai Yuusha-dono da. Toku no takai ko o naseru to araba, shuui mo sou tsuyoku wa iemai. Touke to no kasugai ni mo narou shi, omae mo chiisai koro kara otogi banashi no Yuusha-sama ni, taisou akogareteita dewa nai ka


    That''s enough. Stop it. Yuuto sat down weakly, hugging his knees in the shadow of a pir, and closed his eyes, blocking his ears.


    ...Because of that, he missed it. The sight of the daughter tightly clutching the hem of her nun''s robe and enduring her father''s unbearable nonsense. When she weakly said,


    "Please, stop..."


    Mou, yamete kudasai


    and the pained expression she had.


    How much time had passed? Sometime without notice, the despicable man named Candra had left. In the corridor, only the girl standing in the middle and the boy hiding behind the pir remained.


    Eventually, the boy slowly stood up and walked out into the corridor.


    "Ah! Yuuto-sama, so you were here!"


    Ah! Yuuto-sama, kochira ni oide deshita no desu ne!


    Irmae''s expression suddenly brightened. Yuuto couldn''t help but find it insincere, and he had a negative impression of it. Now, her face appeared to him as nothing more than a scheming one hiding different emotions behind her smile.


    His insight was only partially urate. However, he didn''t understand what emotions she was concealing behind her smile.


    "...I heard the conversation, Irmae."


    ...Hanashi wa kiiteita yo, Irumaerra.


    "Eh?"


    E?


    The girl''s face showed a bewildered expression in response to the boy''s words. It wasn''t clear whether it was because she had been asked about a topic she didn''t want to discuss or because the affectionate nickname she hoped he would use hadn''t been used.


    "For the sake of your family''s honor, so that old man Phantony doesn''ty a hand on me... Haha, I canugh at myself. Of course, it''s like that, isn''t it? A girl I just met yesterday wouldn''t be kind to someone like me without any ulterior motives."


    Ie no meiyo no tame, Fantni no ossan ni tedashi sarenai tame haha, jibun de jibun ga waraeru yo. Sorya sou da yo na. Kinoukyou atta bakari no onna no ko ga ore nanka ni, nan no kangae mo nashi ni yasashiku shite kureru hazu nante nai ka.


    A chuckle with a tinge of bitterness welled up from the depths of his heart. Looking back, he had entertained quite a naive idea. Being summoned to another world as a hero and getting all the attention from a beautiful girl just for that? What a clichd and dreamy scenario. If he had seen something like that back in Japan, he would have scoffed at it as a childish fantasy devoid of reality. Above all, what made himugh was the fact that he himself was even more gullible than a child, falling for such a trick.


    As the boy wore a self-deprecating smile, the girl trembled and gasped, struggling to find her words.


    "N-no, it''s not like that... I''m not, I''m not like that"


    Chi, chigaimasu sonna, watashi wa, watashi wa sonna


    "Then why did you summon me!?"


    Jaa, nande ore o yobidashita nda yo!?


    With a loud thud, Irmae''s body was mmed against the pir. His hand still gripping her cor, he realized with a vague sense of detachment that it was his own hand. He thought to himself that he must have lost control due to his anger. It felt like his body was moving on its own due to intense rage, as if his consciousness had split between reason and impulse. In the midst of all this, Yuuto listened to the insults spewing from his own mouth.


    "I! am just a high school student! A Japanese! I''ve never even fought before! I don''t have any reason to fight for you people from another world! You summoned me for your own convenience, and if I''m weak, you look down on me...! Just who do you think you are, Irmae?! Huuh!?"


    Ore wa! Tada no koukousei de, nihon-jin de! Tatakai nante shita koto mo nai nda yo! Omaera isekai-jin no tame ni tatakatte yaru riyuu mo da! Sore o kattena tsugou de yobidashite, yowakattara mikudashite! Naa, omae wa nani-sama no tsumoridatta nda Irumaerra? Aan!?


    "Ah, uh..."


    A, u


    "Hahaha, there was no need to ask, right? Your dad is a big shot in this religion, and you''re literally a saint, aren''t you!? You dont care in the slightest about amoner from apletely different world, right!!? Isn''t that right, huuh?! ...Say something!!"


    Hahaha, kiku made mo nakatta yo na? Omae no oyaji wa koko no shuukyou no o-erai-san de, go-honnin wa seijo-sama da mon na!? Moji doori ni chigau sekai no shomin no kotonan za, shitta khanakattan daro!! Sou nan daro, ee!? Nan toka ie yo!!


    I''m such an idiot, he thought as if it''s someone else''s problem. Even if she was told to say something, her throat was being constricted, and she was being pushed against the pir. She couldn''t even breathe, let alone speak. Nevertheless, this seemed like what they called a surge of adrenaline. His brain''s limiters had been removed due to the excitement. Even though she was a slender girl, it was unbelievable that he was lifting a person with his own strength. It would have been nice if this had happened when he was fighting that Phantony guy...


    While his thoughts continued to escape from reality, his body kept tormenting the girl in front of him. He might even end up killing her like this. At the moment he thought that,


    "Toou!"


    Something came flying from the side and struck his face, causing Yuuto to tumble to the floor.


    "Gah!?"


    "Cough cough, cough!"


    Kaha keho, keho!


    As he heard his own silly screams and the coughing voice of the released Irmae, he whipped his aching body to get up.


    In the corridor, someone new had appeared unnoticed. A tall, beautiful woman with a long, blonde ponytail. Judging from her facial features and body, she appeared to be in her mid-twenties, an adult woman, but her expression was so youthful. This person had expertly frozen in ce in a posture where she had raised her long legs and swung a high kick. It seemed that this woman had kicked Yuuto in the face and came to Irmae''s rescue.


    Facing the dumbfounded boy and girl, the woman, who had suddenly appeared, finally lowered her kicking leg and spoke with a bemused expression.


    "Hmm, who would have thought I''d witness a female priestess and young male having a lover''s spat in the Grand Cathedral''s hallway... Omnia has certainlye a long way in recent times."


    Uumu, yomoya dai-seidou no rouka de onna shisai ga wakai otoko to chiwagenka to wa saikin no Omunia wa zuibun to susunde iru no da na.


    Her words were strangely detached, as if the poisonous atmosphere had been removed.


    (One thing after another... What is it now?)


    (Tsugi kara tsugi e to nan nanda yo, kondo wa?)


    Yuuto sent a cautious gaze while feeling his cheek swelling. In response, the mysterious blonde woman smiled with an amused expression.


    ~~~


    Let''s go back in time by about ten minutes.


    After Yuuto and Irmae, who was chasing him, left the training ground, Phantony stood there for a while, gazing in the direction they had gone. Eventually, he let out a deep sigh and released the sword he held in his hand.


    "...Seriously, I didn''t want the people from another nation to know about that."


    ...Hontou ni, takoku no mono ni wa shiraretaku nakatta na, Are wa.


    Thunk.


    With a heavy sound that resonated in the abdomen, the sword plunged into the ground.


    Actually, he handicapped himself by wielding a heavier weapon, apart from the constraints he mentioned Its not like that. As mentioned multiple times, the Holy Knights Order of Omnia were an elite group selected from knights of various countries on the continent. They were a gathering of the finest knights among knights. Naturally, their training was extremely rigorous. For example, during training, they used practice swords that were heavier and more unwieldy than those used in actualbat.


    Of course, since the same training ground was shared by everyone, the sword Yuuto held was of the same type as the one Phantony used. A heavy sword that made even those who were eagerly starting their first training as aspiring Holy Knights stumble due to its excessive weight


    And without knowing that, Erimiya Yuuto had picked up that sword and fought with it, even going so far as to describe its weight as "light and unreliable."


    "The power of a hero, huh?"


    Yuusha no chikara, ka.


    There was a hint of awe in the mutterings of the Holy Knights Commander, the symbol of the Omnia Empire''s military power.


    The terror of that young man went beyond the unconsciously demonstrated physical strength. During the match, he followed the numerous pieces of advice sent by Phantony, reluctantly but effectively improving the power and precision of each of his attacks. But still, where in the world can one find someone who can learn and master techniques relying solely on advice, without any examples, repetition, or even in the midst ofbat?


    Humans used the recycled term to describe such individualsgeniuses.


    Whether he was summoned as a hero due to his talent or was granted it by the heavens upon being summoned as a hero, either way, the thought of him growing and umting power was terrifying.


    He couldn''t help but think how fortunate it was that they hadn''t publicly announced the summoning of a hero. The situation on the continent was like a powder keg ced next to an oil barrel. Arquell''s expansion, St. Gallen seeking revenge, and Morbaehr quietly watching for opportunities between the two... In such circumstances, how many countries would have taken Omnia''s warning of the return of the Demon King seriously?


    Moreover, what would have happened if they had publicly disclosed that they possessed a human weapon called a hero? Arquell would have likely tried to incorporate him into their camp using alliances as a shield, and St. Gallen would have also attempted to seize him under the pretext of the threat of monsters. Morbaehr? Those people were truly unpredictable. He was confident they would have done nothing good with a well-oiled tongue serving as a spark.


    Amidst such individuals, Phantony wasn''t auspicious enough to believe that humanity could have united across borders and fought against the threat of demons. First of all, even in Omnia, political divisions had carved rifts in society like chasms.


    It had been a headache. And unfortunately, the source of the headache hadn''t been just the handling of the hero.


    "...By the way, do you not find it inappropriate to be peeping around?"


    ...Tokoro de kikou. Nozoki mi nado shite, hashitanai to wa omowarenu no ka?


    Sharp eyes were directed towards a section of the wall surrounding the training ground. There, a woman was perched on the edge of the wall, using it as a vantage point, with the blue sky behind her.


    "Hmm, it seems there are many elderly gentlemen around me who say such things. Just when I thought one disappearedst year, it has increased by another this year."


    Fuumu, dou ni mo watashi no shuui ni wa, sono you ni ossharu nenpai no kata ga ookute komaru. Kyonen ni hitori hetta to omoiki ya, kotoshi mata hitori fuete shimau to wa na.


    She said whilending gracefully on the ground. She was Elisha Rosmond Balbastre, a candidate for the position of Holy Knight rmended by the Arquell Kingdom, a woman who excelled like no other in practical skills but was, at the same time, an unprecedented underachiever in academic pursuits.


    Phantony approached her with long strides and looked at her with an even more stern gaze.


    "Lady Balbastre, about that boy"


    Barubasutoru-kyou, ano shounen ni tsuite no koto daga


    "No, no, I was merely observing. I couldn''t hear what His Eminence was discussing at all."


    Iya iya, watashi wa tada miteita dake. Geika-ra ga nani o hanashite orareta ka made wa, ikkou ni kikoemasenan da na.


    With that, Elisha let her gaze wander upwards at an angle.


    It''s a lie, huh. He instinctively felt. It was the same reaction as when she had stumbled in her response during training. Behind that gesture was probably a reluctance to answer straightforwardly. The magic she excelled at was water and wind, and she should have been able to pick up distant conversations by capturing the vibrations in the air. She should have already heard about Omnia''s secret of summoning a hero.


    However, he decided not to pursue that point in this situation.


    "Very well. Then, from here on, It''ll be just me talking to myself."


    Yoroshii. Dewa, koko kara saki wa hitorigoto da.


    "Yes."


    Ha.


    Elisha replied, her demeanor shifting from aloof to a more submissive posture. She kneeled gracefully and lowered her head, adopting an attitude of listening to what he had to say. He acknowledged this with a nce but turned his face away. From this point on, what he was about to reveal was meant to be a monologue. The person beside him assumed a respectful posture to listen to the content, but it was not his concern.


    "Lord Yuuto Erimiyathat boy is currently in the midst of anger, frustration, and bewilderment. He was brought to this country against his will, burdened with a great responsibility, and after rebelling, he was subdued. His distrust of the Omnian upper echelons must be quite substantial."


    Yuuto Erimiya-kyouano shounen wa ima, ikari to zasetsu-kan, soshite touwaku no tadanaka ni aru no darou. Nozomazu shite kono kuni ni manekareta ageku, tainin o oshitsukerare, hanpatsu shita ageku ni tataki fuserareta tokoro na no dakara na. Omunia jousou-bu e no fushin-kan wa, soutou na mono dearou yo.


    "I see, I see."


    Fumu fumu.


    For some reason, came a response, but even so, it was just his monologue.


    "In those times, howforting it would be to have someone to vent those negative emotions to or share them with, I wonder? Oh, speaking of which, there was someone with talent but no recognition in academics, a foreigner in the Omnian Holy Knights Order who was treated poorly, if I recall."


    Sono you na toki, akkanjou o hakidasu aite ya kyouyuu dekiru mono ga oreba, dore dake ki ga yasumaru no dearou na? Otto, sou ieba dearu ga, jitsuryoku koso aru ga gakugyou-men ga hyouka sarezu, Omunia no seikishi-dan de hiyameshi o kuwa sarete iru takoku-jin ga dokoka ni ita you na oboe ga.


    "Yes, indeed. With someone like that, the hero... cough, that young man might be more open to confiding."


    Sou desu na. Kayou na jinbutsu deareba yuusha gohon, ano shounen mo kokoro o hiraki yasui no dewa to omoimasu.


    "I myself can''t help but feel sorry for that Holy Knight candidate. It''s a bit frustrating to see someone with talent struggle in areas where they''re not proficient. If only they could achieve some new aplishments, it might serve as an exception enough to remove the ''candidate''bel."


    Sessou to shite mo, ano sei-kishi kouho no koto wa kokorogurushiku omotte oru. Namaji saikaku ga aru dake ni, fuete na men ni ashi o torarete mogaku-sama o mite iru no wa, shoushou jirettai. Nazo tegara demo arata ni tatereba, kouho no nimonji o hazusu ni taru tokurei to naru no dearu ga.


    "I see, I see. For example, guiding the lost young man and nurturing him into an admirable youth... is that it?"


    Naruhodo naruhodo. Tatoeba, mayoeru shounen no kura o hiraite zendou shi, rippa na wakamono ni sodatete miseru toka desu na?


    Establish contact with Yuuto, gain his trust, and personally train him. It''s unofficial, but if sessful, there''s the prospect of an official Holy Knight position as a rewardthat''s essentially the directive.


    "His Eminence the Cardinal has a tough job, doesn''t he? Going out of his way to y the role of the hated one."


    Suukikyou-geika mo taihen desu na. Wazawaza nikumare-yaku o katte derareru to wa.


    "In every era, young people grow by opposing the detestable adults... Oh, this is just the rambling of a middle-aged man."


    Itsu no jidai mo, wakamono to wa nikurashii otona ni tachimukau koto de seichou shite iku mono yo Otto, kore wa chuunen otoko no hitorigoto dearu zo.


    Funny how I''m doing something quite borate, Phantony self-mocked.


    In the first ce, there were inherent ws in the method of summoning individuals from another world and appointing them as heroes to fight. In fact, there had been minor and major disputes during the past two summonings. Disregarding the lessons from the past and optimistically believing that one could simply assign a good-looking girl to them to make them obedient like Emilio Candra, was the height of foolishness. It was evident that emotional conflicts would arise sooner orter.


    So, they should use this to their advantage instead. From Phantony''s perspective, the boy summoned as a hero was, despite his youth, a man. Young people with vigor and obstinacy tend to grow stronger the more you challenge them. Of course, he was well aware of the risks of breaking or distorting them. Therefore, to ensure that didn''t happen, he decided to send Elisha as a mentor who would personally guide him.


    (If possible, I''d like to entrust it to Irmae-dono...)


    (Dekireba, Irumaerra-dono ni makasetai tokoro na no daga)


    He immediately dismissed that thought. It would be practically impossible. The young girl carried the burden of having executed the summoning, and she was still too young and inexperienced. Her charisma as a saint would only be effective on devout Holy King worshippers, and it would be difficult to guide a young man who seemedpletely devoid of any religious inclination.


    "However, you''re asking for quite a challenging task. It seems this Holy Knight candidate only moves ording to her own will. Are you sure it''s alright to entrust a promising youngster to such a free-spirited individual?"


    Shikashi, nakanaka ni muri nandai o ossharu. Kudan no sei-kishi kouho to yara wa onore no omou doori ni shika ugokanai to miemasu. So no you na honpou na ningen ni, shourai aru wakamono o takushite mo yoroshii no desu ka?


    You''re one to talk, Phantony suppressed the words that almost escaped his throat.


    "Sometimes, someone a bit unconventional may be morepatible than someone overly virtuous. That''s how it is with young people like him."


    Kyuukutsu na hodo ni mohan-teki na deai yori, tashou wa katayaburi na hou ga uma mo au darou. Ano kurai no wakamono to wa sou iu mono da.


    Especially now, he probably wanted to avoid sounding preachy or sanctimonious. That''s why this woman, who could be considered a living example of a maverick, was the most suitable candidate. She was of Arquell descent, and despite her near-emunication from the noble family, that did raise some concerns, but her temperament was far from politics. Rather than leaving her isted and unknowingly approached by others, they should incorporate her and make her an ally.


    "...Now then, it''s about time for both of us to get back to work. Sometimes, you know, young men with turbulent emotions and energy to spare tend to act without thinking. Don''t you think?"


    ...Sate, otagai shigoto ni modoru jikan dewa nai ka na. Toki ni, da. Areta seishin to tairyoku to o moteamashite iru wakai otoko to iu no wa, nani o suru ka wakaran to omowanu ka ne?


    "It''s amon urrence with inexperienced recruits. Theysh out at the people around them, especially women. If someone like the Empire''s Saintess were to be on the receiving end, it would be quite troublesome."


    Keiken no asai shinpei ni wa yoku aru koto desu na. Kangae mo nashi ni tejika na ningen, sore mo onna ni atarichirasu. Moshimo koukoku no seijo-sama nado ni, sono te ga nobitara taihen desu na.


    "Lady Balbastre, as a ''responsible adult,'' you must correct such behavior. This is an advice from a ''bad adult''... So hurry."


    Barubasutoru-kyou. Yoi otona to shite wa, sono you na ayamachi wa tamete yaraneba narumai. Kore wa warui otona kara no chuukoku da Isoge yo.


    "Yes."


    Haha.


    As soon as she spoke, Elisha''s presence vanished like the wind. She must have hurriedly headed towards Yuuto and the others.


    Left alone, Phantony gazed up at the sky with a face filled with mncholy.


    "To not have any choice but to incite the young ones, even to the point of pushing them into new schemes... Lord, you also issue sinfulmands."


    Wakamono-ra o, atara hakarigoto ni kakete made, takitsukeneba naran to wa Aruji yo, anata mo tsumibukai koto o o-meiji ni narareru.


    He was sure that after his death, he would likely descend into hell. Despite this certainty, he let out a sigh and did nothing more.


    The sky, seemingly unaware of the thoughts of those living on the ground, continued to maintain its unchanged blue hue.


    ~~~


    To be continued...


    TL Note:


    As expected, a hero must be OP, huh. Its likely that Tullius will have a hard time in the future But I like his character. He feels real in my opinion. Not like the usual isekaid hero who just willingly and bravely epts strangers requests to y the Demon King. Very interesting.


    This chapter was brought to you by my patrons, Sier, McConnaheyhey, TheHunt3r Gaming, and Viks. Thank you very much!


    Join my patreon to read the advanced chapters and help me release faster~

 Chapter 79: Hello World

    Chapter 79: Hello World


    "ter. Big sister!"


    chan. Onee-chan!


    Shaken by a small hand on her shoulder, Irmae Aurelia Candra snapped back to reality.


    Surrounded by several children, their expressions varied. Some looked concerned at Irmae, who seemed absentminded, while others showed signs of frustration, having been ignored while she was lost in thought. Some were stifling yawns out of boredom In any case, there was no trace of reverence in their eyes toward the idolized Saint of the Holy King Church. All they had was a sense of familiarity with this kindor rather meddlingolder woman.


    Breathing a sigh of relief without realizing it, she asked with an embarrassed smile,


    "Ah... um, sorry. What were we talking about?"


    A etto, gomennasai ne. Nani no hanashi deshita kke?


    "Huuh, from theree?"


    Eee, soko karaaa?


    "Big Sister Irma... it''s too early for you to get senile!"


    Iruma nee-chan bokeru no ni wa, mada hayai yo!


    Booooooo! A chorus of noisy but cuteints filled the air.


    The middle-aged woman present immediately changed her tone and scolded them,


    "You all! How dare you speak that way to Priestess-sama!"


    Kore, omae-tachi! Onnashisai-sama ni nante kuchi o kiku ndai!?


    "No, it''s okay, Headmistress. It''s my fault for being absentminded."


    Ie, ii no desu yo inchou-sensei. Watashi ga bon''yari shite ita sei desu kara.


    "Irmae-sama please don''t spoil these children too much. Discipline is crucial when they are young."


    Irumaerra-sama anmari kono ko-tachi o amayakasanaide kudasai na. Shitsuke tte iu no wa, chiisai koro ga ichiban kanjin na mono nan desu kara nee.


    While saying that, the middle-aged woman adjusted her sses.


    This was an orphanage run by the church, located on the outskirts of the imperial city, Omnia. Threats from monsters, outbreaks of gues, the tyranny of nobles, power struggles, and even attacks from wars and banditson the Itucera Continent, there were countless sources of misfortune and cmity that led to the production of widows and orphans whenever they urred. The Holy King Church, preaching the salvation of humanity, reached out its hand to these marginalized people and provided support.


    Of course, the assistance of the clergy was not without its ulterior motives. As an example, in exchange for providing daily sustenance and education to the orphans, the teachings of the Holy King Church were ingrained in them to the core. And by the time they reached adulthood, they were expected to be devout followers. Thus, the individuals who emerged from the orphanage became the foundation supporting Omnia and the church. While it might have seemed like a matter of course to raise and nurture those they had cared for, it was also a practical measure as it prevented potential future adversaries.


    On days when Irmae had no work at the church, she often visited the orphanage and spent time with the children. As the daughter of a cardinal and holding the position of a priestess, she spent her days surrounded by adults and engaged in discussions with older priests, asionally even speaking with influential figures such as bishops and cardinals. To be honest, it was mentally exhausting.


    Therefore, during these moments when she could interact with the children, she felt refreshed. The way they expressed their emotions openly without theplications ofplex reasoning. Having had no same-aged friends since childhood and having been pushed into the priesthood by her father, these experiences felt remarkably fresh and dazzling to her.


    "Ahem... Let''s regain our focus and continue, shall we? Um, I believe we were going to read a picture book, right?"


    Kohon ki o torinaoshite, tsuzukemashou ka. Etto, tashika ehon o yomun deshita yo ne?


    "Yeah, yeah! Pull yourself together, big sister."


    Sou sou! Shikkari shite kure yo, onee-chan.


    "I want a cute story! Something like ''The White Rabbit Princess''!"


    Watashi, kawaii o-hanashi ga ii! Shiro Usagi Hime mitai na!


    "That''s unfair, girls! Today''s our turn, right?"


    Zurii zo, joshi! Kyou wa ore-ra no ban daroo!?


    "Right, right! Hey, Big Sister Irma? You promised before that next time, you''d tell us a story about a hero!"


    Sou da sou da! Nee, Iruma nee-chan? Mae ni yakusoku shita jan ka, kondo wa yuusha-sama no o-hanashi shite kureru tte saa!


    Hero.


    The moment she heard that word, Irmae''s expression visibly tensed.


    "Hm? What''s wrong, big sister?"


    ? Dou shita no, nee-chan?


    "N-no... I''m sorry. It''s nothing."


    I, ie gomennasai, nandemonai no.


    Uttering those words to divert attention, a twinge of difort surged in the depths of her chest. Speaking falsehoods was not something a devout believer should do. While repenting silently in her heart, Irmae chose a picture book that matched the children''s request.


    "Well then, shall we go with this book today? ''The Hero Joshuas Dragon-ying Adventure''... Once upon a time"


    Sore jaa, kyou wa kono go-hon ni shimashou ka. Yuusha Yoshua no Ryuu Taiji... Mukashi mukashi


    The heroic tales of the second-generation hero, Joshua Mound. Among all the stories about him, who was famous as the founder of dual-wielding, one of the most renowned was undoubtedly his ying of dragons in the westernnds.


    Three hundred years ago, a colossal dragon suddenly appeared on the penins west of Arquell. This dragon, rumored to be the embodiment of natural disaster, clearly stood apart from regr dragons. Both would attack humans, but their motives differed. Regr dragons killed for sustenance, whereas this one killed to devour. Instead of swiftly killing, it delighted in tormenting its victims before brutally ending their lives. This dragon, driven by malice and malevolence, attacked humanity not as part of its ecological cycle but with deliberate harm and ill intent.


    And there was a reason for this. The evil Demon King that appeared in a far more distant past, seven hundred years ago, created this malevolent dragon as his vanguard, a member of the demonic race.


    "The evil sorcerer panicked. The unsealed dragon didn''t heed hismands and began attacking people even more ferociously. The people who were attacked were even more panicked. With the dragon rampaging like this, their homes and fields would be reduced to ashes. Where would everyone live? But that''s not all. The dragon, you see, would simply gobble up humans!"


    Warui mahoutsukai wa awatemashita. Fuuin o tokareta doragon wa mahoutsukai no meirei o kikazu, motto motto to hitobito o osoi hajimeta no desu. Osowareta hitobito wa mahoutsukai yori mo awatemashita. Kono mama doragon ga abarete ite wa, o-ie mo hata mo yakete shimaimasu. Minna no kurasu basho ga nakunatte shimau dewa arimasen ka. Sore dake dewa arimasen. Doragon wa nanto, ningen o perori to tabete shimau no desu!


    "Scaary!"


    Kowaai!


    "Even the king''s soldiers and the number one knight in the country couldn''t stand against the evil dragon. The evil sorcerer, who had awakened the dragon, was also troubled by its disobedience. Because of the dragon''s actions, people all over the world were in trouble. The trees in the forest withered, the rivers stopped flowing, and even the wind was too afraid to blow That''s when it happened."


    Ou-sama no heitai mo kuni ichiban no kishi-sama mo, warui doragon ni wa kanaimasen. Doragon o okoshite shimatta warui mahoutsukai mo, meirei o kikanai doragon ni komatte shimaimashita. Sekaijuu no minna ga minna, doragon no sei de komatte shimatta no desu. Mori no ki wa kare, kawa wa nagare nakunari, kaze mo kowagatte tomatte shimaimashita Sono toki desu.


    Yes, at that time as well, Omnia decided to call upon a hero.


    "The princess said this: ''I had a dream that a hero woulde and save everyone. Let''s make our voices heard by the hero. I''m sure they''ll hear us ande to help.'' But at first, no one believed her. A dragonrger than a mountain, stronger than many soldiers, and breathing hotter mes than fire itself. Would there really be a hero who could fight against such a monster for everyone''s sake? Everyone, absolutely everyone, made fun of the princess and doubted her."


    O-hime-sama ga kou iidashimashita. Watashi wa yuusha-sama ga kite, minna o tasukete kureru yume o mimashita. Yuusha-sama ni mina no koe o todokemashou. Kitto koe o kikitsukete tasuke ni kite kureru hazu desu to. Dakeredo saisho, minna wa shinjimasen deshita. Yama yori ookikute, takusan no heitai yori tsuyokute, honou yori atsui iki o haku doragon. Minna no tame ni sonna kaibutsu to tatakatte kureru yuusha-sama nante, hontou ni iru no deshou ka? Minna minna, sou itte o-hime-sama o baka ni shimashita.


    "They''re the real idiots here!"


    Shi koso, bakka dee!


    "Yeah, yeah! The hero will save everyone!"


    Un un! Yuusha-sama wa, minna o tasukete kurerun da yoo!


    The children vocally criticized the characters in the picture book. They believed wholeheartedly, with innocent faith, that a hero was a hero, saving people from the clutches of evil, and doubting that was just silly.


    ...Irmae had once been like that too. Calling for a hero, or rather, someone who could be a hero, from a distant and distantnd for their sake. Before she personally experienced the true meaning of it.


    "...Eventually, as the princess prayed earnestly, a sparkling gate of light appeared. Passing through that gate, a man from a distantnd, carrying two swords at his waist, arrived. The princess said to him, ''Ah, you are our hero! Please, defeat the evil dragon and save our kingdom!''"


    ...Yagate o-hime-sama ga isshou kenmei ni o-inori o suru to, kirakira to kagayaku hikari no mon ga arawaremashita. Sono mon o kugutte, nihon no tsurugi o o-koshi ni tsuketa, tooi kuni no otoko no hito ga yatte kimasu. O-hime-sama wa sono hito ni iimashita. Aa, anata koso watashi-tachi no yuusha-sama! Dou ka warui doragon o taiji shite, watashi-tachi no kuni o sukutte kudasai!


    "Hooray! It''s the hero!"


    Yattaa! Yuusha-sama daaa!


    "Big sister, hurry, hurry! Read about the hero fighting the dragon!"


    Onee-chan, hayaku hayaku! Doragon o taiji suru tokoro, yonde!


    With the long-awaited arrival of the hero, the boys were ecstatic. They probably believed that the hero would defeat the evil dragon and lead to a happy ending right away.


    However, that was not the case. The story had prepared another twist in the plot. As Irmae turned the page, she recalled the forgotten storyline of the picture book she had read in her childhood, and she froze.


    "Hm? Big sister, what''s wrong?"


    ? Onee-chan, dou shita no?


    "Continue quickly!"


    Hayaku tsuzuki!


    "Oh, yes... sorry about that. The man said to the princess, ''I am a warrior whoes from a very distantnd. I wield this sword in service to my master. Without my master''s permission, I cannot take up arms.''"


    Aa, hai gomennasai ne. O, otoko no hito wa o-hime-sama ni iimasu. Watashi wa tooi tooi kuni kara kita senshi desu. Tsukaete iru goshujin-sama no tame ni ken o furuu mono desu. Aruji no yurushinaku, ken o totte tatakau koto wa dekimasen


    ""Huuh!?""


    Eee!?


    The children collectively voiced their discontent. Most of them had wide-eyed expressions, taken aback by the unexpected turn of events, and some even furrowed their brows, appearing hurt.


    The hero refused to fight. The storyline of a hero tale having such a twist seemed to have disappointed their expectations.


    Unconsciously, Irmae bit her lower lip. Continuing to read this picture book was bing difficult. Why had she chosen this book? Why had she forgotten about this development? She even felt like making up an excuse about remembering an urgent matter and escaping from this situation. However, if she stopped here, it would only leave the children with a bitter taste of being betrayed by the hero they had believed in. She had enough sense of shame to find that undesirable.


    She closed her eyes tightly, brushing away any hint of tears, and continued to read with a heartfelt smile.


    "...When reading a picture book, we should be quiet, alright? AhemThe man left the castle and embarked on a journey toward the sea. He boarded a ship, intending to return to his distant homnd. However, along the way, he realized something. Everyone in thisnd was constantly crying because of the evil dragon."


    ...Ehon o yomu toki wa shizuka ni, ne? Kohonotoko no hito wa o shiro o tobidashi, umi e mukatte tabi o hajimemasu. O-sen ni notte, tooi tooi jibun no kuni ni kaerou to shita no desu. Desu ga, michi o aruite iru tochuu ni kizukimashita. Kono kuni no hito-tachi wa, minna minna warui doragon no sei de naite bakari imasu.


    "..."


    "He noticed children separated from their mothers, lovers waiting by the roadside all day because their beloved didn''t return from dragon-ying, grandpas and grandmas, uncles, aunts, big brothers and sisters, little brothers and sisters, all of them were crying. Witnessing it, the man became angry. ''What kind of a terrible thing is this dragon?'' he thought."


    Okaa-san to hanare banare ni natte, onaka o sukasete iru kodomo ga imashita. Koibito ga doragon taiji kara modotte konai to, ichinichi juu michibata ni tatte machi tsuzukete iru onna no hito mo imasu. Ojii-san mo obaa-san mo, oji-san mo oba-san mo. Onii-chan mo onee-chan mo, otouto mo imouto mo. Minna minna, naite imashita Otoko no hito wa, sore o mite okorimashita. Doragon wa nante warui yatsu nanda! to.


    "Yeah, finally!"


    Yatto ka yoo!


    "So slow!"


    Ossooi!


    "And then he thought, ''I didn''t know that so many people were crying because of this. If I leave this situation and return, my master will surely think of me as a cowardly and embarrassing servant. Alright, if it''se to this, I''ll teach that evil dragon a lesson and prove that I''m a brave warrior. I won''t return to my homnd until I''ve defeated the dragon for sure!'' ...The man ran back to the castle and said to the princess, ''I''m sorry, princess. I really am a hero. As an apology for lying to you and making you sad, I''ll definitely defeat the evil dragon!''"


    Soshite omoimashita. Konna ni mo takusan no hito ga naite iru nante, shiranakatta. Kore o hanatte oite kaetta to shitara, goshujin-sama wa nante omou darou? Kitto, shiranpuri o shite kaettekita watashi no koto o, okubyou mono no hazukashii kerai da to omou ni chigainai. Yoshi, kou nattara warui doragon o korashimete, watashi ga yuuki no aru senshi da to shoumei shiyou. Doragon o taosu made, zettai ni furusato ni wa kaeranai zo! Otoko no hito wa hashitte ou-jou ni modoru to, o-hime-sama ni kou iimashita. Gomennasai, o-hime-sama. Yappari watashi wa yuusha deshita. Uso o haite anata o kanashimaseta owabi ni, kitto warui doragon o taoshite kimasu!


    The story from there unfolded rapidly. The hero set out on his journey, gathered allies, searched for the legendary sword capable of cutting through dragon scales, won a battle of wits against a pale-skinned sorcerer who had resurrected the evil dragon, and finally defeated the dragonrger than a mountain in a one-on-one duel.


    "After the heropleted his mission and the world was at peace, he returned the power granted by the gods and said to the princess, ''When you summoned me, I wasn''t a hero.'' Then he pointed to his heart and said, ''But when I realized that the world was filled with sadness and felt ashamed of turning a blind eye to it, my heart burned with determination. As long as that determination exists, I won''t be afraid of enemiesrger than mountains and armies from all over the country. That''s what courage is.''"


    Sekai ga heiwa ni nari yakume o oeta yuusha wa, kami-sama kara sazukatta chikara o kaesu to, o-hime-sama ni iimashita. Anata ni yobidasareta toki, watashi wa yuusha dewa arimasen deshita soshite kare wa jibun no mune o yubisashimasu. Desu ga, sekai ni kanashimi ga michite ita no o shitta toki, sore o mite minu furi o suru koto o hazukashii to omotta toki, kokoro ga atsuku narimashita. Sono kokoro ga aru kagiri, yama yori ookiku kuni-chuu no heitai yori tsuyoi teki ni mo obieru koto wa arimasen. Sore ga yuuki na no desu


    A hero was not someone summoned by a spell. It was someone who, upon realizing the sorrow that filled the world and confronting the evil that caused it, held the courage to stand upnamely, someone with a brave heart.


    "He also told the soldiers who protect the princess, ''I will return to my own country, but there is nothing to fear. As long as there are those with courageous hearts, they will be the new heroes and fight against evil to protect everyone. Please don''t forget that.'' ... And with that, the man who was once a hero returned. He would surely pass on the important lessons he learned on his journey to the people of his beloved homnd... and they all lived happily ever after..."


    O-hime-sama o mamoru heitai-tachi ni mo iimashita. Watashi wa jibun no kuni ni modorimasu ga, osoreru koto wa arimasen. Yuuki no kokoro o motsu mono ga iru kagiri, sono hito ga atarashii yuusha to natte, minna o mamoru tame ni aku to tatakau koto deshou. Sore o wasurenaide kudasai... sore o saigo ni, yuusha datta otoko no hito wa kaette ikimashita. Kare wa kitto, natsukashii furusato no hito-tachi ni mo, doragon taiji no tabi de mananda daiji na koto o tsutaete iku kotodeshou medetashi medetashi


    As soon as she finished reading, something warm streaked down her cheek.


    "Ah! Big sister, you''re crying!"


    Aa! Onee-chan, nai teruuu.


    "There''s nothing to cry about. You''re weird!"


    Betsuni naku koto nai jan. Hen na nooo.


    "Hey! You all shouldn''t speak impudently to Irmae-sama!"


    Kore! Omae-tachi, Irumaerra-sama ni shitsurei o o-ii denai yoo!


    The headmistress scolded the children who teased Irmae for crying.


    While witnessing this scene, Irmae couldn''t help but think,


    (I''m... embarrassed, at myself.)


    (Watashi jibun ga, hazukashii desu.)


    She wasn''t ashamed because she cried while reading a picture book at her age. It was embarrassing because she had forgotten a very important part of a story she had read many times in her childhood until this very moment.


    She recalled the words spoken by the boy she had summoned not long ago.


    I! am just a high school student! A Japanese! I''ve never even fought before! I don''t have any reason to fight for you people from another world! You summoned me for your own convenience, and if I''m weak, you look down on me...! Just who do you think you are, Irmae?! Huuh!?


    Ore wa! Tada no koukousei de, nihon-jin de! Tatakai nante shita koto mo nai nda yo! Omaera isekai-jin no tame ni tatakatte yaru riyuu mo da! Sore o kattena tsugou de yobidashite, yowakattara mikudashite! Naa, omae wa nani-sama no tsumoridatta nda Irumaerra? Aan!?


    Really, what in the world had she thought of herself as?


    She had blindly believed that if she summoned a hero, they would fight and save the world just like in the legends. As a result, she realized she hadn''t tried to understand the hero she had summoned at all. Unlike the past heroes, he had no weapons and had never even fought before. She didn''t understand why he had been chosen as the hero. Perhaps it had happened because she was inadequate in performing the summoning ritual. Regardless, it was certain that she had been of no help to him, who was bewildered and knew nothing.


    (I have to apologize to Yuuto-sama properly...)


    (Yuuto-sama ni, chanto ayamaranai to)


    She genuinely felt that way.


    However, what should she say to apologize? The words she knew were mostly from scripture and the preachings of the clergy. Be righteous, never doubt your faith, fulfill your dutiesmost of them led to such conclusions. If she followed that logic, it''s obvious that Yuuto, who was summoned as a hero but opposed it, would be cornered For the first time, she realized the narrowness of the world she had lived in.


    "...Is there a word in this world that can truly remunerate him?"


    ...Sekai ni wa, tadashiku ano kata ni mukuiru koto no dekiru kotoba ga, aru no deshou ka?


    She wanted to know the worlda world beyond her closed-off existence of history and faith. In the girl''s heart, the spark of yearning to explore beyond began to quietly flicker.


    ~~~


    Meanwhile, Erimiya Yuuto, the human from another world who was no longer a hero or anything special, was attending a ss held in an empty lecture hall. He was the only student present. Given that the existence of heroes was kept a closely guarded secret from other countries and the outside world, this was a natural precaution.


    "Listen up, young man. The basics of magic are rted to attributes. There are themon four major attributes: earth, water, fire, and wind, and then there''s the space attribute, which deals with things invisible and intangible, like spirits. Additionally, there are the light and dark attributes. That makes a total of seven... Now, actually theres more, but do you know what they are?"


    Yoi ka, shounen? Mahou no kihon wa zokusei da. Chisuikafuu no ippan-teki na shi dai zokusei, sore ni kuwaete rei-tai nado no miezu fure mo shinai mono o sousa suru sora zokusei. Purasu shite hikari zokusei to yami zokusei. Awasete nanatsu da Sate, jitsu wa mada hoka ni mo aru no daga, sore wa nani ka wakaru ka na?


    The desk was tapped with a teaching staff.


    ...It was quite a challenging question to start with. Yuuto had only just begun learning the basic writing system of this world, and he was still unfamiliar with the textbooks.


    "Um... I don''t know."


    Etto wakaranai desu.


    "Show at least a bit of effort to think. Besides the four major attributes that form the basis, there are two more: the holy attribute, which is based on the teachings of the Holy King Church, and the demonic attribute, which is used by monsters. That makes a total of nine attributes."


    Sukoshi wa kangaeru soburi kurai shiro. Seiou kyou ni kiban o oku Sei zokusei to mamono no tsukau ma zokusei. Goukei kokonotsu. Kore ga zokusei no subete da.


    "Huh? Is that different from light and dark?"


    E? Sore tte hikari to yami to wa chigaun desu ka?


    "Of course, it''s different. Natural light and divine radiance are distinct from each other. The darkness that results from the absence of light and the malevolence that corrupts light are also separate entities. Well, it''s a part that neers to magic often get confused about."


    Chigau ni kimatte iru darou. Shizen no hikari to kami no ikou wa betsu. Hikari ga saegirareta koto de dekiru yami to, hikari o mushibamu mashou mo mata, kotonaru mono da. Ma, narai-tate no shirouto ga kondou shi yasui bubun dewa aru na.


    As she spoke, the woman leaned back with a smug look on her face. It was a gesture that could make any healthy high school boy swallow hard, but Yuuto had no such courage. The woman standing before him was a beautiful creature in human form, but she was also a dangerous beast, and he couldn''t afford to show any indiscretion.


    (Why am I learning about magic from someone like this, I wonder...?)


    (Nande ore, konna hito ni mahou ni tsuite osowatte irun darou?)


    He couldn''t help but think deeply about it.


    The woman''s name was Elisha Rosmond Balbastre. She was originally from a different country called Arquell and hade to Omnia for training as a Holy Knight candidate. Apparently, she had participated in battles, killed enemies, and even fought off monsters single-handedly in her homnd, earning her recognition as a hero. Her journey here was quite bloody and reminiscent of a protagonist in a manga.


    He had encountered this dangerous individual just a few days ago when he got into a heated argumentno, violent altercationwith Irmae in the cathedral hallway. It was Elisha who had intervened and stopped the fight by kicking him as hard as she could.


    Since then, she often appeared before him and imposed things like sword training and magic lessons on him, even though he hadn''t asked for any of it.


    He once asked her why she was doing all this, but her response was,


    "It''s mostly to blow off steam."


    Omo ni usabarashi da na.


    She said it with a strangely refreshing smile.


    "I came to this country as part of my training to be a Holy Knight, but there''s no sign that I''ll ever be released from the candidatebel. Even though among the active Holy Knights, there''s probably only one who can match me inbat. So, I decided to train a seemingly unlucky young boy as a way to pass the time and vent my frustration Huh? How did I know, you ask? Well, when I first met you, you seemed strangely rough, and your clothes were covered in dirt. I just guessed you might have been treated rather poorly by the Commander."


    Sei kishi ni naru shugyou to shite kono kuni e kita mono no, ikkou ni kouho no ni-ji ga hazureru kehai ga nai. Gen''eki no sei kishi demo, watashi no aite ni nareru no wa mohaya hitori kurai da to iu no ni na. Yue ni, onajiku fuguu o kakotte iru you ni mieru shounen o kitaete, himatsubushi to usabarashi o suru koto ni shita Mu? Nande wakaru ka, da to? Hajimete atta toki, myou ni arete ite shi, fuku ni tsuchi ga tsuite ita kara na. Kore wa danchou-dono ni soutou kokareta no ka na to suiryou shita made sa.


    He remembered being amazed that he couldn''te up with a retort. And he somehow sensed the reason why Elisha was kept as a candidate but couldn''t be a Holy Knight. A person as selfish and unconventional as her would never fit into the formal role of a Holy Knight. And if thatmander is none other than Phantony, then it''s even less likely.


    (Well, I don''t really mind, though.)


    (Ma, ii kedo sa. Betsu ni.)


    Despite being this kind of person, she''s actually one of the better people he had met in Omnia.


    The priest assigned as his educational instructor was a schrly-looking man who was tantly tied to some shady guy known as Irmae''s father. What he taught was just pushy history and theology. In between, there was an interrogation-like inquiry about his rtionship with Irmae, or some back-biting about Phantony, who seems to be their political enemy.


    To be frank, Yuuto disliked Phantony as well, but he detested Emilio Candra even more. After all, he was the one who used his daughter''s power to lead the summoning n and brought him into this world. His words, deeds, and behavior were also just like that of a fishy-smelling monk whose skin is filled with greed. If there''s a reason to like such a person, he''d like to hear it.


    In addition, other priests who seemed unaware that Yuuto was someone that had been summoned as a hero looked at him with disdain because his race was different, and those who understood the situation only showed him things that would make him fed up, such as tant ttery and disappointment when their expectations were betrayed. It''s quite amusing that such people gather at the headquarters of a religious organization that attracts followers from all over the continent. The righteousness of the Holy King''s religion was also dubious.


    In any case, in such an environment, Elisha, with her straightforward personality, was like a breath of fresh air. Still, he felt like seeing her all the time would be exhausting no matter how many lives he had.


    "I''ll continue with the discussion. Now, regarding these nine major attributes, different people have their strengths and weaknesses when ites to them."


    Hanashi o tsuzukeru zo. Kono kyuu dai zokusei dearu ga, hito ni yotte ete fuete to iu mono ga aru.


    He hastily repositioned his ears to listen attentively as the lecture resumed. If perchance he missed something inadvertently, the teaching rod in Elishas hand mighte flying with a swoosh.


    "First is the demonic attribute. Basically humans can''t use this. Do you know why?"


    Mazu ma zokusei. Kore wa konpon-teki ni ningen ni wa tsukaen. Naze da ka wakaru ka?


    "That''s... because it''s used by monsters?"


    Soryaa mamono ga tsukau kara, desu ka?


    He answered somewhat tentatively since the question wasn''t very straightforward. He was worried about what would happen if his response turned out to bepletely off the mark, but Elisha nodded in satisfaction.


    "That''s correct. Because it belongs to the mosnters that''s inherently hostile to humanity, it''s only natural that humans can''t use it. Even If someone could, it is most likely a monster who disguised as a human."


    Sono toori da. Jinrui ni tekitai suru ma ni zokusuru yue, touzen no koto nagara ningen ni wa tsukaen. Kari ni tsukaeta to shitara, mamono ga ningen ni bakete iru to iu no ga ochi dearou yo.


    "Huuh, is that so?"


    Ee, sou nan desu ka?


    Since he was just responding randomly, he felt a bit uneasy when she readily affirmed it.


    "This is just a what if, okay? If theres a human with unique constitution or the likes to have the ability to use the demonic attribute"


    Sono, desu yo? Moshika shitara tokui taishitsu ka nanika de, ningen na no ni ma zokusei ga tsukae tari toka wa


    What he had in mind when he said that was the witch hunts of Europe, a history he learned in his original world. Persecution, oppression, and ughter driven by baseless fears and superstitions. Wasn''t this their logic to justify themselves indulging in such bloody acts? To say that the idea wasn''t based on his antipathy towards the Holy King Church would be a lie, though.


    However, as she toyed with the tip of the teaching rod with her finger, his instructor shook her head.


    "That''s impossible. Well, while there''s a probability in some extraordinary cases, it hasn''t been confirmed. In a country called St. Gallen Federation in the east, there''s a grand research institution called the Magic Academy. They seem to study all sorts of magic there. They''ve been conducting investigations intensely for a hundred years, but they haven''t found a human with such an ability."


    Sore wa nai na. Iya, mangaichi ni wa ariuru kamo shirenai ga, kakunin sareta koto wa nai. Touhou no zankutogaren renpou oukoku to iu kuni ni wa, madou akadem nante go-taisou na kenkyuu kikan ga aru. Soko dewa ari to arayuru mahou o kenkyuu shite irurashii ga ne, hyaku-nen kan chi mamire ni natte chousa o tsudzukete iru ga, sonna ningen o mitsuketa koto wa nai sou da.


    ''Even though it would be convenient during war if anyone could use it'' she added quite a startlingment. At any rate, if even after going to such lengths, they can''t find a user, one should ept that humans cannot use it. Since even a national institution, considering wartime utility in their research, cannot find anyone.


    "Weve gone off-topic. Next is the Holy attribute. Conversely, only humans can use this. It''s natural, considering the founder of this attribute is the Holy King, the guardian of humanity. And I haven''t heard of users among elves or dwarves."


    Hanashi ga soreta na. De, tsugini sei zokusei. Kore wa gyaku ni ningen ni shika tsukaenai. Jinrui no gdian dearu Seiou ga kaiso dearu no dakara, atarimae no koto da na. Erufu ya dowfu ni tsukaite ga deta to iu hanashi mo kikanu shi.


    "Elves and dwarves?"


    Erufu ni dowfu?


    His eyes blinked as he repeated the words he just heard. They aremon species of demi-humans in works like games, and it seems they exist in this world too.


    "What, are you interested in demi-humans, young boy? ...It''s better not to talk about it with such a loud voice. The Holy King''s religion is fundamentally human-centric. Most priests are not favorable towards demi-humans, especially the long-lived races. Well, this discriminatory ideology shes with the kind words left by the Holy King, so every year, there are ''insolent ones'' who leave the church."


    Nanda, ajin ni kyoumi ga aru no ka shounen? Amari ooki na koe de wadai ni agen hou ga yoi zo. Seiou kyou wa kihon-teki ni ningen zettai shugi dakara na. Taigai no shinkan-domo wa ajin, toku ni nagaki o ikiru choumei-shu ni taishite koui-teki de wa nai no da yo. Ma, sono sabetsu shisou ga seiou-sama no nokosareta yasashii o-kotoba to kuichigatte iru kara, mai toshi no you ni kyoukai kara geya suru fukokoroe-sha ga deru no da ga ne.


    And it seems that the premise that races called demi-humans tend to be discriminated against is also the same. Nevertheless, Elisha''s way of speaking made her sound more sympathetic towards these ''insolent ones'' who oppose discrimination.


    "Oh right, speaking of demi-humans, it reminded me. These folksespecially the elvesoften excel in one of the basic four attributes. They appear to be the embodiment of nature or the representatives of spirits, right? asionally, monstrous geniuses are born with an exceptional affinity for three or even all four attributes."


    Aa sou da, ajin de omoidashita ga ne. Koyatsu-ra watoku ni Erufu nanda ga natokui to suru zokusei wa kihon shi zokusei no izure ka dearu baai ga ooi. Tennen shizen no keshin, seirei no daikou-sha o jishou suru renchuu rashii to ieba rashii darou? Mare ni tokui zokusei ga mittsu, aruiwa shi zokusei no subete to iu bakemono jimita tensai ga umareru koto mo aru toka.


    "...There can be multiple affinity for attributes?"


    ...Tokui zokusei tte, fukusuu aru baai mo aru ndesu ka?


    "Well, of course. Humans aren''t made up of just flesh, after all. Inside the body, there are bones and blood. Attributes aren''t that different, right?"


    Sorya sou darou. Ningen, dare shi mo niku dake de dekite iru wake jaa nai ndakara na. Karada no naka ni wa hone mo areba ketsueki mo aru. Zokusei datte sonna you na mono dewa nai no ka?


    It was a reasoning that was both understandable and not.


    "For example, even I have aptitude for multiple attributes. Water and wind... and also the holy attribute I acquired through training here. Huh? I have an affinity for three, now that I think about it, aren''t I amazing?"


    Tatoeba, watashi datte fukusuu zokusei ni tekisei o motte iru. Mizu to kaze sore to koko de no shugyou de mi ni tsuketa sei zokusei ka. Mu? Tekisei ga mittsu mo aru zo, yoku kangaetara sugoku nai ka watashi?


    "Yeah..."


    Ha


    Yuuto responded with a nomittal acknowledgement. Even if he was told this, being someone who didn''t even know the ABCs of magic, he couldn''tprehend what was so amazing. It was akin to someone not well-versed in mathematics being told about obscure functions and theorems, which didn''t resonate.


    ...He woulde to knowter, but it seemed that Elisha didn''t possess any particrly outstanding aptitude just because she could use the holy attribute now. Her affinity remained as it was, proficient in water and wind. Still, within the realm of humans, she seemed to be on the more capable side.


    "So, what would be my affinity for attributes, I wonder?"


    Jaa, ore no tokui zokusei tte, nan nan deshou ne?


    He voiced a sudden question that came to mind. He didn''t like fighting, but even so, it didn''t diminish his curiosity about magic. If he could use it, he wanted to try it at least once.


    Elisha pondered for a moment, cing her hand to her chin.


    "Your affinity, huh... I don''t know. If one is well-versed in magic, they can sometimes discern it. I was also told by the court mage in my homnd. And it might be difficult to assess it here in Omnia, which is specialized in divine magic and not familiar with the four major attributes."


    Omae no tokui zokusei, ka Watashi dewa wakaran na. Mahou ni taketa mono dearu nara minukeru koto mo aru rashii shi, watashi mo sokoku de kyuutei madou-shi ni oshiete moratta no da ga. Shinsei mahou ni toku-ka shite shidaiseirei-kei ni utoi omunia dewa, hantei suru no wa muzukashii kamo shiren.


    "Is that so? Kind of disappointing..."


    Sou nan desu ka. Chotto zannen da naa


    Not knowing what kind of magic he could use made him feel surprisingly disappointed. After all, in his original world, this was something that was absolutely impossible. Since he was summoned against his will and not ording to his wishes, he felt that he should enjoy the otherworldly aspects a bit; otherwise, he wouldn''t gain anything.


    Elisha seemed to share the disappointment, and began considering it further.


    "Hmm, I didn''t rmend it since it''s not very reliable, but there''s also a way to diagnose based on personality. Like if you''re passionate, you might have an affinity for fire, or if you''re fickle, you might have an affinity for wind. It''s a somewhat vague way of deciding, though."


    Uumu, amari shinbyousei ga nai no de o-susume wa shi kaneru ga, seikaku o gen ni shindan suru to iu mono mo aru zo? Nekketsukan da to hi zokusei da toka, utsurigi na yatsu wa kaze zokusei da toka iu, fuwatto shita kime-kata da ga.


    It was like personality diagnoses based on blood types or zodiac signs in Japan. It certainly seemedcking in credibility.


    "I''ll ask just in case, but with that kind of categorization, what would happen in the case of someone with dual attributes like you, Elisha-san?"


    Ichiou kikimasu kedo, sono wake-kata da to Erisha-san mitai na nijuu zokusei no baai wa dou naru ndesu?


    "Then, I''ll answer just in case. Fire and earth, for instance, would mean you''re passionate and have firm beliefs. Someone good at stirring people up would be wind and fire. Water and earth would be a sticky and viscous type... water and wind would be like a well... stormy and unrestrained, was it?"


    Jaa, ichiou kotaete oku ka. Hi to tsuchi nara josu-teki de katai shinnen o motsu. Hito o aoru no ga umai soudou-ya wa kaze to hi. Mizu to tsuchi wa dorodoro to shita nenchaku-shitsu de mizu to kaze wa, sono, nanda arashi no you ni honpou datta ka na?


    "..."


    He retracted his previous statement. Actually, there might be a fairly high uracy in this.


    "Huh? What aboutbinations like fire and water, or wind and earth?"


    Tte, are? Hi to mizu toka, kaze to tsuchi no baai wa nai ndesu ka?


    When he asked out of curiosity, he received a bewildered shrug in response.


    "Hey, young boy. It''s better to think before you speak. Can fire mix with water? Those are opposing attributes. They don''t be dual attributes because they have ipatible natures. It''s different if you insert another attribute that can mediate and harmonize between them. But then, wouldn''t that make it a triple attribute?"


    Oi, shounen. Sukoshi wa kangaete mono o itta hou ga yoi zo? Hi ga mizu to majittari suru ka? Sore-ra wa tairitsu zokusei da. Aishou ga warui no de nijuu zokusei ni wa naran. Ma ni tatte chouwa saseru koto no dekiru betsu no zokusei o hasameba betsu daga na. Shikashi, sore da to mie zokusei ni naru darou?


    "I-Is that so?"


    So, sou nan desu ka?


    "Basically, yes This is just a dubious rumor, but there''s a widely epted theory that those with affinity to opposing attributes are considerably mentally unstable unless they have three or more affinities. They have a severely disrupted mind, just likepletely nonsensical exceptional cases such as burning water or flying earth. Well, I''ve never actually seen one, so take it with a grain of salt."


    Kihon-teki ni wa, na Tada kore wa mayutsuba mono no uwasa nanda ga, tairitsu zokusei-mochi to iu no wa, san-juu ijou demo nakereba, soutou ni seishin ga hatan shite iru to iu tsuusetsu ga aru. Moeru mizu ya sora tobu daichi no you na, joushiki no tsuujinai tokkyuu ni kowareta atama o shite iru no da, to Ma, watashi mo o-me ni kakatta koto wa nai no dakara, hanashi han-bun dearu ga na.


    You are quick-tempered but you seem to havemon sense, so it''s unlikely She ended the conversation with that sentence as if reassuring him. He had things he wanted to say, but thinking back to their first meeting, he realized that her concern about his mental instability wasn''t entirely unfounded. At that time, if Elisha hadn''t intervened, he would have inflicted serious injuries on Irmae... and worse, things could have escted even further.


    Perhaps sensing that his mood was about to darken, And so, Elisha said, showing her intention to change the topic.


    "By the way, young boy. What kind of magic do you want to use?"


    Sou ieba shounen. Omae no tsukaitai mahou wa donna mono nanda?


    "Huh?"


    E?


    "Huh is not an answer. Isn''t it because there is something you want to do so you want to measure your affinity? Come on, just say something for now."


    E, janai darou. Shitai koto, yaritai koto ga aru kara onore no tekisei o hakaru no dewa nai no ka? Hora, toriaezu de yoi kara itte miro.


    Come to think of it, that might be true. To judge whether you can do what you want, affinity is the thing. So, what kind of magic would he like to try using? Yuuto thought for a moment and uttered the words that came to mind.


    "Maybe lightning, or electric shocks I guess."


    Kaminari toka, dengeki toka desu ka ne.


    "Forget it."


    Tomete oke.


    He was promptly cut off.


    "W-Why? Isn''t it cooluh, I mean, it seems strong, doesn''t it?"


    Na, nande desu ka? Kakko iimo toi, tsuyo-sou de ii janai desu ka.


    "I won''t deny that it''s strong and has a good appearance. Lightning-based magic, however, has a high level of difficulty in both learning and usage. Lightning is hot, fast, and something that falls from the clouds to the earth, right? In other words, you need to be proficient in using all the elements of the four major attributestemperature of fire, speed of wind, water from the thunderclouds, and the earth of the fall. It''s said that if one can use even the most basic of it, just that is considered an advanced skill of at least C rank for adventurers. I think you should first attain a certain level of skill before attempting it."


    Tsuyoi shi mibae ga suru no wa hitei sen ga ne. Raigeki keitou no mahou wa shuutoku, koushi tomo ni gaido ga takai no da yo. Inazuma to iu no wa, atsui shi hayai shi, kumo kara daichi ni ochiru mono darou? Tsumari ondo no hi, sokudo no kaze, raiun no mizu, rakka no tsuchi to, shi dai zokusei subete no youso o man-ben naku tsukaeru tassha de nakereba oboeraren. Shoho demo tsukaereba, sore dake de C ranku ijou no bouken-sha wa tsutomaru to iwareru hodo no koutou gijutsu da yo. Mazu wa ittei no giryou o ete kara, hajimete idomu beki da to omou zo.


    As he was calmly admonished, it did indeed start to seem difficult. Even if he had an affinity for magic, he had no idea how many years of training it would take to use it. Well, not that he wanted to stay in this world for many years, to say the least.


    "In other words... it''s impossible for me?"


    Tsumari ore jaa muri da to?


    "No, no, we don''t know your aptitude yet, so we can''t judge. However, generally, those who use lightning magic have dual attributes... but I can''t use it. I don''t even have the intention to use it. My main profession is more about the sword than magic, you see. Anyway, talent and effort are not always enough."


    Iya iya, mada tekisei wa wakaran kara handan wa dekin yo. Tada, kihon-teki ni raigeki no tsukaite wa nijuu zokusei-mochi daga watashi ni wa tsukaen. Tsukaeru ki sura sen. Honshoku wa mahou yori ken da to iu koto mo aru ga ne. Tomokaku, sainou mo doryoku mo namanaka na mono de wa oyobi mo tsukan no da yo.


    Or rather, Elisha paused.


    "First of all, we don''t even know if you can use magic, young boy."


    Mazu mahou ga tsukaeru ka dou ka sura wakaran kara na, shounen wa.


    "Please don''t be so blunt..."


    Mi mo futa mo nai koto o iwanaide kudasai yo


    Yuuto also dropped his shoulders with a sigh.


    Magic requires magical energy called "mana." It seemed like he needed to have that in ce first, but he couldn''t seem to figure it out. He even wondered if such a thing really exists. He had seen people around him perform things that seemed like magic a few times, but believing that he had the power for it was another story.


    Suddenly, the conversation fell silent. He thought today''s lecture was already over, but the bell indicating the time hadn''t rung yet. A few moments passed in silence, and eventually, Elisha spoke again.


    "However, you do have more curiosity than I thought, don''t you?"


    Shikashi, nanda na. Omotta yori koukishin ga ousei dewa nai ka.


    "Huh?"


    E?


    He couldn''t help but blink at the sudden remark.


    "You''re a bit surprising. Haven''t you always built walls around yourself, deciding to stay out of the world''s affairs? It''s unexpected that you''re getting so engaged in this."


    Sukoshi igai datta zo. Omae, itsumo jibun no shuui ni kabe o tsukutte, yo no naka no koto nado warekansezu to kime konde ita darou? Sore ga kou mo hanashi ni kui tsuite kuru to wa na.


    "It''s because... these people here are always preaching and lecturing."


    Sore wa koko no renchuu, itsumo seppou da no sekkyou da no bakari desu shi.


    There''s nothing less engaging than being invited into an unknown religion. Moreover, Yuuto was brought to this world with almost nothing. In a situation with no escape, he felt a shiver just thinking about carelessly lending an ear and potentially being brainwashed.


    "Hey now, that''s not good, young boy. This continent is where the followers of the Holy King''s faith reside, and this country is its headquarters. I don''t know where you''re from, but as long as you live here, you can''tpletely avoid the influence of the Holy King''s faith. If you handle it too recklessly, you might regret itter, you know?"


    Kora kora, dame da zo shounen. Kono tairiku wa seiou kyouto no kurasu tairiku de, kono kuni wa sono souhonzan na no da. Omae ga doko no shusshin ka wa wakaran ga, koko de seikatsu suru ijou, seiou kyou kara wa muen de iraren. Amari muge ni atsukatte iru to, ato de itai me o miru kamo shiren zo?


    "Is that a threat?"


    Odoshi desu ka, sore?


    "It''s an advice withmon sense. Imagine if a stranger spoke ill of someone you''re infatuated with or look up to?"


    Ippanron-teki na chuukoku da yo. Tatoe-banashi da ga, shounen ga horete iru onna ya sonkei shite iru dai-jinbutsu no koto o, mishiranu dareka ga waruku itte itara dou omou?


    "...It would make me feel ufortable."


    ...Sore wa, nanka iya na kibun ni narimasu ne.


    "Exactly, right? It''s the same with a religious sect, or maybe even more so. It''s wise to store enough knowledge to align your conversations and get through, even if it''s for self-preservation. You hate trouble, right?"


    Darou? Shuumon no baai demo douyou, iya sore ijou da yo. Hoshin no tame ni mo, hanashi o awasete yarisugoseru dake no chishiki wa takuwaete oita hou ga yoi. Mendou goto wa kirai darou?


    He agreed to some extent. He definitely disliked trouble. However, he might dislike the Holy King''s faith just as much. Since he had just been warned, he put a lid on those thoughts for a while and nodded his head.


    "...I''ll be careful."


    ...Ki o tsukemasu yo.


    "Very well, it''s good that you''re honest So, what were we talking about? Ah, yes, it was about what interests you. Just listening to my lecture might be boring. Feel free to ask about anything you''d like to know. I''ll answer to the best of my knowledge."


    Umu, sunao de yoroshii Sore de, nan no hanashi datta kke ka? Aa, sou sou, omae no kyoumi ga aru mono ni tsuite datta na. Watashi no kougi o kiku bakari to iu no mo tsumaran darou. Shiritai koto o jiyuu ni shitsumon shite miro, shitte iru kagiri no koto wa kotaete yaru ga.


    "What I''d like to know..."


    Shiritai, koto


    He stumbled on the words.


    What does he want to know? First of all, what does he not know? Since being summoned here, he had spent every day cooped up within the grounds of this cathedral, and he hadn''t set foot outside even once. It''s another world. A ce filled with experiences he could never have in modern-day Japan. Yet, he''s worshiped and force-fed convenient justifications by the members of the church. Recognizing this again, he felt suffocated and his chest tightened at the thought.


    "...Outside."


    ...Soto.


    "Hm?"


    N?


    "I wonder what''s happening in the outside world...?"


    Soto no sekai tte, dou natte iru ndeshou ne?


    The outside of this cage painted with goodwill and order. For the first time, Yuuto acknowledged his interest there.


    He wanted to go outside. He wanted to fully understand a world he knew nothing about and see things he had never seen before. The source of that desirewas it a rebellion against those who confined him, or was it the result of youth and curiosity seeking new targets for their passion? Yuuto didn''t understand it himself. The only thing he could understand was that, with returning to Japan being an almost hopeless wish, his next desire was to leave from here.


    In response to the boy''s eager yearning, the woman smiled gently.


    "...It''s probably faster to see it for yourself."


    ...Sore wa jibun de mita hou ga hayai darou na.


    ~~~


    "...I wonder how much do we really know about this world?"


    ...Boku-tachi wa kono sekai ni tsuite, ittai dore dake no koto o shitte iru no darou?


    In the darkness, deep within the earth, in a space that could be called the end of the world, a voice of a heretical alchemist echoed.


    The Man Underground Great Labyrinth. Deep underground in the mountains of the frontier, arge base established as an outpost for forbidden experiments. This was the central atelier, so to speak. In the depths of the room, at a desk piled with experiment reports that would make an ordinary person sick with just a cursory nce, sat the master of this sphemous space, his fingers inteced.


    Tullius Shernan Oubeniel. A newly appointed marquis who rose to fame in the Volden campaign, notorious for his indulgence in alchemy and repugnant experiments as the ''ve Killer''.


    There was no response to his words. The pawns gathered in their master''s chamber were waiting for his next sentence, each with their own expressions. Some listened quietly, while others seemed eager. And then, there were those who were weary, as if resenting whatever was about to begin.


    "The experiments targeting the captured priests have been continuing sincest year. As a result, it has been confirmed that the power they call ''divine power'' is, essentially, not much different from ordinary magical power."


    Kyonen kara tsuzukete iru, hokaku shita shinkan o taishou ni shita jikken. Sono kekka, karera ga houriki to yonde iru chikara wa, tsumaru tokoro tsuujou no maryoku to sore hodo kawaranai koto ga kakunin sarete iru.


    What Tullius was saying pertained to the experiments using the adventurers who visited the dungeon on the surface, concealing this underground experimental facility. It was an attempt to understand the principles of one of the driving forces behind the widely revered Holy King Church on the continentdivine magic, also known as holy attribute magic. Sometimes forcibly making brainwashed priests vite their doctrines, at other times tampering with the subjects of their faith... After numerous sphemous acts, he finally came to an understanding.


    "In other words, it means that the sacraments of the clergy are just another form of magic. Whether it''s producing mes from a staff, summoning wind, or my alchemy... in the end, they are fundamentally the same."


    Tsumari wa, seishoku-sha no hiseki mo mahou no isshu ni suginai to iu wake da ne. Tsue kara honou o dashi tari kaze o fukase tari, aruiwa boku ga tsukau renkinjutsu dattari kekkyoku, sore-ra to ne wa onaji nanda yo.


    The miracles that the priests proim as divine blessings and the grace of God... were ultimately no different from other forms of magic. This fact, if heard by a Holy King follower, would immediately lead to an execution by burning.


    "Then, why is their magic considered special? They bring healing, offer protection, exorcize demons... these powers are granted only to the human race. Even the elves, who excel in magical prowess and possess a deep understanding of magic, can''t utilize them. It''s as if someone has chosen only humans and bestowed blessings upon them"


    Dewa, naze kare-ra no mahou wa tokubetsu nan darou? Iyashi o motarashi, kago o atae, ma o harau sono chikara wa ningen-shu ni shika ataerarete inai. Maryoku ni sugure, mahou ni taketa Erufu-shu de sura tsukau koto ga dekinai. Marude nani mono ka ga, ningen dake o erande onkei o ataete iru mitai janai ka


    While saying this, he casually tossed a book retrieved from the desk drawer. The scripture regarded as the most important of the Holy King Church... ''Chronicle of Ascension.'' It depicted the Savior, the Holy King, rising to the heavens.


    "And his true identity is the Holy King. The Savior of humanity. A leader from more than a thousand years ago who is said to have ascended to the heavens and reached the divine throne while praying for salvation from the threat of demons... I think he truly became a god and is giving blessings to humanity. On this point, the interpretation of the church is correct."


    Sono shoutai koso, Seiou. Jinrui no sukuinushi. Ma no kyoui kara no kyuusai o negai nagara, ten e nobori kanza e itatta to sareru sen-nen ijou mae no shidou-sha boku wa, kare ga hontou ni kami ni nari, ningen e to kago o ataete iru njanai ka to omou. Kono ten dake wa kyoukai no kaishaku ga tadashii.


    However, Tullius continued with a cutting tone.


    Keredo,


    "That raises another new question. Let''s assume that the power of holy magic is derived from the Holy King. Then, what could be the origin of other forms of magic? In the incantations of high-level magic, there are sometimes mentions of gods associated with their respective attributes, but do these gods really exist? The ancient religions found in ruins from before the Holy Omnia Empire, the spirit beliefs practiced by demi-humans such as elves, and so on... Are they aligned with these gods they believe in? And"


    Sore da to, mata arata na gimon ga dete kuru ne. Shinsei mahou no chikara ga seiou ni yurai suru to katei shiyou. Jaa, hoka no mahou no kigen wa nan nan darou? Koui mahou no eishou no naka ni wa, toki toshite sono zokusei no kami ni tsuite genkyuu suru naiyou mo aru keredo, sore-ra no kami mo sonzai suru no darou ka? Shinsei Omunia teikoku izen no jidai no iseki ni mirareru genshi shuukyou, erufu nado no ajin ga okonau seirei shinkou kare-ra no shinjiru kami to doujiku na no darou ka? Soshite


    As he passionately spoke, a kind of terrifying fire lit up in his eyes.


    "Could it be that these so-called gods are also, like the Holy King, originally human? In that case, it might mean that it''s not impossible for humans to be gods. To be an existence that is eternal, universal, and immortal."


    Moshi ka suru to, yahari sono kamigami to yara mo seiou to onajiku moto ningen nan darou ka? Da to sureba, ningen ga kami ni naru koto wa fukanou janai koto ni naru. Eien de, fuhen-teki de, shinu koto nanka arienai sonzai ni, ne.


    In the end, that was the conclusion. This man, no matter what, did not want to die. He would be anything if it meant avoiding death. Whether a demon or a god.


    "To find that out, we need to research Omnia in more detail. Texts rted to the period just before and after the Holy King''s ascension, the sacred site where the ascension took ce, and what about the ''hero'' said to be sent by the Holy King in times of humanity''s crisis? Don''t you think they keep too many things hidden?"


    Sore o shiru tame ni wa, Omunia ni tsuite motto kuwashiku shiraberu hitsuyou ga aru. Seiou shouten no chokuzen chokugo ni matsuwaru bunken. Shouten ga okonawareta seichi. Sore to jinrui no kiki ni seiou no tsukawasu toka iu yuusha to wa nani ka? Ano renchuu wa kakushite iru koto ga oo sugiru to omowanai kai?


    In response to those words, one of the subordinates eximed in a mixture of astonishment and exasperation.


    ''Can you really say that?'' they said.


    Anta no ieta koto ka ne, to.


    Another one, with a yful gesture, also agreed.


    ''Aren''t you the person with the most unutterable secret on the continent?'' they chimed in.


    Kimi tte tairiku de ichiban, hito ni ienai himitsu o kakaeta ningen nan janai? To.


    "Well, I think it''s hard to deny that... But, don''t you think it would make for an interesting investigation? Exposing the mystery of thergest religion in the Omnia Empire, no, on the continent."


    Maa, sono hen wa hitei shi gatai to wa omou kedo ne Demo, omoshiroi chousa ni nari-sou da to omou darou? Omunia koukoku, iya tairiku saidai no shuukyou no nazo o maru hadaka ni shite yaru tte iu no wa sa.


    A dark elf nodded in agreement.


    ''I see. Stripping inappropriate attire off those hairless apes, huh?'' they remarked.


    Naruhodo, ke-nashi no saru-domo kara bun busouou na koromo o haide yaru wake desu ka, to.


    The white elf also leaned in.


    ''It''s very exciting to know people''s secrets, isn''t it?'' they added.


    Hito no himitsu o shiru toki tte, suggoku waku waku shimasu yo ne? To.


    "It''s good to see you all so enthusiastic. When there''s something to look forward to, it adds to your motivation for work, right?"


    Kimi-tachi mo noriki na you de nani yori da yo. Tanoshimi ga aru to, shigoto o suru toki no mochibshon ga chigau tte mono dashi ne.


    However, at this point, one person, or rather one of the shadowy figures, voiced their dissent.


    ''Isn''t it premature for this?'' ''I oppose it,'' they stated.


    Sore wa jiki shousou dewa, to, hantai shi masu, to.


    The one closest to their master also concurred.


    ''Omnia is the biggest threat among the hypothetical enemies. Considering the current situation that has left unease around Master, I believe we should not act and leave it as it is,'' they argued.


    Omunia wa kasou teki no naka dewa saidai no kyoui, goshujin-sama no shuui ni fuan o nokoshita genjou dewa te o tsukeru beki dewa nai to kangaemasu, to.


    "I thought you guys would say that. Well, what I''ve just said is only something like a statement of my beliefs. It''s until we''ve made it clear about what our future course of action will be, I guess That''s why the next task will be to deal with nuisances that might obstruct this course of action. Make it so they cannot interfere with my surroundings for a while."


    Kimi-tachi wa sou iu to omotte ita yo. Maa, ima no wa shoshin hyoumei mitai na mono sa. Kongo no koudou no houshin wa dono you na mono ka, wakari yasuku shita made tte tokoro ka na Dakara tsugi no shigoto wa, kono houshin no shougai ni nari-sou na jama-mono o, katazukeru koto ni naru. Shibaraku boku no shuui ni tedashi o dekinai you ni ne.


    Then, thest person showed their excitement.


    ''Ohh, that''s a great n! It seems I would be able to make a big fuss and feast to my heart''s content in this job, doesn''t it?'' they eximed.


    Hou, sore wa choujou! Kore mata hade ni abarete tarafuku kueru shigoto ni nari-sou desu na? To.


    "Alright, shall we get to the main topic? Our next target is"


    Jaa, hondai ni hairou ka. Tsugi no hyouteki wa da ne


    The fiendish alchemist gleefullyid out his n. Driven by his selfish desires, he plotted to bring further chaos to the continent.


    Several shadows lent their ears to these words, totaling seven in this ce.


    In essence, this meant that the man''s ''masterpieces'' through his forbidden arts had once again increased in number.


    "Now, let''smence the n. In order to advance my precious research without hindrance."


    Saa, keikaku o hajimeyou. Boku no daiji na kenkyuu o, todokourinaku susumeru tame ni ne.


    ~~~


    To be continued...


    TL Note:


    Ahaaaaaaaaaaaa~ Im overjoyed were finally back to Tullius pov!!! I enjoy tranting his story the most!!! I was grinning the entire time while typingggg aaaaaaaaa~~~


    This chapter was brought to you by my patrons, Sier, McConnaheyhey, TheHunt3r Gaming, and Viks. Thank you very much!


    Join my patreon to read the advanced chapters and help me release faster~

 Chapter 80: (Interlude) St. Gallen, Maneuvering

    Chapter 80: (Interlude) St. Gallen, Maneuvering


    To the east of the continent, the St. Gallen Federation.


    As the snow melted and young grass sprouted, it was the season of burgeoning life, spring. The sky was clear and blue, yet the faces of the group advancing across the ins beneath were clouded, resembling a solemn asion.


    The reason was evident when you looked at their attire. Instead of hats, they wore iron helmets. Their bodies were d in armor, and they carried flimsy spears in their hands. They were soldiers. Moreover, judging by the determined yet sorrowful expressions as they marched, it was easy to understand that their purpose was not mere training or a routine movement.


    They were heading towards the battlefield.


    "The king, the nobles, everyone is just a bunch of idiots."


    Ou-sama mo o-kizoku-sama mo, doitsu mo koitsu mo baka bakkari da.


    One of the soldiers muttered as he advanced, his voice filled with gloom.


    "Just when I thought the monster uproar had settled, we have a war with Arquell. Once that''s over, it''s internal strife between kingdoms in the federation. I can''t stand it."


    Youyaku mamono sawagi ga osamatta to omottara, Arukru to sensou. Sore ga sundara kondo wa, renpou no kuni doushi de uchiwamome to kita. Tsukiatte rarenee.


    "Hey, cut it out."


    Oi, yose yo.


    A soldier in the neighboring column admonished him.


    "We don''t know who might be listening. It''s better not to say careless things."


    Dare ga kiite iru ka wakaraneen da. Ukatsuna koto wa iwan hou ga ii.


    "There''s no way I''d care."


    Kamau mono ka yo.


    Even the admonishment from his colleague didn''t stop the soldier from venting hisints. While moving his feet, he nced around. The gloomy soldiers around him all continued to walk in silence with dark expressions. There was no sign of opposing will. Rather, it seemed like they were leaning towards the man who started speaking, listening intently and showing signs of encouraging him to continue.


    "Just when we thought we could finally sow the wheat and settle down, they hit us with this conscription. Can''t believe there''s anyone here who''s not furious about this."


    Youyaku ochitsuite mugi o makeru ka tte toki ni, kono chouhei da. Sore ga atama ni kite inai yatsu ga, kono naka ni iru mon ka yo.


    Voices of agreement rose from the surroundings as if baited by his strong tone.


    "Yeah, absolutely."


    Aa, mattaku da.


    "The higher-ups only think of us as nothing more than living sacks that spew out wheat when squeezed."


    O-ue wa ore-ra no koto o, shiboreba mugi o hakidasu ikita hitai kurai ni shika omotte iyagara nee.


    "We have to till, sow, nurture, and yet they expect us to harvest without any effort..."


    Tagaya shite, maite, te o kakete sodatenakya, kareru mon mo karenee tte noni yo


    The soldier, ustomed to rapidly hearing simr words, shrugged his shoulders as if surrendering to the onught of words. The soldiers here were not professional warriors. They were farmers wielding hoes, not spears, and facing the earth as their adversary, not enemy soldiers. They had been conscripted into the army under the lord''s orders, but war was not their true intent.


    "I''ll say it as many times as necessary. Those nobles are all fools. They take away the people who cultivate wheat, and thene autumn, they whine about not having enough taxes."


    Nando datte itte yaru. Kizoku-domo wa minna baka da ze. Mugi o tsukuru hitode o ubatte oite, sore de aki ni nattara, zei ga tarinai nante nukashi yagaru ndakara na.


    "Yeah, yeah!"


    Nda, nda.


    "And then, theye up with excuses like ''we''re short on resources'' and sell them off as ves. Damn, nobles have the easiest business, I tell ya."


    Demo tte, fusoku da nanda to riyuu o tsukete, dorei ni shite uritobasu ndakara na. Ttaku yoo, kizoku hodo o kiraku na shoubai wa nee mon da na, oi.


    "In our vige too, we''ve been seeing ve traders quite oftentely. I wonder if they''re scouting for potential merchandise."


    Uchi no mura demo, saikin dorei shounin o yoku miru nda yo na. Ima kara meboshii urimono o busshoku shite yagaru ndarou ka.


    "Me too If I don''t receive some kind of reward for this battle, the vige chief said we might have to sell off my youngest sister at home"


    Boku mo kono ikusa de onshou demo moraenakattara, ie no sue no imouto o uru koto ni naru kamo shirenai tte, sonchou ga


    The young soldier blurted out, and the adults around him frowned sympathetically.


    "Since the monster incident two years ago, the same situation has been urring in every vige"


    Ototoshi no mamono sawagi irai, doko no mura mo nita you na koto ni natteru nda naa


    "Hah, as long as they''re still contemting which family member to sell, it''s not as bad. Lately, there are rumors of entire viges conspiring to escape, ya know?"


    He, dono ie no ko o uru ka sandan shite iru uchi wa, mada mashi yo. Chikagoro wa, mura-gurumi de nigedasu you na tokoro mo arurashii ze?


    "Right. I heard rumors about a neighboring vige near Balden being emptied overnight."


    Tashika ni. Baruden no atari jaa rinson ga ichiya ni shite karappo ni, nante koto ga atta tte uwasa, kiita koto ga aru ze.


    "The entire vige fleeing overnight, huh. But where would they even escape to?"


    Murabito zen''in, hitoban de yonige ka. Demo, nigeru tte, doko ni da yo?


    "Who knows? Perhaps beyond the Riney River?"


    Saa? Raini kawa no mukou ja nee no.


    Riney River. It was the name of the river that served as the border between St. Gallen and the neighboring country Arquell. Across the rivery thend known as Elpis-Roanneformerly Elpus-Roatrelgen. It had been the territory ceded to the Kingdom of Arquell ording to the peace treaty after the Volden Campaign the previous year.


    Indeed, now its considered enemy territory, but originally, it had belonged to St. Gallen. Many of the people living there were of St. Gallen descent. Even if farmers had fled across the border, there was room to blend in.


    However,


    "Nonsense. That''s already thend of those Arquell people. There''s no way they''d be kind to us who fled with just the clothes on our backs."


    Baka ie. Asoko wa mou Arukru-jin-domo no tochi da. Renchuu ga, mi hitotsu de nigekonde kita ore-tachi ni yasashiku shite kureru wake nee daro.


    A soldier dered with genuine disdain.


    Elpis-Roanne was under the rule of the Kingdom of Arquell. St. Gallen had initiated the war through a surprise attack against their country and had been defeated. In that case, it had been hard to imagine that St. Gallen people seeking refuge there would find a fortunate new beginning. Former enemy countrymen without supportsuch fate of refugees was akin to throwing miners into the mines as ves. Moreover, Elpis-Roanne was known for its rich mineral deposits. Over the years, it had be a disputed territory between the two major nations, and this had been one of the reasons.


    Escaping and facing a future as a refugee or a ve. That''s what had made them stay despite their aversion, leading to the present moment. Their role as soldiers, forced out due to the federal civil strife, had been a result of that decision.


    And there had been another reason they couldn''t flee.


    "What are you chattering about?"


    Nani o o-shaberi o shite oru?


    At the booming voice that descended from above, the soldiers collectively straightened up. It was only natural for the source of the voice to be high. The man was mounted firmly on a sturdy warhorse, contrasting the foot soldiers. He was a knight. The armor adorning him looked splendid, enough to doubt if the handful of spears wielded by the soldiers could even leave a scratch. The man himself, even when wearing the armor, appeared massive.


    "C-Captain"


    Ta, taichou-dono


    The soldier who had initially vented hisints called him so in a trembling voice. The vigor with which he had criticized the nobles'' ipetence was now nowhere to be found.


    Themanding officer on horseback, with his face concealed by a closed helm, emitted a disdainful snort from his covered mouth, seeminglyughing at their plight.


    "Don''t ck off with idle chatter. If you fall behind, the soldiers in the rear will fall behind too. It''s an advantage to the enemy Do you intend to be advantageous to the Gallerin side in the uing battle?"


    Shigo de iki ashi o namaraseru na. Kisama-ra ga okurereba, sono kouretsu no hei mo mata okureru. Riteki koui dearu zo Kore kara no gassen, yomoya garerin hou ni risuru harazumori dewa arumai na?


    "N-No, certainly not! No such thing!"


    I, ie, sonna! Messou mo nai!


    "I-In the first ce, even if we ally with the Gallerin folks, there''s absolutely nothing advantageous for us..."


    Da, daitai, garerin no renchuu ni mikata shite mo, ore-ra ni e nante nani hitotsu gozaimasen yo


    The soldiers all shook their heads in unison.


    Gallerinthe Grandenburg Kingdom, which fancied itself as the dominant league of the federation and wielded its member states with unreasonable demands, had been relentless in intimidating smaller countries topensate for the loss of prestige due tost year''s defeat. In essence, it was a tightening of the loosened reins, but it was not the side being tightened that could tolerate it. Those who meekly epted the demands of the league were a minority among the member countries. Many nations took up arms, and the league resorted to the use of force as wellleading to confrontations like this.


    This army, burdened with ack of fighting spirit among its troops, was one of the member countries opposing the league.


    The captain on horseback snorted condescendingly.


    "Hmph. In that case, move quickly. The enemy won''t wait, and they won''t be as kind with their words as I am. If you make a mistake, you''ll pay for it with your life. Keep that in mind."


    Fun. Dearu nara, hayaku susume. Teki wa machi nado senu shi, ore no you ni kuchi de yasashiku iikikase mo sen. Kago o okaseba, inochi de aganau koto ni naru. Kokoro shite oke.


    ""Yes, sir!""


    He, hei!


    The soldiers resumed their march obediently in ordance with the orders.


    St. Gallen was a nation with a strong survival-of-the-fittest ethos. The federation often fractured due to internal conflicts, and even when it didn''t, the country constantly vied with formidable monsters, more threatening than those of other nations. Naturally, the knights who formed the backbone of the military in this environment were exceptional individuals.


    In truth, there were numerous individuals at the level of this captain, but even then, freshly conscripted soldiers from rural areas couldn''t match their strength even when united. If they ran or opposed, that de might cut them down. The thought of even a fragment of that possibility was enough to extinguish any resistance. But as long as they followed silently, they wouldn''t be treated with utter disregard. That was the reason these soldiers reluctantly marched towards the unwee battlefield.


    "There''s no need to look so gloomy. Even the Gallerins side wont be so foolish as to waste soldiers in battle. This battle, too, is more like a show of intimidation to advance negotiations favorably within the federation. It''s unlikely to result in losing lives."


    Sou kurai kao o suru hitsuyou mo arumai. Garerin no renchuu tote, ikusa de muyami ni hei o sokonau gu wa sakeyou. Kotabi no gassen mo, renpou doushi de no koushou o yuui ni susumeru tame no odokashi ai no you na mono da. Inochi o otosu you na koto ni wa, sou sou narumaite.


    The captain spoke consolingly, albeit btedly, but the soldiers'' response wasn''t favorable. Being thrust into a battle resembling a show of intimidation disrupted their original livelihoods, which were centered around farming. They harbored resentment toward the ill-conceived provocation that led to a disy of arms. Though they felt frustration towards the ineptitude that resorted to a disy of arms, there was no reason to feel gratitude or relief.


    The somber march, akin to a funeral procession, continued for a while, and it was when they crossed several hills.


    "T-thats!"


    A, are wa!


    Beyond the hilly a wide in. Coming from the eastern horizon, a continuous line of an army advancing towards them came into view. A mysterious legion advancing directly towards the marching troops. Undoubtedly, it was the Gallerin forces.


    "But the scout''s report mentioned they would take another half a day passing through the area leisurely, though"


    Sekkou no houkoku dewa, mou han nichi wa kakaru atari o yuruyuru to tsuuka shiteita to no koto da ga


    The captain rubbed his jaw thoughtfully from above his closed helm. Perhaps the enemy had realized their advance and decided to elerate to surprise them. Or were they intending to make this in the battlefield from the start, feigning sluggishness to lure them in? Either way, now that the two armies had encountered each other, there was only one thing to do.


    He summoned a messenger on horseback and swiftly issued orders.


    "Messenger, ry the report of enemy presence to the rearmand post. Their estimated strength is approximately twenty thousand. We hold the advantage."


    Denrei. Kouhou no honjin ni teki kage mi yu to no hou o tsutae yo. Souzei wa ooyoso ni-man. Waga hou yuuri to na.


    The estimate of twenty thousand enemies was based on the information obtained beforehand from the scouts and the amount of dust visible below. Their own forces numbered around thirty-five thousand. They were thebined forces of the anti-league feudal lords. Not long after the painful losses in the Volden Campaign, they had gathered such a force. It spoke to how many were opposed to the high-handedness of the Grandenburg Kingdom.


    In contrast, the expeditionary force from Grandenburg showed the thinness of their support. The twenty thousand soldiers posed a significant threat, but considering they had conserved their main force during the war the previous year, the number seemed too small. They had allocated a significant portion of their troops to fortify the rear due to the scarcity of trustworthy allies within the federation.


    (The reign of those Gallerin folks won''tst long.)


    (Kore wa Garerin no renchuu no tenka mo, nagaku wa arumai.)


    Beneath the helmet, the captain''s face contorted in a disdainful sneer. If they could capitalize on their numerical advantage and secure victory in this battle, they might finally see a glimmer of hope to impede the tyranny of Grandenburg.


    Despite the low morale of the soldiers, themanding officers of the anti-league forces had no doubts about their victory and a shining future.


    And then, it happened.


    "T-thats...!?"


    A, are wa!?


    One of the soldiers let out a tense voice as they observed the troops on the league''s side, focusing on a column of rtively lightly armored infantry among the enemy forces. More precisely, it was the weapons these troops carried.


    The weapons were short for spears, with no sharp tips, resembling toys with a tubr appearancemusket guns. Confirming this, the captain snorted displeased.


    "I see, its the so-called new weapon the Arquell side used in the Volden Campaign."


    Naruhodo, Vorudan sen''eki de Arukru hou ga mochiita to iu shin heiki ka.


    "Y-yes. Thanks to those things, we had a rough time. My cousin Johann got shot by one of those bullets, and because of that wound"


    He, hei. Are no sei de, ore-ra wa hidoi me ni aimashita. Itoko no yohan mo ano tama ni utarete, sono kizu ga moto de


    Recalling the power they had experienced on the battlefieldst year, a few soldiers shuddered visibly, their faces turning pale. Those sent to Volden in that war were primarily individuals from the neighboring states with a distinct separation from Gallerin, even within St. Gallen. Hence, it wouldn''t be surprising if some of the few survivors from that incident were mixed within the current anti-league camp.


    It was said that their weapon, used even by newly conscripted peasant soldiersespecially the Arquell people who were less ustomed to warfarepared to St. Gallencaused significant damage among the expeditionary forces. It seemed that the Grandenburg Kingdom had already managed to utilize it as their own.


    However, the captain showed no signs of panic.


    "Soldiers, do not be dismayed."


    Hei-tachi yo, ojikezuku na.


    While arrogantly puffing out his chest, he spoke with conviction.


    "I have also heard reports about that peculiar weapon. However, there is no need to fear. After all, this is St. Gallen''s in. It''s different from the basin beyond the mountains."


    Watashi mo ano myou na buki ni tsuite wa houkoku o kiite oru. Ga, osoreru hitsuyou wa nai. Nanishiro, koko wa Zankutogaren no heiya da. Yama mukou no bonchi nado to wa chigau.


    The final stage of the Volden Campaign, the Battle of vicure Basinthe battlefield where musket guns first appeared in the history of the Itucera Continent and were wreaking havoc. However, that was also where the enemy had pre-constructed fortifications in the narrow basin andy in ambush, ready to strike. One could say there were walls to protect the light and feeble projectile users, making it a defendable position.


    Looking at the current situation, the battlefield was a in where both cavalry and infantry could roam freely. Moreover, ording to the scout reports, there were no fortifications like those seen in the battlest year. In other words, there were no obstacles to hunting down the exposed gunners without defenses.


    "After all, that musket thing needs to be reloaded with bullets after each shot, doesn''t it? Plus, cleaning the barrel and all that. Such a thing requiring so much effort is not suitable for open battlefields."


    Nanishiro, ano masuketto to yara wa, ippatsu utsu goto ni tama o kome naosu hitsuyou ga aru no darou? Sara ni wa tsutsu no souji mo, da. Sayou na tema o yousuru shiromono nado, aketa senjou de mochiiru ni wa mukanu.


    "W-well, that''s true"


    Ta, tashika ni


    "Additionally, the main cause of that defeat was the intrusion of monsters. And what''s more, it was a bizarre one, like vampires. In a spacious battlefield with good visibility, it''s unlikely to allow those monsters to run rampant, right?"


    Kuwaete, ano haisen no shutaru gen''in wa mamono no ran''nyuu yo. Sore mo vanpaia nado to iu kikaku-gai no, na Hakuchuu doudou, miharashi no yoi senjou de, bakemono-domo no yokonaguri o yurusu hazu mo arumai?


    And this was the biggest factor. In reality, despite using distance and walls as shields, many of Arquell''s gunners were killed with their barrage prated. If they had continued to press forcefully, St. Gallen would likely have won, and the same would have happened if they had regrouped and started again. If not for unexpected events like being attacked from the rear by a swarm of monsters.


    The Gallerin people misanalyzed the lessons of the battlethat was the captain''s impression.


    "The enemy is bing arrogant with their newfangled toys We''ve won this battle."


    Teki wa mono mezurashii shinpin no omocha ni ogotte oru Kono gassen, katta na.


    The captain, exuding an air of seasoned experience, confidently pronounced these words in his imposing armor. In response, the surrounding soldiers began to show expressions of relief. Even if it wasn''t a situation they were enthusiastic about and couldn''t avoid, winning the battle was always better. After all, the sacrifices would be fewer whenpared to losing.


    ~~~


    Explosive sts continuously reverberated across the battlefield, each bang apanied by a shower of sparks, marking the scattering of lives and flesh.


    "T-this isn''t what we were told"


    Ha, hanashi ga chigau ja nee ka


    One soldier gasped and stammered, drenched in sweat, tears, and fear.


    "W-weren''t muskets supposed to be unable to fire in rapid session!?"


    Ma, masuketto tte no wa, rensha dekinee njanakatta no ka yoo!?


    The soldier was staring, frozen, at the forces of the Grandenburg Kingdom, the dominant league of the federation. From the muskets with aligned barrels, bullets were propelled amidst explosive smoke. In their firing, there was no regard for the attack intervals due to reloading that themander had discussed beforehandno such thing. Foot soldiers marching and cavalry charging were indiscriminately mowed down by the sudden hail of lead pellets.


    The league had developed magic guns capable of firing multiple roundsof course, it wasn''t like that.


    Once the trick was understood, it seemed as delusive as a magic show that left you feeling deceived.


    "The musketeers in the first row havepleted their volley."


    Juushitai dai ichi-retsu, seisha kanryou shimashita.


    "Very well. Second row, advance!"


    Umu. Tsuzuite dai ni-retsu, mae e!


    ""Yes, sir!""


    Haha!


    The disciplined calls echoed in response, and the relentless barrage continued.


    Following themander''s signal, the front and rear of the deployed line formation exchanged ces in multipleyers. Theyers that had exhausted their shots remained in their positions. Meanwhile, theyers held in reserve at the rear moved forward to engage in the next round of firing. As the anti-league forces marched forward, trampling over the fallen, theyers that had already firedpleted cleaning their gun barrels and reloading in preparation for the next volley.


    This alternating firing was the true nature of the seemingly endless rapid shots.


    The effectiveness was apparent. The anti-alliance forces were unable to make any headway, and instead, the musketeers of the Grandonburg army continued to advance, steadily like a creeping centipede. The ground was littered with countless corpses of both humans and horses, over which the musketeers marched, literally trampling over them. It was a true, brutal onught.


    Witnessing such a scene, there were hardly any soldiers who could fight on properly.


    "N-no I don''t want to die!!"


    I, iya da shinitakunee!!


    Someone among the soldiers shouted. This triggered the copse.


    "There''s no way I could stand this kind of battle! I-I quit!"


    Ko, konna ikusa, yatte rareru ka! O, ore wa mou tome da!


    "I-I''m going back! Everyone, let''s go back to our country!"


    Ka, kaeruu! Oraa, kuni sa kaeruu!! (TL Note: I believe this is a typo in the raw. It should be kuni e kaeru, perhaps?)


    "W-Wait, you lot! You can''t leave your posts! Hey, listen"


    Ma, mate, kisama-ra!? Mochiba o hanareru denai! Kora, kiite


    Despite themanding officers yelling to regain control amid the chaos, their voices were drowned out and swallowed by the continuous sounds of gunfire echoing rapidly. The soldiers of the anti-league forces trembled with each round of those deafening gunshots.


    Gunshots. The sound of lead pellets being shot out amidst explosions. The sound that injured and killed someone with each urrence. Understanding the true nature of that deafening sound on the battlefield made them realize the terror. Guns were terrifying; the sound of guns firing was terrifying.


    Fear. It was one of the elements that overwhelmed the soldiers, alongside bullets that actually caused harm. At the moment a gun was pointed at them, at the moment the gunshots rang out, with every urrence, the soldiers'' determination waned. No matter how they covered their ears, the booming sounds that echoed through remained. It was truly the roar of the Grim Reaper. Being exposed to such a thing continuously, the soldiers of St. Gallen were not inhuman. Moreover, a significant portion of them were experiencing the fear of guns for the first time today.


    "Tsk, the grunts are losing their nerve!"


    Chi, zouhyou bara ga ojikezukiotte!


    The captain gritted his teeth at the state of his crumbling forces. At this point, it was difficult to halt the copse with words alone. Punishing a few cowards as an example to rally the rest was also not a viable option. The soldiers were consumed by the fear of the guns. Even if he tried to spur them on with disciplinary measures, their resolve would shatter before they even ran towards the enemy.


    In that case, there was only one way to turn around this losing situation


    "Alright, those who are far can listen to the sound! Those who are close, see with your own eyes! The soul of a knight resides here!"


    Eei, toukaran mono wa oto ni kikei! Chikakuba yotte me ni mo miyo! Kishi no tamashi, koko ni ari!


    With a roar, the captain kicked his horse''s belly, frothing with determination, andunched an assault.


    To kill the enemy. If the soldiers knew they could achieve a victory in battle, and that the opponents were also human who would die when struck, they would regain theirposure.


    Cutting through the wind, he rapidly closed the distance to the lines of the league''s forces. Naturally, gunfire erupted from the enemy, but the iing bullets merely sparked off the surface of his armor.


    "As if that would work, in the end it''s just mere lead pellets!"


    Kiku ka yo, shosen wa namari no tsubute ka!


    A fierce mocking smile yed across his face. d in knightly armor prepared for battles against fierce monsters, its defensive capabilities were iparable to the light armor worn by ordinary soldiers. Of course, the horse armor carrying it had an appropriate thickness as well. While coordinated firing with aligned gun muzzles was effective in trampling over regr soldiers, it was futile against powerful individualbatants. With this conviction, he charged towards the enemy lines.


    "Fireball," "Fireball," "Fireball."


    But along the way, he was knocked off his horse by iing magical attacks.


    "Ugh...!?"


    Gu, ha!?


    He rolled on the ground, experiencing intense pain in his shoulder and chest. The ground, still damp from recent snowmelt, hissed as it came into contact with the heated armor. Struggling to get up, he noticed that his horse, which he was riding a moment ago, was now lying on the ground, unmoving.


    "Ugh, ngh"


    Gunu, nu


    "Hmm. Mowing down the small fry with a volley and finishing off enemies resilient to bullets with magic. Quite an efficient tactic."


    Fumu. Zouhyou o seisha de nagiharai, juudan ni taeuru teki wa mahou de shitomeru. Nakanaka ni kouritsu-teki na senjutsu da.


    As the pained captain gasped, someone appeared before him. He was wearing an borate coat with a high cor, his white cravat untouched by the dirt of the battlefield, and a golden double-headed eagle embroidered on his left chest. He had an ostentatious appearance that was unsuitable for a battlefield. The only thing indicating that this man was a warrior was the sword hanging from his waist. However, this man exuded an aura that instantly showed he was worlds apart from other soldiers and knights.


    "Th-that emblemGrand King''s Royal Knight!?"


    So, sono monshou waDaiou shin''ei kishou!?


    The captain, realizing the identity of the person before him, stared in awe.


    The Grand King''s Royal Knights were the most elite warriors in the St. Gallen Federation. They were renowned as the greatest fighting force in the eastern part of the continent, who can only be controlled by the Grand King of the Heiderlecht Dynasty of the Great Kingdom of Grandenburg. There were only six of them in total, but each was an exceptional warrior, possessing the strength of a thousand men and wielding authority equivalent to that of a general.


    (TL Note: I chose Great cuz Grand Kingdom of Grandenburg sounds weird even tho I use Grand King cuz Great King also doesn''t sound good. But in the raw they use the same kanji: /Dai Ou/Grand King and /Dai Oukoku/Great Kingdom. Sorry if Im inconsistent.)


    Using such monsters in this conflict clearly showed the league''s stance regarding the internal strife within the federation. They were dead serious.


    The man gracefully bowed towards the horrified captain.


    "Oops, my apologies for not introducing myself earlier. I am Oscar Reinald von Hagendorf. As you''ve correctly guessed, I serve as the Grand King''s Royal Knights of the Grandenburg Kingdom. as the lowest seat. Pleased to make your acquaintance."


    Otto, nanori ga okurete shitsurei. Watashi wa Osuk rainaruto fon hgendorufu. O-sasshi no toori, Gurandonburuku Daiou kokugun de daiou shin''ei kishou, sono basseki o tsutome sasete itadaite iru. Igo, o-mishiri oki o.


    (W-What an insolent man!)


    (Fu, fuzaketa otoko-me!)


    The captain''s teeth ground together. It was infuriating how polite and yet rude the man was. He offered such courtesy to an opponent who was currently lying on the ground, and it was an excellent example of how one could be polite and disrespectful at the same time. It was beyond infuriating.


    "You seem, to be quite at ease, don''t you?"


    Zuibun to, yoyuu, da na?


    "Hmm?"


    Fumu?


    The man who introduced himself as Hagendorf blinked at the expletives mixed with pain.


    "What do you mean by ''at ease''? Is it inconvenient for me to have a casual conversation with you here?"


    Yoyuu to wa, nani ka ne? Watashi ga koko de kimi to yokenbanashi o shiteite, kochira ni futsugou na koto demo aru no ka na?


    Is this man stupid? The captain thought. He stood in the middle of the battlefield, still dressed in a pretentious manner without wearing armor. He was an easy target for archers and magicians. Magic power was not an exclusive privilege of Grandenburg. Although they were inferior to the other side, they still had a considerable number of magicians.


    (You''ll regret it when that smug face gets scorched by magic!)


    (Sono sumashita kao o mahou de yakarete, koukai suru ga yoi wa!)


    Given the major blow they suffered in the initial battle, it was evident they would lose this battle. However, if he could kill the henchman of the Grand King in front of him, he would feel some satisfaction. When their allies'' magic approached, he would muster all his strength to strike


    While making these calctions, Hagendorf smiled at him with a cold, cruel smile.


    "I forgot to mention there are no more mages on your side."


    Ii wasureteita ga kimi-tachi no soba no madou-shi wa, mou inai yo.


    "Huh?"


    Ha?


    "Nothing particrly strange about it. After all, if our musketeer corps, who we''ve worked so hard to prepare, were to suffer losses from magical attacks, it would be a great loss for our army, wouldn''t it? So, while you''re in chaos from the gunfire, the most prominent mages have already been hunted down. By yours truly, that is."


    Betsuni fushigi na koto wa arumai. Sekkaku koko made shiageta juushitai ga mahou o kuratte sonmou nado shitara, waga gun to shite wa ouzon darou? Dakara, sochira ga juugeki de konran shite iru suki ni, meboshii madou-shi-tachi wa sudeni katte oita. Kono watashi ga ne.


    He wanted to believe that it was just a bluff. However exceptional the Royal Knights may be, it''s been only a short period. There was no way such a thing was possible.


    However, no matter how long he waited, all that reached his ears were the sounds of gunfire, gunfire, gunfire. Also, the cheers of the Grandenburg side and the cries of his own troops. asionally, the sound of magical explosions was heard, but most of them were from the front lines of the Grandenburg formation, where knights from the anti-alliance attempted to charge the musketeers, much like this captain did. His face lost its color. As for Hagendorf, the joyful smile on his face grew even more intense.


    "Have you understood? Then, choose. Surrender, or continue to resist."


    Go-rikai itadaketa ka ne? Dewa, erabi tamae. Koufuku ka, sore tomo teikou ka.


    At this point, the losing side had only one of two options. Hagendorf didn''t mind which. If the person in front of him chose to surrender, it would save him the trouble of killing them. And if they chose to resist


    "Don''t mock me! As a knight, I would never surrender without even crossing swords!"


    Fuzakeru na! Kishi to shite, ichi-gou mo ken o majienu uchi kara koufuku nado!


    "Hm? I see."


    Fumu? Sou ka ne.


    The captain leaped to his feet and rushed at the man, but his body was sliced in a sh.


    "But if we''re talking about as a knight... I think someone who doesn''t even grasp the difference in strength between us isn''t quite fitting for a knight."


    Da ga, kishi to shite, to iu no nara mazu higa no senryoku-sa sura wakimaenai hippu nado, kishi ni fusawashikunai ki ga suru ga ne.


    The sword, drawn at a speed too swift for the eye to catch, was sheathed slowly this time, deliberately flicking off the blood. With a dull thud, the body fell to the ground. The gaze that looked down at it was sharper and colder than the de itself.


    Even if the wounded knight chose to resist, for the Grand King''s Royal Knight, there was hardly any effort needed to deal with him. In other words, that''s how it was.


    "But, well, how should I put it? An overwhelming difference in power is rather uninteresting."


    Shikashi, maa, nanda. Attou-teki na chikara no sa to iu no wa, tsumaranai mono da na.


    While ncing briefly at the surrounding battle situation, Hagendorf spoke.


    The tide of the battle had clearly shifted towards the side of the league''s forces. The anti-league army, which initially had the numerical advantage, was now in a state of disarray in the face of musketeers'' gunfire. Despite having gathered in numbers, they were ultimately a motley crew, easily scattered like a flock of crows. If they had organized a separate unit and ambushed the musketeer squad, bringing the battle into a chaotic melee, it might have been a different story. However, to prevent such maneuvers,st year in the war, the non-mainstream factions of the federation were deployed in Volden to wear them down.


    His surprise at the unexpectedly easy victory overwhelmed him as he watched his advancing allies. In the midst of it all,


    "Impressive, isn''t it? General."


    Migoto na mono da ne, shougun.


    He called out to the mounted general between the passing main troops.


    "Hagendorf-dono."


    Hgendorufu-dono.


    "Well, I must say, I''m truly amazed. I was confident we would win this battle, but to defeat the enemy so effortlessly is beyond my imagination."


    Iya haya, mattaku motte kyoutan shita yo. Kono-sen, katsu tsumori de ita no wa tashika da ga, kou mo tayasuku teki o yaburu koto ga dekiru to wa, souzou ijou da.


    "...Thank you for your kind words, I am honored. However, this is also due to your assistance and the brave fight of the soldiers."


    ...O-home no o kotoba, kyouetsu shigoku. Desu ga, kore mo kiden no go-joryoku to, hei-tachi no yuusen atte no koto ka to.


    The general replied with a courteous response. However, his expression was somewhat rigid, mncholic, and filled with awkwardness and stubbornness. Naturally so. This general was a military officer who wasn''t born-and-raised in the Grandenburg Kingdom like one of the Grand King''s Royal Knight, Hagendorf. He came from the coalition of states forming the federation, and this time, joined the league''s side. In other words, he was an outsider. Hence, he still seemed out of ce within the Great Kingdom''s army, struggling to grasp the sense of distance.


    Facing this man, Hagendorf put on a friendly smile on the surface and raised his voice.


    "Oh no! There''s no need for such humility, General! This record-breaking victory is also thanks to your suggestions andmand, General! Stand tall and take pride. It''s also a gesture of gratitude to the soldiers who fought under yourmand, after all."


    Iya iya! Sou kenson suru koto wa arumai, shougun! Kono kiroku-teki na senka wa, kimi no kensaku to shiki ga atte koso no mono da tomo, shougun! Motto mune o hatte hokori tamae yo. Sore ga kimi no kika de tatakatta hei e no reigi de mo aru no dakara na.


    "Yes"


    Ha


    The general''s response was, as expected, half-hearted.


    And rightfully so. He had sided with the main faction in this federal unrest due to it aligning with the interests of his home, a constituent state. It wasn''t as if he was deeply invested in the Grandenburg Kingdom from the core.


    But things wouldn''t stay that way moving forward. Grandenburg, and the Grand King, aimed to restructure St. Gallen from this ambiguous framework of the federation into a distinct nation through this battle. It was different from the power struggles within the federation until now. Even looking towards the post-war era, they wanted to incorporate as manypetent military leaders as possible.


    So he needed to be asserted vehemently. ''You contributed the most to the alliance in this battle, and spilled the most enemy blood.'' To push his position towards Grandenburg''s side.


    Perhaps catching a whiff of the odorous scent of politics, the mounted general cleared his throat and redirected his gaze forward.


    "Your words are appreciated. However, we still have to pursue the remaining enemies."


    O-kotoba, katajikenaku. Desu ga, kore yori zanteki e no tsuigeki ga arimasu no de.


    "Hmm. A pursuit"


    Fumu. Tsuigeki ka


    Being brought into the intricacies of the battle, Hagendorf had no choice but to step back. After all, he was essentially a warrior. He didn''t intend to let the enemies in front of him slip away while engaging in verbal sparring, something fundamentally against his nature.


    "From what I''ve seen, it appears that due to causing too much impact in the initial skirmish, although they scatter in retreat, many enemies manage to escape and flee."


    Mita tokoro, shosen de shougeki o atae sugita sei ka, kaisou wa suredo sono mama nige ooseru teki mo ooi you da ne.


    They seeded in crushing the vanguard in the gunfire, but those who were behind quickly sensed the disadvantageous situation and the confusion at the front, and swiftly transitioned to a retreat. Their retreat was not very orderly, but the enemy steadily distanced themselves from the league''s forces. It appeared that many soldiers fell behind, and while the league''s forces were likely not able topletely annihte them, a considerable number of them were expected to escape sessfully.


    "Musketeers are infantry, after all. Also, because the sound of gunfire can startle the horses, we didn''t bring too many cavalry."


    Masuketto-hei wa hohei dearimasu no de. Mata, juusei de uma ga douyou suru tame, kihei mo amari ooku wa tsurete kite orimasen.


    Horses were timid and sensitive to sound. Even if brought into a battlefield where gunshots, as loud as they were, resounded, they became frightened and unusable. It was different for cavalry horses that had undergone special training for facing magical creatures or mages, or spirit beasts. However, such horses were only a handful even among the cavalry and weren''t typically deployed inrge numbers.


    (TL Note: Spirit beasts, like Elishas unicorn.)


    "Efforts were made, such as limating horses to the sounds and covering their ears, but it would take time for these measures to be practical."


    Uma o oto ni narashitari, mimi ooi o kabuseru nado no kufuu mo hakatte orimasu ga, jitsuyou-ka ni wa toki ga kakaru ka to.


    "I see. You''re saying that precautions have already been taken."


    Naruhodo. Taisaku wa sudeni koujite wa iru to.


    "Yes Furthermore, there is room for improvement in coordination with existing military units like the spearmen, for instance"


    Ee Mata, souhei nado no kizon no heika to no renkei ni mo, koujou no yochi wa arimashou. Tatoeba


    As he spoke, he drew a rough outline on the ground with his finger.


    For instance, deliberately dying the musketeers'' gunfire to lure the enemy. This would dy their retreat, making it easier for us to eliminate them. Of course, it''s evident that if we don''t shoot at all, we''ll be closed in upon, leading to damage on our side. This is where spearmene into y. By literally inserting a ''sideways spear'' into the enemy formation, we can protect the musketeers'' formation and restrain the enemy. This is another tactic to achieve elimination through the firepower of guns.


    At this point, adding a cavalry charge to the mix would further disarray the enemy, disrupting their formation and exposing them to a hail of bullets.


    "For now, it''s just a theory, though."


    Ima wa mada, kijou no kuuron desu ga.


    The general''s gaze, shining intensely, was more eloquent than words could express.


    He would show them without fail. He was expressing that determination through his expression.


    Since ancient times, those who wielded exceptional military strategies were likened to sorcerers for their prowess. While it remained unknown if the tactics he spoke of would truly manifest the desired effects, the precision and sophistication he applied to the art of shedding enemy blood and wishing for their demise were beyond doubt. Indeed, it could be likened to magic or a curse.


    "Then, shall we assume the preparations will be in order by the time we unify the country?"


    Dewa, kokunai o touitsu suru koro ni wa, junbi mo totonotte iru to mite mo?


    "...There should be no issues."


    ...Mondai wa, nai deshou na.


    Upon hearing those words, Hagendorf contorted his face into a delighted expression.


    "Excellent! Truly excellent, General! Thanks to your dedication, our country will be even more capable of soaring to greater heights! I look forward to working closely with you in the future!"


    Kekkou! Taihen kekkou da tomo shougun! Kimi no kenshin no okage de, waga kuni wa issou no yuuhi ga kanou ni naru to iu wake da! Kimi to wa kore kara mo, zehi tomo yoroshiku yatte ikitai mono da yo, naa?


    Disying an abnormal passion for war? Almost as if he were cursing the enemy? What was the problem with that? If the focus of their war fervor was directed at the enemy of their own army, it was all the better. There was no doubt that this general was a valuable asset in this regard, as per Hagendorf''s judgment.


    "...Yes."


    ...Ee.


    While replying, the general''s eyes harbored a dark me. Darker than before, even when discussing the efficient ways to kill enemy soldiers, an even deeper shade of darkness. Those who met his gaze would shudder involuntarily, feeling an intense emotion emanating from him.


    "By the time this civil war concludes, we will have a system in ce capable of seeking revenge against Arquell."


    Kono naifun ga owaru koro ni wa, Arukru e no setsujoku mo kanau dake no taisei ga totonou koto deshou.


    "Yes. It''s very reassuring to hear those words, General Bauer."


    Umu. Jitsu ni tanomoshii o-kotoba da, Bau shgun.


    With these words, Hagendorf, seemingly about to join the pursuit, suddenly vanished.


    Jurgen Bauer. A general from the Kingdom of Baharia. He was the defeated general fromst year''s Volden campaign. Why did such a defeated outsider like him manage to reim a position ofmand so quickly?


    The reason was


    (...Sincest year, the sound of the musket shots never left my ears, even in my sleep. Thanks to that, I ended up making a well-thought-out decision. About how to ovee this, and how to use this.)


    (...Sen-nen irai,e mo samete mo koitsu no juusei ga mimi kara hanarenakatta. Okage de kangae toushi ni naru hame ni natta zo. Kore o dou kouryaku suru ka, dou tsukau ka o.)


    Because he had the most experience with this weapon in the entire St. Gallen army and had struggled with its countermeasures and usage.


    Bauer advanced on horseback while surveying the battlefield below. Now, it was under hismand that the musketeers, crushing the enemy and dispersing them, operated. And the enemy troops, being swept away helplessly like birds. Among those anti-league soldiers, there might be those who had crawled around the battlefield in vicure with himst autumn. To trample on them with his own hands stirred a sense of guilt, something undeniable.


    However, he could not afford to hesitate.


    (New weapons, new techniques, these things created a new era. The tides are changing. We cannot afford to fall behind.)


    (Arata na heiki ga, arata na gijutsu ga, arata na jidai o tsukuru. Shiome ga kawatta no da. Wareware mo noriokureru wake ni wa ikanai.)


    The defeat in the Volden campaign had clearly shown the decline of St. Gallen''s federal provinces. No matter how much one regretted, it was a fact that could not be regained. In the future, the political situation within the Federation would be one where the dominant league, Grandenburg, would strengthen its power while conserving its strength and approaching the post-war era.


    Then, the path for the Kingdom of Baharia, having lost many troops and power in the great defeat, could be narrowed down. Endure the unendurable, bear the unbearable, and dare to lower your head to Grandenburg, entering under its umbre. With this choice and achievement, Baharia could gain a favorable position in the new order that the Federation would form from now on.


    Of course, within Baharia, there were still many voices that opposed approaching the league and even more in favor of the anti-league. One could say that those who made pro-anti-league remarks were the majority. But there was no future in just venting the smoldering resentment.


    Perhaps it was unfortunate luck, but after the war, Bauer, who had suffered defeat and humiliation as a prisoner of war, was left floating without a ce in the domestic scene. He had plenty of time to spare while being relegated to an idle positionmore like a punishment. And in that time, he wrote a dissertation, not passionately but with some warmth, on the threat and weaknesses of the musket he experienced inbat, as well as how to use it. Somehow, this essay caught the attention of the higher-ups in the Grandenburg army. He was granted experimentalmand of the army, including the Musketeer Corps, in this expedition.


    Having lost over half of the expeditionary force of 40,000 troops in a great defeat, hemented how everything was lost. However, it was an odd coincidence. Bauer, the representative of the pro-league faction in Baharia, was now in the Grandenburg army. He was one of the few experts who had hands-on experience with the new weapon. Of course, his position was weak, having been defeated just a year ago. If push came to shove, he could be cut off by both his mothend and the league. But positions could be strengthened with future achievements. It was merely necessary to enhance his standing with theing aplishments, enduring the internal turmoil of the Federation.


    (First, consolidate the federation internally and reinforce our country''s position that has been shaken by defeat. And then, once the lingering concerns are eliminated)


    (Mazu wa renpou naibu o katame, haisen de yuraida waga kuni no tachiba o hokyou suru. Soushite kouko no urei o tatta nochi wa)


    Bauer cast a sharp gaze toward the western sky. In that directiony the fiefs of the lords who raised troops this time. No, it was the fatefulnd of Elpis-Roanne. And beyond that was Volden.


    (Just you wait, Arquell Kingdom. And you, the deranged noble called Oubeniel. You''ll regret not cutting my head off in Volden!)


    (Matte iro, Arukru koku. Soshite buniru toka iu ikare kizoku-me. Vorudan de watashi no kubi o otosanakatta koto o, ima ni koukai sasete kureru!)


    Under the clear sky, under the gentle spring sunshine, yet the light in his eyes was darker than the night and colder than even winter. Jurgen Bauer awaited the day of impending revenge with a sense of eternity.


    ~~~


    To be continued...


    TL Note:


    Another formidable enemyyyyyy aaaaaAAAAaaaaaaaAAAAaaaaaa~~~


    I have to inform you all that I''m going to face the end of term exam for two weeks starting from November 27th. And that means I''m going to switch to nocturnal mode and won''t sleep at night to studyyyyy all night for the next two weeks. Naturally, I won''t be able to trante for a while, so please forgive me~~ Hope I''ll do well in the exams and be able to maintain my continuous 1st rank in this semester too. I will continue once the holiday starts!


    This chapter was brought to you by my patrons, Sier, McConnaheyhey, TheHunt3r Gaming, and Viks. Thank you very much, guys!


    Be my supporter in patreon to read the advanced chapters and help me release faster~

 Chapter 81: The Start of Journey

    Chapter 81: The Start of Journey


    Noreau, Barony of Arlez.


    One of the finest ports in Arquell, facing the southern seas of the kingdom. This port town had prospered from ancient times through trade with the Omnia Empire and the mercantile city of Canales.


    The blue sea shimmered in the gentle spring sun, and the melodious cries of seagulls echoed in the air. Along the pier, caravels and carracks were anchored, their weary hulls taking a momentary rest from their long journeys. Meanwhile, the crew unloaded cargo onto the docks or hurriedly stowed goods aboard the ships, sweating as they worked tirelessly.


    In one corner of the bustling harbor, there was a ce even louder, not in the typical mor of the surroundings, but in a different sense.


    "What in the world is that!?"


    Nanda, aryaa!?


    The lookout of a merchant ship that had just arrived was left agape at the peculiar sight in the distance.


    Moving on the docks were robust, humanoid figures carrying what seemed like heavy cargo on their backs. That was fine. Such scenes weremon in the port town. However, upon closer inspection, something was amiss with their scale. The top of these figures surpassed the deck height of the carrack ships anchored nearby. They were giants, easily exceeding four meters in height.


    Upon closer inspection, it was clear that these were not human beings performing the tasks. In fact, they weren''t even living beings. Their bodies wereposed of earth and stone. They took on a clumsy humanoid form, akin to a mud doll a child might fashion.


    Mud Golems. They were a type of magical creature infused with a semnce of life through magic. Nearly ten of them had gathered, engaged in some kind of work in a corner of the harbor. They were working on a newly reimed area, driving long, thick logs into the ground, stacking up stone blocks


    What they were doing was construction.


    "So many golems"


    Gremu ga konna ni


    "They''ve certainly managed to gather some mages who can move all these."


    Yoku mo maa, kore dake no mono o ugokaseru madou-shi o kakiatsumerareta mono da ze.


    "I wonder if a lord of a port town is indeed rich, after all?"


    Yappari, minato-chou no ryoushu tte no wa moukaru mono na no ka ne?


    Sailors who had visited Noreau after a long absence watched therge golems hard at work, their jaws dropping in amazement, or sighing with disbelief. After all, mages capable of creating golems of this size were rare, and those who could control them effectively were even rarer. To manage this many golems at once would require at least twenty highly skilled mages. This was almost equivalent to maintaining a military unit of mages, which came with considerable costs. If you were going to employ them, it made more economic sense to take a little extra time and either hire skilled workers or buy ves to do the job.


    At the docks, recently disembarked sailors grabbed familiar traders to inquire about the situation.


    "Hey, what is the lord here building over there?"


    Naa, oi. Koko no ryoushu-sama wa asoko de nani o tateteiru nda ne?


    "Oh, that? It seems they''re building a new shipyard."


    Aa, are desu ka. Arya nan demo, atarashii zousensho o tsukutteiru rashikute.


    "A shipyard?"


    Zousenshoo?


    Confused by the answer, the sailors scratched their heads.


    "By moving that massive number of golems, is it so urgent?"


    Are dake tairyou no gremu o ugokashite, isogi de kai?


    "We also don''t know. If it''s a shipyard, we already have a good one, though"


    Watashi-ra ni mo, nani ga nanda ka wakarimasen yo. Zousensho nara rippa na mono ga sudeni aru no ni


    In a port town vital for southern sea trade, they wouldn''t becking a shipyard or two. There shouldn''t be any need for a new one.


    "Indeed, it''s quite baffling."


    Tashika ni, hogusenai hanashi da yo na.


    "ording to the rumors I''ve heard they say they''re nning to buildrger ships than ever before."


    Uwasa ni kiita hanashi da to ima made yori ooki na fune o tsukuru da to ka nan to ka.


    The merchant spoke with an eerie expression while looking over at the construction site.


    The sailors, too, were intrigued and turned to see for themselves. Indeed, considering its size and the height of the pirs that would be used for the buildings, it would be a shipyard for constructing significantlyrger ships.


    "What on earth do they need such gigantic ships for? Are they nning to sail to a distant continent or something?"


    Sonna dekai fune o, nani ni tsukaun dai. Itairiku ni demo ikou tte ka?


    The crew snorted derisively, as if making fun of the idea.


    Sailing across the open ocean in pursuit of a different continent was a venture that far more grueling than even a carefree aristocrat could imagine. The ever-changing weather, unknown climates and currents, monstrous storms unlike anything known to the people of Itucera, limited supplies of food and drinking water, the fraying and rowdiness of the crew in the confined quarters, and, most terrifying of all, the sea monsters that lurked beneath the waves.


    Sea monsters were a nuisance. No matter how strong adventurers or armies might be, humans werend creatures at heart. Facing aquatic monsters that could freely swim underwater and attack the ship''s hull and keel was a dire situation. If a ship''s hull were breached in the middle of the ocean, it was game over, as they say.


    As long as such creatures inhabited the seas, even circumnavigating the coastal areas of the continent was a life-threatening endeavor. Venturing to a different continent was almost akin to going on a suicide mission. Certainly, the exotic spices, rare flora and fauna, and abundant minerals from thatnd were tempting. Legends spoke of inds at the end of the sea filled with gold. But reaching a different continent and returning with anything to show for it required a rare breed of sailors, if they existed at all.


    A different continent wasn''t a ce that could be reached with just the construction of a singlerge ship.


    The merchant must be aware of this. He shed a wry smile, as if to say, ''Surely not.''


    "I highly doubt that. The overseas route to a different continent is currently a fiercely contested territory, with Canales and Morbaehr Kingdompeting for dominance. It''s a little toote for Arquell to step into that now..."


    Sasuga ni sore wa nai deshou. Itairiku kouro wa Kanaresu to Mrubea oukoku ga, gappuriyotsu de kumiau you ni shite kaitaku kyousou-chuu desu yo? Ima sara, soko ni Arukru ga watte haitte mo nee


    Arquell Kingdom had a longstanding reputation for being sea-averse. It was wedged between the Northern Ocean and the Southern Ocean, with a penins to the west serving as a major obstacle for north-south navigation. This penins had be a haven for sea monsters, and it was a truly uncharted and perilous territory. Due to the immense and solid lid that had kept the north-south routes tightly sealed for so long, the Arquell Kingdom showed surprisingly low interest in the seapared to other countries.


    "Perhaps they''re nning to build warships?"


    Osoraku, sen-sen demo tsukurou to shite irun janai desu ka?


    "Warships? Why in the south of all ces?"


    Sensou-you no fune kai? Nande mata konna minami de.


    As the crew member suggested, if they were indeed nning to build warships, it would be more suitable to do so in the northern regions facing the Northern Ocean, which required avoiding the penins, rather than the south. After all, Arquell Kingdom''s hypothetical adversaries, whether it be St. Gallen or Morbaehr, were concentrated to the north. On the contrary, Omnia in the south had an alliance with Arquell and had no need forrge warships.


    In that case the purpose of constructing such colossal ships in this location became increasingly unfathomable.


    "Good grief, it makes no sense."


    Mattaku, wake ga wakaran na.


    "You''re right But more importantly, about this business negotiation"


    Desu nee. Sore yori, konkai no shoudan desu ga.


    "Oh, right, that''s true"


    Otto, ikenee


    The two of them put an end to their discussion of the mysteriousrge shipyard and shifted their focus to the trade negotiations. The people bustling around them did the same. Despite the noisy sounds of work, they remained devoted to their tasks without being distracted by the source of themotion.


    Noreau was one of the key ports in the southern part of the continent, a bustling port town where ships, people, goods, and money hurriedly came and went. The construction of a shipyard wasn''t enough to attract the attention of passersby.


    Amid the hustle and bustle of the wharf, passengers from Omnia Empire disembarked one after another.


    "It''s quite lively here, isn''t it? Is Arquell Kingdom''s port always this busy?"


    Sugoi kakki desu ne. Arukru oukoku no minato tte, itsumo konna ni nigiwatte irun desu ka?


    A young boy, his face mostly concealed by a hood, spoke as if overwhelmed. His hair that could be slightly seen from beneath the hood was ck, and his skin, visible from his hands, was quite tanned than that of the average people of the continent. Because of those distinct features, it was likely a measure to avoid drawing attention.


    On the other hand, the woman he addressed was anything but inconspicuous. She had striking features with her tied-up golden hair and a strong-willed expression. She was d in light armor that gleamed like silver, and despite it being travel attire, she was impressively armed. The small, sharp sword hanging from her waist made a subtle noise with each movement, drawing the attention of the men around her. Eventually, the color of their gaze shifted from caution to astonishment.


    Without paying the slightest attention to these reactions, the woman responded to the young boy.


    "Not really. The reason it''s this lively is probably because it''s not long after the war. There''s the recovery from the war damage, the development of new territories for the nobles as rewards There are plenty of reasons for the increased activity of people and goods."


    Sou demo nai. Konna ni kakki ga yoi no wa, yahari sengo mamonai kara dearou yo. Sensai kara no fukkou, onshou ni azukatta kizoku no shin ryouchi seibi hito to mono ga hade ni ugoku riyuu wa ikura demo aru.


    "I see"


    Hee


    While giving nonmittal responses, the young boy stopped and looked around. He frequently brushed shoulders with busy merchants and dockworkers, offering a quick apology each time before returning to his sightseeing of the port. Eventually, his gaze came to rest on the construction site in question.


    "What''re those, golems? Is it normal to use something like that for construction?"


    Nanda are, gremu? Aa iu no o tsukatte kouji o suru no ga futsuu nan desu ka ne?


    "Well, even forrge-scale construction, moving magical creatures requires aplicated application process, and skilled mages who can control them are rare. It''s not something you see every day."


    Iya, oogakari na kouji to wa ie, mahou seibutsu o ugokasu ni wa shichi mendou na shinsei ga iru shi, sousa dekiru madou-shi mo kishou da. Sou sou aru koto dewa nai.


    "Mages, huh it''s those people moving around over there, right? But they look more like butlers or maids, though."


    Madou-shi kaa asoko de ugoki mawatteru hito-tachi ka na? Demo, mahoutsukai tte iu yori shitsuji ka meido mitai ni mieru kedo.


    At these words, the woman''s expression revealed a faint trace of suspicion. Butlers and maids who use magicthere seemed to be a connection there.


    "Oh, speaking of The baron who oversees Noreau is a supporter of that guy, right."


    Aa, sou ieba Noryu o azukaru danshaku wa yatsu no shinpa deatta ka.


    "Hm? What is it?"


    ? Dou shita ndesu?


    "No, it''s nothing."


    Iya, nande mo nai sa.


    As they conversed, a haughty voice, brimming with authority, called out from behind.


    "Why are you standing still?"


    Nani o tachidomatte oru no da?


    "We didn''te here for sightseeing. We merely stopped by on our journey. If you''ve disembarked from the ship, it would be wise to continue on as soon as possible."


    Warera wa kankou nado o shi ni koko ni kita wake dewa nai. Akuma de tabi no tochuu dearu kara tachiyotta made. Fune o orita no nara, ikkoku mo hayaku saki o isogu no ga suji to iu mono dearou.


    "Indeed. Well, to Holy-Knight-Candidate-dono, this should be a nostalgic homnd, and to a horse''s skeleton* from some unknown ce, unfamiliar scenery must seem exotic, right?"


    Sayou. Maa, Sei kishi kouho-dono ni wa natsukashiki sokoku dearou shi, doko no dare to mo shirenu uma no hone mo, minarenu keshiki ga mono mezurashikarou ga na?


    *TL Note:  (uma no hone) literally tranted as horses skeleton is often used to yfully address someone in a slightly teasing or affectionate manner. It can be roughly tranted to "youngster," "kid," or "young one."


    ""Hahahahaha!""


    The group raised sneers without overt malice. To act so brazenly in the public eye, one might assume these were lowly individuals. But to the astonishment of those observing, they were priests carrying holy crosses around their necks.


    Naturally, the boy who was told this had a look of revulsion in his eyes hidden behind his hood.


    "These people!"


    Koitsu-ra!


    There was a sudden stir ofmotion, but there were no efforts to intervene from the surrounding crowd. In a port town where strongborers and roughnecks from all over the world congregated, fights were not umon, and for the hot-blooded individuals present, it was more like a preferred form of entertainment. Attracting curious onlookers was the norm.


    However,


    "Cease this."


    O-yamenasai.


    The voice of restraint came from further behind the group of priests.


    "That person is apanying me at my request. Disrespect shown to him would be akin to disrespect shown to me, so what would you do?"


    Sono kata wa watashi ga muri o itte o-tomo o shite itadaite iru no desu. Kare e no hirei wa, kono watashi ni muketa mo douzen to omowaremasu ga, ikaga?


    For a moment, the mor of the wharf and the uproar seemed to subside, creating an illusion of pure, clear voices. A girl appeared, dressed as a nun. She wore an unusual attire, not only with the holy emblem on her chest but also amulets sewn throughout her clothes. Odd as it was, her appearance strangely fit the picturesque atmosphere.


    Though showing signs of trepidation at the arrival of the girl, the unruly priests attempted to defend themselves.


    "Bu-but, you see"


    Shi, shikashi desu na


    "But what? What is it?"


    Shikashi? Nan na no deshou ka?


    Yet, when she countered with a touch of firmness, they immediately waned.


    "No, it''s nothing."


    Ie, nan demo gozaimasen.


    The men retreated, swallowing their dissatisfaction. The girl''s gaze briefly shifted to the boy she hade to the aid of.


    "Hmph."


    Fun.


    He, as if to say that such kindness was more of an unwee nuisance, turned his face away.


    "Oh"


    A


    "What''s with that attitude? Do you not even know courtesy, you foreign little brat?"


    Nanda, ano taido wa. Rei mo shiranu no ka ijinshu no kozou-me.


    "Having such an uncouthpanion will not be in your best interest."


    Ano you na hijoushiki na yakara o hata ni okarete wa, onmi no tame ni narimasenu zo.


    "I''ve told you multiple times It''s fine."


    Nando mo iwasenaide kudasai Ii no desu.


    As she kept the group surrounding them in check, she continued to send a hard-to-describe gaze towards the young boy. As if to cling to his clearly rejecting back, or perhaps to apologize.


    Amid the subtle atmosphere that stood out from the bustling port town, the woman d in silver armor let out a sigh.


    "Good grief It seems I''ve once again gotten myself involved in something troublesome."


    Yare yare mata mendou na koto o, hikiukeru hame ni natte shimatta you da na.


    With these words, sheined to the man who had strongly urged her to join this group.


    ~~~


    "S-sending the hero and my daughter to St. Gallen!?"


    Yu, yuusha to waga musume o, Zankutogaren e okuru da too!?


    The strangled, chicken-like voice reverberated in the conference room enclosed by white walls. The speaker was Emilio Lazzaro Candra, the Commander of the Warrior Monk Corps of the Omnia Empire and a Cardinal of the Holy King Church. He was a man known for overseeing the secret rituals of hero summoning within the church and rapidly expanding his influence. Yet, he was now leaning forward, abandoning his usual assertiveness and biting into the round table as he confronted the other party.


    On the other side, facing the interrogation, was Gianfranco Paolo Phantony, a Cardinal known as the long-standing political rival and the Commander of the Holy Knights.


    "What''s the matter, Cardinal Candra? Do you have an issue?"


    Ikasareta ka na, Karandora skiky. Nazo mondai ga aru no dearou ka.


    He countered without disying even the slightest sign of disturbance, resembling natural rock faces. In response to this reaction, Candra, on the contrary, reddened his nervously thin face and shouted once again.


    "There''s nothing but issues here, is it not!? I will not have you im ignorance of the current state of that country!"


    Mondai shikanakarou!? Ano kuni ga ima dono you na kokujou dearu ka, shiranu to wa iwasenu zo!


    "In order to atone for the defeat in the Volden Campaign, they''re intimidating the constituent nations of the federation and raising arms against those who refuse submission In other words, it''s a state of civil war."


    Vorudan sen''eki de no haisen o misogu tame, renpou kousei-koku o iatsu shi kyoujun senu mono wa hei o agete utsu iwayuru, naisen joutai dearuna.


    Phantony calmly stated.


    As he pointed out, the eastern powerhouse St. Gallen was indeed in the midst of internal strife. To be more precise, it could be termed a civil conflict within themunity of nations. The federation of eastern countries, centered around the Grandenburg Kingdom, was formed to counter the western nations, led by the Arquell Kingdom. This was the reality of the St. Gallen Federation.


    "That''s precisely why we must send envoys from Omnia to thatnd, advising them to cease this fruitless war. The disorder in the world, the corruption of people''s hearts, all serve as potential footholds for the return of the Demon King, inviting further cmity."


    Dearu kara koso, ano chi ni wa ware-ra Omunia yori shisha o hasshite mueki na sen o tomeru you kankoku seneba naran. Yo no midare, jinshin no kouhai koso maou fukkatsu no enyosu ga tonari, sara naru saiyaku o yobu no dearu kara na.


    "Indeed, indeed. If the envoy is to be the current Saintess and the noble daughter of the highly honored Reverend, then it''s a perfect fit."


    Shikari shikari. Sono shisetsu o tsutomeru no ga, tousei no seijo to no kikoe mo takai Gobou no go-reijou to araba, masani uttetsuke to iu mono dearou ni.


    TL Note: From now on, Ive decided to change how Phantony and the other cardinals address Candra to Reverend since my trantion of his way of addressing him in earlier chapters was inconsistent, sometimes Your Eminence and the like. While in the raw Phantony refers to him as  (Gobou). It is a respectful and formal term used to address a priest in a position of authority or as a way to refer to a priest respectfully.


    In response to the words of the Commander of the Holy Knights, those who shared his sentimentsother cardinals who were against Candraconcurred.


    Of course, Candra didn''t meekly ept these words.


    "Don''t be a fool! There''s no reason for even the hero toe along on that journey, is it not!? It was decided that we would keep the hero summoning ritual secret from neighboring countries for some time!"


    Ba, baka o mousuna! Sono michiyuki ni yuusha made soeru hitsuyou ga aru wake ga nakarou!? Yuusha shoukan no gi o okonatta koto wa, ima shibaraku shuuhen shokoku ni taishite hishiteoku to kimatteotta hazu da!


    He resoluted himself and uttered a rebuttal.


    The fact that the hero was summoned without any certain proof of the Demon King''s resurrection was kept secret. They had to ensure that no unwarranted suspicions arose from other countries, such as the belief that Omnia was trying to expand its influence by utilizing the power of the hero. This decision had the unanimous consent of all eighteen cardinals. The Candra faction, who wanted to keep their trump card hidden, as well as the Phantony faction, who were concerned about foreign opposition, had all agreed. He didn''t expect Phantony would do something like sending the hero along with his summoner, Irmae, to another country.


    "Indeed, an oracle foretelling the signs of the Demon King''s minions being resurrected hase down. But that doesn''t give other nations a reason to cooperate! It doesn''t even justify the hero summoning!"


    Tashika ni maou no tesaki taru mazoku ni fukkatsu no kizashi ari to no takusen wa kudatta. Da ga, sore wa takoku o kyouryokusaseru meibun to wa naran zo!? Yuusha shoukan o nattoku saseru koto mo da!


    As Candra argued, even if an oracle had been received by the church, there was no reason for foreign countries toply. Despite being the central hub of the Holy King Church that gathered faith from all across the continent, Omnia was just one of the Four Great Nations. In ancient times, it might have held more weight, but now it stood on equal footing with Arquell and St. Gallen. To convince other nations of the decision to summon a powerful pawn, the hero, the concern of a potential demon resurrection was insufficient. It would likely only work out if the demons actually took action or, even better, if a Demon King really resurrected.


    After all, blindly obeying oracles would mean that everything would be governed by the whims of the priest who received the oraclein other words, the will of the church. This would negate all secr authorities, such as kings and nobles, and resurrect a form of theocracy reminiscent of the old Omnia Empire era. For power yers within the church like Candra, this was precisely what they hoped for, however


    "Of course, I am well aware of that. Fortunately or unfortunately, Hero-dono doesn''t seem to have a clear sense of his mission. Therefore, it''s unlikely that he would step forward and dere himself voluntarily."


    Muron, sono ten wa shouchi shite iru. Saiwai to iu ni wa nan ga aru ga, yuusha-dono wa imada sono shimei ni taishi jikaku no ararenu go-yousu. Deareba, o-mizu kara nanori deru you na koto wa, mazu nai dearou.


    Phantony said with confidence. Indeed, the summoned boy, Erimiya Yuuto, was far from enthusiastic about the hero''s mission. In fact, though being a horses skeleton* with yellowish skin that would make someone wonder if he was also human, he even held a sense of skepticism towards the teachings of the Holy King. It was doubtful that he would voluntarily self-identify as a hero.


    *TL Note: Once again, horses skeleton is a teasing way to address a youngster in Japanese. And I didnt think their racism is that strong, bruh. Considering Yuuto is a Japanese, I guess his skin is not that yellow to the point that his humanity is being questioned. In fact from my perspective, Japanese people''s skin is very fair. I wonder what if the one summoned is someone from my country for example. Maybe their skin would be so brown that the people of this world would consider them as a monster.


    However,


    "Are you joking, Holy Knights Commander-dono? Assuming that we send a boy who can''t even dere himself as a hero, St. Gallen is unlikely to take him seriously."


    Joudan o moushite oru no ka, seikishi danchou-dono. Yuusha to nanoru koto mo dekinai shounen o okutta tokoro de, zankutogaren ga matomo ni toriau hazu ga nakarou.


    This raised a new question: "What is the purpose of sending him then?"


    But Phantony calmly responded, as if indicating that it was nothing significant.


    "Reverend, have you forgotten what I have said earlier?"


    Gobou, sessou ga hajime ni nanto kiridashita ka o o-wasure ka?


    "What?"


    Nani?


    "''Sending the hero, Yuuto Erimiya-dono and Priestess Irmae Candra-dono''that''s what I said. But in this case, the official envoy is Reverend''s daughter, and the hero, who cannot reveal his identity, will serve as her guardian."


    Yuusha Yuuto Erimiya-dono to Irumaerra Karandora onnashisai-dono o okurusou moushita hazu. Kono baai, seishi to naru no wa gobou no go-reijou de, mimoto o akasenu yuusha-dono wa sono goei to naru na.


    ''Ah'', Candra gasped, covering his mouth. Upon closer consideration, this arrangement made sense. Irmae, as the daughter of a cardinal and possessor of the highest level of divine power even in Omnia, was well-qualified to be a diplomatic envoy. She mayck some seniority and experience, but her surroundings could easily provide the necessary support.


    However, it was still unclear why Phantony had suggested this arrangement. If Irmae sessfully fulfilled her role as an envoy, the one who would benefit the most from it would be Emilio Candra.


    "In the first ce, heroes and their summoners typically act together and cooperate in their holy mission to defeat the Demon King. Therefore, if Irmae-dono is to travel to a distantnd, it is only natural for the hero to apany her."


    Somo, yuusha to shoukan-sha wa tomoni koudoushi, maou toubatsu no seimu ni atatte kyouryokushiau no ga joudou. Deareba, Irumaerra-dono ga ongoku ni omomuku no deareba, yuusha-dono mo doukou suru no ga touzen ka to zonzuru.


    "Well, well, Phantony-dono''s words are true."


    Iya iya, Fantni-dono no gen ga mottomo.


    "Exactly, a brilliant idea. This serves as a perfect prelude to the uing journey to defeat the Demon King."


    Masani myouan. Kore wa kitaru maou toubatsu no seiryo, sono yokou to shite mo buttetsuke ka to.


    And then, the Candra Faction was made tense by the invigorated members of the Phantony faction.


    (Does he n to use this as an achievement to steal the credit for the hero and the demon race''s extermination from me!?)


    (Yomoya koyatsu, kore o jisseki to shite watashi kara yuusha to mazoku toumetsu no kou o ubaou to iu no ka!?)


    Sending the delegation to St. Gallen as a prelude to the Demon King''s subjugation. In other words, if he insists that since he led the rehearsal, he will also do the actual performance. Then taking custody of the hero and the merits in the holy war by doing it will all be attributed to Phantony and his faction. Although Candra would still have a credit in proposing the summoning, it would pale inparison to the great achievement of averting a crisis for all of humanity in the future.


    (Bastard! You bearded Daruma''s underwear! Even though you look like a brainless musclehead, you''re crafty in just this kind of matter! Are you intending to block, no, steal my path to the papacy!?)


    (Onore, onoree! Higedaruma no nikujiban ga! Noumiso made mo kinniku no you na musai mitame o shiteoki nagara, kou iu tokoro dake wa kosukkarai! Watashi no, kono watashi no eitatsu o, kyoukou-i e no michisuji o habamu, iya yokodori suru tsumori ka!?)


    All of his political shes with himself were for the sole purpose of ambition and power. This was Candra''s interpretation. Having fallen in his ancestors'' generation and spent his youth in poverty, in the literal sense of the term, he had risen from the slums of the imperial city to the position of a cardinal. For Emilio Lazzaro Candra, gaining glory was everything. He considered anyone who obstructed it to be a devil''s agent or something of the sort.


    (I will not let you have your way, Phantony. I am not someone who would let lowly people like youe out on top!)


    (Sou wa sasen zo, Fantni. Kisama gotoki yahi na yakara ni dashi nukeru watashi dewa nai wa!)


    He desperately contained his inner rage and smiled calmly.


    "Is that your considered decision? In that case, there''s no other way."


    Sayou na oboshimeshi dearimasu ka. Deareba, shikatanaki hakobi desu na.


    "I''m d you understand."


    Go-rikai itadaketa you de nani yori.


    (Yeah, I understaaand very well. Your real intentions, it is!)


    (Aa, yoooku rikai shite iru yo. Kisama no mokuromi wa na!)


    While suppressing the urge to spit, Candra continued,


    "However, in appointing my daughter as the main envoy, we must be cautious in theposition of the envoy group."


    Shikashi, touhou mo musume o seishi to shite tateru ni atari, shisetsu-dan no hensei ni wa shinchou na hairyo ga hitsuyou ka to zonjiru ga?


    "And what do you mean by that?"


    To, mousareru to?


    "I believe the situation in St. Gallen is currently tense. Sending overly aggressive individuals there may lead to unnecessary disturbances."


    Zankutogaren no jousei wa kinpaku shite iru deshou. Soko ni amari ni mo bubatta-mono-ra o okutte wa, iranu soudou no gen ka to.


    In other words, the Holy Knights were to be excluded from the envoy.


    During the meeting, an untimely murmur arose.


    "W-wait, Candra-dono! Given the current precarious state of affairs, it is precisely for that reason that we need to prepare for such contingencies!"


    Ma, matareyo Karandora-dono! Yodan o yurusanu sejou dearu kara koso, sono tame no sonae ga hitsuyou to naru dearou ni!


    "Exactly! Considering the format of the envoy group, not including the Holy Knights is too"


    Shikari shikari! Shisetsu-dan no kakushiki kara itte mo, Sei kishi o tsurenu to iu no wa amarini mo


    The cardinals belonging to Phantony''s faction on either side of him raised objections. If the Holy Knights were excluded from the envoy, it would inevitably result in members of other factions taking those seats. Considering Candra''s nature, he might try to squeeze his monks into those vacancies. It was only natural that they opposed it.


    However, this time, there was a trump card to prevent that.


    "The Hero is apanying her."


    Yuusha-dono ga owasu.


    "What!?"


    Nanto!?


    "To protect Irmae, who has summoned and made a contract with, would anyone really think that the Hero is inadequate for the task? Would anyone dare to doubt a hero sent by the Holy King himself, who sits in the heavens?"


    Shoukan shi, keiyaku o kawashita Irumaerra o mamoru no ni, yuusha-dono dewa fusoku to o-kangae no kata nado orarenu dearou? Ten ni zashimasu sei ou-sama yori tsukawasareta yuusha-dono o, shinjirarenu to wa mousaremasenu yo naa?


    Yes, the Hero. Regardless of their status as cardinals, it was imperative to believe in the Hero''s abilities if one followed the teachings of the church. The only possible exception could have been the Holy Knights'' Commander, who oversaw the martial branch of the church. However,


    "Even you, Holy Knights'' Commander Phantony, should have no doubts, considering that you are responsible for training the Hero, isn''t that right?"


    Fantni seikishi danchou mo, go-jibun ga shugyou o tantou sareteiru ijou, yomoya fusoku to wa iwaremasen na?


    He was the one who had been training the Hero. Expressing doubt about the Hero''s abilities would have called into question Phantony''s own teaching skills. He wouldn''t have opposed this even if his life had depended on it.


    (Heh heh heh, he''s trying to manipte the situation, but he''s about to be outmaneuvered. How does it feel to have your own tricks used against you?)


    (Kukuku, kozaiku o rousuru kara ashimoto o sukuwareru no yo. Dou da ne, jibun no shikake o gyakute ni torareta kibun wa?)


    Concealing his inner tion and masking it with a smile, he relished the sensation of victory. The opposing side remained silent. Phantony''s expression didn''t change, but it was unclear what was going on beneath the surface.


    Finally, Phantony let out a small sigh.


    "What the reverend says has its merits. I have no objections, as per your suggestion. Let us refrain from sending a Holy Knight."


    Gobou no ossharu koto ni mo ri wa aru. Sessou ni igi wa nashi. Sei kishi o dasu no wa enryo shiyou.


    (I won.)


    (Katta.)


    Candra interpreted his political rival''s words as a deration of defeat. It felt very satisfying. He had protected his interests and thwarted his opponent''s growing influence. Each time, an indescribable pleasure welled up within him. That''s why the allure of power was irresistible.


    As he basked in this feeling, the supposedly defeated opponent whispered something quietly.


    "However, since we are going to go along with your proposal, I can''t leave the personnel choices for the envoy untouched. I''d like to at least nominate one person from our side."


    Ga, hatsugi o okonatta temae, shisetsu no jinji ni tetsukazu de, to iu wake ni wa ikanu. Semete hitori kurai wa, kochira de shimei sasete itadakitai no da ga.


    "Ah, I see. That''s fine."


    Aa, sonna koto ka. Betsu ni kamawanu yo.


    In other words, he wanted to save face. Candra casually agreed, allowing this small concession. The sight of the defeated pleading humbly to the victor tickled the victor''s sense of self-pride.


    And so, the meeting was concluded for the day. Candra left the room with his spirits high, his steps light. He had acquired yet another piece of material to strengthen his position. With a sense of achievement, he already had forgotten about any questions regarding who the individual Phantony intended to insert into the envoy.


    In the days that followed, he would be utterly astonished, since he agreed that it was fine as long as it was not an official Holy Knight, the one chosen as part of the envoy was, outrageously, a Holy Knight Candidate. But that''s another story.


    ~~~


    Having no knowledge of such high-level political maneuvering, Erimiya Yuuto was under the open sky, traveling. Their destination, St. Gallen Federation, was a neighboring country on the map, but in reality, a massive mountain range separated them. While it was possible to cross those mountains with determination, it was the prevailing opinion within the envoy party that it was unnecessary and inconvenient. As a result, they would follow well-maintained roads within Arquell, heading north from the border region of Armand into St. Gallen.


    The carriage they were currently traveling in was specially transported by ship from the Omnia Empire. Not to mention the horses pulling it, even the carriage itself, bearing the official insignia of the empire''s envoys, was not something readily avable in foreignnds. Therefore, they had transported it by sea, purchased horses upon arrival at the port town, and then set off. In his own way, Yuuto likened the situation to something resembling a car ferry, a modern memory from his family''s past vacations in Japan, which tugged at his heartstrings.


    "What''s the matter, young boy? You seem a bit lost in thought,"


    Dou shita, shounen? Nani yara uwa no sora na you da ga.


    Elisha, who was traveling in the carriage with him, said, perhaps out of concern.


    "No, it''s nothing. It''s just that Well, I''ve been looking at a simr scenery for quite a while, so it''s a bit boring."


    Ie, nande mo nai desu. Tada, nanto iu ka chotto nita you na keshiki ga tsuzuku no de, sukoshi taikutsu de.


    He wasn''t trying to dodge her question, it was indeed his honest opinion. These roads, despite being referred to as highways, were not paved like modern Japanese roads, and their means of transportation was not automobiles but horse-drawn carriages. Compared to the incredible horsepower of the vehicles he was ustomed to, the pace of this journey was agonizingly slow. Consequently, the scenery passing by the window remained unchanging.


    "Hmm? But I think traveling by carriage is typically like this?"


    Fuun? Basha de no tabi nado taigai wa kono you na mono da to omou ga.


    "Ah, no. It''s just that this is my first time riding in a carriage"


    Aa, ie. Ba, basha ni noru nante hajimete deshite


    Yuuto hastily offered an exnation, flustered by the nonchnt remark. His status as a summoned hero from another world was a well-kept secret, known only to a select few high-ranking officials in Omnia. She was still a candidate for a holy knight, and as a foreigner, this truth was concealed even from Elisha. She was the closest to him among the humans in this world, and her temperament was also simr to his, so during their conversations, he sometimes felt like he''s going to identally have a slip of tongue. So far, nothing incriminating had been revealedas far as Yuuto believedbut he couldn''t guarantee how long this would continue.


    (I need to be careful not to say anything strange and avoid dragging her into weird matters)


    (Hen na koto o itte, kono hito o myou na koto ni makikomanai you ni shinai to)


    The boy straightened himself up with a renewed sense of determination.


    "Is that so. If it''s your first time on a carriage, be careful not to get motion sickness. Of course, you can always ask for the saintess over there to heal you if you start feeling unwell."


    Sou ka. Basha ni noru no ga hajimete nara, yowanai you ni ki o tsukero yo? Motto mo, kibun ga waruku nattara sochira no seijo-dono ni naoshite morau to iu te mo aru ga.


    She said, ncing at Irmae, who was awkwardly huddled in the corner of her seatthe high priestess who normally would be sitting more confidently.


    "Oh, y-yes! If you''re not feeling well, please feel free to ask"


    A, ha, hai! Go-kibun ga sugurenai toki ni wa, itsu demo osshatte


    "It''s alright, Elisha-san. I didn''t get seasick on the boat ride here, so I think I''ll be fine."


    Daijoubu desu, Erisha-san. Iki no fune demo yowanakatta shi, mondainai to omoimasu.


    "Oh, I see Alright"


    Aa, sou desu ka. Hai


    As Irmae dejectedly returned to her seat after her initial enthusiasm, Yuuto recalled the ufortable feeling he had when he was first assigned to this carriage.


    In this delegation, Yuuto''s role was that of an attendant of Irmae, who was officially the face of the group. However, there was a different aspect to his position that was conveyed more discreetly. When the departure orders were issued, it was a veiled request from Phantony, but there was a subtle message delivered.


    "Hero-dono should apany Irmae-dono, who is your summoner, as much as possible. Naturally, the priests of the Holy King Church have a duty to assist the Hero. Therefore, who is better than her, who possesses unparalleled divine power and has bound herself in a contract with you? During this journey, perhaps both of you should take this opportunity to deepen your mutual understanding."


    Yuusha-dono ni wa narubeku, shoukan-sha dearu Irumaerra-dono to koudou o tomo ni shite morau. Gen yori seiou kyou no shinkan wa yuusha no hohitsu mo yakume no hitotsu. Deareba, kitai no houriki o yadoshi onmi to keiyaku o kawashite mo iru kanojo koso, buttetsuke dearou. Kono tabi o ki ni, tagai no rikai o fukameteoku beki ka to


    That''s what he had been told.


    It was meddling he could do without. He didn''t particrly want to be a hero or anything of the sort. However, he was starting to feel the limits of being cooped up in Omnia. It was a bit awkward to be stuck with her, but he had epted the offer in hopes of getting outside for a change. He hadn''t expected to be so tightly bound together. As a result, he earned extra spite from the other priests of the delegation, making his situation quite difficult.


    His only constion was that Elisha, who he knew well, was riding along with Irmae and Yuuto, who acted as her attendant, because they were of the same sex. If not for this, it was possible that he might have used this opportunity to escape.


    ""


    ""


    A stifling silence filled the carriage.


    For Yuuto, he recently got into a fight with Irmae and even resorted to violence. He certainly felt guilty for doing something incorrigible to a weak girl. But at the same time, he harbored a strong desire to hold the person responsible for bringing him to this otherworldly ce ountable.


    Irmae also had a clear and pronounced fault in the matter. She must have her own feelings of remorse, as well as fear and distrust of Yuuto, who had violently expressed his frustration. Their rtionship was incredibly awkward. Phantony''s well-intentioned attempt to foster understanding likely didn''t yield the desired results.


    Speaking of, in an attempt to change the atmosphere, Elisha asked,


    "It seems like we''ve been heading north from Noreau for quite a while. Are we going to continue straight into Volden?"


    Noryu kara zutto hokujou shite iru you da ga, kono mama Vorudan ni hairu no ka?


    "Yes. Continuing north along the eastern route is the shortcut to Armand."


    Hai. Kono mama azuma-zoi ni kita e susumu no ga, Arumando e no chikamichi desu no de.


    Irmae also answered, feeling somewhat relieved.


    However, Yuuto felt something unsettling. Since the travel itinerary was already well-known, there shouldn''t be a need for questions, and it seemed that Elisha should know this information. He sensed that the discussion might be a way to break the awkward atmosphere within the group, but he also noticed that Elisha''s intention to continue the conversation seemed weak. Rather, she appeared somewhat reluctant or hesitant in her tone.


    "Is there something bothering you?"


    Nani ka ki ni naru koto ga arun desu ka?


    "Well, if we go to Volden, the lord there woulde out to wee us, right?"


    Iya, na. Vorudan ni ikeba ryoushu ga kantai ni dete kuru darou?


    It was only natural to expect such hospitality. During their stay in Noreau, they had been amodated at the mansion of a noble called Baron Alrez, who was responsible for that region. Although they were growing weary of the constant receptions during their journey, it seemed to be amon practice in this world. She assumed that they would encounter a simr situation when they reached Volden.


    "Is the lord of that region a bad person?"


    Sono ryoushu tte, iya na yatsu nan desu ka?


    "Yu-Yuuto-sama!"


    Yu, Yuuto-sama!


    Irmae panicked and tried to stop him, but he ignored her. As a priest, speaking ill of others probably didn''t sit well with her, but it has nothing to do with him. He was talking to Elisha right now.


    His suspicions were not entirely baseless. Even the aforementioned Baron Alrez, from his point of view, had a demeanor that seemed to ooze the typical traits of a corrupt noble. Yuuto didn''t want to think there were many such individuals, but when he recalled a certain someone''s father, it didn''t seem impossible.


    Elisha didn''t seem concerned about the interaction between the two of them and continued her story without any apparent hesitation.


    "Well, you see At the very least, he wasn''t the type that would bepatible with the boy and Irmae-dono. Though I don''t enjoy speaking ill of someone I''ve once fought together with before."


    Sou da na sukunakutomo shounen ya Irumaerra-dono to ai sou ni wa nai jinbutsu da yo. Ichido wa kutsuwa o narabeta aite o, waruku iu no wa shumi dewa nai ga.


    "Someone you''ve fought together with?"


    Kutsuwa o narabeta?


    "What, didn''t the name ring a bell for you? The Volden Campaign Last year, it was the war with Arquell in that region that triggered the civil war and upheaval in the St. Gallen Federation. I was serving as a knight in this country during those days,"


    Nanda, chimei de wakarankatta no ka? Vorudan sen''eki Zankutogaren renpou no taisei o yurugase ni shinaisen ni totsunyuu saseta no wa, sennen ni ano chi de okotta, Arukru to no sensou ga gen''in na no da yo. De, touji wa kono kuni de kishi o yatte ita watashi mo juugun shiteita.


    Yuuto found her straightforward and unassuming tone somewhat unsettling.


    War. Humans killing each other. The woman in front of him had taken part in such a brutal conflict. The fact that one of the few reliable allies he had in this one had been involved in a war. It was hard for Yuuto to digest, and he unconsciously clenched his fist.


    Whether she noticed the boy''s reaction or not, the woman shrugged in a rather exaggerated manner.


    "To be honest, when they asked me to join this diplomatic mission as a guard, I was quite surprised. After all, I should have killed a fair number of their people."


    Iya shoujiki na hanashi, kono shisetsu-dan ni goei to shite kuwaware to iwareta toki wa odoroita zo. Nanise watashi wa, mukou no ningen o soutou na suu, kirisutete iru hazu na no dakara na.


    "Is this going to be alright? It might sound impolite if I say this, but even though we are envoys sent to stop an internal war, wouldn''t this cause displeasure on the other side?"


    Da, daijoubu na no deshou ka? Kou itte wa shitsurei kamo shiremasen ga, watashi-tachi wa naisen o tome ni iku shisha desu no ni, senpou no go-fukyou o katte shimau no de wa


    Irmae expressed a valid concern. However, the person in question didn''t seem to take offense.


    "Well, who knows? I wonder what this personnel assignment really means. Maybe this is some kind of threat? In other words, it goes like thisIf you continue the fighting, we have our own ns. Be aware that we might form a full-fledged alliance with Arquell and use forcehaving someone like me who achieved military sess in the previous campaign is their way of signaling that intentions for example."


    Sate, ne. Hatashite, kono jinji ni dono you na imi ga aru no yara. Moshi ka suru to, kore wa odoshi no isshu kamo shiren zo? You suru ni kou dakore ijou sentou o tsuzukeru you nara, kochira ni mo kangae ga aru. Arukru to honkaku-teki ni musunde jitsuryoku koushi o okonau kanousei mo aru to kokoroeyosaki no sen''eki de gunkou o ageta watashi o soeta no wa, sono ishi hyouji to ka na.


    "I see"


    Naru hodo


    The two women living in this world seemed to understand each other, but Yuuto, who was originally a high school student from another world, had no idea. He had no experience in politics, and his interest in news or the affairs of these great continental nations was minimal. So, exining diplomatic maneuvering among the four major countries of the continent to a typical modern Japanese youth like him was quite a challenge.


    "By the way, what about the lord of that ce, Volden?"


    Tokoro de, sono Vorudan tte tokoro no ryoushu no hanashi wa dou shitan desu ka?


    So, Yuuto decided to steer the conversation back to the main topic. Well, considering that this group was on a diplomatic mission, the discussion they had been having earlier might actually be more pertinent.


    "Aah, you mean Count Marquis Oubeniel. He is how should I put it, someone that''s hard to describe in a few words."


    Aa, buniru-haku kou no hanashi da na. Are wa nanto iu ka, hito koto de wa arawashi gatai jinbutsu da yo.


    In contrast to her usual straightforward manner, Elisha''s speech was oddlyden with some internal conflict.


    "And you mean?"


    To, iimasu to?


    "He''s undoubtedlypetent when ites to his abilities. However, I can''t help but think that there''s something off about him. Yeah, ''off''. It''s probably the best word to describe the impression he gives."


    Nouryoku no umu de ieba yuunou dearu no darou. Da ga, dou ni mo nanika ga zurete iru. Un, zure da. Sore ga yatsu e oboeta kanshoku o ii arawasu no ni, motto mo fusawashii ki ga suru.


    Elisha said as she rested her hand on her chin and made an expression as if looking off into the distance.


    "Ever since he was a child, he''s been obsessed with alchemy, which is said to produce gold. He even schemed to take his own brother''s position as an earl. Through his achievements in the war, he climbed the ranks to be a Marquis governing three provinces. At first nce, he might appear to be an ambitious man, but"


    Osanai koro kara kogane o umu to iu renkinjutsu ni tandeki shi, mi no ani o oiotoshite hakushaku no chii o ubai, sensou de no kou ni yotte san-shuu no taishu taru koushaku ni made nobotta. Kore dake o mireba yokufuka na yashin-ka no you ni mo mieru no da ga


    "Is it not like that?"


    Chigaun desu ka?


    "He''s not that simple of a man despite shedding blood indiscriminately, he acts mildly. When you think he''s a coward, he acts recklessly. He seems to be aplishing his goals efficiently, but it''s hard to tell what his goal actually is. He''s a bundle of contradictions. Somewhere along the way, something essential in him as a human is fatally skewed In that sense, he''s a bit like the boy."


    Sou tanjun na otoko dewa nai Midari ni chi o nagasu wari ni wa onkou ni furumai, okubyou ka to omoeba mucha o shidekasu. Kouritsu-teki ni mokuhyou o tassei shite iru you de, nani o mokuteki ni shite iru no ka kentou mo tsukan. Mujun no katamari da na. Hito to shite daiji na nani ka ga, doko ka de chimei-teki ni zurete iru Sou iu imi dewa, sukoshi shounen ni nite iru yo.


    "Huh? Me?"


    E? Ore?


    Suddenly described in such a way, he had a surprised look, like a pigeon hit by a pellet gun.


    "Don''t react so reluctantly. No, it may not be unpleasant to bepared to that. What I''m saying is aboutmon sense or, rather, differences in perspective. Even though we should be looking at the same thing, different things are seen. It''s as if we''re living in different worlds, as if we came from different worlds"


    Sonna fuhon''i sou ni suru na. Iya, are to issho ni sareru no wa yukai dewa nai darou ga na. Watashi ga itte iru no wa, joushiki to iu ka, shiten no chigai ni tsuite da yo. Onaji mono o mite iru hazu na no ni, me ni wa koto naru mono ga utsutte iru. Marude betsu no sekai ni ikite iru you na, chigau sekai kara kita you na


    His heart raced. It was as if she had somehow discerned Yuuto''s origin, his status as someone summoned from another world.


    (No, there''s no way that''s possible.)


    (Iya, sonna wake wa nai daro.)


    His true identity was known only to the highest-ranking members of the church and his summoner, Irmae. There was no way his secret could have leaked to Elisha, who was still just a holy knight candidate. Most likely, she was referring to the fact that he came from a distantnd, being of a different race from the people on this continent.


    Ignoring his inner turmoil, the female knight attempted to continue her conversation.


    "Well, it''s hard to put into words. It would be faster if you see him with your own eyes. But I don''t think he''s someone you would want to get too involved with, though."


    Ma, kotoba dewa arawashigatai otoko da yo. Jissai ni sono me de mite miru hou ga hayai darou Amari fukairi shitai aite dewa nai ga ne.


    "Y-yes"


    Ha, haa.


    The conversation was bing somewhat understandable yet still elusive.


    Irmae, seemingly sharing simr thoughts, asked with a perplexed expression,


    "Will this person wee us?"


    Sono o-kata wa, watashi-tachi no koto o kangei shite kudasaru deshou ka?


    "Who knows? We won''t know until we ask the man himself. No, even if we ask, we can''t be sure if he''ll speak his true intentions"


    Saa? Honnin ni kikaneba wakaran. Iya kiita to shite sunao ni honne o hanasu ka dou ka


    "If possible, I would hope for his cooperation in establishing peace on the continent"


    Dekireba, tairiku no antei ni go-kyouryoku negaereba yoi no desu ga


    "Come to think of it, he might cooperate. He''s not a man seeking war or turmoil, that much is certain. But whether his cooperation would align with what you''re hoping for, I can''t guarantee."


    Sou ieba kyouryoku wa suru darou na. Ikusa ya douran o motomeru you na otoko dewa nai koto wa tashika da. Sochira no nozomu katachi de no kyouryoku ni naru ka made wa hoshou dekin ga.


    In short, a mysterious figure that couldn''t be understood or trusted. That was the impression Yuuto gained. What''s worse, they couldn''t predict whether the Lord of Volden, Marquis Oubeniel, was going to be an enemy or not. He began to regret asking about him. They were about to meet this unsettling, suspicious, and enigmatic person soon. Yuuto knew that he wouldn''t be directly involved in the meeting as he was just there to assist Irmae. But even so, he couldn''t shake off his uneasiness. He wished he could have remained ignorant and avoided this meeting.


    "Oh, it''s about time we arrive at Volden"


    Otto, uwasa o sureba sorosoro sono Vorudan ni nyuu


    But Elisha''s teasing tone was abruptly cut off as she looked out the window.


    "What''s that?"


    Nanda, are wa?


    It was like she had suddenly stumbled upon a heap of corpses on the roadside, a discovery that evoked disgust. The look on her face was enough to convey that. Yuuto was also drawn in, feeling an unpleasant foreboding. Following Elisha''s gaze, they looked down.


    Thendscape below appeared to be ordinary farnd at first nce, with farmers tending to their fields, surrounded by the burgeoning greenery of spring. It was a pastoral and picturesque scene. But it was far from ordinary. Upon closer inspection, the disturbing reality became evident.


    The people who appeared to be farmers could be roughly categorized into two groups: those giving orders and those doing the actual work. The former, those issuing orders, looked like regr farmers, without anything particrly noteworthy about them.


    The issuey with thetter group. They had rmingly emaciated bodies and unsteady steps. Their heavy burdens, the loads on their backs, appeared excessive and clearly showed the signs of severe overwork. Strangely, even though they were overwhelmingly outnumbered and subjected to harshbor, there was no sign of rebellion. They silently and obediently followed unreasonable instructions.


    Yuuto felt a chill run down his spine. He recognized this scene. However, he had never witnessed it in person. He had only learned about it through history lessons at school. It was a dark chapter in human history, one of the shameful moments in the annals of Earth''s history.


    "It''s as if they''re ves."


    Marude dorei da.


    "Not as if."


    Marude, ja nai.


    Elisha shook her head as if to dispel the difort.


    "They are real, legitimate ves."


    Are-ra wa, shoushin shoumei no dorei da yo.


    In front of their eyes, the people were all fitted with silver cors around their necks.


    ~~~


    To be continued...


    TL Note:


    I didn''t think that Tullius and Yuuto would meet each other this soon! I''m so excited~


    This chapter was brought to you by my patrons, Sier, McConnaheyhey, TheHunt3r Gaming, Viks, Dan Ryder, and Eger. Thank you very much, guys!


    Be my supporter in patreon to read the advanced chapters and help me release faster~

 Chapter 82: Sevens Beat (1)

    Chapter 82: Seven''s Beat (1)


    The capitalno, the former capital of Volden Province, Volden.


    (TL Note: Yep, remember that the province and former capital city of Volden has the same name.)


    Tullius Shernan Oubeniel, who had recently inherited the lordship, chose to maintain Man, his old home base, as the administrative center of the province, which had led to the city falling into rapid decline. However, ns for the redevelopment of the roads within the territory had just begun, and there was also the necessity to prioritize the recovery from the war damage of the previous years before anything else. For these reasons, the city of Volden was still the key transportation hub of the province. Consequently, the delegation sent from Omnia would also have to pass through this city, and the meeting with the provincial lord, Tullius, would take ce here.


    The meeting location was the former lord''s residence, coincidentally the ce where Elisha had met him for the first timest summer. It was an old, somewhat dpidated mansion perched on a small hill away from the city.


    (How can I put it... It''s even shabbier than I expected, or should I say, run-down?)


    (Nante iu ka omotta yori mo boroi tte iu ka, shoboi?)


    Although he thought it was rude, Yuuto couldn''t help but have that impression as he stepped into the mansion. He had imagined that a promising new marquis and the ruler of three provinces would have a grand and opulent estate. However, upon entering, he found the interior to be extremely modest. As far as he could see, the furniture and furnishings were minimal, and there were even sun-bleached marks on the wallpaper where it seemed like paintings and ornaments had been removed. It felt as though the mansion had either been seized by debt collectors or abandoned hastily, resembling the aftermath of a hurried departure.


    "Well, it''s quite embarrassing. This mansion was supposed to be vacated by the end of this year"


    Iya, o-hazukashii. Kono yakata wa kotoshi-chuu ni hikiharau yotei datta mono deshite


    The man who appeared to be one of the lord''s retainers, tasked with guiding the diplomatic delegation, exined while repeatedly wiping his face with a handkerchief.


    Even Yuuto had the impression that a noble, and a high-ranking one at that, were wealthy. In fact, in this world, being a marquis meant they were in a position to enjoy a significantly affluent lifestyle. The fact that he would showcase such a bare and empty mansion to foreign diplomatic envoys seemed rather shameful.


    "This is quite something. ''Wretched is the lot of a government official'', was it?"


    Taihen na mono da. Sumajiki wa miyazukae, ka.


    (TL Note: This is what Elisha said: , which is a proverb in Japanese that means ''It is better to work for oneself than to work for someone else'', but when tranted literally it''s ''Wretched is the lot of a government official''.)


    Elisha beside him blurted out, but even if she said that, Yuuto wasn''t quite sure how to respond. After all, wasn''t she in a position of a government official herself?


    Yuuto tried to evade the question by wearing a vague, wry smile.


    "Count, no, Marquis Oubeniel-dono holds quite a distinguished position, doesn''t he?"


    buniru-hakushaku, ie koushaku-dono wa zuibun to ii o-mibun na no desu na?


    Suddenly, one of the members of the delegation who had been guided alongside him chimed in.


    "To think that he would make us wait like this aftering all the way from Omnia... I wonder what could be the reason for that. What do you say, uhh"


    Harubaru Omunia kara maitta ware-ra o, kou mo mataserareru to wa hatashite ikaga na jijou dearu no yara. Dou na no desu ka, eetto


    "My name is Laubert."


    Rubru to moushimasu.


    (TL Note: Ohhh Laubert I missed you!!!)


    "ah, yes, Laubert-dono. We''re very curious to hear an exnation for that."


    sou sou, Rubru-dono. Zehi tomo sono atari no setsumei o ukagaitaku omoimasu naa.


    They''re starting again, Yuuto thought, as he felt a sense of annoyance. The priests within this delegation were generally of this nature. It was said that Cardinal Emilio Candra had a hand in their selection, but they were most likely his entourage. There''s a saying that dogs resemble their owners, and it seemed to hold true here.


    "Well, we deeply apologize for the inconvenience. However, I believe he will arrive from Man in no time, so"


    Iya, sono ten wa makoto ni moushiwake arimasen. Desu ga, mou ma mo naku Maruran no hou kara kaketsukeru to omoimasu no de


    "Even so, it''s quite odd that he didn''t station himself in this mansion. We did inform you in advance that our delegation would be passing through your territory, didn''t we?"


    Ikura nan demo kono yashiki ni tsumete inai to iu no wa okashii deshou. Jizen ni ware-ra shisetsu-dan ga ryounai o tsuuka suru to no tsuutatsu wa, o-tsutae shita hazu na no desu ga?


    "Exactly. At this rate, the extent of his lordship''s piety will be knooops, I spoke too much."


    Masa ni. Kore dewa ano gojin no shinjin no teido ga shireotto, kotoba ga sugimashita ka na.


    "We''re terribly sorry."


    Sumimasen.


    Yuuto marveled internally at the bureaucrat, who introduced himself as Laubert, who kept bowing his head with a perfectly blended expression between forced smile and gratitude amidst the barrage of verbal attacks.


    (If it were me, I''d definitely lose my temper along the way.)


    (Ore dattara, zettai tochuu de kireteru na.)


    It was trulymendable to keep dealing with them, even in the midst of being surrounded by such haughty and vexing individuals, all without disying the slightest revulsion.


    Then, at that moment,


    "Stop this."


    O-yamenasai.


    Irmae, the representative of the delegation, raised her voice firmly.


    "Originally, the decision to send this delegation was rather sudden. Imposing ourselves upon someone as busy as the lord of three provinces and relying on his generosity, it is us who should be in his debt, don''t you think so? Furthermore, to insist on immediate personal hospitality, it seems somewhat presumptuous in my estimation."


    Moto moto, konkai no shisetsu haken ga kimatta no ga kyuu na koto na no desu. Sore o san-shuu no taishu to iu o-isogashii kata no shita ni oshikake, sono go-koui ni amaete iru no wa watashi-tachi no hou na no dewa? Kono ue, hayaku jiki jiki no kantai o to semaru nado, isasaka samoshii furumai ni omoeru no desu ga.


    She spoke with an air of detachment that contrasted starkly with her usual meekness. In her presence, she embodied the image of a nun suitable to be dubbed the saintess of the present age by the people of the church.


    "Irmae-sama B-but"


    Irumaerra-sama Shi, shikashi


    "But what?"


    Shikashi, nan desu?


    "No, it''s nothing."


    Ie, nan demo arimasen.


    In the end, she managed to prevail over her older subordinates and make them withdraw.


    Her purity and unwavering determination bore no resemnce to her unpleasant father. If anything, these corrupt priests seemed more fitting to be Candra''s children. Not to mention her looks, it was fortunate that she really didn''t look like him at all.


    (Why am I trying to see her in a favorable light?)


    (Tte, nande koitsu no koto o ii you ni kangaeyou to shite iru nda yo.)


    Yuuto chastised himself for starting to feel a slight fondness for her.


    He mustn''t forget. It was Irmae who had performed the hero summoning and dragged him into this world. He could harbor some resentment towards her, but there was no reason to hold her in high esteem. He reminded himself not to be swayed just because she had a somewhat cute face.


    Beneath the deep hood that concealed his face, Yuuto went through various expressions when the distant sounds of hoofbeats, wheels, and neighing reached his ears.


    "I apologize for the wait. It seems the master has finally arrived."


    O-matase itashimashita. Youyaku shujin ga touchaku shita you desu.


    Laubert must have heard it too, since he said it with a sigh of relief.


    After a while, before the delegation who had been led to the miserable-looking reception room, came that person, walking in a somewhat hurried manner.


    "Hello there, everyone from the Omnia Empire. I apologize for keeping you waiting. It''s a pleasure to meet you all. I''m the lord of thisnd, Tullius Shernan Oubeniel."


    Iyaa, Omunia koukoku no mina-san, o-matase shite moushiwake arimasen. O-hatsu o-me ni kakarimasu, boku ga touchi no ryoushu, Turiusu shurnan buniru desu.


    The man who appeared was not as big a deal as he had imagined. Yuuto had expected someone older, given his prestigious title as a marquis, but his cheerfully smiling face was brimming with youth. He couldn''t have been more than in his early twenties. While his appearance was pleasant enough, itcked a certain imposing presence, appearing more nondescript than handsome. If he hadn''t been dressed in fine, noble attire and adorned with numerous expensive-looking essories like rings and the likes, he could have easily passed for a foreign exchange student in Japan.


    (Isn''t Elisha-san being a bit too threatening?)


    (Erisha-san no odokashi sugi ja nai no ka naa.)


    He didn''t bear much resemnce to the character Yuuto had heard about during the carriage ride. The gap between what he had witnessed along the way made him feel dizzy, wondering if this man was truly the one who created such a scene.


    Rather, what really caught his attention was the intimidating swordsman standing right next to him. And


    "Woah"


    Fuwa


    He involuntarily let out a dumbfounded sound.


    the woman who knelt respectfully behind Tullius. Judging by her attire, she appeared to be a maid. The moment heid eyes on her, his heart skipped a beat. She seemed as though she had stepped out of a painting in an art gallery or that a sculpture hade to life, possessing an intricate and enchanting beauty. Her eyes shimmered with a mystical green radiance, and her lustrous ck hair, unlike that of the Japanese he was familiar with, had an exotic sheen, glistening as if it were wet. To put it frankly, Yuuto was captivated by the maid.


    And then,


    (That cor, wasn''t it a symbol of very?)


    (Ano kubiwa tte tashika, dorei?)


    The silver shine around her neck brought him back to reality from the pleasant enchantment. In this world, a silver cor was a magical device used to control ves and, consequently, a symbol of the lowest social status, as Elisha had exined. Unintentionally, he recalled the view of the previous ve ntation, and a sense of pity washed over him.


    "Ahem"


    Kohon


    He suddenly snapped to attention at the unexpected cough. There, he saw Irmae turning towards Tullius and the others, her expression now bearing a different kind of firmness from before. Maybe she was nervous. After all, the other personeven though he didn''t seem like onewas a marquis, a noble of a much higher rank that couldn''t bepared to the baron they had dealt with in the port town. The pressure as the representative of the delegation must have been even more significant.


    "Excuse me I am Irmae Aurelia Candra, the representative of the envoys dispatched to St. Gallen. Your Excellency, we are greatly thankful for your gracious hospitality, providing us shelter for the night."


    Shitsurei shimashita Watashi, kono tabi Zankutogaren e to haken sareru shisha no daihyou o ousetsukatte orimasu, Irumaerra oreria karandora to moushimasu. Koushaku-kakka ni hago houjou kara hitoban no yado o o-kari suru hakobi to nari, kansha no nen ni taemasen.


    "That is very polite of you. As you can see, it''s just an empty residence, but please make yourselves at home and rest from your journey."


    Kore wa go teinei ni. Mite no toori nani mo nai yashiki desu ga, dou ka tabi no tsukare o iyashite itte kudasaimase.


    The young marquis, receiving Irmae''s greeting with a smile, took a seat facing her. He then shifted his gaze and recognized a familiar face.


    "Oh? Could that be Lady Balbastre over there?"


    Oya? Sochira ni irassharu no wa, moshikashite Barubasutoru-kyou desu ka?


    Elisha, the person who had fought alongside Tullius as an ally in the war that had taken cest year, just as Yuuto had heard. She nodded to his greeting without any hint of affectation towards someone with a higher status and replied.


    "Nice to meet you, Your Excellency. It''s been a year since west met, but I''m d you still seem as healthy as ever."


    Doumo koushaku-kakka. Saku-nen irai to narimasu ga, aikawarazu go-souken de irareru you de nani yori.


    "I assume you''ve been diligently training to be a Holy Knight in Omnia. How has it been since then?"


    Omunia e wa sei kishi to narareru shugyou ni hagende irassharu koto ka to omoimasu ga, sono ato dou desu?


    "Regrettably, I seem tock the necessary talent and still remain a mere candidate. Being included in this delegation, it feels like I''m receiving more recognition than I deserve."


    Hazukashi nagara hisai no mi dearu you de, ima da ni ichi kouho domari desu na. Koushite shisetsu ni kuwaete itadaketeiru no de, mi ni amaru hyouka o ukete iru to omoimasu ga.


    "Not at all, please don''t be so modest. With your talents, I''m sure formal appointment as a Holy Knight is not far off."


    Ie ie, sou go-kenson nasarazu ni. Kijo hodo no saiki ga o-ari nara, seishiki na jonin mo sou tooku nai koto deshou kara.


    The unfolding conversation consisted of unremarkable polite pleasantries. Tullius maintained the same somewhat distant smile he had when he first appeared, and while Elisha''s words were courteous, her demeanor seemed a bit defiant. Although they shared a history of facing life-threatening situations together, it was evident that there was some unease between them, an air of tension hanging in the atmosphere.


    (She mentioned that she doesn''t want to get too involved with this person, but is the chemistry between them really this bad?)


    (Amari fukairi shitakunai aite, to wa itteita kedo konna ni sori ga atte inai no ka?)


    Even Yuuto, who was oblivious to murdering intent, could sense the palpable tension. Then perhaps the bodyguard-like swordsman at Tullius'' side was already wondering when the bloodshed mightmence. Elisha previously mentioned that he wouldn''t bepatible with Yuuto or Irmae, but it seemed like the person herself was even more ipatible with him.


    "By the way, speaking aboutst year I heard you''ve implemented rather unconventional policies for the post-war recovery in this region."


    Tokoro de, saku-nen to ieba kono chi no sensai fukkou ni wa, ippuu kawatta seisaku o mochiite oide no you da.


    Elisha was likely referring to the scene they had glimpsed from the carriagea vast number of ves toiling in the fields. For Yuuto, this was only something he had overheard recently, but using ves in wheat production wasn''t a verymon practice. While they may not require wages, their purchase and upkeep could be quite costly. You still had to feed them, provide sleeping quarters, and attend to their basic needs. It wasn''t the most humane way to describe it, but it was an expensive investment. For small and struggling farmers, it was quite an expensive choice, to say the least.


    Moreover, even without ves, a family working together as a single unit could serve as unpaidbor, and some slightlyrgerndowners would employ tenant farmers.


    Farms that purchased ves were typically focused on producing high-value crops that could justify the expenses, such as fruit orchards. It was something akin to a ntation. Yuuto couldn''t help but think back to the geography and economics sses at school.


    (In other words, the fact that those farmers are using ves and doing weird things it means that this lord must be the one advising and investing in this, right?)


    (Tsumari, noumin-tachi ga dorei o tsukatte myou na koto o shiteiru to iu koto wa kono ryoushu ga irejie nari shusshi nari shite saseteiru tte koto, da yo na.)


    At Elisha''s words, Tullius shifted his gaze, looking into the distance with a somewhat absent expression.


    "Aah, you mean the agriculture involving those ves? That is, you see"


    Aa, ano dorei o tsukatta nougyou no koto desu ka. Are wa desu ne


    ~~~


    Here, the timeline significantly rewound. It''s winter, shortly after the Volden Campaign, and just before St. Gallen plunged into a full-fledged civil war.


    The southwestern part of the St. Gallen Federation, the Margravate of Balden. This region was situated on the other side of the Riney River, bordering Roatlergennow known as a territory of Arquell, Roanne. It was an abundantnd that had long been known as a resort for royalty and aristocrats due to its hot springs. However, in St. Gallen, and teeming with natural abundance also meant it was inhabited by powerful magical creatures. The "ck Forest" tainted with the country''s unique magic was notably darker and more concentrated than forests in other regions. Superstitious elders of thisnd would tell their descendants that these woods, permeated with magic and tinged with darkness, were the result of absorbing the blood of many knights and adventurers who fell victim to the magicden wilderness, causing it to turn ck instead of red.


    While it was a picturesque vacation spot, it was also known as a battlefield where warriors contended with these magical creatures. Furthermore, it shared a contentious border with the Arquell Kingdom, putting it on the frontline. A ce where warriors went to battle, recovered from injuries, and subsequently found moments of respite. A region that symbolized the continued conflict and the temporary respite that followed. This was the Margravate of Balden.


    However, despite the time of yearwinter, immediately after the war with the Arquell Kingdomthere was no sense of respite in this ce.


    They were preparing for a new battle and the conflicts thaty ahead.


    "How is the recruitment of mercenaries going?"


    Youhei no koshuu wa dou natte iru?


    "Yes, sir! It seems that we''re having trouble gathering them"


    Ha, sore ga ima hitotsu atsumari ga warui you de


    "I see Hmm. It''s the usual thing, but the scale is different from when dealing with Arquell, after all."


    Sayou ka Fun. Itsumo no koto da ga, Arukru o aite ni suru toki to wa katte ga chigau kara na.


    Seated on the throne in the pce, the Margrave of Balden listened to his subordinate''s report and snorted in annoyance.


    Yes, the pce, and the throne.


    The margraves in St. Gallen were slightly different from those in other countries. Since the federation was originally a union of highly independent regional lords, the local nobility considered themselves not as vassals of the Heiderlecht Dynasty of Grandenburg Grand Kingdom, but as equal allies. For them, even their titles were just symbols of their standing as sovereign states within the federation.


    For the people living in thisnd and the ruling margrave family, Balden was still a small independent kingdom.


    However, at present, they stood at a critical juncture, uncertain if they could maintain their independence.


    "Indeed, if we were to confront the direct subordinates of Heiderlecht, the mercenaries would also hesitate."


    Sasuga ni Haiderurehito no jikisan-domo to yariau to nareba, youhei-domo mo ni no ashi o fumu ka.


    Due to the recent defeat in the Volden Campaign, the prestige of the St. Gallen Federation had suffered significantly. Many of the federation''s member states had criticized this and expressed their distrust towards Heiderlecht, the Grand King of the federation''s dominant league, Grandenburg Grand Kingdom. They were plotting to restore their independence, which had been gradually being taken away in recent years.


    (TL Note: In earlier chapters it was also stated that Heiderlecht is the dynasty''s name, but here, for the first time the raw said Heiderlecht is also the Grand King''s name. I''m quite confused, so correct me if you notice that I''m wrong.)


    Of course, the Grand King was not sitting idly by. The damage caused by the campaign was greater for the member states that were in charge of actually sending troops. So instead, he used this as an opportunity to send in the military forces under his direct control which he had kept under the pretext of keeping things in check in the north to intimidate the member states in earnest.


    To counter this, gathering military forces, be it for a show of force or as actualbat strength in the event of a civil war within the federationwhich the member states saw as a war between countrieswas essential for Margrave Balden. Whether from the knights under hismand, conscripted civilians, or hired mercenaries, the number of soldiers had to be increased. However, as mentioned earlier, the recruitment of mercenaries was not going well. They might be facing off against St. Gallen''s elite forces, known as the strongest on the continent and considered the finest troops of Grandenburg. For mercenaries who sold their services in exchange for gold, engaging in such a conflict could lead to significant losses. It was only natural that fewer would respond to the call for recruitment.


    "But, Your Excellency, there''s some good news."


    Shikashi henkyou haku-kakka. Rouhou mo gozaimasu.


    The kneeling retainer spoke, trying to provide a glimmer of hope.


    "The mercenaries who responded to our call are indeed small in number, but instead, there is a promising individual among them."


    Yobikake ni oujita youhei wa sukunaku gozaimasu ga, sono bun, kitai ga moteru mono ga orimashita.


    "Oh?"


    Hou?


    The Margrave raised an intrigued eyebrow. Mad mercenaries who willingly joined the fight against Heiderlecht were either desperate to the point of being unable to choose their enemy or battle-thirsty warriors seeking formidable opponents. It seemed that his subordinates had found thetter among the gathered mercenaries.


    "A mercenary group that ims toe from Canales has an elven mage in their possession, whom they keep as a ve."


    Kanaresu kara kita to iu youhei-dan ga, erufu no madou-shi o dorei to shite kakaete orimasu.


    "An elven mage!"


    Erufu no madou-shi!


    Speaking of mages, they were living weapons capable of taking out several people at once with a single incantation from a distance. Just having one of them as an ally was more reassuring than having ten or even a hundred ordinary soldiers. And if that mage happened to be an elf with exceptional magical abilities, they might even have the potential of a force equivalent to a thousand. It was only natural to have such high expectations.


    "But, a ve, huh? I''ve heard that elf ves are difficult to control, though."


    Da ga, dorei ka? Erufu no dorei wa oshi nikui to kiku ga.


    "It''s true that their proficiency in magic means they could potentially remove the obedience cor. However, from what I observed, I believe there''s no need to worry about that."


    Mahou ni takete iru to iu koto wa, fukujuu no kubiwa o kaijo sareru osore mo arimasu kara na. Shikashi, watashi no mita tokoro dewa sono shinpai wa go muyou ka to.


    ording to his retainer, it appeared that the elf ve in question had been thoroughly tamed by their owner, a mercenary. The ve''s expression had lost all signs of vitality, and they obediently followed orders without needing to use the magic in their cor. It seemed like they had undergone extremely subtle and harsh training.


    "But it makes me worried instead Can a ve who has been mentally broken to that extent be useful in actualbat?"


    Gyaku ni fuan da na Soko made kokoro o orareta dorei ga, jissen de yaku ni tatsu ka?


    In matters of life and death, it was not just about physical strength, skills, and intelligence; the mental aspect yed a crucial role. Many ancient military texts persistently emphasized the importance of soldiers'' morale. On a battlefield where both allies and enemies put their lives on the line, unwavering determination in critical moments was essential. The wellspring of that determination was the will to survive. Soldiers who had too much of it could be troublesome, attempting to escape or refusing orders out of fear for their own lives, but having too little was also problematic. It would be unbearable since they would calmly ept their demise, potentially dragging their allies to death.


    Furthermore, ves who obeyed out of fear could easily lose control when subjected to even greater fear. If they had been following orders because they were scared and then weremanded to act against an even more terrifying force, they might not remain as obedient as they were before. This was what concerned the margrave.


    However, his retainer smiled confidently.


    "If there were just one elf ve, there might be cause for concern as you mentioned. However, the mercenary group in question has five elves in their service."


    Erufu no dorei ga hitori to araba, sono you na kigu mo gozaimashou. Desuga, kudan no youhei-dan wa go-nin kara naru erufu o kakaete orimasu.


    "Five!?"


    Go!?


    The margrave widened his eyes as if he couldn''t believe it. Elven ves were expensive, and it was possible to build a new fortress or two in the margravateand a splendid one at thatwith the price of just one. To buy a group of five of them at once, the financial resources required for that were unimaginable.


    "Are these individuals truly a mercenary group? They wouldn''t be trying to sell us ves under the guise of mercenaries, would they?"


    Sono mono-ra, hontou ni youhei-dan ka? Yomoya dorei no oshiuri nado dewa arumai na.


    His concerns took an unusual turn. With such substantial wealth at their disposal, they didn''t need to engage in a risky and potentially unrewarding profession like being mercenaries. They could purchase property in a peaceful countryside, surrounded by the elven ves, and enjoy their retirement in peace. Or if they needed more money, they could always sell one of the five elves. If they desired more wealth, they would be better off engaging in a legitimate business. Normally, one would opt for one of these routes.


    "No, without a doubt, they are mercenaries. And they are quite the battle enthusiasts. I had a meeting with their unit leader, and the impression I got was that he was very much a rough-and-ready type. He can endure the smoke and dust of the battlefield, but he can''t endure the peaceful life thates with gold and women."


    Ie, magire mo naku youhei desu. Sore mo soutou na sen-kurui to mimashita. Butai o hikiiru mono to mendan shimashita ga, sono inshou wa tadashiku ara ni shite no. Senjin ni nureru tekkaba ni wa taeraredo, kane ya onna de erareru annon nado ni wa taerarenu to itta fuzei desu.


    "Well, that''s something."


    Nanto mo maa


    The margrave let out a sigh, a mixture of amazement and exasperation. He was struck by the peculiar persuasiveness of it all.


    The belief that the more insane you were, the stronger you became was a famous jinx in adventurer circles. This could apply to other fields as well. Iprehensible talents could be perceived as madness, or they might be obtained at the cost of one''s sanity. To have the financial means to acquire expensive ves and yet continue to immerse oneself in a dangerous job like being a mercenary was nothing short of madness. Moreover, to survive while being insane meant that their talents were most likely genuine.


    "Well, it seems they could be powerful aids."


    Sore wa mata, kyouryoku na suketto ni narisou dewa nai ka.


    "Yes, indeed."


    De, arimashou.


    "Then, where are these mercenaries? I''m rather curious and would like to see them in person."


    Shite, sono youhei wa doko da? Sukoshi kyoumi ga waita. Kao o mite okitai.


    When the margrave urged to arrange an audience, the retainer seemed somewhat hesitant.


    "Well, as luck would have it, they''re currently recruiting."


    Sore ga, oriwaruku bohei ni dete orimasu.


    "What? They''re recruiting?"


    Nani? Bohei to na?


    "It seems that they injured their foot soldiers in their previous job, and they''re looking to make up for that."


    Nan demo, izen no shigoto de zouhyou o sokonatta yue, sono hoten ga shitai to ka.


    As mercenaries engage inbat as their profession, a reduction in their numbers is unavoidable with each job they undertake. Some may die in wars, others may suffer injuries that render them incapable of continuing, or some might sumb to the fear of battle and desert. Thus, there''s a need to replenish the ranks with new recruits.


    "If it''s for those reasons, then it can''t be helped. Let them know they should visit once they return."


    Sono you na riyuu deareba, shikatanakarou. Kikan shitara kao o dasu you, tsutaete oke.


    "Understood."


    Ha.


    With the retainer taking his leave, the margrave rested his chin on his hand.


    He was also a warrior from St. Gallen, thend of forests and elite soldiers. Controlling such fierce fighters as mentioned in the report would be challenging, but at the same time, he liked it. To have five elves attending to them in the midst of battle, they must be an unapologetic war lover. Such individuals were undoubtedly greedy, rapacious, arrogant, and most importantly, strong. To face, interact with, and have them under theirmand was an honor for any warrior.


    He chuckled while thinking about encountering such a yet unknown strong warrior that had joined under him.


    "Hiring recruits in our battle-impending region, huh. Most of the able-bodied poption has likely been taken into the army In that case, those mercenaries would go on a wild goose chase, I assume."


    Gassen no sematta waga ryou de bohei ka. Chouhei ni taru dake no tami wa, sudeni arakata ga gun ni torarete iru kamo shirenai ga da to shitara, kudan no youhei ni wa muda ashi o fumaseta koto ni naru na.


    If they seem to be struggling, depending on the oue of the meeting, he might consider allocating some of his own troops. Regardless, having five elven mages is an extraordinary asset. He considered that he should extend them some convenience.


    He eagerly anticipated meeting these mercenaries.


    However, his expectations were about to be shattered in the worst way possible.


    ~~~


    To be continued...


    TL Note:


    Yea new ''masterpiece'' lesgoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!


    This chapter was brought to you by my patrons, Sier, McConnaheyhey, TheHunt3r Gaming, Viks, Dan Ryder, Eger, Imperius, Freddie Adams, Pepe Feik, and Tony Derado. Thank you very much, guys!


    Support me in patreon to read the advanced chapters and help me release faster~

 Chapter 82: Sevens Beat (2)

    Chapter 82: Seven''s Beat (2)


    The vige was enveloped in a strange, sweet fragrance.


    Around the vige, an unusual whirlwind of scent blew in a strange direction, as if there were an invisible lid preventing the smell from dispersing. Within this strange atmosphere, the vigers were gathered in the square, their minds clouded and vacant, influenced by the unfamiliar aroma.


    People with lifeless expressions, almost like half-dead creatures, drooling from their mouths.


    A man dressed in the attire of a mercenary was fervently giving a speech.


    "Are you all content with continuing to till this destend as it is? Do you not wish to gain a new life and walk a different path?"


    Shokun-ra wa, kono mama arehateta tochi o tagayashi tsuzukete manzoku ka!? Arata na sei o ete, chigau jinsei o ayunde mitai to wa omowanai ka!?


    At first nce, it seemed like a recruitment effort for a mercenarypany. However, the unusual behavior of the surrounding vigers and the man''s cold, calcting gaze, which showed that he had no regard for these people, hinted that this was more than just a simple recruitment.


    Nevertheless, there was no one here to point out the abnormality. Those who had dared to do so were already eliminated. The knight from the Margravate of Balden, who had apanied the recruitment for the sake of supervision, had lost his entire stomach, as if he had been devoured by a beast. Heid on his back on the ground. Soon, the falling snow would nket the surroundings and obscure this nauseating sight of death.


    "Threats from monsters, exorbitant taxes, infertilend. How long will you let yourselves be tormented by these things? Until you die! As long as you are born as peasants, you will be exploited by the nobility for life! As long as you live in St. Gallen, you will be gued by monsters stronger than those in other countries! Answer me, are you satisfied with this?"


    Mamono no kyoui, takai zei, yaseta tochi. Sonna mono ni itsu made wazurawaserare tsuzukeru darou ka? Shinu made da! Noumin to shite umareochita ijou, kizoku ni wa isshou sakushu sareru! Zankutogaren ni iki tsuzukeru ijou, takoku yori tsuyoi mamono ni wa shougai nayamasare tsuzukeru! Kotaero, sore de manzoku ka!?


    The man''s question was more of an intimidation. In response, the farmers, clearly not in a sane state, replied in voices thatcked conviction.


    "N-No I don''t want this kind of life anymore"


    I, iya da mou, konna kurashi wa iya da


    "Monsters taxes I-I''ve had enough"


    Mamono zei mo, mou gomen da


    "Th-there''s no way we would be satisfied!"


    Ma, manzoku nante dekinai!


    No. No. No.


    The assembled vigers began to voice their dissatisfaction with the current situation. And that was only natural. In a ss-based society, peasants were the primary target of exploitation, with a staggering ny-nine percent falling under this category. The exception was the wealthy farmers who employed numerous tenant farmers. But even among them, very few could genuinely feel content with their lives.


    Given the right circumstances, if you loosened the reins of their rationality, their discontent would manifest almost immediately.


    "I see, so you don''t like it. In that case, I''ll give you a choice. Join me! Be a part of my group, and transform from a mere St. Gallen farmer from a mere human, into a beast! Respond to my recruitment!"


    Sou ka, iya ka. Naraba, omaetachi ni sentakushi o ataete yarou. Ore no shita ni tsuke! Ore no mure e to kuwawari, Zankutogaren no tannaru noufu kara ningen kara ikko no kemono e to kawaru no da! Ore no choubo ni oujiro!


    At that voice, the people, still bewildered even as their sanity was being stolen away, disyed their confusion. No matter how sturdy the people of St. Gallen might be, they were, in the end, farmers. They could fight against the monsters that attacked their vige or even rise in revolt against their lord''s rule, but these were all battles to protect their way of life. They would never suddenly decide to be mercenaries and make a living out of fighting. Moreover, due to the recent Volden Campaign and the conscription led by Margrave Balden, which was aimed at an imminent civil war, the number of adult men capable of bearing arms in the vige had decreased. There should be no one willing to join the ranks of this seemingly mercenary.


    However, the man in mercenary attire now switched his approach and whispered a seductive temptation to them.


    "What? So you also don''t like fighting? But don''t worry. I merely want a somewhat sizable number of you. The same goes for Margrave Balden. Disying his numbers to intimidate the enemy and driving them away. I also think it would be easier if that happens I have no intention of forcing you to fight."


    Nanda, tatakau no mo iya ka? Da ga, anshin shiro. Ore wa aru teido matomatta ninzuu ga hoshii dake da. Baruden-henkyou haku mo sou dearou. Ninzuu o misete teki o iatsu shi, oikaesu koto o dai-ichi ni kangaete iru darou. Ore mo sou nareba raku da to omotte iru shi omae-tachi o muri ni tatakawaseyou to wa omowan.


    "Merely disying our numbers"


    Kazu o miseru dake


    "We don''t have to fight"


    Tatakawanai de ii


    "Furthermore, I won''t limit your fodder, no, food for a while. That''s the duty of a leader, after all. I won''t do anything that could starve you. Let me make this pledge."


    Kuwaete, esa, iya meshi ni mo shibaraku fujiyuu wa sasen tsumori da. Sore ga shuudan no osa no tsutome dearu kara na. Omae-tachi o ue saseru you na mane wa shinai tomo. Kore dake wa chikatte iou dewa nai ka.


    "Food food!"


    Meshi meshi!


    "I''m hungry If I follow you, Uncle, can I eat?"


    Onaka suita oji-san ni tsuite ikeba, taberareru no?


    "That''s right, that''s right! We''re not inclined toward any discriminatory thoughts that would set women and children apart. Those who willingly serve, especially those who show their usefulness, will be treated well! So, what do you think? Are you willing to follow me?"


    Sou tomo sou tomo! Ware-ra wa joshi-domo o sabetsu suru you na shisou to wa muen da. Onozu kara tsukaeru mono, sono naka demo tsukaide no aru mono wa yuuguu shite yaru tomo yo! Dou da, ore ni tsuite kuru ki ni natta ka?


    "Yes... yes!"


    Hai hai!


    "I''ming I want to, eat!"


    Iku meshi, tabetai!


    Gradually, the vigers began to agree with the man. Under normal circumstances, they would have felt repulsion and disgust from the unsettling nature of his words and the peculiar atmosphere, not to mention the gruesome sight of the knight''s corpse who had been killed as soon as he arrived in the vige. But their cognitive abilities had already been stolen from them.


    The brainwashing incense. A loathsome elixir created through alchemy, which robs people of their will, turns them into puppets, and nts suggestions in their minds. Thanks to its effects, the vigers were now no more than willing subjects, receiving the man''s incitement as imprints in their brains.


    To these pitiable vigers, the man took something out of his pocket and disyed it.


    "Those whoe with me must wear this."


    Ore to tomo ni kuru mono wa, koitsu o mi ni tsukero.


    Even in the cloudy, snow-filled sky, the silver metal sparkled.


    It was a ve''s cor.


    "Huh?"


    E?


    "What, you don''t want to?"


    Nanda, iya ka?


    "But that''s a ve''s"


    Demo sore wa dorei no


    Even under the influence of the brainwashing, most showed aversion. The word "ve" denoted the lowest rung in the caste-based society, even below the farmers. ves were treated like livestock, bought and sold, and had no right to object to being killedtruly, they were considered less than human.


    "Oi, EE-014. Come over here."


    Oi, EE-014. Khi ni koi.


    "Yes."


    Hai.


    The man presented a female elf with a ve''s cor around her neck. She had an exceptionally exquisite appearance, almost inhuman in its perfection, characteristic of a long-lived race. Her attire seemed like fine ceremonial robes, and were it not for the shining mark around her neck, who would believe she was a ve?


    Then, the man embraced her.


    "Look, all of you, at this woman''s appearance. What do you think?"


    Miro yo, omae-tachi. Kono onna no sugata o. Dou omou?


    "Ohh"


    Oo


    "What an extraordinary beauty..."


    Nante beppin nanda


    "The radiance of her skin. The quality of her clothes. And, above all, her appearance. Isn''t she irresistible? She''s eating far better things than you, you know? Don''t you see how well-dressed and beautifully adorned she is? She''s beautiful, isn''t she? She seems happy, doesn''t she? And look."


    Hada tsuya no yo-sa. Mi ni tsukete iru ifuku no shitsu. Nani yori youshi no hodo. Tamaran darou? Koitsu wa omae-ra yori joutou na mono o kutteiru zo? Ii fuku o kite kirei ni kikazatte iru you ni mienai ka? Utsukushii darou, shiawase sou darou? Soshite hoore.


    "Ah."


    His right hand, covered by a gauntlet, sneaked into her chest, while his left hand slipped beneath her hem. It was a rough yet precise movement, much like a predator cornering its prey. The elf ve, who had been rendered powerless, exhaled visibly in the cold winter air.


    This was not an action meant to be performed in broad daylight in a public ce. However, the vigers had no intention of condemning it. Their rationality had been stolen by the brainwashing, but even more than that,


    "Gulp."


    Gokuri.


    They were so engrossed in the spectacle that they didn''t notice they had even swallowed their own saliva.


    "Among those of us who have achieved great deeds, there are those who have been granted the right to enjoy beautiful female ves like this. How about it? Isn''t this an attractive job offer? Have any of you decided you want to join our ranks?"


    Ore-tachi no naka de tegara o tateta mono no naka ni wa, koushite dorei no ii onna o suki ni suru kenri o ataerareteiru mono mo iru. Dou da, miryoku-teki na roudou jouken darou? Ore-tachi no nakama ni kuwawaritakunatta darou?


    "Yes... yes...!"


    Hai hai!


    "What about you,dies? Don''t you envy her? She''s dressed in morous clothes, her skin is immacte, and she''s all dolled up. Wouldn''t you think it''s not so bad to be one of us?"


    Onna-domo wa dou da? kirabiyaka na fuku o kite, hada o seiketsu ni totonoe, keshou o shi kou mo kazaritaterareteiru koitsu o, urayamashii to wa omowanai ka? Kore no nakama ni naru no mo, sou waruku wa nai to omoeru darou?


    "Ah, ye yes."


    A, ha hai.


    "All right, good girls. But, it means putting on cors, is that alright?"


    Yooshi, ii ko-tachi da Sore ni wa kubiwa o tsukeru koto ni naru ga, kamawanai na?


    "Ye yes!"


    Ha hai!


    The vigers were lured away like moths to a me. The man loosened his grip on the female elf who leaned against him, and he turned to one of them, emphasizing his words.


    "You will put on that cor of your own free will. I didn''t force any of you. I merely used words to entice you. You put it on out of your own will Do you understand that?"


    Omae wa jibun no ishi de sono kubiwa o hameru. Ore wa omae-tachi ni kyousei wa shinakatta. Kotoba o narabete sasotta dake da. Sore o mi ni tsukeru no wa, akuma de omae jishin no ishi ni yoru mono da to iu koto o rikai shiteiru na?


    "Yes I, put it on out of my, own will"


    Sou desu ore wa, jibun no ishi de


    "If you understand, then it''s fine."


    Sore ga wakatteiru nara, kamawan yo.


    With that, the man smiled, baring his teeth.


    Instantly, a heavy animalistic odor mingled with the sweet scent of the brainwashing pheromone that permeated the surroundings. This was the true nature of the man disguised as a mercenary, revealing the monstrous essence beneath the human facade.


    "Oops, I must be careful If my mood rises too much, the smell may leak unintentionally. I have to be cautious."


    Otto, ikan na kibun ga takaburu to, ukkari nioi ga morete shimau. Youjin seneba na.


    The monstrous being with a human face and a beastly heart tightened his loosened emotions and mouth. Soon, within thirty minutes, cors were wrapped around the necks of the entire vige. They were transformed from humans into beings beneath human, still in a semi-conscious state.


    "Brilliant performance, 07."


    Migoto na tegiwa da, 07.


    The man called 07 turned around to the voice that suddenly came from behind.


    There stood a female ve who maintained her insolence even with a cor around her neck. However, while she had long ears just like the five elves apanying the man, this woman had a darker skin color.


    She was a dark elf. Her name was Opus-03, called Drei.


    07 opened his mouth with a nonchnt expression towards the intruder who suddenly appeared.


    "I''m honored by your praise, 03. Did I pass the test?"


    O-home itadaki kouei da na, 03. Shiken no kekka wa goukaku ka?


    "It''s only regarding your script-reading, though. It seems you have enough intelligence for that."


    Kyakuhon no yomiage ni kanshite wa na. Sore dake no chinou wa juubun ni aru rashii to mieru.


    "Well, those are harsh words. Then what do you think about my acting skills?"


    Kore wa mata, tekibishii o-kotoba da. Engi no shitsu ni tsuite wa ikaga o-kangae ka na?


    "Hmph. Revealing your true nature so carelessly was a significant deduction. Without that, I might have given you a passing grade but with this, it''s probably the best I can do to exempt you from the red mark."


    Fun. Ukatsu ni mohon-sei o dashikaketa no ga ooi ni genten da. Sore sae nakereba, kyuudai-ten o kurete mo yokatta no da ga kore dewa aka-ten o menjo shite yaru no ga seiippai darou yo.


    "It hurts to hear you say that. But, you know, I''m still a newborn and haven''t gotten used to it enough. Be generous this time. I''ll handle it properly from now on."


    Sore o iwareru to mimi ga itai. To wa ie, ore mo umaretate de narashi ga tarinai no de na. Konkai wa oume ni mitekure. Igo wa, zensho shiyou.


    07 responded, nonchntly shrugging his shoulders. Drei, with a slightly irritated expression, continued.


    "Yeah, handle it properly with your utmost capability. Your performance testbined with the mission is far from over, 07. If you keep producing unsatisfactory results, you might end up in solitary confinement like 04."


    Aa, seizei zensho shiro. Ninmu o ka omae no un''you shiken wa mada mada tsuzuku zo, 07. Anmari ni mo kanbashikunai kekka ga de tsuzukereba, 04 no yatsu to onaji you ni anakura kurashi ga matte iru.


    "That would be troublesome. While that ce is quitefortable, being outside and feeling the wind suits my nature better.""


    Soitsu wa komatta. Asoko mo naka naka ni igokochi ga ii ga, koushite soto de kaze ni fukareteiru hou ga sei ni atte iru no de na.


    "Geez, you''re such a fuzzy man no, are you even a man? Well, whatever. Anyway, EE-014, you had a rough time, didn''t you? Being touched by such a beast, you must have had a dreadful experience, right?"


    Ttaku, kuchi no heranai otoko da iya, omae wa otoko na no ka? Maa, ii. Sore yori, sainan datta na EE-014. Konna kedamono ni shushi o hawasareru nado, ozomashii omoi o shita darou?


    Addressed in the conversation, the elf, EE-014, shook her head slightly.


    "Don''t worry about it, Opus-03. While it is true that I was surprised, I don''t dislike it. Despite his appearance, 07 is considerate towards the members of his group."


    Okamai naku, pasu-03. Odoroki wa shimashita ga, iya dewa arimasen. 07 wa kou miete mo, mure no ichiin ni wa yasashii no desu.


    "Well, well, quite bonded, I see. It''s good to care for your colleague, but don''t undersell yourself too much, EE-014."


    Oya oya, zuibun to kizuna sareta mono da. Miuchi e no kizukai wa kamawan ga, amari jibun o yasu-uri suru na yo, EE-014.


    "Best not to undersell yourself, huh? As expected of ''Three Thousand Gold Coins.'' Your words speak volumes."


    Jibun o yasu-uri suru na, ka. Sasuga wa kinka san-sen mai. Iu koto ga chigau na.


    At 07''s needless banter, Drei red with only her right eye. If her mood were a bit worse, the re might havee from her left eye as well.


    "Oh, what a scary face."


    Otto, kowai o-kao da.


    "Tch, how dare you spit those unnecessary remarks Of course, as a ''masterpiece,'' having that level of intelligence is a pleasing aspect, though. No, however"


    Chi, yokei na sashideguchi bakari, yoku mo motto mo, sore dake no chisei ga aru to iu koto wa sakuhin no shiagari to shite wa yorokobashii tokoro na no da ga. Iya, shikashi


    "Well then, to satisfy the scary, scary Test Overseer, let''s move on quickly. So, what''s the n?"


    Dewa, kowai kowai shiken kantoku ni mo manzoku itadakeru you, sassato tsugi ni utsuru ka. Sore de, yotei wa dou natteiru?


    "The procurement mission in St. Gallen has reached the nned number. The majority will be sent from Elpis-Roanne to Volden after waiting for spring, but I will also entrust you with one group. Lead it and head north, Armand. Enter Arquell from that direction, then proceed with the next mission in that area. Over."


    Zankutogaren de no choutatsu ninmu wa yotei-suu ni itatta. Kahan wa Erupisu-Ronu kara haru o matte Vorudan ni okuru koto ni naru ga, omae ni mo itsutai o makaseru. Sore o hikiite hokujou shi, Arumando houmen kara Arukru ni ire. Soshite, douchi de tsugi no ninmu ni hairu. b.


    "Understood. Opus-07, over."


    Ryoukai shita. pasu-07, b.


    With a joking salute to Drei, who showed aplicated expression, the being known as 07 turned on his heel. Beyond him, the vigers, now adorned with ve cors, were being loaded onto wagons by the S-series, who apanied them under the guise of mercenaries.


    The attendant EE-series, using magic to manipte the wind, dispersed the sweet scent that had pervaded the surroundings.


    "Oops, almost forgot something It''s a waste, it''s a waste."


    Otto, wasure mono o suru tokoro datta Mottainai mottainai, to.


    With that, Opus-07 gazed at the object buried in the snow at the edge of his field of vision and licked his lips once.


    A little over ten minutester, after the wagons had departed, the vige was left deserted. There were no signs of the vigers or any trace of what had happened, all vanished without a trace.


    ~~~


    The Duchy of Armand.


    Thergest territory in the northeastern part of Arquell, owned by the greatest noble in the kingdom. It was an extraordinarynd where sessive generations of dukes with royal bloodlines served as lords. It bordered the neighboring country, St. Gallen, and was a strategic location overlooking the Morbaehr Kingdom across the strait.


    On the border, a constantly stationed force of three to four thousand soldiers was responsible for security. In case of emergency, a force of twenty to thirty thousand, often referred to as such, was stationed in the rear and was ready to rush in until the enemy was suppressed. At the time, the rigorous defense had been increased to nearly double the usual number, reaching around six thousand.


    Although a peace treaty had just been concluded with St. Gallen, the opponent was a barbaric country that shamelessly opened hostilities with a surprise attack. Moreover, in the royal capital of that country, Gallerin, the most elite forces that were conserved in the previous war were said to be ominously preparing for action. Most likely, they would be involved in the customary civil war, but there was also the possibility of a swift rematch. Considering this, neglecting the defense of the border was not an option.


    In this tense Arquell-St. Gallen border, arge convoy of wagons emerged from the St. Gallen side. Most of the wagons looked shabby, and the military presence seemed small, but there had been nomunication about a caravan of this size passing through. Armed men could be seen among them. Naturally, immediate shouts of prohibition and inquiry rang out.


    "Stop! Beyond this point is the Kingdom of Arquell, the territory ruled by Duke Armand!"


    Tomare! Koko yori saki wa Arukru koku, Arumando-kshaku ga touchi sareru chi dearu!


    "Let the representativee forward promptly! State the purpose of your arrival! Depending on the situation, we may need to inspect the cargo!"


    Daihyou no mono wa sumiyaka ni sugata o arawase! Arawareta mokuteki o tsugeyo! Koto to shidai ni yotte wa, tsumini nado o aratamesasete morau!


    In response, a short, stout man with the appearance of a friendly merchant emerged from the leading wagon. Though he wore a genial smile, his eyes betrayed no signs ofxity. He seemed shrewd and potentially predatory, leaving the guards with the immediate impression of a ve merchant.


    "Well, well, dangerous, dangerous. Respected Soldiers, no need for such hostility. I am an envoy of a certain esteemed individual, traveling from Canales to purchase goods in St. Gallen. Here, this is the letter of introduction."


    Kore wa kore wa, kennon kennon. Heishi no mina-sama-gata, sou sakkidatanaide kudasai. Watashi wa saru o-kata no tsukai de, Kanaresu no hou kara shiire no tame ni Zankutogaren e omomuiteita mono desu. Hai, kochira ga sono tegata.


    The man presented a parchment that indeed indicated his identity as a Canales merchant and granted permission for passage. The soldiers frowned unhappily. As expected, the stated upation was that of a ve merchant.


    "Goods for purchase, does that mean the cargo consists of ves?"


    Shiire to iu koto wa, tsumini wa dorei ka?


    "Yes, mostly. Additionally, there is a mercenarypany serving as an escort."


    Hai, ookata wa. Ato wa goei o keiru youhei-dan, to iu koto ni natte orimasu.


    "Mercenaries as escorts, huh. Normally, one would hire adventurers for that role, don''t you think?"


    Youhei ga goei ka. Ippan ni wa bouken-sha o yatou no ga futsuu da to omou ga.


    "The one who would be their master became, well... incapacitated in the war. In lieu of him, I''ve taken charge of them and, incidentally, have them handle the protection along the way."


    Karera no aruji to naru mono ga, sensou de, sono miugoki ga torenai joutai ni narimashite na. Daiyaku to iu katachi de watashi ga karera o azukari, tsuide ni douchuu no keigo o ninatte moratteoru wake deshite.


    The soldiers interpreted from the man''s words that the leader of the mercenary group had either suffered severe injuries or died in the war, leaving no one tomand. That''s why they ended up traveling alongside a familiar ve trader.


    "By the way, I don''t recall seeing you enter St. Gallen, though?"


    Tokoro de, Zankutogaren ni hairu omae o mita oboe ga nai no da ga?


    He inquired with a sharp gaze, conveying the intent not to tolerate lies. Unauthorized entry and exit were crimes.


    "There were a few, shall we say, interruptions due to the war. As for post-war passage, this happens to be the first time."


    Nanibun, aima ni sensou ga gozaimashita deshou. Sengo no tsuukou to naru to, sore wa konkai ga hajimete deshite.


    "Hmph. I suppose that makes sense."


    Fun. Sore mo sou ka.


    During the Volden Campaign, the borders of both countries were effectively sealed off, with opposing military forces ring at each other. Prior to that, as they were officially in a friendly rtionship, the records of entry and exit were not as rigorously maintained as they were now. The volume of traffic was iparable to the present, so inquiries were likely difficult, if not impossible.


    "Would it be alright to inspect the inside of the wagon?"


    Basha no naka o aratamete mo?


    "Of course, please go ahead."


    Douzo douzo, okamai naku.


    After confirming with the man, the soldier, mentally prepared with a cloth over his mouth, reached for the curtain. Wagons loaded with ves were known for their distinctive odor. Those treated like animals were unlikely to be in decent sanitary conditions. People who hadn''t bathed for days, if not months, were often crammed together and transported like goods. It was also amon tale for ves to fall ill due to unsanitary conditions, sometimes dying inside the wagon. If there were corpses, even in winter, the inside of the wagon would steam with the ves'' body heat, elerating decay.


    Praying not to encounter such a scenario, the soldier, as he peered inside, was surprised to find that the expected foul smell was surprisingly absent. He had never seen a ve transport wagon this clean.


    Certainly, the faces of the ves were uniformly dark, sunk in despair, but anyone who had fallen to the lowest rung of society would likely end up like this. The fact that they were rtively clean to the point of hardly emitting any body odor was considered by the soldier as an excessive benefit for ves.


    (Why does he treat the ves from St. Gallen with such care?)


    |(Zankutogaren-jin no dorei nanzo ga, doushite konna ni daiji ni sarete yagaru nda.)


    Such dark thoughts even crossed his mind. Being purchased in St. Gallen, the distinct characteristics of theirpatriots were prominently disyed in their facial features. Despite the peace treaty, they were enemies just a few days ago. Seeing them crammed in there, it was only natural for some harsh words toe to mind.


    "They seem unusually clean for ves."


    Dorei ni shite wa zuibun to kirei ni shite aru na?


    "I thought it would be more appealing that way."


    Sono hou ga uke ga yoroshii ka to omoimasu ga.


    "No doubt. If you make already dirty ves even dirtier, the buyers would be reluctant to pay."


    Chigainai. Moto kara kitanai dorei o sarani kitanaku saretara, kau-gawa to shite wa harai mo shibukunaru darou kara na.


    Adopting a questioning tone towards the merchant-like man, he berated the St. Gallen ves. They were humans at the lowest level, or rather, livestock below that, and it was inappropriate for them to be kept so neat.


    One of the ves stood up as if reacting to those words.


    "N-no! We were deceived! There''s no reason for us to be ves"


    Chi, chigau! Ore-tachi wa damasareta nda! Ore-tachi ga dorei ni nanka ni naru riyuu wa


    "Silence"


    Damare


    "ggh!? Ugh!"


    mugu!? Guu!


    The ve who tried to protest was forcibly silenced by the man''s obedience magic.


    Just to be sure, the soldier asked the ve-trader-like man.


    "I''ll ask just in case, but you didn''t deceive them into bing ves, did you? If so, it would be a vition of thew."


    Ichiou kiite oku ga, damashite dorei ni shita wake dewa arumai na? Sou naru to hourei ni ihan shiteiru koto ni naru ga.


    It''s a distasteful situation to aid a bunch of St. Gallen people, but it''s also part of his job. If this man deceived the people into bing ves, allowing him entry into the Arquell Kingdom would be out of the question. Creating a situation where innocent citizens of his own country are cored would be a terrible awakening. If it became known that he let such a person through, at best, he would lose his job; at worst, he could be considered an aplice and lose his life.


    The man scratched his head as if pondering, narrowing his eyes in a dignified manner.


    "Let''s have the person in question testify then. Before you put on the cor, you were guaranteed food for a period of time, right?"


    Dewa, tou no honnin ni shougen shite itadakimashou. Kimi wa kubiwa o tsukeru mae ni, shibaraku no aida no shokuji o hoshou sareta ne?


    With that, he activated the magic tied to the cor once again.


    "Ggh Y-yes."


    Gu ha, hai


    "You, whoined about meager food, found it enticing and willingly decided to put on the cor, correct?"


    Toboshii shokuryou ni nageiteita kimi wa, sore ni miryoku o kanjite mizu kara kubiwa o hameru koto ni shimashita ne?


    "Y-yes...!"


    So, sou desu!


    "You willingly put on that cor of your own volition, didn''t you?"


    Kimi wa akuma de jibun no ishi de sono kubiwa o hameta no deshou?


    "T-that''s right...! U-ughhh!"


    So, sono toori desu! U, uuu!


    "Yes, as you can see, Respected Soldier."


    Hai, goran no toori desu heishi-sama.


    With a smile that seemed ready to tter at any moment, the man turned towards the soldier.


    As the soldier pondered with a frowning expression, the man continued his words.


    "The magic in the cor isn''t as flexible as you might think. When asked a question, they''ll honestly spill the beans. Furthermore, orders are forcibly overwritten by those giventer, so even if one instructed them to lie beforehand, it''s useless"


    Kubiwa no mahou to wa angai yuuzuu ga kikanai mono deshite ne. Shitsumon o sarereba kono toori, nan demo shoujiki ni hanashite shimau no desu yo. Kuwaete meirei wa ato kara dashita mono ni kyousei-teki ni uwagaki sareru no de, jizen ni itsuwari o mouse to itte oite mo muda ni


    "Understood, understood. I''m aware of that."


    Wakatta wakatta. Sore kurai shitte iru.


    It''s basic knowledge when dealing with ves. It''s also a method taught in training for those assigned to rescue individuals uwfully enved. In other words, the ve merchant was in the clear.


    Just to be sure, he asked another ve,


    "You also put on the cor for the same reason as him, right?"


    Anata mo kare to onaji riyuu de kubiwa o tsukemashita ne?


    and they all answered in the affirmative. Moreover, there was no sign that the carriage was smuggling prohibited items. Deciding that further interrogation would be futile, the soldier decided to conclude the inspection.


    "Then, after paying the toll, please sign this document."


    Dewa, tsuukou-ryou o shiharatta ato, kono shomen ni sain o.


    "Yes, here you go. Is this okay?"


    Hai, tadaima. Kore de yoroshii desu ka?


    The man presented a jingling leather pouch. Upon confirming its contents, it was filled to the brim with gold coins. It certainly seemed to weigh enough to meet the specified amount, but


    "St. Gallen gold coins, huh"


    Zankutogaren kinka dearu ka


    In Arquell Kingdom and St. Gallen, the size of minted gold coinsmeaning the amount of gold in each coindiffers. It was inevitable due to the economic and currency policy differences between the two countries. Judging by the weight of the bag in hand, it was clear that there was no issue with passing through the checkpoint, but dealing with the inconvenience of exchanging them when using them was a bit troublesome.


    "I''ve been conducting business in that country for a while now."


    Koko shibaraku wa ano kuni de akinai o shite ita mono deshite.


    "Then, there''s no helping it You may pass!"


    Naraba shikatanai na Tootte yoshi!


    With the permission granted, the caravan of wagons began to move slowly. The merchant-like man climbed into the front wagon and settled into the driver''s seat with his portly figure.


    The group of ves that came from St. Gallen passed through the border without any problems.


    ~~~


    The caravan of wagons continued along the road, crossing the border. In the vicinity of the winter wilderness where the procession reached, the man disguised as a ve merchant began to exhibit strange behavior. Jumping from the driver''s seat to the covered cargo bed, he started taking offyers of warm clothing, including a thick coat for instion, a merchant-like vest, shirt, and trousers, leaving himself in the barest form. Despite being inside the wagon, it was a shabby used canvas-covered wagon. Cold wind seeped in through various tears, making the temperature inside almost the same as the snow-flurried outside.


    Amidst this, there was no sign that the man, displeasedly pinching his fat belly, felt the cold.


    The man muttered as he clicked his tongue,


    "Good grief. Humans are troublesome creatures"


    Yare yare. Ningen to wa mendou na iki-mono da


    As he finished speaking, a transformation urred.


    The excess fat covering his entire body vanished like a deting balloon. Conversely, his short stature stretched rapidly, and robust muscles filled his once emaciated limbs and chest. His hair changed both in length and color, and within seconds, the man transformed into an entirely different person. If the previous plump figure resembled a seal, this new appearance could be likened to a true leopard. With a physique that looked resilient, and a sharp expression, he truly resembled a beast in human form. The way he looked at his surroundings while exposing his naked body was like a wild carnivorous beast that had been trained for battle, a battle stance that harmonized with nature and humanity.


    His appearance was none other than that of an individual called Opus-07, the one who brainwashed and manipted vigers in the border territory of Balden in St. Gallen into ves.


    "Uh-huh. This appearance feels morefortable. Indeed, the form of a warrior suits me better. I suppose I''ll maintain this for a while."


    Fumu. Kochira no sugata no hou ga ochitsuku. Yahari tatakau mono no sugata wa shikkuri to kuru na. Shibaraku wa kore o joutai to suru ka.


    His muttered words seemed to imply that he had no true form.


    And then, at that moment,


    "Who''s there?"


    Dare da.


    07 cast his gaze upward. There was nothing above but the low ceiling of the wagon. However, he was convinced that beyond it, someone or something with intelligence was present. He inquired,


    "Not 03. The aura is different I''ll ask just in case, are you an enemy? Or an ally?"


    03 dewa nai na. Kehai ga chigau Ichiou kiku ga, teki ka? Mikata ka?


    Almost immediately, a response came.


    "''I am an ally,'' I answered."


    Mikata desu, to, kaitou shimasu.


    "If you im to be an ally, answer this: Does he favor tea?"


    Mikata da to iu nara, hitotsu kotaero Kare wa koucha ga koubutsu ka?


    "''No, his true favorite is coffee,'' I entered the passcode."


    Iie, hontou ni suki na no wa kh desu, to, pasu o nyuuryoku shimasu.


    "Hmm, correct. You can enter."


    Fumu, seikai da. Haitte mo ii zo.


    "''Excuse me then,'' I said in greeting."


    Dewa shitsurei shimasu, to, aisatsu o kuchi ni shimasu.


    Then a woman invertedly opened the canopy from above and descended inside.


    To call her a woman might be appropriate in terms of her physical appearance, but her expressionless face, a mask-like visage, and eyes that gleamed like gold, all made her look beautiful yet otherworldly. Despite being on the roof of a moving wagon in the cold sky, she was dressed in a way that did not seem fitting for winter attire. While not as exposed as the naked Opus-07, her appearance was still unconventional.


    The peculiar woman who appeared courteously bowed to the equally, or maybe even peculiar man.


    "''It''s my first time meeting you, correct?'' I self-confirmed. I am Opus-05, Femme. Opus-07, please do not forget me from this point on."


    Anata to au no wa hajimete desu ne, to, jiko kakunin shimasu. pasu-05 Femu, desu. pasu-07 ni wa igo, o-wasurenaki you onegai shimasu.


    "Yeah. Forget or not, information about you has been engraved in my head from the beginning. However, it''s quite a journey for you toe this far. Without the ability to use teleportation magic, long-distance travel must be quite challenging for you."


    Aa. Wasureru mo nani mo, ore no atama ni wa saisho kara omae ni kanshite surikomi ga sarete iru Shikashi, yoku koko made shhou tte kita mono da. Ten''i mahou no tsukaenai omae dewa, chou kyori no idou wa nan''gi suru darou ni.


    "That''s because I''m heree! Ta-daa!"


    Sore wa watashi ga iru kara na no deshitaaa! Jajaaan!


    Having said so, a new intruder barged in noisily.


    In one corner of the carriage, magical particles gathered and took on a human form, and the next moment, a figure with mass stood on the floor.


    The neer was an elf. At least, pointed long ears, golden-threaded hair, and fair beauty were perfect characteristics of a long-lived race. However, she was too voluptuous for the slender image usually associated with elves, and her hips, filling out the skirt, were sensually generous. Her slender waist was also provocatively curved. Not adhering to the elven aversion to metallic adornments, she wore sses polished to a sparkling shine on her face.


    Apart from the basic features, everything about her was unlike an elf. However, her magical ability to teleport directly into a moving carriage, a ce that constantly changed coordinates, that indeed seemed to be a capability fitting for a member of a race proficient in magic. Certainly, if she was apanied by this elf-like being, she wouldn''t have any trouble using teleportation magic.


    "I''m Opus-06, Seis! Wait, whoaaaa!? You''re, na-naked!?"


    pasu-06, Seisu deeesu! Tte, wakyaaaa!? Ha, hadakaaa!?


    Just when Seis thought she had given her name, she let out a freakish scream at the sight of 07''s gant nude form, making no effort to conceal it. Despite covering her bright red face with both hands, her eyes remain wide open, peeking through the gaps between her fingers, as if she wasn''t covering it.


    07 spoke with an expression of exasperation,


    "Oh, I know about you too ording to the data engraved in my head, you are also responsible for modification surgeries as an assistant, so shouldn''t you be used to this kind of thing by now?"


    Aa, omae no koto mo shitteiru zo Surikomareta dta dewa, joshu to shite sotai e no kaizou shujutsu mo tantou shiteiru to kiku ga, kono teido wa minareteiru no dewa nai ka?


    "I-it''s not okay when you''re awake! When the subjects were undergoing modification, they were sleeping under anesthesia! Wai- why is your thing starting to swell like that!? Why are you transitioning into a standby-ready stance!?"


    O, okiteru no wa dame! Datte, kaizou-chuu no sotai wa masui deeru ndesu yoo! Cho, nani o mukumuku to saseteiru ndesu ka!? Naze, sutanbai redei na taisei ni ikou shiteiru ndesu kaaa!?


    "Even if you say that There''s a female whose inside might be like ''that'', but the outside is quite alluring, frolicking in front of me. Can''t me me if there''s a reaction."


    Sou iwarete mo na nakami wa are na you da ga, mitame wa nakanaka ni sosoru mesu ga me no mae de hashaide iru no da. Hannou ga okite mo shikata arumai.


    07 replied nonchntly, turning towards Seis with a slight sway of his hips. Naturally, she became even more flustered.


    "Eeeek!? Don''t shake like that! No, don''t give me that meaningful head movement! Or rather, please don''t point it towards me! Listen, pointing a weapon means a duel, you know? I''ll beat you, you know? I-I''ll burn, cut, and crush you with my magic, you knooow!?"


    Fugiii!? Yurasanaide! Dame, imishin ni sono heddo o yurashicha dame! Te iu~ ka, khi ni mukenaide kudasai! Ii ndesu ka? Buki o mukeru tte koto wa kettou no aizu na ndesu yo? Yhaimasu yo? Wa, watashi no mahou de yaitari kittari tsubushitari shimasu yooo!?


    "My, my, quite a rough wee for a neer."


    Oya oya, shin''iri ni taishite tearai kangei da na.


    Finally, Femme, unable to bear it any longer, interjected from beside them.


    "''07, please don''t tease 06 too much,'' I warned. The education instilled in her is a generation older than what was applied to you. Perhaps due to that, her mental aspects are younger than you, who cameter."


    07, amari 06 o karakawanaide kudasai, to, chuui o kanki shimasu. Kanojo ni hodokosareta surikomi ni yoru kyouiku wa, anata ni mochiirareta mono yori hito-sedai mae. Sono eikyou ka, seishin-men ni kanshite wa kouhatsu dearu anata yori mo osanai no desu kara.


    "My bad Well, eliminating this thing once wouldn''t be a bad idea, but having one with male appearance between two females seems unbnced. In that case"


    Sore wa shitsurei Ikkai koitsu o kesu no mo ii ga, mesu ga ni-tai no naka ni mitame osu ga ittai, to iu no mo tsuriai ga toren na. Dewa


    Shrugging his shoulders, 07 transformed his body again.


    He made his body smaller, more slender, and changed the contours to be rounder and softer. Certain parts were tucked away inside, while others showed modest protrusions.


    In a matter of seconds, a petite teenage girl appeared in ce of the tall, rugged man.


    "Phew If I take on the appearance of a young female like this, that innocent girl over there shouldn''t be too disturbed, right?"


    Fuu kore kurai osanai mesu no sugata naraba, soko no ubui no mo ichi ichi douyou surumai?


    One corner of her mouth was lifted up in a defiant and sarcastic smirk that seemed unbing of such a docile-looking girl. Her actions were unmistakably the same as those of Opus-07 before the transformation. On the other hand, the voice, containing a teasing tone, gave a husky impression despite the apparent age, yet it was far from being a male voice. Hiding her naked body and behaving like a modest young girl, if she could manage that, it would be a perfect transformation.


    As Seis directed her gaze toward the entity transformed from male to female, she puffed her cheeks and red with teary eyes while making a groaning sound.


    "Rather, couldn''t you just wear clothes?"


    Te iu~ ka, fuku o kireba ii janai desu ka~


    "My change of clothes is in a different carriage. Even I wouldn''t be able to conjure up clothes out of thin air."


    Kigae wa betsu no basha da. Sasuga ni ore mo nani mo nai tokoro kara fuku wa tsukuren.


    "''Why don''t you just transform into a figure that matches the clothes you''ve taken off over there?'' I pointed out."


    Soko ni nuide aru fuku ni ghi shita sugata e henshin sureba ii deshou, to, shiteki shimasu.


    "That appearance is ugly and seems weak so I don''t like it. It would be better to have a different look even without clothes. At least, it should be a visually appealing appearance. It wouldn''t matter if I behave as I like in a ce where there are no onlookers."


    Ano sugata wa minikui ue ni yowa-sou dakara sukan. Fuku ga naku tomo betsu no kakkou ga ii. Semete mibae no suru sugata denakereba na. Hitome ga nai tokoro de kurai, suki ni furumatte mo kamawan darou ni.


    "Hoho~? So we are not considered onlookers?"


    Hoho~? Watashi-tachi no me wa hitome denai to mousu ka.


    "That''s just the nuance of the words, 06. If you puff up like that, it''ll ruin your cute face, you know?"


    Kotoba no aya da yo 06. Sou fukureteiru to, kawaii kao ga dainashi da zo?


    "''''As I said, please don''t tease her,'' I repeated. That''s enough, let''s move on with the discussion."


    Desu kara, kanojo o karakawanaide kudasai, to, kurikaeshimasu. Iikagen ni hanashi o susumemashou.


    With Femme''s words, 07, who had transformed into a girl, showed a slightly unamused expression but obedientlyplied.


    "Now then, let me convey the message. Taking over the supervisory duties from 03, 05 has judged that Opus-07 has cleared the test criteria for extended solo missions, autonomy, decision-making ability, deceptive capacity of transformation, and presence sensing capabilities. Congrattions."


    Sore dewa dentatsu jikou, o, o-tsutae shimasu. 03 yori shiken kantoku ninmu o hikitsuida 05 wa, pasu-07 no chou jikan tandoku koudou-ji no jiritsu-sei to handan nouryoku, henshin nouryoku no giman seinou, kehai shi nouryoku nado, tesuto koumoku wa youkyuu suijun o kuri shiteiru to handan shimashita. Omedetou gozaimasu.


    "''I am extremely grateful for your praise,'' is it fine if I respond like that? However, if I hadn''t passedd that there were no issues, but assuming the other way around, what would you have done? Even though it was a test, it involved actions in a public setting. In case things didn''t go well"


    O-home ni azukari kyouetsu shigoku, to kaeseba ii no ka na. Shikashi, ore ga goukakumondai ga denakatta kara yokatta mono no, moshi sou naranakattara dou suru tsumori datta noda? Tesuto o keiru to wa ie, shujin kanshi no ba de no koudou da. Manga ichi no toki wa


    "In that case, Femme-chan would have sent a suspension signal to you, and then I would have erased the evidence with magic Before we took over, it was Drei-san''s responsibility."


    Soshitara Femu-chan ga anata ni teishi shingou o okutte, sono go watashi ga mahou de shouko inmetsu suru koto ni natteta yo~ Watashi-tachi ga hikitsugu mae wa Dorai-san no tantou da ne.


    Thepletely sulky Seis''s words even carry a hint of wishing that things had turned out that way. If it''s just her magical abilities alone, she was on par with the great sages of ancient times. It''s an obliteration of evidence from such an individual. Perhaps it was nned for her to blow up the surrounding area in a shy manner to make it look like an attempt by the enemy nation. Seis, with her pure but callous sensibilities, seemed to harbor murderous intent towards 07, who hadmitted various impoliteness during their first meeting. Of course, she also had feelings of admiration for the "father" who gave her the mission. Despite being childish, she didn''t explicitly mention any intentions that deviated from the n.


    "Oh, how scary, how scary. It''s a relief that things didn''t turn out that way."


    Oo, kowai kowai. Sonna koto ni naranakute yokatta yokatta.


    "As I saidno, never mind. Rather than that, do you remember the details of the next mission?"


    Desu karaie, ii desu, to, teikan o oboemasu. Sore yori mo, tsuzukete no ninmu no naiyou wa, oboete orimasu ne?


    "Of course. Here in Armand, I''ll scout peasants using the appearance of the mercenary from earlier. I''ll brainwash them but won''t turn them into ves, then I''ll take them to Volden under the guise of mercenaries, where I''ll release the brainwashing. Using a different appearance, I''ll guide their escape from the group of mercenaries who have forcibly brought them there and liberate them, letting them return to farming in that same area. Among them, those with fitting constitution and physical abilities or magical power above the standard will be sent to theb as subjects for modification."


    Mochiron da tomo. Kono Arumando de sakki no youhei no sugata o tsukai noumin o sukauto. Sennou wa suru ga dorei ni wa shinai. Sono mama youhei no meimoku de Vorudan ni tsurete iki, soko de sennou kaijo. Betsu no sugata o tsukatte muriyari tsurete korareta youhei-dan kara no dassou o tebiki shi, kaihou shite douchi de kinou saseru. Sono naka demo taikaku ya karada nouryoku, mata wa maryoku ga suijunchi ijou no mono o ittei suu, ''seihin'' e to kaizou suru sotai to shite rabo okuri ni, datta na.


    "''Yes, it''s perfect,'' I gave a praise."


    Hai, kanpeki desu, to, shousan o okurimasu.


    "Uugh so unfair, so unfair, sooo unfair! Why is 07 being praised so much despite being so cheeky?"


    Uuu zurui zurui zuruuu~i! Doushite konna ni namaiki na no ni, 07 wa homerareru no ka naaa?


    "That''s because I am an excellent familiar and the finest ''masterpiece'' of our creator."


    Sore wa ore ga yuushuu na tsukaima deari, zoubutsushu-sama no kessaku taru sakuhin dakara da.


    "Don''t praise yourself! Besides, even if you remember the details of the job, it''s meaningless if you can''t execute it properly, you know!?"


    Jibun de iu naaa! Sore ni, o-shigoto no naiyou wa oboeteite mo, chaaanto jikkou dekinakattara imi nai ndakara ne!?


    "Yeah, I''ll make sure to work hard to satisfy you as well And there''s something I want to ask, 05."


    Aa, omae ni mo go-manzoku itadakeru you ni doryoku suru sa Sore to hitotsu kikitai nda ga, 05.


    "''What is it?'' Iplied to your question."


    Nan deshou ka, to, shitsumon o uketamawarimasu.


    "In this operation, we''re generously scattering arge amount of gold coins. Does it not affect the financial state of our creator? It''s a hassle, but humans use money for everything, right? I''ve heard that they''re in need of it at this time."


    Kono sakusen ni atatte tairyou no kinka o keiki-yoku baramaiteiru wake da ga, zoubutsushu-sama no futokoro guai ni eikyou wa nai no ka? Shichimendou na koto da ga, ningen-domo wa nani o suru ni mo kane o tsukau ndarou? Ima no jiki wa nani ka to iriyou to kiite iru no da ga.


    07''s concern was valid. Tullius and the others were implementing various policies to recover from the damage of the previous war. No matter how much money they had, it might not have been enough. Yet, he freely used funds for things like tolls and arranging carriages. While he ordered to use them without hesitation, it''s natural for a sense of concern for her master to arise.


    However, Femme answered without paying much attention to it.


    "''If that''s the case, there''s no problem,'' I answered. All the currency used in this operation is counterfeit."


    Sore nara mondai wa arimasen, to, kaitou shimasu. Konji sakusen ni mochiirareru kahei wa subete gizou desu.


    "Oh?"


    Hou?


    "But even so, what''s being used is real gold."


    To itte mo, shiyou sareteiru no wa honmono no kogane desu ga.


    "It''s good that it had been dug up, but I had no use for it, so it was left over! What do you think? It''s well done, right?"


    Hotta no wa ii keredo tsukaimichi ga nakute amatteta bun da ne! Dou~? Ii deki desho.


    In aplete change of mood, Seis captured the conversation. Presumably, she had a hand in counterfeiting as well.


    A private minting of currency without the knowledge of the state was, of course, a crime. Well, from the start, the act of Tullius secretly mining gold and silver in the undergroundbyrinth vited the kingdom''sws. It was such a big deal to the point of Laubert once firmly warned not to bring it outside.


    However, it was a problem only if it got exposed.


    "We have to change our perspective. If the problem is for me to use it within the borders of Arquell, then just use it abroad in a way that they won''t know it''s me."


    Hassou o gyakuten saseru nda. Arukru kokunai de boku ga tsukau no ga mondai nara, kokugai de boku da to wakaranai you ni tsukaeba ii janai ka.


    The master had said that.


    "I see. No matter if it''s fake money from a suspicious origin, if it''s used as operating funds for disposable undercover activities, the risk is minimal, huh."


    Naru hodo. Shussho no ayashii nisegane darou to, tsukaisute no andkab de no katsudou shikin ni suru nara risuku wa saishougen ka.


    Saying so, 07 nced at the identification that spilled out from the discarded clothing. It indicated that she was a ve trader from Canales, and it was also fabricated using alchemy.


    "''It''s an excellent strategy,'' I assessed. It can effectively utilize redundant resources and absorb human resources from enemy countries and potential political enemies, after all."


    Migoto na sakusen desu, to, hyouka shimasu. Dabutsuiteita shigen o yuukou ni shouhi shi, teki-koku ya seiji-teki kasou teki kara jinteki shigen o kyuushuu dekiru no desu kara.


    "Ifints arise about the people being turned into ves from St. Gallen, we can just deflect criticism and silence it by suppressing the calumny from treacherous assants who executed a despicable surprise attack. If we''re used of taking people away by the Decentralists, we can counter by suggesting that such usations stem from mismanagement that made the people want to leave in the first ce. We are treating them as proper farmers, not ves, after all."


    Zankutogaren kara kokumin o dorei ni sareta to monku ga deyou to, hiretsu na kishuu o shita renchuu kara no hibou chuushou to mokusatsu sureba ii. Chihou bunken-ha kara tami o ubawareta to iwaretara, somosomo tami o nigasu you na shissei o shiteiru no da to kirikaeseru. Kochira wa dorei dewa naku chanto noumin to atsukatte yaru no dakara na.


    "Rather, I''ve heard that Arquell''s registry management is quitex, especially formoners. Since we''re targeting those who are likely not even listed in the register, like the third son or below, I don''t think they can prepare the basis to ask us to give them back."


    Tte iu~ ka, Arukru no koseki kanri tte, kekkou iikagen tte kiitemasu kedo ne~. Toku ni noumin wa. Khi ga nerau no wa daichou ni mo noranai you na sannan ika dakara, kaese tte iu hou-teki konkyo? Tte yatsu mo chanto youi dekinai kamo.


    "Rather, the people might beg us not to send them back to lords like Armand and the others. If they go to Volden, they''ll be givennd and even ves to work for them, after all."


    Mushiro, Arumando-ra no you na katsute no ryoushu no shita e wa kisanaide kure to, naite tanomareru kamo shiren na. Vorudan ni ikeba tochi, kuwaete soko de hatarakaserareru dorei made ataerareru no dakara.


    "''That''s possible,'' I judged."


    Ariemasu ne, to, handan shimasu.


    In short, that was the n for this operation. From St. Gallen, they would take ves. From the territories of opposing local nobles, they would acquire farmers, offering them vacant farnds or new cultivation areas created by casualties of war. Moreover, by utilizing the identities of ve traders and mercenaries, they could do this at least seemingly legally. This was a strategy aimed at killing two birds with one stone, weakening the regions and facilitating the reconstruction of Volden, a development of the n Tullius had discussed with Langogne in the past. Even though Lavallee''s actions brought it to a halt, it could still be effective if dressed in a different guise.


    "However, it''s quite an borate n. Personally, I''m more inclined to take on jobs where I can use this ability to rampage and devour to my heart''s content."


    Shikashi, nanto mo tenokonda saku da. Ore to shite wa, kono nouryoku o tsukatte zonbun ni abaremawatte kuiarasu shigoto no hou ni shokushi ga muku no da ga.


    07, wearing the appearance of a girl, cracked her right hand, producing not just the sound of finger joints but also the cracking of the skeletal structure of her right arm. The slender arm of a human girl transformed into the thick, fur-covered, sharp-wed limb of a beast. Consciously or unconsciously, a sly smile appeared on her face, revealing fangs reminiscent of a saber-toothed tiger.


    That was the unique ability of this new ''masterpiece.''


    "The time wille for you to undertake such missions as well, and at that time, feel free to wield those arms no, ws, to your heart''s content, Opus-07, Jet."


    Izure wa sono you na ninmu ni tsuku toki mo kimasu yo, to, yosoku shimasu. Sono sai ni wa zonbun ni sono ude o ie, souga o furutte kudasai. pasu-07, Jetto.


    "A chimera created with an entirely new concept, with homunculus as a base and incorporation of cells from various animals and monsters, allowing it to freely use their forms and abilities Well, it''s somehow irritating, but this achievement is as expected of Father''s masterpiece~."


    Homunkurusu o bsu ni, tayou na doubutsu ya monsut no saibou o kumikonde, jizai ni sono sugata to nouryoku o tsukau to iu, mattaku atarashii konseputo de tsukurareta kimera mu~, nanka shaku da keredo, kono deki wa sasuga otou-sama no sakuhin ka~.


    In response to the words of its two predecessors, the seventh ''masterpiece''Jet showed a wild grin.


    ~~~


    Authors Note: Jet is ''7'' in Thai.


    ~~~


    TL Note:


    Apparently, 07 refers to Tullius as  (Zoubutsushu-sama) which means ''Creator of all things'' or ''God'' it makes me wonder if the theory about Tullius intending to be a God is legit awawawawawawa~


    Oh and I''ve guessed about it before, but now that Ive read the raw myself I can finally confirm that Seis addresses Tullius as  (Otou-sama) uwahhhh I like how it sounds~


    This chapter was brought to you by my patrons, Sier, McConnaheyhey, TheHunt3r Gaming, Viks, Dan Ryder, Eger, Imperius, Freddie Adams, Pepe Feik, and Tony Derado. Thank you very much, guys!


    Support me in patreon to read the advanced chapters and help me release faster~

 Chapter 83: The Visitor and the Reincarnator

    Chapter 83: The Visitor and the Reincarnator


    And then, the timeline returned to the present, at the time of the meeting between Tullius and the envoys of Omnia.


    "Those ves were imported from St. Gallen, you see."


    Ano dorei-tachi wa, Zankutogaren kara yunyuushita mono desu yo.


    Imported. The moment that word, treating humans like mere objects, reached Yuuto, a seed of displeasure rapidly sprouted within him. Tullius spoke with a tone that wasn''t boasting about himself or looking down on others. It was calm, casual, and unassuming. Like observing a bird in the sky and thinking, "It''s flying," Tullius naturally regarded ves as objects. Such thinking seemed transparently evident.


    (I see, so this is what Elisha-san meant by saying that he wouldn''t fit in with us.)


    (Naruhodo, Erisha-san ga ore-tachi to wa awanai tte iu wake da.)


    There was no longer the initial reliefor perhaps contemptthat Yuuto felt upon their first encounter. The man sitting before him, despite wearing a harmless facade, was a dangerous being that there was no telling what kind of face he hid underneath. The moment this thought crossed his mind, a feeling of disgust rose up in his chest.


    ncing sideways, Irmae, too, frowned at Tullius''s words. However, the man himself continued with a smile, seemingly oblivious.


    "After all, that country is in a state of constant internal conflict. It wouldn''t be surprising if the victors often enved the people of the defeated side. The cause of the recent war with our country too, they say it was a food crisis caused by the fields being ravaged by monsters. Starving farmers selling their families to make ends meet This is also amon urrence, isn''t it?"


    Nanibun, ano kuni dewa nairan tsuzuki desu kara ne. Katta-gawa ga maketa-gawa no tami o dorei ni otosu koto mo ooi nja nai deshou ka? Sore to sennen no waga kuni to no tatakai mo, mamono ni yotte tahata ga areta koto ni yoru shokuryou kiki da to iu ja arimasen ka. Kuenai noumin ga kuchiberashi ni kazoku o uru kore mo yoku aru koto deshou?


    "Hmm? Nevertheless, it seems like you purchased quite arge number. I can''t recall any historical examples of deploying such a multitude of ves for farming."


    Fuun? Sore ni shite mo zuibun na kazu o kaiireta you desu na. Are dake no dorei o toujita noujou nado, kokon ni rei ga arimasu mai.


    In response to Elisha''s words which didn''t even try to hide her exasperation, he let out a small voice.


    "Hahaha. Yes. Given that my territory suffered many casualties in the war, we face a shortage of manpower. Ensuringbor is an urgent task to fill that gap. So, I thought ves would be a quick solution, simplistically speaking Well, we''re investing heavily in reconstruction policies, so as you can see, we''re letting go of various things to secure the budget."


    Hahaha. Ee, nanibun waga ryouchi wa senshi-sha o ooku dashita koto de, hitode ga fusoku shite orimashite. Sono anaume no tame ni mo roudou-ryoku no kakuho wa kikkin no kadai. Naraba dorei ga tebaya karou to tanjun ni kangaeta made desu yo Maa, fukkou seisaku ni wa taimai o tataite imasu no de, goran no toori iroiro to tebanashite yosan o kumenshiteiru shidai deshite.


    Saying this, he looked around the grand reception room, then scratched his cheek with a somewhat embarrassed expression. His gestures portrayed the image of an amiable and gentle young man. Only if one could close their ears to the inhumanity and cruelty in his words, though.


    "Lord Marquis I apologize for overstepping my boundary, but could it be that you are treating the ves somewhat harshly?"


    Koushaku-kakka desugita koto o moushimasu ga, isasaka dorei no kata-tachi ni taishite koku na shiuchi o nasatte oide dewa nai deshou ka?


    Irmae said in a tense voice. Tullius then blinked in surprise.


    "What do you mean?"


    To, osshaimasu to?


    "I observed along the way, and it seems that the ves working in the fields are subjected to inhumanebor. No, let me be clear. Doesn''t it appear that they are not merely made to work, but rather tormented under the guise ofbor?"


    Michisugara haiken shimashita ga, nouchi de hataraku dorei-tachi wa mutai na roudou o shiirareteiru you ni miukeraremasu. Iie, hakkiri to iimashou. Are dewa hatarakaseteiru to iu yori wa, roudou ni kakotsukete sainami kurushimerareteiru you dewa arimasen ka.


    Yuuto also recalled the scenes outside the carriage that he witnessed, projecting the images on the back of his eyelids. The emaciated bodies d in worn-out rags, the individuals swaying while being forced to work. There was a man carrying a water jug full to the brim all by himself. A child, exhausted and copsing, being lifted up by a supervising farmer, even subjected to punishment. There was a woman dragged into the shadows by a lecherously smirking overseer. Along the path, countless bodiesy motionless like debris. And each of them wore a silver cor around their necks, the glint of which brought back nauseating memories.


    The person responsible for all of this was...


    "You mean ''that''? Good grief, it''s troublesome, isn''t it?"


    Are desu ka. Mattaku, komatta mono desu yo ne.


    He uttered as if it were someone else''s problem entirely.


    "Troublesome?"


    Komatta, mono?


    "Yes. Those ves from St. Gallen are the ones given to Volden''s farmers. I wanted them to be used well, but they just fought against us in the warst year, right? Perhaps due to their grudge from it, the people don''t treat their ves properly. They''re valuablebor for us, so I''d prefer them not to be wasted, though."


    Ee. Ano Zankutogaren-jin no dorei-tachi wa, vorudan no noumin ni ataeteiru mono desu. Umaku tsukatte hoshii tokoro nan desu ga, nanise kyonen ni sensou shita bakari no aite deshou? Sono urami no sei ka, tami-tachi mo dorei tsukai ga arakute ikenai. Kochira to shimashite mo kichou na roudou-ryoku desu kara, mudazukai wa sakete moraitai no desu kedo ne.


    And then, he sighed deeply. There was definitely some grief there. Like an adult watching a child throw a tantrum and break a toy, or thement of someoneining about the waste of vegetables left uneaten by a picky child. ''It''s a waste,'' that kind of grief. There was not a trace of sympathy for the victims, an inhumane disy of callousness. It truly made one sick to listen to. Irmae must have felt the same, as she suddenly mmed the table and stood up.


    "That that kind of statement is too much!"


    Son''na son''na osshari you wa anmari desu!


    "Yes?"


    Hai?


    "Even though they are ves, aren''t they still human beings!?"


    Dorei to wa ie, onaji ningen dewa arimasen ka!?


    "Well, you''re right. But aren''t they humans, for whom, no matter how their owners treat them, there would be no problem?"


    Etto, sou desu ne. Demo, shoyuu-sha ga dou atsukatte mo mondai nai ningen deshou?


    "No, that''s not right! Treating people cruelly for no reason is something that should never happen!"


    Sonna koto wa arimasen, hito ga hito o mui ni shiitageru nado, atte wa naranai koto desu!


    "Sigh, I agree with you on that. That''s why I mentioned it''s troublesome."


    Haa, sore ni wa boku mo doukan desu. Dakara komatta mono da to moushiageta no desu ga.


    "Do you not try to do anything to resolve it?"


    Kaiketsu o sareyou to wa nasaranai no desu ka?


    "I do warn them whenever I inspect the rural areas. I told them to take better care of them. But the treatment of ves is left to the discretion of the owners in the first ce."


    Boku mo nouson o shisatsu suru tabi ni chuui o shite wa imasu yo. Motto daiji ni tsukatte kudasai, tte. Demo dorei no atsukai kata wa shujin ni ichinin sareru mono desu shi.


    It''s useless, Yuuto thought. The conversation between these two was desperately mismatched. Tullius, who saw ves only as tools to consume asbor, and Irmae, who believed in the equality of ves as humans who should eventually be liberated. Although their topic was the same, their perspectives werepletely different. At this rate, the two would nevere to an understanding.


    And yet she was still trying to continue her vain argument.


    "Even so, that''s too cruel! In the first ce, aren''t ves individuals who havemitted sins or failed in their duties, and are therefore assigned the status ofborers to receive forgiveness? Even though they are working so hard and suffering so much like that"


    Dakara to itte, are wa hidosugimasu! Somosomo dorei to wa, tsumi o okashitari gimu o hatasenakatta kata ga, yurushi o ukeru kueki to shite otosareru mibun deshou? Are hodo ni kurushimi, hataraiteiru to iu no ni


    "Aah, that viewpoint was presented by Pope Domenico Vespi in the 458th year of the Ascension Calendar, right? The one about contradiction between the teachings of Holy King''s faith and the institution of very."


    Aa, sono kenkai wa Domniko Vesubhi-kyoukou ga nobori-reki shi go hachi-nen ni dasareta kenkai desu ne. Seiou kyou no hakuai no oshie to dorei-sei to no ma ni shoujiru mujun ni tsuite no.


    "Huh? Yes."


    E? Ee.


    "''A ve is a form in which a sinner is bound by the yoke. The master of the ve demonstrates the resolve to act as the representative of the Lord with charitable donations and is a virtuous man or woman who has undertaken that duty. Therefore, the master of the ve has the right to judge and grant forgiveness for all aspects of their redemption and to determine all the hardships imposed on them.''  was it. Is that correct?"


    Dorei to wa, tsumi arishi mono ga kubiki ni tsunagareta sugata dearu. Dorei no aruji to wa, jouzai o motte tenshu no daikou taru kakugo o shimeshi, sono mi o hikiuketa zennan zen''yo dearu. Shikaraba, dorei no aruji wa sono shokuzai, sono kahi no issai o handan shi yurushi o atae, sono mi ni kasu kueki no issai o kettei suru kenri o yuusuru  datta ka na. Atte imasu ka?


    ""


    Irmae was at a loss for words. Even she, who earnestly studied teachings and was even called the saint of the present time by the people, couldn''t deny it. So, paradoxically, what Tullius stated might be correct.


    "So, in other words, the tradition that allows owners to treat ves as they wish is officially recognized by the Church, right? They are free to make their ves suffer as much as they want to atone for the ves'' sins, and they are also free to never grant forgiveness until the ves'' death That''s why I''m troubled. As long as the words of the Pope at that time guaranteed freedom, a mere marquis of a country''s words can''t stop the meaningless torment of the ves by the peasants. Well, if the Church has announced a new viewpoint since then, it''s a different story. In my memory, I don''t recall such a thing, though."


    Tsumari wa, shujin deareba dorei o dou atsukaouga jiyuu to iu kanrei wa, kyoukai ga seishiki ni mitometeiru wake desu yo ne? Tsumi no tsugunai to shite dore dake kurushimeyou to jiyuu, shinu made yurushi o ataenai no mo jiyuu dakara boku mo komatteirun desu yo. Touji no kyoukou no o-kotoba ga jiyuu o hoshou shiteiru ijou, taka ga ikkoku no koushaku-teido dewa, noumin-tachi no muimi na dorei ijime wa tomerarenain desu kara. Maa, are kara kyoukai ga mata atarashii kenkai o happyou sareteiru nara betsu desu keredo ne. Boku no kioku dewa, sonna koto wa nakatta to omoimasu ga.


    After that, silence dominated the room.


    Irmae hung her head and remained silent. The ethics and indignation she believed in were betrayed by the teachings of the Church, their foundation. Tullius, with a somewhat weary look, seemed to be waiting for a counterargument. The people around were holding their breath, watching the situation. The priests of the envoy, Laubertthe so-called retainer of the marquis'' family, the seemingly guard-like swordsmanall were waiting. The female ve in a maid''s outfit too, like a statue, did not show any change in her expression, even though none other than her master had said that whether they are suffering or dying, the treatment of ves is entirely at the discretion of the owner.


    "That''s why I have told you. You won''t fit in with him, so refrain from getting involved too deeply."


    Dakara itta dearou ni. Awanai kara fukairi wa tomete oke, to.


    Elisha muttered with a sigh, and even though it was supposed to be adequately restrained, her voice resonated loudly in Yuuto''s ears.


    The doctrine preaching human harmony and unity, juxtaposed with a society that reduced the same humans to ves for exploitation. The reasoning to tolerate and coexist with that contradiction. Tullius was aware of this distortion, pointed it out, and then ignored it. It''s only natural, given that he had ves by his side and brought a considerable number of ves to thisnd.


    He was certainly concerned about the unexpectedly wasteful consumption caused by the peasants'' venting. But that was all there was. Rather, he actively utilized the disgraceful tradition of very, which was the root of the problem.


    Really, they didn''t seem to match at all.


    "Oops, my apologies. What was supposed to be a casual chat during greetings has gone on for a while. Now, I''ll bring some drinks. I''ll leave it to you, Uni."


    Otto shitsurei. Aisatsu tsuide no zatsudan no hazu ga nagaku narimashita ne. Ima, o-nomimono nado o o-mochi shimasu no de. Tanonda yo, Yuni.


    "Yes, as you wish."


    Hai, kashikomarimashita.


    Tullius said as if he just remembered it and sent the ve woman out. Seeing this, one of the priests from the envoy who had remained silent until now interjected.


    "Your Excellency, are you entrusting a ve to serve guests?"


    Koushaku-kakka wa, dorei ni maroudo e no kyuuji o o-makase suru no desu ka na?


    "I apologize once again. I recently gave some free time to the servants who were cramped in Volden''s mansion. We''re short-staffed, so please forgive us."


    Kore wa kasane-gasane go-burei o. Vorudan no yashiki ni tsumeteita kenin ni wa sakigoro hima o dashite shimaimashite ne. Hitode ga tarinai mono desu kara, go-yousha kudasai.


    "However, Your Excellency, given that our representative has been thrust into such a situation as well"


    Shikashi desu naa, waga hou no daihyou to kou mo kaku tsukiawasareta ue de no koto to narimasu to


    "Please stop."


    O-yamenasai.


    Irmae stopped her subordinate who had started to persistently pester. However, predictably, her voicecked the usual strength.


    "Laubert."


    Rubru.


    "Yes."


    Ha.


    Following his master''s instructions, the retainer retrieved something that had been prepared in the corner of the room and ced it respectfully on the table. The item, with a weight that strained the tabletop, was a leather bag filled to the brim. The sound of a hard object rubbing against each other caused the rotten priests to be visibly excited.


    "In the hope of providing some assistance to everyone who are going to travel all the way to St. Gallen, I have prepared a modest contribution to supplement your travel expenses. Due to our difficult financial situation, its modest as the word suggests, but I would be delighted if you are willing to ept it"


    Enro Zankutogaren made omomukareru mina-sama ni sashou nagara o yakudachi shitaku omoimashite, rogin no tashi ni to sunshi o youi sasete itadakimashita. Kurushii futokoro jijou no tame ni moji doori no sunshi to narimashita ga, go-shounou itadakereba nani yori desu.


    Contribution in other words, money. The atmosphere in the room changed in an instant.


    "Well, well, truly appreciated! Marquis Oubeniel is a man who truly understands reason!"


    Iya haya, makoto ni kekkou! buniru-kou wa makoto ni douri o wakimaete orareru gojin da!


    "In the earlier legal discussion, you seemed well-versed in history as well. A devotee with such fervent faith is hard to find in your country."


    Sakihodo no houron ni oite mo koji o yoku manande orareta go-yousu. Kiden hodo no shinjin atsuki shinto wa kikoku ni mo sou wa iraremai.


    "I must apologize for my previous statement. It was just a test of your sincerity. Please forgive my impertinence. To go to such lengths for almsgiving, Your Excellency is trulymendable."


    Saki no gen ni tsuite wa taihen go-burei o. Onmi no seishin o tameshi tama de no koto. Go-yousha kudasare. Iya, kisha no tame ni mi o kezutte no koto to wa hontou ni appare.


    As soon as it became clear that their pockets were being filled, they immediately became sycophantic. Yuuto couldn''t bear to watch it. Irmae, too, lowered her face in embarrassment. Elisha observed with a nk expression.


    (What the hell is this?)


    (Nandayo, kore wa?)


    Yuuto painfully bit his lip as he thought.


    A society that tolerated crushing people into very. A religion that bowed down to it. A filthy exchange of money A hero for the sake of defeating the Demon King? Rather than some uncertain entity, whether it exists or not, weren''t the lowlifesughing in front of his eyes much more of a monster to exterminate?


    He felt frustrated by his own powerlessness. Unable to stick to what he believed was right and unable to reject what he felt was wrong. Moreover, he didn''t even have the position to speak out. Even Irmae, who was entrusted with the role of an envoy, was so caught up in it and unable to refute.


    (Bastards!)


    (Kusottare!)


    They were like children. Yuuto and Irmae were nothing more than children being yed with by cunning adults and a cruel world.


    "I have brought some drinks."


    O-nomimono o o-mochi shimashita.


    The female ve called Yuni served a bottle of what seemed to be wine.


    "While it may notpare to the Blood of God drunk during the sacrament, red wine is our local specialty. Please enjoy."


    Seisan de hosareru kami no chi ni wa oyobi mo tsukimasen ga, aka wain wa touchi no meisan dearimasu. Dou ka go shoumi kudasai.


    With Tullius''s pretentious words as background music, sses were arranged on the table. The leather bag that was there a moment ago was now in the pockets of the priests. Naturally, a ss of red liquid that smelled of alcohol was also given to Yuuto.


    "No, I''m good. I can''t drink at my age."


    Ie, ore wa ii desu. Kono toshi ja nomenainde.


    A high school student couldn''t drink alcohol. It''s not like he didn''t have any thoughts that this was another world and not Japan, but trying to disguise an unpleasant mood with alcohol also seemed somewhat embarrassing to him. One reason was that it ovepped with the image of unpleasant adults he had in mind.


    However, his refusal seemed to be perceived as peculiar by the people around him. He felt suspicious nces from the members of the envoy and the retainers of the Oubeniel family.


    Tullius also looked in his direction as if he had noticed Yuuto''s presence for the first time.


    "Hm? Come to think of it, who are you?"


    N? Sou ieba anata wa?


    Intently, his eyes seemed to prate through the hood, like a snake examining its prey. Irmae spoke up as if to protect Yuuto who was twisting in fear.


    "This person is apanying me as my attendant."


    Kono kata wa watashi no sewa-yaku to shite go-doukou sarete orimashite.


    "Why then, is he covering his face like that?"


    Doushite mata, sou shite o-kao o kakusareteiru no desu?


    "He has been sheltered by the Church for a certain reason after arriving from a distantnd, so he bears an unusual appearance notmonly seen on this continent. Since it can be challenging to endure the curious gazes of those around us"


    Yue atte ongoku kara irashita tokoro o kyoukai de hogo sasete itadaite orimasu no de, tairiku ni wa mezurashii youshi o o-mochi na no desu. Shuui kara no kouki no shisen o abi tsuzukeru no mo o-tsurai ka to


    "If it''s alright with you, I would like to see your countenance."


    Yokereba, go-songan o haiken shitai no desu ga.


    His polite words and gentle tone conveyed an insistent intention.


    In terms of etiquette, this was a situation where Yuuto should yield. As a public emissary seeking an audience with the host for their stay, there was no valid reason for a mysterious figure hiding their face to be among the group. However, Yuuto still resisted. It wasn''t just about not wanting this unpleasant person to remember his face; there was a deeper sense of unease. It felt as if meeting this person face to face would lead to something ominous, an unexinable premonition. He was convinced that it would be extremely undesirable if this person were to see his face, though he couldn''t pinpoint why.


    However,


    "Your Excellency''s words are indeed valid Oi, quickly show your face. It would be impolite not to."


    Koushaku-kakka no ouse wa shigoku mottomo Oi, hayaku kao o misenu ka. Burei dearou.


    The priest''s voice ordered while savoring the wine.


    No matter how much he disliked it, Yuuto''s position left him with no choice. Refusing would mean he would have no choice but to kick the seat and escape, but there was no guarantee that the other party would show leniency to someone who behaved suspiciously.


    Reluctantly, Yuuto slowly lowered the hood that concealed his face.


    "I am Yuuto Erimiya. Pleased to meet you."


    Yuuto Erimiya desu. Douzo yoroshiku.


    It was at that moment, when he begrudgingly introduced himself.


    At the same time that his face, hair, skin, and eye color became apparent, the man who had maintained an enigmatic half-smile all along, for the first time, changed his expression.


    "Y-you are"


    Ki, kimi wa


    His eyes widened, and he opened his mouth in astonishment. It was as if he had encountered somethingpletely imusiblehis reaction was as if he had just seen a ghost. The color of his eyes rapidly shifted from shock to bewilderment, and then to something vaguely nostalgic.


    Yuuto also felt perplexed. Certainly, in a world where Western features weremon, his Eastern appearance as a Japanese person might be unusual. However, would it really warrant such a surprised reaction?


    Suddenly, he felt a chilling sensation, different from the difort he sensed from Tullius. It was a foreboding cold that hinted at a more direct threat to life. ncing to the side, he noticed that the woman named Uni was staring intently at him.


    "It''s okay, Uni. I was just a bit surprised."


    Daijoubu da yo, Yuni. Chotto odoroita dake sa.


    Simultaneously with those words, the cold sensation vanished as if it were a mere illusion. Yuuto reconsidered whether what he felt earlier was just a hallucination. Why did he sense an ominous feeling from a woman who was aplete stranger? He wasn''t even a manga character who could detect murderous intent. Along with that somewhat-joking sentiment, the sense of crisis from earlier disappeared from his consciousness.


    "Excuse me. I was caught off guard If you don''t mind, would you like to talkter, Erimiya Yuuto-san?"


    Shitsurei. Omotta yori men-kutte shimaimashite Yokattara, ato de yukkuri to o-hanashi shimasen ka, Erimiya Yuuto-san?


    Rather than dwelling on that, the more pressing matter was the fact that Tullius was trying to hold a conversation with him in a surprisingly friendly manner.


    "By the way, I heard you''re not in a hurry to get married. Don''t tell me you have that kind of hobby?"


    Sou ieba kekkon o isoide wa inai to kiite ita ga, masaka sou iu shumi datta no ka?


    Elisha muttered in a strangely serious tone, but Yuuto hoped it was a joke. Even though he was already someone he found repulsive, he didn''t want to think of him as someone who would spit on him on top of that.


    Coming to the rescue, Irmae spoke up,


    "Your Excellency, we truly appreciate your kindness, but we are in a hurry."


    Koushaku-sama, go-koui wa katajikenaku zonjimasu ga, watashi-tachi wa saki o isogu mi desu.


    She positioned herself between Yuuto and Tullius as if shielding the former.


    "After spending the night at your mansion, we must depart early in the morning. Yuuto-san also needs time to rest his body."


    Hitoban o yashiki de yado o karitara, yokuasa ni sugu ni demo shuttatsu shinakereba narimasen. Yuuto-san ni mo, o-karada o yasumeru tame no jikan o itadakimasen to


    "Oh? Leaving in such a hurry. Are you sure it''s not necessary to prepare for mountain crossing?"


    Oya? Sonna ni isoide tatsu nante, yamagoe no junbi wa daijoubu nan desu ka?


    "Eh?"


    E?


    What was this man talking about? The envoys of Omnia had no ns to cross any mountains. Their route involved heading north, passing through several noble territories, and eventually crossing the border from the domain of Duke Armand. Hadn''t he been informed about it too? They thought, perplexed.


    Looking around the room, everyone from House Oubeniel showed no signs of questioning Tullius'' words. It was only the guests from Omnia who seemed puzzled.


    Elisha, apparently sensing something, addressed Turius,


    "Marquis Oubeniel, I can''t help but think, but has something happened in Armand? Some emergency that would impede our journey?"


    buniru-koushaku. Masaka to wa omou ga, Arumando de nani ka okotta no ka? Wareware no ryotei o habamu you na, hijou jitai ga.


    "As expected of Lady Balbastre, sharp as ever in matters like these. Yes, that''s correct. The reason for ourte arrival today is also due to receiving this report and devising countermeasures"


    Sasuga wa Barubasutoru-kyou, kou itta koto ni wa surudokute irassharu. Ee, sono toori desu yo. Kyou no chisan wa, sono houkoku o ukete taisaku ote ita to iu koto mo arimashite


    The young marquis said, shrugging his shoulders in a troubled manner before addressing the envoys.


    "Just a few days ago, Duke Armand was overthrown, and he has been detained in the capital. It seems that his territory is dissatisfied with this and is preparing to raise an army. If things go awry, not only the neighboring country but we''ll also face a civil war."


    Tsui senjitsu no koto na no desu ga, Arumando-koushaku wa shikkyaku shi, outo de migara o kousoku saremashita. Ano ryouchi de hako no koto o fufuku to shite kyohei no junbi o susumeteiru sou desu. Heta o sureba, ringoku dake janaku kono kuni demo naisen desu yo.


    "What did you say?"


    Nan, desu tte?


    Irmae''s eyes widened, and then her face turned pale.


    If war were to break out, the resentments of the dead and the hatred of the living would empower the monsters. They were sent to avoid such a scenario. Yet, even before reaching their destination as peace envoys, they were confronted with the prospect of war again. Confusion and disappointment were inevitable in such a situation.


    "In that case, it seems that the northern route to St. Gallen may be difficult for the time being. If you intend to cross into the neighboring country, you might want to wait for the situation to stabilize and proceed as initially nned. Alternatively, you could consider changing the route and taking the mountain path. Well, in any case, how about staying at our mansion for a while to contemte your decision?"


    Sou iu wake de, kitamawari de no Zankutogaren iki wa toubun muzukashiku naru no dewa nai ka to. Ringoku ni wataru no deareba, jousei ga ochitsuku no o o-machi ni nari tousho no yotei-doori ni sareru ka, sore to mo rto o henkou shite yamagoe no michi o ikareru ka maa, dochira ni seyo, shibaraku touke ni go-touryuu sare nagara go-shian sarete wa ikaga deshou ka?


    Stay for a while? In this mansion?


    For Yuuto, this suggestion seemed far from a joke. To stay under the same roof with a cold-blooded noble who would say ''It''s a waste'' first thing after witnessing the exploitation of the peasants, just the thought of it made him feel uneasy.


    "What on earth happened, exactly"


    Ittai, nani ga okotta tte iu nda


    Yuuto''s muttered words were more of aint directed at no one in particr about this sudden turn of events.


    However, it seemed to prompt Tullius to offer some well-intentioned interference.


    "We, too, have only received fragmentary information, but if you''re interested, I can provide an exnation"


    Boku-ra to shite mo, danpen-teki na jouhou shika haitte kite inai no desu ga ne. Sore demo yoroshikereba, go-setsumei itashimasu ga


    ~~~


    To be continued


    TL Note:


    Yaoyaoyaoyaoyaoyao my luck in Star Rail is *: .. o()o ..:* whilst in Genshin is bruh.


    This chapter was brought to you by my patrons, Sier, McConnaheyhey, TheHunt3r Gaming, Viks, Dan Ryder, Eger, Imperius, Pepe Feik, and Tony Derado. Thank you very much, guys!


    Support me in patreon to read the advanced chapters and help me release faster~

 Chapter 84: The Mad Kings Miniature Garden (1)

    Chapter 84: The Mad King''s Miniature Garden (1)


    The royal capital, Broussonne.


    The traces of the great fire that struck the city two years ago were gradually fading, and it was bustling with the excitement ofst year''s victory.


    At the entrance gate of the capital, a long procession with knights and an borately decorated carriage, drawn by horses, came to a halt. The gatekeepers, upon seeing the horses and the carriage, wore an expression of tension on their faces. Tied to the front carriage was a unicorn, a sacred and miraculous beast given only to those of high status close to the king.


    The coachman addressed the gatekeepers in amanding voice.


    "This is none other than the carriage of the esteemed House of Duke Armand! The Duke wishes to enter the capital as soon as possible. Open the gates!"


    Kore naru wa, kashikoku mo Arumando koushaku-ke no basha dearu! Kou wa soukyuu ni nyuukyou shitai to no ouse. Mon o ake yo!


    Duke Armand was a powerful noble who guarded the northern border with St. Gallen. He held considerable military authority and ruled over a vast territory with significant autonomy. Rather than one of the kingdom''s territories, his was closer to an independent principality. Even among regional forces that hold sway in the country, he was a heavyweight among heavyweights. That same person had suddenly appeared in Broussonne.


    "Y-yes! Immediately!"


    Ha, ha! Tadachi ni!


    Even though he was just a coachman, representing the Duke''s will gave him authority. There was no room for defiance against a representative of the Duke''s family. Even inspections were waived. Despite the sudden visit, when dealing with a Duke who was a royal rtive, suspicions of carrying prohibited items were unthinkable.


    The gates opened hastily. Observing themotion from inside the carriage was a manDuke Armand himself.


    Duke Armand was one of the foremost powers in the Arquell Kingdom. He had faced the neighboring country with unwavering determination for many years. In line with his illustrious background, he possessed a physique thatbined visible wealth with a well-toned, muscr body, which was apparent even as he lounged in the carriage. Despite his imposing appearance and the almost majestic way he rested his chin on his hand, there was a hint of irony in the sigh he let out.


    "The troops in the capital have certainly declined in quality."


    Outo no hei mo, zuibun to shitsu ga ochita mono da.


    Saying that, the Duke recalled the past.


    During the time when that impudent Marquis Lavallee was still alive, the soldiers defending Broussonne were not so timid. Even if one was a Duke, an outsider was an outsider. There was a spirit of "What business does a local noble have here?" That spirit was evident. However, now, they bow down to a mere coachman, even if that coachman was the Duke''s subordinate. In other words, the power of the Centralists had declined to that extent.


    A retainer apanying him expressed hispliance more openly.


    "Perhaps someone young like Langogne is insufficient after all."


    Yahari Rangnyu teido no kosaishi dewa fusoku ka to.


    "As well as Mearbahn who can''t suppress him."


    Sore o osae rarenu Meaban mo, na.


    Langogne, in his mid-thirties, just boasts big words without the capacity to rally the Centralists. Meanwhile his rival, Mearbahn, is not ipetent, but fundamentally, he shines as an assistant or an adviser. While it might have been eptable when Lavallee held the reins of power, in the absence of that old man, his presence tends to fade.


    "I heard that the rumored ''ve Killer'' has risen to the position of marquis, and he is now in charge of the defense of Elpis-Roanne."


    Kikeba, uwasa no [Dorei-goroshi]-me ga koushaku ni nobori, Erupisu-Ronu no mamori ni tsuita to iu ga.


    "To think they have to rely on such a fellow, it seems those city sparrows are truly desperate."


    Sono you na yakara o chouyou seneba naranu to wa, iyo iyo motte tosuzume-domo mo kyuu shita to miemasu na.


    Truly, they are, said Duke Armand whileughingit was a scornfulughter.


    The governor of the three provinces including Volden and Elpis-Roanne, the newly appointed Marquis Tullius Shernan Oubeniel. The duke was surprised by his military exploits inst year''s campaign, but regrettably the rumors about him were far from favorable. He spilled blood without reason, indulged in vulgar alchemy, making him a disdainful figure in noble society.


    The duke heard that he had recently teamed up with Margrave Doldran and had risen as the moderate faction, but he found itughable. Hailed from an upstart family with a history of only about two hundred years, and while being an unprecedented libertine even within that short history, to band together with his fellow rural folks to interfere in national politics was the height of audaciousness.


    Furthermore, the duke also heard that recently he had incorporated escaped peasants from various regions, including those who fled from Armand''s territory, into his domain. Even if he made an appeal for restitution, those settlers who transferred to Volden and Elpis-Roanne were previously not even recorded in the ledger such as third sons and the likes. In this situation he had no choice but to give up in frustration. What a cheeky thing to do.


    Granting such a rat-like man with a position and authority was nothing but a sign of the weakening of the Centralists. Whether to thoroughly clean up the court and then gradually strip him of his inappropriate attire or to swiftly clear up the matter and strike at the Centralists who were responsible for appointing him, the duke pondered his options. In any case, now that they had dealt a blow to St. Gallen, it was an opportune moment. The duke devised a n in his head.


    "Now before paying a visit to the royal pce, we need to discuss that matter."


    Sate oukyuu e shikou suru mae ni, sono koto o kyougi seneba na.


    Simultaneously with these muttered words, the carriage rocked forward.


    Thus, Duke Armand passed through the gates of the royal capital.


    A road that he''ll never pass again.


    ~~~


    Should he strike the declining Centralists, or should he strike the newly emerged moderates? The duke''s n was doomed to failure from the very first step.


    "What could this mean, Marquis Balbastre?"


    Dou iu koto ka na, Barubasutoru-kou?


    With a stern gaze, he refuted the man across the table.


    They were inside the residence prepared in the capital for the nobles, it was also the mansion of Marquis Balbastre who was considered a key figure among the Decentralists. For many years, he had been involved in reconciling the interests of the regions and the central authority. Despite his unassuming appearance, the Marquis had considerable influence. The proof of it was that one of his daughters, despite being a woman, ran away, joined the Royal Knights and teamed up with the Centralists, yet she still had a lifeline.


    Therefore, Duke Armand hade seeking advice since he couldn''t dismiss him outright, but


    "Let me reiterate. It seemed your grace had an important matter to discuss, but I insisted on waiting until you paid your respects to His Majesty before I listened."


    Ima ichido moushi agemashou. Nazo juuyou na go-soudan ga aru to miemasu ga, mazu wa onmi ga heika ni go-aisatsu nasattete kara ukagaimasu, to iwasete itadaita no desu yo.


    Marquis Balbastre said with a gentle smile on his narrow and amiable face.


    Duke Armand frowned.


    What are you saying? To pay respects to His Majesty, one must go to the royal pce. Since I wish to discuss how to face the dignitaries in that pce, that''s why I havee seeking advice


    Nani o iu ka. Heika e to haietsu suru ni wa oukyuu e omomukaneba naran. Sono oukyuu no o-rekireki ni dou soutaisuru ka, sore o soudan shitai to


    What unusual words.


    Kore wa i na o-kotoba.


    As the duke tried to argue vehemently, the marquis interrupted him with a rejection wrapped in calm.


    I didn''t think a person of Duke Armand''s stature would have difficulty in condemning someone in the pce at this point.


    Arumando-kou hodo no o-kata ga, ima sara kyuuchuu de mi o shosareru ni funyoi to wa omoemasen na.


    TL Note: I had a hard time understanding this sentence tell me if any of you know what it actually means:


    "Marquis Balbastre!"


    Barubasutoru-kou!


    His gnarled fists struck the oak table, causing the tea utensils to jump on the tes.


    "Do I have to say it clearly then you will understand?! How to face those wicked retainers of the pce! And, more broadly, how to deal with those who, without understanding their ce, have meddled in national affairs! That''s what I''m consulting about!"


    Hakkiri to mousaneba wakaranu ka!? Kyuuchuu no kanshin-domo to, dou soutaisuru ka! Hiite wa mi no hodo shirazu ni mo kokusei ni shasharidete kita renchuu o ikaga ni shosuru ka! Sore o hakarou to itte iru no da!


    His thunderous roar echoed in the reception room. It was an uncouth behavior, not fitting for one of the most prominent nobles in the kingdom. It wasn''t the kind of attitude someone would take toward a high-ranking aristocrat such as a marquis. However, Duke Armand was allowed such actions. His duke title that stood at the pinnacle of aristocratic society, formidable military authority, and bloodline connected to the royal familyall elements that shouldmand respect.


    Yet, the man in front of him, without regard for these factors, spoke without hesitation and showed no intention of yielding to his will. It was an inexplicable situation.


    Marquis Balbastre raised his eyebrows in response to the duke''s wrath and confusion. It wasn''t a displeased frown; rather, his eyebrows knitted together as if moved by a feeling of pity.


    "Are you worried about the country, aiming to eliminate the rogues in the pce and clear away the weeds that have spread in the regions?"


    Kuni o urei tame ni kyuuchuu no zoku o nozoki, chihou ni habikoridashita zassou o katazukeyou to?


    "Didn''t it sound like that?"


    Sou kikoen katta no ka?


    "No, I heard it clearly. I appreciate your grace''s noble intentions."


    Ie, shika to kiite orimashita. Sono o-kokorozashi wa taihen kekkou to zonjimasu.


    Balbastre held back a sigh as he lifted the cup to his lips as if to take a breather.


    To Armand, who was growing irritated with his behavior, the marquis continued, looking sorrowful.


    "However, the methods that your grace once employed for that purpose are somewhat"


    Desu ga, onmi ga katsute, sono tame ni o-tori ni narareta tedate wa, isasaka


    With a rattle, the table shook again. Armand''s rugged fingers, typical of a warrior, were gripping the edge of the table, and his hips were unceremoniously raised.


    The methods he had once employed for that purpose. The marquis'' words had elicited an intense reaction.


    "W-what What are you talking about?"


    Na, nani o nan no koto o itte iru?


    The duke, the highest-ranking noble in the kingdom, gasped and struggled to retort.


    Marquis Balbastre lowered his eyes as if he had guessed at an inference he didn''t want to be true.


    "Eliminating the centralists, eliminating the new Marquis Oubeniel and his supporters What will you do after that? Target other ducal houses? It''s hard to believe, but will your grace eventually try to put your hands on the thro"


    Chuuou shuuken-ha o nozoki, buniru-shin-koushaku-ra o nozoki sono saki wa dou nasaru no desu ka? Hoka no koushaku-ke o hyouteki to suru no deshou ka. Masaka to wa omoimasu ga, sono hate ni shison no za ni te o kake


    "D-don''t say such strange things!"


    I, i na koto o mousu na!


    His slurred speech, suppressed by emotion, was stopped by an unbearable scream.


    The marquis'' implication was beyond terrifying.


    Purging the centralists after the demise of Lavallee, then striking the emerging moderate faction led by Marquis Oubeniel. Up to that point, it seemed within the bounds ofmon political maneuvering. However, what came next was the cause for concern. Targeting other ducal houses. And ultimately, reaching for the sublime throneaiming for the royal seat. This essentially meant eliminatingpetitors to aspire to the throne.


    Does he have an intention of usurpation? Marquis Balbastre was expressing such suspicions to Duke Armand.


    Normally, one mightugh it off as absurd or angrily dismiss it as a baseless usation. However, what came out of the duke''s mouth was,


    "W-what nonsense U-unbelievable! Such a scheme, I I!"


    Ba, baka na koto o a, arien! Sono you na kuwadate nado, watashi wa, wa, watashi wa!


    It was a high-pitched, almost scream-like voice, devoid of any concealed agitation.


    The one who said the words that caused such an obvious reaction looked down and continued,


    "I had my suspicions, though. It''s been almost eight years... Prince Louis and Prince Philip. The first and second in line for the throne, both consecutively disappearing into hiding, and yet His Majesty has not appointed a new heir. Normally, it would be fitting to receive an heir from one of the esteemed ducal houses with royal blood. For instance, from a house like your grace''s, known for its illustrious martial achievements."


    Usu-usu desu ga, okashii to wa omotteita no desu. Mou hachi-nen mo mae ni narimasu ka Rui-denka to Firippu-denka. Ou-i keishou-ken no sai jou-i to daini-i no o-kata-tachi ga aitsuide okakure ni natta to iu no ni, heika wa arata na o yotsugi o taterarete orimasen. Tsuurei naraba, kashikoki chi o hikareru koushaku-ke no izureka kara, keishi o itadakareru beki suji desu no ni ne Tatoeba, bumei no kikoe mo takaki anata no o-ie desu to ka.


    The events of eight years ago, the poisoning of Crown Prince Louis and the subsequent suicide by poison of the suspect, Second Prince Philip. The sons of King Charles VIII died, it was a rare and significant tragedy. Compared to this, incidents like the Great Fire of the Capital or the War of Volden seemed trivial. After all, the heirs to the throne, the king''s sons, had met untimely deaths, marking an unprecedented and momentous event.


    As Balbastre had mentioned, under normal circumstances, a new heir should have been adopted from a ducal house with royal blood. However, even eight years after the events, there was still no clear sessor to the throne. This was a highly abnormal situation, especially considering that the king was entering old age, and his behavior, both in governance and daily life, was bing increasingly erratic.


    In terms of lineage, achievements, and influence, Duke Armand was considered the prime candidate for the throne. If he were to seed the aging king, whether by dethroning him or by having his son adopted as the crown prince, it would be deemed a natural course of events. However, this wasn''t the case. Why?


    "I-it was Lavallee''s doing Due to that old man''s arrangements, we, who reside in the provinces, are"


    Ra, Ravare no shiwaza da a, ano jii no sahai ni yotte, chihou ni kyosuru ware-ra wa


    "Yes, let''s presume it is the arrangements of that nowte-personage. But I am afraid that I can''t recognize someone whom I have suspected of harming the princes as the next king."


    Ee. Ima wa naki ano go-jin no sahai deshou tomo Osore ooku mo denka-ra o gaishi tatematsutta utagai aru mono o, jidai no ou to wa mitomeraremasen deshou.


    "Stop with your baseless spections!"


    Gesu na kanguri wa yose!


    Despite the duke''sint again, Balbastre simply shook his head slightly.


    Then, with a small sigh, he lifted his gaze. His eyes, as always, were directed at Duke Armand with a look of pity and resignationa gaze filled with sympathy and eptance, inappropriate for directing towards a duke of the kingdom.


    "It is with regret I must inform you that a letter has arrived from the High Court."


    Kokorogurushii koto desu ga mi o moushimasu to, koutouhouin kara shojou ga mawatte imashite.


    "What?"


    Nani?


    Duke Armand blinked at the sudden change in topic.


    The High Court, the judicial body that even judged nobles, a cornerstone of the kingdom''s justice system. Why was it now part of the conversation?


    "If your grace were to visit a ce beforeing to the pce, it would be here. In that case, I was told to station members of the Royal Knights in this mansion."


    Onmi ga kyuuchuu e shikou suru mae ni otozureru to shitara, mazu wa koko. Dearu nara, konoe no mono o yashiki ni tamuro saseyo to no koto deshite.


    As if those words were a signal, the door to the reception room was violently opened.


    Into the serene gathering ce for nobles, armed and robust men strode in unceremoniously. At their forefront was a knight, slender with a bureaucratic appearance, yet emanating a sharp and vignt aura.


    "Excuse the intrusion. I am the Acting Commander of the Second Royal Knights Order, Alfred Simon Prudelmashe."


    Shitsurei. Watashi wa konoe daini kishidan danchou daikou, Arufuretto Shimon Puryuderumashe dearimasu.


    The Royal Knights, and not just any, but the most renowned and elite Second Order.


    Reflexively, Armand red at Marquis Balbastre. The Second Royal Knights was well-known, partly due to the fact that Balbastre''s spirited daughter served as itsmander. Could this be a plot hidden behind the faade of this seemingly gentle and sensible man? It wouldn''t be unreasonable for the Duke to suspect so.


    The man introducing himself as the Acting Commander promptly spoke, cutting through Armand''s spective thoughts.


    "We have received a request from the High Court to inquire about the assassination of the Crown Prince eight years ago. Regrettably, Your Excellency Duke Armand, we would appreciate it if you are willing toe with us"


    Koutouhouin yori hachi-nen mae no ou taishi ansatsu jiken ni kanshite, onmi yori jijou o ukagaitai to no i o ukete orimasu. Osore nagara Arumando-koushaku-kakka ni wa, warera to go-doudou shite itadakitaku


    "You insolent!"


    Burei-mono!


    An indignant shout erupted, striking at the knight who introduced himself as Alfred.


    "Who do you think I am!? I am Duke Armand, scion of the royal branch andmander of the martial nobility that has supported the northern borders for generations!"


    Watashi o dare to kokoroeru!? Ouke no renshi ni shite hokuhen no ji o ruidai ni watari sasaeta bumon no touryou, Arumando-koushaku naru zo!


    He was the man that had defended the bordends for many years, leading tens of thousands in times of national crisis. Despite the remnants of his agitation, Armand thought that this was enough to intimidate a lone knight, even if he was one of the Royal Knights. However, events didn''t unfold as expected.


    "Yes, we are well aware. That''s precisely why we are refraining from forcing you and requesting your cooperation instead."


    Ee. Kokoroete orimasu. Desu kara muri ni hikitateru to iu burei o hikae, go-doukou o onegai shiteiru wake deshite.


    With a polite response, Alfred even managed a wry smile on his face.


    Understandably so, the Second Order was an outlier among the Royal Knights. These men were so loyal to theirmander who was now under a foreign sky that they were ridiculed by those who were ignorant as being not the king''s subjects but the Queen of Balbastre''s. There was no way that these seasoned warriors, who had been trained by the fierce tempered Elisha Rosemonde Balbastre, would be able to receive any intimidation from anyone other than their leader.


    TL Note: Yea I decided to change Elisha''s middle name to Rosemonde from now on.


    "If you refuse, there''s nothing we can do Please, everyone."


    Sore o o-kotowari ni narareru no deshitara, itashikata arimasen ne Onegai shimasu yo, mina-san.


    "Understood, sir Al. Excuse us, Your Grace."


    Hei, Aru no danna. Shitsurei shimasu ze, Koushaku-sama.


    Following the orders of the Acting Commander as well as the Vice-Commander, the knights approached the Duke and took hold of his arms. Despite being a martial figure, Duke Armand, fundamentally, was amander protected by those around him. Confronted by the strongestbat unit in the country, resistance would be futile. Swiftly, he found himself held by two knights, effectively immobilized.


    "R-release me! T-these parvenus pretending to be knights! By whose authority do you darey hands on me!?"


    Ha, hanase! Ko, kono kishi tomo ienu nariagari-domo ga! Dare no yurushi o ete kono mi ni furete oru!?


    "I already told you, it''s the High Court."


    Desu kara, koutouhouin desu yo.


    Bringing the name of the institution that oversaw the legal affairs of the kingdom only served to further intensify the Duke''s stubbornness. As long as the High Court was situated in the capital, it would inevitably have strong connections with central figures, and they were none other than the Centralist Faction, those in opposition to Duke Armand.


    "Who set this in motion?! Ba-Balbastre! Bastard, have you turned over to those parasites of the court!? Have you conspired against me!?"


    Sore o ugokashita no wa dareda? Ba, Barubasutoru! Kisama, kyuutei no kiseichuu-domo ni negaetta ka! Watashi o hakatta kaa!?


    Being ussed of switching allegiances, Marquis Balbastre, wearing an increasingly sympathetic expression, shook his head.


    "I don''t remember having turned against you. This time''s decision is


    Negaetta oboe nado arimasen. Konotabi no sahai wa


    "This is the picture I painted, Duke Armand."


    Watashi no kaita ezu sa. Arumando-koushaku.


    Taking over the marquis'' words, a new figure appeared in the room.


    Entering with a dedicated escort separate from the Royal Knights was a diminutive man adorned in ostentatious and dazzling attire. Despite his frail appearance, his voice resonated powerfully, capturing attention.


    The duke widened his eyes.


    No way. Such a


    The man he sincerely believed would never catch him off guard.


    With an oddly confident expression, he wore a mocking smile at him.


    "D-Duke Rochebourg?"


    Ro, Roshubru, -kou?


    ~~~


    To be continued


    TL Note:


    So I started ying Arknights a little while ago and that game is sooooo addicting aaaaagh but WHY THE GACHA IS SO EXPENSIVE it needs 6000 orundums like wth it''s the most expensive ten pulls I''ve ever see in games. And there''s also one BIG problem: I keep ying games while the end-of-school EXAM is next month omg I''m dying.


    Oh yea this chapter was brought to you by my patrons, Sier, McConnaheyhey, TheHunt3r Gaming, Viks, Dan Ryder, Eger, Imperius, Pepe Feik, Tony Derado, and Elevathor. Thank you very much, guys!


    Support me in patreon to read the advanced chapters and help me release faster~

 Chapter 84: The Mad Kings Miniature Garden (2)

    Chapter 84: The Mad King''s Miniature Garden (2)


    (Patreon)Ouroboros Record ~Circus of Oubeniel~Chapter 084 : The Mad King''s Miniature Garden (Part 2)


    "D-Duke Rochebourg?"


    Ro, Roshubru, -kou?


    The person who had danced ording to Lavallee''s strings and had been nothing more than a Puppet Prime Minister. An irredeemable fool who received a prestigious title of duke as a reward for working as a pawn of a conspiracy monger.


    The person he considered as a fool, on the contrary, was looking down on him as if he also considered him like that.


    Prime Minister Rochebourg boasted,


    "Since it seems like a gracious invitation won''t be enough to make you understand, let me be blunt You are under suspicion of being involved in the assassination of the Crown Prince eight years ago."


    Teichou na go-shoutai dewa rikai itadakenakatta to mieru no de, chokusai ni iou ka Kikou ni wa, hachi-nen mae no ou taishi ansatsu jiken ni kan''yo shita utagai ga kakatteiru.


    "W-what evidence do you have!? For what reason, would you try to frame yours truly!"


    Na, nani o shouko ni!? Do no you na yue atte, kono Arumando-kou o tsumi ni otoshi ireyou to iu no da!


    Shaking off his bewilderment, heunched a vehement verbal assault.


    In response, Rochebourg merely shrugged his shoulders, as if dismissing the outburst.


    "Kufufufu how pitiful. After all, humans can be as ugly as they need to be to escape danger, but does that mean even a duke associated with the royal family is no exception?"


    Kufufufu migurushii. Ningen to wa hikkyou, kinan o nogareru tame naraba doko made mo minikuku nareru mono da ga Ouke ni tsuranaru kou to wa ie, reigai dewa nai to iu koto ka na?


    "Lord Prime Minister, your words are a bit much."


    Saishou-kakka. Isasaka o kotoba ga sugimasu.


    In response to Marquis Balbastre''s admonition, the prime minister snorted as if displeased with the interference.


    "Hmph, Marquis Balbastre, you''re too lenient. But, never mind that. We don''t need unnecessary diversions. Now, as Duke Armand requested, let me show you irrefutable evidence."


    Fun, Barubasutoru-kou mo hito ga yoi na. Da ga, kamawan. Hanashi no dassen ga tsuzuku no mo nandearukara na. Dewa, koushaku no go-chuumon doori, yuruganu shouko o o-mise shiyou ka.


    Saying so, he pped his hands.


    As a signal, a poorly dressed woman appeared, escorted by the prime minister''s subordinates.


    The moment he saw her face, Duke Armand widened his eyes in disbelief.


    "Y-you, you are N-No way!?"


    O, oma, omae wa ba, baka na!?


    In response to the duke''s reaction, Rochebourg''s smile deepened. His smile clearly showed the satisfaction of a magician who has stunned his audience.


    With a triumphant smile, the prime minister continued,


    "She is the woman who eight years ago, at your instigation, was designated for Prince Philip. She testified, you know? That through you, she obtained poison and, as instructed, gave it to the prince, convincing him to drink it."


    Hachi-nen mae ni kikou ga tebiki shi, Firippu-ouji ni ategatta onna da. Kanojo ga shougen shite kureta zo? Kikou o tsuujite doku o te ni ire, ouji ni watashite taishi-denka ni nomaseru you ni to shiji o uketa to na.


    "I-Impossible! Th-This woman is This woman is"


    A, arien! Ko, kono onna wa kono onna wa


    Armand swallowed the rest of his words.


    He must not say it. If he spoke, it would only serve as further evidence.


    This woman was undoubtedly silenced by him.


    The witness that the prime minister brought, the perpetrator of the failed attempt on the prince''s life that Armand had once sent, had been certainly dealt with afterward. An agent deep within the shadows of the family, someone akin to a ghost among shadows, executed the mission, and there were indeed reports confirming the sessful killing.


    So, how was she alive and here now?


    Perhaps drunk with the pleasure of denouncing such a great noble, Rochebourg continued with a triumphant expression.


    "Well, well, it was quite a challenge to track down this one who barely survived the silencing. After all, there was a big fire here in Broussonne two years ago. It took a lot of effort to find her amidst themoners who lost their homes. Of course, it''s better than finding her burned to death Look, this is the one who used you and then threw you away like garbage, the one you detested so much, you know? Why don''t you say something?"


    Iya haya, karoujite kuchi fuuji kara ikinobita koyatsu o saguriateru no ni wa, kurou shita zo? Nani shiro, kono Bursennu wa oto-toshi ni mo taika ga atta kara na. Ie o nakushita hinmin-domo ni magireta naka kara sagashidasu no wa taisou hone deatta yo. Mottomo, yakeshinanakatta dake mashi dearu ka na Hore, omae o riyou shita ageku ni gomi no you ni suteta, nikkuki aite da zo? Nani ka iute yare.


    His tone was as if urging a dog or monkey to perform a trick.


    However, the ragged woman, pushed by those words, began to curse.


    "You liar!"


    U usotsuki!


    "Eek!?"


    Hi!?


    "Duke''s a liar! Y-you said, if I seeded, I would be the next king''s mistress If things went well, I could even be his wife!"


    Koushaku no usotsuki! Se, seikou shitara, atashi wa jiki koku-ou no aijin datte umaku sureba tsuma ni mo nareru tte, itta noni!


    While speaking, the woman reached out towards Armand.


    Cracked and contorted nails, skin stained and darkened with filth, unkempt hair covering her drooping face. Bloodshot eyes peering through the gaps.


    A blend of visceral disgust and guilt set Armand''s nerves on edge, tormenting him.


    He screamed.


    "Eeeeeek!? D-don''te! Don''t approach me! Stooop!!"


    Hiiiiiii!? Yo, yoru na! Kuru nja nai! Yameroo!!


    Despite his attempts to retreat or squirm, he couldn''t escape the restraints of the Royal Knights. As he could not move at all, the woman''s arm slowly approached him.


    "Liar! Die, you liar! I''ll kill you I''ll kill you, I''ll kill you I''ll kill you, I''ll kill you, I''ll kill you, I''llkillyouI''llkillyouI''llkillyouI''llkillYOUI''LLKILLYOUI''LLKILLYOUI''LLKILLYOUI''LL KILLYOUI''LL"


    Usotsuki! Shine, usotsuki! Koroshite yaru, koroshite yaru koroshite yaru, koroshite yaru koroshite yaru koroshite yaru koroshiteyarukoroshiteyarukoroshiteyarukoroshiteyarukoroshiteyaru koroshiteyarukoroshiteyarukoroshiteyarukoro!


    TL Note: Her mutterings start from proper kanji, then full hiragana andter full katakana. This means that her words be faster and more iprehensible.


    Just before the dirty hand filled with grudge could touch Duke Armand''s face,


    "That''s enough!"


    Soko made desu!


    Reaching from the side, Alfred intervened.


    "With all due respect, Your Excellency the Prime Minister, shouldn''t a confrontation between Duke Armand and this witness be conducted in a proper judicial setting?"


    Osore nagara saishou-kakka. Arumando-kou to kono shounin o taiketsu saseru no wa, o-sabaki no ba de nasaru beki dewa nai deshou ka?


    "Hmm?"


    Fuun?


    "It seems both the duke and the witness have lost control. Allowing this exchange to escte further might lead to mental and physical harm."


    Mireba kou mo shounin mo, tagai ni do o shisshite orimasureba. Amari ni mo koufun sasete shimatte wa, ranshin no amari ni shinshin o sokonau koto mo aru ka to.


    He was saying that before facing trial, the duke might get so agitated that he copses from a stroke or develops a serious heart condition, bing an untimely casualty.


    Alfred briefly shifted his gaze towards Marquis Balbastre. In response to the prompt from the knight who at the same time was his daughter''s subordinate, the host of the mansion nodded with a stern expression. Unlike his child, to the typically gentle Balbastre, the scene of grief that unfolded before his eyes must have been unbearable to watch. It would be even more so for Armand, who was the subject of this spectacle.


    With an unwilling expression, Rochebourg acknowledged Alfred''s plea.


    "Tch Well then. Hey, you."


    Chi Yoi darou. Oi, kisama.


    "KILLKILLKILLKILLKILLDIEDIEDIEDIE!"


    Korosukorosukorosukorosukorosushineshineshineshine!


    "Shut up."


    Damare.


    With just that one word, the female witness who had been on the verge of madness abruptly stopped.


    "A-ah, aah? P-prime, Minister?"


    A, a, aa? Sa, saishou, -sama?


    "I told you to shut up, you fool. Given the state of this man in turmoil after seeing you, it''s more than enough evidence. Going further than this is unnecessary."


    Damare to itta darou ga, guzu-me. Kisama no sugata o mite kono otoko ga kaku mo midareta ijou, shouko to shite wa juubun da. Kore ijou wa fuyou da to sa.


    "B-but! Th-this man he he used me"


    De, demo! Ko, koitsu kono otoko ga atashi o


    The prime minister narrowed his eyes and cast a cold gaze on the woman who continued to insist.


    "I said shut up."


    Watashi ga damare to itte iru nda.


    "Y-yes"


    Ha ha, i


    With that response, she wilted as if a thread had been cut from her.


    Rochebourg''s interest seemed to wane with that, so he turned to Balbastre with a friendly smile.


    "Well, it seems we''ve made quite amotion in your household, don''t you think so, Marquis? My apologies for the inconvenience caused even after making you cooperate in apprehending this heinous criminal."


    Iya haya, go-uchi juu o sawagaseta you dearu na koushaku? Taizai-nin o toraeru no ni kyouryoku shite morai nagara, shitsurei na koto ni natte sumanai na.


    "Your words are humbling."


    O-kotoba, katajikenaku.


    The marquis lowered his head with a stern expression and continued in a reserved tone.


    "Despite the suspicion of high treason, Duke Armand has served faithfully as a defender of our country for many years. Until his guilt is definitively established, I earnestly request"


    Daigyaku no utagai ga kakerareta to wa ie, Arumando-kou wa naganen waga kuni no sakimori to shite hatarakareta kou mo arimasu. Tsumi ari to kakutei suru made wa, dou ka nen''goro ni


    "The marquis is a merciful person, indeed."


    Koushaku wa jihi-bukai kata dearu na.


    Interrupting without hearing the end, Rochebourg wore a revealing expression and spoke.


    TL Note: /revealing expression meaning his expression revealed his real emotion/he doesn''t hide his real feeling anymore. I guess.


    "However, if you wish for that, wouldn''t it be best to beseech His Majesty? After all, it''s a crime of high treason, having taken the life of the future king. What''s scary is how the suspects are treated. I''m sure you have an idea about that."


    Da ga, sou negau no deareba, heika ni o-tanomi suru shika nai no dewa nai ka naa? Nanise, jidai no Ou o te ni kaketa daigyaku no tsumi dearu. Osoru beki tokoro mo, utagai no aru mono no atsukai ni tsuite wa kangae ga arou.


    "That is"


    Sore wa


    "If we speak of many years, the time that that person has spent to pursue revenge for his heirs isn''t short as well, don''t you think?"


    Naganen to iu no deareba, ano kata ga o-yotsugi-ra no kataki o oi motometeita nengetsu mo, mijikai mono dewa arumai?


    Eight years ago, Charles VIII''s anger and anguish over the incident became quite famous. Since that time, he visibly aged and became closed off even to those in his inner circle, including his closest advisors. As a suspect in such a significant assassination, it was unlikely that the duke could expect any mercy.


    Ignoring the pain in Balbastre''s heart, Rochebourgmanded the knights with authority.


    "What are you doing? Hurry up and take away this suspected traitor."


    Nani o shite iru? Daigyaku no utagai no aru tsumibito da, sousou ni hittateyo.


    "Y-yes, sir!"


    Ha, ha!


    The sturdy knights dragged both Duke Armand and the witness out. Leaving the stunned Marquis Balbastre behind, Rochebourg followed them into the corridor.


    The prime minister slowly reached into his pocket. A rustling sound of paper emanated from there. What he had hidden was a letter.


    The sender was none other than George Henry Lavallee, the now deceased former leader of the Centralist faction. In short, it was the same as the method used to force Elpis-Roanne on Tullius Oubeniel. That embodiment of regional suppression could not possibly ignore the opportunity to eliminate the Decentralist faction in his dying moments. Naturally, the evidence of the incident that he had captured eight years ago and used as a tool in his dealings also remained.


    However, the way the Prime Minister used it was beyond the imagination of even that seasoned conspirator.


    "Hehe Hehehe Well, well. This is quite simple."


    Fufu ufufu Naaanda. Kantan dewa nai ka, konna koto.


    With a snicker, he crushed the document hidden in his pocket.


    As if the n to intimidate Duke Armand by implying that he still had the evidence, the n to take advantage of the unrest to drive the Decentralist faction into internal discord, the n to attract the attention of Tullius and others to the conflict or to involve them the various schemes that were written in the document, was dismissed as nonsense.


    Duke Rochebourg, the Prime Minister of the kingdom. Having lost his puppet master, he concealed his own hidden motives and began to make moves contrary to the evaluations of those around him.


    ~~~


    "This is serious, Your Excellency!"


    Taihen desu, kakka!


    As Laubert burst into the office carrying news that had arrived from the capital, his master, Marquis Tullius Shernan Oubeniel, was in the process of cleaning up documents in an unusually serious manner.


    He looked up reluctantly, put down his brush in annoyance, and, with ack of tension, addressed his panicked subordinate.


    "What''s the matter, Laubert? Seems like you''re in such a rush that you forgot to knock. Has our useless king finally kicked the bucket? Or did the prime minister find a good second wife?"


    Nandai, Rubru. Nokku mo wasureru hodo awatechatte. Yakutatazu no Ou-sama ga tsuini kutabatta kai? Sore tomo, saishou ni ii atogama demo mitsukatta no ka na?


    "This is no time for jokes!"


    Joudan o itteru baai janai desu yo!


    TL Note: I don''t quite understand since  (atogama) mainly has three meanings, recement, sessor, and second wife so I''m not sure if Tullius intended to say that the prime minister has found a good recement for Lavallee to order him around or he was just joking about whether the prime minister has found a good sessor or second wife. But considering Lauberts response, the meaning for atogama that is closest to a joke in this context is second wife so yeah.


    "Calm down. It''s not like St. Gallen is attacking again, is it?"


    Ochitsuki na tte. Betsu ni mata Zankutogaren ga semete kita wake jaa nai ndarou?


    Laubert continued without hiding his displeasure towards his ever-carefree master.


    "If we''re careless, it might happen."


    Heta o suru to, sou naru kamo shiremasen.


    "Huh?"


    Ha?


    "An incident has urred in the capital. Duke Armand has been arrested as the perpetrator of the infamous assassination of the Crown Prince, and has been thwarted."


    Outo de jiken ga okimashita. Arumando-kou ga, rei no Ou taishi ansatsu jiken no hannin toshite tsukamari, tori tsubusareta ndesu.


    Upon hearing these words, even Tullius seemed genuinely surprised. For a moment, his eyes widened, and he shifted from his careless posture against the backrest to sit up attentively, ready to hear the detailed report.


    Laubert recounted the information brought from the capital throughmunication channels. Duke Armand, who had been responsible for defending against St. Gallen in the north of the newly acquired territory of Elpis-Roanne, had been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the assassination of Prince Louis eight years ago. The witness was a woman sent in as the mistress of the second prince at that time, who allegedly followed the duke''s instructions to deceive Philip and handed him a poison as a weapon. The woman had been targeted for assassination afterward to silence her. In addition to her testimony, numerous pieces of evidence supposedly hidden by Lavallee, delivered through the prime minister, were submitted to the High Court


    After Laubert finished his lengthy ount, Tullius nodded once.


    "Thank you for the report. Uni, prepare tea for him too."


    Houkoku gokurou-sama. Yuni, kare ni mo ocha o irete agete.


    "Yes, right away."


    Hai, tadaima.


    "No, this is no time to be drinking tea, is it!?"


    Iya, nonderu baai janai desho!?


    Laubert retorted, wondering where Tullius'' initial surprise had gone, seeing him so casually ordering his ve to serve tea.


    "The biggest aristocrat in the kingdom has been thwarted, you know!? The domestic situation is aplete mess! The Decentralists are seething with hostility, and the Centralists are rallying to strike while the iron is hot! If foreign powers take advantage of this chaos, especially the vindictive St. Gallen afterst year''s war"


    Oukoku saidai-kyuu no kizoku ga tori tsubusareta ndesu yo!? Kokunai jousei wa mechakucha desu! Bunken-ha renchuu wa sakkidatte irushi, shuuken-ha wa kono ki ni oi uchi o kakero nante ikimaite irushi! Sho gaikoku ni kono konran e tsukekomaretara taihen desu yo, toku ni kyonen no sensou de urami kotsuzui no Zankutogaren nanka ga


    "If St. Gallen were to attack Armand, our Elpis-Roanne, which is adjacent, wouldn''te out unscathed, right?"


    Zankutogaren ga Arumando ni semekondara, rinsetsu shiteiru bokura no Erupisu-Ronu datte tada ja sumanai tte iu ndaro?


    "If you understand that, then please panic more!"


    Wakatteiru nara, motto awatete kudasai yo!


    "There''s no point in panicking."


    Awatetatte shikatanai janai ka.


    As he spoke, Tullius shifted his weight back onto the chair, making it creak.


    "So? Does it seem like St. Gallen is about to make a move?"


    De? Sono Zankutogaren wa ima ni mo ugokidashi-sou na no kai?


    "N-no, that is"


    I, ie, sore wa


    Laubert hesitated.


    As suggested by his master, the neighboring country was not in a position to act immediately. After all, they were in the midst of a civil war. Even if they were to change their ns and expedite military preparations to take advantage of the political upheaval in Arquell, it would still have taken time to reorganize their forces, even for a military state like St. Gallen.


    "Even within this country, it is the same. If the Centralist faction and the Decentralist faction want to fight, then let them do as they pleased. We have no reason to help either of them. Rather, both sides view me as an enemy."


    Kokunai datte sou sa. Chuuou shuuken-ha to chihou bunken-ha ga arasou tte iu no nara, suki ni sasete okeba ii. Boku-ra ga kare-ra o tasukete yaru doori wa nai darou ni. Sore dokoro ka, dhi-tomo boku no koto o tekishi shiteru nda shi ne.


    "That is certainly true, but"


    Tashika ni sou desu ga


    "Tea is ready."


    Ocha ga hairimashita.


    "Ah, thank you."


    A, doumo.


    He took the tea that Uni offered and reflexively drank it. Meanwhile Tullius, with his chin moistened by the steam rising from the cup, appeared lost in thought.


    "Something felt off."


    Nanka, fushizen nanda yo nee.


    "What did you mean?"


    To, osshaimasu to?


    "About that prime minister No, that''s one thing, but there''s something else"


    Ano saishou no koto Iya, sore mo aru nda kedo hoka ni mo


    As he spoke, he pointed towards the maid with his hand still holding the cup.


    "How about Uni?"


    Yuni wa dou dai?


    "A woman who should have been dead took the witness stand. I felt like I had heard a simr story somewhere."


    Shinda hazu no onna ga shougen-dai ni agaru. Doko ka de kiita hanashi no you na ki mo itashimasu.


    That''s true, Laubert thought.


    The trialmotion his master and she were involved in two years ago. Even in that incident, a person thought to have died eleven years ago suddenly appeared, surprising everyone. But he was more amazed at how his master and the others dealt with the ghost-like figure


    Regardless of the sentiments of the domestic affairs official, Tullius agreed.


    "Yeah. I was concerned about that too I wonder if such things can happen twice?"


    Aa. Boku mo soko ga ki ni kakatte ita nda Konna koto ga nido mo tsuzuku mono na no ka na?


    "Because it did happen twice, which is why Duke Armand was captured in the first ce, right?"


    Tsuzuita kara koso, Arumando-kou wa tsukamatta nja nai desu ka.


    Laubert said that, but he ignored it and continued to speak to Uni.


    "Sorry, but I''d like you to make a quick trip to the capital. The informationwork of factions alone is not enough. Go and check it out with your own eyes."


    Warui keredo, chotto outo made hitoppashiri tanomu yo. Habatsu no jouhou-mou dake ja mono tarinai. Kimi no me de jika ni tashikamete kite kure.


    "As you wish. Then, I''ll go right away."


    Kashikomarimashita. Dewa, sugu ni demo.


    As soon as she said that, the ve in maid uniform suddenly disappeared. It was impossible for Laubert, who was just an ordinary person, to follow her movements.


    Having sent out his faithful ''masterpiece,'' Tullius sipped his tea as if regretting her departure.


    "Damn, things never go as nned, huh?"


    Ttaku, monogoto tte no wa hontou ni yotei doori ni susumanai ne.


    ~~~


    A week after his arrest, with a trial that could hardly be called a trial between it, Duke Armand was executed. Some questioned the haste, deeming it too swift for judging the highest-ranking noble. Although voices were raised, questioning why things were progressing so quickly, they were ultimately ignored and silenced.


    The swift proceedings were attributed not only to the conclusive evidence presented by Prime Minister Rochebourg and others but also to the strong will of King Charles VIII. After eight years, he had finally captured the revenge for his sons, and there was no intention of letting him escape or showing any mercy.


    Furthermore, the king''s wrath was not limited to the duke alone. Duke Armand''s family and followers who hade to the capital to plead for their life were all captured, ensuring that they would follow in the footsteps of the condemned duke.


    The people were shaken. The seemingly apathetic and ipetent king had hidden a depth of passion that caught everyone off guard, instilling fear in them. The measures taken were so swift and decisive that itpletely changed the perception of the king in the eyes of the public.


    The aging king, who had undergone such a transformation in public opinion, appeared exhausted as if he had expended all his energy in the series of events.


    "I offer my deepest sympathy, Your Majesty."


    Shinjuu, o-sasshi itashimasu. Heika.


    "Yes"


    Umu


    Seated on the chair in his chamber, slouching slightly, the king responded to the prime minister''s words with a weak nod. In order to execute Duke Armand, Rochebourg had disyed boundless energy. He presented various pieces of evidence entrusted to him by Lavallee, tracked down witnesses who had been silenced, and not only devised strategies for the arrest but also tookmand on the scene. What truly astonished onlookers was not only King Charles VIII''s fervent hatred but also the remarkable actions of this man, who was perceived as a puppet of the centralists.


    The prime minister spoke with an ambiguous smile, expressing his pity and adherence.


    "However, with this, the cause for concern has been eliminated. How about taking this opportunity to secure a clear sessor?"


    Desu ga, kore de o yuuryo no tane wa nozokaremashita. Ikaga deshou, kore o ki ni o-yotsugi o kakutaru mono to nasatte wa.


    Indeed, as Rochebourg suggested, it was an opportune time to designate a new heir. The perpetrator of the events from eight years ago had been eliminated. There was no need to fear passing everything to the one who had killed his son. Charles was already aging, and it was time to settle future matters; otherwise, there might be unrest.


    However,


    "Give me a little more time to ponder this."


    Ima sukoshi, kangaesasei.


    The king''s statement revealed a contrary intention. The prime minister furrowed his brow as if troubled.


    "With all due respect, Your Majesty ensuring the continuation of the royal lineage is also one of your duties. Moreover, without a clear sessor, there is a risk that new and unexpected contenders may emerge."


    Osore nagara heika outou o nochi no yo ni nokosu mo onmi no tsutome no uchi desu zo. Sore ni kakutaru koukei o sadameraremasen to, mata zoro arata na ryogai-mono ga arawareru koto mo aru ka to.


    While an heir remained undecided, other ducal houses might have been tempted to vie for the position. To prevent this, it was crucial for the king to personally designate a sessor, curbing any potential session disputes.


    Charles understood Rochebourg''s point. However, he also harbored another thought.


    (Even my rightful heir, Louis, was killed, wasn''t it.)


    (Yo no kakutaru taishi deatta Rui mo, korosarete shimatta dewa nai ka.)


    Certainly, the circumstances of the past and present were different. At the time of the previous events, Armand and other nobles only saw the king''s mediocre side, but now he exhibited a fierce aspect against the major conspirator. There was a high likelihood that they would be cautious and avoid any imprudent actions, fearing a fate simr to the duke''s.


    Still, he hated what he hated.


    (Relinquish the vacant throne left by the absence of my sons to someone whose blood ties are questionable, he said?)


    (Musuko-ra ga inakunatte suita gyokuza o, aru ka nashi ka no ketsuen shika motanu mono ni yuzuru da to?)


    The very thought of it turned his stomach.


    Forced to sit on a chair he''d rather avoid, wearing down his nerves with political affairs he had no desire for, and, in the end, losing his children, only to hand over everything to people who seemed nothing more than strangers? It was genuinely a ludicrous turn of events. In that case, what was the purpose of a man named Charles'' life? He avenged his sons, but did he only settle the score? It was insufficient even to apologize to Louis and Philip in the afterlife.


    He needed more. Achievements. Authority. Reverence. Something that he could proudly proim to the entire world that he was Charles VIII, the King of Arquell. Otherwise, the blood shed by his sons would be in vain. They would end up as sons who died in conspiracies over an insignificant throne.


    I absolutely wouldn''t allow such a thing to happen


    "Regarding the heir, I''ll convey my decision once it''s settled. For now, let''s discuss another matter."


    Yotsugi e no kangae wa, kimari shidai otte tsutaeru. Ima wa betsu no ken''an ni tsuite da.


    Concealing his inner thoughts, he spoke, and Rochebourg reluctantly nodded.


    "Yes. Is it about the further expansion of the Royal Knights Order?"


    Hai. Konoe no sara naru kakujuu ni tsuite, desu na?


    "Yes. Six knight orders are insufficient to protect the royal household and fulfill my intentions. Especially when one of them is nothing more than a decorative piece."


    Umu. Kinchuu o mamori yo no ikou o kanaeru no ni, kishi-dan rokko dewa tarinu. Mashiteya, sono uchi hitotsu ga tai no yoi kazari-mono dewa na.


    What Charles was talking about was the First Royal Knight Order. It consisted of the sons of high-ranking nobles, essentially those close to Armand and the Decentralist faction. Just that fact alone was unpleasant, but what was more, their training was considerably inferiorpared to the other knight orders, making them far from a reliable force.


    "To start with, preparations for establishing the Seventh Knight Order are in progress. Thete Marquis Lavallee had been advancing the preparations for its establishment, so we should be able to make the arrangements promptly."


    Te-hajime ni, dai-nana no kishi-dan o arata ni moukeru junbi wa dekite orimasu. Kochira wa sendai Ravare-kou ga setsuritsu no junbi o susumete imashita no de, sumiyaka ni youi dekiru ka to.


    "In addition, promote the permanent establishment of the garrison in the capital. Against external enemies like St. Gallen and internal troubles like Armandin case of any sudden incidents, I''m uneasy relying solely on the knight orders; we need reliable forces as our hands and feet."


    Awasete, outo ni tsumeru hei-dan no jousetsu-ka mo oshi-susumeyo. Zankutogaren no gotoki iteki no yakara ni, Arumando-me no you na naikan. Itchou koto atta sai, izure ni shosuru ni mo, waga te-ashi to naru mono ga kishi-dan dake dewa kokoromotonai.


    "As Your Majesty wishes."


    Go-eiryo, kashikomatte gozaimasu.


    Rochebourg bowed deeply. Charles then gestured for him to leave.


    The prime minister obediently left.


    Left alone, the king pondered for a moment.


    "Ensure the protection of the royal household and fulfill my intentions, huh?"


    Kinchuu o mamori yo no ikou o kanaeru, ka.


    What exactly were his intentions?


    Recing the long-standing lethargy and discontent that had nested in his heart for years, it was something that even he couldn''t clearly identify now. Charles savored this indistinct sensation for a while.


    ~~~


    There were eyes gazing at that scene from outside the castle walls, through the windows.


    The owner of the green-eyed gaze, Uni, slightly furrowed her brows.


    "You seem to have changed quite a bit."


    Kore wa mata, zuibun to o-kawari ni narareta you desu.


    Muttering to herself, she then threw her body from the perch, allowing a free-fall. She had already gathered the information she needed. Now, she had to quickly return to her master and report this matter.


    She caught a glimpse of the darkness of the kingdom and vanished into the night of the capital.


    It was only three days before the delegation from Omnia arrived in Volden.


    ~~~


    To be continued


    Author Note:


    They only told Yuuto and the others about the outline of the happenings before the first half.


    ~~~


    TL Note:


    Wow, things escted so fast. Poor Duke Armand :>


    And yeah this chapter was brought to you by my patrons, Sier, McConnaheyhey, TheHunt3r Gaming, Viks, Dan Ryder, Eger, Imperius, Pepe Feik, Tony Derado, and Elevathor. Thank you very much, guys!


    Support me in patreon to read the advanced chapters!


    (Patreon)

 Chapter 85: Swinging Scales (1)

    Chapter 85: Swinging Scales (1)


    (Patreon)Ouroboros Record ~Circus of Oubeniel~Chapter 085 : Swinging Scales (Part 1)


    Early morning. The crisp, cold air was being split by the heavy, buzzing sound of a swiftly cutting wind. Even without witnessing the actual scene, anyone with knowledge would sense what was happening from the precise and rhythmic sounds. The repetitive action of making a heavy object swing down, making a continuous sound


    "One-fifty One-fifty-one One-fifty-two!"


    Ichi go rei Ichi go ichi Ichi go ni!


    That is, training through sword swings.


    Yuuto, now in the front yard of the Oubeniel residence in Volden, grasped his sword and devoted himself to morning practice. Since arriving in this world, this had be his habit. Back in Japan, he was oftenx with morning club activities, but now, things felt different.


    "One-seventy-four One-seventy-five One-seventy-eight!"


    Ichi nana shi Ichi nana go Ichi nana hachi!


    TL Note: Whyd he skipped 176 and 177?


    A dark, muddy emotion nestled within his chestanxiety, frustration, a sense of powerlessness. In moments of idle thought, these feelings would rise and torment him. Staying still was unbearable. He had to move his body resolutely, allowing the sweat to wash away the sediment of inner turmoil, or else it felt like he might burst out.


    "One-eighty-nine One-ny One-ny-one!"


    Ichi hachi kyuu Ichi kyuu rei Ichi kyuu ichi!


    As Yuuto approached the count of two hundred swings, a subtleyer of sweat began to appear on the boy''s face. The breath of his warmed body created a faint mist in the still chilly cold air of the hignds. Though he had only been practicing this habit for about a month, he was already finding a hundred or two hundred swings insufficient. Unless he reached at least five hundred, he wouldn''t enter the realm where exhaustion wouldn''t cause him to be unable to think about anything.


    "Two-eleven Two-twelve Two-thirteen!"


    Ni ichi ichi ni ichi ni ni ichi san!


    Swinging the sword like this, he would sometimes start to see the figure of an opponent standing before him. At times, it was Phantony, themander of the Holy Knights. Therge man, who, on top of restraining himself on him, had beaten him soundly when he took a sword for the first time, woulde to mind with his unpleasantly prim appearance. On other asions, it was Elisha, his usual sparring partner. The shing thrusts and dancing shes from her sharp de made him feel as if he could never keep up, no matter how many times he tried.


    Facing the imaginary foes in his mind, Yuuto continued to unleash the same technique without change. Of course, he could also picture the opponent avoiding, parrying, and deflecting, but he paid no mind and repeated the motion.


    ''First, try to master one technique until you are satisfied.''


    Mazu wa hitotsu no waza o nattoku iku made kiwamete miro.


    Elisha had advised him so when he expressed dissatisfaction with the repetitive training.


    ''What you need is to build a body for wielding a sword. Learning intricate tactics and maneuvers shoulde after you can handle at least one sword technique properly. Just keep swinging with that same move until you can confidently say that you have mastered it. Be a machine that can deliver that one strike without hesitation.''


    Omae ni hitsuyou na no wa, ken o furuu tame no karada o tsukuru koto da. Kakehiki o manabu nado to itta komiitta mane wa, itchou mae ni ken-fuu no hitotsu mo tate rareru you ni natte kara suru koto darou ni. Tonikaku, kono ichigeki dake wa jishin ga moteru to ieru you ni naru made, sono kata de furi tsuzukero. Sono hito-tachi o kuridasu dake no kikai ni nare.


    Would a sword confined to such a pattern be useful in actualbat? When Yuuto raised this question, she gave him a sharp re.


    ''Don''t speak arrogantly, boy. There''s nothing more useless in realbat than a greenhorn''s tactics. Besides, a form is designed to deliver techniques most efficiently when followed urately. It''s like an inheritance of wisdom left by countless predecessors. First, conform to the form. Conform, grow within the form, and break out from the inside. Once you can do that, you''re just about half-baked. Before you start acting like a full-fledged swordsman away from the form, strive to at least be half-decent.''


    Namaiki na koto o iu na yo, shounen. Namabyouhou hodo jissen de yakunitatanu mono wa nai. Somosomo kata to wa, sono toori ni ugokeba mottomo kouritsu yoku waza o kuridaseru you ni naru mono da. Iwaba, musuu no sendatsu ga nokoshita chie no isan na no da zo? Mazu wa kata ni hamare. Hamatte, kata no naka de ookiku nari, uchigawa kara yabure. Sore ga dekite, youyaku han-nin-mae da. Kata kara hanareta ichi-nin-mae o kidoru mae ni, mazu wa han-nin-mae-teido ni hanareru you hagemu ga ii.


    Since then, Yuuto had silently continued practicing the same form, following her words. He had chosen the downward strike from abovea mental image of cutting through an obstacle that loomed in front of him, splitting it apart from the top. It felt most suitable for him, as if he were cutting away something dark coiled within.


    "Two-forty-seven Two-forty-eight Two-forty-nine!"


    Ni shi nana ni shi hatsu ni shi kyuu!


    TL Note: By the way, I don''t trante this line as two hundred forty seven and such, the same with the previous lines. That is because in the raw, the kanji is like this /ni-shi-nana and not like this /ni-hyaku yon-juu nana. Same with the rest of Yuutos lines previously. Its different, right? You get my point? Im not really good at exining :>


    In the imagined scene that yed in his mind, the downward strike he executed went towards the imaginary opponent. Phantony, standing like a solid mountain, swatted it away. Elisha''s dazzling thrust, as if blinding the eyes, disrupted his attack right from the initial movement. At times, even a stationary opponent would easily dodge by just partially opening their stance. None of the imagined moves seemed effective against the virtual adversary.


    However, it was much better than the early days when he felt only a sense of impending failure, causing him to stop swinging for no apparent reason. Looking back now, he gradually began to understand how the opponent reacted, why certain strikes didn''t work. Like, ''oh, thest onecked half a step in the step-in, or downward strikes are ipatible when the opponent adopts this posture, or maybe fundamentally, myck of muscle strength makes the sword speed too slow''his own shorings and his opponent''s superiority were bing clearer.


    He was making progress. The tangible sense of advancement not only distracted Yuuto from his exhaustion but also provided a solid motivation. It was the satisfaction of getting stronger that fueled his training.


    "Two hundred fif!?"


    Ni-hyaku go-ju!?


    TL Note: But instead of shortening the numbers like before, here, Yuuto suddenly uses theplete form (or whatever I don''t know how to say it) so I was confused, cause, like, its inconsistent, right? Well maybe to some of you its just a trivial matter but Im quite a perfectionist in weird ces here, you see? :>


    His training came to an abrupt halt as he stopped the sword he swung with force midway, causing him to step awkwardly due to inertia. He was far from reaching his goal of five hundred swings. However, the reason he stopped was because he felt a gaze directed towards him.


    Someone was watching him. Recognizing that intuition, he straightened up again and nced around. It wasn''t a familiar figure like Elisha, who supervised his training. Nor was it someone he didn''t need to care about, like the other priests. It was a gaze that felt different from Irmae''s considerate look, a sensation akin to being targeted by an intelligent carnivore from the shadows. He felt as if he were being assessed by a vignt opponent, a superior and formidable foe.


    "Wh-who''s there!?"


    Da, dare da!?


    As he raised his voice in a strained manner, a man emerged from the shadows in the garden.


    He wasrge. While not as imposing as Phantony, he was a tall and robust man, clearly well-trained and muscr. Looking at his face, Yuuto suddenly remembered who the man was.


    "Yoo, youngd. Did I interrupt something?"


    Yoo, bouzu. Jama shi chimatta kai?


    "You''re the one from yesterday"


    Anta wa, kinou no


    The man was the bodyguard-like ck-d swordsman who served as Tullius'' attendant during yesterday''s audience. He carried arge two-handed sword that resembled a cross on his back. Despite his wry smile, as if apologizing for his peeping, Yuuto couldn''t help but feel a sense of intimidation from his imposing presence.


    "Come to think of it, I haven''t introduced myself yet. I''m Due Schwarzer. I''m technically the Chief Military Officersomething like an imitation of a knightin this Oubeniel family. Nice to meet ya."


    Sou iya, mada nanotte nakatta na. Ore~a, De Shubaruts tte nda. Ichiou, kono buniru-ke de bukan no hittou, kishi no mane-goto mitee na koto o yarasareteru. Yoroshiku na.


    "A-ah Um, I''m Yuuto Erimiya. Nice to meet you too."


    A, aa etto, Yuuto Erimiya desu. Kochira koso yoroshiku.


    "No need to be so formal. Talking casually makes things easier for both of us, right? I am a former adventurer frommoner origins, so all the fancy talk makes my tongue feels like it''ll get crooked."


    Tamekuchi de kamawanee yo. Shi no hou ga otagai hanashi yasui daro? Kochitora heimin agari no moto bouken-sha dakara na. Kata kkurushii kotoba-zukai wa dou ni mo shita ga tsuri-sou ni nara~a.


    "Okay Well, from now on let''s just dispense with the formalities then"


    Haa nja, kore kara wa enryo nashi tte koto de


    Responding more casually than he expected, he found himself bewildered instead. Even though this rough-looking man acted friendly towards him, instead of feeling reassured, he couldn''t help but feel anxious as if he''d be devoured before anything else. It felt like dealing with a slightly delinquent-like senior from a sports club.


    The man who introduced himself as Due continued talking without minding Yuuto''s hesitation.


    "You were practicing quite earnestly. It reminded me of the past. When I was a brat, I used to swing my sword non-stop like that, never getting tired."


    Omae-san, zuibun to nesshin ni keiko shiteita ja nee ka. Ore mo omowazu mukashi o omoidashi chimatta ze. Gaki no koro~a yo, sou yatte aki mo sezu ni bunbun to soburi bakka shiteita mon da.


    "Is that, Is that so."


    Sou nan de, sou na no ka.


    TL Note: There''s no difference in english But in Japanese Yuuto actually was about to reply in a formal tone but he quickly changed to a casual one.


    "Yeah. After all, Ick education, as you can see. I didn''t want others to look down on me, so I dedicated myself to bing better with the sword day and night. Thanks to thatnot just that, but it yed a partI managed to rise up in the world."


    Aa. Mite no toori, kyouyou nanza sora kkishi dakara na. Hoka no renchuu ni nameraretaku nee, itsuka koitsu de nariagaritee tte, shirokujichuu ken no keiko sa. Sono okagebakari demo nee ga, kou yatte ikkado ni wa naretatte koto sa.


    In short, he seemed to be recalling the hardships he faced when seeing Yuuto''s diligent efforts.


    (What can I say he''s got an old man''s way of thinking)


    (Nante iu ka, jiji-musai koto kangaeru nda naa)


    Reflecting on the days of his youth despite his young looks made Due appear like an elderly to Yuuto. Perhaps because of his stern demeanor, Due looked older than he actually was, but he was probably still in his mid-twenties. Maybe it was too early for him to harbor an old-soldier-like sentiment.


    No, maybe not, he thought it over. After all, even seniors in his club used to reminisce, saying things like, "Back when we were first-years" despite being only a year or two older. Reflecting on one''s past experiences when witnessing the struggles of those younger seemed to be amon habit that transcends age.


    "By the way, changing the subject, can I ask ya something?"


    Tokoro de hanashi wa kawaru kedo yo, hitotsu kiite ii ka?


    "What is it?"


    Nan da?


    "Yesterday, you were summoned by masterthe duke, and had quite a lengthy conversation. What was it about?"


    Kinou, go-shujinkoushaku ni yobarete, zuibun to hanashikondeita mitee dake do, nan no hanashi datta ndai.


    Upon Due''s inquiry, he recalled the events of the previous night. They had been informed that there were signs of rebellion in the Duchy of Armand due to the arrest of the duke, making it difficult to pass through. As a result, the delegation had no choice but to suddenly change its route to cross the mountains in order to head to its destination, St. Gallen, and stayed in Volden to prepare for the trip and to gather strength. Partly because of this, the young marquis had invited him for a chat without hesitation.


    "It wasn''t anything significant. He just asked me a lot of questions, since he said people like me are rare and all. Like where I used to live, the kind of people there, what the food was like"


    Betsuni taishita koto wa nakatta yo. Ore mitai na jinshu wa mezurashii kara tte, iroiro kikareta dake sa. Ore no kurashiteita no wa donna tokoro da to ka, donna hito ga iru no da to ka, kui-mono wa dou da to ka


    Recalling being bombarded with questions for hours, he spoke with a sense of weariness. That ordeal was truly exhausting. After all, he didn''t really like Tullius. Spending a long time talking in the same room with such a person was tantamount to torture. To make matters worse, in an attempt to exin about Japan in a way understandable to people in this world, he tried topare it to things here, but


    ''Aah, you don''t need to force yourself to adapt it. I''ll verify it on my ownter, so just tell me about your world in your own words.''


    Aa, muri ni hon''an wa kuwaenakute ii yo. Khi no hou de ato kara kenshou suru kara, kimi wa kimi no kotoba de mukou no koto o oshiete kurereba ii.


    He was told like that.


    Honestly, it didn''t feel good to have his consideration wasted. Though, Tullius wasn''t a pleasantpanion to begin with.


    Furthermore, Tullius showed an unusually keen interest in Yuuto''s belongings. He vividly remembered Turius diligently examining the smartphone that had remained silent without a charge sinceing to this world. He attempted to cast a magic called "Detect" or something, and, in the end, even trying to dismantle it Since Yuuto wanted to somehow return to his original world and nned to use it upon his return, he couldn''t help but worry because his precious item was almost damaged.


    And also,


    "I think the strange thing is that he even asked me about the year."


    kawatta tokoro ja, nengou made kikareta ka na.


    "The year?"


    Nengou daa?


    "Living in and different from this continent means the culture must be different, he said. He seemed interested in how people from a different continent count their years or something like that."


    Kono tairiku to wa chigau tochi ni kurashiteita tte koto wa, bunka mo chigau darou tte sa. I-tairiku no ningen ga donna fuu ni toshi o kazoete iru no ka kyoumi ga aru to ka nan to ka.


    When Yuuto told him the current year in the Gregorian calendar, Tullius made a gesture of counting to his fingertips, and then he looked strangely convinced. Even though Yuuto asked for the meaning, it seemed like the other side had no intention of answering.


    Just as he drooped his head, thinking about how exhausting it was to even recall it, Due''srge hand patted him on the shoulder. It seemed like he was trying tofort him.


    "I don''t really get it, but it must''ve been tough,d. Dealing with that bastard must''ve been; a disaster."


    Nanda ka yoku wakaranee kedo, sainan datta naa bouzu. Taihen dattaro, ano yarou no aite wa.


    "Yeah, it was really tiring but is it okay to talk about the person you serve like that?"


    Aa, hontou ni tsukareta tte, ii no ka yo? Tsukaeteiru hito no koto, sonna fuu ni itte.


    "In normal cases, it might not be okay, but it''s fine in our case. My status is the one that has various restrictions, but at least not being bound by words is some kind of relief."


    Futsuu nara yo ka~a nee darou ga, ore to aitsu no baai wa ii nda yo. Iroiro to shibari ga aru mibun da ga, kuchi dake~a shibararete nee no ga semete mo no sukui da ze


    There was a clear disgust in Due''s expression. It seemed that this man, Tullius, was not a very worthwhile master even from the perspective of his subordinate.


    "Sorry for bringing up such a gloomy topic early in the morning. As an apology, how about I apany you in your training?"


    Warui na, asappara kara shinki-kusaku naru you na hanashi shi chimatte yo. Wabi to ha nanda ga, keiko ni tsukiatte yarou ka?


    Suddenly, Due proposed such a thing. Given that Yuuto''s practice was interrupted by him speaking to him from the side, it was a wee offer. Even though they were both wielding swords, advice from an experienced practitioner would be beneficial, and it was also appealing to learn various techniques of many different types of swordsmen.


    "Is it okay?"


    Ii no ka?


    "Yeah. I got inspired by you, or rather, you made me remember my initial resolution. This is an apology for getting in the way and also a thank you Come on, get ready. I''ll coach ya."


    Aa. Ore mo bouzu ni shokuhatsu sareta tte iu ka, shoshin o omoidashi chimatta nde na. Jama shita wabi ken sono orei tte yatsu sa Hore, kamae na. hou monde yaru.


    The man in ck spoke while unsheathing the two-handed sword on his back. Its glint reflecting the morning sun made his heart skip a beat.


    "A serious match, huh?"


    Shinken shiai, ka?


    TL Note: The phrase  (Shinken) in  (Shinken shiai) can also mean real swords so another meaning of this line is a match using real swords.


    He usually only used practice wooden swords with blunted edges, and he had never been involved in a serious sword fight. This was his first experience with a drawn de pointed at him.


    He then nced down at the longsword in his own hands. It was given to him by Irmae for self-defense during this journey. A practical weaponmeaning, it was also a real sword.


    A single mistake could lead to someone''s death. No, if things went poorly, they both might end up falling in a mutual strike. Smirking at his concern for such a possibility, Due reassured him.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll make sure to hold back, andI''m not the type to get cut down by a novice."


    Anshin shi na. Chanto sundome wa shite yaru shihiyokko ni kira reru you na ore ja nee yo.


    Given such assurance, Yuuto couldn''t just back down.


    (Even if it''s light, he''s wearing armor, anyway.)


    (Koitsu, karume to wa ie yoroi o kikonderu shi na.)


    As long as the opponent had armor, even if by chance his sword struck him, it wouldn''t likely result in a disaster. With that thought, he readily prepared himself for what was toe.


    "Alright, make sure to dodge, alright? It''s nothing to boast about, but I still can''t hold back, after all."


    Jaa, chanto sakete kure yo? Jiman ni wa naranai kedo, ore wa mada sundome to ka dekinai kara na.


    As he spoke with the longsword poised and his eyes focused, the man with the two-handed sword before him deepened his smile.


    "Hah! It''s ten years too early for ya to have thoughts like that Come at me."


    Ha! Nna koto kangaen no wa juu-nen hayee yo ki na.


    Breaking through the morning air, the sounds of des shing echoed.


    ~~~


    "However, we''re really stumped. Who would''ve thought we''d be dyed for a whole week just to prepare to cross the mountains?"


    Shikashi, maitte shimatta na. Yamagoe no junbi no tame ni, isshuukan mo ashidome o kurau koto ni naru to wa.


    After finishing breakfast, they were in the guestroom of the Oubeniel mansion. Elisha had barged into the room where Irmae was staying. Being both women and considering her status as one of the top figures in Omnia, no, on the continent, leaving her alone in this houseTullius'' territorywasn''t an option.


    On the other hand, Yuuto, the other target of her protection, had finished training, had a brief rest, and a meal, and along with the male members of the delegation, he went down to the town to purchase necessary supplies. If possible, Elisha wanted to stuff them to the same room so she could protect them both at once, but his current public role was as Irmae''s attendanta low-ranking position within this group. The current situation made it impossible for him to be treated as a VIP.


    For the time being, he wouldn''tg behind any regr thieves, and she had instructed him to always stay with other personnel, anyway. Also, in case of emergencies, he was told toe back, even if it meant using others as a shield.


    (Starting a match with that [Two-Handed Sword] all of a sudden got me nervous, but thankfully, it didn''t escte to a serious situation that required my intervention.)


    (Ano [ryoute tsurugi] to ikinari tachiai hajimeta toki ni wa kimo o hiyashita ga, tome ni hairu hitsuyou ga aru daiji ni itaranakute nani yori datta na.)


    Recalling his training this morning, she sighed. Due Schwarzer was a former B-rank adventurer and was also one of the trusted des of the man who had made a name for himself in the Volden campaign, the infamous [Man-Eating Serpent] Tullius Shernan Oubeniel. She didn''t expect Yuuto to engage in a serious match with such an opponent. She thought being constantly overprotective to such a grown man would make him ufortable, so she refrained, but staying in ce and only keeping an eye on him from afar would end up backfiring.


    TL Note: The previous trantor TL-ed Tullius title as Snake, but I chose Serpent cause it sounds cooler, dont you think?


    Fortunately, nothing untoward happened, but she was worried if they had any harmful intentions towards Yuuto. It was bad enough that he had somehow caught the interest of that Tullius. While she didn''t want to believe that his identity as the hero had been found out, the man was known for ughtering numerous ves under the guise of research. It wouldn''t be strange if he harbored thoughts of dissecting the body of someone of a different race for research.


    (Spending a week in the territory of someone whom I can''t let my guard down around. On top of that, I have two people to protect. Just thinking about it is depressing)


    (Yudan dekinai aite no teritor de isshuukan mo sugosu. Omake ni khi no goei taishou wa futari. Kangaeta dake de ki ga meiru na)


    For those tasked with protection, it was a nightmare scenario. If only Yuuto''s status as the hero could have been publicly announced, it might have been possible to guard both Irmae and him together. However, current political circumstances didn''t permit it. In addition, Elisha was also under a troublesome obligation not to divulge the fact that she knew Yuuto''s true identity. In order to train him with Phantony ying the role of the whip, and Elisha, the candy, it was more convenient for her to act as an "innocent well-intentioned coborator who knew nothing." Frankly speaking, given their state of emergency, it would''ve been preferable to quickly discard such unnecessary conditions.


    Even if she wasn''t aware that things would turn out like this, Elisha had no desire to pass through Volden However, there was apelling reason to take this route. Whether crossing the mountains or using the predetermined route through the eastern to northern parts of the kingdom, passing through here from Omnia was the shortest way. Intentionally skipping this route was the same as shouting out loud that there was something to hide from Tullius. If they implied that they harbored distrust towards a major aristocrat from an allied country, it would only serve as a seed of problems. In other words, it was politics.


    (This is something even His Eminence Phantony couldn''t help with, after all.)


    (Kore bakari wa, Fantni-geika ni tanonde mo muri datta kara naa.)


    Towards Phantony, who revealed the secret of summoning the hero, Elisha also shared details about the kingdom''sno, the secret feud between Lavallee and Tullius. The one Lavallee deeply connected to was Cardinal Candra, who led the alliance between the two countries. But, apparently, the deceased old strategist also didn''t view him as a reliable partner. In the will addressed to Elisha which was handed to her just before her departure, it was written that he would leave the final decision up to her, but if she were to ally with someone, Phantony would be more appropriate.


    (As well as the fact that he threw me into the frontlines of Volden, that old man is unreasonable too.)


    (Vorudan no saizensen ni hourikonde kureta koto to ii, ano jii mo mucha o iu.)


    By cooperating with Omnia, they were going to eradicate Tullius, the kingdom''s most significant internal threat. But there was no need to let Omnia attack Volden. That would make things too big. Using the doctrines of the Holy King''s teachings, they would expose the dark side of that man. To do that, Candra was no good. He was too inadequate to use even as a pawn. Having the nation''snd consumed by the greed of snobbish people was putting the cart before the horse, and that it was better to use Phantony, who rang clear with integrity, driven by the desire to protect the country, etc.


    It would''ve been excusable when he was alive, but even after death, he was like this.


    Both Lavallee and Phantony, really, why do they always make my head ache? Wasn''t it Alfred''s role to dance around when unreasonable orders were given from above? Or perhaps, was it payback for having exploited him so much that was finally catching up? Elisha was half-seriously considering that.


    Shaking off such idle thoughts uncharacteristic of her, she brought her focus back to the person in front of her.


    "You must be troubled as well, not being able to fulfill your duties, Irmae-dono."


    Kijo mo nakanaka yakume ga hatasezu ni o-komari dearou, Irumaerra-dono.


    "Y-yes. That''s correct"


    E, ee. Sou desu ne


    Irmae, when asked, responded with absentminded remarks. Since the meeting with Tullius yesterday, she had been in this state of mind. Lost in thought with a troubled expression, she seemed to be continuously contemting and agonizing over something. Being defeated by Tullius in the matter of the ve issue in the Volden Province must have been quite a blow. After all, she had been confronted with the stark contrast between the ideals of the Holy King Church, which she had nurtured in Omnia, and the harsh reality unfolding outside.


    She may be considered the Saint of the current era with extraordinary holy powers and charisma doubled with her beauty, but she was ultimately just a teenage girl. Faced with the actual society that couldn''t be navigated with pretty words alone, she appeared to be considerably burdened by a sense of helplessness.


    In such a situation, it seemed essential for her to experience a sense of aplishment, to feel that her ideals and her own strength were not in vain. Otherwise, she would only break. However, the problem was that Yuuto and Irmae were not in a position where suchpromises were allowed. The girl was a female priestess bearing the expectations of the Holy King Church, a guide who conveyed ideals to the people. The boy, on the other hand, was a hero appearing once in several hundred years, the embodiment of an ideal savior fighting to rescue people in times of danger.


    "If you want to suggest advising the cessation of the civil war, and if you are able to do it even here in Arquell, we''d be able to cross the borders immediately, though."


    Naisen no teishi o kankoku suru to iu no nara, kono Arukru demo sore o yareba, sousou ni kokkyou o koeru koto ga dekiru no dearu ga na.


    Elisha said, trying to sound nonchnt. The Holy King Church''s stance was to prevent the people''s hearts from bing disordered, bringing darkness to the world that would be enough to resurrect the Demon King. The dispatch to St. Gallen this time was part of that stance. Then, they just had to settle the prelude to the internal conflict that was started with the capture of Duke Armandwhich the official announcement had not reached the region yetby marching into the royal capital or even Armand Duchy. As a plus, they could also quickly withdraw from such a dangerous area like Volden, everything would be working out as desired.


    However, Irmae shook her head with a powerless expression.


    "Unfortunately, that''s not possible We are, after all, messengers heading to St. Gallen. We don''t have the right to negotiate with Arquell."


    Zannen nagara, sore wa dekimasen Watashi-tachi wa akuma de Zankutogaren ni mukete no shisha. Arukru ni taishite koushou o okonau dake no kenri wa nai, no desu.


    The peace proposal for the Kingdom of Arquell was the responsibility of the Archbishop, who yed the role of an ambassador in the royal capital or another envoy assigned to handle this country. Irmae, the daughter of the cardinal and a priestess, did not possess the privilege to interfere in domestic affairs without permission from her homnd, especially to the extent of meddling in the signs of turmoil. They could not involve themselves in this issue.


    "Good grief. Then until a week passes and we can cross the mountains, we can only stay quietly holed up here. It seems like various things will be on my mind."


    Yare yare. Dewa yama o koerareru isshuukan-go made wa, otonashiku koko de anagomori ka. Iroiro to ki ga tsumari sou da na.


    Being cooped up indoors didn''t suit Elisha''s temperament, and remaining in the territory of a dangerous individual while still carrying the target of protection was ufortable. It was a situation that made her feel stifled in multiple senses.


    "No, that won''t do."


    Ie, sore dewa dame desu.


    Suddenly, Irmae started saying something like that.


    "What do you mean ''won''t do''?"


    Dame, to wa?


    "It won''t do to stay idle and holed up here like this."


    Koko de nani mo sezu, tojikomori tsuzukeru koto ga desu.


    And then she stood up. Despite carrying worries, she seemed to be struggling to aplish something.


    (Hmm, this is unexpected she might be a woman with a strong core after all.)


    (Fumu, kore wa igai to shin ga tsuyoi josei ya mo shirenu na.)


    Elisha had hoped to avoid dealing with someone who continued toment andin, going on and on about this and that while holding their head in their hands. From a security perspective, it would be easier if they stayed in one ce. However, it was inconvenient if their mental state copsed before any physical danger. Moreover, this residence was known to be a troublesome and dangerous ce. Since she had decided that moving a bit was eptable as long as she stayed close, Elisha made up her mind and decided to apany her dly.


    ~~~


    To be continued


    ~~~


    TL Note:


    I miss Tullius PoV alreadyyy~


    This chapter was brought to you by my patrons, Sier, McConnaheyhey, TheHunt3r Gaming, Viks, Dan Ryder, Eger, Imperius, Pepe Feik, Tony Derado, and Elevathor. Thank you very much, guys!


    Support me in patreon to read the advanced chapters!


    (Patreon)

 Chapter 85: Swinging Scales (2)

    Chapter 85: Swinging Scales (2)


    (Patreon)Ouroboros Record ~Circus of Oubeniel~Chapter 085 : Swinging Scales (Part 2)


    Irmae headed to the farnd near the city. It was a site where many ves were subjected to harshbor, and she intended to do what little she could there.


    "Wide Heal"


    Waido hru


    With her hands sped in a prayer-like form, a warm light overflowed and spread around, showering the gathered people. The wounds of those who had been whipped, those whose cheeks were swollen from being hit, those who walked with injured feet dragging along, all of their injuries disappeared as if wiped away by a cloth. She was healing the ves.


    "O-Oh!?"


    O, oo!?


    "The pain, it''s gone?"


    Itami ga, kieta?


    "A-Amazing!"


    Su, sugee!


    The healed ves eximed in joy as they were temporarily relieved of their suffering. Subsequently, other injured and sick individuals crowded around. Even in this farm alone, there were dozens who needed healing.


    "H-heal me too! I can''t lift my shoulder since I was struck the other day"


    O, ore ni mo chiyu o kudasare! Kono mae ni utareta kata ga agaranaku natte


    "My eye got smashed, can you make it so I can see properly again!?"


    Kata-me ga tsubure chimatta nda, moto doori mieru you ni shite kudasaimasu yo ne!?


    "My wound is festering, and my fever won''t go down Please, help me quickly!"


    Kizu ga undesu ga sagaranee ha, hayaku tasuketekure!


    "Yes. As long as my powersts, I will heal everyone''s wounds."


    Hai. Watashi no chikara ga tsuzuku kagiri, mina-sama no kizu o o-naoshi shimasu.


    The dirty ves, wearing worn-out and shabby clothes, approached her. Nevertheless, she allowed them toe close without a single unpleasant expression, spoke to them, sometimes touched them, and continued casting healing magic. Again and again, to numerous individuals.


    The fields hadpletely transformed into an improvised healing site. The farmers who should be the owners of these ves were standing around and cautiously observing the situation.


    "Geh The nun sure is kind to the ves. Even though it''s still in the middle of work."


    Ke dorei-domo ni wa o yasashii na, ama-san wa yo. Mada sagyou no tochuu datta tte no ni.


    "Those Omnians they''re supposed to be our allies, but they didn''t do anything for us inst year''s war."


    Omunia-jin ga doumei-kuni datte no ni, kyonen no sensou ja khi ni wa nani mo shinakatta kuse shite na.


    "I wonder why she would give treatment to those barbaric St. Gallen people?!"


    Nande yaban na Zankutogaren-jin nanzo ni chiryou o hodokoshite yagaru nda ka na!


    Nothing butints leaked from their mouths. As followers of the Holy King''s teachings, they wouldn''t openly oppose a high-ranking priestess like the nun. However, resentment lingered nheless. Why were ves allowed to receive the divine blessing of healing? Weren''t these ves originally sinden enemies from a hostile nation that had started a war? Why did someone from their allied nation help those ves when the so-called ally didn''t assist them in their time of need? A boiling, viscous, and hot ck emotion was clearly surging around.


    After finishing the treatments, Irmae eventually turned towards the farmers.


    "Everyone."


    Mina-san.


    "Y-Yeah?"


    O, ou?


    She didn''t raise her voice. Even so, it was the words of a powerful priestess who had healed dozens, possibly even a hundred patients without showing any signs of fatigue. The crowd seemed slightly intimidated and uniformly took half a step back.


    "Firstly, as a priestess of Omnia which is in an allied rtionship with your country, allow me to apologize for not providing sufficient assistance in the warst year. Truly, I am terribly sorry."


    Mazu wa kikoku to doumei no aidagara ni aru Omunia no shisai to shite, sennen no sensai ni juubun na chikarazoe no kanawanakatta koto ni shazai o. Hontou ni, moushiwake arimasen deshita.


    Saying so, she knelt on the soil of the field, bowing her head. Her hands, feet, and the hem of her nun''s robe got dirtied with mud, but she didn''t seem to mind. The people once again fell into confusion. Even if she did something they didn''t like by healing the ves, this was the priestess to whom they should be grateful who was bowing her head to them. The sight must have made them feel that they were being disrespectful.


    "Huh, ah, th-that''s"


    E, a, sono


    "P-please don''t do this! If rumors spread that we made such a virtuous person to act like this, we"


    Ka, kanben shite kudasee! Toku no takai o-kata ni konna mane o saseta nante uwasa saretara, ore-ra wa


    "Will you all ept my apology?"


    Shazai o o-uketori itadakeru no deshou ka?


    "Y-Yes, we ept it! We ept it, so, uh, right!?"


    U, uketorimasu! Uketorimasu kara! Na, naa!?


    "Y-yeah! Just likest year when the lord did the same, this is no different than a threat."


    A, aa! Kyonen no ryoushu-sama no toki mo sou da ga, kore ja odoshi mo douzen da ze.


    "Hush! Don''t say things that deserve punishment!"


    Shi! Bachi-atari na koto o iu de nee!


    "...That''s great. Thank you very much, everyone."


    Yokatta. Arigatou gozaimasu, mina-san.


    Irmae lifted her head and sighed in relief. Whether it was from genuine relief or acting, a faint smile appeared on her face.


    (If she''s deliberately doing this, she''s a remarkable actress but I bet this is mostly genuine.)


    (Neratte yatteru nara taisou na yaku-sha da ga kore wa hotondo tennen darou na.)


    Elisha, who was apanying her, had such an impression. Unlike a certain someone, Irmae was practically a greenhouse-raised youngdy. Of course, she must have had her fair share of struggles, given her position that didn''t match her youth, but she was also wrapped in the fabric of her faith and doctrine. She probablycked much experience to pull off a contrived act.


    "Also, I have one request for all of you."


    Soshite, mina-san ni hitotsu onegai ga gozaimasu.


    Next, she began, and the farmers murmured again. What now? Don''t tell me she''s going to demand the liberation of the ves? Even if unspoken, such concerns were vividly written on their faces.


    "Please, extend a bit of consideration to those who are working as ves."


    Dorei to shite hatarakareteiru kata-gata o, sukoshi dake kizukatte sashiagete kudasai.


    "Huh?"


    Ha?


    The crowd uniformly expressed disbelief with their mouths open. Although easier than expected, it was a difficult demand to ept. They had been making enemy foreigners work as their hands and feet, and when they got angry, they abused them as they pleased. They believe that this is the only way they can retaliate after being exposed to such a brutal invasion. They believed that doing such revenge was their way of reciprocating the harsh invasion they had endured.


    Reacting to their resistance, Irmae continued, gently lowering her long eyshes.


    "I will not say revenge produces nothing. Our god, the Holy King, once took up his sword in righteous anger against the demons oppressing the people. However, He also said this: ''What value is there in seeking revenge to the point of impoverishing oneself? Acts that harm others while blinded by anger make one''s heart impoverished and distance oneself from the light of heaven.''"


    Fukushuu wa nani mo umanai, nado to wa moushimasen. Katsute watashi-tachi no shutaru Seiou-sama mo, hitobito o shiitageru mamono ni taisuru gifun kara ken o tori tatakawareta no desu kara. Shikashi, ano o-kata wa kou mo osshatteimasu. ''Mizu kara o mo mazushikute made okonau fukushuu ni, dore hodo no kachi ga aru no deshou ka. Ikari ni me o kumoraseta mama hito o kizutsukeru okonai wa, kokoro o mazushiku shi, ten no hikari kara mizu kara o touzakeru okonai deshou'' to.


    Those words were from the ''Chronicle of Ascension''what chapter and verse, Elisha hadpletely forgotten.


    "I don''t say cast away your anger immediately, nor do I say forgive right away. I only ask you to endure it just a bit before acting on your emotions. I want you to think for just a moment. Is the action really necessary to live a better life now, and to fulfill life better? Can you truly never forgive the person standing in front of you for a lifetime? That is my only wish."


    Ikari o sutero to wa moushimasen. Ima sugu yuruse-tomo moushimasen. Tada, kanjou no omomuku mama ni koudou suru mae ni, honno sukoshi dake taete itadakitai no desu. Ichiji dake kangaete moraitai no desu. Sono okonai wa ima o yori yoku iki, sei o yori yoku mattou suru no ni hontou ni hitsuyou na koto dearu no ka dou ka o. Soshite hontou ni me no mae ni irareru kata o shuusei yurusu koto ga dekinai no ka o Sore dake ga watashi no nozomi desu.


    "Ugh"


    Uu


    "W-We understand We''ll try to consider it for a bit."


    Wa, wakarimashita yo sukoshi kangaete wa mimasu.


    To the people who uttered these words as if being pressured, Irmae breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.


    "Thank you very much, everyone. May the light descending from the heavens be with all of you."


    Arigatou gozaimasu, mina-san. Anata-gata ni, ten yori kudaru hikari ga tomo ni arimasu you ni.


    With these words of prayer, she concluded her discourse.


    Eventually, the farmers began to instruct the ves to resume their unfinished farm work. As far as one could see, there were no individuals being beaten, whipped, or female ves being dragged into hiding spots. The burdens imposed on them also seemed to be lighter than before. The treatment of the ves had certainly improved.


    At least, for now.


    "Lady Balbastre, shall we head to the next farnd?"


    Barubasutoru-kyou, tsugi no nouchi ni mukaimashou ka.


    "I don''t mind, but may I ask you something?"


    Sore wa kamawanu ga, hitotsu kiite mo yoroshii ka?


    To the girl who replied with ''go ahead'' without any pretense, the woman asked.


    "They seem to be willing to follow the teachings you preached for now, but how long do you think it willst?"


    Kare-ra wa ima, onmi no tokareta oshie o mamoru ki de iru you da ga, dore dake motsu to omowareteiru no ka na.


    The farmers refrained from senselessly abusing the ves for now, as Irmae had told them to do. However, what would happen once she left that ce? Perhaps, in a few days, they might havepletely forgotten what was said and resumed the mistreatment as usual. No, it was possible that as soon as their actions were no longer observed, they might have immediately retracted their previous words. Humans were creatures who lied, and they possessed an even deeper capacity for holding onto grudges. There was no person capable of discarding the resentments of war with just one grateful sermon. Conversely, as long as there was a reason, people readily hurt others without hesitation, and there were plenty who even took joy in doing so.


    Indeed, Elisha herself, despite being exposed to teachings in the holynd of Omnia, hadn''t been able to suppress her inclination for battle. It was challenging to imagine that farmers who had only received a sermon would be any different.


    "Even the ves who received healing, now, they are content with that. However, over time, they might start thinking like this: ''Why didn''t that nun try to free us?''"


    Chiyu o uketa dorei-tachi ni shite mo, da. Ima wa sono koto ni manzoku shiteiru. Shikashi, toki ga tateba kou mo omou to wa kangaerarenu ka na. ''Ano nisou wa, doushite jibun-tachi o kaihou shiyou to wa shinakatta nda'' to.


    Satisfaction was a difficult state to achieve. Even if they received one benefit, people gradually started desiring new forms of alms. Especially if the current situation was rife with dissatisfaction. For ves, liberation from this lowest status would have been their greatest wish. It would have been their most significant desire. Unable to reach that point, they might have directed a different dissatisfaction towards her. ording to Elisha''s assessment, many might have thought along those lines. "Leaving us confined under constraints and not trying to free us, what kind of teaching is that of the Holy King? It''s nothing but hypocrisy, trying to act like a good child," they might have said. Before long, those who would start howling like that were likely to appear. Was she prepared to be perceived as such by the ones to whom she had extended a helping hand?


    In response to such a loaded question, Irmae quietly spoke.


    "I don''t know."


    Wakarimasen.


    "Oh?"


    Hou?


    "I don''t know what those who heard my wish and those who received my healing will think. As someone who is not a god, I cannot know, and it wouldn''t be allowed to decide. Therefore, I don''t know."


    Watashi no negai o kiite itadaita katagata, watashi no chiyu o ukerareta katagata ga nani o omowareru ka. Kami naranu mi dewa shiru koto wa dekimasen shi, kimetsukeru koto mo yurusarenai deshou. Desu kara, wakarimasen.


    Manipting people''s hearts at will is impossible, and even if it were possible, it should not be done. Therefore, she could not answer.


    TL Note: Hoooooobut theres a certain someone that is doing that on a daily basis.


    However,


    "Because I don''t know, I believe. Among those who heard my words today, I hope that someone will reflect on their own will, amend their actions, and walk a righteous path. Before doubting, I''ll believe first It''s the least I can do, have to do, and want to do, after all."


    Wakaranai kara, shinjimasu. Kyou, watashi no kotoba o kiita katagata no naka kara, go-jishin no ishi de onore o kaerimi, okonai o aratame, yoki michi o ayumareru kata ga arawareru koto o. Utagau mae ni mazu shinjiru Sore ga watashi ni dekiru semete mo no koto de, yaraneba naranai koto. Soshite, shitai to omou koto na no desu kara.


    Irmae continued in this waynot proudly, but earnestly. She spoke hesitantly, with pauses and uncertainties, yet squeezing out the best answers she could muster at the moment.


    "Only once may not be enough, you know?"


    Kyou no ichido dewa tarinu kamo shirenu zo?


    "Then, I will repeat it as many times as necessary."


    Dewa, nando demo kurikaeshimasu.


    "There might be times when you will be betrayed."


    Sono do ni uragirareru to iu koto mo aru.


    "Even if betrayed many times, I will continue."


    Nando uragirareyou to, tsuzukeru deshou.


    "Your words might never reach them your whole life."


    Sono kotoba wa isshou o kakete mo todokanu kamo shiren.


    "From the beginning, I have been determined to raise my voice for my whole life. But if even that still falls short, all I can do is apologize to the Lord for my helplessness."


    Moto yori isshou o toshite koe o age tsuzukeru shozon desu. Sore demo oyobanu toki wa aruji ni hiriki o wabiru hokanai, no deshou ka.


    Answering each time while casting an anxious shadow on her expression, yet she didn''t waver in her determination.


    Even so, what naive words. Even though Elisha had continuously suggested that those who heard her words might deceive and betray her, she still believed and persisted in preaching. For Elisha, whose nature was to clearly distinguish between friend and foe, and to kill the enemy, such thoughts seemed utterly unfamiliar.


    But still


    "Is this insufficient for the answer to your question, Lady Balbastre?"


    Kore dewa go-shitsumon no kotae ni fusoku deshou ka, Barubasutoru-kyou?


    "Elisha."


    Erisha, da.


    "Yes?"


    Hai?


    "You don''t need to act like we''re strangers. From now on, you can call me just by my name."


    Sou tanin gyougi ni sezu to mo yoi. Kore kara wa namae dake de yobeba yokarou yo.


    Still, she didn''t dislike a person who, albeit hesitantly, could express their own beliefs. Such a person, who was more reliable than those who sneaked around hiding their true feelings, was someone she could trust. Therefore, as a sign of her evaluation, Elisha thought it was fine to allow Irmae to call her by name.


    "As you wish. Then, from now on, I will call you Elisha-san. Please feel free to call me Irma as well."


    Kashikomarimashita. Dewa, kore kara wa Erisha-san to. Watashi no koto mo Iruma to oyobi kudasai.


    "Very well Then, shall we move on to the next destination, Irma? If you don''t have enough holy power left, should I lend a hand starting from next time?"


    Umu. Sore de yoroshii Dewa, tsugi ni mukau ka Iruma yo. Houriki no nokori ga kokoromotonai nara, tsugi kara wa watashi mo te o kasu ka?.


    "Yes, there is still plenty left, but just in case, I appreciate your assistance, Elisha-san."


    Ee, mada ooita yoyuu ga arimasu ga, nen no tame yoroshiku onegaishimasu ne Erisha-san.


    In a week, they would cross the mountains. She didn''t want her to exhaust herself by depleting her holy power at that time. She had concerns about that, but judging by Irmae''s condition, it seemed she had enough energy. Indeed, she lived up to being called a saint.


    Yes, staying here was only for a week. She intended to do everything she could during that time. It was unclear how much it would benefit the people. It might not be a significant achievement. However, the sight of a girl younger than her earnestly trying to aplish something was refreshing to behold.


    "It''s no good to stay cooped up after all. Lying down and waiting for good things toe doesn''t suit me at all."


    Yahari tojikomotteite wa dame da na. Kahou wae mate nado, watashi ni wa awan.


    TL Note:  (Kahou wae mate) is also a Japanese proverb that means good thingse to those who wait.


    "Hm? What do you mean?"


    ? Nan desu ka?


    "Don''t mind me. Just talking to myself."


    Ki ni suru na. Hitori-goto da yo.


    Saying so, she began walking ahead, leading the way.


    The sky was clear and blue. Thend stretched with greenery. Andscape filled with hopeful scenery. Even if beyond that, a ce swirled with the karma of humans awaited, for now, she could genuinely enjoy the view ahead.


    If only that was the case.


    "Hm? Isn''t that"


    N? Are wa


    In the area where the cultivatednd ended, a figure could be seen trudging past the gates of the Volden city. When she looked closely, she saw a familiar face.


    Yuuto-sama?


    Irmae also noticed. It was Yuuto. The boy who should have been preparing to go along the mountain path with the priests in the delegation to buy supplies was walking alone toward the Oubeniel mansion.


    "That kid. Didn''t I tell him so many times not to act alone Let''s go."


    Aitsu-me. Hitori de koudou suru na to are hodo itta darou ni iku zo.


    "Ah, yes!"


    A, Hai!


    The two hurriedly ran towards him. The public order in this area wasn''t great, especially considering it was shortly after the war. Moreover, this was the headquarters of someone whose actions were unpredictable. They needed to assemble quickly and inquire about the situation.


    They managed to catch up with Yuuto right away. His steps were slow, as ifpletely exhausted, and his footing seemed unsteady, almost as if he were trembling. There was no way to lose sight of him.


    "Boy, why are you walking alone? What about the other priests?"


    Shounen. Naze hitori de aruite iru? Hoka no shinkan-domo wa dou shita?


    Unintentionally, her voice became stern at the fact that he had vited what she had told him to do. Perhaps with that, Yuuto finally seemed to notice them, and with a sluggish movement, he lifted his head. Hisplexion was terrible. He looked pale as if he had lost all colors, blood dripping from his lips as if he had bitten through them. His eyes were red, but there was no sign of tears. It was an expression containing suppressed, unexpressed anger.


    "Yu-Yuuto-sama!? You are bleeding, do you have injuries somewhere?"


    Yu, Yuuto-sama!? Chi ga dete, doko ka ni o-kega o!?


    "So it''s Elisha-san."


    Erisha-san ka.


    The boypletely ignored the girl who had run up to him, and he even brushed away her extended hand as if repulsed by something filthy.


    "You said ''What happened to them''?"


    Aitsu-ra wa dou shita ka tte?


    "Yeah. I told you not to be alone because it''s dangerous. I also told you if you get into trouble, you can use those guys as shields."


    Aa. Kiken dakara hitori de iru no wa yose to itta hazu da. Mome-goto ni makikomareta nara, soitsu-ra o tate ni suru tsumori de ii to mo na.


    "...They''re just fooling around."


    Aitsu-ra nara, asonderu yo.


    Even Elisha was taken aback by the unexpected answer.


    Fooling around? During official business, amid unforeseen circumstances that disrupted their ns and in the midst of being busy changing schedules? No matter how corrupt they might be, they were supposed to be priests, though?


    Yuuto continued in a mumble.


    "First, they went to a tavern. They don''t even show any interest in arranging a new carriage for crossing the mountain Since wine is the blood of the gods, drying it up is also an act of umting virtue, they said. Can you believe it, in broad daylight? Just when I thought ''I see'', this time it was a woman. In the midst of drinking, they approached a woman and, while leering at her, jokingly said whileughing, ''Should we bless you with some money?'' Since their pockets are warm now from receiving alms, they said they want to give charity to the less fortunate. Is that something to say while groping someone''s behinds?"


    Mazu wa sakaba datta. Yamagoe-you no atarashii basha no tehai ni nante, mimuki mo shinaide Wain wa kami no chi dakara, kore o hosu no mo toku o tsumu okonai no uchi, datte sa. Konna mappiruma kara da ze? Shinjirareru ka yo. Sou ka to omottara, kondo wa onna da. Nonderu tochuu de koe o kakete kita onna no hito ni, hana no shita nobashi nagara, kane o megunde yarou ka tte warai nagara itteta. Ima wa kisha o ukete futokoro ga atatakai kara, megumarenai mono ni hodokoshi o shite yarou, da to ka. Ketsu ni te o mawashi nagara iu koto ka yo


    ""


    "Then, one of the drunkards went outside. He started talking to a child sitting on the roadside, having spread a cloth to sit. I thought he was going to do something while saying ''blessing with money'' again, but I was wrong He grabbed the girl''s hair and tried to drag her into some nearby alley. To to such a tiny girl. It infuriated me, so I beat him up. I beat those drunkards in the tavern up too. Then the city guards came, yelling that a yellow-skinned foreigner had harmed the priests and"


    Sou ka to omottara, yopparatta hitori ga soto ni deta nda. De, michibata ni goza o shiite suwatteta kodomo ni koe o kaketeta. Mata kane o megumu toka ii nagara nani ka suru no ka, tte omotta kedo, chigatta Kaminoke o hittsukande, sono hen no rojiura ni tsurekomou to shiyagatta nda. Anna, anna chiisa na onna no ko ni. Atama ni kita kara, bunnagutte yatta yo. Sakaba de nonda kureteru yatsura mo, bunnagutte yatta. Soshitara machi no heitai ga kite, kiiroi iminzoku ga shinkan-sama o gaishita zo to ka wameki dashite


    TL Note: I think you all know but they call Yuuto ''kiiroi iminzoku'' () or ''yellow-skinned person from a different race'' because a Japanese''s skin color is slightly yellowishpared to the natives of that world so that''s why. And ''person from a different race'' is too long so I just tranted it as foreigner insteadTell me if you have better suggestion.


    "I get it. That''s enough."


    Wakatta. Mou yoi.


    "they were supposed to be watching, those guards! Those damned priests were getting drunk in the middle of the day, messing with women, even trying to do that kind of thing to a child! Because, because they were also there! In the middle of the day, at the same tavern, the guards were there too! And that''s not all, that''s not all! Do you know what the child I was supposed to help said afterward? ''Don''t do anything unnecessary,'' she said! Maybe they''ll give her money afterward, she said! There''s no way that would happen! Does she understand what might happen if she is being forced with that kind of"


    mite ita hazu nanda yo, ano heitai-domo mo! Kuso bouzu-domo ga hiruma kara nonda kurete, onna ni te o dashite, kodomo ni made anna koto o shiyou to suru no o! Datte, datte aitsu-ra datte ita nda yo! Mappiruma kara, onaji sakaba ni, heitai ga! Sore dake ja nai, sore dake ja nai nda! Tasuketa hazu no kodomo ga, mazu nante itta to omou? Yokei na koto o suru na, datte sa! Hyotto shitara owatta ato de kane o kureru kamo shirenai nda, tte! Sonna wake nai darou!? Dou naru ka wakaru daro anna tetsuki de muriyari


    "I said, that''s enough!"


    Dakara, mou yoi!


    She shouted to silence him. It was not only that listening to him was making her feel ufortable, but more so, she felt reluctant to let him continue. Utter despair saturated Yuuto''s words. The corruption among the priests and the security apparatus, the vivid scars of war on the streets of Volden. Experiencing the shock from these revtions, he was hurting himself by reliving the impact.


    The boy copsed onto the ground, unable to endure any longer. Clenching his teeth tightly, the tears he had forgotten to shed until now finally spilling from his eyes.


    Summoned to another world and repeatedly struck down, experiencing despair at every turn, the boy was now crying as he was forced to taste a new rock bottom.


    Irmae seemed paralyzed. The face of corruption disyed by the prieststhe chosen envoy of her father, and the current state of Volden, still bearing the fresh wounds of war. These revtions seemed to deeply shock her as well.


    Eventually, he spoke with a trembling voice, still looking down.


    "Hey, Elisha-san."


    Naa, Erisha-san.


    "What is it?"


    Nanda.


    "Is a world like this really worth saving?"


    Konna sekai ni, sukuu kachi nante aru no ka yo?


    With eyes that seemed to plead that it was himthe one who carried the duty as the hero who would eventually face the resurrected Demon King and save the worldwho wanted to be saved, he threw this query out, questioning the worth of it all.


    "Unfortunately, that''s not a question I can answer, I suppose."


    Zannen nagara, sore wa watashi ni kotaerareru toi dewa nai na.


    Saying this, she looked towards Irmae, who stood dumbfounded. She was the saint who had the role of guiding and supporting the hero. Or perhaps, the young girl who had just taken the first steps, but betrayed by herrades who shared the same beliefs. She trembled, unable to utter a word from her trembling lips. She seemed to be pondering what she could say to the broken heart of the boy she had called into this world, not knowing what words could console him.


    It appeared it would take some time before a clear answer to this new question emerged.


    ~~~


    The Oubeniel Mansion on the outskirts of Volden. In the office of the dpidated building scheduled for closure by the end of the year, Tullius was attentively listening to the words of his faithful servant.


    "Above is the summary of themotion that urred today in the city of Volden."


    Ijou ga, honjitsu ni Vorudan shigai de okotta soudou no tenmatsu desu.


    Said Uni, who was kneeling beside her master''s desk, concluding her report.


    The tumult caused by the boy from the delegation who identified himself as Yuuto Erimiya. Laubert, who had been listening to the details on the side, rubbed his temples as if suffering from a headache. The corrupt priests who drank in the middle of the day. attempted to solicit women, and even went so far as toy hands on a young child. The city guards who were indulging in the same tavern without reprimanding such behavior. Either way, it was an unpleasant topic for a bureaucrat responsible for the internal affairs of the entire territory.


    Upon hearing this, Tullius''ment was,


    "Hmm? Well, the public order in Volden has improved quite a bit, hasn''t it?"


    Fuun? Maa, Vorudan no chian mo, kekkou kaizen shite kita nja nai no?


    That''s it.


    It might have sounded like a strange statement, but he hadn''t said anything wrong. In fact, during the wartime, the city had been overcrowded with refugees, and the crime rate was iparable to today. Even after the peace, simr incidents had urred due to people fleeing from the devastated rural areas. Tullius'' reconstruction policy, involving the distribution of ves, had improved the security of the territory from the worst state to a level that could be described as "bad." Though, it was clear that it wasn''t something praiseworthy.


    It was the moral deficiency of the priests that was not something of his concern. They were, after all, guests, and the responsibility to address the issuey with the Omnia Empire, their origin. It would have been troublesome if there were simr elements in the church of the territory, though but when that timees, he just has to handle it properly. In a manner befitting of a lord like him.


    "But I can''t ept soldiers cking off. We have to do something about that. Whether it''s through education or recing those who can''t be of any use."


    Kedo, heishi ga sabotteiru no wa itadakenai ne. Koko dake wa nantoka te o tsukete okanai to. Kyouiku suru nari, tsukaeru yakko to irekaeru nari, ne.


    How to educate or rece them was not a question to be asked. The answer was clear, so there was no need to inquire. Laubert, of course, wouldn''t ask unnecessary questions.


    "Ah, I guess it goes without saying, but the arrangements for him who is said to have caused trouble"


    Aa, iu made mo nai to omou kedo, mome-goto o okoshita tte iu kare no tehai wa


    "Yes. I have already instructed people at the guardroom to release him. But since they refused toply with a ve''s orders, I had to make them smell snuff to persuade them."


    Hai. Tsumesho no mono ni meijite sude ni kaijo sasete orimasu. Dorei no shiji ni wa shitagae nai to no koto deshita no de, settoku suru no ni hanagusuri o kagaseru koto ni narimashita ga.


    "as expected of Uni, you work quickly. But, would you also call perfume ''snuff''?"


    sasuga Yuni, shigoto ga hayai. Kedo, kousui no koto mo hanagusuri tte iu no ka na?


    "If anything, I''d say it''s more urate to describe it as captivated by the scent."


    Dochira ka to iu to, iroka de madowashita tte no ga seikai ni chikai nja nai ndesu ka ne.


    "You''re quite skilled, Lord Laubert But more importantly, Master, is that alright?"


    O-jouzu desu ne, Rubru-kyou Sore yori mo Goshujin-sama, yoroshii no desu ka?


    The well-trained maid smoothly parried the joke while posing a question to her master.


    TL Note: That was a joke? Bruh I don''t understand Lauberts sense of humor.


    "If you wanted to, it should have been possible to apprehend that boy."


    Sono ki ni nareba, ano shounen o kakuho suru koto mo kanou dearu hazu datta no desu ga.


    As stated, Uni had been tailing the boy named Yuuto today. Her report on the events in the city and the aftermath was just a byproduct. Even from Laubert''s perspective, he seemed to be quite an object of interest to their master. Inviting him into his room to listen to his storygranting entry even to Elisha, a target of vignce who had inexplicably tagged along, even went to the trouble of stationing a trump card like Uni to monitor him, all of it was the proof. If he was that interested, Laubert thought it wouldn''t be strange if he had already abducted him and sent him to his researchb in Man.


    "I''ll let him wander around a little longer. If my predictions are correct, he''ll serve as a useful insurance by staying that way."


    Kare wa mada oyogasete oku yo. Boku no yosoku ga tashika nara, sono hou ga hoken to shite yuuyou ni ugoite kureru sa.


    "I see."


    Sayou ni gozaimasu ka.


    While the maid seemed satisfied with that and withdrew, Laubert found the answer somewhat unsatisfactory. The maid would do so if told, but he felt relieved that she hadn''tid hands on the member of the delegation from Omnia. However, seeing such an individual garnering so much interest from Tullius, and furthermore being implied as ''useful'' or ''insurance'' by him only made Laubert more curious.


    TL Note: ''The maid would do so if told'' (Fukeba tobu youna komazukai/) literally tranted as ''The maid would fly if blown.''


    "You seem to value that boy quite highly. What kind of worth does he hold?"


    Zuibun to takaku katte oide desu ga, ano shounen ni wa donna kachi ga aru ndesu ka ne?


    "I won''t tell you. It''s not confirmed yet, and this is just in case, since it''s information I wouldn''t want to leak."


    Oshienai yo. Mada mada kakutei jikou ja nai shi, manga ichi ni mo soto ni morashitakunai jouhou dakara ne.


    "Your Excellency, there''s no need to be so mysterious, is it?"


    Kakka, sonna ni mottai tsukenakute mo ii ja nai desu ka.


    "You see, Laubert. I''m being mysterious because I need to be. If not for that, I would have told you straight away. It''s pointless to confuse you with such uncertain information. It has nothing to do with your role in internal affairs, and there''s no need for the intelligence department to investigate that boy. You absolutely won''t find anything."


    Ano ne, Rubru. Boku wa mottai tsukeru hitsuyou ga aru kara mottai tsuketeiru nda. Sou demo nakereba sassato hanashiteiru yo. Konna fu-kakutei jikou o hanashite, kimi o konran saseta tte shouganai ja nai ka. Naisei-kan no shigoto ni wa kankei nai shi, chouhou mawari demo ano shounen o arau hitsuyou wa nai. Zettai ni ura wa torenai kara sa.


    Even Laubert couldn''t help but feel irritated. While Tullius said it was pointless to confuse him, he was already thoroughly confused. Moreover, what did he mean by won''t be able to find anything through the intelligence department? The field of information was where Laubert had invested a considerable amount of effort. It felt as if his meticulously crafted masterwork had been openly disparaged.


    "There''s no way that''s true. He seems to be from another continent, but he must havee to this continent by ship, right? If we inquire at various ports, especially around Canales, there will definitely be some information"


    Sonna koto wa arimasen yo. Kare wa i-tairiku-jin no you desu ga, sore demo kono tairiku ni wa fune de kita hazu deshou? Kakuchi no minato, toku ni Kanaresu atari de kikikomi o sureba, kanarazu nani ka jouhou ga


    "I think you''re already off the mark from there, though."


    Soko kara zureteiru to omou nda kedo nee.


    Tullius shrugged his shoulders as if exasperated. What on earth was going on? Laubert was well aware that his master, who had brainwashed him, was an iprehensible man, but this time was the pinnacle. He had concealed the crucial piece of information in a secret box and showed no intention of revealing it. While he often spouted words that made one want to plug their ears because they were pawns that were brainwashed and unable to rebel anyway, it seemed that there was an exception for this boy named Yuuto. The only one who seemed to know something was the most senior ve who had earned the master''s utmost trust but there was no way that this woman would leak information against her master''s will. It was a hopeless situation.


    "Rather than that, don''t you have work to do now? You always push me to work even though I hate it, so how about working yourself first?"


    Sore yori mo, kimi ni wa ima yaranakya naranai shigoto ga aru desho. Higoro iyagaru boku o settsuite shigoto sasete iru nda kara, mazu wa jibun ga hataraitara dou dai?


    "Well, I guess that''s fine. No matter how much I ask, it''s probably useless anyway. It''s the kind of waste Your Excellency hate."


    Maa, ii deshou. Ikura kiite mo, douse muda nan desu kara ne. Kakka no o-kirai na muda desu.


    "If you understand that, then I suggest you refrain from the useless talk."


    Wakatte irareru no nara, sono muda-guchi kara tsutsushimarete wa ikaga ka to.


    "Even the Chief Maid is saying such harsh things Well, I understand. It''s about the inspection of Elpis-Roanne, right? However, is it okay to go at this time? There''s a possibility that the people in Armand Duchy might rebel, and Your Excellency would be ordered to suppress it."


    Chfu meido made hidoi koto o iu Wakattemasu yo, Erupisu-Ronu e no shisatsu no kudan desu ne? Shikashi kono jiki ni itte mo daijoubu na no deshou ka. Hyotto suru to, Arumando-koushaku ryou ga hanran shite, kakka ni chin''atsu ga meijirareru osore mo arimasu kedo.


    "Victor said there''s no problem. I aplished too muchst year, so if a rebellion urs, it''ll be the others who take the lead to take care of things in order to maintain the power bnce, he says. In fact, he asked me to firmly keep an eye on the adjacent new territory to prevent any sparks from spreading."


    Vikutoru wa mondai nai tte itteita yo. Boku wa kyonen ni kouseki o age sugita kara ne. Hanran ga okotta baai wa, pawbaransu o toru tame ni mo, shuryoku to natte koto ni ataru no wa hoka no renchuu darou tte sa. Mushiro, rinsetsu suru shin ryouchi ni tobihi shinai you ni mukou o shikkari osaete oite kure, to mo ne.


    Then it was fine. It was a perfect opportunity to tighten control over the newly added territory and bring itpletely under governance. As one of the twin pirs of the newly elevated House Oubeniel, now a Marquisate, he intended to wield his power to the fullest. It wasn''t like he didn''t realize that he was being skillfully steered away from the previous topic, though.


    "As for the specific arrangements, please check the documents in your possession. Now, changing the subjectabout the mentioned n."


    Gutai-teki na hakobi ni tsukimashite wa o-temoto no shorui o go-kakunin itadaku to shitehanashi wa kawarimasu ga, rei no keikaku ni tsuite na no desu ga.


    Laubert was referring to the extensive operation Tullius was plotting, mobilizing the Opus series. It was a major operation aimed at striking a hard-to-reach enemy that took away his time for research. In terms of scale and impact on the surrounding area, the n was to bring about a disaster on par with the Great Fire of the Royal Capital two years ago or, if done poorly, the Volden Campaign.


    "With the movements in the Armand Duchy, wouldn''t it be advisable to cancelpardon, postpone the n? The current situation seems too unpredictable in terms of the potential consequences."


    Arumando ryou no ugoki mo arimasu shi, chuushiie, enki sareru wake ni wa ikimasen ka? Genjou dewa dono you na eikyou ga okoru ka ga futoumei suginai ka to.


    "What are you talking about, Laubert? That''s exactly why we have to do it."


    Nani o itteiru ndai, Rubru? Dakara yaru nda yo.


    Tullius'' response remained unwavering.


    If the situation was unstable, it was all the more reason to proceed. Because there were obstacles. Because there were those hindering his research for immortality. Because there were enemies. Because there were those threatening this life that he absolutely didn''t want to lose.


    Therefore, those fellows must be eradicated from this world, his strangely gleaming eyes conveyed more clearly than words.


    A gulp echoed through the room.


    (But isn''t this somewhat unlike His Excellency?)


    (Shikashi kore wa shoushou kakka-rashikunai no dewa?)


    As far as Laubert knew, Tullius usually attacked opponents who were either essential research subjects or those who had initiated an attack. Linus, Cartan, the St. Gallen Army, and Lavalleeall of them provoked Tullius'' defensive instincts by initiating hostilities, leading to fierce retaliation. However, this time was different. He was trying tounch a pre-emptive strike just because it was a threat.


    Certainly, it might be a preventive measure to avert future dangers, but even so, it seemed hasty. What could be the cause of this change?


    Even so, given the current circumstances, Laubert had no choice but to ept. His bureaucratic intellect, while harboring some concerns, recognized the effectiveness of this strategy. Despite questioning the change in his master''s policy, there was no room for criticism of the n itself.


    So, he restrained himself and asked,


    "What are your thoughts on this, Chief Maid?"


    Kijo wa dou o-omoi na no desu ka, Chfu meido?


    He seeked confirmation, not to the master, but to his trusted pawn.


    The response he received, though expected to some extent, was steadfast and unsurprising.


    "It is as Master wishes."


    Goshujin-sama no gyoi no mama ni.


    There it was. A response that showed no deviation. With a sigh, Laubert epted the inevitable.


    ~~~


    To be continued


    ~~~


    TL Note:


    The story just became more interesting but its going to end soon Aaaaaahhhh Im torn. By the way I always thought that Elisha probably would look simr to Ii Naotora from Basara 4 but blonde


    This chapter was brought to you by my patrons, Sier, McConnaheyhey, Dan Ryder, Eger, Imperius, Tony Derado, Elevathor, and Jevex. Thank you very much, guys!


    Support me in patreon to read the advanced chapters!


    See you next chapter(*)o


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 Chapter 86: Deep Mountains of Anguish (1)

    Chapter 86: Deep Mountains of Anguish (1)


    (Patreon)Ouroboros Record ~Circus of Oubeniel~Chapter 086 : Deep Mountains of Anguish (Part 1)


    "It crossed my mind as we lightly sparred, but there''s something cruciallycking in your sword, boy."


    Karuku teawase o shite omotta nda ga, bouzu no ken ni wa kettei-teki ni tarinee mon ga aru.


    As the morning training session came to a close, the man with the two-handed sword, who had been Yuuto''s practice partner, spoke up.


    He knew that without even having to be told. A boy who had been holding a sword for only about a monthcked many things. His body had not yet developed as a swordsman, he didn''t know the intricacies of tactics, and, furthermore, he hadn''t even mastered a single sword form. It was toote for anything now.


    "No, Am not talking ''bout that. Skill, stamina, and experience? Ain''t no way beginners have such things. What I mean is something more fundamental, about your mindset."


    Iya, ore ga itteiru sou iu koto jaa nee. Giryou, tairyoku, sore ni keiken? Shoshin-sha ga n''na mon, motteru wake nee daro. Sou janakute da na, motto konpon-teki na kokoro-gamae ni tsuite no hanashi da yo.


    Mindset, huh? Quite a philosophical topic. Those words didn''t seem to fit the warrior who stood before him, swinging a sword in a bold manner.


    "But listen, kid. I think the spirit is the essence of the sword. No, not just sword. Whether it''s a spear, a bow, a hammer, a club, or even magic. Anyway, in all the acts of learning the means to fight, there''s somethingmon that''s needed. Youck that that''s my view."


    Sou wa iu ga na bouzu. Seishin tte no wa ken no kimo da to ore wa omou ne. Iya, ken dake ja nee. Yari darou ga yumi darou to, tsuchi darou to konbou darou to, soshite mahou da to shite mo, da. Tonikaku, tatakau tame no shudan o manabu to iu okonai subete, sono zenbu ni kyoutsuu shite hitsuyou to sareru mon ga aru darou ga. Omae-san ni wa sore ga tarinai tte no ga ore no kenkai da.


    What a person learning the art ofbat needed. And what wascking in the current him.


    He didn''t know. But being told that, something murky and unsettled rose in his chest. As he was deep in thought, the man bluntly said to him,


    "It''s simple. Your swordcked a reason to fight."


    Kantan na kotta. Omae-san no ken ni wa na, tatakau riyuu tte mon ga komerarete inee nda yo.


    A reason, to fight?


    "Why''re ya making such a surprised face? So, ya really didn''t realize all this time? This must be serious, man."


    Naani igai sou na kao o shite yagaru. Te koto wa hontou ni ima no ima made jikaku nashi kai. Korya juushou da na, oi.


    The man ced his hand on his forehead and looked up to the sky.


    The boy was not in a position to pay attention to that. His mind buzzed, desperately trying to find a motive for why he took a sword. Was it because he lost when he was given a sword for the first time and was frustrated? Was it because the person he became close to for the first time in this world told him to learn it? Or maybe because he was called a hero, and he thought a sword was the appropriate weapon for that?


    "It seems you''vee up with a few things that could be your reason, but lemme ask ya one thing What you''re currently thinking about, is it really a reason sufficient to wield a sworda weapon for killing?"


    Ikutsu ka riyuu ppoi koto wa omoitsuiteiru mitee da ga, hitotsu kiku ze Ima, omae ga atama ni ukabeteru no wa, hontou ni ken ohitogoroshi no buki o furuu no ni tariru riyuu na no kai?


    At that statement, his heart raced.


    Instinctively, he nced at what he was holding. A de made of metal, filled with a sharp, cold brilliance. A tool for cutting flesh, breaking bones, and taking livesa tool unequivocally meant for murder. Realizing that he had been wielding such a thing single-mindedly, he felt a shiver run down his spine. His sweat turned cold. Even though his body should have been thoroughly warmed up, he couldn''t help but feel cold.


    As the boy stood there, stunned by this bted realization, the man continued.


    "I thought something was off there. Your sword technique looks clean for a novice, but youck hesitation when ites to attacking. Youck fear towards your opponent. Moreover, it doesn''t seem like you''re thinking of battle as an exchange of lives. As soon as you got excited, you forgot how scary a de was. Don''t think that it''s better than being unable to do anything because of fear, got it? It''s a bad habit, ya know? That''s very dangerous after all, to think that someone who doesn''t understand that they could die or kill their opponent is recklessly wielding a sword for fun. If you go into realbat like that, you''ll end up dragging others into trouble."


    Ore ga okashii na tte omotta no wa soko da yo. Bouzu no tachisuji wa narai hajime ni shicha kirei na mon da ga, fumikomi ni chuucho ga na sa sugiru. Aite e no osore ga kake sugiteiru. Motto ieba yo, inochi no yaritori o kangaete iru to wa omoenee. Shinken de no keiko datte no ni, osoreteita no wa saisho dake. Nhuu shi dasu to totan ni ha no kowasa o wasurete yagaru. Bibitte nani mo dekinai yori mashi, toka omou na yo? Motto tachi ga warui nda kara na. Datte abunakute shikatanai daro. Temee ga shinu tomo aite o korosu tomo rikai shite inee yatsu ga, akugi ni ken o furimawashiteiru nante yo. Sonna nde jissen ni detara, mawari made makikonde erai me ni au koto ni naru ze.


    There were several clues in his mind. He had never shed anyone''s blood with this sword. All those he had encountered so far were stronger than him, and he had never once inflicted a wound on anyone. His body had never been made to shed blood with a sword. All his experiences had been in training. Although he had experienced the pain of being struck many times, he still didn''t know the sharpness of the de.


    "So, how to say it Think about it once. Why are you holding a sword? Why do you have to fight with your own life and your opponent''s life at stake? If you leave that ambiguous, you''ll regret it when you die, and you''ll regret it even more when you kill someone. Fighting aimlessly will only lead to something pointless, ya know?"


    Dakara, nanda ippen, yoku kangaete mi na. Nande jibun ga ken o nigitteru no ka. Nande jibun to aite, ryouhou no inochi o kakete made tatakawanakya naran no ka. Soko n toko aimai na mama ni shite oku to, shinu toki ni koukai suru shi, koroshi chimatta toki wa motto suru ze? Nagasareru ga mama ni tatakatta tte, hontou ni tsumaranee koto ni shika naranee zo.


    I said something very unlike me, yeah? With that, the man turned his back and walked away.


    The boy couldn''t move. The weight of the metal in his hand suddenly increased, not due to fatigue but for another reason. It was so heavy that he couldn''t move, slumping over.


    A reason to fight. He didn''t know. To defeat the Demon King as a hero and return to his original world? It was a story that didn''t feel real. He was too weak to be called a hero, and he couldn''t even see any sign of the Demon King. Even so it was still his missionhe didn''t daydream enough to feel like that. Fight against monsters that torment people and save everyone? What nonsense is that? There was still room in this world for humans to wage wars among themselves, though? They should say that after they focus their power on fighting monsters. And it wasn''t his job to solve that. Let the people of this world solve their problems, and he, as an outsider from another world, didn''t care about anything like that.


    The more he thought about it, the further he drifted from the reason for taking up a sword. If he had to say, it was for self-defense, but if he didn''t get close to danger, that need would disappear. Truly, he had no reason for it.


    What was he fighting for? And why was he here? When would he find the answer?


    At a loss, he looked up at the sky. It was an odiously beautiful clear sky. Even though the sky was so blue, the clouds that filled his heart showed no signs of clearing up.


    ~~~


    The delegation of Omnia was currently proceeding along the foothills of the eastern mountains of Volden. However, during the week of preparation before departure, they were unable to fully prepare the necessary supplies to cross the mountain. This was because the priests in charge of purchasing supplies had spent the entire week fooling around, leaving them short of both funds and time to procure the needed items.


    (Good grief, if they were just ipetent, there would be a way to salvage the situation, but these guys are not only useless but also greedy and shameless.)


    (Mattaku munou na dake nara sukui you mo aru mono o, koyatsu-ra to kitara sono ue ni gouyoku de kougan to kiteiru kara na.)


    Elisha couldn''t help but hold her head in her hands, unable to bear the headache. She had served as a knight for a long time. Naturally, not everyone she met waspetent and honest. Even in the Royal Knights where she served untilst year, there were mere ornaments like the First Order, and the majority of the nobles she met were also greedy. However, theck ofpetence among the associates of Cardinal Candra was particrly appalling. After all, despite being entrusted with the important task of a diplomatic mission for the country, the situation was this dire.


    (These guys I won''t mind if it''s just someone around Count Langogne''s level, so I wonder if I could rece them)


    (Koyatsu-ra, Rangnyu-haku atari to demo kamawanu kara, torikaerarenu mono ka na)


    She found herself half-seriously considering such a thing. After all, she heard that these corrupt priests hadn''t returned to the mansion even once during the week, spending their time in the unsavory parts of Volden. Considering the war damage from the Volden Campaign and Tullius'' policy of shifting the administrative center to Man, the town had begun to decline. She was actually impressed that they were able to y around there without getting bored.


    Now, with the money for shopping taken away by such fellows, what happened to them?


    "Well, I was wondering what would be of us, but to think that we''ll receive further alms from His Excellency the Marquis."


    Iyahaya, ichiji wa dou naru mono ya to omowaremashita ga, koushaku-kakka no sara naru go-kisha o itadakeru to wa.


    "Indeed, you are such a devout person that it is rare these days, Marquis Oubeniel."


    Onmi mo makoto ni ima-doki mezurashii hodo shinjin ni atsuki o-kata desu naa, buniru-koushaku?


    "Oh no, not at all. I also have territories beyond the mountains. Coincidentally, I''m actually going to head there for an inspection, so I think it''s rather convenient to bring all of you along."


    Ie ie. Sanmyaku no mukou ni wa boku mo ryouchi o motteiru mi. Choudo, shisatsu no tame ni mukau tokoro datta no desu yo. Deareba, mina-sama o o-tsure suru ni wa mushiro choudo yoi ka to.


    Unfortunately, they ended up traveling alongside Tullius, who was heading to Elpis-Roanne across the mountains. With spring deepening and the snow melting, making passage through the mountain trails possible, it was time to inspect his new territory that was his intention. It actually made sense and from their perspective, it was like a lifesaver, but to be honest, Tullius was not someone she wanted to owe any favors to. Who knew what kind of hidden agenda lurked behind the generous offers thrown their way?


    TL Note: Literal trantion is Who knew what kind of nasty hook hidden behind the bait thrown their open mouths?


    Moreover, it was unseemly for the envoy of the Omnia Empire, one of the Four Great Nations and the oldest, as well as the headquarters of the Holy King Church, to be scraping for money and seeking mercy from the nobles of other countries. People might think that they were just all for show, and in reality, they were just smallfries. However, in diplomacy, appearances and formalities mattered. Their job was to rmend ceasefires and mediate peace in neighboring countries embroiled in civil wars. What would the other party think if the delegation for that purpose was brought others like a toddler? They would surely be looked down upon as mere messengers of children. If civil wars could be stopped with the sweet words of brats, wars would have long disappeared from the world.


    "At first, I was uncertain about traveling by wagon, but once you get used to it, it''s rather pleasant, isn''t it? Enjoying tea while being caressed by the spring breeze is also entertaining."


    Niguruma de no tabi to natte saisho wa dou naru ka to omoimashita ga, narereba otsu na mono desu naa. Koushite haru-kaze ni fukare nagara cha o kissuru no mo mata ikkyou.


    "It may be simple tea, but I am honored to receive such words."


    Socha ni gozaimasu ga, sono you na o-kotoba o itadakete kouei to zonjimasu.


    "Hoho, nice, nice. Your Excellency has a good ve How about lending her for a night?"


    Hoho, ui ui. Koushaku-kakka wa yoi dorei o o-mochi da Ikaga ka na, hitoban o kashi itadaku wake ni wa?


    "Could you please excuse that? I have various tasks for her to attend to."


    Sore wa go-kanben negaemasen ka. Kanojo ni wa iroiro to shigoto o tanomanai to ikenai no de.


    Despite this, the fellows who had conceded points even before they even got to the board, let alone their first move, were leisurely epting the served tea boiled by magic with a nonchnt demeanor. Furthermore, they were even trying to make advances towards Uni, who was entertaining them. Even though if they know that her master had once brought down a count just to keep this ve in his possession, they would surely be horrified at what he would do.


    "If this situation leaks out, we''ll be looked down by the other side."


    Kono nariyuki ga moretara, senpou kara mikubirareru koto ni naru na.


    "That''s not all."


    Sore dake dewa arimasen yo.


    Irmae, sitting beside her, spoke with a funereal expression, as if delivering a eulogy.


    Currently, they were not riding in a carriage but rather a wagon. It wasn''t that the malicious Tullius was being malicious. He, too, was riding a simr conveyance. This was done because therge, wide-bodied horse-drawn carriages they rode all the way here from Omnia would not be able to pass through the narrow and steep mountain roads. Although it was inconvenient not to use the emblem-adorned carriage that indicated their diplomatic status, it couldn''t be helped. The n was to disassemble and load the carriage as cargo, then reassemble it after crossing the mountains.


    Nevertheless,


    "If it''s known that we''re traveling alongside the Marquis, it may be perceived that Omnia''s stance leans towards Arquell. Since we''re already allied nations in the current situation, on top of that we''re being on friendly terms and traveling with someone who was active inst year''s battle, after all."


    Koushaku-sama to doukou shiteiru koto ga shiraretara, Omunia no shisei ga Arukru-yori dearu to ninshikisare kanemasen. Genjou de sae doumei kuni da to iu no ni, sennen no tatakai de katsuyaku sareta kata to nakayoku tabi o suru wake desu kara.


    "Ah,e to think of it, there''s that."


    Aa, sou ieba sore mo atta ka.


    Not until the girl, nearly a decade younger, pointed it out did she realize. Indeed, St. Gallen wouldn''t take it kindly either. While they were in the midst of civil war to tighten the country, to have someone associated with the cause of their instability intervene. No, if the delegation was only apanied by a herothough that''s a strange way to put itthat country, which respects strength, might not mind so much. It''s just that it was Tullius.


    TL Note: The term hero here is referring to Elisha because in the raw its  (Eiyuu) and not  (Yuusha). Since Elisha is one of those who contributed the most in the Voldan Campaign, she was called Eiyuu.


    In the Volden Campaign, fields and viges on the battlefield were spectacrly burned down, and Arquell Kingdom and St. Gallen Federation both imed that the cause was the ruthless plundering by the enemy or the scorched-earth tactics carried out by the feudal lords, respectively. The responsibility for this issue was shelved for the sake of early peace negotiations, but it hadn''t been resolved. Since the majority of the local poption imed that the enemy set fire to it, public opinion tended to favor St. Gallen as the culprit. However, from St. Gallen''s perspective, Tullius was a despicablemander who mercilessly drove the invading forces into starvation. A demand from someone who shook hands with such an irredeemable enemy, there was no way they would ept it.


    From Elisha''s point of view, they were both equally bad. St. Gallen probably did the looting. Even she, during that battle, resorted to confiscating scarce supplies by means bordering on robbery. A long-range expeditionary force from the invading side would need to do even more. And Tullius would resort to scorched-earth tactics because it was necessary. There were rumors that he even burned the capital, and he was the kind of man who would incitemoners to the battlefield to die and remain calm. If needed, he would carry out the strategy of burning his own territory, which was the bread and butter of aristocrats. It was a n considered as foolish as an octopus eating its own leg, but he would execute it as many times as necessary.


    Setting that aside In other words, the people acting cheerfully in the wagon ahead were on the verge of ruining the mission entrusted to them by their homnd. If they had just kept quiet and refrained from squandering their travel expenses, they could have given the appearance of crossing the mountains on their own and wouldn''t have gotten involved with Tullius to this extent.


    "Perhaps"


    Isso no koto


    In a hoarse and exhausted voice, the third passenger spoke up. It was Yuuto.


    "perhaps we should just go back?"


    isso no koto, mou kaette shimatte mo ii nja nai ka?


    His voice was tinged with fatigue, evoking a sense of futility just by listening. It was almost like that of an old man. He was on his first journey experiencing this world after being summoned from another world. However, whaty before him was the harsh reality of the Itucera continent, devoid of dreams or hope. Nations bickered with each other in the face of amon threat of monsters, and even civil wars erupted. The nobles, who should set an example for the people, exploited them, and the priests who should guide them were corrupt to the core. Hearts were in ruins, and the weak oppressed the even weaker. Seeing this firsthand left him devastated.


    Diplomatic negotiation, the purpose of this journey, is already impossible isn''t it? If so, then isn''t it fine to just give up? I had seen enough unpleasant things. More than enough, in fact. I couldn''t bear it anymore. So, why not just end this journey nowsuch were his feelings.


    But that was impossible.


    "It''s impossible. It would be even more detrimental to retreat before any results are achieved. Those who flip-flop in diplomacy without producing results will incur more than just ipetence; they will also earn distrust."


    Muri da na. Kekka ga dete inai uchi ni hikkonde wa, shippai shita toki ijou ni aku-eikyou ga ookii. Gaikou de choureibokai o yarakasu mono wa, tannaru munou ijou ni fushin o kau dearou yo.


    Even Elisha, who was not well-versed in politics, understood that much. Making unreasonable demands would be foolish. But, foolish as it may be, which is better: someone who can make demands or someone who can''t even do that? If it became known that Omnia withdrew from negotiations because it seemed likely to fail, it would be a severe blow. And if the other side rejected the demands, that would be fine too. It would be a factor in the diplomatic maneuvering of various countries. Though the chief envoy of the delegation, Irmae, would undoubtedly suffer a severe blow to her reputation.


    "And besides, it is not certain that we will fail yet. If this matter doesn''t leak to the other side, it should proceed like any normal negotiation."


    Sore ni shippai suru to kimatta wake dewa arimasen. Kono ken ga senpou ni moretari shinakereba, tsuujou no koushou to onaji ni naru hazu desu.


    Irmae spoke as if trying to convince herself. Her tone betrayed ack ofplete conviction. It was a rather hopeful outlook. Elpis-Roanne was a border territory, formerly part of St. Gallen. If the new lord were to arrive with Omnia''s envoy, it would likely be a topic of gossip, and there was a risk of it leaking to neighboring countries. However, ignoring that possibility was not an option in reality.


    It would have been better if they could proceed separately from Tullius'' group, but doing so would present another problem. Dying the mountain crossing would cause them to miss the negotiation deadline, and, above all, they had already received financial support from him once, under the guise of charity. It was charity given while struggling with the management of their war-torn home and the newly acquired territory. It would be too embarrassing to ask for funds again after having spent what they had received. Even being allowed to join the entourage for the inspection of the new territory was an extraordinary act of kindness that would normally be impossible. It seemed inconceivable, given Tullius'' actions, and even felt a bit unsettling, but it was likely due to the prestige of Omnia, an allied nation and religious authority.


    "Keeping a secret even though you''re going to ask others for favor? Quite the saintly act."


    Hito ni onegai shi ni iku no ni, kakushigoto ka yo. Taishita seijo-sama da na.


    The boy grumbled as if sulking. Irmae lowered her gaze as if she herself was also aware of this. Both of them were quite fastidious, thought Elisha with a mix of admiration and exasperation. It was essential to present one''s side as wless as possible during negotiations. After all, negotiation was like a battle, shifting from swords to words. No idiot on the battlefield would show their weaknesses. Revealing one''s true intentions was not just a noble act but also a means to assert dominance by disying one''s magnanimity. If it led to a sessful negotiation, it would be worth it, but in this case, the reality was too harsh. Revealing the truth would only lead to losing credibility. Therefore, it was better to keep it hidden. But whether they could sessfully conceal it was another matter.


    (Speaking of terrible, the atmosphere between these two too)


    (Hidoi to ieba, kono futari no aida no kuuki mo da na)


    The rtionship between Yuuto, summoned as a hero, and his contract holder, Irmae, did not improve at all during this journey. In fact, it deteriorated. He already disliked her, the one who summoned him to this other world, but with the repeated misconduct of the priests apanying them, that negative impression spread even to Irmae. On the other hand, the girl asionally tried to talk to him timidly, only to be brushed off each time. Unless Yuuto showed some willingness to improve the rtionship, it was likely to stay the same forever.


    But really, she was just a daughter who kept getting dragged down by her father. It was because of Irmae''s father, Emilio Candra, who chose the members of the envoy, that prospects for negotiations with St. Gallen darkened, and the rtionship with the hero became strained, worsening the image of the Holy King Church. For someone who rose to prominence on her daughter''s coattails, it was quite a treatment, wasn''t it.


    (Thinking about it, my father is quite a capable person, isn''t he?)


    (Sore o omou to, waga chichi wa taihen dekita hito datta no da naa.)


    At that moment, Elisha thought about the Marquis of Balbastre, who must have been desperately trying to bnce power between the Centralist and Decentralist factions in the capital. On the contrary, there his daughter was, running away from home and defecting to the opposing faction, but he somehow managed to y the difficult role of being the intermediary between the central and local authorities. She must have been causing him a lot of trouble. Elisha reflected on her own unfilial behavior. It was the kind of thing where one looked at other people''s behavior and then changed their own. Perhaps she should have visited him soon, bringing a gift as an apology for her long absence.


    Just then, they heard the sound of hoofbeats. It wasn''t the plodding of packhorses; it was the lively, yet powerful sound of galloping horses. Looking around, they saw the military officers of House Oubeniel, who had apparently been on patrol, were about to join the entourage.


    "Oooii, Master!"


    Oooii, Goshujin!


    The one raising their voice toe back to report was Due Schwarzer. Though he was said to be a former adventurer, he handled the horse quite skillfully. Upon closer inspection, there were sporadic bloodstains on his equipment.


    "What''s up, Due? That''s quite a shy look you have there."


    Doushitan dai, De. Eraku hade na kakkou janai ka.


    "This is the result of our patrol Around here, the number of monsters seems to have increased strangely. They''re just small fry, but you can run into quite a sizable group just by exploring the woods a bit."


    Shoukai ni deta kekka ga kore da ze Kono atari, yake ni mamono no kazu ga fuete iyagaru. Zako bakari to wa ie, chotto hayashi o saguru dake de kekkou na kibo no mure ni iki ataru ze.


    "Is that true?"


    Sore wa, hontou desu ka?


    The one who interrupted the conversation between the master and servant was Irmae. Tullius and Due exchanged a brief nce but didn''t interrupt and urged her to continue.


    "Oh, is there something on your mind, Irmae-san?"


    Oya, Irumaerra-san ni wa nani ka ki ni naru koto demo?


    "Yes. I wonder if the increase in monster activity is due to the aftermath ofst year''s war."


    Ee. Moshiya saku-nen no sensai no eikyou de, mamono no seiryoku ga mashita no dewa, to.


    "Come to think of it, you are going to St. Gallen to try and stop the civil war because of that, right?"


    Sou ieba, Zankutogaren ni moso no kudan de naisen o tome ni ikareru no deshita yo ne.


    During times of conflict, the hearts of people became disturbed, and darkness spread across the continent, allowing monsters to proliferate, as the Holy King Church has always preached. Indeed, it was a fact that after major wars, there tended to be a surge in monster activity. Some researchers imed that it was because the decrease in poption and the temporary retreat of inhabited areas resulted in the expansion of monster territories. However, undead creatures born from the remains of the dead were indeed a consequence of war, so there may not have been entirely falsehoods in the Church''s teachings.


    Furthermore, though it was not publicly known, there were ominous signs significant enough to warrant the summoning of heroes. It was entirely possible that the forces of darkness were lurking in Volden, which was the main battlefieldst year.


    "Laubert. Have there been any significant changes in the number of extermination requests to the Adventurer''s Guild?"


    Rubru. Bouken-sha girudo e no toubatsu irai no kensuu ni, medatta suuji no henka wa atta ka na?


    "Well, overall in the Volden region, there were more than usual for this time of year Oh no, I forgot, the residents of the eastern part of the region don''t have much leeway for that! It''s possible that due to economic circumstances, there haven''t been any requests made, leading to unreported instances of monster appearances."


    Sou desu ne, Vorudan-shuu zentai demo reinen yori oome dewa arimashita ga shimatta, shuu no toubu wa juumin ni mo yoyuu wa nai ndeshita! Hyotto suru to, keizai-teki jijou kara irai ga dasarete inai tame ni, mi kakunin no mamono shutsugen rei ga aru kamo shiremasen.


    As the retainer apanying them spoke, a sudden agitation spread. Mostly among the envoys from Omnia.


    "What!? Are we proceeding through areas where monsters are appearing!?"


    Sonna!? Mamono no hassei shite iru naka o susumu no desu ka!?


    "D-do you not think it might be dangerous?"


    Ki, kiken dewa nai ka to omowaremasen ka na, sore wa?


    Was this something a priest of Omnia, who supposedly specialized in exorcism, should have been saying? Elisha couldn''t help but feel incredulous.


    "Hey, Irma"


    Naa, Iruma


    "Um, well since this is a diplomatic mission, perhaps the Commander of the Warrior Monk Corps had primarily chosen the rather eloquent ones."


    Ano, sono souhei danchou mo, gaikou shisetsu to iu koto de ben no tatsu hou o omo ni eranda no ka to.


    Irmae said so while shrinking in embarrassment. In essence, His Eminence, the ''Gray Cardinal'', seemed to regard this envoy mission merely as a political drama and had assembled members of his faction simr to himself. By the way, that man was famous for having below average holy power even among the monks, unlike his daughter.


    "There''s no need to worry. As I said earlier, for now, it''s just an abundance of small fries like goblins and the like. As long as you''re prepared with potions and such, even fledgling adventurers can handle them."


    Sou shinpai suru koto wa nee yo. Sakki mo itta ga, ima no tokoro wa goburin teido no zako ga tairyou ni waiteiru dake da. Pshon nanka no sonae sae banzen ni shite irya, kakedashi no bouken-sha demo nan to ka naru aite da yo.


    Due said with aplicated expression, and the priests showed obvious relief.


    "I-I see! If that''s the case, then I''m relieved."


    Sa, sayou ka! Dearu nara, mazu wa hito anshin dearu na.


    "If we''re apanied by the retainers of Marquis Oubeniel who were renowned for their valorst year, there should be hardly any worries."


    Sennen ni buyuu de narashita buniru-kou no kashin-dan to douhan shite oreba, man ni hitotsu mo shinpai wa arumaite.


    "Sigh"


    Haa


    TL Note: Fyi haa in Japanese can mean yes and can also mean a sigh depending on the context. But here it means both (or maybe neither, lol).


    Even Tullius seemed to have nothing to offer but a sound that could not be called a sigh nor a half-hearted reply. If Due''s report was urate, their adversaries would likely be nothing more than goblins or at most, orcs. To be so fearful of such small fry as to entrust everything to their escorts Elisha had always known they were no good, and had been reminded of it many times, but she hadn''t expected it to this extent. Did Cardinal Candra truly believe that the envoy mission would seed with this? Elisha couldn''t help but deeply ponder this.


    "For now, let''s hurry to the vige ahead. It''s thest supply point before entering the mountains."


    Hito mazu, kono saki ni aru mura e isogimashou. Yama ni hairu mae no saigo no hokyuu-chi desu.


    Tullius said, pointing to a spot on the map. There was a pioneer vige on the eastern edge of the province, marked with fresh ink marks. That would be their lodging for the day.


    ~~~


    The vige was the newest in the Volden Province. This was because of the mountain pass discoveredmore urately, rediscoveredby the St. Gallen army''s crossing, leading from the border mountains to Elpis-Roanne. To maintain a stable route through it, a base where travelers could lodge and replenish supplies was necessary. Moreover, thend beyond the mountains belonged to the lord''s new territory. It was to meet such demands that this pioneer vige in the mountains was established. At present, it was nothing more than a small settlement where people who had lost their viges due to the war gathered together, supporting each other. However, if this road were developed and transportation organized, there was a possibility that within ten years, it could grow into a bustling town.


    But that possibility seemed to be cruelly slipping away.


    "Th-this is!?"


    Ko, kore wa!?


    One of the priests eximed, his voice trembling.


    The vige, established just this year, was already charred. Freshly nted hedges had been brutally cut down, and the entrance gate was charred ck. Houses that should have been newly built already had several broken windows, and ck stains, possibly blood or soot, marred the walls. It looked as though it had been raided by bandits or as if time had rolled back to the war that had just endedst year.


    Eventually, one of the dpidated log cabins creaked open its door.


    Out stepped a middle-aged man with bandages haphazardly wrapped around his face and arms. Though his clothes were dirty, they seemed to be of higher quality than what the vigers could afford. He was likely the mayor of this pioneer vige.


    "Are you all part of the lord''s entourage?"


    Mina-sama wa ryoushu-sama no go-ikkou ni gozaimasuru ka?


    With a weary expression on his sunken eyes and his face tinged with exhaustion, he spoke.


    In response, Tullius stepped forward from the group.


    "Yes, indeed. I am Tullius Shernan Oubeniel, the current head of the Oubeniel family."


    Hai, ika ni mo. Boku ga kondai no buniru-ke toushu, Turiusu Shurnan buniru desu.


    "Oh"


    Oo


    The man who seemed to be the mayor crumpled his face and knelt down. Or perhaps he copsed under the strain. It was hard to tell which.


    "E-everyone! Show yourselves! T-the lord has arrived!"


    Mi, mina no shuu! Kao o dasu no ja! Ryo, ryoushu-sama ga irasshatta zo!


    In response to his voice, vigers began to emerge from other buildings.


    (There are only a few of them.)


    (Sukunai na.)


    As people emerged from their homes, Elisha couldn''t help but notice the disparity between the number of buildings and the number of vigers. Certainly, this vige was small, but even so, the discrepancy seemed significant. Nearly everyone had some sort of injury. It seemed that this vige had been reduced by someone or something.


    "I-it''s true! It''s a noble!"


    Ho, hontou da! Kizoku-sama da!


    "There''s a knight too! And priests!"


    Kishi-sama mo iru! Shinkan-sama mo da!


    "A-are we going to be saved?"


    O, ora-tachi, tasukaru nda ka?


    Words of hope echoed among them. As the vige square buzzed with sudden activity, Tullius, representing the group, asked the mayor for an exnation.


    "It seems that something serious is happening here. Could you please tell us what is going on?"


    Nani yara tada naranai jitai ga okotteiru you desu ga, jijou o o-kikase negaemasen ka?


    "I-it''s very kind of such an important person to inquire"


    Ko, kore wa yan''goto nai o-kata ga go-teinei ni


    "Aah, never mind the formalities. So, are you the mayor?"


    Aa, maeoki wa kekkou desu. Sore de, anata ga sonchou-san de irassharu?


    "I-I beg your pardon! I should have introduced myself sooner. Yes, I am the mayor."


    Shi, shitsurei o! Moushi okurete shimaimashita ga, watashi ga sonchou desu.


    The absent-minded yet earnest mayor responded to Tullius'' inquiry.


    "Well, it happened three nights ago. In the dead of night, when everyone in the vige was fast asleep, there was suddenly amotion near the gate. So, those who were awakened went to see what was going on. And then there, there was a h-horde of monsters."


    Aryaa, mikka mae no ban no koto deshita. Mura no mono ga minna neshizumatta koro, mayonaka datte noni kyuu ni mon no hou ga sawagashiku narimashite. Sore de me o samashita mono ga nan jarou to omotte yousu o mi ni itta ndesu. So, soushitara soko ni, ma, mamono no mure ga.


    Even recalling it seemed terrifying. He shuddered noticeably as he spoke.


    "Monsters, you say. What kind? If it is the ones that are likely to appear around here, would they be goblins?"


    Mamono desu ka. Sore wa donna? Kono atari ni de sou na mono to iu to, goburin deshou ka?


    "N-no, it''s not. That stench of beasts, the unmistakable size even in the starlight, and above all, the snorting sound th-those were orcs! It was a horde of orcs!"


    Chi, chigaimasu. Ano kemono kusa-sa, hoshi akari demo wakaru futo-sa, nani yori hana o fugofugo to narasu oto a, aryaa ku deshita! ku no mure desu!


    "Yeah, yeah! It was those cursed pig-nosed fiends!"


    Nda nda! Arya, ano imaimashii butahana-domo daa!


    Someone among the vigers eximed.


    "Orcs, in a horde, they say?"


    ku ga, mure da to?


    Feeling something didn''t quite add up, Elisha muttered to herself. Yuuto, who seemed to have caught her words, looked at her with a puzzled expression.


    "Is something strange about that?"


    Sore tte, nan ka hen na ndesu ka?


    "Yeah. Orcs are greedy and not very intelligent. They usually fight among themselves over food and such. In other words, they don''t typically gather in hordes like this. While it''smon for them to group up with weaker creatures like goblins, forming a horde of orcs"


    Aa. ku to iu mamono wa yokubuka de chinou ga hikui. Esa nado no wakemae o megutte nakamaware o suru no ga tsune da. Tsumari futsuu nara douzoku doushi de mureru you na shuusei wa motan. Goburin-domo no you na, jibun yori yowai mamono o sanka ni osameru koto wa yoku aru ga, ku no mure to naru to na.


    "Then, maybe they saw it wrong"


    Jaa, mi machigai


    "Hell no! Those were definitely orcs! There''s no way we saw it wrong!"


    N''na koto~a nee! Arya tashika ni ku da be! Mi machigai wa shinee da yo!


    A viger, feeling challenged by Yuuto''s words, raised their voice as if offended.


    "For one thing, if it was some weak creature like goblins, we could have easily driven them off! Even if they were being led by an orc! Don''t you just blindly assume something like that without knowing anything!"


    Dai ichi, goburin mitee na yowai mamono nara, sugu ni oiharaeru be sa! Ikkura ku ga atama demo da. Shiri mo shinee de tekitou bukkoku de nee!


    "m-my bad then So, what does it mean?"


    wa, warukatta yo tsumari, dou iu koto na ndesu ka?


    "If they weren''t seeing it wrong, then it must be a horde of orcs."


    Mi machigai de nai nara, hontou ni ku no mure na no darou yo.


    "Um doesn''t that contradict what you said earlier?"


    Ano sore wa saki hodo no o-kotoba to mujun shiteiru no dewa nai deshou ka?


    Irmae interjected.


    "It''s not a contradiction. I said normally they don''t gather in hordes. In short, an abnormal situation is happening."


    Mujun wa shite inai sa. Futsuu nara douzoku doushi de murenai to ittarou. You suru ni, futsuu ja nai jitai ga okotte iru no sa.


    ""?""


    The words of the female knight made the boy and the girl both tilt their heads in unison. At times like these, they were perfectly in sync. It would be good if they were always like this, though.


    "So, to sum it up, what we''re dealing with is likely a situation where a creature capable of organizing normally disorganized orc hordes has appeared. Perhaps a stronger monster like an ogre or a giant. No, since the vigers haven''t reported seeing such beings, it might be a higher-ranking individual among the orcs."


    Ketsuron o iu to da, tsuujou deareba matomari no nai ku no mure o, matomerareru you na mamono ga arawareta to iu koto da na. ga ya jaianto no you na, yori tsuyoi mamono ka. Iya, murabito ga sore rashii kage o mite inai ijou, ku no joui kotai darou ka.


    "A higher-ranking individual?"


    Joui, kotai?


    "Yeah, they asionally appear. Special types like High Orcs, which are more powerful than regr ones, Orc Mages that are intelligent and can use magic, Orc Chiefs with exceptional leadership skills, or in the worst case, an Orc Lord that can control multiple hordes. In any case, if left alone, two or three viges could easily be wiped out."


    Tokiori arawareru no da yo, sou iu kawari dane ga na. Hoka no kotai yori sentou-ryoku no takai hai ku. Chinou ga takaku mahou mo tsukaeru ku meiji. Tousotsu no sainou o hakki suru ku chfu. Saiaku no baai wa fukusuu no mure o shihai-ka ni osameru ku rdo ka. Izure ni seyo, akugi ni houchi shite okeba mura no futatsu ka mittsu wa horobu na.


    These were the so-called mutations. Whether they were individuals that had lived long enough to undergo changes or born as a variant species was unclear. Either way, they possessed abilities and characteristics that set them apart from normal individuals.


    Groups led by such leaders were troublesome. Unlike goblins, orcs were physically superior and excelled in brute strength. They could only be dealt with by adventurers or knights stronger than them and well-equipped at that. It would be difficult for foot soldiers or even vigers to fight them. And now they wereing as a group. For the bordend residents, humanoid creatures with more strength than humans banding together to attack were a nightmare.


    The vigers slumped their shoulders. Elisha''s exnation helped them understand the extent of the threat that had attacked them.


    "P-Please, milord! The womenfolk of the vige have also been abducted by those monsters! P-Please, I beg of you, please save our vige!"


    O, onegai desu ryoushu-sama! Mura no onna-shu mo mamono-domo ni saraware chimatteru ndesu! Na, nani tozo, nani tozo kono mura o o-tasuke kudasare!


    "Well, of course, but the women were abducted?"


    Sore wa maa, touzen desu kedo onna-shu ga sarawareta?


    As the mayor spoke with fervor and about to kneel down, Tullius paused for a moment to consider. Then, he nced briefly at the faces of the vigers. Most of them were men, and the number of women, both adults and children, was small. While it wasmon for more men to be sent to pioneer viges, the ratio seemed extreme. In that case, this meant


    "Master."


    Goshujin-sama.


    "Isn''t this a bit too clumsy?"


    Chotto tsutanai nja nee ka, kore wa?


    Both Uni and Due, the two adventurers with experience, chimed in together. It seemed they had reached the same conclusion as Elisha. The lord nodded gravely in response to their words.


    "I know. We need to take action on this promptly."


    Wakatteiru yo. Kore wa sousou ni taisaku ga iru koto ni naru.


    "W-Wait just a moment!"


    Cho, chotto o-machi o!


    A priest from the envoy interrupted.


    "We are in a hurry, you see? We carry the noble mission as a delegation to St. Gallen. We must cross the mountains as soon as possible!"


    Wareware wa saki o isoide oru no desu zo? Zankutogaren e no shisetsu to iu, suukou na shimei o obite desu. Ikkoku mo hayaku yama o koeneba narimasu mai!


    It was a valid argument. However, logical correctness didn''t always equate to the right course of action for humans. This situation was a perfect example. While diplomatic matters involving the fate of the nation took precedence over frontier vige concerns, they were not only diplomats but alsobefore anything elsepriests of the Holy King Church, obligated to save people from monsters. Could they boldly dere, "We have more important matters to attend to, so you can sacrifice yourselves" while iming to be the protector of humanity? If one looked at the faces of the vigers, doubt, fear, mistrust, and anger were visibly growing. The ostensible purpose of this journey to St. Gallen was to ensure the stability of the popce. Yet, by proceeding while ignoring the disturbed hearts of the people, what good did it serve?


    Here we go again, with that thought, Elisha could tell that her expression was getting darkened.


    I''m getting tired of this. Should I just cut these guys down already? Without realizing it, her hand reached for the sword at her hip. Meanwhile, the priests kept on talking.


    "To dy our departure in such a remote vige"


    Kono you na henpi na mura de ashi-dome nado


    "Watch your tongue."


    Kuchi o tsutsushimi nasai.


    The stern voice belonged to Irmae.


    "It''s not right to leave people exposed to the threat of monsters and move on."


    Mamono no kyoui ni sarasareru hito-bito o oite saki ni susumu nado, tadashii okonai dewa arimasen.


    "B-But, Young Lady"


    Shi, shikashi desu na ojou-sama


    "It''s not youngdy. It''s my judgment as the High Priestess of the Holy King Church and as the delegation of the Omnia Empire. Let''s help these vigers."


    Ojou-sama, dewa arimasen. Seiou kyoukai ga haipuriesutesu ni shite Omunia koukoku no shisetsu to shite no handan desu. Kono mura no kata o o-tasuke shimashou.


    She dered, lifting her head. There was no more of the downcast posture she had carried along the way. With a firm resolve, she proimed that this was the right thing to do, feeling no shame in her decision.


    Elisha withdrew her hand from the hilt of her sword, listening to the exchange.


    "Yes, that''s good. Rather, honestly there''s no choice but that."


    Umu. Sore ga yokarou. To iu yori, jitsu o iu to sore igai no sentakushi nado nai no dearu ga.


    "What?"


    Ha?


    "What are you talking about, a mere squire like you!"


    Na, nani o iu ka sei-kishi no minarai gotoki ga!


    TL Note: Literal trantion is apprentice holy knight but I decided to TL it as squire.


    The priests shouted without understanding the meaning.


    It was Tullius who took it upon himself to exin to them.


    "It is as Elisha-san said. We originally came here to replenish our supplies of water, fodder, light sources, and fuel for warmth. But now, the vige has been attacked by orcs. With this, the only thing we can properly procure is well water. For other supplies, we''ll have to send someone to the rear to bring them here."


    Erisha-san no iu toori desu yo. Moto-moto koko ni wa mizu ya magusa, akari ya dan o toru tame no nenryou o hokyuu ni kita ndesu kara ne. Sore ga ku no shuugeki de mura no naka made semekomareteiru ndesu. Kore ja matomo ni shiirerareru no wa idomizu kurai desu yo. Hoka no busshi wa, kouhou ni tsukai o dashite koko ni motte kite morawanakereba ikemasen.


    In other words, it was already predetermined that they would be dyed here if they wanted to cross the mountains. Abandoning this vige would leave them with only two options: either dying halfway through or returning in failure. While the former was natural, thetter was not an option. If they fail to fulfill their mission and return home, as the one who appointed them, Cardinal Candra''s reputation would be tarnished. What would the Cardinal as well as the Commander of the Warrior Monk Corps think and do? There would certainly be repercussions.


    "Well, it was decided from the beginning that we would be doing monster extermination here, though. After all, I''ve been tasked by His Majesty the King to ''work diligently towards the recovery of Volden.'' I can''t afford to ignore dangerous monsters emerging within my territory."


    Maa, bokura wa koko de mamono taiji to saisho kara kimatteita no desu ga. Nani shiro, koku-ou heika kara Vorudan fukkou no tame ni eii funrei se yo, to ousetsukatteiru mi desu no de. Ryounai ni waita kiken na mamono nado houchi wa dekimasen yo.


    He was probably referring to the victory celebration ceremonyst year. It was the words spoken when he petitioned the king and won tax exemption until the restoration. He then received Lavalle''s parting gift right after, but obtaining the king''s will as a legitimate excuse was significant. As soon as it was said, even those who had been stubborn had a look of resignation in their eyes. No matter how much power a priest of the global religion had, they couldn''t arbitrarily override the words of another country''s king.


    "Now that it''s settled, let''s get our preparations in order."


    Sate, sou to kimattara sassa to junbi o totonoenaito ne.


    Having said so, Tullius surveyed the group:


    The Chief Military Officer of the Oubeniel family, Due Schwarzer, also known as the ''Two-Handed Sword,'' along with several of his subordinates.


    The oldest serving ve under Tullius, a maid and a former adventurer, Uni, also known as the ''Silver Wolf.''


    The former Commander of the Second Order of the Royal Knights of Arquell Kingdom and now a candidate for the Holy Knight of Omnia, Elisha Rosemonde Balbastre, also known as the ''Princess Knight.''


    The priestess of the Holy King Church, the summoner of the hero and the girl hailed as the Saint of the current era, Irmae Aurelia Candra.


    And the hero of the present age who had yet to awaken, Yuuto Erimiya.


    Though small in number, it was an illustrious lineup. One could liken them to an extravagant set of knives meant for slicing through those pigs. Tullius seemed to be happily contemting how best to deploy these cards.


    ~~~


    To be continued


    ~~~


    TL Note:


    Ohoho what is Tullius plotting this time Its three chapters left until thetest chapter Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh


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 Chapter 87: Deep Mountains of Anguish (2.1)

    Chapter 87: Deep Mountains of Anguish (2.1)


    (Patreon)Ouroboros Record ~Circus of Oubeniel~Chapter 087 : Deep Mountains of Anguish (Part 2.1)


    The strategy to defeat the orcs that attacked the vige was decided easily. After all, the opponents were fundamentally stupid even if they were in groups, and honestly they were not that strong. While their brute strength and rudimentary weapon skills might pose a threat to vigers or newly recruited soldiers, they didn''t requireplex tactics.


    Uni, skilled in guerri tactics, took on the role of scout to grasp the enemy''sirs and groupposition. The n was to flush them out of their hiding ces and then have attackers handle the annihtion. That was the procedure for the extermination.


    Normally, one could say that this n wasplicated enough. After all, the forces of the extermination side were too overwhelming. With a former high-ranking adventurer, a knight boasting an achievement of vampire subjugation, and even priests of Omnia, annihting a group of slightly unusual orcs should be a trivial task, even if done half-heartedly.


    So, why not just do that? The reason was the presence of the vige women captured by the orcs. It was akin to having hostages in enemy hands. If it were just a matter of wiping out the orcspletely, they could have sufficed by copsing theirirs with magic or letting Due rampage freely. However, with the rescue targets present within the enemy''s ranks, it became moreplicated. It was necessary to lure the enemy out in stages and ensure the safety of those who needed rescuing.


    That was what was exined to Yuuto.


    "Well then, let''s review the procedure once again, just to be sure."


    Sore jaa, nen no tame ni mou ichido tejun o kakunin shimashou.


    The following day at noon, they were currently on their way to the site of the extermination by wagon. Taking the lead with a smile that seemed as insincere as ever was the noble who ruled this region, Marquis Tullius Shernan Oubeniel. To reassure his subjects, the lord himself would lead the charge against the monsters. Frankly, he found it hard to believe that this man could have such noble intentions. Since entering Volden Province, he had been repeatedly shown ves suffering harshbor in his territory.


    (What is this guy plotting?)


    (Nani o takurande iyagaru nda, koitsu wa?)


    Yuuto, who had nothing but a bad impression of him, couldn''t help but think so.


    Whether he was aware of Yuuto''s disrespectful thoughts or not, Tullius continued without hesitation.


    "Uni should be returning from reconnaissance shortly. Once we meet up with her, she and I will draw the orcs out of theirirs. If all goes well, we should be able to lure out the majority of them. Everyone, please wait until that happens and proceed to the enemy''sir and rescue the kidnapped people Does anyone have any questions?"


    Ma mo naku, teisatsu ni dashita Yuni ga modotte kuru koroai deshou. Kanojo to gouryuu shitara, boku to ano ko de ku o ana no soto e hikitsukemasu. Umaku sureba daibubun wa tsureru deshou ne. Mina-san wa, sore o mihakaratte kara teki no soukutsu e to totsunyuu shi, sarawareta katagata o kyuushutsu shite kudasai Nani ka go-shitsumon wa arimasen ka?


    "Yes."


    Hai.


    When he raised his hand timidly, the copper brown-haired man squinted his eyes with keen interest. Honestly, it felt unpleasant as if he was being assessed.


    "What is it, Erimiya-kun?"


    Nani ka na, Erimiya-kun?


    TL Note: Tullius called Yuuto by his surname in kanji, unlike other characters in that world who call Yuuto with his name in katakana.


    "Just to be clear, why are we the ones going in?"


    Ichiou kiite okimasu keredo, doushite ore-tachi ga totsunyuu suru ndesu ka?


    He asked, tilting his head slightly at the subtle nuances when his name was called. It was obvious that the ones taking the biggest risk during the execution of the n would be those who rush into the enemy''s stronghold. The Omnia side''s forces, including Yuuto and the others, were directed there. To Volden, they were supposed to be guests. Wasn''t this strange? If it was Volden''s problem, shouldn''t the one risking bloodshed was Tullius'' side since he was the one in charge of the territory?


    Tullius responded with a wryness mixed with his smile.


    "There are three reasons. Firstly, it''s for the sake of the abducted vigers. It''s been four days since they were taken by the orcs. They''ve been in such a dire environment as the monster''sir for so long. It''s desirable to meet up with the priests for healing as soon as possible."


    Riyuu wa mittsu arimasu. Mazu hitotsu ni wa, sarawareta murabito-tachi no tame desu yo. Kare-ra ga ku ni sarawarete mou yokka-me. Sonna ni mo nagai aida o, kaibutsu no su-ana nado to iu retsuaku na kankyou ni okarete iru no desu. Ikkoku mo hayaku, chiyu o nasareru shinkan no kata to gouryuu suru no ga nozomashii deshou.


    "Yes, that is my intention as well."


    Hai. Watashi mo sono tsumori desu.


    Irmae said, sping her fingers in front of her chest and praying with a solemn expression.


    He inwardly spat venom at how easily she said it. It was up to her if she was going to perform some sort of good deed that she adored so much. But Yuuto was being dragged along with her. Into a monster''sir, even. After involving others, she still had such intentions? That was his feeling.


    "Secondly, there''s the strength of a Holy Knight Candidate, Lady Balbastre at your side. I can guarantee her skill. After all, we wererades in arms justst year."


    Dai-ni ni, sochira ni wa sei kishi kouho Barubasutoru-kyou to iu senryoku ga irassharu. Kanojo no ude no hodo wa boku kara mo hoshou shimasu yo. Nani shiro kyonen ni wa kutsuwa o narabeta naka desu kara ne.


    "I didn''t expect to team up with you again, though. Especially not so soon."


    Masaka, mata kikou to kumu koto ni naru to wa omotte inakatta ga na. Sore mo konna ni hayaku ni.


    Elisha said, sounding somewhat unenthusiastic.


    "Well, as long as there aren''t any monsters scarier than vampires, it should be fine."


    Maa, teki ni vanpaia yori mo osoroshii mamono demo inai kagiri, daijoubu deshou.


    That was what Tullius said, but Yuuto couldn''t quite discern which was more fearsome between vampires and orcs. In games and such, vampires who are depicted in a more beautiful way often hold a higher statuspared to the pig-faced orcs. Was this also the case in this world?


    "And finally, I suppose most of the orcs will be handled by our side. Otherwise, it will be difficult to rescue the people trapped in the nest. Rest assured, I won''t burden our guests with all the work. Please be at ease."


    Soshite saigo ni, ku no daibubun wa kochira de hikiukeru koto ni naru to omoimasu. De nai to, su ni torawarete iru darou hitobito o kyuushutsu suru no ga muzukashiku narimasu kara ne. Sasuga ni okyaku-jin no kata ni bakari, futan o oshitsukeru you na mane wa shimasen yo. Go-anshin kudasai.


    Even though he was told to rx, it was an impossible request without knowing the means by which they would attract the orcs. However, the others didn''t seem concerned about it. Neither Elisha nor Irmae did. Were they really so confident in Tullius'' arrangements? Or perhaps they didn''t consider entering the orc''s nest such a daunting task. Regardless, it would be unbing to show anxiety when the two women remainedposed. Reluctantly, Yuuto decided to relent.


    In turn, Elisha spoke up.


    "I have a question too. Is it alright not to bring Due Schwarzer? I think if it''s that man, he would make an excellent vanguard, though?"


    Watashi kara mo hitotsu kiku ga, De Shubaruts wa desan de yokatta no ka? Ano otoko nara kakkou no zen''ei to naru to omou ga.


    As she mentioned, the two-handed sword warrior was not apanying this group. He had been left behind to defend the vige in case the orcs made a move. In his ce were his strangely taciturn subordinates.


    "The vigers will also need a reliable bodyguard. If anyone in the vige fought inst year''s battle, they should know his capabilities. Consider it part of our outreach policy. Besides, let me show you that there are others besides him in our household. Right, you guys?"


    Murabito-tachi ni mo tayorigai no aru goei wa iru deshou. Ano mura ni mo kyonen no sen ni juugun shiteita hito ga itara, kare no katsuyaku mo shitte iru hazu. Maa, senbu seisaku no ikkan to o-kangae kudasai. Sore ni, touke ni mo kare igai no hito ga iru to iu tokoro mo o-mise shimashou. Sou da ne, kimi-tachi?


    ""Yes.""


    Hai.


    From within the closed helms thatpletely covered their heads, muffled replies echoed. d in ck iron armor, with arge sword on their backs and several spare weapons at their waists, the fully armed Oubeniel soldiers, so heavily armed that one couldn''t even see their faces, gave Yuuto the impression that they were like robots. It was as if they had the man named Due Schwarzer mass-produced.


    "I didn''t see themst year, but they seem like soldiers worth a lot of money."


    Kyonen wa minakatta ga, zuibun to kane no kakatta heitai to mieru.


    "We''ve been entrusted with the bordends now, so we can''t afford to skimp on military equipment. Thanks to that, no matter how much budget we have, it''s never enough."


    Arata ni kokkyou no chi o azukeraremashita kara ne, gunbi ni mo te wa nukenai no desu yo. Okage de ikura yosan ga atte mo tari ya shimasen.


    Tullius scratched his cheek in a troubled manner. He was a man difficult to read, but this seemed like his genuine concern.


    It was then.


    "I have returned."


    Tadaima modorimashita.


    Just as faint rustling in the trees could be heard, a maid in an outfit unsuited for the wilderness gracefully descended onto the wagon''s bed. It was Uni, who had returned from her reconnaissance.


    "Good job. How was it?"


    Otsukare-sama. Dou datta?


    "Report. After tracking the traces, I discovered a cave ahead that appears to be the Orcs'' base."


    Houkoku itashimasu. Konseki o tsuiseki shita kekka, kono saki ni ku no kyoten ni natte iru to omowareru doukutsu o hakken shimashita.


    "A cave, huh that sounds troublesome."


    Doukutsu ka yakkai sou da ne.


    While the master and servant seemed to be concerned about something, Yuuto couldn''t quite grasp what the issue was. Orcs would surely use a cave to shelter from heat and rain.


    Perhaps his confusion showed on his face, Elisha opened her mouth, trying to borate.


    "They are hiding in a natural cave instead of digging a hole. Creatures with low intelligence like them wouldn''t be able to properly create arge scaled nest. If they were to dig randomly to expand it and the ground copsed, they''d be buried alive, after all. That''s why groups that use holes as bases tend to be naturally smaller in scale."


    Ana o hotta no dewa naku tennen no doukutsu ni senpuku sareta to iu koto da. Chinou no hikui renchuu ni ookibo na su-ana o matomo ni tsukureru hazu wa nai. Tezema ni natte kita kara motto hirogeyou nado to tekitou ni hotteitara, jiban o hori kuzushite ikiume ni natte shimau kara na. Dakara su-ana o kyoten ni suru mure wa shizen ni shoukibo ni naru wake da.


    "So being holed up in a cave means the opposite, that the group isrger?"


    Tsumari doukutsu ni komorareta tte koto wa sono gyaku de, mure wa ookiku naru to?


    "Exactly."


    Sou iu koto ni naru na.


    And now they were assigned the role of entering the cave where the orcs were presumably holed up. Anxiety surged again. Would Tullius and the others really draw enough enemies away? Or were they nning to use them as bait? Such suspicions filled Yuuto''s mind.


    "Well then, let''s get ready. Uni, did you find those things I mentioned?"


    Sate, sore ja junbi ni kakarou ka. Yuni, rei no mono wa mitsukatta?


    "Yes, here it is."


    Hai, kochira ni.


    Uni took out various items such as nts that looked like medicinal herbs and poisonous colored mushrooms with warts on their caps which she seemed to have collected in this mountain along the way during reconnaissance. Tullius took them and began grinding them with a mortar and pestle, tools used for crushing ingredients into a paste.


    "Um, Your Excellency? What are you doing?"


    Etto, koushaku-sama? Nani o nasatte oide nan desu?


    "Can''t you see? I''m concocting."


    Mite wakarimasen ka? Chougou desu yo.


    Even without being told, it was obvious. Irmae''s question was likely about why he was starting to concoct when they were preparing to attack a monster''s nest.


    "It''s the source of the perfect scent to lure the orcs. Aah, please don''t peek. It can be quite effective for humans too, so it would be troublesome if someone like you were to inhale it."


    ku o obikiyoseru no ni zekkou no nioi no moto desu. Aa, nozoki komanaide kudasai. Ningen ni mo kekkou kikime ga arimasu no de, kijo mitai na hito ga suikondari shitara taihen da.


    "Okay"


    Haa


    Is it really safe to make such a dangerous concoction outdoors, especially on top of a packhorse-drawn wagon? Yet, his hands were remarkably skilled, continuing the concoction without spilling a drop of wild grass juice outside the mortar. Finally, he finished grinding and mixing, collecting the mixture in a small vial.


    "There we go, all done Oh, it seems we''ve arrived just in time."


    Hai, dekiagari tto Oya, choudo yoku touchaku dekita mitai desu ne.


    The wagon came to a sudden stop. They were in a clearing a little off the forest path, in front of a cave with a gaping mouth on a steep slope, muchrger than expected. The entrance alone was about ten meters wide.


    (This cave looks like something straight out of an RPG.)


    (Nante iu ka, honto ni RPG ni demo dete ki sou na doukutsu da na.)


    Normally, he might have felt a sense of adventure at the sight, but there was no room for such luxuries now. Setting aside Yuuto''splex feelings, Tullius frowned at the scene.


    "I wonder why hasn''t such a conspicuous cave been reported until now. Thanks to that, monsters have made it their nest and turned it into a dungeon."


    Nan datte mata, konna medatsu doukutsu ga ima made houkoku ni agaranakatta nda ka. Okage de monsut ga sukutte danjon ni natteru janai ka.


    "Much of the geography in the eastern part of Volden remains unexplored, one of the reasons is because it is still undeveloped, after all."


    Vorudan toubu no chiri wa, mi-kaihatsu to iu koto mo atte haaku sarete inai bubun ga ooi no de.


    "When we return from inspecting Elpis-Roanne, we''ll have to investigate this area once more Aah, my work has increased again"


    Erupisu-ronu no shisatsu kara kaettara, mou ichi-do kokora hen mo chousa shinaito ne aa, mata shigoto ga fueru


    Descending to the ground with a sigh ofmentation, he bent down for some reason and resumed his work.


    He was mumbling something, and his palm, which he put on the ground, illuminated with a soft glow It seemed like he was using magic or something of the sort.


    "Are you setting traps?"


    Wana o shikaketeiru no ka?


    "Yes, using Alchemy to modify the structure, I made the ground brittle and hollow to create a few pitfalls. When you pass through, please veer around the area where I am by about four to five meters because you''ll fall if you step on them. Also, I''ve sharpened the bottom, so if you fall, you''ll get hurt."


    Ee, Renkin ni yoru kouzou henka o ouyou shi, jiban o moroku shitari kuudou-ka shite yatte otoshi ana o shoushou. Tooru toki wa boku no iru atari o shi~go mtoru hodo ukai shite kudasai ne. Fundara ochimasu kara. Ato, soko no atari o togaraseteiru no de, ochitara kega shimasu yo.


    He responded to Elisha''s inquiry in a curt tone, as if focused on his work. It would have been nice to know about such things before he started doing it, though.


    After finishing setting up the pitfalls, he stood up and turned back towards them.


    "Well then, it''s about time to lure them out. Are you ready?"


    Sate, sorosoro obikidashi ni kakarimasu ga, junbi no hou wa yoroshii no de?


    "Yeah, no problem."


    Aa, mondai nai.


    "Me too."


    Watashi mo daijoubu desu.


    The two women voiced their readiness in unison, but Yuuto wasn''t even mentally prepared. Perhaps noticing his silence, Irmae nced briefly in his direction. Her gaze seemed genuinely concerned, but it was she who had brought Yuuto here. Well, to be precise, it was Elisha who had pulled him along, saying,


    ''If Irma is going, then you, her attendant, can''t just hang back.''


    Iruma ga iku nara, waki-yaku no omae ga ushiro de hikkonde iru wake ni mo ikan darou.


    Anyway, if she''s going to worry about involving others at this point, then why bother doing anything in the first ce? He was infuriated by her self-interested show of kindness.


    "I''m ready. I only have a sword though."


    Junbi wa dekiteiru yo. Ken motteru dake dakedo na.


    Perhaps spurred on by a sense of opposition, such words came out. In truth, aside from his inner turmoil, there wasn''t anything he needed to prepare.


    "Well then, let''s begin the operation. We''ll lure out the enemy, so everyone, keep watch from the shadows and wait for the right moment to charge in. If possible, cover your mouth with cloth or something Anyway, Uni, I''ll leave it to you."


    Dewa, sakusen o kaishi shimashou. Boku-ra ga teki o yuuin shimasu no de, mina-san wa kokage kara yousu o ukagai, ki o mihakaratte totsunyuu shite kudasai. Dekireba, sodeguchi demo kamaimasen no de kuchimoto ni nuno o atete oku you ni sore jaa Yuni, yoroshiku.


    "Understood, Master."


    Kashikomarimashita, Goshujin-sama.


    As Yuuto and the others concealed themselves as instructed, Tullius handed the vial to Uni. If he was nning to lure the orcs with the scent inside, why hand it to someone else? He could just open it himself instead of giving it to another person. Yuuto pondered this curiously as he peeked from the shadows, puzzled by the situation.


    "Aah, Erimiya-kun, could you avert your eyes for a moment?"


    Aa, Erimiya-kun wa sukoshi me o sorashiteite kuremasen ka.


    Before he could ask what that meant, a soft rustle of fabric echoed.


    "Huh?"


    Ha?


    His voice slipped out. He couldn''t believe his eyes. Theplicated-looking apron dress that Uni was wearing slipped off as if by magic. She then proceeded to remove even her underwear with a fluid motion. What remained were only the seamless cor, her white brim, and garter.


    In short, she was naked. A woman standing exposed in the bright sunlight of the open in. Yuuto was utterly stunned by the unexpected turn of events. What was happening? Why was she undressing? Weren''t they supposed to start the monster subjugation soon? Questions swirled in his mind, but instinctively, the boy''s gaze busily wandered over her slender waist, well-shaped buttocks, cleavage, and even more suggestive areas


    "Do not look!"


    Mite wa dame desu!


    Just as he was about to do so, Irmae blindfolded him with her hand.


    "That''s why I told you not to look, didn''t I? Ugh, really."


    Dakara minaide kudasai ne, tte itta ja nai ka. Mattaku.


    Tullius muttered with a hint of astonishment in his voice. At the same time, there was a faint sound of swallowinging from Uni''s direction. It seemed that what Tullius had concocted was some sort of potion. However, while making her drink the potion was one thing, why was she undressing?


    Just as Yuuto pondered this,


    "Mh the effects should start kicking in soon."


    N sorosoro, kouka ga demasu.


    Suddenly, a sweet, dizzying aroma wafted into his nostrils, causing his heart to race and his blood to quicken.


    (Oh no, what the heck is this)


    (Yabai, nanda kore)


    He somehow managed to control his quickening breaths. The intoxicating fragrance was able to dull one''s rationality and stir their instincts.


    "I see, so you intend to use her as bait like this."


    Naruhodo, kou shite sono musume o otori ni suru tsumori ka.


    "Yes. Considering there are hostages inside, we can''t just smoke them out with fire, can we? If only I could use Enchant Temptation, it would be easier, but that magic doesn''t work unless the decoy is within the target''s field of vision."


    Ee. Naka ni hitojichi ga iru koto o omou to, hi o taite kusuburidasu wake ni wa ikanai deshou? Enchanto Tenputshon ga tsukaereba raku nan desu keredo, ano mahou wa otori ga aite no shikai-nai ni inai to kouka ga demasen shi.


    Elisha and Tullius spoke in a matter-of-fact tone. So, the potion seemed to have a potent effect akin to an aphrodisiac, causing the ingested person to emit intense pheromones or something of the sort. It appeared to be a n to lure the orcs out of their cave with this scent.


    "Um, do you really need to take off your clothes for this?"


    Ano, kore tte o-meshi-mono o nugareru hitsuyou wa aru no deshou ka?


    "Yes. Wearing clothes would hinder the release of the scent after all More important than that, they areing."


    Arimasu. Chakui ni yotte nioi no houshutsu ga samatageraremasu no de sore yori, kimasu yo.


    The t yet somehow feverish voice of the decoy served as a signal.


    "Buuoooooohhh!!"


    From deep within the cave came the unbearable guttural voices as the monsters leaped out. Creatures with stout human bodies and animal-like heads. Some resembled hairy boars, while others had pig-like pinkish skin, each with their own unique traits. However, they all shared an unmistakably grotesque appearance, clearly inhuman creatures.


    (So, these are orcs these are monsters!)


    (Kore ga, ku kore ga, monsut!)


    As Yuutoid eyes on these monsters for the first time, he was left breathless. Despite encountering many fantastical things that could never be seen in his original world such as magic, this was something else entirely. The realistic depiction of these creatures, like something straight out of a game, blurred the lines between reality and fantasy.


    The number of orcs that emerged in a steady stream easily exceeded ten. Like insects drawn to sweet nectar, they howled towards Uni, who stood there naked. It was evident that they were excited just by looking at them. And at the forefront, one of them unsuspectingly fell into Tullius'' pitfall trap.


    "Bugyaaaaaahhh!?"


    It was a scream devoid of any semnce of intelligence. The bottom of the pit was sharpened, so the creature likely suffered wounds or even death from that. However, the following group, perhaps driven by momentum or lost in the scent of the woman, charged forward without pausing or taking a detour. Naturally, they fell into the trap one after another, quickly filling up the pit. This meant that even those who didn''t fall into the trap at the bottom could be crushed to death by the following falling from above.


    "It is like a feeding frenzy Gale Edge"


    Iregui to iu mono desu ne Geiru Ejji


    Uni spoke with a tone of mild exasperation as she unleashed her magic. One orc that didn''t fall into the hole had its neck severed by a de of wind and died instantly. Then, with only a short dagger in her right hand, she leaped into the midst of the enemy, deftly striking vital points with precision. Despite beingpletely naked and surrounded by numerous hairy beasts, she engaged in this intense battle. Yuuto couldn''t help but admire the incredible courage of this woman.


    "Now, all of you, don''t just watch and get to work."


    Sa. Kimi-tachi mo miteiru dake janaku hataraite kure yo.


    ""Yes.""


    Hai.


    Upon receiving orders from Tullius, the robot-like soldiers also joined the attack. It was apletely one-sided massacre. Yuuto couldn''t help but wonder if there was even a need for them to intervene.


    Elisha grabbed Yuuto, who was watching the whole thing in a daze.


    "Don''t just stand there mesmerized, kid. Let''s go."


    Mihoreteiru na yo, shounen. Iku zo.


    "I-I know!"


    Wa, wakatte imasu!


    In any case, the decoy seemed to be extremely effective. With such arge number drawn out, the inside was likely lightly guarded. So, their task was simply to rush in and rescue the abducted vigers. The three of them turned their backs on the melee and ran towards the cave where the smell of beasts still lingered.


    ~~~


    Inside the cave was surprisingly bright, with moss growing on the walls and ceiling emitting a soft glow, providing illumination in the otherwise dark underground. This phenomenon, its name derived directly from the ecology called "Maryoku Hikari Goke," absorbed magical energy from the atmosphere and underground veins, creating natural light. Without being asked, Irmae exined this to Yuuto, who was looking at it curiously.


    TL Note: Maryoku Hikari Goke () is Magic Light Moss in English.


    The interior resembled a typical limestone cave, with stctites and stgmites stretching from floor to ceiling, giving off a cold and eerie atmosphere. The mixture of cold air and unknown odors was unpleasant, clearly indicating that it was indeed a monster''sir.


    "I used wind magic to scout around, and it seems there are only two possible exits: the one we entered through and another one connected to a side passage. If we control these junctions, even if there are survivors deeper inside, we can prevent them from escaping. Also, it serves as an escapeway in case of emergency."


    Kaze no mahou de sore to naku sagutte mita ga, deguchi ni nari sou na ana wa ware-ra ga haitte kita mono ga hitotsu ni, soko no yokomichi kara tsuujiru mono o awaseta futatsu nomi. Kono bun kiro sae osaete okeba, oku ni zanzon suru mono ga ita to shite mo nigasazu ni sumu. Sore to, man''ichi no baai no dasshutsu-ji de mo aru na.


    Elisha exined, gesturing towards the side passage. Irmae tilted her head slightly and asked,


    "In case of emergency? Is there really such a dangerous creature in an orc''sir?"


    Man''ichi no baai, desu ka? ku no su-ana ni sore hodo kiken na mamono ga iru no deshou ka.


    "Well, who knows It''s unlikely they would do something to us here, but it''s better to be prepared."


    Sate, na Koko de ware-ra ni te o dasu to mo kangae gatai ga, sonaete oku no ni shiku wa nai.


    "Eh?"


    E?


    "Nothing. Just talking to myself."


    Nan de mo nai. Khi no hanashi sa.


    As if to cut off any further questions, Elisha walked ahead, taking the lead. Her saber drawn, its de reflecting the eerie light of the magical moss, shining brightly. Even though it was an ally''s weapon, it appeared ominous to Yuuto, gleaming like a dangerous object in the strange glow of the cave.


    (If the lured out orcs weren''t all of them, we would have to fight. With just us)


    (Obikidasareta ku ga zenbu janakatta baai, tatakai ni naru nda yo na. Ore-tachi de)


    As these thoughts crossed his mind, he felt like his mind was going crazy with anxiety. In video games, orcs were just low-level monsters encountered at the early game. While it might be tough without sufficient experience and equipment, they were ultimately not formidable opponents. But that was only if it''s on the other side of the screen. When facing them in reality, with their ugly appearance and repulsive smell, they were not something he wanted to get close to.


    (Elisha-san and Irmae are both calm, and even that maid called Uni also easily took them down. T-there shouldn''t be anything to worry about)


    (Erisha-san mo Irumaerra mo heizen to shiteiru shi, jissai ano Yuni tte meido-san datte karuku taoshiteita nda. Fu, fuan ni omou koto nante nai, hazu)


    Despite trying to reassure himself, Yuuto''s heart refused to calm down. What if one of those creatures ambushed them from the shadows? What if the leader of the orcs lurking deeper inside the cave was incredibly powerful? No, no, what if there were even stronger monsters hidden within? These doubts and spections kept flooding his mind.


    The two women walking side by side seemed unperturbed by such concerns. Perhaps they hadn''t even considered the possibility of serious danger, or maybe they had concluded that it wasn''t significant. Regardless, their leisurely stride contrasted sharply with Yuuto''s, who was closely following behind.


    Did they truly grasp the gravity of the life-threatening situation they were in? Yuuto couldn''t help but wonder. Even though this ce was said to be the home of monsters that attack humans, how could they remain calm? It made sense for a knight like Elisha, who must have undergonebat training and seemed to have actually achieved notable feats in battle. But what about Irmae? She was a priestess and a sheltered girl, often referred to as a youngdy by others. What thoughts allowed her to remain so rxed, even dragging someone like him into this perilous situation?


    The boy''s frustration grew as he pondered these questions.


    "What''s wrong? You''ve been quiet since earlier."


    Dou shita, sakki kara damarikonde?


    "Huh?"


    E?


    "I''m impressed that you don''t make pointless chatter near enemy territory, but your stiffness is a bit concerning."


    Teki-jin no chikaku de muda-guchi o tatakanai to iu no wa miageta mono da ga, sukoshi kata-sa ga ki ni natte na.


    In the face of Elisha''s bold remarks, Yuuto couldn''t bring himself to respond. He was nervous due to the anxiety, but he couldn''t possibly express it openly. It would be embarrassing for a man like him to admit to being scared while the women remainedposed.


    There was also a desire to cover up his feelings, because his mouth started to speak words he hadn''t intended to utter.


    "Nothing. I was just wondering why we''re here, that''s all."


    Betsu ni. Nande ore-tachi wa konna tokoro ni iru ndarou, tte omotteita dake desu.


    "Hmm?"


    Fumu?


    "''C-cause, isn''t that right? Wasn''t our job originally to go to that ce called St. Gallen and negotiate to stop the civil war?"


    Da, datte sou deshou? Moto-moto, ore-tachi no shigoto wa Zankutogaren tte tokoro ni itte, naisen o tomeru you ni koushou suru koto ja nai desu ka.


    His tongue continued to utter words without his consent.


    "If Omnia''s duty is to save people, wouldn''t it be more important to fulfill that task quickly?"


    Hito o sukuu no ga Omunia no yakume datte iu nara, shi o hayaku hatasu hou ga juuyou na nja tte.


    "Yuuto-sama"


    Irmae called his name with a painful tone. He felt a hint of reproach in her voice, which only angered him further.


    "And besides, with the military strength of that noble, Oubeniel, aren''t they more than capable of defeating the orcs? Why do we have to go through all this trouble"


    Sore ni, buniru toka iu kizoku no senryoku demo juubun ni ku wa taoseru deshou? Waza-waza ore-tachi ga konna


    "Boy."


    Shounen.


    The murmuring voice of the female knight cut off his argument. It was neither firm nor sharp, but it carried enough force to silence him.


    "You''re saying something quite unlike yourself. It''s almost like the words of those priests we left behind in the vige."


    Zuibun to rashiku nai koto o iu. Marude, mura ni oite kita bouzu-renchuu no shuchou to onaji da na.


    Her words stung. He was used of spouting the same contemptuous sentiments as those who he had utterly looked down on. Yuuto couldn''t help but lower his gaze in response.


    "Hasn''t that been exined to you? Since the vige where we were supposed to resupply was ravaged by monsters, we have no choice but to be halted here."


    Sono koto ni tsuite wa setsumei sareta darou? Hokyuu suru hazu datta mura ga mamono ni arasareta ijou, donomichi koko de ashidome o kuu hoka nai to.


    "That''s not what I meant."


    Sou iu, koto ja nakute.


    So, what do you mean? While even he himself thought so, he still retorted reflexively.


    "I-isn''t there''s no need for us to fight"


    O, ore-tachi ga tatakau hitsuyou nante, nai, nja tte


    He added, offering a feeble and illogical rebuttal. But Elisha wasn''t merciful in her response.


    "You can''t lie. This is what you really want to say, right? Not ''we,'' but ''I'' don''t need to fight."


    Uso wa ikenai na. Hontou wa kou iitai no darou? Ore-tachi ga, dewa nai. Ore ga tatakau hitsuyou wa nai, to.


    "!!"


    Caught off guard by her piercing insight into the truth he had tried to conceal behind sophistry, Yuuto bit his lip.


    "Um Is that true?"


    Ano Sou, na no desu ka?


    Irmae timidly interjected from the side. He wanted to shout back, "Isn''t it obvious?" How many times had he said it? He was not a capable fighter, let alone a hero.


    If it were just a diplomatic journey, he wouldn''t haveined. Well, maybe he would have, but he could have epted it. Carrying a sword for self-defense would have been tolerable. But what were they doing now? They were actively stepping into danger, facing off against hostile monsters. This wasn''t something a mere high school student like him should be doing. And now she asked, "Is that true?" What the hell was that, was this nun kidding?


    As his simmering emotions began to boil over, just before his frustration burst forth


    "Then I don''t mind."


    Nara kamawan.


    Elisha said, turning away abruptly.


    "Huh?"


    E?


    "If you don''t want to fight, andck confidence in yourself, wouldn''t it be pitiful to forcibly thrust you into the fray? Just stay here. We''ll take care of it quickly and be back soon. Sorry for asking the impossible."


    Tatakaitakunai, sono jishin ga nai to iu no nara, gouin ni tekkaba ni tsukkomaseru no mo kawaisou dearou? Omae wa soko de taiki shiteiro. Sugu ni katazukete modoru sa. Muri o itte sumanakatta na.


    And with that, she began to walk briskly ahead, indicating her serious intention to leave him behind.


    "Wa! Wait! What if the orcs show up?"


    Ma! Matte kudasai, moshi ku ga detara?


    He managed to suppress his rising voice and asked again, but her response was merciless.


    "If that happens, you can choose to run away ore to inform us. Aah, if you choose to run, it''s wiser to go back the way we came, okay? An amateur getting lost in the forest from a shortcut would only lead to disaster. So it would be better to join up with Marquis Oubeniel maybe."


    Sono toki wa nigeru ka, ware-ra no hou e shirase ni hashiru ka, suki na hou o erabe. Aa, nigeru no nara kita michi o modoru hou ga kenmei da zo? Shirouto ga nukemichi kara mori ni mayoi dete mo, sounan ga ochi dakara na. Sore nara buniru-kou to gouryuu shita hou ga ikura ka mashi kamo shiren.


    "That''s"


    Sonna


    Elisha walked away, leaving Yuuto behind. He couldn''t move. The one reliable person he had encountered sinceing to this world was now walking away from him as if abandoning him. He couldn''t even bring himself to chase after her. There might be a battle where she was going. No, it wasn''t certain. After all, there were arge number of orcs lured out towards the exit. Considering that, there might not even be any enemies. Yet, just thinking about the possibility of fighting monsters made his legs feel like they had turned into stgmites.


    What are you dawdling for? Walk, run, chase after her. Even if she''s stronger than you, she''s a woman heading into danger. If you don''t follow her here, you''re not a man. You''ll definitely regret it, aren''t you ashamed, you idiot?


    Nani o bootto shite iru, aruke, hashire, oikakero. Ikura jibun yori tsuyoi to wa ie, onna no hito ga kiken ni mukatte susundeiru janai ka. Koko de tsuite ikanakattara otoko janai. Zettai ni koukai suru zo hazukashii to omowanai no ka baka yarou.


    He scolded himself, but the result remained the same.


    That''s not my concern, isn''t it


    Shitta koto janai janai ka


    A cold part of Yuuto''s mind sneered.


    It was the same as when you were in Japan. While thinking that you have to do something and wanting to be different from now, what were you doing? Nothing. While making excuses that you don''t want to do anything different from others, that it was risky, and in the end, you didn''t try to do anything yourself.


    Nihon ni ita toki to onaji da. Nani ka o shinakereba, ima to wa chigau mono ni naritai to omoi nagara mo, omae wa dou shiteita? Nani mo shinakatta jaa nai ka. Risuku ga aru kara, mawari to chigau koto o shitakunai kara, sono tame no chikara ga nai kara to iiwake o shite, kekkyoku jibun dewa ugokou to shinai.


    Despite that, youined that the world was boring. Ignoring the fact that the most boring thing was yourself. It was probably the same in this world too. But isn''t it fine to stay boring? Isn''t it okay to leave scary, troublesome, and dangerous things to others and pretend you don''t know anything?


    Sono kuse, yo no naka ga tsumaranai da no to hozaite ita. Ichiban tsumaranai no wa, jibun jishin da to iu koto kara me o somuke nagara. Sore wa kono sekai demo kawaranakatta to iu dake darou. Ii ja nai ka tsumaranai mama de. Kowai koto mo mendou na koto mo abunai koto mo, zenbu tanin ni makasete shiranai kao o shite ireba ii.


    (No! I I!)


    (Chigau! Ore wa, ore wa!)


    So, what do you want to do? What should you do?


    Nara, jibun wa dou shitai? Nani o suru beki na nda?


    Unable to find an answer, the boy continued to stand still.


    "Yuuto-sama"


    The cause of all this trouble shot a meaningful nce at him.


    "What?"


    Nan, da yo


    "No, it''s nothing. I will go with Elisha-san as well. Please take care I hope you do not push yourself too hard."


    Ie. Watashi mo Erisha-san to ikimasu. Dou ka go-buji de muri wa nasaremasen you ni.


    Don''t underestimate me, I''m not pushing myself.


    Baka ni suru na, muri na mon ka.


    I see, I''ll take your word for it then.


    Sou ka, nara o-kotoba ni amaete.


    His mind kept going back and forth as contradictory responses were on the tip of his tongue. In the end, he simply tightened his lips and remained silent. With a small bow to the boy, the girl also hurried away, following after the woman.


    Only the boy were left behind, still unable to find an answer and lost in uncertainty.


    ~~~


    To be continued


    ~~~


    TL Note:


    Ohhh my God I totally forgot to upload this on 20th since I''ve been very busy studying for the university entrance exam  I''m sooo sorryyyyy~


    Also poor Yuuto got left behinddddd I wonder if Tullius then would pick him up(**)


    Btw if you''re wondering where''s ch 86 part 2 there''s NONE. I uploaded ch 86 as a whole chapter but somehow when I submitted it to novelupdates they changed the chapter name from 086 to 086 part 1, potentially causing misunderstandings So the part 2 is ch 87 and it''s very longgggg so Im splitting it to part 2.1 and 2.2


    Read the advanced chapters in my patreon!


    See you next chapter(*)o


    (Patreon)

 Chapter 88: And the Journey Continued

    Chapter 88: And the Journey Continued


    Previous - ToCOuroboros Record ~Circus of Oubeniel~Chapter 088 : And the Journey Continued


    In front of her eyes, the world was burning.


    Everything, absolutely everything, was trampled, crushed, and thrown into the fire like firewood.


    The old and the young, men and women, all engulfed in a hell without discrimination or distinction.


    Amidst it all, one manughed.


    Kuku fufufu ahahahahahaha!


    The sight of grotesque rubble and mountains of corpses. A joyfulughter incongruous with that scene.


    No, he wasughing gleefully at the bottom of hell. If that''s what a devil is, then perhaps there couldn''t be a more fitting description.


    The devilish man outstretched his hands towards the scene in front of his eyes. As if embracing something he dearly loved. Or perhaps, as if seizing his prey without letting it escape.


    "Aah, finally! Atst, the time for my wish toe true has arrived!"


    Aa, youyaku da! Yatto, yatto boku no negai ga kanau toki ga kita!


    A voice filled with ecstasy and a hue of joy.


    How ghastly the sound resonated. It sent shivers down the spine and even induced nausea.


    Behold, countless corpses had been sacrificed. Listen, the roaring mes and the dying screams were rising from their midst. Who could bear to listen to the voice of a monster writhing in joy amidst such a scene of devastation?


    "There''s nothing to be afraid of anymore! From this moment on, I shall be an eternal being!"


    Mou, osoroshii mono nante nani mo nai! Ima, kono toki kara, boku wa eien no sonzai to naru!


    So he proimed, shedding tears of joy.


    His hair, perhaps reflecting the cmity of infernos, was colored red bronze, his gleaming eyes resembled those of a serpent


    ~~~


    ". Hey, Irmae!"


    rra. Oi, Irumaerra!


    The voice that reached her ears and the strong sensation of hands shaking her shoulders jolted Irmae wide awake.


    Instinctively, she looked around with tension in her gaze.


    The visible scenery was that of a forest with darkened hues of trees, and a narrow path winding through them. It was thendscape of thend beyond the Great Mountains at the border, St. GallenNo, it was the scenery of Elpis-Roanne, the domains just before it.


    "H-huh? Was that a dream?"


    A, are? Ima no wa yume?


    "Even for a carriage journey, that''s oversleeping, you know."


    Ikura basha no tabi dakara tte neboke sugi da zo.


    It was Yuuto, sitting with her in the carriage, who spoke in a cold tone. Elisha, who had been idle in her seat in front of Irmae, also chimed in with a wry smile.


    "Don''t say that, boy. After all, we''ve just finished crossing the mountains. Considering how depleted she was in Volden, it can''t be helped if the umted fatigue is catching up."


    Sou iu na shounen. Nani shiro, yamagoe o oeta bakari da. Vorudan demo soutou ni hihei shiteita koto mo aru shi, tamatteita tsukare ga dete kite mo shikata arumai.


    "Crossing the mountains"


    Yama, goe


    Right, she remembered. Irmae and the Omnia delegation had crossed the mountains and were on their way to St. Gallen.


    Just three days ago, they had saved the pioneer vige in the mountains that was attacked by those orcs, and with the help of additional supplies donated by the Oubeniel family, they had managed to traverse the difficult terrain. The carriage adorned with a crest on it, which were once dismantled to be loaded onto wagons to travel on the mountain roads, had been restored and was now running along the highway. Finally, they were back on track with their nned itinerary.


    "It seems you''ve been quite restless. Were you having a bad dream?"


    Zuibun to unasareteita you dearu ga, nani zo yume-mi demo warukatta no ka?


    TL Note:  (Unasareru) can also mean to cry out in ones sleep.


    "Y-Yes. Even though we are finally near our destination, I am feeling a bad omen."


    E, ee. Youyaku mokuteki-chi no temae da to iu no ni saisaki ga warui ki mo shimasu ga.


    She shook her head lightly.


    What was that dream just now? Was it just a nightmare caused by travel fatigue and the disturbing situation they encountered when they fought the orc?


    Or perhaps


    (Could it be a new revtion?)


    (Masaka, arata na takusen?)


    What Irmae recalled was a form of vision into the future that was said to be rare even among priests that were blessed with tremendous divine power. It manifested in dreams, providing visions of potential threats to humanity in the near future. The very reason that led to Yuuto''s summoning into this world was also the revtion that once visited her dreams.


    She lowered her gaze, reminiscing the contents of the dream she just had.


    A hellish scene where people were dying and cities were crumbling.


    In the midst of world copse, a sinister man roared inughter.


    His hair was red, his eyes devoid of warmth, resembling those of a serpent.


    (Marquis Oubeniel?)


    (buniru-kou?)


    The features of a man resembling the figure in her dream came to mind.


    Tullius Shernan Oubeniel. A young nobleman with hair reminiscent of copper or dried blood, bearing a serpent motif as his family crest. He was the one who established a regime in his domain that condoned the harsh treatment of ves. Upon reflection, he was a man with an eerie presence, fitting the destroyer depicted in her nightmare. Could he truly be the one to bring a threatparable to that of the Demon King to this world?


    (No, that is overthinking it, surely.)


    (Ie, sonna koto wa kangae sugi desu, kitto.)


    She shook her head lightly, denying the notion.


    Surely, there was no way she would receive revtions of this magnitude so many times within such a short span of time. While Marquis Oubeniel was indeed an unpleasant person, it was likely that his negative impression had simply seeped into her dreams. Rather, she should reflect on her own inability to let go of such biasesthis was the conclusion drawn from themon sense that Irmae had been cultivated.


    "What are you brooding over by yourself? You''re giving me the creeps"


    Nani o hitori de hyakumensou shiteiru nda ka. Kimochi warui yatsu da na


    TL Note: Well,  (Hyakumensou) means making different faces, like when someone was thinking about various things and their expression is changing continuously ording to what they were thinking. It''s hard to include it in Yuutos line and my brain couldnte up with the right words so Ill just note it here. But if any of you have suggestions just tell me.


    "Ugh M-my apologies."


    U su, sumimasen.


    Hearing Yuuto''s venomous remark from the seat next to her, Irmae blushed crimson. She realized that she had been showing herself lost in thought and felt ashamed.


    But at the same time, she couldn''t help but think:


    (Did Yuuto-sama just speak to me by his own ord?)


    (Ima, Yuuto-sama no hou kara hanashi kakete kudasaimashita yo ne?)


    Since the incident with Phantony and overhearing the conversation with her father, Yuuto hadn''t even directed a single harsh word towards her. Yet now, he was speaking to her and expressing his thoughts. Is it alright to consider this as a small step forward?


    ''Listen, Irma. A boy his age won''t understand anything unless you spell it out, you know? Only well-made adults can understand our troubles and concede. He''s still young, and he''s not even a protagonist of a story. Rather than having high expectations for a youngster, we should take action from our side.''


    Naa, Iruma. Ano kurai no shounen wa kotoba ni seneba nani mo sasshite wa kurenu zo? Kochira no nayami o rikai shite jouho shite kureru no wa, otonasore mo yoku dekita otona dake da. Kare wa wakai shi, monogatari no shujinkou demo nai. Waka-mono aite ni taka-nozomi o suru yori, khi no soba kara koudou seneba.


    She recalled Elisha''s words in the cave. Yuuto had shown a gesture of reconciliation that would have been considered as high expectations in normal situations. So, if she would follow that advice, wouldn''t it be her turn now to respond to that?


    Swallowing hard, she suppressed the fluttering of her heart with one hand. After gathering her courage for exactly one minute, she finally spoke up.


    "U-um, Yuuto-sama!?"


    A , ano! Yuuto-sama?


    "W-What?"


    Na, nan da yo?


    He seemed to tense up at her unexpectedly loud voice, but there was no rejection. Instead, he turned towards her and inclined his ear, showing a willingness to listen.


    Irmae felt her chest tighten at the faint sense of relief, but she tried to shake it off and continued.


    "I-I''m sorry!"


    Go, gomennasai!


    "Huh?"


    Ha?


    "U-um We, I mean, I have really dragged you into my own selfish circumstances, and I am truly sorry!"


    E, etto Watashi-tachi, ie, watashi no katte na jijou ni makikonde shimatte, hontou ni moushiwake arimasen deshita!


    She spoke in one breath, then bowed deeply.


    Summoning him as a hero despite hisck of connection to battle. Even if she wanted to take responsibility for it, there was no way to return him to his original world until he defeated the Demon King or prevented their resurrection. And then, she inadvertently hurt his heart, leaving him stranded in a world with no refuge. It was an apology for all of that.


    She didn''t expect forgiveness. She still didn''t even have a way to make amends. She didn''t even want forgiveness. Irmae just wanted Yuuto to know, for now, that there was someone beside him who wanted to at least partially fill the scars and void in his heart. Perhaps he would find it disappointing that that person was the cause of all this mess. But even so, she didn''t want to continue to inflict loneliness and suffering on him while she searched for the right answer to repay him.


    Apologizing was not for her own sake, but for the sake of the person hurt by her wrongdoing. The young girl had finally realized that.


    As for whether he epted her apology,


    "I understand."


    Wakatta yo.


    "Eh?"


    E?


    "I said I understand."


    Dakara, wakatta tte.


    He repeated, then turned away as if sulking.


    He wasn''t forgiving her. But he wasn''t rejecting or pushing her away either. He simply epted her words and responded that way.


    Nothing was resolved, but their rtionship had taken a step forward. The girl felt her heart leap at the tangible feeling of that progress.


    "Th-thank you very much, Yuuto-sama!"


    A, arigatou gozaimasu Yuuto-sama!


    "Don''t get too excited. It''s not really something to be extremely happy about, is it?."


    Hashagu na yo. Betsu ni sonna oo-yorokobi suru you na koto demo nai daro.


    "U-um, well, maybe you are right, but for me it is not like that"


    E, etto. Sore wa sou desu kedo, watashi ni totte wa sou janakute


    "Ah~ It''s still spring but it feels strangely hot~ Do you mind if I open the carriage''s window?"


    Aa~ Mada haru da to iu no ni myou ni atsui na~ Basha no mado o akete mo kamawan ka?


    Elisha''s somewhat teasingly deadpan voice interjected. Hearing it, Yuuto became flustered and retorted.


    "Wait, no! Elisha-san, it''s not like that"


    Chotto, chigaimasu tte. Erisha-san, kore wa sonna nja


    "Huh? Not like that? Um, d-did I not apologize enough!?"


    ? Chigau? Etto, sha, shazai ga tarinakatta no desu ka!?


    "No, that''s not what I mean Ughhh, you''re such a troublesome woman, you know that!"


    Iya, sou iu wake demo aaa mou! Mendokusai onna da na, omae!


    Yuuto seemed flustered for some reason. The fact that he was irritated was unchanged, but now he was expressing his emotions more openly than before. Irmae wondered if it was her favoritism that made her think that way.


    The carriage continued its journey over the mountains. Despite the difficulties, they were oveing them and moving forward, little by little. If the future ahead was going to be like that too No, she hoped it would be like that. The girl, holding hope in her heart, soon found herself forgetting something she had glimpsed in her dreams.


    And she would regret it not that far in the future.


    ~~~


    A small town that could be called the entrance to Elpis Province. There, the group parted ways with the delegation. Originally, Tullius and the others'' purpose was to inspect the new territory. Unlike them, who were hurrying on their journey to St. Gallen, their aim was to carefully explore this area.


    That was the official pretext.


    "Good grief. We''re finally managed to get away from those troublesome people."


    Yare yare. Youyaku mendou na no to hanarerareta ne.


    Tullius said as he settled heavily into a chair. This was the mansion of the magistrate who ruled the town, their first stop upon arriving in Elpis. It had facilities that were inferior not only to his residence in Man but even to the mansion in Volden City. However, it was tolerable enough for a temporary stay. He upied one of the rooms. Having taken various precautions such as soundproofing and blocking remote viewing, he had only just begun to feel at ease. Uni, who stood by his side as usual, served the tea she had prepared before he knew it.


    "I understand your troubles."


    Go-shinrou, o-sasshi itashimasu.


    "Exactly. No matter how much consideration we put in, it''s never enough for a foreign envoy, especially one of high religious standing. It''s more than just mentally draining."


    Mattaku da yo. Gaikoku no shisetsu de sono ue shuukyou no o-erai-san nante, ikura ki o yatte mo tari ya shinai. Kizukare suru nante mono janai ne.


    He muttered as he sipped his tea. He originally preferred coffee over tea, but given that coffee beans were not cultivated on this continent, if one wanted caffeine without paying a hefty sum to the Canales merchants, tea was the only option.


    A ck cat approached him, nuzzling at his feet as if seeking affection.


    "Meow."


    Nyaa.


    With a single meow, the cat leaped onto hisp. He inadvertently softened his gaze and gently stroked it with one hand.


    "Hey there, good kitty But, Omnia is still as sluggish as ever, or rather, out of ce, one might say. Sending a delegation to St. Gallen just now, huh. They should havee and stopped itst year, if you ask me."


    Ou, yoshi yoshi shikashi Omunia mo aikawarazu koshi ga omoi to iu ka zureteiru to iu ka. Ima sara ni natte Zankutogaren ni shisetsu, ne. Douse dattara kyonen no uchi ni tomete kurereba yokatta darou ni.


    "Then Your Excellency would have been spared the burden of Elpis-Roanne?"


    Sou sureba kakka mo, Erupisu-Ronu nado to iu nimotsu o showazu ni sunda, to?


    Laubert, the domestic affairs officer apanying them, remarked. He was eager to identify the problems in the new territory, also for Victor''s part, as Victor was still preparing for the unpredictable domestic situations that allowed no room forcency. Even so, Laubert didn''t have a favorable impression of those who imposed additional expenses under the guise of guest receptions and donations. It was only natural that his wry smile was tinged with a hint of annoyance.


    "Well, yeah. But it''s true that stopping the civil war in St. Gallen isn''t a bad deal for us either."


    Maa, ne. Tada Zankutogaren no naisen o tomeru tte no wa, bokura ni totte mo warukunai hanashi dewa aru.


    "The Volden Campaign drained mainly the smaller federation member states. Rather than having the leader, Grandenburg, to establish hegemony through the civil war, it''s more convenient for us if dissatisfaction smolders within the federation."


    Vorudan sen''eki de shoumou shita no wa omo ni chuushou no renpou kousei-koku. Naisen o ki ni meishu no Gurandonburuku ga haken o kakuritsu suru yori mo, renpou-nai ni fuman ga kusubutteita hou ga koutsugou desu kara ne.


    "Exactly. That''s why I''d like them to do well."


    Sou iu koto. Kare-ra ni wa umaku yatte itadakitai mono da yo.


    Tullius was tasked with the territory of Elpis-Roanne to resist St. Gallen''s military pressure as their hypothetical enemy. If that was the case, it was more advantageous for the corruption harbored within the ws of that enemy to endlessly continue festering. No matter how much that country was a military powerhouse, it couldn''t go on an expedition while having internal discord.


    "But will it go smoothly?"


    Shikashi, umaku ikimasu ka ne?


    "It will. Our strategyno, our experiment will also contribute to that."


    Umaku iku sa. Boku-ra no sakuseniya, jikken mo sono tame no ichijo ni naru kara ne.


    Experiment. Tullius stated the essence of this maneuver like that. The direct damage alone was equivalent to the Volden Campaign, or even worse. The n, which could shake the entire continent if one included the aftermath, was nothing more than an experiment.


    The trialmotion and the Great Fire of the Capital two years ago. And the Volden Campaignst year. These were all incidents that brought aboutparable disasters. With confidence in having devoted massive efforts to them and having sessfully ovee them. Above all, the dropout of Lavallee, his biggest enemy in terms of strategy. The heretical alchemist judged that under these circumstances, it would be possible to conduct an unprecedentedlyrge-scale experiment.


    Laubert, though, still couldn''t suppress his anxiety. What was about to happen wasn''t just an experiment. He had heard it over and over again that it was also effective for the survival and subsequent expansion of the Moderate Faction led by Tullius. But still, the scale of the expected damage was only that, an expectation. Maybe they were overlooking something unexpected, one or two concerns like that asionally floated in his mind.


    "Are you scared, Laubert?"


    Kowai no kai, Rubru?


    In response to his master''s words that saw through his inner thoughts, the man who was nothing more than a pawn broke out in a cold sweat.


    "I am scared but more than that, I have an eerie premonition."


    Kowaku wa arimasu. Ga, sore ijou ni bukimi na yokan ga itashimasu ne.


    "Premonition? An unusual sentimenting from you, isn''t it?"


    Yokan to wa mata, kimi rashiku nai mono ii da ne.


    "I apologize, but I can''t put it any other way."


    Kore wa shitsurei o. Shikashi, sou to shika ii you ga nai mono deshite.


    "Are you implying, Lord Laubert"


    Rubru-kyou ga ossharu no wa


    Uni interjected.


    "that the impact of this n might yield unexpected results? For instance, the expansion of the forces of the monsters as mentioned by the Holy King Church, which could ultimately lead to the resurrection of the Demon King."


    konkai no saku no eikyou ga, yoki senu kekka o umu no dewa to iu koto deshou ka? Tatoeba, seiou kyou no iu mamono no seiryoku kakudai, hiite wa maou no fukkatsu ni tsunagaru, to.


    His face tensed as his thoughts were read urately once again.


    Jean-Jacques Laubert was a self-professed realist. Normally, he would brush off apocalyptic sermons reminiscent of the doctrines preached by the church without a second thought. But this time, the situation was different.


    The increased frequency of monster urrences in Volden was certainly not Tullius'' intention. Breeding monsters like livestock for research purposes was strictly limited to the mountains of Man. Moreover, they were culled as needed to maintain an appropriate poption, and great effort was made to ensure that their influence did not extend beyond the designated areas. In addition, low-ranking creatures such as orcs and goblins, which have a strong desire to breed, were far from Tullius'' tastes or needs. What happened deep in the mountains of eastern Volden this time waspletely beyond expectations.


    Could this be a harbinger of the cmity preached by the priests? It was not unreasonable for such thoughts to cross Laubert''s mind.


    "The resurrection of the Demon King, huh."


    Maou no fukkatsu, ne.


    Kuku, augh echoed in his throat. The sound sent another chill down Laubert''s spine.


    "If it were possible, it would be quite fascinating, wouldn''t it? Even if defeated, if the time passes, it woulde back to life. Such a being would be a perfect subject for researching immortality, don''t you think?"


    Moshi ariuru no da to shitara, naka naka ni kyoumibukai janai ka. Kari ni taosareta to shite mo toki o hereba yomigaeru. Sonna sonzai, furoufushi no kenkyuu taishou ni wa zekkou da ne.


    TL Note: HOOOOHHHHHH AS IVE THOUGHT!!!!!


    With these words, the heretical alchemist sneered. Even the terrifying existence that threatened the world was just one sample to him. In his hands, the ck cat purred in agreement, as if resonating with his thoughts.


    "It''s noughing matter, Your Excellency. If it were to truly happen, before immortality, wouldn''t your own safety be at risk?"


    Warai-goto dewa arimasen yo, kakka. Moshi hontou ni sou nattara, furoufushi no mae ni onmi no kiki dewa arimasen ka.


    "It''ll be fine. It seems those in Omnia are also making arrangements, after all."


    Daijoubu sa. Omunia no renchuu mo tekubari wa shiteiru you da shi ne.


    "Will a ceasefire request in diplomacy alone really settle the situation?"


    Gaikou de no teisen yousei dake de, hontou ni osamari ga tsukun desu ka?


    "No, not that. It''s about the preparation of the countermeasure against the Demon King."


    Iya, sore janakute. Maou e no taikou shudan no junbi no koto.


    Laubert was perplexed by Tullius'' words.


    When ites to countermeasures against the Demon King, summoning a hero would be the obvious choice. However, they hadn''t grasped any information indicating that the Omnia Empire was moving for that purpose. Moreover, if they were actually doing it, they would have announced it loudly without the need for Laubert to investigate. Even if they were hiding it for some political reason, it didn''t make sense for Tullius to be the first to know it.


    "Well, there''s other possibilities, too. But still, that was too obvious. To put a boy like that by the side of the young saintess, it''s crystal clear."


    Maa, hyotto shitara betsu kuchi tte kanousei mo nai dewa nai keredo sa. Ni shita tte, are wa akarasama sugiru darou. Wakaki seijo-sama no o-hata ni anna shounen ga, nante sa.


    "Your Excellency, do you mean to say that boy is the hero?"


    Kakka wa, masaka ano shounen ga yuusha da to?


    As he spoke, he recalled the ck-haired, ck-eyed boy who had apanied the delegation. Tullius had shown quite an interest in that boy. Although he had evaded the question thest time Laubert asked, could it be that he saw him as the hero? But why? Where did such an oundish ideae from?


    "It''s just spection mixed with bias. The basis Well, it''s pointless to tell Laubert, who won''t believe it anyway. Right, Uni?"


    Tabun ni henken ga konjiru suisoku dakedo ne. Konkyo wa douse shinji kkonai Rubru ni itte mo shikata no nai koto dakedo. Nee, Yuni?


    "Yes, Master. Considering the underlying conditions, it may be difficult for Lord Laubert to be convinced."


    Hai, goshujin-sama. Zentei to naru jouken kara shite, Rubru-kyou ni wa nattoku shi gatai ka to.


    "Um, but it''s a bit troubling if only you two are convinced"


    Ano, o-futari dake de nattoku sareteite mo komaru ndesu keredo


    "No, it won''t trouble you at all, right? Your responsibilities remain the same, and there isn''t much for you to do this time anyway. Just do your best with domestic affairs or information gathering. We''ll handle our part."


    Betsu ni nani mo komari wa shinai darou? Kimi ga subeki koto wa kawaranai shi, konkai wa yaru koto jitai ga sonna ni nai ndakara sa. Seizei ganbatte naisei nari jouhou shuushuu nari shiteite kure. Boku-ra wa boku-ra de yaru koto yaru kara sa.


    With that, he took another sip of the slightly cooled tea. This was a sign that he no longer wanted to continue the conversation. Indeed, when Tullius spoke again, the topic shifted to their future ns.


    "Uni, have you sent the blueprints to theb?"


    Yuni. Sekkeizu no hou wa rabo ni mawashita?


    "Yes, without dy."


    Hai. Todokourinaku.


    "The n you kept on drawing even inside the carriage during the journey over the mountains? What is that, anyway?"


    Yamagoe no tabi no aida mo, basha no naka de kaki tsuzukete irareta zumen desu ka. Nan nan desu, are?


    He felt unsettled at how everything was being decided without proper discussion. Laubert couldn''t help but interject.


    This time, it seemed Tullius would properly answer him.


    "Aah, that? He had something interesting with him, so when I asked him to show me the other day, I figured out the rough structure and thought I''d try to recreate some of its functions."


    Aa, are? Kare, omoshiroi mono o motteita kara ne. Kono aida ni misete moratta toki ni oomaka na kouzou o haaku shite, ichibu no kinou o saigen suru tame ni tsukurou ka na tte.


    "Again with that boy Does such a child really possess something that would catch Your Excellency''s interest?"


    Mata ano shounen desu ka anna kodomo ga, kakka no go-kyoumi o hiku you na shiro-mono nante shoji shiteita no desu ka?


    The thing that he seemed to be so focused on drafting whileining about the vibrations of the carriage, neglecting the preparations for the Elpis-Roanne inspection. It was something Tullius put a lot of effort into. He predicted it probably would be something preposterous anyway. However, if that were the case, it didn''t make sense for that seemingly ordinary boy to have such an item.


    "That expression on your face says, ''He''s making something preposterous again.'' Really, when ites to you, you''re always like that."


    Sono kao wa mata roku demo nai mono o tsukutteru na tte hyoujou da ne. Mattaku kimi to kitara, itsumo sore da.


    He was caught off guard as his inner feelings were revealed, but it seemed his master wasn''t too bothered. Tullius chuckled, wearing a mischievous grin as he looked at Laubert.


    "What he had was a phoneaah, no, it''s more like a miniatureputer. It has various functions, but all I need is that."


    Kare ga motteita no wa keitaiaa iya, kogata no keisanki mitai na mono da yo. Hoka ni mo iro iro kinou wa aru keredo, boku ni hitsuyou na no wa sore dake sa.


    "Aputer?"


    Keisanki, desu ka?


    Laubert imagined something like an abacus. But why would the man in front of him be interested in such a thing? It didn''t seem relevant to alchemy that extends life or development of a weapon that protects life.


    In confusion, he nced at Uni. The person most knowledgeable about Tullius'' research was this ve in a maid appearance who had served as his assistant for many years. He thought maybe she would know something, however


    "My humble thoughts cannotpare to Master''s wisdom."


    Watashi gotoki no kangae dewa, goshujin-sama no eichi ni wa oyobi mo tsukimasen no de.


    Unfortunately, even Uni seemed to have trouble understanding.


    Tullius shrugged his shoulders.


    "Well, it''s something that, even for me, is at the level of ''it would be nice if it could be done.'' If it turns out to be unusable, I''ll consider other options, as it''s a tool for use in fields other than research on immortality."


    Maa, kore wa boku to shite mo dekitara ii na tte reberu no shiro-mono dakara ne. Tsukai-mono ni naranai nara betsu no te o kangaeru shi, furoufushi no kenkyuu yori mo sore igai no bun''ya de katsuyou suru dougu dakara sa.


    "Even if Your Excellency were to examine the actual object, is it difficult to create?"


    Kakka ga genbutsu o te ni totte mite mo, tsukuru no wa muzukashii no desu ka?


    This was an unexpected statement. With the right materials and understanding of structure, anything could be createdwasn''t that what alchemy was? He didn''t know about other alchemists, but he was sure that, for Tullius Shernan Oubeniel, it was the case.


    Compared to the intricate workings of the human brain that he usually tinkered with, a mereputer seemed considerably simpler.


    "It''s strange, isn''t it I can easily create the central processing units for golems, I can modify the human brain, but apparently, making an electronicputer is difficult."


    Fushigi na mono da yo nee gremu no enzan chuusuu wa kantan ni tsukuretari, ningen no nou o kaizou suru koto wa dekiru no ni, denshi keisanki no seisaku wa muzukashii nante sa.


    "Electronic? No, setting that aside, what use does aputer have?"


    Denshi? Iya, sore wa tomokaku, nan no yaku ni tatsu ndesu ka keisanki tte?


    "It has various uses. It''s particrly important in weapon development. Ballistic calctions require manyplex equations apparently. It''s not just about distance and angle; we also have to ount for things like the Coriolis force."


    Iro iro da yo. Toku ni heiki kaihatsu dewa juuyou na fakut nanda. Dandou keisan ni wa iro iro to shichi mendou na suushiki ga ikutsu mo hitsuyou ni naru rashii kara. Kyori ya kakudo dake janakutte, koriori-ryoku toka mo fukumenai to ikenai.


    Another unfamiliar term came up. This man seemed to be bad at exining things in an easy-to-understand manner even to outsiders.


    Seeing Laubert''s confusion, Uni stepped in with a sinct rification.


    "Specifically, it is used in the design and operation of the ''Guardian of Riney,'' whose construction is currently entrusted to Seis."


    Gutai-teki ni wa, genzai Seisu ni kenzou o makasete iru Raini no Mamori no sekkei un''you ni tsukawareru to no koto desu.


    "Aah, so it''s that thing"


    Aa, are desu ka


    It was something called a strategic weapon that he heard was being deployed to Tullius'' new territory, Elpis-Roanne. What exactly it was remained unknown, but it was said to have been constructed by pouring iron ore, a local specialty, like water. Naturally, this was ndestine usage. Thanks to this, he had been forced to create duplicate ledgers in preparation for an audit from the government.


    From Laubert''s perspective, to be honest, it seemed like just a gigantic toy whose usefulness was doubtful


    "It has other applications aside from thatbut well, that''s an ''if possible'' scenario. There are plenty of other matters to prioritize So? How are the preparations for that top priority matter? Jet."


    Sore igai ni mo ouyou wa kiku nda kedomaa, kore wa dekireba no hanashi sa. Hoka ni yuusen subeki anken wa ikura demo aru De? Sono saiyuusen jikou ni mukete no shikomi wa dou nandai? Jetto.


    He turned towards the fourth person who had not participated in the conversation up until now. Well, can it even be called a person? The ck cat that had been lounging on Tullius''p raised its headnguidly.


    "It could be said that everything is in order, Master Creator."


    Isai bantan to itte mo yoi deshou na, zoubutsushu-sama.


    It was unmistakably perfect human speech, sounding nothing like an animal''s cry, with a deep, low voice of an adult man.


    "The necessary forces have already been mobilized. Additionally, the contingency measures should function without issue."


    Sude ni hitsuyou na senryoku wa douin sumi. Kuwaete hoken no hou mo mondainaku kinou suru ka to.


    "It''s good to have confidence, but be careful not to be overconfident, 07. Considering the significance of the experiment, failure is not an option, you know?"


    Jishin o motsu no wa kekkou desu ga, sore ga kashin to naranu you chuui nasai 07. Jikken no igi o kangaereba, shippai wa yurusaremasen yo?


    "That''s quite a harsh remark. It''s troubling when all my femalerades are like this."


    Kore wa mata tekibishii o-kotoba da na. Waga douhou no mesu-tachi wa, sorotte konna choushi dakara komaru.


    An abnormal situation where a cat talked. However, there was no one in the room who showed surprise at this fact. Opus-07 Jet, a ''masterpiece'' who possessed the ability to transform and was making full use of it. His presence has already been notified to those who can be called executives of the camp. Even Laubert, who didn''t often meet Jet, had developed some immunity to abnormalities. It was odd, but not surprising enough to be startled by it.


    "Hey, hey, Uni. Don''t bully this child too much, okay? Jet has already proven himself quite capable in these matters countless times since winter, hasn''t he?"


    Oi oi Yuni. Sonna ni kono ko o ijimenaide kure yo? Jetto ga kono te no shigoto ni tsukaeru tte koto wa, fuyu kara sanzan shoumei shiteiru koto janai ka.


    "Yes, my apologies."


    Hai. Shitsureishimashita.


    "Well, being cautious is a good thing, though Well then, let''s just wait patiently for that time toe, shall we? Until the moment our firstrge-scale experiment in a while begins."


    Maa, shinchou na no wa ii koto dakedo sa sore jaa, bokura wa yukkuri to sono toki o matou janai ka. Hisashiburi no oogakari na jikken ga hajimaru made.


    Tullius said, smiling cheerfully. Laubert stared at Tullius'' face, which was beaming with happiness, with a stern expression.


    (As I suspected, His Excellency is feeling anxious.)


    (Yahari, kakka wa asette irareru.)


    The concerns that had crossed his mind repeatedlytely resurfaced once again.


    Tullius'' relentless pursuit of immortality remained unchanged, but recently, it had be even more extreme. In the past, he would have shown some reluctance towards such risky endeavors, no matter how useful they might be. Moreover, it seemed unlikely that he would be so fixated on something as dubious as the ''Guardian of Riney'' which could make one question his sanity just by hearing the summary of it.


    His stance had always been to prioritize his own preservation. So what was the reason for this sudden shift towards such radical measures?


    ''I hate to admit it, but perhaps the demise of that old fool is influencing him.''


    Mitometaku wa nai ga, yahari ano roushuu no saigo ga eikyou shiteiru no ya mo shiren.


    Victor had remarked with a grim expression when Laubert had consulted him about it.


    ''Even Lavallee, who had been a nuisance for years and was eventually nned to be eliminated by his own hands, could not go against his lifespan. Do you not think that it is hard to imagine that such a thing had no effect on His Excellency''s fear of death?''


    Naganen ni watari wazurawasare, izure wa kono te de haisou to omowareteita Ravare de sae, jumyou ni wa sakaraenakatta no da. Sono koto ga ano kata no shi o osoreru omoi ni eikyou ga nakatta nado to wa, kangae gatai to omowan ka?


    Initially, Laubert hadughed at the absurdity of it all. Could someone like Tullius really have such sentimental emotions? Excluding his bothersome final desperate attempt, the mere death of Lavallee would surely make him p his hands andugh. That would be more like our master, he thought.


    However, witnessing this outrageous experiment unfold before his eyes, he couldn''t help but entertain the thought that perhaps, just perhaps. Was he treading into areas of anxiety, opening doors that should remain shut? Was it really safe to be doing this? Such thoughts kept creeping up one after another.


    Ignoring the concerns of his pawn, Tullius turned to his prized ''masterpieces.''


    "The postponement of the research ends here. The experiment will begin soon Gallerin, the capital of Grandenburg Grand Kingdom, the Leader of St. Gallen Federation, that''s where the entire experiment will unfold without a hitch."


    Kenkyuu o todokouraseru no wa koko made da. Mou sugu jikken ga hajimaru Zankutogaren renpou oukoku, meishu Gurandonburuku dai oukoku shuto Garerin. Asoko ga subete amasu koto naku jikken no butai ni naru nda.


    ~~~


    To be continued (But I don''t think it will, so just consider it the end.)


    ~~~


    TL Note:


    IT HAS ENDED GUYSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS


    How unfortunate, what a cliffhanger. Its as expected, though. Ill just hope that someday therell suddenly be chapter 089 in syosetu. I don''t care if itll take years just, PLEASEEEEEE YAMASHITA MINATO-SANNNNN


    Thank you very much for reading my work! Due to my irl circumstances and my status as a student, I couldnt always make it in time, but it''s been a st tranting this masterpiece of a novel!


    Also I''ve decided to re-tl the web novel version of The Lazy King after this but I''m also still searching for another novel to trante, so just tell me if you have any suggestions!


    See ya~ () (`) /(o)/~~


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