A few days ago, Festia, who was close with Lichtenburg, suddenly betrayed him.
Normally, I would have brushed it off as a simple feud between main and branch families, but I received unexpected information from Ludwig.
Festia knows “information that shouldn’t be known.”
It was information that couldn’t be grasped with Festia’s intel.
From now on, I decided to figure out the source.
“You’re going to kidnap a female student? Schlus Hainkel… You’ve really gone too far.”
The method that came to mind was to kidnap Selene.
I brought it up to the expert, Hertlocker, hoping for help, but he looked at me like I was a bug and said this.
“No, I’m not trying to do anything weird.”
“If it were the old you, that kind of thing wouldn’t even have been considered an option. I’m talking about your moral decay.”
“It’s not that I didn’t, I just couldn’t because I was weak back then. I’ve never been one to spare any means to achieve my goals.”
“You’re a despicable guy.”
“I’ve gotten this far using this method. It’s easy to point fingers, right? Coming from someone who never once helped and only hindered me each day.”
“……”
“It’s much better that you shut up, but now spill some tips about kidnapping. You’re the expert, right?”
“I’m not a kidnapping expert.”
“Exactly.”
I could see right through his lies.
During the war, Hertlocker had kidnapped more than a dozen magicians.
If kidnapping were a sport, Hertlocker would be the champion.
Reluctantly, Hertlocker agreed, and I passed on basic information about Selene.
Listening silently, Hertlocker looked at me with a dumbfounded expression and spoke.
“Is it really necessary to kidnap her for that?”
“It’s definitely more certain.”
“Certain, but it’s also a way to escalate things. We’re not total strangers. If it were me, I’d just visit and knock on her door for questions.”
“Do you think she’d answer honestly? It’s better to threaten her by kidnapping.”
“Schlus Hainkel… Your very presence must be a threat to that girl.”
“Ah.”
If the former head of state and current Majin suddenly showed up at her home, it would indeed be terrifying.
There was no need to kidnap her after all.
Thanks to Hertlocker, I realized that.
“Wow. Just as expected from an expert. You’ve been really helpful.”
“I’m not an expert—”
“Next time I need someone kidnapped, should I call you again? Thanks!”
“Go ahead and try…”
I made up my mind.
According to the Intelligence Agency, Selene is currently at home.
Baron Festia is the same.
It would be the perfect timing for a visit when they’re both home.
“Should I get a gift or something?”
Since it’s a sudden visit, I couldn’t go empty-handed.
I decided to buy something nearby.
…
*Skreeeeech…* “Total annihilation. Total annihilation…”
Drinking straight from the bottle, Baron Festia chuckled bitterly.
It had been quite a tumultuous life.
Though he was like a servant to Lichtenburg, he had profited well from handling all the rough and dirty work.
Festia was soon poised to deliver a critical hit to Lichtenburg, having obtained their secrets and weaknesses.
Yet, Festia had never intended to strike against Lichtenburg.
If it weren’t for that unavoidable ‘contract’…
“Now, it’s all going to fall apart.”
He poured the last drop of the empty bottle into his throat and sighed.
He had gulped down the entire gold mine that they had promised to share.
He was targeting every tiny weakness Lichtenburg had.
Though he appeared somewhat flustered now, Lichtenburg’s Iron Man would not bow down to such an attack.
A counterattack would soon follow, and Festia would be thoroughly crushed as an example of betrayal to the other branch families.
That was the future that was about to unfold, and Festia could not escape it.
The baron decided to quietly drink away as he awaited his impending doom.
“Baron.”
“What is it? If you’re not from Lichtenburg, then don’t bother me.”
“It’s, um, Baron…”
“Is it really Lichtenburg?”
“No, uhm…”
“Who is it then?”
“Schlus Hainkel. Schlus Hainkel has come to visit.”
“What?”
The baron’s eyes widened.
A walking human weapon came here?
Just to meddle in a family feud?
“Damn it! What the hell did you do, Iron Man of Lichtenburg…!”
The alliance between Lichtenburg and Schlus Hainkel was probably just for show.
Everyone knew that.
It was a mere verbal alliance without marriage or engagement.
However, the fact that Schlus Hainkel had come in person suggested some sort of deal had taken place between them.
Perhaps the Iron Man had given his daughter away to Schlus Hainkel.
“I—I hope you’ll say it’s not true!”
“I already said so. Then the baron isn’t the one visiting, it’s the young lady…”
“Then I’d better hurry through the rear gate!”
It wasn’t particularly important what kind of deal the Iron Man had with Schlus Hainkel.
What truly mattered was evading Schlus Hainkel by escaping immediately.
The baron, dragging his staggering body, hurried toward the rear gate.
His daughter would stall for time.
After all, she knew nothing, so he was relieved she would have no reason to call on Schlus Hainkel.
In the worst-case scenario, his daughter could end up in a mess with Schlus Hainkel, but that would also tarnish Schlus Hainkel’s reputation, so it wasn’t a total loss.
“Baron! It’s this way… wait? Why won’t the door open?”
Entering a secret passage into the basement after meandering through a maze-like path,
the baron’s face turned pale upon reaching the door at the end.
Something felt ominous.
Even as the servants pushed against the door, it showed no sign of opening.
It wasn’t locked from the outside.
It felt as if something heavy was pressing down on it.
“Barrier…”
Touching the door, the baron felt a strong ripple from the other side and shuddered.
A strong barrier was blocking the door like a wall.
Someone was seizing and manipulating the mansion’s barrier.
At that moment, a servant rushed up from behind and spoke hurriedly.
“Schlus Hainkel has said he won’t leave the mansion until the baron arrives… He says you should just give up and come up…”
“Ha.”
It seemed everything had been found out.
With the exit blocked, there was no point in stalling any longer.
Supported by the servants, the baron walked, feeling like a cow being led to the slaughterhouse.
*Screeeech…*
The door to the reception room opened with an eerie sound.
Inside, Schlus Hainkel was seen gracefully tilting a teacup with a satisfied expression.
A little distance away, his daughter Selene was sitting with her legs trembling.
On the table was a vase containing an unfamiliar red flower.
“I’m not sure what you were doing down there, but I’m sorry for interrupting during your busy time.”
“Not at all. It wasn’t a bother at all…”
“Please, sit comfortably. I brought this as a humble gift I noticed on my way here.”
“……”
It was only then that the baron, after inspecting the flower closely, felt his heart tremble.
Anemone.
Among flowers often associated with love stories, it particularly had many negative meanings.
Especially the red anemone signifies death and betrayal.
Gazing once more at that wretched single flower, and then back to Schlus Hainkel’s subtly smiling face, the baron already felt as if his future was laid bare before him.
“P-Pardon me, your excellency…!”
“Who’s your excellency?”
“N-No, Schlus Hainkel. I’m so sorry. Truly sorry!”
“You know you’ve done something worth apologizing for.”
“Of course!”
“Then can you confess that wrongdoing yourself?”
“……”
“You’ve suddenly gone quiet. Then I’ll ask. How did you get Erica von der Lichtenburg suspended?”
“What?”
Flustered, the baron found himself asking back.
The question from Schlus Hainkel was absurd.
He had come not because Festia attacked Lichtenburg but specifically over the weak and minor accusation against Erica?
‘No way. Was I mistaking this all along?’
Could it be that Schlus Hainkel genuinely had no intention of entering the inter-family feud?
Had he come all this way only out of personal feelings for the girl he cherished being attacked?
Schlus Hainkel was completely oblivious.
He never imagined someone was backing me.
He truly thought this was merely a family squabble.
Realizing that, the baron let out a deep sigh of relief.
“Ah, was that it? Selene! Lower your head!”
“I’m sorry…”
“I’m really sorry. It seems our daughter bore a grudge against that girl… It must have all stemmed from a misunderstanding. It’s all my daughter’s fault.”
“I didn’t ask for the reason. I asked how. How did Erica get suspended?”
“W-What…?”
At that question, the baron froze.
It dawned on him that Schlus Hainkel’s expression and tone showed no hint of rage.
Schlus Hainkel wasn’t angry about Erica’s suspension.
He hadn’t merely come for a trivial suspension.
“You made a mistake, Festia. How can you use a butcher’s knife to catch a chicken? You reveal yourself when you use such a powerful weapon over something as trivial as a student’s suspension.”
“W-What are you talking about…?”
“Who did you join hands with?”
“I really don’t understand what you mean. We didn’t join hands with anyone!”
“I don’t know what kind of deal you’ve made with them, but I have just one proposal. I’ll spare your and your daughter’s lives. To mean ‘spare’ doesn’t only mean I won’t kill you. It also means I will protect you from retribution for betrayers. I recommend you accept this before the conditions degrade further.”
The baron’s pupils trembled greatly.
As far as he remembered, Schlus Hainkel had never been one to boast.
What Schlus Hainkel said always became reality.
In one form or another, it undoubtedly would.
“The next offer will not include your daughter’s life. I shall give you three seconds. Three. Two. One…”
“B-Branden Hainkel!”
“What?”
“Branden Hainkel… the Pope…”
With clenched eyes, the baron shouted loudly.
Everyone was downcast, so they didn’t notice, but the moment he responded, Schlus Hainkel’s expression twisted severely.
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