Settlement
Settlement
No matter how much aura you had, the advantage granted by height and reach couldn't be ignored, and if skill was similar, the presence or absence of spears and bows naturally changed the difficulty of a fight.
But even that didn't really mean much if the skill gap was too severe. Because whatever those bastards were holding, I could just charge in and split their skulls open and that'd be the end of it. Wasn't that just how skill worked?
In cases where the gap in proficiency and ability reached that level, it was actually more troublesome if they were holding swords of the same length like now. Maybe if they were bastards tightly bound by camaraderie it'd be different, but if they were the type whose eyes spun with the chance for personal glory, who'd try to stab me the moment an opportunity came regardless of allies or anything else, that was even more of a pain in the ass.
But if the opponents were bastards who hadn't even awakened aura? It became fuck-all nothing.
Normally, you'd have to at least worry about the state of your weapons, but since I had the leeway to grind up both people and equipment with a fucking insane chainsaw, even that was beside the point.
And the effect of the first swing I took to prove that showed clear results, just like back in the alleyway.
Because three people, armor and all, got sliced up like fucking tofu.
Their reactions went without saying.
"Uwaaahk?!"
"F-fuck! Move! I said move!"
With just that one stroke, the movements of the soldiers who'd been charging in with their own brand of bravado tangled up, and what had already been on the verge of becoming a shitshow turned into complete chaos.
The ones who saw it right in front of them and bolted without a shred of hesitation, the ones who figured they'd used their heads and tried to thrust in believing a single slash must have left an opening, the ones who still charged fearlessly because they were blocked by their own and hadn't seen, the ones who faltered trying to grasp the situation from the reaction up front, etc.
All those reactions unfolding before my eyes in that short moment were just so pathetically pitiful that even the motivation I'd barely managed to scrape together vanished.
"But I'm Eldmia, who doesn't put off what needs doing."
Just because my motivation had died a little didn't mean I'd ever swung a sword lightly enough to pull my punches. I dodged the blade of a bastard who couldn't even distinguish whether there was an opening or not, kicked him straight in the gut, and sent him flying into the middle of the chaotic mob.
At that, seeing a person hurtle through the air from a single kick, the others began to sense something was wrong and started calculating their escape routes, and the chaos intensified further.
The difference in power was on another level from the start. The absurd sight of a path simply opening as I gripped both swords and swung them left and right nearly made an involuntary scoff escape me, but I held it back with everything I had. No matter what, letting my reputation fall all the way to 'psycho who laughs while cutting people down' seemed a bit dangerous.
The central breakthrough I attempted so I could rush the bastards who'd shoved their soldiers forward and were sighing in relief was achieved so easily it was laughable. It wasn't even like I was fighting twenty people five separate times; I'd only cut down about twenty while breaking through the crowd.
The faces of the noble bastards who spotted me like that turned bone-white as they started pointing fingers and shrieking.
"S-stop him! Stop that bastard right now!"
"D-don't run! Kill that traitor!"
Was the fact that they didn't flee based on a baseless belief that there was room for the situation to improve through their orders, or was it worthless pride as nobles?
Either way, it didn't look like there was any nutritional value to it, so I accelerated without hesitation and took their heads too.
"Holding a sword in each hand sure makes it convenient to behead sloppy bastards."
The soldiers of that first guy, Groshan, whose head flew off, had already scattered in all directions the moment I charged, and the few soldiers left behind as their so-called escort also dropped their weapons and fled without a single shred of hesitation once I'd closed the distance in an instant and taken the heads of the noble bastards.
That more or less achieved my objective.
With a light sense of accomplishment, I blocked off the sole exit out of Envelde's mansion, and as I looked around the mansion with fresh eyes, instead of the chaos that had prevailed until just moments ago, the gazes of the survivors began to focus on me amidst an atmosphere of desolate emptiness.
"Either put down your weapons, or make an attempt to kill me and run. Choose for yourselves."
Unless they pole-vaulted over the wall, those were the only options.
Fortunately, the soldiers who'd lost the head that could promise them rewards put down their weapons without hesitation.
◈
While I was blocking the mansion entrance mimicking Zhang Fei at Changban, and the eyes of commoners gradually started to gather, the one who revealed himself from the far end was, surprisingly, Duke Lesrom.
"...I'm late."
I couldn't easily understand why that old man had shown up, but I wasn't exactly in a position to ask warmly, so I was just standing there staring blankly when Duke Lesrom, looking exhausted, dismounted from his horse and began approaching me with his escorts in tow with a light gesture.
"Ensure no one else approaches."
Then, after setting up a semicircular perimeter, he spoke to me.
"It's been a truly long time since I've felt so at a loss for where to even begin."
"We've got plenty of time anyway, so start with whatever comes to mind. But before that, how were you able to arrive first, Your Excellency?"
"A Servant of the Dream tipped me off. Said you'd charged into Envelde's mansion."
I'd naturally assumed he'd gone to the Ogatorf manor or somewhere similar. Mongsun's situational judgment and ability to improvise must have been better than I'd expected.
While I was once again marveling at Mongsun's skill, Duke Lesrom, who'd been calmly observing me, asked.
"More importantly, how on earth did you... no. That's for later. Just how far did you anticipate and plan before moving?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"No matter how deep in treasonous plots he was, Envelde is undeniably a noble, and at the same time his crimes have yet to be proven. In such a situation, entering his mansion, killing his soldiers, and even killing the man himself is by no means a wise choice... generally speaking."
Duke Lesrom's eyes narrowed. There was no discomfort in them. It was merely an effort to grasp my intentions as much as possible, just in case I hid my true feelings or dodged the answer.
"But you never make the first move into a disadvantageous situation. I... am regarding the actions you took this time as a protest against the royal family."
"That's quite the remarkable perspective. Why is that?"
"Regardless of the process and intent, the royal family did, after all, neglect the danger to you and Margrave of Levien in order to capture Envelde. Saying 'didn't it all end well in the end?' is nothing but consequentialism. Had someone's abilities been lacking, there were certainly many dangerous situations. If it hadn't been for that 'someone.'"
"That 'someone' might find the situation highly unpleasant. Although, even I'd be a bit pissed about that."
I answered with a light banter, but rather than taking offense, Duke Lesrom merely sighed with a tired expression.
"What's more, after dealing with Envelde, the royal family even attempted to gain various collateral benefits through you and Margrave of Levien. I don't imagine there was no intention to reward you in the meantime, but even so, I doubt it was a picture that pleased you. At least, the you I've assessed doesn't operate on that kind of logic, and doesn't take actions like 'I received compensation, so I'll let bygones be bygones.'"
Despite having only exchanged a few words with me, Duke Lesrom was sharp. This was why you shouldn't associate with politicians.
"That's why my expectation is that you preemptively struck before the royal family could dispose of Envelde through proper procedures and shape your position to their liking."
To put it plainly, I'd screwed them over.
The royal family couldn't cast me aside right now. Hell, they couldn't cast Ragnis aside either. Apart from the fact that they'd never had any intention of casting her aside in the first place, now they couldn't even if they wanted to.
Because having brought her to the capital with all that needless dramatic staging at Ogwen was meant to make her a tragic heroine while simultaneously granting legitimacy to reclaiming her territory and inspiring heroic spirit in the young.
And what about me, who'd unexpectedly come along attached to her? Now I wasn't just connected to the Empire, I was a talent who'd beaten the Hero and that Rudra's Dog bastard, and even the envoy who personally delivered a personal letter from the Iron-Blood Princess. Even if they couldn't guess at my private relationship with Eshnua from that alone, the fact that a nation's letter was delivered through me as an individual meant they were in a situation where it wasn't enough to even be humoring me, at least until they figured out what that signified at minimum.
In other words, in this very moment, no matter how much I rampaged like a madman, the royal family would have to bust their asses to somehow cover for it. And fuck, since even the actions that could be seen as rampaging like a madman were nothing more than mopping up traitors, there couldn't possibly be any justification to reproach me.
Backlash from some nobles due to actions disregarding noble authority and proper procedure? Even that was a gain for me. Because if there was such backlash, the angle of grandly using me while acknowledging my achievements would become even harder to pull off.
On the board they'd been busily setting up for the royal family's sake, I'd spread out a drinking party all by myself and was enjoying it alone, so there was no expression more fitting than having screwed them over.
As Zikmel had said, information only demonstrated its true value when it met the right timing and the right client, but did they imagine some unrelated bastard could snatch it just because he had a grudge and use it however he pleased?
They wouldn't have. What kind of lunatic throws down that kind of racket against a nation's royal family.
But reality always exceeded imagination. And yet, it actually happened.
"'I've shown you firsthand how well I can exploit the environment around me, while delivering profit rather than harm... so don't touch me.' Isn't that what you wanted to say with this assault?"
"Who knows...?"
"Still, haven't I shown you nothing but a smooth side? I'd like you to answer, if only out of consideration for the sincerity of this old body urgently riding here."
Ah, fuck. Emotional manipulation. But it was hard to coldly refuse this, too.
Because dukes who could grasp all this and still set aside their own status to engage with you weren't common. This was a man whose genuine wish, at least, was to act in a way that would benefit the royal family and the nation.
On the contrary, getting openly furious and flying into a rage out of arrogance like Envelde was the normal reaction. It wasn't hard to be shitty to an opponent who was shitty to me, but being shitty to someone who respected me was a lot harder.
"Your Excellency's prediction was so spot-on that I just balked a little. You've seen through it exactly, so I have nothing to add."
When I answered with a bow, showing the utmost courtesy I could manage, Duke Lesrom asked with a relieved sigh, unlike before.
"If the royal family is willing to accept this protest, may I consider that there is room for your course of action to become more amicable?"
"If you measure all of this with a heart as vast as the sea, then it'd be fair to say we're settling this cleanly."
"That's a relief."
As if everything had been resolved with that, Duke Lesrom lightly patted my shoulder.
"It would be good if we could maintain a fine relationship from now on, understanding each other well without misunderstandings."
At the bright tone of his reply, so clearly different from just moments ago, I raised my head with a look of 'could it be?' and saw Duke Lesrom wearing a satisfied smile, not a face steeped in fatigue.
"...No way?"
"Indeed. I had already finished reporting before departing for here. She was a bit crestfallen, but she understood."
This old fox, he'd been acting in case I threw a bigger fit...!
"What an agreement it is, one that can end cleanly after mutual and amicable consideration! Don't you worry about a single thing regarding today's work. I'll handle it cleanly."
Watching Duke Lesrom's back as he chuckled heartily, dismissed the people, and mobilized the soldiers who'd come with him to enter the mansion, this time even I could do nothing but stick my tongue out.
His demeanor of focusing on reducing additional damage by saying 'what's done is done,' even though a great many of his plans must have been thrown into disarray, was that of a sly old fox through and through.