Chapter 10
Chapter 10
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: A Treacherous Subject Has Their Uses
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While Beonald entered his training room, Baron Leon hurriedly changed his clothes and headed to the reception room to welcome Sir Geral.
Upon entering, he found his wife already serving refreshments and engaging in light conversation with Sir Geral. Baron Leon immediately took over, greeting Sir Geral and sitting down across from him.
"My apologies for the delay, Sir Geral. I was inspecting the territory."
"No need to apologize. Tending to one's territory is a noble's duty. I'm the one who should be sorry for coming without prior notice."
"Not at all, Sir Geral. You're always welcome. After all, we're neighbors, aren't we? Hahaha."
'Neighbors, he says! How dare a jumped-up noble like him say that!'
Though Baron Leon responded with a sincere, good-natured smile, to the already deeply resentful Sir Geral, it sounded like nothing but mockery.
Whether Baron Leon was truly oblivious or just slow on the uptake, he didn't seem to notice Sir Geral's subtle glare at all.
It was the Baroness who noticed. She was on her guard.
'He doesn't seem to have come with good intentions... Why is he here?'
'That hideous vixen is indeed wary.'
Seeing the Baroness's gaze, Sir Geral also thought she wouldn't be easy to handle.
While the simple, good-natured Baron wasn't a target of concern, the woman raised in the Callermain Earldom likely wouldn't be so simple.
However, he had already considered that. Even if she were wary, you can't stop a landslide with a shovel.
"Anyway, the reason I came in such a hurry is because of the bandits captured recently. After catching some who fled into our territory, we discovered they had bounties on their heads in the Callermain territory. And I heard from them that their comrades were captured here."
"Hmm... I see. I suspected they weren't ordinary bandits. So they were that vicious."
"So, I came to take them away... since I heard they were captured here as well. And I have one request... I will pay you the bounty for them, so could you hand them over to me?"
"Oh? Why is that?"
"As you know, our family... is in a rather precarious situation right now. I'm in the mood to add even the smallest achievement. Of course, it feels like I'm buying the credit for bandits you captured with money... but our circumstances are so difficult that I'm willing to resort to such measures."
"Ah... I see."
The rumors about the Geral family's circumstances were so widespread that even those within the Callermain Earldom's influence knew about them. Baron Leon and his wife now somewhat understood the reason for his visit.
The family needed an heir, but no matter what his children did, they couldn't master the mana training method passed down in the Geral family, putting the family's survival at risk.
"Well then, I'd be happy to accept the bounty and let you have the credit. We must help each other to survive, after all. Hahaha."
'Foolish bastard. This is just bait anyway. One way or another, you're finished today.'
"Then I'll have the servants summon the bandits who are on forced labor. The evidence—their belongings—are in the mansion, so I'll have those brought up quickly as well."
Baron Leon thought that since he was already making the bandits work off their debt, receiving the bounty and using part of it as tax to give to the territory's people would be good. He accepted the proposal with that in mind.
Of course, for Sir Geral, this transaction was merely an excuse to conduct preliminary reconnaissance of this territory.
"Thank you very much, Baron Dustycloak. Originally, I should pay much more..."
"Not at all. We both know we have small territories; we must help each other in times like these. Hahaha."
"I'm so sorry for being late! I should have greeted you! I was preoccupied with my attire... Aaah!"
Crash! Bang!
Just as the conversation was ending amicably, the reception room door opened, and a thud was heard, as if someone had fallen.
Startled, Baron Leon, his wife, and Sir Geral stood up and looked toward the source of the sound. There lay Beonald, sprawled out in a big "X".
"Oh my! Beonald! Are you alright?"
"Owowow... I'm really sorry, Mother. I should have greeted you... I was late changing clothes and rushed over... It hurts... Ah! Nose, nosebleed! M-Mother?"
"L-Let's go get you treated first. I'm so sorry. Our Andel, what are we to do..."
Seeing Beonald with a nosebleed, the startled Baroness quickly led him out of the reception room.
'...That must be Leon's son. But I heard he's ten; he looks quite big for his age?'
"My apologies, Sir Geral. He's usually a smart child, but it seems he was nervous today because we had a guest."
"Not at all. More than that, I heard he's ten by rumor... He looks quite grown."
"Yes. Haha... He takes after his grandfather, I suppose; he's been growing like a weed. But well, ten is still ten. Hahaha..."
'Well, the previous Baron Dustycloak, that mercenary old man, was no ordinary person.'
Sir Geral had met the previous Baron Dustycloak.
The man in his memory possessed a frame and strength far beyond ordinary people, so he didn't find the child's rapid growth particularly strange.
And judging by the clumsy display earlier, he guessed the boy wasn't much of a threat.
'A brat is still a brat, no matter how big he gets. Hmph.'
Meanwhile, outside by the well, as Beonald wiped his nosebleed and straightened his clothes, his mother quietly asked him a question.
From his attitude during lessons and training, she knew well. Beonald was a child who possessed a dignity and wisdom far beyond his ten years.
So why would he suddenly trip and fall just as he was about to meet Sir Geral today? It was only natural to wonder.
"Beonald, why did you deliberately do that?"
"Previously, you mentioned that the Geral family's heir couldn't awaken mana, putting the family's survival at risk. If I showed my usual self there, surely envy and jealousy would arise. And wouldn't the resentment they already harbor grow even larger?"
"...Ah! You thought that far ahead!"
The mother clapped her hands in admiration at Beonald's wisdom.
Considering the territorial relationship and showing an unsightly appearance without fear of getting hurt—she was amazed once again.
'Besides, that Sir Geral fellow seemed more cunning than he looked.'
Additionally, Beonald had realized that as the mastermind behind the bandits, Sir Geral was more cunning than expected. He acted that way to avoid revealing himself.
Since the man had the audacity to enter the territory despite being the bandits' mastermind, he was clearly no ordinary fellow. There was no need to show intelligence and raise his guard.
"Anyway, I'll go rest now. If he finds out he was deceived, he'll be even angrier."
"Alright, go ahead."
Understanding Beonald's thoughts, his mother watched his retreating back as he entered the mansion.
Returning to the reception room, the Baroness saw that the conversation seemed to have ended. Her husband and Sir Geral were chatting and laughing.
"What will you do now? How about staying for a meal?"
"No. Unless the conversation dragged on, you've agreed so readily that I'll give you the bounty right away and take my leave."
"Oh, come now, at least have a meal..."
"No. There's still work in the territory. Then I'll be on my way."
Handing over a pouch of gold coins, Sir Geral quickly left the territory with the bandits handed over by Baron Leon.
But for Sir Geral, this was merely reconnaissance.
He had come to check if that so-called "wandering knight" was here or if there were any other variables.
"You're back, Sir Geral. So, how is the situation?"
Once past the territory's border, the figures of Sir Galson and Sir Encia came into view. They had fully armed themselves, set up a campsite, and were waiting.
Dismounting, Sir Geral promptly paid his respects to the two men sent by Viscount Delmain and explained the situation.
"Nothing special. It seems just me and these fellows will be enough; no need for Sir Galson and Sir Encia's strength."
"Hoho, is that so? But since we received Viscount Delmain's orders, we have no choice but to work, Sir Geral. You understand?"
"I know. Anyway, please proceed as you wish, both of you. Just be careful not to run into each other and fight among ourselves while working. And you lot, you'll be working with us this time, so get ready. There's no 'wandering knight' or anything this time, so there's no chance of failure."
Sir Geral also ordered the bandits to prepare. The current force consisted of ten soldiers brought from the territory, three low knights, and four bandits—seventeen in total.
With three knights from the start, it was an overwhelmingly excessive force for a rural barony. But with a determination not to fail, Sir Geral waited for nightfall with them, maintaining their weapons and resting.
"Oh? Three knights? This is like using a sword meant for an ox to kill a mouse... Perfect timing, huh?"
And quite a distance away from them, at the border of the Dustycloak territory, was Beonald.
Perhaps conscious of the previous failure, this time he cautiously tracked them from a truly sufficient distance. Judging by the fact that he wasn't spotted by the other bandits, he seemed successful.
'Even if all three are low knights... it's an enormous overinvestment for a territory like this. He's a truly fearsome fellow.'
Beonald marveled as he watched Sir Geral's preparations and the sleeping knights.
But those blades were clearly a threat to him, so he couldn't leave them be. He began pondering what method to use.
'Even if I go back and tell Mother, calling for reinforcements or knights to deal with that would be impossible. Hmm, anyway, they said they're coming tonight...'
If he had a day or two more, he could tell his mother and take measures, but if they were coming immediately tonight, there was no particular way to respond.
In the end, Beonald had no choice but to step in himself. But how to handle this would affect subsequent measures, so he had to think about when and how to capture them.
'It would be best to capture them all, right? The dead tell no tales. If I catch them outside the territory or at the border, the chance of escape is high, so I should lure them into the mansion and finish them off... Hmm, how do I do that?'
Since he was going to intervene, Beonald thought it best to use a method that could thoroughly conceal the news.
Anyway, since guests were coming tonight, Beonald quickly returned to the territory to prepare to welcome them.
A few hours later, under the cover of a dark night with a dim moon.
Sir Geral, Sir Galson, and Sir Encia, fully armed, slowly infiltrated the territory.
With the recent capture of bandits, security had become laxer than before. Thanks to the three low knights agilely scaling the wooden palisade and quietly creating an opening, the bandits and soldiers could easily sneak in.
Quietly passing through the rural paths and houses, Sir Geral soon reached the Baron's mansion and spoke to Sir Encia and Sir Galson.
"To eliminate future trouble, kill everyone inside that mansion. Also, search the basement thoroughly. And you lot, starting with the gold coins I gave you today, loot everything of value. Understood?"
"Yes!"
"Sir Galson and Sir Encia will take the second floor... I'll handle the first floor. Let's go!"
With that, Sir Geral and his group rushed into the mansion, scattering and beginning to carefully enter along their infiltration routes.
However, they never dreamed that on the roof above, illuminated by the dim moonlight, Beonald was watching them with a smile.