Chapter 42
Chapter 42
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: The Usefulness of a Treacherous Subject
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'News must have trickled in from various sources while I was away.'
While Beonald was handling matters in the Teal Slums and then touring the territories of Viscount Delmain and Baron Zelkerd, the Count's household must have undoubtedly learned through several channels that something unusual had happened in the Teal Slums.
Still, as the lord of this territory and the ruler of this city, it was only natural for them to keep tabs on the recent developments and movements of the three major organizations, even if they couldn't intervene directly due to the risks.
Moreover, Lady Meira had been itching to get her hands on Beonald, so she likely dispatched people to gather news once she learned he was undertaking a nearly impossible, difficult task.
"Beonald Callermain, I have just arrived. My Lord Count, and Mother."
"Hoho, well, you've come? Beonald. It's truly a relief you've returned safely. The task I gave you seemed a bit too heavy for you; how did it go?"
"Yes. I truly felt the immense wall of the world. I felt the task was burdensome, but thinking it was also Your Lordship's will, I took on the challenge. However, I ultimately failed. It's truly regrettable."
"...Is that so?"
Although the Count answered as if it were obvious, his eyebrows were twitching slightly, likely because he had realized Beonald was lying, contrary to the facts he himself had heard.
Beonald subtly pretended to gauge the reaction while catching the Count's response, and though outwardly both remained calm, a storm of emotions was raging inside.
'Puhahahahahaha! Serves you right, you old bastard! Must be bewildered, right? You never imagined I'd deny my achievements here.'
'Have you ever seen such an impudent brat?'
'You probably never imagined a mere 15-year-old whelp would dare to screw you over like this, did you?'
The Count had probably expected Beonald to boast about his accomplishments in the Teal Slums.
So, he and Lady Meira had prepared countermeasures in advance, but when Beonald shattered that entire scheme with his very first answer, they couldn't help but be flustered.
"Yes. I reconfirmed not only my own shortcomings but also the cruelty, depravity, and malice at the bottom of humanity in the Teal Slums. Hoo~ I thought I need to hone my skills with more experience."
"I see."
"I am truly sorry to have disappointed you."
"Understood. It was something I never expected from you in the first place. If you've gained some insight, that's actually a gain. Now go back and attend to your duties until I have other orders for you."
"Understood, My Lord Count."
After Beonald paid his respects and withdrew from the reception room, only Lady Meira and the Count remained inside.
Timed perfectly with the fading sound of Beonald's footsteps, Lady Meira finally unleashed the anger she had been holding back and began confronting the Count.
"Father! Why did you just let him go like that? How could you stand by and watch that shameless child lie like that? You know all the tricks he pulled, don't you?"
"I know them all. However, that child denied them from the start. The very deeds that would be his achievements. He spoke as if they never happened."
"But you know it's a lie, don't you? You should have confronted him!"
"How am I supposed to confront him? The evidence of how that child subjugated and manipulated the Teal Slums isn't visible!"
Even if information was obtained through subordinates, it was merely words and letters passed from person to person. No one could know the detailed truth unless they heard it directly from Beonald.
Moreover, no matter how many agents they had planted, infiltrating the core of the three major slum organizations was difficult, so all the Count knew was that a conflict had arisen among the three organizations shortly after Beonald received the mission.
Of course, the information wasn't completely lacking in detail.
He knew that a conflict over a new type of drug had erupted among the three major organizations of the Teal Slums, each gathering mercenaries from everywhere in preparation for war, that a war broke out, and that the victor was Darkteeth, who had hired a 'Wandering Knight' to win.
"In that case, can't we just question him about the fact he gave money to Viscount Delmain and Baron Zelkerd?"
As she said, the Count and Lady Meira had already received intelligence and knew that Beonald had stopped by the territories of Viscount Delmain and Baron Zelkerd before returning to this territory and handed them a vast fortune.
Lady Meira pointed this out, but the Count clicked his tongue and looked at her with a pitiful expression.
"Speak sense. The moment I question him on that, I'd only be exposing my own incompetence. I managed to hold back in front of that child, thankfully!"
"Th-that's because you were the one who had to speak, so I didn't step forward... But still, if he obtained such treasures, he should naturally offer them to the family he belongs to! The Teal Slums are the territory of this Callermain Earldom; diverting what came from there is clearly a grave crime!"
"Right, you're correct. But how do you prove it? Will you ask Viscount Delmain to testify? Or Baron Zelkerd?"
"Can't we just summon that child and interrogate him using the statements from our spies?"
"That child, though mixed with mercenary blood, is still our blood relative, you fool! Moreover, he's the child we summoned and adopted to raise as a competitor! Just imagine if we arrest and torture him first based solely on our spies' words! Viscount Delmain and Baron Zelkerd would naturally come forward and protest that they never received anything. Then how would it look to the outside world? Think! Think!"
Frustrated by his daughter-in-law's one-dimensional thinking, Count Callermain flared up, the veins on his neck bulging.
As he said, if Beonald were from another family or just a subordinate or knight, questioning him would have been feasible.
But Beonald is a blood relative and descendant of the family, not a child left in the countryside but one adopted and given the surname 'Callermain.'
Following Lady Meira's suggestion would only end up being a self-inflicted disgrace and could even erode the trust of Baron Zelkerd and Viscount Delmain, who are under the Callermain Earldom.
"Do you still not realize how cunning and sharp the trap he laid is? Do you think I just let him go for no reason a moment ago! I sent him away because that was all I could do! If only he were of legitimate bloodline without that lowly mercenary blood mixed in, I'd want to assassinate Ralt right now and appoint him as Rengel's successor!"
"T-that much, you say?"
Lady Meira was shocked by the Count's startling statement.
It meant he valued the child named Beonald so highly that he would even consider assassinating his own beloved grandson whom he doted on.
"Look. Subjugating the Teal Slums is impressive enough, but because of that, immense treasures were generated, and he didn't hesitate to split them in half and give them to the heads of the noble factions under our family, personally visiting and negotiating with them. Do you think such a strategy could come from a 15-year-old's mind? Hoo~ How on earth did Callen raise that child, really……."
"Th-then what should we do?"
"First, there are a few things to confirm. Bail! Go summon Sir Maldrov!"
"Yes, My Lord Count."
The Count first ordered the butler to summon Sir Maldrov.
Anyway, having been dealt a proper blow, he couldn't just leave Beonald alone, so he needed to summon him and confirm a few facts.
First, one suspicious point was whether Beonald was a 'Knight.' According to the spies' reports, the statement had come in that the Wandering Knight who ended the conflict in the Teal Slums was a black-haired, blue-eyed male.
"You summoned me? My Lord Count. Ah, My Lady is here too."
"Sir Maldrov, I called you urgently because I have something to ask. It's about Beonald."
"What is it? My Lord Count."
"That child, is he perhaps a 'Natural Knight'? As a Senior Knight, you must have surely discerned it……."
"If that were the case, I would have reported it to you long ago, My Lord Count."
Though it was an interrogation from his lord, the Count, Sir Maldrov didn't bat an eyelid and, as promised with Beonald beforehand, kept his oath and lied to him.
Since Lady Meira, Ralt's mother, was present, he believed he had to keep Beonald's status as a 'Natural Knight' a secret for the future of the Callermain Earldom.
Hearing his words, the Count's expression grew heavy as he began pondering again.
"Hmm, if you don't know, there's no better guarantee than that. Hoo~ It's truly baffling."
"Father! It's astonishing enough as it is, but you even considered that child a Natural Knight?"
"If not! How do you explain the appearance of a 'Knight' who handles mana in the Teal Slums? Hoo~ Didn't you know about that too?"
"I thought it was just an excuse the mercenaries involved in that fight made to run away."
"Even if the mercenaries are like that, there are no fools in my intelligence network who can't distinguish a 'Knight,' my dear. Anyway… I don't know what to do with that child. Hoo~"
Count Callermain sighed heavily, conflicted. As Rengel, acting as family head, had said, his talent and ability were so overwhelmingly superior that one couldn't even consider the matter of bloodline.
He deliberately assigned an impossible task, but the brat solved it in his own way, obtained immense treasures, and even built political connections.
However, even so, he could absolutely not be made the successor.
"Right, ultimately, bloodline… legitimate bloodline must be valued."
They, the nobles, were different from commoners.
No matter how chaotic the times, they were a noble lineage bestowed by the gods. Therefore, they were superior to commoners, and thus it was the justice of the world that they should rule, protect, and guide them.
Furthermore, in this era, the heir of a certain ducal family in this empire, despite being the only male descendant, was called by the title 'Acting Duke' for a full 40 years simply because he was a bastard, and only after death did he receive the title and treatment of 'Duke'—a great humiliation. Therefore, Count Callermain intended to make Ralt his successor no matter how high Beonald's value was.
"I said harsh things because you were too frustrating, my dear, but I still believe we must place Ralt, who is of legitimate bloodline even if somewhat lacking, in the position of successor."
"Yes, that's only natural, Father."
"But the problem is Rengel. That child thinks differently from me. He's so dazzled by the value of that child Beonald that he can't think of what's truly important. That won't do."
"Then what will you do?"
"What will I do…? We must do exactly as you did to the other blood relatives."
Lady Meira felt a chill from the Count's gaze.
She realized that the acts she had committed against other boys, thinking the Count was unaware, had actually been discovered, and she felt fear.
On the other hand, seeing that the Count knew and hadn't said anything about it, she thought it was somewhat fortunate in a way.
"Nobles… the family comes first. And the most important things for that family are bloodline and successor. You have value because you produced Ralt. Understand? If it were the opposite, you… and your family would have been thrown into the torture chamber for all your past crimes, and it still wouldn't be enough."
"…Hic!"
"So don't you grow complacent either, and manage Ralt well. From that child Beonald's perspective, if only 'Ralt' were gone, he could become the successor, you see."
"……!"
"He's a child who single-handedly subjugated the Teal Slums, which even we couldn't touch. Moreover, he has now shown the ability to establish political connections with Baron Zelkerd and Viscount Delmain. But what about Ralt? He's practically just starting to toddle, playing under your skirts. So… guard him well. I am on your side, but that fellow… is a monster beyond our imagination. Understood?"
"I will keep that in mind, Father."
Hearing the Count's warning, she felt an unprecedented fear blossoming in her chest.
Part of the fear was that her deeds had already been discovered, but what was even more frightening was that Beonald had risen in her mind not merely as an obstacle blocking her own son Ralt's path, but as a terrifying existence that could threaten not only her son, but also her own life and her natal family.