Chapter 64
Chapter 64
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Even a Treacherous Subject Has His Uses
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The cleanup wasn't just the responsibility of Baron Zelkerd and Beonald. Within the Callermain Earldom, the power dynamics and order of precedence had shifted significantly due to recent events, leaving Acting Family Head Rengel with a great deal of work to do.
"...If you have anything to say, say it now, Madam."
Madam Meira, currently imprisoned in the underground dungeon of the Callermain mansion, had turned her head away as if unwilling to show her face without its bandages. When her husband, Acting Family Head Rengel, spoke to her, she glared at him with a venomous look, as if she couldn't stand it any longer.
"I... I did nothing wrong! It's all! That half-breed's! That half-breed's fault! He was threatening our Ralt's position! My father permitted it too! And it was that half-breed who did this to my face! Why should I! Why should I be locked up here! I am the one who gave birth to the legitimate heir of the Callermain Earldom! So release me at once!"
"Hmm, is that all you have to say?"
"...No, what on earth..."
"By now, House Royen likely no longer exists in this world. Hearing Baron Zelkerd's account, he seemed determined to sever all ties thoroughly, leaving no future troubles."
"......!"
At her husband Rengel's words, Madam Meira's face turned pale. The meaning of his words—that House Royen had vanished—was ultimately the same as saying her own foundation had disappeared. It meant that in an instant, her origin, her bloodline, and the value of her political marriage had all vanished. Of course, the name of House Royen would remain in the history books, but practically speaking, Madam Meira was now no different from a commoner.
"...W-wait! Wait a moment. But! But I am! I am Ralt's mother. I gave birth to the heir of the Callermain Family..."
"But now you've become a half-breed, just like that Beonald. With your foundation gone, what does it matter? Past records and history? Hah! Who would recognize the child of a house with no territory, no family, as a noble?"
"...N-no... Ah... Ah... AAAAAAAAAAAAAH! No! No! I am Meira Royen! The proud eldest daughter of the historically deep-rooted House Royen! How dare anyone!"
"That's no different from a madman calling himself the emperor. Anyway... Our family's motto is that even with outstanding wisdom, martial prowess, dignity, and skill, a half-breed cannot be made heir. Therefore, a half-breed who abandons his responsibilities and duties, hiding away in a corner of the house, also cannot become the heir."
"UAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! KYAAAAAAAH! GRAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Upon hearing that Ralt had suddenly been demoted to a 'half-breed,' Madam Meira went berserk like a lunatic, thrashing about even more. She must have been unwilling to accept it. Her precious son Ralt, because of her, had fallen to the same position as the 'half-breed' she had tried to eliminate. Utterly unable to accept this reality, she lost her mind and raged.
"She was ugly even when she was beautiful, but that appearance is even more hideous. This must be what a demon created by a Dark God looks like."
"No. No. Our Ralt is... Our Ralt is not a half-breed. No. No. No. It's not my fault. Everything is that half-breed's fault. No. It's not my fault. It's not my fault. Ralt, Ralt, the rightful heir of the Callermain Family, a half-breed? A half-breed? I can't believe it's because of me. I can't accept it. No. No. No."
"Regardless, your now-hideous appearance aside, there's no reason to keep you as my wife now that you're no longer a noblewoman. However, even if it was a political marriage, we swore our vows before the temple, so I will not divorce you, nor will I take your life. But for the crime of destroying your own family due to your greed, you will become a priestess and spend your life in labor and prayer, atoning before the gods."
"Why should I? Atone for what! I have committed no crime! I have done nothing wrong! Wait! Then what about our Ralt? What will happen to our Ralt? What will you do with our Ralt?"
"What will happen? Don't you know best? Anyway... I have no more business with you. Head to the temple as soon as dawn breaks tomorrow."
After saying that, Acting Family Head Rengel left the underground dungeon, leaving Madam Meira behind. Madam Meira's shrieks echoed behind him, but it was no longer his concern. And he immediately gave some instructions to the Callermain knights standing beside him.
Ralt Callermain, who had shut himself in his room, had, thanks to the efforts of Count Callermain, reluctantly begun studying again, but he still refused to leave his room.
The heavy and terrifying memories of his duties came flooding back, and just looking at documents made him dizzy and nauseous, causing a strong sense of rejection.
Anyway, recalling how the mansion had been incredibly noisy for the past few days, he thought it had finally quieted down today. Just as he was changing into his nightclothes and about to lie down on his bed to sleep, a knock came at the door.
"Is Young Master Ralt in?"
"Who is it? At this hour?"
"It's Sir Lantello. I have a message from the Count."
"Grandfather? Ah, I see. Leave it at the door."
"The Count said to deliver it directly."
Knowing that his grandfather, the Count, held him in special regard, Ralt opened the door without any suspicion to receive the message from the knights. The moment the door opened, one of the knights suddenly pounced on him like a beast.
"What is this... Mmph! Mmph! Mmph! Mmm!"
"Young Master, I apologize. This is all for the future of the family."
The knight called Sir Lantello stuffed a cloth into Ralt's mouth and subdued him, wrapping him in a blanket. Two other knights who followed moved the chair and desk in the room, tied a rope to the outer bedpost—tall enough for Ralt to climb onto—and began tying a knot at the end, as if for a hanging.
'What is this all of a sudden! And that... that thing? Could it be?'
Seeing this, Ralt felt a chill and roughly guessed what these knights intended to do to him.
He didn't know the purpose or reason, but they were trying to kill him now.
And not just kill him, but make it look like a suicide.
"How's the handwriting?"
"This should be similar enough. We've also pieced together a message informing him of his mother's circumstances."
"Good, well done. Then let's finish this. Young Master, once again... I truly apologize."
'No! No! I don't want to die! I don't want to die! I don't want to die!'
He struggled desperately, but only the blanket shifted slightly; the knight's restraint didn't loosen at all.
And in this state, he was carried by the two knights and slowly moved toward the rope tied for the suicide.
Ralt continued to struggle, but he couldn't overwhelm the knights' physical vision and athletic ability. His neck was lightly hooked onto the rope, and his weight was applied.
'No! I! I want to live! I don't want to die like this! Nooo! Mother! Mother! Mother!'
"This method is really too troublesome. Just cutting him down with a sword would be much faster, but it has to be disguised as a suicide..."
"Disappointment due to his mother's fall from grace and the burden of being the heir led him to take his own life—that's the scenario so the family's honor isn't tarnished. Better than having a fool sit in the heir's seat."
The knights' words, heard as the oxygen in his body gradually depleted and death slowly embraced Ralt, seemed to be telling him to understand why he was dying.
"Then what will happen to the heir?"
"For now, Acting Family Head Rengel says he will try again with another wife. But until then, he plans to marry Lady Jessie and Lord Maldrov's son, Young Master Erasol, and bring Erasol in as a live-in son-in-law to run the family."
"Huh? I thought Young Master Beonald would return. Won't such promises be meaningless if he returns after the current Count passes away?"
"It seems... Young Master Beonald's heart has already left. Anyway, it's truly... a case of doing the hard work only for someone else to reap the benefits. Tsk tsk tsk... Ah, he's finally stopped. Check him."
"Yes. Hmm... He's dead."
While they were talking, Ralt finally met his death.
Born as the legitimate heir of the Callermain Earldom, he had ended up, less than two years after coming of age, being killed—disguised as a suicide—for the sake of the family's future.
If only Madam Meira had been less greedy in trying to eliminate Beonald, or if Ralt himself hadn't run away from his duties as heir and had endured, this could have been avoided. It was all his own retribution, the fate of those born as nobles' children who become losers.
A few days later.
Only after the dark and dirty cleaning tasks and various other arrangements were completely finished could Baron Zelkerd finally hold a victory banquet.
Now, in the mansion of the vanished House Royen, Baron Zelkerd invited all the nobles of his faction to a grand feast, boasting of the war's achievements while also rewarding the knights who had contributed in the battle.
"Sir Zelton, your command and bravery in annihilating the enemy's rear archers were most splendid. Land or funds, which do you desire? I will grant you what you wish."
"Thank you, my lord. Then I shall take the funds."
In this manner, he distributed land to knights who wanted land and monetary rewards to those who wanted funds.
Both rewards had their pros and cons. Receiving land meant one could continuously receive or utilize the taxes, produce, and labor from that territory, but one had to reside there personally with one's family and, if necessary, defend against external invasions.
Conversely, receiving money, while less than the income from land, had the advantage of allowing one to live comfortably with one's family in Baron Zelkerd's territory, focusing only on one's duties without other concerns.
"The next person to be honored is the daughter of House Zelkerd, Lady Heidi."
"Yes!"
Next, Heidi's name was called. She approached Baron Zelkerd to receive her reward, dressed in the same armor she had worn on the battlefield, and gave a proper bow.
She had agonized over wearing a dress for the banquet, but considering her own appearance and the fact that she had earned merits on the battlefield, she thought this armor attire was more suitable for being celebrated.
"Heidi! You rode the griffin Alterio onto the battlefield, struck the flank of the enemy cavalry targeting our rear, broke their formation to inflict heavy losses, and took the lives of enemy knights. Furthermore, you fought one-on-one against the renowned mid-rank knight of House Royen, Sir Vent, and emerged victorious, elevating our family's honor with your valor. Thus, I acknowledge that your martial prowess belongs to the 'knight' rank and recognize you as a 'Low Knight.'"
"Th-thank you."
One might wonder why she was only made a Low Knight after defeating a Mid-rank Knight. However, to be recognized as a Mid-rank Knight or above, one must go to the imperial capital after earning merits, pass an examination, and only then receive recognition. Therefore, even if she was strong enough to defeat a Mid-rank Knight, she couldn't become one immediately.
"Had you not been present in this battle, our side would likely have suffered greater losses. State your wish. Funds? Land? What do you desire?"
"Actually... I have one request. I will accept funds, but I wish for them to be given not to me, but to the remaining family of Sir Vent. Although we met as enemies on the battlefield and fought, he was valiant and taught me much. I want to... repay him a little. After all, I will continue to follow Lord Beonald from now on."
"If that is your wish, then so be it."
Thus, Heidi bowed and withdrew, returning to Beonald's side.
Beonald was currently enjoying the banquet, drinking with Selina, who sat across from him, while being attended to by Sein.
"Oh, you're back? By the way, you should have accepted the reward. But is it really okay?"
"Th... should I have taken it?"
"No, if that is your wish, I have no intention of opposing. I only said that because I thought it would be better if what you earned through your efforts was used more for your own sake."
"Th-thank you. Um, but... Lord Beonald, there... there's one thing I'd like to say to you."
"What is it?"
"Um... I earned merit this time... right? So, personally, I want to receive a reward from... Lord Beonald... Um... that... the continuation of... of what we did before... before the battle on the battlefield... the next part of that..."
In stark contrast to her dignified demeanor while receiving the reward before Baron Zelkerd just moments ago, her face flushed bright red, her head bowed deeply, and her voice grew smaller as she spoke to Beonald.
Too embarrassed to bear it, Heidi wondered if she shouldn't have said anything, tightly closing her eyes and fidgeting. Fortunately, Beonald wasn't so dense. He set down his glass for a moment, stood up, and whispered softly into her ear.
"...I've prepared a dress, shoes, and accessories tailored to your body in your room. Once this reward ceremony is roughly over... put them on, and we'll have a private banquet just for the two of us in my room, all night long."
"......!"
After saying that, Beonald nonchalantly picked up his glass again, deflecting Selina and Sein's questions about what he had said with a joke.
Thinking she could never match Beonald's composure, Heidi, after a moment, smiled a happy smile in anticipation of the night she would spend with him.