Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: The Royal Summons
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*Swoosh!*
A black flash flickered, and the blood-soaked Carlyle who had been choking him was gone.
“…Young Master.”
In his place stood the elderly butler, Maranello.
But then.
*Drip…*
Crimson blood gushed from Maranello’s shoulder.
“Maranello?”
Startled, Carlyle tossed Grimungandr aside and rushed to Maranello’s side.
Fortunately, Maranello seemed to have avoided a fatal blow, but the wound he’d sustained was by no means shallow.
“Are you all right?”
“What… was that just now?”
Maranello, however, seemed far more shocked by something else.
Even as blood poured from his wound, his gaze was fixed not on his own shoulder, but on the discarded Grimungandr.
“I asked if you’re all right.”
“I am fine.”
Maranello, as if accustomed to injury, skillfully pressed down on the wound to stop the bleeding, his expression calm.
It was as if to prove he hadn’t been called the Grim Reaper of the North for nothing.
“But were you having a nightmare, perhaps?”
“Huh?”
“Well…”
According to Maranello, Carlyle had been thrashing about violently in a cold sweat, as if in the throes of a nightmare.
Unable to simply leave him be, he had approached to wake him, only for Carlyle to suddenly swing his sword and injure him.
*So it was a nightmare.*
Only then did Carlyle realize he had been dreaming about the real Carlyle.
It had been so vivid he couldn't distinguish it from reality, but hearing Maranello’s account, it seemed it had indeed been a nightmare.
“What a relief.”
“What is?”
“Had it been an ordinary servant or maid instead of this old man, someone would have died tonight.”
“Ah.”
“Could you lend me a hand?”
“Of course.”
Maranello removed his shirt.
Though his skin had lost some of its elasticity with age, his upper body was revealed to be as firm and muscular as any young knight’s.
Carlyle helped Maranello pour a potion over the wound, stitch it with a needle, and wrap it in bandages.
“Gently, please, Young Master.”
“…Stop being a baby.”
After the treatment was finished.
“It will be uncomfortable for about two weeks, but I don’t believe there will be any major lasting effects.”
“That’s a relief.”
“It is, but what on earth were you dreaming about to swing a sword in your sleep?”
“…I don’t remember.”
Carlyle couldn’t bring himself to speak of the nightmare’s contents.
How could he explain that he’d seen the vengeful spirit of this body’s true owner, Carlyle van Sigmund?
“Then what is that sword?”
“…”
“A black flash… It created the illusion that the blade was made of shadow.”
“It was dark. You must have seen it wrong.”
“This old man may be advanced in years, but my eyes are still sharp. Heh heh.”
“It’s just a rusted, chipped sword.”
“Then is it one of your abilities, Young Master?”
“Of course not.”
Carlyle feigned ignorance to the very end.
“Hmm.”
Maranello narrowed his eyes, his gaze sharp and interrogating, but Carlyle refused to speak about Grimungandr.
*Sorry, but I have no choice.*
The secret of Grimungandr had to be kept at all costs.
At least until the moment the royal family’s secret was revealed.
“For the time being, please store your sword safely when you sleep, Young Master. I worry someone might get hurt or even killed.”
“Right, I will.”
Taking Maranello’s advice, Carlyle picked up Grimungandr from the floor and carefully placed it on its rack.
“Well then, please get some rest. It’s gotten quite late.”
“I will.”
Even after Maranello left, Carlyle found it difficult to fall asleep.
—Give it back… my body… I said, give it back… *Keeheehee!*
When he closed his eyes, the demonic image of the real Carlyle would surface, and his blood-curdling snarl seemed to echo in his ears.
But that, too, was fleeting.
“…I think I’m better than you.”
Carlyle muttered as he closed his eyes.
* * *
The next morning.
“Young Master, the Grand Duke summons you.”
“This early in the morning?”
“The sun is high in the sky, sir.”
Having slept poorly due to the night’s events, Carlyle had woken up well past noon.
“I’m tired. I barely slept.”
“Your father is calling for you. Will you not go?”
“I have to.”
Honestly, he didn’t want to go, but Carlyle had decided to humor Grand Duke Guntram for the time being.
He was already on his bad side, and he had no desire to make things worse and get himself deployed to the front lines.
“How’s your body?”
“It’s uncomfortable, but I’m recovering quickly.”
“That’s good, then.”
With that, Carlyle went to meet his father, Grand Duke Guntram.
Not only was the Grand Duke there, but also the Watcher who had attended Carlyle’s commission ceremony yesterday, and even Evangeline.
“Why are you here?”
“…Well.”
At Carlyle’s question, Evangeline lowered her head, her words trailing off.
“Wouldn’t it be proper to offer a greeting upon your arrival?”
“You summoned me.”
Carlyle replied to the Grand Duke’s sharp remark, then pressed Evangeline again.
“I asked you, why are you here?”
“…”
When Evangeline couldn’t easily answer, Carlyle turned to the Grand Duke.
“Why did you call for her?”
“There was a summons from the royal family.”
“A summons from the royal family… Ah.”
A cold smile graced Carlyle’s lips.
*Right. Those rats wouldn’t stay quiet for long.*
Decaron, the territory of the Sigmund family, was teeming not only with spies planted by rival families but also with informants who served as the eyes and ears of the royal family.
Some knights were already in secret contact with the crown, so news of a spirit user like Evangeline appearing would have surely reached them.
A spirit user who had contracted with an earth spirit was nothing short of a strategic asset, so it was only natural for the royal family to covet her.
“The royal family has proposed sending this child to the capital to study abroad.”
“I’m sure they did.”
Carlyle nodded in understanding.
“Carlyle van Sigmund, this is a great opportunity for the girl. If she studies in the capital, she will receive a better quality of education and…”
“I don’t want to.”
Carlyle cut the Watcher off.
“What did you just say, Carlyle van Sigmund?”
“I said I don’t want to.”
“Are you now refusing the royal family’s proposal…”
“Yes, I’m refusing.”
“…”
The Watcher was so dumbfounded that he was at a loss for words.
The word of the royal family was absolute.
Though their proposals weren’t legally binding, not a single family that had opposed the crown in the last few hundred years had met a good end.
To think that even a scoundrel like him would so flatly reject a royal proposal—which was, in truth, a command…
“That may not be a wise choice.”
“Are you saying you’ll take her by force?”
“If necessary.”
An icy tension began to flow between Carlyle and the Watcher.
“Do you want to go? If you want to, I’ll let you.”
“…No.”
Evangeline also made it clear that she did not wish to go to the capital.
Eventually, the Watcher turned to the Grand Duke for help.
“It seems your son is unwilling to let Miss Evangeline go.”
“The girl is my son’s handmaiden. I have no authority in this matter.”
“His Majesty the King will be disappointed.”
“If I had the authority, I would have gladly accepted the royal family’s proposal.”
“Then will you stop me from taking her by force?”
“That, too, is my son’s right alone. I cannot interfere.”
As the Grand Duke answered, the Watcher turned back to Carlyle.
“Did you hear that? Even if I take the girl by force, Grand Duke Guntram will not be able to help you.”
“Ah, so you’re going to take her by force.”
“Did I not say this was for the girl’s own good?”
“Fine.”
Carlyle nodded as if he understood.
“Then, by all means, take her.”
“Now you’re making sense.”
“However… I never said I’d let her go alive.”
Carlyle slowly drew Grimungandr and brought it to Evangeline’s neck.
*Flinch!*
Startled, Evangeline trembled.
“What is the meaning of this?”
“It’s just as you see.”
Carlyle replied to the shocked Watcher’s question with a twisted smile.
“She is my property, so I will not send her anywhere. If I must, then I have no choice but to send her as a corpse.”
“Hah.”
“I can give you a corpse anytime, so go on and take her. By force.”
“You madman.”
The look on the Watcher’s face as he stared at Carlyle screamed, *what kind of man is this?*
It wasn’t enough to refuse the royal family’s proposal, but to threaten to kill the handmaiden as well…
“Do you think you can get away with this? Carlyle van Sigmund?”
“I may be loyal to the royal family, but I’m not willing to have my personal handmaiden taken from me.”
“Th-that is.”
“If the royal family requires her abilities, I can offer our assistance, but I cannot send her away.”
Faced with Carlyle’s resolute stance, the Watcher was unable to continue.
He was merely a messenger conveying the royal family’s will; he held no decision-making power.
“I understand your position for now. However, your words and actions before me today will all be reported to the royal family.”
“Go right ahead. That’s your job, after all.”
Carlyle replied with a sneer.
*What are you going to do if I say no? You’re all probably in chaos now that your prophetic ability is gone, anyway.*
In Carlyle’s judgment, it was safe to say there would be no retaliation from the royal family over this matter.
The Sigmund family served as the guardian deities protecting the entire kingdom from the barbarians.
For the royal family, creating conflict with the Sigmunds at this particular time would be a truly foolish choice.
No matter how much of a strategic asset a spirit user was, their relationship with the Sigmund family was far more important.
* * *
After the Watcher had departed.
“What on earth are you thinking?”
“About what?”
“Even a fool like you should know that the Watcher is a representative of the royal family.”
“Guess I didn’t know.”
Carlyle answered the Grand Duke’s question dismissively.
“Why not just let her go?”
“I’d rather die.”
“Hmph.”
The Grand Duke wore a weary expression.
With a large-scale barbarian invasion imminent in the next few years, creating a strained relationship with the royal family was not something he desired either.
But he couldn’t very well take Evangeline, a personal handmaiden, by force.
“We will wait for the royal family’s response for now. However, if they do not back down, then even I will be powerless to help.”
“Didn’t you just say you have no authority?”
“Sometimes, this becomes a right in itself.”
The Grand Duke gestured to the sword hanging at his waist.
“So it all comes down to power, is that it?”
“You learn quickly.”
The Grand Duke’s expression showed a hint of satisfaction.
“It is not my preferred method, but if necessary, it must be done.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. Well then, I’ll be…”
“You may go.”
“You heard him. Let’s go.”
Carlyle grabbed Evangeline’s wrist and pulled her along.
On the way back.
Carlyle and Evangeline walked in silence for some time.
It was Evangeline who broke the silence.
“Um, Young Master.”
“I’m sorry if you were offended, but I had no choice. If I hadn’t done that, the Watcher wouldn’t have backed down.”
“No, it’s not that.”
Evangeline shook her head.
“I wasn’t offended at all.”
“Why?”
Carlyle frowned.
Evangeline had every right to be offended.
Just a moment ago, Carlyle had clearly treated her like an object, no, like livestock.
“Because I didn’t want to go either.”
“You’d receive better treatment if you went to the capital and became a person of the royal family.”
“I still don’t want to go.”
“Why not?”
“Because I am a northerner.”
“Hm.”
Hearing Evangeline’s answer, Carlyle felt as if he’d been struck in the head with a hammer.