Chapter 72: Corruption
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 72: Corruption
“Trollsverd? Ah…”
Eleanor tilted her head as if she'd never heard the word Trollsverd before. Then, her expression suddenly brightened.
“Very well. I don't know why you need a sword that's nothing but a hilt, but if you can free me from Count Dresden's clutches, it's yours. And if you fail, I get Aenya anyway.”
Was her obsession with Aenya stronger than her desire for her last remaining sanctuary in this world? Eleanor almost seemed to be hoping I would fail.
“That won't happen.”
“We'll see about that.”
Eleanor, who just moments ago had been fretting over how to escape Count Dresden's grasp, now gave an arrogant smile.
I found out why when I returned to my room after the meal.
“When the king kicked her out of the court, he told her to take one thing from the treasury. She said she chose Trollsverd without even knowing what it was.”
Aenya said, stretching. She seemed to know everything about the Castellan.
“So she thinks her ability was activated?”
“Probably?”
I had wondered why she kept a useless sword, aside from its symbolic value as the weapon of a legendary hero. But if she thought her ability had been triggered, it all made sense.
This made me suspect her ability might be affecting me.
‘I can't be certain.’
Her ability was one that could only be recognized after the result was clear. That was why I couldn't let my guard down, even though I'd felt nothing when I came into contact with Eleanor.
I stopped worrying about it. It was a question with no answer, no matter how much I pondered it. I would find out whether Eleanor's ability worked on me by observing her over a longer period.
‘If it truly doesn't affect me, I'll have to drastically change my plans, so I must be cautious.’
For now, it was time to deal with those who had tried to use Aenya as a sacrifice. The new moon, already faint, was hidden by clouds, plunging the world into darkness. It was the perfect night for clandestine work.
“Leaving already?”
Seeing me pick up my overcoat, Aenya looked deeply disappointed.
“Didn't I promise? That I would punish the bastards who tried to sacrifice you.”
“That can wait.”
Aenya hugged me from behind, pressing her body so tightly against mine I could feel its every curve. Her hand slid under my clothes.
“You didn't miss me, did you?”
Her sweet breath tickled my ear, and my body began to stir on its own.
“I missed you so much. I thought of you every night, soothing my loneliness by reliving our moments together at the mansion. I even prepared an amazing gift, just waiting for the day we'd meet again…”
Aenya's hand roamed over my body, soft and sensual. When she gently bit my shoulder, a jolt like electricity shot through me.
“But you seem to have been just fine, haven't you? Then again, with so many women around you could hold whenever you wanted, I guess you never even thought of me.”
Only then did I turn to embrace her properly. A moment ago she was the one hugging me, but now Aenya struggled, trying to break free from my arms.
“Aenya. I'm taking care of this now so that we can be together for a long, long time. You remember, don't you? That one night is never enough for me.”
My words reminded her of our time together at the mansion. Aenya's face flushed, and she shyly averted her gaze.
“I've been looking forward to it, too. Wondering if you'd be able to satisfy me now that we've met again.”
“I-I've practiced a lot!”
“Practiced? How?”
“With my hand…?”
Aenya squirmed, her face growing redder by the second. I interlaced my fingers with hers and lifted our hands before my eyes.
“That couldn't have been enough, could it?”
Aenya's fingers were long and slender. Not even several of them together could replace me.
“B-Besides that, I've prepared a lot of other things!”
“The amazing gift you mentioned earlier?”
“Y-Yeah. Look forward to it! It's a gift that even you won't be able to resist!”
A few possibilities came to mind, but I didn't dwell on them. An unexpected gift is always more delightful.
“I'll look forward to it.”
“I'll be waiting.”
Aenya whispered as she helped me into my overcoat. I gave her a kiss to show I understood, then turned to leave, but stopped and turned back.
“Ah, I never got the name of that scoundrel who proposed to you.”
“That guy? What was his name? Borha? Ah, it was Bordel. Why?”
“Didn't you say he was cruel to you?”
“He was a bit of a jerk, but not enough to kill, was he?”
I gave Aenya a dumbfounded look for so casually talking about killing someone.
“I'm not going to kill him.”
“Then why did you ask?”
Aenya asked, her face full of disbelief.
“I'm just not going to kill him.”
Dong. Dong. Dong.
The church bells rang, signaling nine in the evening. As if on cue, fires and disturbances erupted throughout Quaran, spreading in an instant.
Andrill, who was in charge of the families on the outskirts of Quaran and the small fry, had begun to move.
“We move now, too.”
My target was the Montoya family, a house with power comparable to Andrill's Santo family and a long history as a knightly family in its own right.
The one who had argued for sacrificing Aenya to obtain peace was the head of that family, Dubaek. The scoundrel named Bordel was also staying with them.
“Not a single one will escape.”
While Dreng, following my orders, surrounded the Montoya family's mansion in the heart of Quaran, I looked down at Jin.
“Jin? Don't you need to go?”
Jin's role was to take care of the small fry connected to the families we were targeting tonight.
“There is something Sir Allen must know.”
“Something I must know? What is it?”
“Until a few days ago, a suspicious individual was loitering around Lady Aenya.”
“A suspicious individual? You couldn't identify them?”
Jin was the type to identify any suspicious person, no matter what it took. For her to call this person 'suspicious' meant she had failed to uncover their identity.
“When I followed them, they vanished as if by magic.”
“Even though you went yourself?”
“Yes. I am certain I never took my eyes off them, but when I finally caught them, it was a different person.”
Just then, a gentle spring breeze brushed against my face. Yes. It must have been around this time. The time when the Star Witch contacted the Castellan.
The Star Witch was the leader of the witches, the mastermind who founded the Convocation of Seven Witches, and whose identity was never revealed, even at the end of the story.
She had probably come to offer the Castellan and Aenya a place in the Convocation of Seven Witches.
“Did this person meet with Aenya or the Castellan?”
“I could not catch them, but I did not allow them to get close, either.”
“Then that's fine. Just remain vigilant.”
If the Star Witch hadn't founded the Convocation, the witches would never have been able to plunge the world into chaos.
That didn't mean the Star Witch was a villain, however. Her role was strictly limited to that of a helper.
As long as the witches didn't turn to darkness, the Star Witch wouldn't intervene.
Aenya was already happy in my arms, and if her ability truly didn't work on me, the Castellan would follow the same path. There was no problem.
“Is this someone you know?”
“It's probably Jini.”
Just then, Dreng reported that the encirclement was complete. Leaving Jin behind, I vaulted over the stone wall of the massive, castle-like mansion.
“Another Jini…”
Jin didn't follow Allen right away, but muttered to herself. An old prophecy her grandmother had told her suddenly came to mind.
“That can't be. How could a mere knight's son be the hero of the prophecy?”
Dismissing the sudden thought, Jin turned and vanished into the darkness.
Inside the walls was a vast training ground. The men of the Montoya family were gathered there in formation, waiting for us.
“So they still have some backbone.”
As befitting a powerful family on par with Andrill's Santo family, they seemed to have sensed something ominous in the disturbances occurring across Quaran.
“Who the hell are you!”
One of them stepped forward. He was a middle-aged man with a wild, beast-like beard. Dreng whispered that it was Dubaek, the head of the Montoya family.
“By order of the Castellan. The traitor Dubaek is to surrender peacefully.”
I said, pointing to a banner embroidered with a crowned lion. The lion's mouth was wide open, so vivid it looked as if it might leap out at any moment.
Dubaek flinched slightly upon seeing the banner's crest, but then his anger returned.
“How dare you! What is this nonsense! Why would the Castellan attack my family!”
“Do you truly not know? A supposed vassal of the Castellan, groveling before a count and speaking for his interests? Thanks to you, the Castellan's dignity and honor have been dragged through the mud.”
Nobles were the sort to protect their dignity and honor even if it meant dying tomorrow. Countless of them went bankrupt trying to maintain a level of luxury befitting their station.
“I was merely giving loyal advice for the good of Quaran!”
“Giving the count everything he demands is loyal advice? Ha! Would you have done the same if the count had demanded your family?”
Dubaek could only grind his teeth, unable to reply. I sneered at him.
“Why not be honest? You were simply afraid. Afraid that if a real war broke out, you and your family would be in danger. Isn't that right? You cowardly traitor.”
Just then, one of the Montoya men approached Dubaek and whispered in his ear. Immediately, a sneer formed on Dubaek's lips as he looked at me.
“A mere ruffian dares to lecture me? The Castellan must be truly desperate! To trust a scoundrel like you for lack of anyone better? This is why I chose the count!”
It seemed one of the Montoya men recognized me. It made sense; it had been less than a year since I'd shed my ruffian persona.
“Then why don't you prove it?”
I needed to practice the method Andrill had advised for distributing my strength. And as they say, class is permanent. The head of a long-standing knightly family would make for an excellent practice partner.
As I drew my sword and aimed it at him, Dubaek's sneer deepened.
“You're a ruffian who doesn't know his place in the world!”
Dubaek immediately kicked off the ground, raising his sword high to cut me down in a single blow.
Over his shoulder, I could see the expectant faces of the Montoya men. They didn't seem to doubt his victory in the slightest.
I raised my sword, using minimal strength. Dubaek couldn't even handle that. Clang! Sparks flew as his sword was knocked away, sent spinning in a wide arc.
Still, he seemed to have plenty of experience, immediately trying to pull his sword back to block my counterattack. But because I had used so little strength, I had room to spare and was a step ahead of him.
My sword swung diagonally, scraping across Dubaek's chainmail. Unable to withstand the force, the links snapped with a sharp crack. Without them, Dubaek would have died in that first exchange.
“As I thought, Sir Andrill must be the exception.”
I couldn't hide my disappointment. Andrill's political rival was the least skilled knight I had ever met. In truth, this was probably normal for a knight from a small city.
“H-How dare you! A mere ruffian, laughing at me!?”
His face flushed crimson, Dubaek kicked off the ground again. He completely disregarded his defense, raising his sword high to cleave me in two.
It seemed he'd learned nothing from our first exchange. I had no time to waste on someone who wasn't even worthy of being a practice partner.
The force of my full strength translated directly into speed. Though I moved after he did, my sword pierced his neck before his could reach me.
“Gurgle…”
He looked down in disbelief at the sword embedded in his neck and the warm blood flowing down its blade. The moment I pulled it out, he collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut.
“My lord…!”
“Our lord, defeated so easily…!?”
As the Montoya men stood frozen, bewildered by a situation they had never imagined, I looked down into his fading eyes.
“It seems to me that the frog in the well wasn't me, but you.”
I flicked my sword through the air to shake off the blood, then raised my head.
The Montoya men who met my gaze flinched and took a step back. Seeing Dubaek, one of the strongest among them, die without putting up a fight, they realized they had no chance of winning.
“I won't say it twice. Surrender if you want to save your pathetic lives.”
In contrast, my mercenaries, their courage bolstered, gripped their swords and glared. One by one, the Montoya men began to lay down their weapons.
It was an anticlimactic victory.
Soon, the mercenaries had bound the Montoya men and dragged out the rest of the family. Among them was the man who had proposed to Aenya.
“Let go of me! Do you know who I am! Do you think you can get away with treating me like this!”
The mercenaries, following my prior instructions, paid him no mind and dragged him before me.
“Are you the commander? Hurry up and execute these insolent bastards! How dare they treat a relative of Count Dresden with such disrespect!”
As the mercenaries left, he furiously pointed at them and barked his orders. Aenya had said he was like this, a man who truly didn't know his place. And he was completely clueless, to boot.
“There seems to have been a mistake. Allow me to apologize on their behalf.”
Fortunately for him, it wasn't his turn yet. I had to stay on the count's good side until he learned of the baron's scheme.
I smiled and brushed the dust from his clothes. Without controlling my strength, of course.
“Ugh! Stop! Why are you hitting me!?”
“I'm just brushing off the dust.”
Soon, the man's screams filled the training ground. The Montoya men who had surrendered earlier could only breathe sighs of relief.