Community of Fate
"How's the fake prince gig treating you?"
Uttering the words I dreaded most, this vile noble flashed a sinister grin that stretched his mouth ear to ear.
My heart plummeted in that instant, cold sweat trickling down my spine, but I desperately schooled my expression.
Showing any sign of panic or fear here would mean getting dragged around by this hyena-like bastard.
Instead, I casually swirled my champagne flute and smirked arrogantly down at him, twisting my lips to the max.
"Long time no see, Count. Why don't you fill this prince in exile on the latest happenings back in Sterling Kingdom?"
My composed response made Count Hodoki's eyebrows twitch faintly, but he soon broke into a beaming smile and launched into his nauseating boasting.
"Haha, yes indeed. I've got some good news to share. I'm no longer just a count of Sterling Kingdom—now I'm a proud count of the glorious Empire. When the imperial army marched into the kingdom, I earned the greatest merit of all."
"...And what exactly was that great merit?"
"When the Empire's forces crossed the border and pushed south, a messenger from Lancaster Margrave—the one trying to warn the royals—rode right into my territory. I... gave him special treatment. I meant to hold him till the end, but the rat slipped away like a slippery little mouse at the last second."
"..."
"Well, I heard the messenger made it first, but not by much—the imperial army arrived right on his heels. Useless fool, haha... Thanks to that, the Empire took the capital without spilling a drop of blood, smooth as silk. And for my service, they made me an imperial count."
...Ah.
Suddenly, the puzzle pieces clicked into place.
Now I understood why the messenger from Lancaster Margrave—who'd heroically tried to hold the front lines against the Empire's invasion—had arrived in the capital so late during the war.
That massive gash on his side probably wasn't from the imperial army, but from this bastard's private soldiers failing to kill the escaping messenger.
Now I got why the kingdom's forces couldn't even muster a proper defensive line before surrendering the capital without a fight.
It was all because of this traitor standing right in front of me.
Suppressing the murderous rage boiling up inside, I tossed out a perfunctory question like it was polite chit-chat.
"Impressive. A feat worthy of our bold and fearless count. So, how fares your territory, my lord?"
"Oh, my lands are thriving. Developing splendidly by the day. The Harper Barony next door, on the other hand... regrettably on the brink of ruin."
Count Hodoki's mouth stretched even wider, as if he'd been waiting for this, spilling malice in his grin.
"Sadly, the entire Harper family has basically abandoned managing their territory."
"...Abandoned?"
"Well, they've got two sons, right? The eldest is the baron, and the second is that pretty-boy slacker. But that slacker vanished without a trace one day. So now the baron's practically living in the capital, burning through the family fortune searching for his missing brother. And the late baron's widow? She's bedridden, refusing food and sleep from the shock of losing her second son."
"...!"
"No wonder I'm handling the Harper Barony's administration for them. Without me, it would've collapsed ages ago, haha!"
"..."
No matter that my soul was that of a modern South Korean—even in this world, family bonds were real.
My mother and brother, who loved and cherished me. My precious family, suffering because I'd been taken away. It tore at my heart.
Count Hodoki continued, savoring my inner turmoil.
"But the peasants in that Harper Barony are lazy good-for-nothings. They borrow money or grain from me and never pay it back on time. What can you do? I have to register them on the slave rolls by law. Then I sell those worthless lumps to the Empire for a song, contributing splendidly to the Empire's labor force. And the profit? A nice bonus."
"...!"
This fucking bastard.
He was infamous for his predatory usury—slapping insane interest rates on ordinary folk, burying them in debt, then legally enslaving and selling them off.
The territory's people my family had loved and protected were being sold into slavery by this dog.
Fury surged to the top of my head, but I took a deep breath and fixed him with an icy, emotionless stare.
"...Indeed. As rumored, you're truly bestowing mercy upon them, Count."
"Mercy?"
"I've heard imperial slaves live far more comfortably than your tax-burdened serfs wallowing like pigs. By personally sending those poor souls to a paradise far better than scraping by in your territory, your compassion brings tears to my eyes. As a prince of Sterling, I offer my thanks."
"...What did you say?"
I layered on the mockery with a slight bow, and Count Hodoki's face flushed crimson in an instant.
He glanced around nervously, then slithered close to my ear like a snake, hissing threats through gritted teeth.
"You baron's whelp, you've got some guts. One word from me to the Empire, and you'll be boiled alive!"
His venomous threat didn't faze me—I shot back without flinching.
"Try it. You won't just kill me. If that gets out, the whole Sterling Kingdom gets crushed—and you think your lands will be spared?"
"...!"
"If I die, you die too. Figure it out yourself."
Count Hodoki's eyes wavered.
I pulled away from his ear and shouted loud enough for everyone around to hear.
"How grateful I am that you pledge to share the fate of our Sterling Kingdom and this humble body, Count Hodoki! I shall long remember your loyalty!"
His lips trembled at my taunt, teeth grinding audibly.
He looked like he wanted to say more, but with nothing to fire back, he just fumed in silence.
"...Long life and prosperity to you, Your Highness."
Finally, he glared at me with murder in his eyes, forced a bow, and fled the scene without a backward glance.
I watched his retreating back, gripping my champagne flute so hard it nearly shattered.
"..."
That was when it happened.
"Know him?"
A chilling voice from behind.
I whipped around in surprise. Victoria von Arzenheim stood there, unnoticeable until now.
In a red dress that didn't suit her at all, she leaned crookedly against a spot near where I'd been standing, staring in the direction Count Hodoki had vanished.
Shit, did she hear?
Had she caught our hushed exchange?
No— I'd kept my voice low. She couldn't have made out the words.
If she had, she'd be grilling me already, or at least her expression would've changed.
"Seemed like a countryman of yours, Ian. The pleasantries sounded awfully sharp for blessings. Trouble with that one?"
...She didn't hear.
Of course, she'd picked up on the hostile vibe.
I quickly relaxed my stiff face and answered.
"Ah, yes. He's a major noble from Sterling Kingdom... with too much power and a habit of threatening the crown, so he's on bad terms with the royals. If I had to compare to the Empire, he'd be like the Northern Archduke."
"...Northern Archduke?"
Victoria's eyes sharpened in a flash.
In the Empire, "Northern Archduke" meant one thing: uncontrolled military might, a dangerous ambitious wolf that might snap its leash and lunge, a potential enemy to watch and crush.
To her—a war and slaughter expert—Count Hodoki was now just prey, no matter what he did.
"By the way, he just bragged about opening the path for the imperial army. Weren't you leading them back then, Your Highness?"
"I was, but is that the noble? I remember a collaborator named Count Hodoki at the time... but I don't recall his face."
"Yes, that's him."
"Hm... I remember the name from back then, but not the face. Sorry, I don't remember people by looks unless I see them often or they leave a strong impression."
Prosopagnosia? And she's no general.
Victoria stared long at the dark end of the garden where Count Hodoki had gone, then murmured lowly with a cold smile.
"...Anyway, he's someone on bad terms with you, Ian. I'll remember that."