The Neighbors' Scheme and Setas's Wrath
Akasha Territory shared borders with four other domains. The largest by far was the Illibard Marquisate, followed by the Bretling Barony, the Aodani Viscounty, and the Yurentr Viscounty. The heads of those three lesser houses—excluding Illibard—had gathered in one place.
“Our territories have been a mess lately, all because of that Akasha Viscountcy.”
“We're in the same boat.”
“Where the hell does that young punk get all his money to splash around like that? Does the Church really cough up that much funding?”
Their domains' troubles weren't solely due to Akasha Territory, but they believed otherwise. Even the Illibard Marquisate was reaping indirect benefits from Akasha's growth.
“We can't just declare a territorial war over it, though.”
“Be my guest if you wanna die. How many Masters do you think they've got? And the Viscount himself is supposedly an incredible mage. A saint who can heal hundreds at once, they say.”
“I've received that healing myself. It was nothing short of a miracle from the gods.”
“And he's got the new Emperor's absolute trust. The central army might march down the second we declare war.”
“They'd never approve a territorial war in the first place. But before that, Akasha's Masters would come for our heads.”
The three lords sighed deeply. There was no way out. Militarily, economically, politically—they had no leverage.
“But what if we don't target the Akasha Viscount directly?”
“What do you mean?”
“I read about it once in a history book. Some eastern continent kingdom disguised their regular troops as bandits to raid border villages in the neighboring country and fund themselves.”
No need to dig into eastern histories for such tales; it was a common dirty trick among shady nobles. Disguise territorial troops as bandits or highwaymen to plunder adjacent domains or passing merchant caravans. Some even raided their own lands.
“That might actually work. The caravans heading to Akasha are massive, aren't they?”
“We'd fill our coffers without striking at the Viscount directly, and weaken Akasha in the process.”
To their limited intellects, it seemed like a solid plan. Of course, that assumed I wasn't watching their entire conspiracy unfold.
I didn't immediately lop off the three lords' heads for it. Instead, I hired the Sword Mountain Mercenary Corps to provide ironclad escorts for my domain's direct caravans and warned all other merchants trading with Akasha to bolster their defenses.
Once the three lords had pulled troops from their regulars to form bandit groups, their targets dried up fast. None of their forces were impressive to begin with, and these ragtag bandit units drawn from scraps were even worse. A few knights had joined reluctantly on orders, but rivalries between the domains turned them into a disorganized mob worse than your average bandits.
They didn't dare touch Sword Mountain-protected caravans swarming with knight-level mercenaries. The private merchants who'd heeded my warning traveled in fortified groups, making raids impractical.
In the end, they preyed on merchants passing through their own territories—crooked traders who'd been booted from Akasha for shady dealings.
When the bandits' hauls fell short despite weeks of activity, the lords cracked down on their disguised underlings. Desperate, the bandits massacred a few mountain villages in their own lands, chased the fleeing slash-and-burn folk all the way to the city outskirts, and clashed with the guards.
That's where things went south. The city they'd raided belonged to the Bretling Barony. A brief skirmish with the guards left two dead on both sides combined—and one was Setas's father.
Setas's father had done his duty. A normal lord would have mobilized the city's regulars to hunt down bandits who dared harm them, but Bretling Baron could hardly do that.
A few days after the father's modest funeral, as Setas's mother—still a maid at the baron's manor—headed to work at dawn, the now two-year-old boy quietly slipped outside with his tiny frame.
Suddenly, his body vanished from the surroundings. Invisibility magic. A two-year-old who’d never been taught by anyone had cast it.
He then unleashed Fly and soared into the sky. His destination: the bandits' mountain stronghold. Somehow, he'd tracked them with detection spells, though I couldn't say how.
Landing in the camp's center and revealing himself, Setas faced the bewildered bandits and growled in a low voice.
“Die, you filthy scum.”
No one would believe those words came from a two-year-old. The tone was chilling, merciless.
Then, starting with those nearest him, the bandits' chests exploded one by one. This wasn't ordinary magic. It resembled a variant of the word-spell magic Drakan had created and used.
Moments later, not a living bandit remained in the stronghold. A few knights were among them, but to Setas's magic, soldiers and knights alike were no different.
I watched the whole scene through a clone. A two-year-old flying in with invisibility and Fly, then massacring 150 bandits with word magic? Howard wouldn't believe it.
Setas grabbed a small chest of their loot and flew home just as he'd come.
Back home, he stroked his dead father's sword and shed tears—the ones he hadn't at the funeral.
That shocked me a bit. Not his power, but... I'd assumed Setas was some divine being. But tears for his father's death? Gods didn't do that. Setas was human.
When the bandit group was wiped out, the three lords panicked. No word from their scheduled reports. They sent scouts and found only corpses.
The lords gathered again.
“From the bodies, it was one person's doing.”
“A terrifying expert. Couldn't tell if mage or knight—the technique was masterful.”
“He must've sniffed out our scheme.”
It wasn't me, and calling it a scheme was generous for such petty nonsense, but they assumed it was my work. Trembling in fear, they scrapped everything. Not that they had the manpower left anyway.
Days later, I visited Bretling Barony—with prior notice—bringing Jayke and a horde of Joseph's heretic inquisitors. The baron came out to the border to greet us, shivering like an aspen in winter winds.
“Greetings, Bretling Baron.”
It might've seemed arrogant, but I greeted him from horseback, looking down at his trembling form. The thief feels his own guilt, they say—he probably thought I'd come to kill him. And yeah, I was partly leaning into that.
“Ah, g-greetings, Viscount Akasha.”
“Sorry to say this right off the bat since it's our first meeting, but the reason I'm here today is...”
“I-I'll give it to you! Please, just spare my life!”
Give what? And why kill him? I'd come to take Setas and his mother.
“What are you talking about, giving me something?”
“Y-your territory! I'll give you my territory!”
I got the gist, but I wasn't that ruthless. Snatching it outright would tarnish my reputation.
“I haven't the foggiest what you mean. Let's hear the details.”
He invited me to his manor, and we talked. Long story short: Bretling offered his entire barony.
I could've taken him as a vassal, but given his incompetence and character, he wasn't fit to manage even that.
After some haggling, we settled on me buying the barony outright for cash. Bretling was thrilled. He'd braced for outright seizure, but selling his crumbling domain for a hefty sum? Jackpot.
We left the details to our staffers. I headed straight for my real goal: Setas's home.
His mother hadn't returned from maid duties yet, so Setas was alone. I knocked softly, and a voice came from inside.
“Who ith it?”
Cute baby talk. Setas had been playing the part of a mildly clever toddler to dodge attention.
“Germain Akasha, Viscount. Mind if we talk?”
But I knew his true nature.
“Mommy thaid not to open for thtrangers!”
“Setas, we know each other pretty well by now, don't we?”
The door creaked open silently in reply. A cute toddler glared murderously from inside—those same cold eyes from the bandit massacre.
“No need to be so guarded. I'm not here to fight.”
“What do you want? And how do you know me?”
Setas's tone shifted. Baby voice, but adult speech.
“I've been watching you for a long time. Didn't you scan the area with your energy once?”
That familiar ripple swept over me again. Setas's face hardened—he'd gauged my power.
“You're strong.”
I chuckled. An earnest adult tone from that baby face was hilarious, and his wariness too.
“Like I said, not here to fight. I'm not your enemy—more like an ally.”
“You've been watching me?”
“Yeah, I've got those abilities. From your birth right up to you wiping out those bandits.”
Setas's eyes flickered, but he regained composure.
“So, what do you plan to do with me?”
“Do with you? Nothing. How about this—you become my adopted son?”
Setas's face scrunched up hilariously. Was I that repulsive? Rich, powerful—prime dad material.
“I refuse.”
“Why not?”
“I can't leave my mother to a pretty-boy parasite like you.”
“I'm not marrying your mom. Just you as my ward. I'll ensure she lives comfortably forever.”
His eyes wavered again. Tempting offer? Yeah, he was hooked.
“You know I'm the richest in the empire? Pretty strong too, and the Emperor favors me plenty. Good dad material, right?”
“Still refuse.”
“Why?!”
It started half as a joke, but now my pride stung.
“I won't serve under anyone. But until I grow up, I'll work for you—so take care of my mother.”
“Hmm.”
I pretended to mull it. The adoption was banter anyway; I planned to take him regardless. Setas was too dangerous for this world alone—and the world for him. Wider's past-life memories had no Setas, so he'd likely died young. His current strength was hard to measure but not absolute. Not weak enough to die easily, either—so probably something divine got him.
“Deal. But you stay in my territory till adulthood and follow my orders. In return, I'll grant your wishes as much as possible.”
Tie him down till then. A monstrous toddler now—what would adult Setas be?
“Fine.”
He gripped my hand with his tiny one.
Setas and his mother returned with me to Akasha Territory. Leaving Bretling for the first time, Setas gawked openly upon entering.
I had Wider assign them a manor, then brought Setas to my office. We had much to discuss.
But Bastet, lounging there, spotted him and bristled, claws out.
[You bastard!!!!]
A massive surge of energy and killing intent from Bastet nearly shoved my body back.