The Enemy Within
Though it felt somewhat rushed, Vincent believed the moment was perfect. When news reached him two days earlier that the young lady’s party had departed from Ardenum, a sharp idea had sliced through his mind. He knew the route the Robeheim family typically took from Bellucci to Hespania, and he intended to exploit it. The path was sparsely populated and cut through mountainous terrain, so blaming the incident on bandits would raise no eyebrows. Besides, the fact that the young lady traveled with almost no escort was common knowledge among those residing in the Robeheim duchy, even if outsiders remained unaware. With Yulken absent from the castle on an inspection tour, the timing could not have been more ideal for their grand scheme.
‘I’ve already set the pieces in motion anyway.’
Vincent had conspired with one of the vassals, a man named Lux Feltner, entrusting most of the dangerous work to him. Under normal circumstances, it would have been nearly impossible for co-conspirators to create an easy exit for one another, but this time they had proper justification. If the plan succeeded and that slippery eel was removed, Vincent promised to help arrange a marriage between Lux’s son and Ariel. In the end, the Feltner family would reap the greatest benefit. That assurance allowed Vincent to negotiate while shouldering far less risk. All that remained was for him to sit back and await the triumphant report.
He had been savoring that rare moment of leisure, lifting a wine glass to his lips alongside a bite of aged cheese, when a sudden knock made him frown. If this interruption proved trivial, he would not forgive it. “What is it?” he demanded.
“Sir Roland, the young lady’s party has arrived.”
“…What?!”
At the unexpected news, Vincent slammed his wine glass down and shot to his feet. Unless he had misheard, the servant had clearly said “party.” That meant not only Ariel but the others had returned safely as well. Sensing that something had gone badly wrong, Vincent immediately summoned the servant waiting outside. Though he normally despised allowing inferiors into his chambers except for cleaning, today was an exception.
“Y-you called, my lord?”
The servant who relayed messages within the castle knew the situation well. Being suddenly invited into Vincent’s room made him visibly anxious, and his words came out in a stammer.
“You say the young lady has returned?”
“Y-yes, my lord.”
“What about the rest of the party? The maid who accompanied her and the young lady’s lover—aren’t they with her?”
Using honorifics for a child of no notable bloodline was nothing short of humiliating for Vincent, yet he forced his emotions down for now.
“Yes, they returned together.”
“You mean they’re alive?”
“…Pardon?”
“Ah, never mind. I merely meant to ask if they completed their long journey safely. It was a slip of the tongue.”
The servant tilted his head in confusion but proceeded to describe the group’s condition in careful detail, noting that everyone appeared unharmed. Vincent’s fingers trembled with the urge to hurl his wine glass against the wall, but he managed to leave the room instead. He could not believe it without seeing for himself.
“Guide me. Since the young lady has returned, I ought to greet her.”
“V-very well… this way, my lord.”
As the servant led Vincent forward, he gave a small, puzzled tilt of his head. Vincent was known for his overbearing nature and heavy backside; he rarely left his chambers unless the matter was truly significant. At most, he would appear when Yulken returned from battle or after some major event. The idea that he would stir himself simply because Ariel had visited another territory for a short while seemed entirely out of character.
‘Is he in an unusual mood?’
Still, the servant knew all too well how uncomfortable it was to deal with Vincent. He silently steeled himself to escort the man outside the castle without provoking him.
When they finally reached the castle gates, Ariel had already stepped down from the carriage and was conversing with the servants and vassals who had come out to welcome her.
“Oh, Sir Vincent. What brings you here?”
At that moment, Hadler—one of the few men in the family renowned for his kindness—approached him. Since everyone in the castle knew how rarely Vincent left his rooms, Hadler’s surprise was plain.
“I heard the young lady had returned from a long journey, so I came to greet her. With His Grace away, I thought it only proper that a vassal should fulfill his duties at a time like this.”
Vincent replied with an affable smile, as though the matter were trivial, yet inside he was grinding his teeth.
‘What in the hell happened, Sir Lux!’
His silent scream was directed at the man standing awkwardly beside the carriage, offering Ariel an uneasy smile while constantly watching her expression. When their eyes met, Lux merely shook his head with a pathetic look that made even onlookers feel embarrassed. Vincent’s fury rose another notch.
‘I should have handled it myself.’
He had trusted Lux to manage things properly, believing the man would not resort to sloppy work despite holding a respectable position within the family. Even if it left a longer trail, Vincent regretted not ensuring the matter was dealt with cleanly. He clenched his fist so tightly it felt as though the bones might shatter.
‘Calm down for now and plan for later. There’s no need to rush.’
Today had simply been the best opportunity; another would come in time. Having slithered through more than sixty years of life like a cunning snake, waiting patiently with bated breath for the greater cause was not difficult. The one thing that bothered him, however, was the unusually bright complexion of Ariel’s entire party.
‘Were they never attacked at all?’
If assassins had ambushed them, they could not possibly stand there looking so relaxed. The correct course would be to publicly inform the vassals and strengthen their defenses. But if no ambush had occurred, how had they managed it? Had they taken a different, more common route through other villages instead of the direct path? That route was considerably longer, making such an early arrival unlikely. They should have reached the castle well after dusk at the earliest.
Conversely, what if they had been attacked but were hiding the fact? That possibility was even harder to predict.
‘My head hurts.’
In any case, since he had ostensibly come out to welcome her, it would be better to speak rather than stand there dumbly. Vincent walked toward Ariel as she approached the castle gates, bowed his head, and donned a sly, welcoming mask.
“Welcome back, my lady. I trust your journey was safe?”
“Yes, it went well. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you come out to greet someone, Sir Vincent.”
Her remark made Vincent flinch inwardly, but he steadied himself and spoke with a benevolent smile.
“With His Grace away, I felt someone should at least make an appearance. I’m sure the other vassals feel the same.”
“Ah, yes. Father went on an inspection, didn’t he?”
“Indeed.”
In truth, Vincent had chosen this very moment precisely because of Yulken’s absence, yet the plan had unfortunately failed to bear fruit.
“By the way, what is that object Lord Edgar is carrying…?”
A massive sack-like bundle hung from Edgar’s shoulder as he stood beside Ariel. It looked large enough to hold an entire person, prompting Vincent to inquire about its contents with open curiosity.
Ariel answered with a bright smile unlike any he had seen from her before.
“A souvenir. A precious item I picked up in Ardenum.”
“My, how impressive. It certainly is quite large…”
“You wouldn’t be hoping I’d give it to you, would you, Sir Vincent?”
“This old man isn’t so greedy as to covet something the young lady brought back herself.”
Vincent offered another gentle laugh and benevolent smile.
“…!”
Then a strange sensation suddenly crawled across his entire body, sending a chill through him. It felt as if a blade had paused just short of his throat. He quickly lifted his bowed head to meet Ariel’s eyes, but she continued to wear the same refreshing smile.
‘I must be growing weak with age.’
Or perhaps the anxiety stemmed from having postponed the deed that should have been carried out today. Vincent resolved to return to his room, finish the remaining wine, and retire early.
Ariel, who had been watching him closely, turned her head away with an indifferent expression and began walking toward the castle interior.
‘Sir Vincent, of all people.’
A man who only showed his face when the family head, Yulken, returned would not come all the way outside the castle walls without good reason. Though he had offered some flimsy excuse while wearing that kindly smile, Ariel suspected there was more to it.
‘For example, something he wanted to confirm with his own eyes.’
This was also why she had refrained from mentioning the incident in front of the vassals. The details were not yet certain, but the circumstances strongly suggested the assassins had been targeting Edgar’s life. If so, who would find his existence most irritating? At the very least, she did not believe the enemy lay outside the family.
If their true foes were lurking within the household, secretly orchestrating such pathetic schemes, they would have known the party could not possibly return safely today. And if they learned that someone who should have died had instead come back alive, what would their reaction be? Naturally, they would be desperate to see it with their own eyes.
In such a situation, three people famous for their heavy backsides had all appeared here.
‘Vincent, Gale, and Dulius.’
Any or all of them could be involved. From now on, her task was to gradually narrow down the possibilities through careful deduction. With eyes devoid of emotion, Ariel secretly summoned Shuri and made a single request. Whether the target was a senior retainer of the family or the head of another house made no difference to her. What value could there be in someone who would soon become a corpse?