Chapter 15
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: The True Mastermind
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“Is it true that you instigated them to slander this mansion?”
“Ye-yes, it is.”
“!!”
As Cox spoke the truth under the Seal of Binding, everyone’s eyes widened as if they would tear.
Count Cazar was especially shocked.
To think the man he trusted most had tried to harm his son.
“Why did you do it?”
“Th-that… that is… Gaaah! I received an order.”
Cox struggled to resist the curse, but he screamed and spoke the truth.
“An order?”
“That… Ughhh… That is. Aaargh!! Someone knew of the wrongs I have committed against the County of Cazar and blackmailed me. That person ordered me to ruin the Young Master. It started a long time ago, in his childhood.”
Each word was more shocking than the last.
Cox had committed numerous wrongs against the County of Cazar all this time, and someone had instigated him to ruin Christian?
“The wrongs you’ve committed… you must be referring to the embezzlement you’ve been carrying out for a long time.”
“…Y-yes, that is correct.”
This was a fact he had already figured out.
The most important truth remained.
“Who was it?”
“!!”
“Who gave you such an order?”
Butler Cox’s body trembled.
“P-please… If I say this… I will… Gaaaargh!!”
He tried to refuse, but it was useless.
“Speak. Now.”
At that command, Butler Cox’s mouth opened.
“…It was Lord Eshid.”
“…What?”
For a moment, Chris froze.
But he wasn’t the only one.
Everyone in the hall froze. To be precise, they turned deathly pale.
The name was that shocking.
“It was Young Lord Eshid de Baron, the heir of the Dark Magic Main House.”
* * *
The hall fell silent.
Eshid de Baron.
It was a name everyone present knew.
The greatest genius of the next generation of the Dark Magic House.
Of the five young lords vying for succession, he was the one closest to the title of ‘Heir Apparent.’
And this incredible figure ordered the ruin of Christian?
‘Impossible.’
But it was a truth forced out by the Seal of Binding.
It was not a lie.
Cox collapsed to the floor, his face vacant.
“L-Lord Eshid is a fearsome man… I-I… I’m sure he’ll kill me now….”
He was gripped by extreme terror.
The people realized it again.
It wasn’t a lie. It was real.
But why?
‘Young Lord Eshid is an existence far too great to even be compared to Young Master Christian.’
Comparing the two was like comparing the brilliant moon in the sky to a crumb on the street.
In any case, the reason wasn’t important now.
‘What’s going to happen now?’
‘The repercussions will be enormous.’
A direct descendant of the Dark Magic Main House had conspired against Christian, and the fact had been revealed before everyone.
In this situation, it wasn’t Eshid who would be in trouble, but the County of Cazar.
The County of Cazar was merely a branch family, while Eshid was the heir most likely to lead the Main House in the future.
If a rift formed between them, it would be the County of Cazar that would ultimately suffer.
‘How will the Count handle this?’
It was a difficult situation with no easy answer.
Just then, a sound broke the silence.
*Thud.*
It was Christian, taking a step forward.
Towards Butler Cox, who was slumped on the floor.
Everyone’s gaze fell on Christian, and a horrifying scene unfolded.
*Swish!*
Christian raised his sword and brought it down on Butler Cox’s neck.
It happened so fast that no one could react.
Blood splattered, and Cox’s severed head fell to the floor.
Christian, now soaked in blood, turned to look at his father.
“I have punished the sinner on behalf of the Count’s authority.”
“……”
A heavy silence descended.
A few quick-witted individuals realized why Christian had hastily struck off Cox’s head.
But no one dared to speak, all eyes fixed on Count Cazar and Christian.
Finally, Count Cazar spoke, as if sighing.
“…Let us speak privately, my son.”
* * *
Chris headed to the Count’s office.
Once they were alone, the Count let out a long sigh.
“Sit. Would you like something to drink?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“Right. This isn’t a situation for a leisurely drink.”
The Count looked at Chris.
“Today’s events. No, including your recent return to debauchery… was this all your intention?”
“Yes, that’s right. I suspected Butler Cox and deliberately showed a weakness to lure him into a trap. I apologize for not informing you beforehand.”
“…No, it’s not that.”
The Count shook his head.
Apologize?
He had accomplished something great.
If it weren’t for Christian, they might never have known the butler’s true nature.
“Here is what I’ve investigated regarding the butler’s embezzlement. He was quite meticulous about it.”
The information had been obtained with the help of his maid, Banshee.
Banshee was a ghost who had lived in the Count’s mansion like a native for a long time. Unsuspected, she had secretly stolen the budget ledgers managed by the butler every night.
Chris had scanned the ledgers, identified irregularities, and used TERN, who held authority as an heir, to confirm his suspicions.
“…Impressive.”
Count Cazar was greatly impressed after reading the documents Chris presented.
Just as Chris had said, the butler’s embezzlement had been very cleverly done. That was how he had fooled Count Cazar and the others.
Yet Christian had uncovered it all and investigated it.
“When did you study accounting like this?”
“I never have. I just took a quick look and understood. As you know, I’m a genius.”
Count Cazar let out a dry laugh.
‘Is this something possible just by being a genius? This is beyond that level.’
Just how much more was his son planning to surprise him?
He looked up and saw the confident and handsome figure of Christian.
It was real. His son had truly changed from a scoundrel.
And that wasn’t all.
He had become a completely different person, continuously achieving unbelievably great things.
At that thought, a fiery anger surged within him.
‘How dare he try to harm my son! That bastard Eshid!’
Moreover, according to Cox, it seemed Eshid had also influenced Christian’s descent into debauchery in his youth.
The root cause of his son’s ruin.
He could never forgive him.
“Why did you do it?”
“Pardon?”
“I’m asking why you covered up this incident by striking off Cox’s head. We did nothing wrong.”
“Do you think I killed Cox to cover this up?”
“Isn’t that it? By killing Cox, the witness is gone, making it difficult to hold Eshid accountable. Of course, considering the position of the branch family, covering it up might be the wise thing to do, but I do not agree.”
Count Cazar spoke in a voice filled with anger.
“To dare to do such a thing. I have no intention of letting that bastard Eshid get away with this.”
Chris was slightly taken aback by the Count’s blazing voice.
His anger was more intense than expected.
‘Was he this kind of character? No, I guess it’s a natural reaction.’
Count Cazar had always been an orthodox demonic person. He valued power above all and despised cunning tricks.
On top of that, as his actions so far showed, he secretly cared for his son.
“You know we don’t have the power to hold him accountable, even if we wanted to.”
“It doesn’t matter. If it comes to it, we can declare independence and sever ties with the Main House.”
Chris looked bewildered at Count Cazar’s reckless words.
For some reason, it didn’t sound like an empty threat.
‘Severing ties is not an option. My primary goal is to swallow the Dark Magic House whole.’
“Please calm down for now, Father.”
“Calm down? After he tried to frame you like that?”
Count Cazar’s eyebrows twitched as he spoke in a harsh tone.
“I absolutely cannot.”
“……”
A deep sense of fatherly love was palpable in his anger.
He had felt it before, but for a demonic person, Count Cazar was a surprisingly fatherly father.
Much more so than his real father from his previous life.
That’s why Chris didn’t dislike Count Cazar. In fact, he quite liked him.
‘It might be impossible to think of him as my real father, but perhaps getting closer wouldn’t be so bad.’
In any case, he opened his mouth.
“I never said I would let this go.”
“But just now.”
“I struck off that bastard Cox’s head. Do you think I did that to cover up this incident? Not a chance.”
Chris spoke in a strong voice.
“It’s the opposite. It was for revenge.”
“!!”
A smirk twisted Chris’s lips as he continued.
“Let me ask you one thing. If Cox had lived, how would things have proceeded?”
“…The Main House would have taken him in for investigation.”
“And what conclusion would they have reached? Could we have held Eshid accountable?”
Count Cazar couldn’t answer.
Chris changed the question.
“Is Marquis Langham, the Acting Head who currently leads the Dark Magic House in place of the Old Lord, a just and impartial man?”
Count Cazar was silent for a moment.
“No, he is not. For the honor of the Main House, he would reach a conclusion favorable to Eshid.”
“But since Cox is dead, what will happen now?”
Chris smiled.
“Even if they try to fabricate evidence to cover it up, they can’t. The only witness, that bastard Cox, is already dead.”
Keeping Cox alive was the same as leaving a path for an official pardon.
Once taken to the Main House, they could simply make him change his testimony. Eshid would be declared innocent, and only the County of Cazar’s position would become awkward.
“But by killing him, the situation has changed. That bastard Eshid will never be able to wash away the dishonor of having tried to frame me.”
Of course, with the witness dead, he couldn’t be formally charged.
But many people had heard Cox’s testimony, spoken truthfully under the Seal of Binding.
He would have to carry the stigma of having tried to horribly frame a member of his own bloodline.
“And this dishonor will become a great weakness for Eshid. A man vying for the position of Head tried to frame his own kin. Above all, the succession battle is not over yet, so that bastard Eshid will be in a much more difficult situation than you think, Father.”
Count Cazar’s eyes widened as he understood the meaning behind Chris’s words.
“So you intend to use this incident to cause problems for that Eshid bastard’s succession?”
“Bingo. Exactly.”
Count Cazar was in awe of his son’s words.
It was the most realistic and certain method of revenge.
“Then who should we support as the successor? The First Princess, who is the most likely candidate after Eshid?”
For reference, Eshid was the Second Prince.
“No.”
“Then the First Prince? No. The First Prince is a madman obsessed with blood.”
“Not the First Prince either.”
“Then who?”
“I will do it myself.”
“…What?”
Count Cazar asked, not understanding his meaning.
“I am saying that I will become the successor of the Dark Magic House myself.”