Countermeasures Meeting

The moment I heard that Alois Graviuss, the duchess, had summoned me.

"That bitch did?"

"...Your language is too crude."

A curse slipped out before I could even think, leaving Ares flustered. But what could I do? Alois was one of the serious bad connections in my life as Seres.

Alois Graviuss. One of the empire's top power players, she doesn't make her full entrance until the very end of the story. Before that, she's just mentioned or appears briefly. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠A late debut, but she certainly leaves her mark once she arrives.

Dragging a walking disaster like this all the way to my house? Arios, are you truly insane?!

While Seres was being dragged off by Sibylius for vivisection experiments, Arios finally tracks down the location and rescues him, then brings him home. She keeps it secret from everyone else to avoid losing him, hiding him in the family estate. But the actual owner of the estate—the current duchess—couldn't possibly be unaware, and she reacts hysterically.

It's not an incomprehensible reaction. Her son went mad because of Seres, and sneaking him into the house might provoke the wrath of Viol, the emperor obsessed with Seres. She has every reason to hate him, but she takes it too far.

'This wench has ruined the country—thinking about it makes me want to kill her with my own hands!'

She outright says she's going to kill Seres.

'Get this whore out of my house right now!'

...Even calling him a whore. It was the first time Seres had endured such humiliation. While he stayed in her estate, she hurled abuse like this nonstop, tormenting him and driving the final arc's despair. That was the woman!

So how could I say anything nice? Even with Ares right there, my emotions wouldn't settle.

"Even a dying patient gets cursed if she feels like it—a duchess with zero manners summons me for what?"

"...Seres, it seems I've badmouthed that woman too much in front of you."

Ares wasn't on good terms with the duchess either, but she looked exasperated at my overreaction.

"She wants to invite you to her estate regarding Lady Arios."

Ares showed me the letter the duchess had sent. Stripping away the noble florid language, the content boiled down to this:

...That was it, and it wasn't my bias twisting it negatively.

"This damn woman needs to manage her own daughter. How dare she send this shit to my son!"

Ares had already read the letter, but showing it to me set me off again, curses flying.

"Seres, I showed it to you since it's addressed to you, but you don't have to go."

Ares said, clearly annoyed.

"No matter how powerful the Graviuss dukedom is, they can't order you around like this."

"But they're stronger than us, aren't they?"

"Not anymore."

Ares drew Black Pain from her right hand and unleashed her aura over it.

"But don't they have the justification? Arios did go through unnecessary trouble and hardship hanging around with me."

"..."

Ares fell silent. It was true—Arios had fought Viol in public because of me, putting her in an awkward position. That damage rippled through the whole family, so Alois had the moral high ground.

"So, you're thinking of accepting the invitation?"

"I suppose I have to."

Refusing when they ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠held justification would stir controversy in high society and damage our reputation. Besides,

"I've always wanted to meet the duchess someday."

In the original story, I wanted to see the bitch who tormented Seres with my own eyes and land a solid hit somehow. And now, she wasn't someone I couldn't handle anymore.

"Seres, it might be dangerous. Are you sure you want to go?"

"It's fine. I've got my new exclusive knights, right?"

"...Ah."

Ares's mouth fell open, as if she'd overlooked it.

A moment later.

"Lady Seres, did you call for us?"

The Death Knights arrived as ordered. They wore the armor issued to our territory's knights instead of their original gear. They were my subordinates now, but we couldn't reveal they were Death Knights. Luckily, they retained their living appearances, so we passed them off as newly hired escorts.

"I need to head out briefly—can you come with me?"

"Of course. Wherever Lady Seres goes—even if it's hell itself—we will accompany you."

Niobe stepped forward as representative. With eyes on us, I'd told them to use my name instead of "Holy King," and they'd adapted well.

"But even hell is easier to handle if we know it in advance. If it's not too rude, could you tell us the destination?"

"Graviuss ducal estate."

"The Graviuss dukedom?"

I gave Niobe—who looked puzzled—a rough explanation. Her daughter was head over heels for me, causing incidents, so the duchess summoned me.

"Ah, I see. Well, Lady Seres is so breathtakingly beautiful, it's no wonder."

"Royalty often boasts striking looks, but you're unparalleled among them."

"A proud beauty, but if it stirs up trouble like this, it's a problem."

The Death Knights all nodded, agreeing it was par for the course at my level.

"With my status, bringing a dozen escorts should be fine. I'll take you all—get ready."

"Understood."

The Death Knights packed up. I started preparing to leave too, but

"Mother, what are you doing?"

Ares was mixed in with us, getting ready to come along. I couldn't believe it.

"I'm worried about you..."

"One Sword Master and a dozen Experts right below her—what's there to worry about?"

I reined in Ares's excessive concern and told her to at least send word to the ducal estate that we were coming.

Alois Graviuss was a woman who had it all.

The empire's wealthiest duchess, with exceptional personal abilities to boot. Her beauty, once praised in high society during her youth, remained undiminished even now. With wealth, honor, and riches in abundance, her only worry had been her heir—but that was resolved.

Arios Graviuss. Her one and only daughter had not just met ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠expectations but soared far beyond them. Stunning looks paired with brilliant intellect. Always polite, yet deeply scheming. And surpassing it all—reaching full Sword Master maturity in her mid-twenties!

Alois had been proud of her monstrous, genius daughter.

"Alois, do you really want to drive your mother insane?!"

If only Arios hadn't fallen for Seres and changed so drastically, she'd still be proud.

Is this really my daughter?

Alois visited Arios's room and stared in stunned disbelief. The room was overflowing with Seres memorabilia.

Clothes similar to what Seres wore, custom-ordered and hung everywhere. Dolls modeled after Seres piled like mountains. Not satisfied, she'd painted portraits:

"Ugh, no! This can't capture Seres's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠beauty!"

Tearing them up and starting over—dozens of times.

How can a person change this much?

Her daughter had always been frugal, unfit for a ducal heir. Her room held only the bare minimum, most of her day spent in self-training. But after falling for Seres, she'd transformed completely.

Offering family heirlooms to that man, and now turning her room into this mess!

Alois still remembered. When told to stay away for recovery, the barred daughter wandered dazed—then suddenly started making dolls and painting. That was when Alois first learned her daughter was skilled at crafting dolls and art.

At least she couldn't sew, outsourcing the clothes—but made to match Seres's style exactly, costing a fortune. No matter how much Alois scolded, she wouldn't stop.

Today, trying again, she was ignored.

"Arios, isn't it enough already? To me, they're plenty pretty."

"No, not at all! Mother hasn't seen Seres in person, so you can't understand!"

Had the Sword Master switched to artist? Alois was dumbfounded by her daughter's fierce intensity and gave up persuading her again.

Then a servant entered.

"Duchess, word from the count's family. They've accepted the invitation and will arrive soon."

"...Summon the retainers."

Alois slipped out quietly, avoiding her distracted daughter.

"We will now hold a countermeasures meeting regarding that damned Seres Huferion."

Gathering her retainers in secret, away from her daughter, Alois declared gravely.