The Cruel and Heartless
"Silvia. There's a problem."
"...What is it this time?"
"I need to hire a fifteen-year-old into Belmont Security. An orphan, by the way."
"Absolutely not."
"..."
A firm refusal. Silvia pushed up her glasses and glared at me. We were in the training grounds' rather impressive office. With a pen in hand, she looked every bit the professional executive. I could hardly remember the strange woman who used to wander around with a fork stuck in her hair.
"All employees must be adults. Was that not the rule you yourself established, my lord?"
"It was, but... circumstances have changed. She's a child, yes, but she's also a university student. Sharp and strong."
"That makes it even worse. Children with exceptional personal strength are difficult to control and highly likely to cause incidents. This comes from experience, so please take it seriously."
Silvia spoke with genuine gravity.
"Is that from personal experience?"
"...In any case, it cannot be done. I am already overwhelmed simply training the current staff. I cannot add childcare to my duties."
"Come on, just raise her for a bit. She's someone who awakened mana manipulation on her own."
"Is that true?"
Only then did Silvia show interest. Mana manipulation. To Silvia, Julia, and even Charlotte—who all used the Super Strong Sword as a medium—it might not seem like much. In truth, however, it was one of the critical skills that determined a mage's talent. Countless mages relied on magic circles or orbs because they could not manipulate mana themselves. Being able to cast magic using only one's own body was an enormous blessing. Among them, those who mastered mana manipulation entirely on their own were considered to possess overwhelming talent. Mana manipulation normally required countless trials and errors without proper instruction. Achieving it at such a young age was proof of an immense quantity of mana.
"Now I understand your intention, my lord...!"
"...?"
"You were not trying to make me play the role of some nanny! You want me to raise an irregular with extraordinary mana reserves and affinity who awakened mana manipulation on her own—an orphan with no guardian at that! You wish for me to forge a loyal human weapon that will fight solely for House Belmont!"
"No, that's not—"
"I am only half a mage, incapable of generating mana. Charlotte can produce Sword Master-level firepower with the Super Strong Sword, but her state is still somewhat unstable. Julia is a non-combatant. Therefore, to create Belmont's spear and shield that will fight on the front lines, risking death—!"
"..."
The Evil God Kali applauds like a seal, deeply impressed!
Silvia looked as though she had overheard fragments of a demon king's plan for humanity's extinction. At this point, she was clearly doing this on purpose. Human weapon, my foot. I had seen with my own eyes what happened when Aslan Belmont tried that nonsense and got properly educated for it. Did she really think I would attempt the same thing?
Yuri's heart, born a protagonist, would never break. No matter how hard I tried to corrupt him, it would not work.
'This is absolute. There's nothing I can do about it.'
From beginning to end, he was the righteous protagonist. The more pain and despair you gave him, the more he grew into a monster. In the original story, he was the magnanimous sort who killed only Aslan Belmont and forgave the employees before calmly leaving the mansion. That was Yuri.
"No. I really do mean for you to act as her nanny."
"...?"
Silvia's head tilted in confusion. A brief silence fell over the room. Then, after a moment, a chilling sensation ran down my spine.
The Evil God Kali demands an explanation, asking what you mean by that.
"She's Charlotte and Julia's friend."
"Ah. I understand. You should have said so from the beginning."
The Evil God Kali fully supports your decision.
Right. I should have just said that from the start. I felt a twinge of regret. Kali had also switched sides in an instant. As expected, the moment Charlotte and Julia were involved, that thing became endlessly benevolent.
"Ah. I remember now. Is that not the slave who escaped while Lady Irene was transporting him?"
"That's the one."
"Then I suppose we should inform Charlotte and Julia as well. It has already been several months since they parted. They must be missing him terribly."
"No. We will keep it a secret for now."
"That is... Why?"
"Yuri has a very firm misunderstanding that I am abusing Charlotte and Julia. I do not know what kind of chemical reaction will occur if they meet. I plan to keep Yuri isolated at the Ariente training grounds for the time being."
It was an unavoidable measure. As a hot-blooded protagonist, once a misunderstanding took root, it would not fade easily. Even if he reunited with Charlotte and Julia and they explained that Aslan Belmont was not such a bad person, Yuri was the type who would suspect brainwashing. I had to approach this carefully.
"By the way, may I ask what leads you to believe Yuri holds such a misunderstanding?"
"You know that academy student I sponsor? That is him. I figured it out while exchanging letters."
"Ah. So you have been hiding your identity while corresponding with someone who harbors such deep hatred toward you, my lord?"
"That is correct."
"My lord... This may be rude of me to say, but it feels rather... shady."
"..."
If she thought it was rude, she should not have said it at all. I seriously considered docking her pay for a moment. Meanwhile, Silvia stroked her chin, looking even more bewildered.
"If I understand correctly, this student named Yuri Brussels appears to have chosen to join Belmont Security in order to get close to you, my lord, because he hates you deeply and is looking for an opportunity to take revenge."
"Exactly."
"Then why on earth are you bringing that child in? Why would you keep a blade that might stab you at any moment close to your chest—?"
The Evil God Kali nods vigorously, demanding an answer.
It seemed not only Silvia but Kali was also curious. The reason was fairly simple.
"Silvia. Why did you choose to stay by my side instead of removing your brand yourself?"
"You told me yourself, my lord. If I was suspicious, I should watch from close by. That is why I decided to stay by your side until the end and keep watch. It feels safer to have you within my sight, after all."
"It is the same reason. I also feel more at ease with Yuri within my sight."
"Ah...!"
If Yuri was in the military, I would have no way of knowing what nonsense he might get up to or how he might go astray, and no way to respond. But if I brought him into Belmont Security, I could see what skills he was honing and prepare countermeasures accordingly. If he started to stray, Silvia could correct him immediately. On the surface, it seemed like a flawless plan. However, there was one fatal flaw: if he ever decided to come for my throat, he could reach the mansion in an instant via the direct highway.
"Huh!? But how did you know I could remove the brand—!?"
"Anyway, I am counting on you to take good care of Yuri."
Leaving behind a Silvia who seemed to have realized something, I quickly exited the office. From now on, Belmont Security was entirely in Silvia's hands. It would work out somehow.
...
Inside the carriage racing along Belmont Highway—the road named after the family that built it—Yuri was chewing his lips with a grave expression.
'To catch a tiger, you must enter the tiger's den...'
Just as he resolved to enlist, a proposal arrived from his sponsor. It was an offer to join Belmont Security. The manager of the security company, a woman named Silvia, was apparently an acquaintance of his sponsor. Coincidentally, the owner of that security company was Aslan Belmont. Ironically, Yuri now found himself about to hone his strength under the very enemy he had been sharpening his blade against.
'Will Aslan Belmont recognize me?'
Yuri shook his head. Aslan had never seen his face. He had escaped before arriving at Belmont Manor. When they had crossed paths at the academy, Aslan had not recognized him either. It was certain. Aslan would remember this face as Yuria Brussels. After all, he had openly declared his respect for him. Would that leave a favorable impression? He hoped so. To stab an enemy in the heart, one first had to get into his good graces.
"Take me to Belmont Manor. Do not get too close—stop somewhere nearby where I can see the mansion clearly."
Yuri called out to the coachman and changed their destination. The headquarters of Belmont Security was in the Ariente territory, but since he was already here, he figured he might as well scout Belmont Manor. If possible, he also wanted to confirm whether Charlotte and Julia were safe...
'I probably will not be able to confirm anything, after all.'
Was Aslan Belmont keeping Charlotte and Julia locked in an underground prison with not a single ray of light? Was he feeding them from dog bowls, trampling on their dignity? Was he torturing them, preventing them from sleeping properly...?
All sorts of thoughts flooded his mind, and his anxiety grew.
"We have arrived. Shall I approach closer?"
"No. This is fine."
The carriage stopped at a spot from which the manor's garden was clearly visible. Yuri gazed at the empty garden for a moment, then sank into melancholy. As expected, he could not see them. Aslan must have hidden the two of them away completely.
Just as he sniffled and wiped his nose, a rumbling sound began to grow louder.
Thud, thud!
"What on earth—!?"
A massive figure appeared from behind the mansion. A magical beast! An ugly, dung-colored magical beast! So Belmont Manor was guarded by a creature like that! Overwhelmed by its enormous presence that towered over the mansion itself, Yuri felt his body stiffen as a shiver ran through him.
"Ah! Aah...!"
But what shocked him even more were the small figures riding atop the beast. Recognizing Charlotte and Julia's faces, Yuri's expression filled with despair.
'He put the hostages on top of the beast's head so they cannot escape! Aslan Belmont, you cruel and heartless villain...!'
He had thought imprisoning hostages at the top of a tower was only something that happened in fairy tales. To think there was actually someone who did that in real life! Tears streamed down Yuri's face as he sharpened the blade of vengeance in his heart.