Chapter 128: A Dangerous Person
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 128: A Dangerous Person
Garnet, the leader of the Black Bandana, lived her life by a single principle etched into her mind.
As long as one walked this earth, not even a saint could remain untainted by its filth.
She had been exposed to the world's ugly underbelly since she was a child. As the successor to the Black Bandana, she was forced to stomach stories far too grim for a young girl. In her youth, she had lived in a state of utter misanthropy and profound distrust.
However, overcoming those brutal conditions had forged her cold, piercing judgment. By evaluating everything objectively and predicting the future, she had proven her worth and become the finest information broker in the business.
And the conclusion Garnet had reached regarding Ferda was simple:
He was dangerous.
The fiancé of Valdrova.
The Lord of Hestia Village.
A man with the qualities of a great ruler, capable of embracing even an Evil Dragon.
Despite all the praise being heaped upon him, she knew exactly what kind of man he was based on everything she had seen.
"That man will use you until you’re no longer of any worth, and then he’ll discard you."
Like a hunting dog after the rabbit is caught.
"He probably lured you in by promising to help find your sister, didn't he?"
"..."
The smile vanished from Jed’s face the moment his sister was mentioned.
"It’s undoubtedly a lie. He’s just using the knowledge only you possess to keep you on a leash."
"..."
"Emilia. How do you think he knew that name? To anyone uninvolved, that’s a name they wouldn't be able to link to you in a lifetime."
Emilia.
Jed had been frantically searching for his sister, whose fate remained unknown.
The reason he seduced women was for money.
The reason he needed money was to become a noble.
The reason he wanted to become a noble was to find Emilia’s whereabouts.
Come to think of it... it is strange.
Ferda had known that name and brought it up. How was that possible?
Doubt spread through him like a flame catching a fuse.
Did he really know that a clue about his sister was in the Imperial Warehouse? Or was it just a ploy to reel him in? Fundamentally, how did he even know that he and Emilia were related?
Could it be...
Was he someone involved in the massacre of the Red Eye Tribe? Was that why Garnet said he was dangerous? Had he been wearing a mask this whole time, manipulating him?
— Pfft.
At that moment, the sound of Valdrova’s laughter reached his ears. That laughter pulled Jed out of the murky swamp of suspicion.
"He’s not that kind of person."
"That’s the classic line of someone getting scammed," Garnet countered.
"I know. Scammed fools always go down saying that."
Garnet was the leader of the Black Bandana. Her organization's information was so superior it was said they could practically foresee the future.
But Jed had watched him from his side. He didn't know what kind of person Garnet perceived Ferda to be, but he was certain that man was far from the one she described.
— The moon is beautiful.
— They say the moon is at its largest today.
Hearing those words, Jed reflexively turned his head and clicked his tongue.
"Ugh, what am I going to do with this kid..."
"What?"
"Hold on. I’ll be right back. Just wait here."
Jed ran off quickly.
The conversation continued. Garnet realized that Ferda and Valdrova both wanted to dance with each other. A moment later, Jed returned, carrying something in both hands.
"A violin?"
"I asked the orchestra, and they said they had a spare. Here."
He handed something to Garnet. It was a flute.
"What is this for?"
"A flute. You know how to play. We used to play together."
"And?"
"Let’s go to the garden and play a bit."
"Are you telling me to get involved in this too?"
"Moonlight Step doesn't feel right as a solo. It needs a duet."
"..."
Garnet was secretly stunned. Jed had stepped out earlier, so he shouldn't have known, but Valdrova herself had mentioned the Moonlight Step. Had he figured all of this out just from hearing that the moon was beautiful?
"You said we should act like the Swallows, right? Let’s confirm that old harmony through music. What do you say?"
"...Sigh."
To think he’d use her own words against her. Garnet shot him a resentful glare, but Jed just brushed it off with a sly grin. Unable to resist his smile, Garnet took the flute.
Following Jed’s lead, they moved toward the garden. As they began their moonlight duet, they set the atmosphere.
Ferda’s eyes met hers. Then, as if he had made up his mind, he asked Valdrova to dance.
They danced.
Under the moonlight, they glowed faintly like a beautiful pair. Even Garnet, who sought information through cold logic, could feel nothing but beauty from the sight.
Is this it?
Watching them dance, she began to understand a little of what Jed had seen to make him so certain. Ferda was a cold man who did not hesitate to kill, but what she saw now was simply a boy who wanted to look good for a girl.
The performance ended. Ferda and Valdrova separated and went their own ways. Jed, looking down at the scene with a satisfied expression, muttered to himself.
"If it wasn't for me, who else would give that kid a push? Right?"
Jed let out a sigh as if he had no choice. Garnet, still looking down at them, spoke.
"Jed."
"Yeah?"
"You really do know women well."
"Well, I was desperate since one wrong move could get my head chopped off."
"There’s something even you don't know."
"What’s that?"
Jed turned his head with a smirk, only to be caught off guard. Under the moonlight, Garnet was looking at him with deep, soulful eyes. Her golden eyes stared intently at him. She seemed about to say something, but then she abruptly turned her head away.
Jed did not understand the intent behind that look.
* * *
Savoring the lingering emotions, Ferda prepared to return to the banquet hall. Even if he was going back to his room, he thought he should at least show his face briefly. Then, in the hallway, he unexpectedly ran into someone he knew.
"Ah! Loyalty! Where have you been, sir?"
It was Malcolm.
"I went to the garden for a moment. And you?"
"I was just coming back from the restroom. I thought you went with a lady; how did it go?"
"She went back."
"Pardon? It’s so late... wouldn't it be dangerous?"
Ferda blinked at Malcolm’s worried expression.
"Didn't you know? That lady was the Archduchess of Valdrova, the one you are supposed to be loyal to."
"What? That... that lady was the Red Dragon, Lady Valdrova?! Now that you mention it, the horns on her head...!"
Ferda sighed at the man who was only now realizing what everyone else already knew. He made a mental note never to call on this guy again.
"Did you carry out your mission well?"
"Since it was a mission from the Regent, I put my heart and soul into it, but I couldn't finish it to the end."
"Why not?"
"Because I had to dance with the Imperial Princess of Arken..."
Hearing that, Ferda looked at him with genuine concern.
"Did you eat something wrong?"
"No. Everything I ate was delicious, but..."
Malcolm scratched the back of his head. He had no reason to lie, but it was still hard to believe at face value. Ferda looked at Malcolm as if he were a pitiful soul.
It seems he’s been under a lot of stress lately.
Overwork could sometimes lead to auditory and visual hallucinations. Malcolm himself seemed to realize how ridiculous it sounded and tried to gloss over it.
"A-anyway, is there anything else you need me to do?"
"Hmm..."
Ferda hadn't expected much from Malcolm in the first place, so he would have been content just letting things end peacefully.
"There is."
But knowing Malcolm would want to feel useful, he gave him another mission.
"Just give the word!"
"It seems someone called the Archduchess a murderer and a butcher when she was dancing."
Ferda recalled his conversation with Valdrova and asked him.
"I don't know if it’s true or not, but do you have any idea who that might be?"
"Someone like that...?"
It was a question that was practically impossible to answer. Since Ferda himself thought it might have been a hallucination, he assumed Malcolm would just be chasing ghosts. Fearing that Malcolm might foolishly go around interrogating people, Ferda was about to say it was just a joke.
"I know who that person is."
"Right, that person... what?"
Ferda’s eyes sharpened. "Say that again."
"Uh... I mean, I know who the person is who insulted Lady Valdrova, as you mentioned, Regent..."
"Someone actually said that?"
Ferda’s face contorted into a terrifying scowl. Malcolm was intimidated by the look, but he answered nonetheless.
"Yes. Since the Regent gave me a mission, I was keeping an eye on several people. It was very quiet, but I heard it as I walked past. They laughed mockingly and asked why a murderer was here."
"..."
"It was just a mutter to themselves. I only knew they were some high-ranking person, but I didn't know they were talking about the Archduchess of Valdrova..."
Ferda felt his mind go blank.
Valdrova had said she heard hallucinations when surrounded by people. He had assumed it was simply psychological pressure, and she had believed the same, struggling to overcome it.
That means it wasn't a hallucination.
There was someone actually trying to torment her, someone who exploited the blurred line between her reality and her trauma.
— If I were to hear such words from someone, I...
"Malcolm."
Ferda uttered the name. Even the dim-witted Malcolm sensed the gravity of the situation.
"Y-yes!"
"I know you are a dull fellow. But I value your loyalty above all else."
"Th... thank you?"
"So I ask you. Can you swear there is not a single lie in what you just said?"
"How could I ever lie to the Regent?"
"Right, I don't think you would lie to me. But if what you said is true, I can no longer remain still."
Ferda’s thread of reason hung by a hair. He had wanted to savor the lingering warmth of the dance and didn't want to drench this night in blood.
"I am prepared to take that blasphemous creature's name and their head this very instant. In other words, that man’s life depends on your answer. So I ask you again."
Ferda’s voice grew deeper and more ominous.
"Did you truly hear those words clearly with your own ears?"
The sinister tone was enough to make one deny even the truth. But Malcolm did not. Though he might be clumsy, he was a knight who stood by his convictions. A knight must do his best with the mission he is given, and Malcolm had done his absolute best.
"I-I am certain! I heard it clearly!!"
"Then tell me. Who was it?"
"The person was..."
Malcolm spoke the name clearly.
* * *
The Start of Spring Festival officially ended before midnight, but the music and laughter echoed well past the hour. The vigor of youth burned bright under the chandelier flames, oblivious to the waning moon.
Those who didn't know their limits with alcohol were, as expected, sprawled out unconscious in various corners of the castle. Whenever that happened, alert servants would quickly pick them up and hand them over to the attendants waiting outside.
Of course, there were those who did not enjoy the late-night festivities.
In the middle of the night, while the merry banquet was in full swing, a procession of carriages could be seen here and there in the deep forest, departing the castle. These were the households with tight schedules—perhaps a young lord handling administrative duties—or those so conservative they wouldn't permit staying overnight in another’s castle.
The night belonged to monsters, but that was of little concern to them. Their escorts were the elite representatives of each house. It was their job to protect the ground at all costs.
CRASH!
But they couldn't stop everything. Something plummeted from the sky, hurtling toward the carriage.
"Cough, cough...!"
"I-it’s an ambush!"
"Young Master!"
Despite the ferocity of the impact, the carriage was only half-destroyed. At that speed, the carriage and everyone inside should have been reduced to pulp. Yet the wooden wheels were intact; only the roof had been blown away.
There was no time to marvel at the exquisite skill. They could only recall the information they had. Regardless, it was an attack aimed at the carriage carrying the young lord. And the thing that had flown in was not a cannonball, but a living, breathing creature.
"Crossbowmen! Volley fire!"
The elite crossbowmen aimed their weapons at the intruder simultaneously.
Thwip-thwip-thwip!
Arrows flew from bowstrings so taut it took two men to pull them. They moved faster than sound, but they were slower than light. A single streak of pale blue flash in the moonlight cut them in half, sending them tumbling to the ground.
As expected, the opponent was no ordinary foe. The captain of the guard drew his sword, his Aura erupting.
"You filthy monster! I’ll paint my blade with your blood—ugh!"
He drew his sword, but that was all. The captain couldn't move. Even he found it strange. He was a knight of a Ducal house, the top graduate of the Knight Academy. He had proven his courage on countless battlefields and earned the moniker 'Lightning Tiger.'
His spirit was full, and his martial arts were superb. But he soon came to understand. No matter how great he was, it was futile compared to the being standing before him.
There are things humans cannot face, no matter how much courage they muster. The being he was witnessing with his own eyes was one of them.
The forest was dark, and beneath the leaves lay a pitch-black gloom. Within it stood the figure of a girl. And behind that figure was the silhouette of massive wings, several times her size.
Shining gray eyes. Alien, vertical-slit pupils.
"Ah...!"
Even in the dead of night, they vividly recognized the presence and gasped.
"D-Dragon!"
The knights, who had been bravely trying to form a line, lost their will to fight. The captain of the guard barely kept his feet.
If I swing my sword—no, if I show even a hint of killing intent...
That girl would take his head without hesitation.
The girl didn't say a word. She picked up something from inside the wrecked carriage like a piece of luggage. It was the young lord they were supposed to protect.
Whoosh!
And just as fast as she had arrived, she vanished from the spot. The entire process had taken less than a minute.
The escort had failed, and the young lord was kidnapped.