Wolfgang's Fall

One thing I could be certain of. This incident would deal a massive political blow to Count Wolfgang.

A disowned wastrel noble with no power had suddenly appeared and utterly ruined the ball. He'd framed the host, Count Kailsen, with a plot to challenge the Repelheit family—the authority second only to the imperial family itself.

Of course, it was an act done with full knowledge that the new sub-marquess of Repelheit was present. With his life as good as dead if he stayed put, he'd desperately thrown up the shield of the untouchable imperial family.

In the end, the ball was a complete disaster, providing juicy gossip that nobles, ladies, local kids, and even students—men and women, young and old—could savor to their hearts' content.

The attending nobles fled the venue one after another, casting incredulous glances at me and Ebnis lingering in the hall, Lijelilias seated at the head table, and Reina von Wolfgang.

They would spread word of this across the entire empire. The tale of how Count Wolfgang's grand ball crumbled at the hands of a single Repelheit outcast would ripple outward, sweeping through the nation.

Perfect. This was me taking another step toward the marquis.

And then.

"……Reina."

The grand hall lay dark and empty, everyone having fled like rats.

"Why…… why did you do this?"

The count stared blankly at the wide-open exit.

"……I built Wolfgang up to this point. So why would you tear it all down? Can you even call yourself Wolfgang after this?!"

His bellowing voice echoed off the vacant walls.

But

"Father."

Reina, standing beside me, didn't even blink. Her heels clicked sharply against the floor as she stepped forward, her dress fluttering.

"Mother always told you."

"……."

"A family's prestige built on parties, festivals, and balls is like a tower of paper. True prestige comes from the family head's abilities—keen foresight, bold investments, the power to recover from losses."

The count scowled.

"……That was just Floranda talking out of ignorance. You're still young. Nobles can't survive on that alone."

"Is that something to say to the man who squeezed the Floranda family dry to bolster Wolfgang's power?"

The count fell silent.

Reina pressed on relentlessly.

"Mother never spared her advice for you. And in the end? After she fell ill and took to her bed, did you ever visit her? Even on the day she passed, I was the only one by her side."

Reina smiled as if it were nothing now, but laced with clear mockery.

"You look guilty, but it's too late for that. Come to think of it, Lady Alpren never offers you any advice on your affairs. Was that really serving the family?"

The count had no words. Nor did his wife.

"If that's what serving the family means, then I wouldn't know."

"Reina."

"Father, look around. The winner and loser have already been decided."

"……Are you saying I should hand over the family headship to you?"

"Not yet. But considering your position, I'll have to take it soon enough."

"Bold words. However……."

He glanced back at Alpren and the servants like Fromen behind him, shaking his head.

"You're right—it's not time yet."

A venomous smile crept across his face.

"Reina, you've rebelled against the family, so we'll cast you out and raise Alpren as the new heir. That'll cover this failure, and all will be well."

……Yeah. I figured he'd say something like that.

Now it was my turn.

"Count."

He looked at me but didn't respond.

"It seems you're under some misconception."

"……What?"

I thumped my staff lightly on the floor.

Then.

"Wh-what……?"

The servants behind him surged toward us en masse.

The panicked count reached out, shouting.

"Wh-what are you doing?! Get back here!"

No one listened.

"Count, you may not realize."

Another word. And now Butler Chief Fromen, who had stood quietly at the rear, approached us.

"Fromen! You! How could you…… betray your lord?!"

"Miss, the family knights and soldiers all say they follow you now."

"Thank you, Fromen."

And my final punctuation.

"You've long since lost their trust—perhaps for quite some time."

And then.

"Ah, Alpren?"

"Alpren, where are you going?! Not there!"

Even Alpren came to our side, leaving the count and his wife utterly alone.

I met the count's utterly defeated gaze and offered a light smile.

"……Doesn't the outcome seem clear, Count? No one follows you anymore. You prized 'Wolfgang' above all, but Reina valued what comes after that name."

"……You bastard."

"Count, you probably don't even know the names of every servant and cook Reina's worked ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠with here for over a year. Why? Because you only cared about her as the 'Wolfgang heir.' I'll bet you don't know her favorite foods either. Go on, tell us if you do."

He remained silent.

"I see. Didn't expect such a blank."

"……Marquis."

He clenched his fists, trembling.

"I'll report everything to the marquis. Herald! Call the herald!"

A voice cut in immediately.

"Count Kailsen, sorry, but that's not happening."

"Sub-marquess! Just so you know, this Repelheit business is all that wastrel's scheme……."

"Then what's this? I must be seeing things."

The moment Ebnis flashed the small notebook in her hand, the count's face crumbled.

I remembered. That was the original story's key item sparking his downfall. It held every detail of his plot.

Only Alpren and Fromen could enter the count's bedroom here.

"……So that's it. No one left on my side."

"Even with decisive proof right here, you're still going to deny it?"

"Count."

"Father, you're finished."

The knockout blow landed.

He bowed his head, muttering something, then…… swiftly reached into his bosom and kicked off the floor.

"You, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠what……!"

"What is this……!"

"……All ways to turn this back are gone now."

He drew a gleaming dagger from his chest. Its path aimed straight at me.

"Count, how low will you sink?"

"I've already hit rock bottom. Can't go lower. Might as well take company!"

Roaring, he thrust the dagger with all his might.

And.

I tapped my staff on the floor and said flatly,

"Count Kailsen. You've brought your own ruin."

Then.

"I saw you clearly try to harm my vassal before me, Count."

A gust of wind blew.

The princess's shadow at the head table vanished without a trace.

And.

Boom!

The dagger shattered into fragments, then dissolved into motes of light vanishing into the air.

"……Holy Sword: Execution."

Ebnis drew a blade of transparent light mana, pressing it to Count Kailsen's throat.

And.

No escape anywhere.

"……Why…… I just wanted the family……. Haha…… hahahaha……."

His hollow laughter echoed through the darkened hall.

* * *

Count Kailsen had crossed an irreversible river, opting for exile to a rural eastern fief proposed by Lijelilias.

It was a capital crime deserving execution, but factors like Alpren being only eight, Reina not yet of age, the need for smooth family succession, and no actual deaths tipped the scales.

During a three-day grace period, he delegated near-full authority to Reina von Wolfgang, appointing her acting lord.

This would proceed under the princess's supervision. He swore to hole up in that rural fief post-handover and never emerge.

He even declared he'd pass the lordship to Reina right after her graduation.

Lady Alpren wept bitterly, but there was no alternative.

And that evening.

Ebnis, buried in mountains of aftermath work, vented her frustrations at me before heading back to Repelheit first.

"……Reina, you there?"

"Ah, yes. Come in."

Entering the lord's office, she stood by the window, gazing out.

"Feeling better?"

"Pardon? About what?"

"……You looked lost in thought, so I thought you might not be dwelling on today's events."

"Oh, just…… Father never changed his perspective to the end. But he's always been like that, so no helping it. Still, we…… won, right?"

Yeah. We won.

"Indeed. You're right."

As I stepped forward, a blue message floated beyond the window she stared at.

"……Ugh."

"Adrian?"

"Adrian, you okay?"

"Fine. Just a dizzy spell."

……Out of her sight, I clenched my fist tight.

With this, the Wolfgang family was fully mine. The West's second power had fallen completely into my hands.

On top of that, my name spread empire-wide, Reina's first breakthrough conditions nearly met. The imperial family and even the marquis would hear of me soon.

This…… was reward befitting the effort.

"Hmm, no breeze in here. Let's go outside, Adrian."

"Mm."

I climbed the ramparts with her, gazing at the starry sky.

Reina beside me tapped her boot against the stone.

"……Time to go back now, right?"

"Probably. Everything's wrapped up."

"Then…… won't see you over break."

"Won't Lijelilias the princess stay here three days?"

"That's not what I mean! She's wonderful, but……."

Her sulky tone made me rest my hand on her head without thinking.

"Ah, Adrian?! Isn't this too soon?!"

"What? Only three weeks left anyway. Finish your business here and head back."

"And you?"

"I'll stick around Merin Dorm. Nowhere else to go."

She gazed into the distance, then nodded my way.

"Got it. I'll return as an acting lord no one will be disappointed in."

"Mm."

"And, um, Adrian……."

"What?"

"B-being out here long, m-my h-hand's c-cold…… c-could you maybe hold it……?"

"Isn't it summer?"

"……."

No helping it. I took her hand—it was scorching hot.

……Didn't she ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠just say it was cold?

My questioning look prompted her to turn away, mumbling.

"That was the first lie of my life."

"Don't make a habit of it."

Even as I said it, I didn't let go of her hand.

* * *

The next morning.

"Then I'll be waiting."

"Travel safe?"

I boarded the waiting carriage, and it departed. Wolfgang territory receded.

I could see her waving until she vanished from sight.

Now, back to Salenium Academy.

What a week. I'd veered completely off the original path.

But that didn't mean I'd shy from challenging this world.

I'm a veteran.

And someone carving his own ending.