Reincarnated as the Count's Plum Blossom Swordmaster

In the end, I died once.

I used Complete Recovery and came back to life. My body was whole again. The black-and-white world snapped back into full color.

Four assassins stood bound by shadows around me. From the way they still held their daggers forward, they had clearly tried to kill me and gotten caught by Yuria instead.

I looked around. The remaining thirty-one were corpses rolling on the ground. Most had been cut down by blades, though a few had been electrocuted.

"Where the hell did you suddenly come from?!"

"I have been here from the beginning."

The assassin leader stared hard at Yuria. He swallowed hard. His eyes trembled.

"…Who are you? I've never heard of a monster of a woman like you."

"……."

Yuria closed her mouth as if she had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠nothing to say and silently raised her dagger. It pointed not at his neck, but at his arms. She would take them alive and extract information through torture.

Slash!

Watching Yuria sever the assassins' limbs, I spoke to the leader in her place.

"Why pretend you don't know? You know all about her."

"I don't…! A monster woman like this…! I've never even heard the rumors!"

"No, you know. You've heard the rumors."

"…Rumors?"

The assassin leader kept his composure even with his limbs cut off. It was absurd, but these were first-rate assassins. Their skill was the real deal. The leader in particular had blocked my attacks four times while I was rampaging out of control. He was an Expert at the absolute peak.

"Take a good look at her. Silver hair and blue eyes. Anything come to mind? Doesn't that match a certain noble's features?"

I pointed at Yuria. Her silver hair, clad in a maid uniform, glittered under the moonlight. Those cool blue eyes were beautiful and utterly merciless. Her looks were beautiful enough to cause mental shock.

And around Yuria, the shadows writhed.

The assassin leader seemed to realize something and recoiled in horror.

"Don't tell me… the Dark Empress…! Is that woman the real Dark Empress?!"

"You know well. I was a bit thrown when you kept going on about the Dark Empress with the real one standing right in front of you."

I pulled off the assassin leader's mask. An ordinary middle-aged man's face. Surprisingly good-natured looking, the kind of guy who might live next door.

"Don't recognize the face. I'll cut to the chase. The client is Zent, right?"

"I am an assassin. Once I fail, I stay silent. No matter what you do, I will not open my mouth. Torture changes nothing. We are fully prepared against torture. Of course, I have no intention of being tortured either."

Crunch.

Something broke inside the assassin leader's mouth.

Obvious. A poison capsule hidden behind his molars.

I casually reached out. Even the deadliest poison doesn't kill instantly. There were a few seconds—or ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠tens of seconds—of leeway.

First I sealed the acupoints to stop the poison from spreading, then grabbed the assassin leader's head and poured lightning energy into him to burn the toxin away. I had done this a few times in the world of The Path of Ascending Light, so I knew the sensation. Still clumsy, though.

Well, if I fail, it's not like I die.

Even if the assassin leader died, it didn't matter. Their client was obviously Zent anyway.

"Guh…! I'm not dead? Don't tell me you had an antidote!"

The assassin leader gasped for breath as he shouted.

I had successfully burned the poison. As a side effect his face was scarred and his hair had fallen out completely, but that wasn't my problem.

I looked at the other assassins. None of them had managed to kill themselves. Yuria was never going to make it easy.

"You don't get to die without my permission."

The assassin leader's face went deathly pale. He clenched his teeth and spoke in a trembling voice.

"I already told you…. No matter what you do… we will not reveal any information."

"Hold out for a day and I'll praise you."

I sneered at him and stood up.

"Yuria. I'm counting on you."

"Yes. I will extract the information before the sun rises tomorrow morning. However… that technique just now was far too dangerous. Please never use it again."

"…That's because I'm still too inexperienced. If you told me to use it again… honestly, I wouldn't be confident."

Still, I had grasped a few clues. With some practice I would be able to use it properly.

"It did not seem like a technique of the Young Heaven Style."

"I don't know the details either. But I have one guess."

A technique used by Seong Ha-ri in the world of Academy's Savior. A temporary body acceleration technique using lightning. It was almost certainly Flash Thunder.

I left the cleanup to Yuria and headed back toward the carriage. On the way I ran into Kyle and Floy.

"Yujin! Did a monster show up or something?"

"My lord. Are you all right?"

The fight had been a bit noisy. With their level of skill, noticing the battle was only natural.

"It's already over. Let's go rest."

The next day, at dawn.

Yuria kept the promise she had made.

The captured assassins, wearing stupid expressions, spilled every last piece of information before the sun rose. They even showed signs of infantile regression. I considered asking Yuria what she had done, then decided against it.

First of all, the client who hired them was indeed Zent. He had put up an enormous commission of thirty billion ner to request the deaths of both me and Kyle.

Zent has been winning just as many victories in the war, so putting up that kind of money isn't unreasonable.

Still, it was a large sum for one person to shoulder alone. It seemed several of the vassals were involved as well, not just Zent.

The assassin group had received six billion as an advance.

If we track that six billion, Zent will turn up. That will be solid proof.

Zent, who already had no hope, was finished with this.

Zent. I'll turn you into a one-armed cripple just like Kyle.

I wouldn't kill him.

Instead I would keep having secret meetings with his wife Vivi. He would never dream that his own wife would bear my child.

"Heh heh."

Receiving the enthusiastic welcome of the territory's people, soldiers, and knight orders, I entered the main house. They already knew who would become the master of House Frucus.

From atop the carriage I raised my sword and waved it. Every time the blue Aura Blade flashed, the citizens roared.

Might as well advertise while I'm at it. That I'm the youngest Aura Master.

We arrived at Frucus County.

The main house I returned to after so long hadn't changed much. The atmosphere was livelier than usual, though. That was only natural—Ention Frucus, the current Count Frucus, had returned.

On top of that, House Frucus had achieved the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠most military merit of any noble house in the Rapheli Kingdom. The faces of the Frucus territory's people were full of pride. It would have been stranger if the mood had been bad.

Without even time to shake off the travel fatigue, I was summoned straight to the Great Hall.

Everyone was gathered in the Great Hall.

The family head Ention and his wife Ellain.

Zent Frucus and the retainers who followed him.

Kyle Frucus's retainers and the subordinates who followed Kyle.

The retainers who followed me, and the nobles who had stubbornly maintained neutrality to the end.

More than a thousand people filled the Great Hall. This was the full power of House Frucus. It hadn't originally been this large… but through this war the territory had expanded dramatically, and quite a few houses had submitted.

They had won victory after victory and thoroughly claimed the spoils. House Frucus was no less than a small duchy now.

Together with Yuria I walked the red carpet under their gazes. Yuria wore a blue dress instead of her maid uniform. Her dignity was so great that no one would ever think she was a maid.

I deliberately slowed my steps. Whispers rose around us.

"So that is Eugene Frucus…. The undefeated hero, the Golden Hand of the Rapheli Kingdom, and the youngest Aura Master…. They say he even conquered the sea? He has every great achievement that will go down in history…. No wonder the eldest son Zent Frucus is no match for him."

"Wasn't the second son Kyle Frucus the one competing with him until recently? The former youngest Aura Master has fallen behind his own little brother."

"Who is that woman? She's… extremely beautiful. Hard to take your eyes off her."

"Silver hair and blue eyes…. Don't tell me…. No, coincidence…?"

"Astonishing. Truly astonishing."

"A new wind is blowing."

"My dear, look carefully at that man. Son, remember that face well. That man is the hero who will lead the next generation of House Frucus."

"…Damn it. I backed the wrong horse. Do you happen to know what Baron Eugene likes?"

"I was going to recommend my daughter… but that won't work. My daughter is lovely enough that I wouldn't mind putting her in my eye, but the woman beside him is on a completely different level."

"His era is about to begin."

At the end of the red carpet sat Ention and Ellain.

Yuria and I knelt on one knee before them.

"Father. I have returned."

"Yuria Grace…. No, Yuria Helbrit greets the family head."

"……."

Ention closed his mouth and remained silent. The people around him also shut their mouths, watching his reaction. Even so, they could not completely hide their shock.

Yuria Helbrit.

Because there might be people who would pick at Yuria's origins, we had decided to use the name of the Helbrit ducal house.

This had been Yuria's idea. She still wanted to hide her full power. The reason was Panteum. Those bastards still did not accurately know the extent of Yuria's strength. That advantage would definitely prove useful.

"I have heard. You are the sole survivor of the Helbrit ducal house."

"Yes. I am an illegitimate child. I myself only learned of this fact recently, when chance brought the connection to light."

"…Enough. I will not ask further."

Ention's lips trembled. He was tense facing Yuria. I had given him advance notice… but seeing her with his own eyes, he had realized just how strong she was.

She must have deliberately released her presence so he would notice. It's more convenient that way.

That Ention looked like a newborn puppy standing before a lion.

"Father. I have two requests."

"…Speak."

Ention's gaze turned to me. His expression seemed a little more at ease.

"I wish to marry Yuria."

"…I permit it. There is no one who does not ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠know that the Helbrit ducal house was a prestigious noble family. Though she is an illegitimate child, she has inherited that bloodline and is therefore qualified. Moreover, I have heard that she has inherited the Helbrit duke's legacy."

"Yes. That is correct."

Yuria answered calmly. Nobles on all sides drew sharp breaths. The Helbrit duke had once been prime minister, and there had even been rumors that he was the true master of the kingdom. They could roughly guess how magnificent the legacy of such a man must be.

"However, we are still at war. The war has not yet ended. It is not appropriate to hold a ceremony now, so for the present conclude it with an engagement, and after the war ends choose an auspicious day to hold the wedding."

"Yes, Father. I will obey."

"What is the second request?"

"Father, you said that you would pass the title to the brother who achieved the most merit in this war. Among the brothers, I have achieved the most. Brother Kyle has decided to support me. I am certain that the achievements I have made surpass even Father's. Father, please pass the title to me."

"Baron Eugene!!"

A roar erupted.

It was not Ention. It was the old retainers standing around him.

"What is this insolence!"

"Baron Eugene! Show proper respect!"

"That statement is no different from challenging the family head's authority!"

Yuria and I stood up without waiting for Ention's permission. Then we slowly looked around at the retainers who had shouted. I memorized every one of those faces. The kill list was already being written.

"You! You! You…!!"

"Baron Eugene!! What do you think you are doing!"

"Kneel, Baron Eugene!! You are before the family head!!"

"Father! Eugene is ignoring the authority of Frucus!! Father!! Punish Eugene!!"

The old retainers and Zent strained their necks and raged.

Ention frowned and rose from his chair. He openly released his presence. Under the pressure of an Aura Master, the faces of the retainers and nobles turned deathly pale. I did not back down and met it head-on. I was also an Aura Master.

A clash of presence erupted. I was pushed back a little. That was only natural. I had only recently become an Aura Master, while Ention had long experience as one.

Even so, I calmly received his energy. I did not avert my eyes from his fierce gaze for even a moment.

Ention let out a sigh and withdrew his presence.

"Eugene. Your words are correct. The one suited to this seat has become you. …Can you handle this position?"

"I can handle it and more."

"A pleasing answer. Today I will transfer this family head seat to you. However, there is a condition."

I suppressed the rising irritation and asked as calmly as possible.

"……What condition?"

"Bury what happened between the brothers."

"Including what happened yesterday?"

"……Yes."

"I will do so."

"Good, Eugene. From now on you are the master of Frucus. Since it is wartime, the succession ceremony will be held in abbreviated form. If you wish, we can set a separate date and hold a full succession ceremony."

"The abbreviated form is sufficient."

I smiled.

Kyle and Zent? I would let them live according to the original plan. I would let them live.

On this day, I became the master of House Frucus.