Chapter 386: Us (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 386: Us (5)
Baronet Bjorn Yandel. There wasn't even the slightest flicker in the marquess's eyes as he said that name. If Erwen or Amelia looked at me with those eyes, I would have confessed all my wrongdoings before I could get into even more trouble. That was how confident the look was.
But the marquess was different from those two. Nothing was more naïve than believing the eyes of a politician who had been through all sorts of conflicts and had managed to hold onto the position of second-in-command of the kingdom for decades.
"Marquess, I think there's been a misunderstanding." I didn't rule out the possibility that he was just feeling me out and maintained an air of ignorance.
Of course, the marquess didn't even humor me. "It's very awkward hearing you speak like this. I still vividly remember the day you were bestowed your title."
"...Is Erwen the reason you have the wrong idea?"
"I understand the position you're in so I won't condemn you for lying to me. But..." On the other side of the mana crystal, the marquess sat forward in his chair and placed his elbows on his tabletop. "For us to have a proper conversation, it seems I have to create a situation where you'll have no choice but to admit it."
A situation where I'd have no choice but to admit it? Was he thinking of using a lie detection spell or a Numbered Item like Misplaced Trust? Or torture? Even as I maintained my poker face, I rifled through various possibilities in my head, but in the end, all of those theories were off.
"Allow me to start with this." The marquess chose the conversation option. "Baronet Yandel, there is no need to be on guard. I am one of the few people who know that you are not an evil spirit."
So, coming out strong from the jump, huh?
When she first learned my identity, what Amelia had been most surprised about was this: how could I, an evil spirit, receive a noble title?
"Hmm, now that I think about it, it's possible the palace kept quiet on purpose. Since you were nothing short of a hero in the city at the time."
That was the hypothesis Amelia came up with back then, and I also thought it had a degree of credibility.
But if what the marquess just said is true, that means he really didn't know.
Of course, there was also the possibility the marquess was knowingly baiting me. I decided to keep my mouth shut and hear him out for now. In the game, there were times when going second could be more advantageous than going first. I could act after I heard everything he had to say.
"Riehen Schuitz and Baronet Bjorn Yandel. It's a waste of time to get into the similarities between these two adventurers so I won't go over them. Is that all right?"
"Yes, well, I've been mistaken for him several times, so..."
When I nodded, the marquess ran through the reasons why he was convinced I was the baronet one by one. "First, confirming you were not Riehen Schuitz was easy. I was able to hear the whole story from the employee who happened to damage and discard your file."
Apparently, they revealed that a woman had come to threaten them. That was when the marquess's suspicions began to deepen.
"Of course, I thought it was nonsense at first. But do you know what the most important part of administrative work is? Only looking at the numbers. No matter how logical and reasonable an explanation is, if the numbers don't add up, it's false. That was exactly the case for you."
Bjorn Yandel was dead. The marquess explained that when he discarded that premise, all the dots began to connect.
"You were too strong to be Baronet Bjorn Yandel, of course. But given two years and enough resources, it was entirely possible that you could be that powerful. So the question then became how you evaded detection for such a long time. This also made sense if you didn't stay in the city."
If not the city, then where? That was much too obvious.
"When you went missing on Farune Island, you came into contact with people from Noark, correct?"
The timing was too suspicious to be a coincidence. In fact, as a result of his investigation, he learned that I had resurfaced two years later in the now-abandoned underground fortress, which was said to have a passage leading to the outside world.
"You appeared just after Blood Spirit headed down there."
Now that I was looking at this from his perspective, it wasn't for nothing that the knight broke down my front door and accused me of collusion. At the time, I thought it was just an excuse to get me here.
"Now then, I'd like to hear your thoughts on my theory." The marquess looked at me from beyond the mana crystal and grinned. It was a theory that merited confidence. After all, it was a far more probable explanation than the idea that I'd been time-traveling for two years.
I only had one thought after listening to his long monologue. It sounded like he was not saying this to bait me, but because he truly believed it.
Should I call this a case of excellent imagination or a lack thereof...? I didn't realize you could interpret my story like this too.
I didn't have to think it over for long, because I always prioritized my goals in order of importance. My primary concern was our survival, my second was to take up Bjorn Yandel's identity again, and my third was to clear up the suspicions that I was an evil spirit. When I came into this conversation, I already had my priorities set in stone.
"As expected, you're smart, Prime Minister."
I took off Riehen Schuitz's mask and revealed my barbarian self. The reason for that was simple. To me, what was more important than clearing the charge of being an evil spirit was regaining my name. Whether he knew me as an evil spirit or a traitor, that didn't matter. That particular issue could easily be handled with enough negotiation.
If he was going to kill me for being a traitor, he wouldn't have called me here to talk in the first place.
"Yes, I'm Bjorn Yandel. Long time no see, Marquess." Not for the first time, it struck me that words had power. If they didn't, there was no way I could take off my human façade with this much confidence that I'd face any challenges that came my way from here on out.
Whew, that's much better.
"Haha, thank goodness. It would have been very inconvenient if you continued to deny it." I chuckled at the marquess's pointed words.
Inconvenient, huh?
This was the main reason I'd obediently revealed my identity. After this, he would no longer have bothered with conversation, but instead turned to items. And if he learned that items didn't work on me, it was obvious where his attention would have turned next: to Erwen, Amelia, and Raven. If they were investigated thoroughly enough, it would only have been a matter of time before the truth behind this absurd misunderstanding was revealed. As such, I decided it was better to calmly cop to it so we could get to the real point of this conversation. After all, deceiving others was now my specialty too.
"Now we can finally discuss business." The marquess cut the chitchat, and his voice grew lower. "Baronet Yandel, why have you sided with Noark?"
"Is that important?"
"That kind of uncooperative attitude won't do. I know you are a smart man."
"Can't really say I sided with them. I was only there temporarily to work toward my goal."
The marquess stared at me silently. The longer he did, the more proudly I straightened my shoulders. Well, he wasn't completely off the mark, though. In truth, I went back in time and did in fact stay in Noark, and for six months at that. Not to mention I even bashed in the lord of the castle's skull.
If not the city, then where? That was much too obvious.
"When you went missing on Farune Island, you came into contact with people from Noark, correct?"
The timing was too suspicious to be a coincidence. In fact, as a result of his investigation, he learned that I had resurfaced two years later in the now-abandoned underground fortress, which was said to have a passage leading to the outside world.
"You appeared just after Blood Spirit headed down there."
Now that I was looking at this from his perspective, it wasn't for nothing that the knight broke down my front door and accused me of collusion. At the time, I thought it was just an excuse to get me here.
"Now then, I'd like to hear your thoughts on my theory." The marquess looked at me from beyond the mana crystal and grinned. It was a theory that merited confidence. After all, it was a far more probable explanation than the idea that I'd been time-traveling for two years.
I only had one thought after listening to his long monologue. It sounded like he was not saying this to bait me, but because he truly believed it.
Should I call this a case of excellent imagination or a lack thereof...? I didn't realize you could interpret my story like this too.
I didn't have to think it over for long, because I always prioritized my goals in order of importance. My primary concern was our survival, my second was to take up Bjorn Yandel's identity again, and my third was to clear up the suspicions that I was an evil spirit. When I came into this conversation, I already had my priorities set in stone.
"As expected, you're smart, Prime Minister."
I took off Riehen Schuitz's mask and revealed my barbarian self. The reason for that was simple. To me, what was more important than clearing the charge of being an evil spirit was regaining my name. Whether he knew me as an evil spirit or a traitor, that didn't matter. That particular issue could easily be handled with enough negotiation.
If he was going to kill me for being a traitor, he wouldn't have called me here to talk in the first place.
"Yes, I'm Bjorn Yandel. Long time no see, Marquess." Not for the first time, it struck me that words had power. If they didn't, there was no way I could take off my human façade with this much confidence that I'd face any challenges that came my way from here on out.
Whew, that's much better.
"Haha, thank goodness. It would have been very inconvenient if you continued to deny it." I chuckled at the marquess's pointed words.
Inconvenient, huh?
This was the main reason I'd obediently revealed my identity. After this, he would no longer have bothered with conversation, but instead turned to items. And if he learned that items didn't work on me, it was obvious where his attention would have turned next: to Erwen, Amelia, and Raven. If they were investigated thoroughly enough, it would only have been a matter of time before the truth behind this absurd misunderstanding was revealed. As such, I decided it was better to calmly cop to it so we could get to the real point of this conversation. After all, deceiving others was now my specialty too.
"Now we can finally discuss business." The marquess cut the chitchat, and his voice grew lower. "Baronet Yandel, why have you sided with Noark?"
"Is that important?"
"That kind of uncooperative attitude won't do. I know you are a smart man."
"Can't really say I sided with them. I was only there temporarily to work toward my goal."
The marquess stared at me silently. The longer he did, the more proudly I straightened my shoulders. Well, he wasn't completely off the mark, though. In truth, I went back in time and did in fact stay in Noark, and for six months at that. Not to mention I even bashed in the lord of the castle's skull.
"...It doesn't seem like you're lying—"
Burp.
"Ah, sorry. I'm feeling gassy." That really wasn't intentional. I'd actually been feeling bloated since earlier.
"I guess you were nervous." Did my sudden hiccup change the mood? The marquess didn't pry and moved on. "Anyway, then can I take that to mean that you are not working with them now?"
"Of course."
"Even if you say that, I still can't really accept it. If you are not a spy, why have you been hiding your identity?"
"The palace announced I was an evil spirit. I was planning to find out why they did that first before clearing my name."
"You were wary of us, huh? I see, that could explain it." The marquess nodded.
It was now my turn. The best way to get information was to exchange questions, right? "So, while we're at it, why did the palace make that announcement? I'm sure you would know the reason."
"I can't tell you that. Just think of it as a politically motivated move. Besides, we didn't even know you were alive at the time."
This was the thing I had been wondering about the most, but I didn't end up getting an explanation. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed by that, but I moved on with no regrets. "Then tell me this: what do you want from me? If you really thought I was a traitor, you would've assassinated me instead."
"The palace does not handle things that way."
Yeah, right. Every time I come back from the palace, my body reeks of all kinds of fishiness.
"Then are you saying you don't want anything from me?"
"If you were a spy, I was planning to curry favor with you and use you in the war."
See, that answer came right out without any prodding. "That's unfortunate."
"Well, nothing to be disappointed about. Our current situation isn't too bad either."
"Not too bad?"
"Wars always need heroes."
Jeez, did you forget you announced I'm an evil spirit?
To be honest, I was dumbfounded to hear him say something so shameless, but I was sure it was because he was this kind of guy that he'd risen to the position he had.
"Baronet Bjorn Yandel, come work for the palace again."
"And why should I do that?"
"Because you need us."
"Well, I don't know about that."
When I once again turned him down, the marquess showed his true colors. "Whether you've severed ties with Noark or not, the fact is that you once joined forces with them. That's cause enough for prompt execution."
"Put simply, you'll make that all disappear if I join forces with you?"
"Not just disappear. I will help you regain your name and your noble title, of course."
"What about the announcement?"
"The people will accept any story if it makes enough sense." It looked like the marquess had already drawn a map of how he wanted to proceed here. "Didn't you say you only stayed in Noark to fulfill a goal? If you feel emotionally reluctant to do what I ask, think of this as a deal."
I felt weird. No, should I say uneasy? That was because I came here anticipating the worst-case scenario, thinking I'd entered a lion's den.
How can things work out this easily...?
Things were progressing so smoothly in my favor that it was actually making me anxious. My heart was pounding.
"Baronet, if you've made a decision, will you give me your answer?"
My options were currently limited. Even if the marquess and palace were plotting something shady, what could I do about it right now? I just had to accept this offer and figure out their angle on my own later.
"Fine. Tell me in more detail how you're going to restore my title and what you want in return." When I expressed my agreement, the marquess nodded in satisfaction. But the moment he was about to say something, a loud tremor rocked the garden.
Kwaaang!
I wondered what the commotion was all about, and the marquess soon provided insight. "My, it looks like she's come. I didn't think she would be quite so unrestrained, though." It must have been Erwen. "Let's continue this conversation another time. You should calm her down before things get any more out of hand."
"...I will."
That marked the end of our discussion for the day.
"...It doesn't seem like you're lying—"
Burp.
"Ah, sorry. I'm feeling gassy." That really wasn't intentional. I'd actually been feeling bloated since earlier.
"I guess you were nervous." Did my sudden hiccup change the mood? The marquess didn't pry and moved on. "Anyway, then can I take that to mean that you are not working with them now?"
"Of course."
"Even if you say that, I still can't really accept it. If you are not a spy, why have you been hiding your identity?"
"The palace announced I was an evil spirit. I was planning to find out why they did that first before clearing my name."
"You were wary of us, huh? I see, that could explain it." The marquess nodded.
It was now my turn. The best way to get information was to exchange questions, right? "So, while we're at it, why did the palace make that announcement? I'm sure you would know the reason."
"I can't tell you that. Just think of it as a politically motivated move. Besides, we didn't even know you were alive at the time."
This was the thing I had been wondering about the most, but I didn't end up getting an explanation. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed by that, but I moved on with no regrets. "Then tell me this: what do you want from me? If you really thought I was a traitor, you would've assassinated me instead."
"The palace does not handle things that way."
Yeah, right. Every time I come back from the palace, my body reeks of all kinds of fishiness.
"Then are you saying you don't want anything from me?"
"If you were a spy, I was planning to curry favor with you and use you in the war."
See, that answer came right out without any prodding. "That's unfortunate."
"Well, nothing to be disappointed about. Our current situation isn't too bad either."
"Not too bad?"
"Wars always need heroes."
Jeez, did you forget you announced I'm an evil spirit?
To be honest, I was dumbfounded to hear him say something so shameless, but I was sure it was because he was this kind of guy that he'd risen to the position he had.
"Baronet Bjorn Yandel, come work for the palace again."
"And why should I do that?"
"Because you need us."
"Well, I don't know about that."
When I once again turned him down, the marquess showed his true colors. "Whether you've severed ties with Noark or not, the fact is that you once joined forces with them. That's cause enough for prompt execution."
"Put simply, you'll make that all disappear if I join forces with you?"
"Not just disappear. I will help you regain your name and your noble title, of course."
"What about the announcement?"
"The people will accept any story if it makes enough sense." It looked like the marquess had already drawn a map of how he wanted to proceed here. "Didn't you say you only stayed in Noark to fulfill a goal? If you feel emotionally reluctant to do what I ask, think of this as a deal."
I felt weird. No, should I say uneasy? That was because I came here anticipating the worst-case scenario, thinking I'd entered a lion's den.
How can things work out this easily...?
Things were progressing so smoothly in my favor that it was actually making me anxious. My heart was pounding.
"Baronet, if you've made a decision, will you give me your answer?"
My options were currently limited. Even if the marquess and palace were plotting something shady, what could I do about it right now? I just had to accept this offer and figure out their angle on my own later.
"Fine. Tell me in more detail how you're going to restore my title and what you want in return." When I expressed my agreement, the marquess nodded in satisfaction. But the moment he was about to say something, a loud tremor rocked the garden.
Kwaaang!
I wondered what the commotion was all about, and the marquess soon provided insight. "My, it looks like she's come. I didn't think she would be quite so unrestrained, though." It must have been Erwen. "Let's continue this conversation another time. You should calm her down before things get any more out of hand."
"...I will."
That marked the end of our discussion for the day.