Chapter 363
Chapter 363
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 363
>Chapter Title: Let's Not Cross the Line
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The conversation with Viscount Neibit went fairly smoothly.
“An accidental fire. Let’s wrap it up like that.”
“The reason...”
“Do I have to spell that out for you too?”
“......Understood.”
Viscount Neibit nodded readily without a second thought at Aster’s demand to cover up the incident.
He hadn’t had much choice to begin with.
If he refused...
It was obvious what would happen.
“Keeping the mercenaries and laborers quiet shouldn’t be too hard, right?”
“......Of course. If you wish, I can even silence the nobles’ lackeys and soldiers from Arafurgin.”
“Good. I’d appreciate that. But...”
“......?”
“You can handle the Melond Merchant Lord too, right?”
“Yes.”
“What about the knight?”
“You mean Sir Colossus?”
Aster nodded at Viscount Neibit’s question.
In truth, the biggest problem when it came to silencing people wasn’t the mercenaries, laborers, or the nobles’ soldiers—it was the knight named Colossus.
“Knights are knights, after all. They put their lord above their own lives.”
“......”
“But executing him? A knight of his caliber dying in a mere fire like this? That doesn’t add up.”
As the words continued, Viscount Neibit’s face grew paler.
‘This is...’
Dangerous.
The mad wizard was speaking under the assumption that both Colossus and he had someone powerful backing them.
Of course, that was why he’d suggested wrapping it up as a fire.
But what if they couldn’t silence Colossus?
What would the mad wizard do then?
Realizing that much, Viscount Neibit grew urgent.
“That lord of ours...!”
“Your lord?”
“The one we serve... He’s not the type to forgive a blunder like this. If word gets out, not only I, but Sir Colossus as well, will be done for.”
“Oh? What kind of person is he, then?”
“That’s...”
Viscount Neibit trailed off at the mad wizard’s question before slowly opening his mouth.
“I can’t say.”
“Good call. I acted without knowing, and you got caught up in the mess by bad luck. Who’s behind you isn’t my business. Keep that attitude. Go on.”
“Hoo... In any case, that lord won’t tolerate a mistake like this. We have to bury it somehow—for my sake and Sir Colossus’s.”
“So you’re not exactly in his good graces.”
“......Something like that.”
He was just a means to procure slush funds.
A card that could be discarded at any time.
And Sir Colossus...
‘......Already a traitor who abandoned the Royal Knights.’
The Second Prince placed no trust in turncoats.
No matter how much loyalty Colossus offered, he wouldn’t believe it.
Yet the reason Colossus still swore fealty to the Second Prince was simple.
......He had something to protect.
“I can convince Sir Colossus.”
“You? How?”
“I know his weakness... No, the reason he must live.”
“Go on.”
Viscount Neibit continued haltingly.
The reason Colossus had to stay alive.
What illness his daughter had, and what Colossus had done to treat it.
And the circumstances that led him to abandon the Royal Knights and join the Second Prince.
When the entire story was done...
Aster nodded briefly.
“So you’re confident you can convince him properly?”
“Yes. And if not...”
“If not?”
“It can’t be helped.”
......He’d have to silence him.
“Alright, fine. I’ll trust you on that.”
“Thank you.”
Afterward, Aster discussed how to handle the terrified Viscount Neibit and the Second Development Site crew.
Viscount Neibit took the lead in suggesting measures, reporting with fervor on ways to keep the Second Development Site personnel quiet—as if failing to convince would mean his death.
It wasn’t a bad deal for Aster.
......How much time passed like that?
“Alright, that’s the plan. I’ll be off.”
“......Safe travels.”
Aster then headed straight for Viscount Kallond.
Finding Viscount Kallond wasn’t difficult.
He too was off in a spot away from the Second Development Site crowds, deep in conversation with someone.
As Aster approached, Viscount Kallond greeted him.
“Ah, there you are.”
“How’s the talk going?”
“It’ll wrap up soon. Merchant Lord Eitzpf?”
The head of the Third Development Site nodded stiffly at Viscount Kallond’s call.
“I’ve... heard enough of the explanation. We’ll keep quiet about what happened today. That... sufficient?”
“More than enough.”
At Viscount Kallond’s words, Merchant Lord Eitzpf stood.
“......I’ll take my leave then.”
“Safe travels.”
No reply came.
Aster watched the departing Eitzpf Merchant Lord before turning to Viscount Kallond.
“Seemed like it was dragging on.”
“Indeed. Just moments ago, he was haggling over what he’d get in return for staying quiet...”
“Merchants gonna merchant?”
“Seems so. But even merchant spirit bends before the threat of death.”
“Tell me about it.”
In fact, that one was a fine merchant in his own right.
To witness the Second Development Site go up in flames with his own eyes and still negotiate terms for silence?
Guts most merchants could only dream of.
......Though he tucked tail when face-to-face, that was still commendable enough.
Anyway.
“Shall we get going soon?”
“You sure you can’t rest a bit?”
“What’s there to rest from?”
Any other mage would’ve vomited blood at that.
Setting a development site ablaze was one thing, but facing off against a former Royal Knight in the midst? Not just anyone’s feat.
But Kallond, gauging Aster’s prowess, brushed it off.
“Well... then we’ll need to fetch the horses.”
“Oh, right—the horses should be fine?”
“Thanks to the ample consideration, the horses were evacuated safely.”
“Good to hear.”
Of course, with all the ‘Fire! Fire!’ shouts while moving at a leisurely pace, it was practically a given.
On these plains, horses were as vital as food.
Speaking of which.
“Reminds me of supplies. The Second Development Site must be short on everything now.”
“Probably short even on today’s rations.”
“We’ve got some spares, right?”
“I believe so.”
“Then sell them at a fair price. Just cover transport costs. Blankets and tents too, while we’re at it.”
Here, ‘transport costs’ meant exactly that.
Just the bare minimum for shipping.
“Quite compassionate of you.”
“People gotta live.”
Left to the cold winter winds without tents or food, they’d die off in droves—and that wasn’t what Aster wanted.
“But really, you sure about this?”
“About what?”
“Can’t shake the unease. No secret lasts forever.”
He meant, was silencing them enough?
“What then?”
“Rather than...”
“Rather than?”
Aster realized what Viscount Kallond was getting at.
No secret lasts forever.
......As long as mouths still breathed.
In other words, wipe them all out...
“Let’s not cross the line.”
“......”
“Killing the Melond Merchant Lord, Viscount Neibit, and the knight? Not a bad idea. But does it end there?”
Mercenaries had seen it. Laborers too. Even Arafurgin nobles’ lackeys, and the knights and soldiers they brought.
Silencing meant not stopping at three.
Mercenaries, knights, soldiers—they weren’t innocents.
They lived by the blade, pointed it willingly or not. They’d be prepared for the consequences. Or even if not, no need to spare them.
But.
“The laborers—what’d they do wrong?”
“Hmm.”
Viscount Kallond let out a groan, eyeing Aster.
Then he nodded.
“You’ve got a point.”
Convinced.
Viscount Kallond wasn’t overly sentimental, but nor was he heartless.
On the other hand, he found it unexpected.
“You’ve got more heart than I thought.”
“You think?”
“Yes.”
“Dunno... And I wasn’t planning to stop at silencing. Gotta contact your lord. Ask him to keep the Second Prince off the development sites.”
“Then...”
“Buy enough time for the Third Princess to move. Whatever comes after—clash head-on or let it fade—we’ll need time either way.”
Hiding it was best.
But if fighting broke out, they’d need to be fully prepared.
Silencing was insurance—for any potential fight. Time to prepare.
‘Though Viscount Neibit seems capable of hiding it well enough.’
Aster was already bracing for the worst.
Thus, he didn’t see himself as overly sentimental.
But Viscount Kallond thought differently.
“......”
Though he’d lived a step removed from power’s core, he knew well.
What those at the center did. What they’d do for power.
Hundreds of laborers’ lives?
Laughable.
Plenty would sacrifice more to bury a secret.
Yet this mad wizard before him?
Saved hundreds of lives, willingly shouldered the risk.
Seemed obvious...
‘......Far from it.’
That’s why it was astonishing.
The mad wizard, whom he’d pegged as the most ruthless, showing this side.
That realization sparked curiosity in Viscount Kallond.
“Even if your own life hung in the balance, would you make the same choice?”
He regretted the words the moment they slipped out.
Because.
They sounded like accusing hypocrisy.
Like, ‘You’ve done the dirty work, now playing the saint?’
But Aster just smirked, unperturbed.
And answered.
“Nah? You nuts?”
“So... you’d kill them?”
Aster shook his head at the question.
And said.
“Who knows? Cross that bridge when we get there.”
“That’s... true.”
Yes, that was the right answer.
A foolish question met with wise reply...
Through this exchange, Viscount Kallond glimpsed the mad wizard’s true nature—quite different from what Viscount Neibit had seen.
‘This one...’
That’s when.
“What’re you doing? Not going for the horses?”
“......Right away.”
Viscount Kallond hurried after Aster, who’d already pulled ahead.
Step, step.
Across the ash-strewn plain, the sun rose on the horizon. As darkness receded, Viscount Kallond walked the border of light and shadow, eyes on the boy ahead.
And thought.
‘......If only not for the madness.’
He’d be worthy of respect.
“Hey, Viscount. What’s with that look?”
“......What look?”
“Like you’re staring at something subhuman.”
“Must be your imagination.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Viscount Kallond stonewalled Aster’s suspicion and kept walking. Aster stared a moment longer before asking.
“Viscount, ever heard of the Chamber of Truth?”
“......I’d rather not.”
“Someday, I’ll introduce you. Look forward to it.”
He thought again.
‘......If only not for the madness.’
Thus, having successfully concluded their Second Development Site excursion, the two rode for the First Development Site.
Laden with the spoils of plunder.