Barenberg's Darkness (4)
"I'll hear you out first. We'll decide after that."
"…Understood."
At Milia's reply, Rebecca flinched and looked at her, then soon wore a bitter expression of resignation.
Speaking without any promise of cooperation could only put her at a disadvantage. That she was willing to spill everything so readily either meant the situation was dire, or that she believed the two of them would have no choice but to accept her proposal.
"How much do you know about the back alleys, Lady Milia?"
"I know that three guilds divide and rule the territory among themselves."
"Impressive. Most people don't even know that much."
Rebecca looked genuinely impressed by Milia's answer and continued.
"As you know, the back alleys maintain a balance through the three guilds keeping one another in check. Those guilds are the Black Fox, El Carmine, and the Specters."
"I think I've heard of them."
The Black Fox specialized in information brokering. El Carmine in usury. And the Specters in smuggling. Of course, those were only their primary trades—each of them had their hands in nearly every illegal enterprise imaginable.
"But about a month ago, a surprise attack by the Specters sparked a guild war."
"A guild war? I've never heard anything about that…"
Milia spoke with open puzzlement, searching her memory, but no matter how hard she tried she found nothing related to it.
"What about you? Do you know anything?"
"This is the first I've heard of it as well."
She turned the question to Schwarz, but he knew nothing either.
"There is one absolute rule among the three guilds that must never be broken: never let guild affairs spill outside the back alleys."
"Hmm…"
That was clearly why the outside world had never learned of it. Milia let out a low hum of understanding.
"Because of that ambush, El Carmine suffered catastrophic losses, and our Black Fox took heavy damage as well. We're still holding out somehow, but if things continue like this the entire back alley will fall into the Specters' hands."
"I think I understand the situation well enough."
A war between guilds in the back alleys, and Rebecca's guild driven onto the defensive. That was all the information Milia needed for now.
"But…"
A moment later, Milia slowly opened her mouth again and looked straight at Rebecca.
"I don't think this is something we should get involved in."
She was right. There was no reason for the Valentine family to step into this. The Black Fox had no connection to them, and associating with an illegal guild could only tarnish the Valentine name.
Yet at that very moment—
"What if the living weapons the Specters used were the same monsters your servant just dealt with?"
"…!!"
"…!!"
As if she had anticipated Milia's refusal, Rebecca wore a faint smile. Both of them swallowed hard at the same time.
"Those monsters… they appeared in the Valentine Countship three years ago, didn't they?"
"How do you know about that…"
Information about the incident three years ago had been tightly controlled by the kingdom; very few people knew the details.
"As I said, there are very few things in Barenberg that can escape our eyes."
Rebecca spoke as if it were nothing and smiled faintly once more.
"…"
"…"
"If you help us with this matter, the Black Fox is prepared to offer the Valentine family our full cooperation."
"Haa…"
Facing the two who stared at her in silence, Rebecca met their gazes squarely. In truth, they had no real choice. If those creatures were truly connected to the ones that had attacked the countship, this was something they could never simply overlook. The fate of Barenberg—and of the kingdom itself—hung in the balance.
"Would you wait until my father returns? This isn't something I can decide on my own."
Even Milia could not make the call right then and there. No matter that she was the heir to the Valentine countship, the current head of the house was still Bernus.
"Very well. We'll wait."
"We'll leave this room free for you in the meantime. Make yourselves comfortable."
With a nod toward the agreeing Rebecca, Milia rose from her seat and headed for the corridor. Schwarz followed her out.
"Haa…"
Perhaps it was because far too many things had happened all at once. Feeling a dull ache begin to throb in her head, Milia let out a short sigh.
"Haa…"
Walking down the corridor of the villa, Milia let out another short sigh.
"Are you all right, My Lady?"
Worried by her state, Schwarz looked at her with open concern.
"No. My head's starting to pound."
She had thought that once she graduated, she would be free of this sort of thing for a while. Muttering under her breath, Milia headed for the terrace attached to her room.
"Shall I prepare some black tea?"
"No. I'm not in the mood right now."
She shook her head at his careful offer. It was rare for her to refuse tea, and Schwarz looked at her in mild surprise.
"Come sit here."
"Pardon? Ah—yes, My Lady."
A moment later, seated at the table, Milia called to him. Schwarz nodded and took the seat across from her.
"Hold out your hand?"
"My hand?"
Wondering what she was up to this time, Schwarz offered his hand. Milia studied it for a moment, then reached out, took it in her own far smaller one, and began gently kneading and rubbing it.
"Um… My Lady?"
"Hm? What is it?"
"What exactly is this…"
Caught off guard by her sudden action, Schwarz looked thoroughly flustered.
"Just… I feel like this will calm me down."
Milia answered with a bright little grin.
"Nngh…"
Schwarz let out a low groan. Still, if it helped ease her mood even a little, he had no real objection.
"You've got quite a few calluses."
After a while of absently working his hand, she murmured as she traced the hardened patches of skin.
"They don't feel very nice, do they?"
"What are you talking about? They're proof of how hard you've worked."
When Schwarz spoke with faint embarrassment, Milia pouted as if telling him not to say such things. Those calluses were also proof of how hard he had trained all this time just to stay by her side.
"If you put it that way, I'm grateful."
"Grateful? I'm the one who should be more grateful."
She meant every word. Without him, she would never have become the person she was now. He had always been the pillar at her side. Feeling anew just how vast his presence truly was, Milia continued to gently work his hand.
How much time passed like that…
"My Lady. The Count has returned."
A knock came at the door, and a maid entered, bowing to her.
"Already? That was faster than I expected."
"We can always hold hands again later. Right now we need to explain the situation to the Count first."
"You're right."
Seeing the reluctant look on Milia's face, Schwarz rose from his seat. She followed him up and they set off together.
A short while later, in the villa's drawing room.
"Haa…"
After hearing Rebecca's account, Bernus let out a low groan. The very beings he had been searching for so desperately might already be entrenched in the heart of Barenberg. His reaction was only natural.
"So. You want our house to resolve this for you?"
"Not at all. I understand perfectly well that the Valentine family cannot involve itself deeply in our affairs."
Rebecca answered with a faint smile. Even before the Iron Marchgrave himself, she showed not the slightest sign of being cowed.
"All I want is to borrow the strength of Lady Milia and Lord Schwarz—nothing more."
"Hmm…"
Bernus hummed thoughtfully. She was right. Even if the two of them—who had not yet even undergone their coming-of-age ceremonies—got involved and something went wrong, it would hardly become a major scandal. Any trouble could be dismissed as the reckless folly of youth, making it difficult to assign serious blame.
"What do the two of you think?"
"It doesn't seem like we have much of a choice."
"I agree. If those things have taken root in the back alleys, we don't have time to waste sitting around."
If they truly had extended their reach into Barenberg, they had to be dealt with as quickly as possible. Should the same catastrophe that struck three years ago erupt in the middle of the capital, even a fool could see that the damage would spiral beyond control.
"I see…"
At Milia and Schwarz's answers, Bernus nodded. The sooner a decision was made, the better. He rose from his seat and looked at the two of them.
"I leave this matter to the two of you."
"Got it."
"Understood, Count."
They both stood and bowed to him.
"You will not regret this decision."
Rebecca also rose and inclined her head toward Bernus.
"I hope you're right."
And to her, Bernus answered in a low, quiet voice.