Chapter 23
Chapter 23
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Social Gathering Uproar - 5
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The empire's capital was home to renowned wizards whose names alone evoked instant recognition.
Among them were several who wielded magic capable of reading memories embedded in objects.
In other words, if the demon sword made its way to the capital, a nationwide manhunt would commence, and anyone connected to it would be rooted out before long.
Moreover, this was an empire with a dark precedent—the previous emperor assassinated by a demon sword. When it came to such blades, they spared no means, no matter how inhumane.
Extracting memories directly from the ringleader's brain would inevitably expose the link to Cassis.
Unlike Hans, who had innocently come into possession of it, Cassis had actively tried to use the sword to eliminate his brother. He was a clear candidate for the purge.
From the moment Duke Caron announced he would send the sword to the capital, Cassis's remaining time was perilously short.
'That's why he had no choice but to act in haste.'
Cassis's scheme was obvious.
Until now, he had cunningly stoked Hans's deep-seated inferiority complex, setting the stage for his brother to reach for the sword and meet his doom.
Even if it took time, once Hans succumbed and turned into a raving madman, the succession battle would end in Cassis's perfect victory.
But when I drew the sword, his meticulously crafted scenario crumbled to dust.
'Your arrogance in thinking you didn't need the cult's help is what tightened the noose around your neck, Cassis.'
My single intervention as an unforeseen variable had instantly erased countless options from his grasp.
For Cassis, only flight or a desperate final outburst remained.
Yet fleeing would mean facing the Grimjack house's relentless pursuit, something he lacked the confidence to evade.
The hardline measure he chose was to seize the demon sword and force it into Hans's hands.
He clung to the desperate hope that by sacrificing Hans to madness—by any means necessary—he might carve out his own survival.
"That must have been the best you could do."
So I decided to lay my own board.
Confident he would have no choice but to move, I dug a trap.
The result showed the duke—a father who had wanted to believe in his son until the bitter end—the harsh reality he could scarcely face. For the bored nobles writhing in ennui, I spread a gambling table and pocketed a tidy profit to boot.
Shattering Cassis's pride was just icing on the cake.
Everything unfolded exactly as I predicted, delivering the optimal outcome right into my hands.
"I was worried what we'd do if you didn't show."
In truth, I had escalated things more than strictly necessary.
I dragged in nobles who could have been ignored entirely, and by openly suspecting the family head's two sons, I risked earning the duke's grudge.
Had Cassis abandoned his obsession with the sword and stayed put, my position would have narrowed in an instant.
But the reason I committed to the trap despite those risks lay elsewhere.
"Heinz-nim, it might be best to keep your distance. From the look on Young Master Cassis's face, he seems ready to charge at any moment."
Maribel, whom I had sent to monitor Cassis, had read the shifts in his mindset from his actions and expressions.
Anxiety, impatience, and excitement.
I had proceeded in full faith of her ability to detect even the subtlest changes in his demeanor.
And once again, she proved her talent brilliantly.
"It's fine. Our role ends here anyway. The duke will handle the rest."
"Heinz!!"
Cassis's scream, stripped of all reason, tore through the banquet hall.
He hurled the bladeless hilt away like trash and charged at me with bloodshot eyes.
"Seize the thief who tried to steal the sword!"
At Duke Grimjack's low command, the waiting knights sprang into action with swift precision.
The heavy clank of armor echoed as they swarmed Cassis, slamming him face-first onto the cold marble floor.
"Nice meeting you. Let's never cross paths again."
"Heinz! Heiiiinz! I'll kill you! I'll tear you limb from—!"
The knights piled onto the prone Cassis, binding his arms and legs.
His neck veins bulged purple as he howled my name, filling the hall.
But I offered no reply.
I merely wore a faint smile and strolled leisurely toward the shadowed corridor.
"Gerrick?"
"In Young Master Hans's office."
"Good. We take every last spoil without exception."
The true harvest of this uproar lay elsewhere.
Cassis or Hans—who would find the sword hidden by Duke Grimjack first?
I had opened bets on that question and fleeced the nobles handsomely.
The result: neither found it.
Naturally, no one guessed right, so I claimed the entire payout.
They might cry scam, but I never once promised refunds if no one succeeded.
Besides, I framed it as the duke's own event, so I could always shift the blame.
"Kuh! Nobles really do have deep pockets! Toss in what we squeeze from Hans, and we might just burst at the seams."
"But heading back like this... won't the Grimjack house direct their resentment at you, Heinz-nim?"
"I nearly got devoured by Tyrving because of their carelessness—how could they possibly hold a grudge against me? This is only the compensation I rightfully deserve."
"That does make sense."
"We're not running a charity. We helped a house teetering on annihilation—if anything, this is a bargain."
Maribel nodded, apparently convinced by my brazen logic.
The lower nobles couldn't exactly confront the duke over a "scam," and even if complaints arose, he'd barely blink.
In practical terms, there was zero fallout headed my way.
Feeling no need for concern, I flung open Hans's office door without hesitation.
"You've arrived, young master!"
"Did you secure every last item?"
"As ordered, we stripped Young Master Hans's treasures clean—not a speck of dust left behind!"
"Well done."
I nodded upon seeing Gerrick stuffing bundles with all manner of treasures.
Meanwhile, Hans paced near the window, a picture of mental disarray.
I snatched a thick book from the desk and hurled it straight at his head.
"Ugh! V-Viscount? When did you get here?"
"You didn't even notice me coming in?"
"My apologies. I just... can't calm down. So, how did it go?"
To his question, I curved my lips into a smile and extended a hand to Maribel.
She produced a single sheet of paper and placed it in my palm.
It was the exact pledge Hans had proposed: a vow to spare no support for House Altesia once he became family head.
"Congratulations. You're the next family head."
"I-Is that true? That damned brother of mine really tried to kill me?"
"Afraid so. Don't believe me? Go check the banquet hall yourself. After you sign, of course."
Bang!
I slammed the pledge onto the desk and jabbed at it with a finger.
This was also a test of sorts.
If he prioritized grasping the situation over signing, it meant his trust was lacking.
In that case, I'd have no choice but to adjust how I treated him.
"Just sign in the blank, right?"
"That's right."
Hans skimmed the contents, then scrawled his name in the signature field.
He snapped his head up and stared me straight in the eye.
"I've signed. Care to explain now?"
"Not going to verify with your own eyes?"
"I understood immediately that my wretched brother tried to take me out—no explanation needed there. What I'm truly curious about is how you were so certain he was the mastermind."
"Simple. The demon sword issue bubbled to the surface, yet Cassis stayed suspiciously spotless amid the suspicions."
"Pardon?"
Would you trust a scumbag with a pristine criminal record?
Of course not—you'd suspect he'd laundered it nine times out of ten.
Cassis's mistake was orchestrating things to pin the sword's issues on Hans, all to keep his own record immaculate for the succession fight.
"That noble who gave you the sword, as you mentioned. He visited when Duke Grimjack was away, right?"
"Yes."
"With the family head absent, Cassis was the highest authority in the manor. Yet you handled the guest reception."
"That's correct."
"If it had truly been an esteemed guest of the Grimjack house, Cassis—true to form—would've intercepted them for the credit, even if by force. The fact that he never once showed his face isn't suspicious?"
"Y-You're right!"
"It means Cassis knew the man wasn't a real VIP. It was a trap from the start to pass the sword to you, and Cassis is likely the one who let him into the manor. The duke never mentioning the visit at all? Proof that Cassis wiped the visitor logs clean."
Hans bowed his head deeply, his defeated expression etched with shame. His clenched fist trembled with seething frustration at his own pathetic oversight.
It was understandable. Had he so much as asked the duke about the guest's identity once or investigated on his own, he would've spotted the trap ages ago.
But Hans had brushed it all off as trivial and lived carefree, oblivious that he'd stepped right into the snare.
Probably beating himself up now, thinking no fool in the world could match his stupidity.
"Don't get too hung up on the failure. Use it as a mirror and do better from here on out."
"Viscount..."
"Results are results—Cassis is finished, so you're next in line. I don't want to see the guy who signed up to bust his ass for me end up a drooling, shitting lunatic. So pull yourself together, got it?"
"Y-Yes, sir!"
"Good! Knock 'em dead, then, Young Master Grimjack."
I tossed him an encouraging word and exited the manor with my aides in tow.
The night had draped everything in thick darkness, but I planned to set out immediately.
Come morning, the social gathering would end, unleashing a flood of carriages heading back to their territories. Better to beat the traffic jam.
Plus, with nobles clustered, the odds of some deranged thief trying his luck spiked.
Tired as I was, slipping away quietly under cover of night was the smarter, more profitable play all around.
"Finally heading back to our beloved home!"
"I never imagined so much could happen in just one day."
"Tell me about it. But sneaking out at night like this means a smooth ride home."
I grinned broadly as I set foot on the carriage step.
All that remained was escaping this accursed manor and returning to my sanctuary—or so I thought.
"Young Master Heinz."
A voice shattered the stillness, calling to me from the darkness.
I turned to find a lantern illuminating the figure who had halted me, their outline sharpening into clarity.
What caught my eye first was hair burning red as the lantern flame itself.
Princess Rosmel—whom I'd assumed fast asleep—stood fully prepared to depart, waiting for me.
"Princess...?"
"If it's not too much trouble, would you ride with me?"
Her proposal slipped from her lips, and in that fleeting instant, a memory flashed through my mind.
I had told Duke Grimjack my plan: return to my territory immediately after wrapping up the mastermind's capture.
Had the duke relayed my schedule straight to her?
"Am I imposing?"
The princess tilted her head slightly, her eyes catching the lantern light and sparkling brighter than usual.
"No, not at all, but..."
I trailed off, shooting a sidelong glance at Maribel.
She had glued herself to my side, as if refusing to let even a moment pass without her presence—as close as a full pace nearer than usual.
Maribel then locked eyes directly with Princess Rosmel, her lips curving into a smile both icy and gentle.
The princess responded in kind with an elegant smile of her own, refusing to yield.
Their gazes clashed in midair, silent sparks flying.
Ugh... suffocating.