Chapter 56
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Why Is This Your Wolf? -3
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Treason...?”
“I-I’ve never plotted treason!”
“I’ll surrender quietly! Please don’t kill me!”
The viscount’s knights began dropping their weapons one after another at the arrival of the Imperial Knights.
A few couldn’t grasp the sudden turn of events, but they followed suit and surrendered in response to those around them.
On the other hand, Viscountess Belda, who realized what was happening but couldn’t go down without a fight, screamed out.
“Don’t be fooled! They’re imposters pretending to be Imperial Knights!”
“How dare you insult His Imperial Majesty in my presence!”
The empire’s strongest knight was Sir Karadin, but even without him, the Imperial Knights were filled with capable warriors.
They were all individuals with the potential to become Sword Masters.
Even now, their roars carried bursts of aura, so despite the viscountess’s pleas, more knights declared their surrender.
It was as if they had enforced discipline through a display of power.
No amount of persuasion would work in this situation.
‘Treason means execution not just for the perpetrator, but their entire family for three generations. Who would follow her?’
Knights might be willing to lay down their lives for their lord, but when family was involved, it was a different story.
How could they uphold their knightly honor if their choice meant the extermination of their entire clan?
Besides, everyone here had been born in the empire and raised under its protection.
They had never even dreamed of rebellion, yet suddenly branded as traitors—could anyone blame them for abandoning their loyalty?
Before being knights, they were citizens of the empire.
“As the emperor’s representative, I shall test your loyalty. Seize that wicked witch at once!”
“Please hear me out! I swear we’ve never even considered treason! This is all a farce orchestrated by that woman!”
The knights turned their backs on her in unison, glaring at the viscountess.
She raised her voice to the end, pleading her innocence, but no one listened.
As the viscountess herself had said, they had never plotted rebellion even once.
However, Princess Rosmel had already maneuvered to frame them as traitors.
It was unjust, but no sympathy stirred for them.
If they’d had any sense at all, none of this would have happened from the start.
It was self-inflicted, so even execution could be seen as a natural death.
“Madam, it seems our partnership ends here.”
“W-wait a moment!”
“Sorry, but I need to survive too.”
The black mage uttered a meaningful remark before tapping the viscountess’s forehead with his finger.
A small magic circle etched onto her forehead for a moment, then her head exploded, sending chunks of flesh flying everywhere.
Her body shuddered violently, and in place of her obliterated head, writhing tentacles erupted.
The tentacles were densely studded with red eyes.
“Black magic...!”
“A black mage! Capture him first!”
The knights grimaced at the viscountess’s grotesque transformation and ordered the black mage’s apprehension.
The empire strictly forbade black magic.
More accurately, the entire world despised and suppressed it.
The magic they wielded was inhumane in itself.
The imperial family, in particular, would flip out and hunt them down even on mere rumors of black mages.
Now that they’d witnessed it firsthand, their frenzy was only natural.
Black mages, shunned worldwide, banded together tightly, so capturing even one could lead to rooting out the whole network.
Thus, orders were given to capture the black mage alive, but the knights hesitated to approach him rashly.
[Mental manipulation.]
‘What?’
The monster’s eyes embedded densely in the tentacles hold the power to dominate the minds of those who meet their gaze.
The knights who met the eyes of the monstrous viscountess lost the spark in their own eyes.
Emotions drained from their faces, their eyes turning red just like those on the tentacles.
Soon, the mind-controlled knights began swinging their swords indiscriminately, without regard for friend or foe.
“Arrrgh!”
“W-what are you doing?! Why me...!”
“Urk! The black mage’s doing!”
Even the Imperial Knights fell victim to the black mage’s creation, their minds seized.
As everyone was exposed to the tentacles’ eyes, the scene plunged into chaos in an instant.
Meanwhile, the black mage was swiftly fleeing the area.
I glanced sideways at Maribel just in case, and she was puffing out her cheeks.
“Heinz, you just looked at me, didn’t you? Do I look like someone who’d fall for the same trick as last time?”
“Of course not. I trusted you’d prepared for something like mental attacks.”
“Really?”
“If I didn’t trust you, I wouldn’t be standing here so calmly.”
If Maribel had fallen under mind control, I’d probably be dead already.
Her dagger would have pierced my throat before I could react.
Her being fine meant at least my safety was assured.
I could focus on the chaotic scene, but the Altesia family’s old butler approached me then.
He peeled off his artificial skin, revealing his true face.
“Young master, I’ll pursue the fleeing black mage and capture him.”
“You sure? If it’s revenge you want, wouldn’t taking down that monster be better than the mage?”
“Revenge must wait; greater justice calls now. Please grant permission...”
“Fine, go tie him up tight and bring him back. Kill him if he resists fiercely.”
“Understood.”
Kizen dashed off in the direction the black mage had fled, vanishing in an instant.
I was confident he’d bring him back soon.
The real problem was the monster puppeteering humans.
Unless the host was defeated, the knights would fight to the death.
But she’d anticipated someone targeting her instinctively, stationing guards around.
“If we stay like this, they’ll kill until only one remains.”
“Even suppressing the puppets won’t stop it from seizing another mind immediately. Tricky.”
“Unless they have high resistance or preparations like ours against mental attacks, no one can take it down.”
Maribel was gathering the pooled blood of the knights like a puddle.
Intending to forge blood weapons and hurl them.
But I grabbed her wrist to stop her.
Blood magic was undeniably potent, but it came at the cost of immense fatigue.
Maribel had already overused her magic battling the black mage.
Dumping everything on her wasn’t right.
“Heinz?”
“I’ve got a good idea.”
Turning around, there was Garum, having finished his meal.
He trotted up like a puppy, panting happily, and nuzzled his head against me.
With his wounds healed by the elixir and a full belly, his complexion had improved markedly.
“Good boy, good boy. Sorry, but I’ve got one more job for you.”
“Kiwoong...?”
I stroked Garum’s head and drew Tirving.
Even as I pressed the blade to his skin, Garum didn’t flinch in the slightest.
That short time had built absolute faith in me.
“Surprisingly straightforward. Which is a good thing.”
A suspicious or heartless nature would have made him reject my touch.
But Garum wagged his tentacle tail vigorously and sat obediently.
‘Can you advance Garum’s timeline by half a year?’
It’s not impossible, but half a year is too short for major changes.
‘No nagging—just advance it half a year.’
Understood.
Just like with Harlkas, black energy flowed from Tirving, enveloping Garum’s entire body.
A hard surface formed, like chocolate coating.
Soon cracks appeared, and Garum burst out like hatching from an egg.
As Tirving had warned, there were no dramatic changes.
He’d grown large enough to reach my chest, and his appearance was a bit more grotesque, that was all.
Still, rolling over to show his belly in affection proved his personality unchanged.
“Garum, how about you gobble up that tentacle friend over there?”
“Kyarruk!”
An affirmative cry, perhaps.
But Garum shot forward at astonishing speed, ignoring the surrounding guards and pouncing on Viscountess Belda.
The puppets immediately gripped their polearms and swung at the wolf.
Blades carved flesh, spears pierced his body, hammers crushed his skull.
Yet Garum paid no mind, tearing into the viscountess.
The more flesh he devoured, the faster his wounds healed, feeling no pain at all.
The mouths sprouting across his body even began swallowing the knights’ weapons.
A ravenous disaster wolf devouring minerals, humans, monsters alike without discrimination.
Finally, with the viscountess’s breath cut short by Garum, everyone regained their senses.
“H-hiiik!!”
“What the hell is this monster?!”
Regaining consciousness to find Garum there would startle anyone.
But the veteran Imperial Knight, who had kept his wits from the start, reacted differently.
Having faced the most foes, he dragged his bloodied body toward Garum.
“You bastard!! This wolf is a divine beast that will bring peace to the empire! How dare you call it a monster—shut your mouth!”
“S-sorry!”
“O noble divine beast, please accept our apologies and reverence for our rudeness.”
“Kyarrurruk!”
The knight knelt before Garum, paying homage.
Garum let out a long howl in response, accepting the gesture.
Only then did the other knights begin cheering one by one, showering Garum with praise.
The wolf that was supposed to destroy the empire now receiving adulation—it was absurd enough to draw a hollow laugh.
Even if it helped them, calling it a divine beast was overkill, wasn’t it?
“And Young Master Heinz Altesia is the master of this divine beast!”
That’s when I realized the knight’s intent.
He grinned contentedly and gave me a thumbs-up.
Meaning he’d exaggerated the situation to boost my prestige.
“N-no way, that guy?!”
The reason was probably...
Even if I married the princess far in the future, to silence any outside gossip.
No wonder he didn’t stop me from infiltrating the Belda Viscountcy first!
This was part of Princess Rosmel’s grand design too.