Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: Storm
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I descended from the tower and headed straight back to Strange Castle.
Part of it was to check the artifact I'd obtained from the tower, but more importantly, I'd received unexpected news.
"Pierre has begun to move."
Ganggradra had brought astonishing intelligence from Marquis Pierre's castle.
They had finally devised an incident substantial enough to serve as a 'pretext' for war.
'Up to this point, everything was going as planned.'
But then something unforeseen happened.
Ganggradra, one of the continent's top assassins in name and truth, had returned in a near-death state.
This confirmed the presence of an extraordinarily skilled individual among the enemy.
"What is the name of the one who did this to you?"
Ganggradra glanced around cautiously before whispering in my ear. I couldn't hide my shock upon hearing the enemy's name.
"Baron Mongcle."
"?!"
Why was that man moving alongside Marquis Pierre? Bearing the Strange name yet conspiring with Bourbon.
"He has taken command of the Pierre Mercenary Corps."
Not the Bourbon Knight Order, but leading the mercenaries alongside Pierre—this meant outright treason against the family.
Regardless of his reasons, staging a rebellion implied he believed he had a solid chance of victory.
'Does he really think he can topple the Strange Family just by tampering with some potions?'
No.
He was a tactical genius, sharp enough to avoid unwinnable fights.
That meant he held some hidden card we didn't know about.
'No way.'
Of course.
Seizing Legion Castle now would eventually give him an opportunity to strike down my father.
He was undoubtedly biding his time for Father's emergence from the tower to kill him.
'Just like Hysteria did in my previous life.'
He'd used his head.
Taking out not just me, but Father as well, in one fell swoop to end the war outright.
"Well done. Get treated first."
I entrusted Ganggradra's care to Butler Deberry, then immediately issued a retreat order to Cynthia's party within Legion.
"You need to get out of the castle as fast as possible. This place is about to become a battlefield."
The Cynthia from my previous life would have left without even hearing the explanation.
"I'll help you."
But she gave an unexpected response.
"You could die."
"Isn't that the same for the tower? You said it yourself—didn't you have to steel yourself for death before climbing it?"
Her memory was sharp, at least.
"This fight has nothing to do with you. There's no need to get involved unless you're climbing the tower."
"No, we're a party. If you die, it'll mess up our tower climb too."
Cynthia fiddled with the ring on her finger as she continued.
"Besides, I still have something to get from you."
"If it's tower rewards, I'll give them all to you. You can take everything except one of the artifacts I just got."
"No! It's not money I need."
"Then what?"
"...I told you. A comrade to climb the tower with."
Alfredo, who'd been listening in, chimed in.
"Yeah! We're not climbing the tower for pocket change, right? I want honor, not cash."
Alfredo's gold tooth gleamed.
"Right? You little punk Juda."
Juda glanced at me reluctantly before replying.
"Uh, yeah, sure."
That guy probably wanted to hightail it back to the Papal Court with Cynthia as soon as possible.
I scanned their faces one by one, then shrugged.
"Even if you help us, don't expect any rewards or thanks."
Cynthia leaned right in my face.
"I'm not helping for that. I just don't want you to die."
"Unprompted favors make me suspicious."
"I told you why—need a tower-climbing comrade."
"You could find other party members."
"True, but not ones as strong as you. You're a knight bearing the 'Strange' name, after all."
"...Fine. Then let's do this."
I gestured toward the library map while looking at Rox. Rox understood instantly and fetched the map, spreading it across the table.
Shrrrrk.
A flat map showing Legion territory. I pointed at it, explaining to Juda rather than Cynthia.
"Once the enemy moves, the inside and outside will be cut off. The Imperial forces in Legion will stay neutral, so it'll likely be a full-on clash between Strange and Bourbon."
"...Even if the Imperials stay neutral, Bourbon has imperial blood—think they'll just watch?"
"They have no choice."
"Why?"
"The Strange Family has imperial blood too."
"?! Who?"
I jingled my universal key set as I answered.
"Katarina."
"Katarina?"
"Yeah. My brother's mother."
Katarina de Strange.
She also carried imperial blood.
In the past, the emperor had sent his younger sister—one each to Strange and Glazer—to secure his throne.
"Ah!"
"If Bourbon and Strange clash, the Imperials can't side with either."
"So... it'll be Strange and Bourbon fighting it out inside Legion."
"Exactly. But numerically, we're at a disadvantage against Pierre with just the soldiers here."
"Can't you ask your father for reinforcements?"
I shook my head firmly.
"The battle hasn't even started yet. Father moves only when the pretext is ironclad."
"Pretext... Tampering with the potions seems pretext enough."
"No solid proof they did it. Sure, we could capture and interrogate some, but the battle will start before that."
It's certain.
Now that the potions are on the market, it's only a matter of time before they move.
And the timing—right after I descended the tower—is their golden opportunity.
"So what will you do?"
"Turn crisis into opportunity."
"Crisis into opportunity?"
"Yeah. They'll want to end the fight inside the castle. We'll exploit that gap."
"How?"
I slowly dragged my finger down the castle walls on the map.
"The day they come for us—what if the walls defending Legion crumble?"
The darkest hour before dawn.
A hunchbacked man with a tortoise shell on his back came running, torch in hand.
Thud thud thud thud.
"We're ready."
Baron Mongcle replied with a pleased smile.
"You're sure the little brat entered the mansion?"
"Yes, with his group. They looked pretty worn out from their gait. We can take them easily now."
"...Number of guards?"
"Five at the entrance. Twenty on interior patrol. The rest seem asleep."
"How'd you scout the inside?"
The hunchback rubbed his hands obsequiously with a sleazy grin.
"Through the underground sewers. They sensed something and glanced my way, but I hid where they couldn't see."
"Oh ho, better than the assassin who came looking for me. Strange's security net is the best on the continent."
"Haha! Piece of cake. I was even deployed for an assassination at Strange Castle once."
Mongcle's eyebrow twitched.
"Strange Castle?"
"Yes. Back when I worked for the assassin guild Red Worm. Mission was to kill their youngest."
"That was you? The assassin who pierced Strange Castle's guardian knights and reached Berddin's room."
"Ah... No, that wasn't me. I just paved the way inside."
"Paved the way?"
"Yes, I have the ability to dig tunnels underground. With these hands, I can turn rock to sand, just shove shove—"
Splat!
Mongcle's sword pierced the hunchback's chest.
"I see. Thanks to your handiwork, I—no, my eastern house—was crushed by Gunter. This is punishment for failing to manage scum like you."
The hunchback didn't even scream before closing his eyes. Mongcle severed his head—just to be sure—and tossed the corpse aside.
Thump!
Red blood soaked into the ground. Mongcle inhaled deeply, scanned the surroundings, then raised his voice to the other mercenaries.
"Tonight, we change the master of the Strange household."
He drew his sword and pointed it toward the Strange mansion in Legion.
"And if the plan succeeds, you'll all get enough gold to last lifetimes and fiefdoms the size of villages."
He turned toward Marquis Pierre, saluting with his sword.
"You'll become official Bourbon knights, your glory shining for generations."
Marquis Pierre lightly raised his hand, accepting Baron Mongcle's salute.
Thousands of knights and mercenaries gathered before Bourbon Castle drew their weapons with grim resolve, awaiting orders.
Ahem—
The Bourbon Knight Commander asked Baron Mongcle.
"We just hold the gates?"
"Yes. We'll handle the rest. Keep everyone out until morning."
"What about Roys? Thought he was still at the tower."
"We'll head to the tower after clearing the inside. Already secured a party to hunt him—don't worry."
"You sure it's possible?"
"Alone? No."
Mongcle glanced at the two men behind him.
"But with them? Yes."
A black-clad elderly man with long black hair and a tall man wrapped head to toe in bandages waved casually.
The Bourbon Knight Commander swallowed hard.
"Fail, and we're all dead. This op must succeed."
"I know. I'd die too. Or rather, unlike you, I wouldn't get off that easy."
Mongcle smirked.
"I'd endure brutal torture, denied even death, in endless agony."
Gloomy words, but they instilled ironclad faith. His resolve for this war was unmatched.
"We count on you."
"Make it an order. This is Marquis Pierre's plan, after all."
"Right. Then by order—"
The Bourbon Knight Commander raised his sword high and bellowed.
"From this moment, Baron Mongnestier's mercenaries are to assault the Strange mansion in Legion! Once cleared, bring me the head of Roys de Strange from the tower!"
Legion Castle had fallen eerily silent.
At this hour, merchants should be noisily hauling goods, cart wheels clattering through every alley.
"Why's it so quiet tonight?"
Even the Imperial patrol guards sensed something off.
"Yeah, not a single rat in sight."
"Suits us fine. No inspections for security or public order."
"True! Uh... what's that?"
"What?"
The two guards patrolling the walls simultaneously looked skyward. A massive shadow suddenly engulfed everything.
The guards trembled atop the wall, faces drained of fight.
"...What the hell is this?"
Kwaaaang!