The count nodded quickly.
Ariena was so shocked that her mouth simply gaped open without a word.
But a moment later—
Sharp as ever, she wrung out a piece of logic like squeezing a soaked cloth and protested.
“Father, what on earth are you thinking? His Majesty the Emperor would never allow something like this—”
“You know the procedure required to initiate a territorial war, don’t you?”
“Well, Alkahad—”
“Exactly. And the head of the Alkahad branch in this region has long maintained a good relationship with me. His name is Deirt Kyle.”
“……”
“I’ve already spoken with him. Deirt will report to the capital that my cause is flawless and that I have more than enough justification to go to war.”Now, even the color had drained from Ariena’s face.
“Don’t tell me… you agreed to give him a share of the mine’s profits?”
“Well, it’s a bit more complicated, but if we’re simplifying things, yes. In an organization like Alkahad, where discipline is everything, Deirt stands out—he’s a man who prioritizes personal gain. A blessing for our domain, really.”
“No! It’s a curse. If a just man had been the branch head, this war could never have happened.”
“Are you saying you oppose your father’s grand undertaking?”
Ariena, perhaps saddened that such an obvious truth needed to be spoken aloud, answered in a low and a sad voice.
“Of course I do. Even setting everything else aside, can you even win this war? I’ve observed Kitur territory for years. Their military strength, the quality of their weapons—there’s nothing inferior to ours.”
“Gambling always comes with risk.”
“And the risk here isn’t your head—it’s the lives of the people and the soldiers!”
“Enough with the righteous talk. I thought marriage would’ve matured you a little, but you’re just the same.”
Ariena bit her lip.
The count, as if losing interest, stood from his seat.
“Our internal analysis suggests it’ll take around five months for Alkahad to confirm our justification and for the capital to give its approval. Until then, it’ll be inconvenient, but you’ll have to live here. I’ll assign you a few maids.”
“…Don’t lie to me.”
“What?”
“Even if the justification is sound and the war breaks out—and even if you win—if it’s discovered that I, the spark of this war, am still alive, who knows what consequences might follow?”
“……”
“I’ll be stuck here for at least a decade… maybe the rest of my life. Am I wrong?”
Seeing Ariena shout boldly, the count smiled with satisfaction.
He had kidnapped and imprisoned his daughter, and now spoke casually of never letting her leave again.
“You are sharp. It would’ve been better if you remained ignorant, clinging to false hope.”
“Father!”
“Even keeping you alive was a difficult decision. If I’m being honest, I’m still considering it.”
“……!”
“If you speak again and disturb me, I might change my mind.”
Ariena staggered back in shock.
The count stared at her coldly, then turned his back.
“This war is a golden opportunity to double or even triple the land and wealth of our domain. Anyone who tries to ruin that will die by my hand. You are no exception.”
“…What happened to Settlia?”
“Who?”
“Settlia. My nanny! The one who was sold with me to Kitur territory. She was with me on the picnic when I was kidnapped.”
The count chuckled.
“Ah. That woman. Yes, that was her name.”
“……!”
“Hmph. Don’t really know. All I heard was that anyone who resisted during the kidnapping was slaughtered.”
“Sl-slaughtered…”
“Come to think of it, there was an old woman who clung to you with all her might. I suppose she died, didn’t she?”
Grit
Ariena’s clenched teeth were visible.
The count surely saw it too, but he left without a care.
Click.
The vision ended there.
Time resumed its natural course, and the people before my eyes continued their conversation.
I calmly observed the scene, organizing my thoughts.
‘So he kidnapped his daughter and killed her nanny just to manufacture justification.’
[Hmm. And it worked. Since the war did happen in the previous timeline and the Avis domain won.]
‘Then this won’t be too hard. If I just find that Ariena person and get her to testify to her father’s crimes, it’s all over.’
With that realization, a sense of relief washed over me.
All that remained now was finding the warehouse-like house that had appeared in the vision.
As I leaned back comfortably in my chair, Count Tobira’s voice rang out.
“So, you said you came from the Holy Order of Light?”
Xenia answered as our representative.
“Yes, Count. Thank you for meeting with us on such short notice.”
“I wouldn’t say I came willingly. It’s just that your group’s reputation precedes you—I couldn’t afford to ignore it.”
He continued, his belly jiggling with his words.
“So even if I sound a bit harsh, I ask for your understanding.”
“We understand.”
“I keep my ears open, you see. I’ve heard the vice-captain came here to track down the Witch of Carnage. Also heard you appeared recently in Lior territory for a duel with the Martial King.”
“……”
“And that man in the back—you must be the Sword master of No Killing?”
I nodded without resistance.
“Yes. The reason we’ve come today is—”
“Hold on.”
“Yes?”
“Let me speak first, before we get into your side of things.”
The count turned his gaze to Xenia.
“Listen carefully, Vice-Captain Xenia.”
“Go ahead.”
“You’ve probably come after hearing rumors of the territorial war. And I know your group monitors and investigates unusual events across the empire. But in this case, I must tell you—you have no authority.”
“……”
“The cause, plans, and post-war arrangements have all been discussed with Deirt, the head of Alkahad’s northeast branch. Everything has been reported to the capital through proper channels.”
I folded my arms quietly.
The count glanced briefly at me before continuing.
“And as it happens, today is the very day I’m expecting the capital’s response from Deirt. He’ll be arriving shortly.”
“……”
“So I’d prefer to hear your story after he arrives. Surely even the Holy Order of Light needs a fair witness present, no?”
I could guess what he was plotting.
He wanted to lean on Deirt’s authority—his partner in crime—to pressure us into backing down.
Neril whispered beside me.
“What do you want to do?”
“Let’s wait. Judging by how he’s acting, he’s not going to say a word until Deirt arrives anyway.”
“Hmm.”
Besides, I needed to meet this Deirt myself—to examine the blood script etched into him.
If I could uncover the secrets of his blood script I could shake him from top to bottom and get him to spill everything.
It would be far less risky than threatening a feudal lord.
Honestly, if it weren’t for the count’s invitation, I had planned to find Deirt myself. So in a twisted way, I was almost grateful for this “courtesy.”
Xenia, though not aware of our conversation, seemed to read our expressions and nodded decisively.
“Very well. That will spare us from repeating ourselves later.”
“Much appreciated. Deirt should arrive within the hour. Would you care for some tea in the meantime?”
Neril quickly responded.
“Do you have black tea?”
“……”
The count looked at her with a baffled expression at such a distinctly Neril-like manner of speaking.
He must’ve thought he misheard.
But Neril merely shrugged, as if she couldn’t understand what the fuss was about, and said to me,
“Seems like there isn’t any.”
Deirt had already received word three hours ago and was hurriedly gathering documents.
“Damn it. Acting all high and mighty just because they’re the Holy Knights of Light. This was never under their jurisdiction to begin with.”
He had heard the rumors about Xenia too.
That she was highly skilled and a strong candidate for the next captain—but strictly speaking, this was an overreach.
Of course, Deirt was hardly in a position to talk, having committed the greatest overreach of all, but he had a rather unique brain structure that let him interpret everything in a way most convenient to himself.
Once he judged that he had gathered enough documents to convince Xenia to some extent, he stepped out without delay.
Climbing into a carriage, he told the coachman,
“To the Count’s residence.”
“Yes, sir. Right away.”
Inside the jostling carriage, Deirt went over the documents one last time.
How much time had passed?
Feeling that this should be enough, he leaned back against the seat.
“Hoo. I’m exhausted.”
“Sure sounds like it.”
“Hm. But if I think about the rewards I’ll get when I return, this little hardship now is worth it. If Count Tobira can just secure the mine veins…”
…….
Deirt tilted his head in confusion.
Who just responded?
He quickly looked across from him.
He could’ve sworn he’d been alone when the carriage set off.
But sitting there, comfortably, as if he’d been riding along from the very beginning, was a young man with light brown hair.
The impression he gave could be summed up in one word:
Ordinary.
Deirt didn’t receive any particular impression from the man in front of him.
Not handsome, not ugly, not unpleasant, not charming—nothing.
A face that provoked no feeling whatsoever.
The kind of man you could clink glasses with for three hours and forget you ever met within ten minutes.
That was why Deirt’s reaction came a beat late.
Deirt tried to call out to the coachman at once.
But he couldn’t.
Before he realized it, the man had already covered his mouth.
“Mmph!”
“Let’s go over it. The lord here kidnapped and imprisoned his own daughter to fabricate a justification for war. You went along with the plan, turned a blind eye, and reported to the capital that war was imminent. And got it approved, right?”
“……”
“And this morning, the vice-captain of the Holy Knights of Light visited, and the lord told you to rush over. So, right now, Xenia must be at the Count’s residence.”
“Mmph—”
“And the so-called Hero of the North, Mide, is probably there too, since she joined his party.”
Naturally, Deirt didn’t answer.
His mouth was covered. How could he?
But the man stared directly into Deirt’s eyes.
Then nodded, as if confirming something.
“Thought so. Very honest eyes you’ve got.”
“MMMPH!”
“Alright. Last question. This one I really don’t know, so I need you to answer it directly. I’ll loosen your mouth a little—don’t shout.”
The man lifter his index and middle fingers slightly.
And of course, Deirt immediately screamed at the top of his lungs.
“COACHMAN! STOP THE CARRIAGE NOW!”
“Where is Lady Ariena?”
“COACHMAN, CAN’T YOU HEAR ME?!”
Tick.
Suddenly, there was a faint tearing sound.
Deirt stared blankly at something that had floated up past his head and fallen to the floor.
It was unmistakably a finger.
The first knuckle of his index finger.
“Ghh—Aaaagh!!”
“The lady?”
“C-Coachman… Please… stop the—”
Tick.
This time, he saw it even more clearly.
The man hadn’t used any terrifying torture device to sever Deirt’s fingers.
He had simply flicked them, like a child skipping stones.
And with that, the first knuckle of his middle finger went flying through the air.
“The lady?”
“Ugh… The weapons shop near the domain’s entrance… u-underneath it… it’s sponsored by the lord…”
“Oh? So he didn’t hide her in a prison or the deep mountains, but boldly kept her inside the territory. No wonder we couldn’t find her. Guess I’m getting rusty.”
“S-Spare me…”
The man slowly shook his head.
And then, in the next moment—
Thunk.
A dagger sank deep into Deirt’s throat.
His body trembled violently—then went still.
The man pulled out the dagger and wiped the blade clean.
Then he reached under the carriage seat and began fiddling with something.
Soon, with a clunk, the floor beneath the back seat dropped open.
He stuffed Deirt’s body into the compartment and sealed it shut before calling out to the coachman.
“It’s done. Thanks for your cooperation.”
The coachman shook his head and replied,
“No thanks needed. If it’s a request from ‘Bright Death’ Offense, I’ll always oblige.”