Book 2: Chapter 52.3
Book 2: Chapter 52.3
Father’s Cold-Bloodedness
After the young lady exposed her father’s sin, a painful silence descended. The Earl did not show any signs of surprise and watched the young lady attentively, with his arms folded. The chief butler shut his eyes, with a glum look, and Captain Maxim just stood with his mouth agape.
Naturally, it was the young lady who broke the silence.
「Father, you knew that House Riviere was the mastermind behind channeling the skill orbs into the black market, but you couldn’t do anything about it. Even with the “Magic Eye of Inquiry”, you are the only one who can tell apart the other person’s lie. Even if you were able to strike down the nobles below the rank of Earl, you cannot lay hands on the top authority, one of the state’s leading Dukes, so you first planned an attempted poisoning of Kluvshrat-sama. …Captain Maxim!」
The young lady suddenly called out, so the captain responded “Y-Yes,” with a shrill voice.
「I asked Reiji earlier, but it seems that he doesn’t know anything. Did you receive any medicine from my father just before we left for the Sprout and New Moon Banquet?」
「Ah, yes. I was told that it was a panacea that works against all kinds of poisons. If by any chance someone collapses, I was to administer the medicine. …Ah.」
It seems that he was telling the truth, but Captain Maxim shut his mouth, as he was shot with a sharp glare by the butler.
「Father, you probably expected that either Lord Ethan of House Ebene or Lord Ethan’s escort would see through the poison. And in the unlikely event that Kluvshrat-sama swallowed the poison, Captain Maxim will cure it. But in that case, Captain Maxim’s actions would be too suspicious that your subsequent actions would be restricted… and similarly, since Reiji detected the poison, your actions were still restricted.」
To detect poison and cure poison is a double-edged sword that would arouse strong suspicions on yourself. Therefore, the Earl’s next move has to wait until the situation calmed down—until January.
「The man who administered the poison… you killed him immediately, right? If you stored that man with a cold storage magic tool, you can preserve the body. In reality, you must have planned to have House Ebene detect the poison, and then make up a story that the suspect was sighted on House Riviere’s grounds. And if that man’s corpse was found in House Riviere, you would be able to legally search House Riviere with full support. The corpse was already secured, so you can forge as much evidence as you like. You knew for certain that House Riviere was the mastermind behind the skill orbs in the black market, and that if you search their residence, you will definitely find concrete evidence, correct?」
Ouroboros going on rampage was a rare opportunity which turned out beneficial for the Earl. I wonder if his plan was probably to do it after the skill orb awarding ceremony from the start? The Earl had to prioritize giving the young lady a skill orb above all else, after all.
The Earl must have someone else besides Captain Maxim working for him. Even when I was talking to El-san at the Holy Royal Palace today, I sensed many people lurking outside. I didn’t dare ask about that.
Even if a damaged corpse was placed in the Duke’s residence amidst the chaos, it wouldn’t look too unnatural.
「A splendid reasoning.」the Earl said, laughing gently. Neither denying nor affirming.「You are already… a full-fledged noble, I see.」
「…It is the result of father’s upbringing.」
「No–」the Earl said, glancing at me.「…That is not a conclusion you can reach without strong resolve and conviction. Owing to a certain someone.」
Me? That can’t be, right?
「Earl, I also have something to ask.」
「What is it, certain someone?」
Is it me after all?
「…Err, you didn’t know that something would happen at the awarding ceremony, right? So, why weren’t you there?」
「Oh, that’s easy. Many of the priests attended the awarding ceremony. So it was a chance to check the private room of the priest who was channeling the skill orbs to House Riviere. I found a secret book containing messages titled “Destroy immediately”, but the priest probably kept it just in case House Riviere decided to betray him.」
I see. The awarding ceremony was the best time to investigate the priest, huh. So the Earl had a reason to wait until the awarding ceremony…
「After that, a dome of darkness appeared. I sensed that something was strange, and searched for something that could be a weapon, and took the stone that I happened to find. That stone has been reputed to have a special power since long ago.」
Well, at the end of the day, the Earl’s slender arm couldn’t destroy the dome, so I had to destroy it instead.
「Earl, why did the priest channel the skill orbs to House Riviere? Isn’t it a grave sin?」
「That’s easy. Money. …Remember this, Eva. The world runs on money. And people drive themselves to ruin chasing after money.」
The line of sight of the young lady and the Earl met.
Right now, I don’t know what the young lady is thinking. When she confided in me about her guess – and most likely also the truth – she was already looking so pale that she might have collapsed. But right now, the young lady has a resolved look.
「Father. Did you commit an injustice in order to correct another injustice? To the point where you even killed a person.」
Did the young lady really have to utter such words? I wondered over and over. I was also slightly aware that the Earl’s behavior was strange. And I always had an uncertain feeling due to that. But the young lady noticed before I did. If I hadn’t told the young lady anything extra, the Earl would have continued fooling everyone with a beautiful lie.
The young lady is still 12 years old. Even if she had become an “adult”, does she have to bear the duty of an “adult” so soon?
(Had I been a little smarter, the young lady wouldn’t have noticed.)
Still – I don’t know if it would be months or years later – I think she would’ve reached the truth on her own and questioned the Earl head-on, as she is doing now.
To be frank, I would have liked this to happen in a place I couldn’t see, a place I didn’t know, or a place I couldn’t hear. That was my true feeling. This is too painful to bear.
「…The man who poisoned the dish was originally supposed to be executed. He was a man of one of the noble houses who was involved in the channeling of the skill orb, and for some reason he escaped without being caught. The man understood his crime, and knew that the blame would extend to his wife and children who were extravagant with their money.」
The Earl paused his words there.
I’m sure the Earl offered a deal, something like “If you give your life, your wife and children will be overlooked.”
「Father, crimes must be judged by the law.」
「That is correct. I am sure House Riviere will be judged.」
Ah… this person has decided to treat the young lady as an “adult”. That much is clear from his wording.
And so long as she is treated as an “adult”, he must have decided not to show his true intentions anymore.
Even if they are the only family left to each other.
「…………」
The young lady’s face, seen from the side, looked strained. Like she was desperately holding back from crying.
The young lady must have expected the Earl to tell her everything. That’s why she confronted head-on.
I had a feeling that it was a “bad bet”, and unfortunately that premonition was right.
「Eva. There is no such thing as undisputed “justice”. The human resource centres that you believed to be “injustice” and crushed was “justice” for those who wanted to sell themselves for money.」
「Don’t try to dodge the matter at hand with insincere sophistry.」
「The “truth” this time, did you learn it on your own? Isn’t it all just the “information” you heard from Reiji-san?」
「That is…」
「Isn’t it possible that Reiji-san was lying?」
「——!?」
With a start, the young lady looked towards me as if she was frightened.
(…Earl, you know it’s not that simple.)
I thought that this time, in a sense, it was a parent-child quarrel. The young lady gets angry and the Earl asks for forgiveness. How good it would have been if it was as simple as that.
I also understand the Earl’s position. It’s because he truly thought of this country, that he wanted to eliminate the injustice towards the “First Altar,” the center of this country, no matter the cost – even if it meant committing a crime.
However, that has nothing whatsoever to do with the relationship between me and the young lady. If you wish to involve me, then I have an idea of my own.
「Earl. I am stepping down from the role of escort for House Silly today. I will refund all my salary since it is during the contract period.」
「!?」
The young lady was astonished this time.
「So, my relationship with House Silly is now gone and I should no longer have any interests. My lady, I have never lied to you. You remember my secret that I confessed to you this morning, don’t you?」
What does the Earl mean to do with me and the young lady? Does he think he can drive a wedge with just these words? —No, could there be something else?
「…I’m sorry, Reiji. I just lost my composure. You have no reason to lie. So don’t tell me you’re going to quit as an escort.」
「Yes, Reiji-san. If you quit, you won’t get what you want, right?」
「No, Earl. I got hold of one today.」
「…What?!」
The Earl should not know about the conversation I had with El-san, so it was a little nice to see his face react as if he had been attacked at an unguarded moment.
「That is why… I already had to leave this place in the not so distant future.」
「…Reiji, what are you talking about?」
「My lady, we will talk about this later.」
「………」
The young lady made a face which seemed to say, “I don’t understand”.
「Okay, we will talk later.」At the end, she was convinced.
However,
「That… might be convenient in a sense.」the Earl said something that could break the young lady’s conviction.
「What does that mean?」
This was when I finally saw who the “Cold-Blooded Lord” really was.
「The 6 Great Dukes Houses are quite troublesome, you see. Even if you have gathered all the evidence, they will oppose it one way or another. Therefore, even if His Majesty the Holy King stands up against them, it will not be so easy to crush them. This time, I, a mere Earl, have stood against them, so there is strong opposition from the Duke Houses other than House Riviere.」
「…What are you trying to say?」
「In short, we need something like “calling it a draw due to something more important” to divert from that situation. For example, say the character of a hero who saved the country.」
The Earl had the most refreshing smile I’ve ever seen till now.
「By the way, Reiji-san. You have been hiding something from me, right?」
At that time, I almost felt like something was crawling up my spine.
I see… The Earl already knows my secret. That I originally have black hair and black eyes.
「Duke Ebene says that I am harboring the black-haired, black-eyed “Child of Disaster” in my house. And if I offered you, my oversight will be overlooked it seems. …Now, if I am not mistaken, you are no longer our escort, so there’s no reason to protect you, right?」
At that moment, I sensed a number of people making noise from outside even though it was so late at night.
「Hmm… I told them to do it tomorrow noon, but they are so hasty. I think the troops of House Ebene have arrived.」
Did the Earl and Duke Ebene conclude this beforehand?
How many steps ahead is this person reading? Did he know that he would be accused of the young lady? No, even if he didn’t know, maybe he…
(Did you intend to confess to the young lady from the start?)
If the Earl was prepared for that, then from his point of view, was it rather a joy to watch the young lady reach the truth by herself?
「Eva, Reiji-san. What will you two do? Will you still hold on to “justice”? Or will you overlook the “injustice” for a “greater cause”?」
That is, the Earl is telling the young lady and I to “join hands” with him. Then, he shall protect me.