Ch.103I Have a Girlfriend #6

It is a weapon wielded to kill people in black.

To enhance its effectiveness, I trained my mana and mastered techniques.

Sometimes there are those who speak of the realm of the sword, claiming it contains something special, but it never really resonated with me.

Cutting down, defeating.

That was the essence of the sword, and there was no room for complex theories.

Shooting a bow, or swinging a fist, seemed no different from using a sword.

In the end, they are all just processes to achieve the result of wielding power to harm an opponent.

That is to say, wielding aura could be considered exactly the same.

.

“Who do you think you’re touching?”

I knew Helena was hiding and watching.

Although I couldn’t read as broadly and distantly as she could, I could sense her when she was close.

“D-Duke! Th-that is…”

Holly Hound, who had been smiling like a fox, began trembling in fear.

She had already distanced herself from me for some time, and was staring at Helena’s right hand with terrified eyes.

More precisely, at the pitch-black branch held in that hand.

The branch closely resembled the shape of the aura blade that Helena frequently used.

Specifically, it looked like she had drawn out only the aura from an aura blade, without the sword part.

She must have resolved her dilemma and taken a step forward.

I took a calm breath while alternating my gaze between Helena’s abyssal eyes and the frightened Holly.

“Looking at your expression… you seem to know exactly what your sin is.”

“P-please forgive me! I was wrong!”

Normally when catching someone in an affair, one would first grab the man by the collar, but Helena was different.

Without hesitation, she approached Holly, who was trembling and begging in the corner of the bench, appearing fully intent on slicing her throat.

It seemed entirely possible with that slender aura she was wielding.

I casually moved to Helena’s side and, looking up at the woman with her head bowed, said:

“Helena. Stop.”

“…Why are you protecting that woman now? Could it be you really intend to go to her?”

As if resentful at not being able to cut, Helena’s empty eyes turned toward me.

Despite her obvious anger, her expressionless face looked quite chilling.

If I hadn’t been under the effect of Mental, I might have unconsciously stepped back.

“Why would I? She’s inferior to Helena in every way.”

I tilted my head and answered calmly, yet with a hint of incredulity.

Calming Helena’s outburst was the priority, and the operation had already fallen apart.

There was no need to pretend to be interested in Holly Hound anymore.

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Alright. If Zion says so, then it must be true.”

But the crime of wagging her tail deserves death.

With those final words, Helena silently swung her arm.

She had reversed her grip on the black aura and was aiming to end Holly Hound’s life with a thrust to the head.

A thrust from a knight who had not only reached Master level but surpassed yet another wall.

An ordinary person would die standing dumbfounded, not even knowing what was happening, and even trained knights would struggle to parry it.

The density of the aura was on a completely different level.

Fortunately, though, it wouldn’t be fatal.

Due to its thinness, if the target was chosen carefully, the injury could be kept moderate.

For example, if I were to block it with my shoulder.

“Ugh!”

“Z-Zion…!”

As the aura pierced my shoulder, a sharp, burning pain shot up my spine.

Helena seemed quite shocked, not expecting me to block it with my body, but her abyssal eyes remained unchanged.

“Ah, Z-Zion…”

Her gaze remained the same, but her voice trembled, as did her body.

I thought it might be due to complex emotions—extreme anxiety and shock from having stabbed me.

The aura had already disappeared.

“Helena.”

“Ah…”

I cupped Helena’s crumbling face with both hands and pressed my forehead against hers.

We were close enough that I could have kissed her in an instant if I wanted to.

Perhaps it was my extremely calm state that made such an action possible.

“Calm down, and first take slow breaths.”

“I, I never, never meant for this to happen…!”

“I know. So put aside your worry about me for now, and breathe slowly. Slowly…”

As I spoke gently while maintaining eye contact, Helena began to obediently follow my instructions.

She took deep breaths in and exhaled slowly and shallowly.

Breathing has a calming effect, so continuing like this for a few minutes would make her feel considerably better.

Hoo… Hoo… After several minutes of regulated breathing, life returned to Helena’s eyes.

Though she still looked anxious, she was coherent enough to have a conversation.

“I’m… I’m sorry. I got so excited that I…”

“Don’t worry. I didn’t die from poison, so I won’t die from this. I may be lacking, but I’ve been training steadily.”

I focused on comforting Helena, disregarding the hole in my shoulder and the blood seeping from it.

It was thanks to my increased durability and vitality from handling mana, however nominally.

“But you should still be punished.”

Though I called it punishment, it was meant to satisfy my desires and, more importantly, to alleviate Helena’s anxiety.

I brought my lips close to Helena’s ear and ordered her to serve me as I wished for a month.

“Serve…?”

“That’s right. Wearing clothes that might make a duchess lose her dignity, acting coquettishly like a prostitute… if you spend a month like that, I’ll forgive you.”

“So, that means…”

“It means you’ll essentially be treated as an object. Can you do that?”

As I spoke, I realized that what I was proposing could be quite a heavy punishment.

Though I would choose the time and place carefully, it would certainly diminish her dignity, and from the perspective of noble society, it would be humiliating.

I wonder if Helena, who was blushing and offering to give everything, would see it that way…

“Ah.”

Suddenly, a thought flashed through my mind like lightning.

Though it wasn’t my intention, this is even better.

I turned my gaze toward Holly Hound, who was still trembling in fear, and twisted the corner of my mouth into a smile.

“This works out well. It seems we have quite a lot to talk about… don’t you think?”

.

“It’s just first aid, but the treatment… is done.”

In the guest room of the Hound mansion.

I sat on a chair at the table, receiving treatment from Helena.

With Holly Hound’s help, we applied a simple remedy and wrapped bandages around my bare upper body.

More precisely, just my left shoulder where there was a small hole.

“Thank you.”

After thanking Helena, I turned my eyes toward Holly Hound, who sat across from me, still fearful.

Some time had passed, and her trembling seemed to have subsided considerably.

Nevertheless, she still appeared somewhat shrunk with fear, unable to completely shake off her terror.

“As you know, I saved you. You understand that, right?”

“Y-yes…”

Holly answered, trying her best to steady her voice despite her fear.

Strictly speaking, our side might bear more guilt, but Helena’s madness seemed to have blinded this woman.

Even in noble society where affairs and secret meetings are common, there are lines that shouldn’t be crossed.

From that perspective, Helena’s actions seemed to have made Holly Hound realize she had crossed that line.

“So, I’d like you to answer my questions honestly. It doesn’t seem like you had malicious intent, so if you simply answer truthfully, there won’t be any consequences. No, rather, we’ll keep this quiet.”

Though everyone tends to ignore it, I am a Grand Duke.

With this status, even if something is absurd, I could fabricate a justification and have even a Count beheaded.

The woman before me seemed to understand this, as she nodded with a somewhat relieved expression, though tension had replaced her anxiety.

“Good. Since you seem to understand… let’s start asking. First, was the invitation extended solely by Count Hound’s will?”

“…No.”

“No, you say. As expected of the Count’s daughter, you seem to know the background. Then who instructed or suggested inviting us?”

It wasn’t Count Hound’s will.

That alone gave me a rough idea, but I wanted to verify and identify the mastermind precisely.

There was no need to rely on conjecture when I could know for certain.

“It was Duke Killinear.”

“Hmm.”

As I thought. I nodded calmly, as if I had expected it, and proceeded to the next question.

“Why did he instruct you to invite us?”

“As you might already suspect… he wanted to know the root of what’s happening in the Krauser duchy. That’s why he gave the order.”

“So he did it out of curiosity. Given the scale of what’s happening in our territory… I suppose that’s possible.”

It’s certainly a situation that could warrant scrutiny from other nobles.

If we weren’t dukes, higher-ranking nobles would have likely picked a fight with us long ago.

I nodded silently, understanding Luke’s desire as the leader of the noble faction to grasp the situation.

“Anyway. So the Count used you, is that what you’re saying?”

“Yes. He intended to use me as a tribute to uncover the truth of the matter.”

“A tribute…”

It’s well-known that Helena cherishes me dearly.

So rather than using force or threats, it seems they planned to flatter and seduce me gently.

Such discreet exchanges are common sense in noble society.

They probably never thought I would have absolutely no interest in such things.

My way of thinking is different from the typical noble’s.

“The intention itself wasn’t bad… but not understanding our situation led to this result. Anyway, I understand now.”

Now that I clearly know the mastermind and their intentions, I feel quite satisfied.

Though Helena’s outburst was unexpected, I think it might have helped resolve things quickly and well.

I told her that I would let this matter slide and that she should do the same, and then dismissed her.

Though it wasn’t my house, I was the master of this moment, not Helena.

“Thank you for your mercy. I apologize for the trouble.”

“Let me say one last thing: I already have a woman. So please reflect on the meaning of this in the future.”

“Yes. Then, I’ll take my leave…”

Holly seemed to be taking my warning-like words to heart, leaving the room with a heavy expression.

“M-master.”

With the source of the awkward atmosphere gone, Helena called out to me, twisting her body shyly.

It was because of my order that she should address me normally in public, but call me master in private or on the Krauser estate grounds.

The thought of treating a duchess who lacked nothing like a slave sent an excited shiver up my spine.

“Yes. What is it?”

“Well… I wanted to ask what you plan to do about Luke Killinear.”

At Helena’s “master” remark, Ellen’s eyes widened in surprise.

What to do about Luke Killinear.

I knew this question was quite important, but Ellen’s face behind her was so amusing that I deliberately paused.

It was a rather complex expression showing surprise and a hint of jealousy.

“As I said earlier, I’ll let it slide. Though the intention was too obvious, it’s a common practice, and it’s not unusual to dispatch spies to gather information.”

“I… suppose so?”

“That’s right. I’ve also warned them not to do anything unnecessary, so this probably won’t happen again.”

Helena nodded carefully, as if she had expected this.

She didn’t seem uncomfortable either, perhaps sharing my thoughts.

After all, they hadn’t really caused significant harm, just got caught testing the waters.