Ch.105105. You think you’re the only one with family? I have a daughter too, you bastard!

“Even if the second young master is the mastermind behind this incident, do you really think this will work?”

“Why, don’t you believe it?”

“The second young master isn’t exactly an easy person to fool, is he?”

“Actually, it’s often the clever ones who fall for simple tricks.”

“And if he doesn’t take the bait?”

“Well, that’s possible too. But either way, he’ll be sweating bullets.”

I hurriedly left the study and made my way outside the mansion.

The forest where monsters had appeared in the Alphonse territory.

Of course, claiming to have found a lead in the case was merely a show.

It was to observe Jason Alphonse’s reaction.

As expected, he was slightly flustered, but there was no significant change in his expression.

Yet my suspicion continued to grow.

Don’t people sometimes have those moments in life?

How should I describe it—an instinctive gut feeling?

That’s what I felt about Jason Alphonse.

Well, I’d need to meet the first son to know for sure.

As I stood leisurely with my arms crossed, leaning against a tree, Lightner cautiously spoke up.

“Young master, I’ve been thinking…”

“Yeah, go ahead.”

“All the other knights were recruited, so why didn’t they even try to approach me?”

“Probably one of two reasons. Either you’re so oblivious that you didn’t notice their recruitment attempts…”

“…And the other reason?”

“Or they thought your skills weren’t worth recruiting.”

Lightner flinched at my words and slumped his shoulders.

“I guess my suspicions were correct.”

“Are you disappointed? If you had been recruited, you’d be ashes by now too.”

As I narrowed my eyes, Lightner hastily waved his hands in denial.

“N-no, that’s not it. I just realized that others still see me as lacking, that’s all.”

That’s just his own misconception.

Lightner’s growth rate is so steep that I want to keep him under my wing.

After handing over powerful allies like Luna and Rio Sergang to the protagonist Serion Lycus, I’ll need reliable subordinates besides Jawill Wilson.

Come to think of it.

I just realized that what Jawill Wilson and Lightner have in common is that I beat them up when we first met.

Do I need to beat up everyone I meet to get good subordinates?

I sighed briefly toward Lightner.

“There’s no need to be impatient. Jason Alphonse is probably regretting not recruiting you by now.”

“D-do you really think so, young master?”

“Yes, so just focus on your training from now on and—”

Just then, I heard a rustling sound and quickly pressed my palm against Lightner’s shoulder, forcing him to duck down.

*Rustle*

It was a very faint presence.

If it were a monster, we would have heard heavy footsteps or corresponding rough breathing.

This was definitely a person.

I exchanged glances with Lightner, who seemed to understand as he blinked, and we quietly waited for the source of the sound to approach.

The presence grew gradually closer.

I suddenly sprang up, drew my sword, and rushed toward the direction of the sound.

*Clang! Claaang!*

As soon as I charged, the opponent countered with their sword.

Seeing the mask they wore, it was clear they were an agent sent to attack us.

“Ugh!”

After just two exchanges, I easily subdued them and pointed my sword at the masked man’s throat.

The masked man gulped audibly, his Adam’s apple bobbing once before he raised his hands.

“I-I surrender.”

Maintaining my guard, I called out to Lightner who had followed behind.

“Remove his mask.”

“Yes, sir!”

As Lightner removed the mask, he appeared startled and stammered.

I tilted my chin and asked.

“What is it? Who is he?”

“T-Tristan, a knight who serves the first young master.”

I looked at Tristan with an incredulous expression.

“You’re my eldest brother’s subordinate?”

“…That’s correct.”

“Why did you enter the forest?”

“I-I came to hunt monsters.”

“You came to hunt monsters wearing a mask? Say one more nonsensical thing and your head will fly off.”

Tristan hesitated before bowing his head deeply.

“…I received orders from Young Master Evander Alphonse to follow Young Master Selden Alphonse.”

So, a subordinate of the first son Evander Alphonse, who’s supposedly unreachable due to training, has been following me?

This didn’t make any sense.

*Stab!*

“Aaaaargh!!”

I thrust my sword deep into his thigh, causing him to scream. Ignoring his cries, I twisted my wrist in that position.

“Uuuugh! Y-young master, please spare me!! I have a family waiting for me at home.”

“You think you’re the only one with family? I have a daughter too, you bastard!”

“…What?! I also have a daugh—”

*Stomp!*

I stomped hard on his face with my foot and slowly exhaled.

“Huff… I’m not a particularly patient person. How did you know I was in the forest and track me?”

“I’ve been quietly following you since you arrived at the mansion, young master.”

Now that I heard it, his claim to be acting on the first son’s orders seemed plausible.

Even if he had gone on a solitary training journey, he would have planted at least one informant within the family.

‘I baited the second son, but the first one took it…’

If Tristan was truly Evander Alphonse’s subordinate, then as he claimed, he would have tracked me leaving for the mansion to check how I dealt with the assassins who attacked the carriage and to monitor my movements.

However.

What if Tristan had already been recruited by the second son?

Then he would have urgently followed me upon hearing about the “lead in the case” on Jason Alphonse’s orders.

If he was caught, he would have already planned to blame it on the first son.

If I hadn’t noticed his tailing at the mansion, both scenarios were possible.

That’s why my thoughts became even more complicated.

*Stab!*

“Aaaaargh!”

I thrust my sword deep into his other thigh and raised my voice.

“But if you’re truly my eldest brother’s loyal subordinate, don’t you think you’re being rather careless?”

It’s ridiculous. Would someone meticulous enough to recruit Baron Byron’s subordinates make such a mistake?

Especially when I hadn’t even thrown the “lead in the case” bait to the first son.

That’s why I couldn’t understand why he would resort to such a reckless move.

Moreover.

My safe return to the family meant I had the skill to deal with all the assassins sent.

Though Rio Sergang was there too, they would know it couldn’t have been done by my strength alone.

Yet, sending someone lacking in both skill and tracking ability suggested an extremely urgent situation and preparation for the possibility of getting caught.

Tristan clutched his impaled thigh with both hands, his face contorted in pain.

“Y-young master! Please spare me!”

I bent down to meet Tristan’s eyes.

“Tristan, I understand you still think I’m a good-for-nothing who can be easily fooled, but what am I supposed to do about this?”

“I’m sorry…”

“I’ll ask once more, you say my eldest brother ordered this?”

“…That’s right.”

Despite my threats, he’s not confessing?

His expression clearly showed he was hiding something.

That meant either his loyalty was extraordinary, or…

Let me calmly reconsider the situation.

If Jason Alphonse is the mastermind, would he expect me to kill Tristan?

Or would he think I’d capture him and take him to Evander Alphonse?

Either way, it wouldn’t be bad for Jason Alphonse.

However, for either of these scenarios to benefit him, this guy would need to keep his mouth shut.

‘This is strange.’

How could Jason Alphonse, who seems to have hundreds of cunning schemes in his head, believe that Tristan would keep quiet?

When we spoke, he seemed like someone who wouldn’t trust anyone but himself.

Suddenly, something clicked in my mind.

I sheathed my sword and looked at Lightner.

“Lightner.”

“Yes, at your service.”

“You know where Rio is staying right now, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Bind this guy and explain the situation to Rio, then tell him to keep him there.”

Lightner tilted his head in confusion.

“Are you not going to inform Baron Byron this time either?”

“Yeah, keep him there, and when we meet my eldest brother, we’ll have a three-way confrontation. Since this guy has already confessed, we’ll threaten him to tell the truth quickly.”

“What if the first young master denies giving the order?”

Of course he would.

If he did give the order, he’d deny everything and play innocent, and if he truly was wronged, he’d jump up and down in outrage.

I sighed deeply and continued.

“Then we have no choice but to hand this guy over to my eldest brother.”

I carefully observed Tristan’s expression from the corner of my eye.

He seemed resigned, as if he had expected this.

I had mentioned that he had “confessed.”

That meant if he was handed over to Evander Alphonse, he was destined to die one way or another.

If he was Evander Alphonse’s subordinate, he’d die for confessing, and if he had been recruited by Jason Alphonse, he’d be tortured to reveal the conspirator’s identity before dying.

Isn’t it funny?

Someone who was begging for his life just moments ago now seems to have given up.

I bent down again to meet Tristan’s eyes and smiled brightly.

“Don’t think your life is over. Right now, I’m going to the village to kill not just your family but all your relatives too.”

I don’t actually intend to kill them.

However, if this guy has been recruited by Jason Alphonse, his loyalty probably isn’t that strong.

Yet if he’s still keeping quiet, he might be under threat, which is why I’m testing him.

That’s why even someone like Jason Alphonse believes he won’t talk.

At that, Tristan banged his head on the ground with a thud and raised his voice.

“I-I’ll tell you everything!”

3 consecutive chapters completed!! Thank you!!

Chapter 106 will be uploaded at 2:33 AM on the 9th!!