Ch.113Chapter 113. Did Only Leonard Have Fun?

“T-This is slander…”

Jason Alphonse trembled like an aspen tree.

When he went outside the mansion, weren’t all the villagers he had kidnapped gathered there?

They unanimously pointed fingers at Jason Alphonse and raised their voices.

“Do you not fear the heavens!?”

“How could you kidnap people just to satisfy your greed?”

“Jason Alphonse, you’ve abandoned your humanity, expel him from the family immediately!!”

“Expel him!! Expel him!!”

Seeing this scene, Ellaria collapsed from shock, and Miria supported her as she moved her inside the mansion.

Baron Byron looked alternately at the people outside and at Ellaria being carried away, then spoke with a reddened face.

“Selden Alphonse, what is all this about?”

In response to Baron Byron’s question, Selden, who had been silently observing the situation, slowly opened his mouth.

“Jason Alphonse used monster hunting as an excuse to recruit the Alphonse family knights under his command. That included some of Father’s subordinates.”

“W-What!?”

“That’s not all. He kidnapped the families of knights who refused his recruitment to threaten them. The people before you now are those who were kidnapped by Jason Alphonse.”

Even in a succession dispute, it was unthinkable to recruit other siblings’ knights, let alone commit kidnapping.

Baron Byron stared at Jason Alphonse with widened eyes.

“Is what Selden is saying true!?”

Jason Alphonse waved his hands frantically with a flustered expression.

“N-No! This is slander from that good-for-nothing Selden. How could I possibly kidnap people?”

At that, Selden curled up the corners of his mouth as if he had been waiting for Jason’s words.

“Lightner!!”

At Selden’s voice, Alphonse family knights appeared alongside Lightner.

All of them were subordinates whose families had been kidnapped by Jason Alphonse.

Among them, Tristan stepped forward with veins bulging in his neck.

“I am a knight serving Young Master Evander Alphonse. Six months ago, when I went to support a monster hunt, Jason Alphonse attempted to recruit me, and when I refused, he kidnapped my daughter.”

“He kidnapped my mother in the same way and threatened me!!”

“I-I too had my wife kidnapped by Jason Alphonse!!”

Outbursts of resentment erupted from all around.

While the knights had tearful reunions with their kidnapped family members, Selden handed Baron Byron a heavy stack of documents.

“This is a confession written by Blackwell, Jason Alphonse’s butler. It also contains evidence of his attempt to have me killed.”

Selden had cleverly exploited the gap between Butler Blackwell and Jason Alphonse.

A life endangered day by day.

And atrocities that no human could possibly commit.

Though Blackwell had struggled to survive, it didn’t mean he wasn’t at fault.

Selden had simply lanced the festering abscess just before it was about to burst.

Jason Alphonse grabbed Butler Blackwell by the collar with a face turning from red to blue.

“Y-You dare…”

“…I had no choice. Young Master Selden Alphonse had already secured all the evidence.”

Jason Alphonse wore a dumbfounded expression.

Then, he approached Baron Byron and knelt down.

“F-Father! My only crime was trying to work for the family’s benefit. How much have I helped our territory through my monster hunting all these years?”

Baron Byron turned his gaze toward the territory residents who had been kidnapped by Jason Alphonse.

Children and emaciated elderly people.

He drew his sword from its scabbard and clenched his teeth.

Swish.

Clang-!

Who was Baron Byron?

He was the one who had mostly turned a blind eye even when his youngest son, Selden, had caused trouble.

People had whispered that he was too protective of his own bloodline.

But.

It happened in an instant.

Jason Alphonse’s head rolled on the ground, severed by Baron Byron.

The territory residents and knights were shocked.

It was an unavoidable choice for him.

While recruiting his subordinates might have been punished with a simple penalty, the crime of kidnapping over twenty people would have followed him like a stigma if handled carelessly.

For the sake of family and kin…

And to maintain what little trust remained from the territory residents who had already lost so much.

Baron Byron stood there like a statue, holding his sword with a bitter expression.

Thud-! Thud-!

Selden slowly approached Baron Byron.

He knew that no words could offer comfort.

Therefore.

Selden firmly gripped Baron Byron’s trembling shoulder, doing what he thought was best.

“Father, I’ll take care of things here. Let’s get you inside first.”

*

“Young Master, are you alright?”

Several days had passed since returning to Lake Territory.

Entering the study, I answered with a deep sigh to Pedericks’ concerned question as he followed me in.

“No, I’m not.”

“I completely understand… Even though Second Young Master Jason Alphonse was a bad person, he was still your blood relative.”

Hah…

That’s not it!

After enduring all kinds of humiliation to push that bastard into the abyss…

How could he just kill him in one stroke!!

I feel my anger rising.

Even if I had imprisoned Jason Alphonse and pulled out his teeth one by one, I’m not sure my anger would have subsided, but to have his head cut off in one swing—this was an unexpected outcome.

Of course, Baron Byron made the best choice.

What father could kill his son, no matter the wrongdoing?

The kidnapped territory residents and threatened knights seemed to understand his current state of mind.

That’s why the situation could be resolved quickly.

Ellaria, whom I had expected to be the biggest problem.

However, the presence of a “mother” was strong.

As soon as she regained consciousness, she grasped the entire situation and personally visited the affected territory residents to bow her head in apology.

It was remarkable mental strength, despite having lost her son.

I grabbed my throbbing head and spoke.

“Lightner, tell him to come in.”

“Yes, sir.”

As Pedericks left, Lightner immediately entered the study.

After Baron Byron heard the full account of the incident, he assigned this knight to serve under me.

He seemed to have judged that we would make a good match.

“Lightner, reporting to Young Master Selden Alphonse.”

“Skip the formal greetings. You arrived at Lake Territory today, right?”

“Yes, it’s an honor to serve with you, Young Master.”

“Has the atmosphere in the family calmed down much?”

Seeming to find this a rather difficult question to answer, Lightner carefully continued.

“After you left, Young Master Leonard and Lady Seri Familia returned to the mansion.”

“They came back earlier than expected?”

“That’s why Baron Byron is trying to create a relatively bright atmosphere.”

It seems he’s concerned about Seri Familia, who has newly joined the family.

Well, they can’t keep dwelling on shameful matters forever.

“And?”

“And… it seems Young Master Leonard will officially enter the succession dispute.”

“…Huh?”

“It’s not Young Master Leonard’s own will, but appears to be Baron Byron’s initiative.”

Hmm, it seems like a decision made to prevent all power from concentrating in the hands of the firstborn, Evander Alphonse…

Leonard got lucky, didn’t he?

Getting married, and now even the succession battle he so desired.

At this rate, I feel like I’ve become Leonard’s guardian angel.

Though it feels a bit unsettling, it could be worse.

It would be endlessly tiresome if they pushed me into the succession rights battle just because the second son died.

I rested my chin on my hand with an indifferent expression.

“But it’s surprising. In terms of ability as the head of the family, Sister would clearly be better.”

“Well, since Miria Alphonse is a woman…”

“Ugh! This is why there’s always conflict over gender equality issues.”

“I-Is that so?”

“Oh, right! What about Rio and Rina?”

“They arrived at Lake Territory with me.”

Did they leave together with Lightner because there were too many eyes watching, even though I told them to return to Lake Territory at different times?

I adjusted my posture while sitting in the chair.

“Where are they now?”

“They’re together at the house that Riden Solis secured in advance.”

“What about the nanny I mentioned before?”

“We’re currently looking for one.”

“Bring someone capable. As you know, Rina isn’t exactly normal.”

“Understood.”

The monster wave will begin soon, and Rio Sergang can’t keep cleaning up after Rina indefinitely.

I rose from my chair.

Lightner tilted his head in confusion.

“Where are you going?”

I put on my coat and smiled broadly at Lightner.

“To see my daughter.”