Ch.265265. Dispute (2)

“Count Rebel-!”

Such a voice boldly echoed.

It was the voice coming from Darwood Campbell, who had broken through the main gate and entered.

“I brought you a gift-!”

Then, someone’s body fell with a thud onto the courtyard.

Amid the murmuring and screaming that filled the surroundings, the body of a well-bound and “packaged” man dropped with a particularly loud sound.

“…”

Count Rebel silently narrowed his eyes.

This was one of the informants he had planted near that guy. He remembered that the man had been extremely zealous as one of Count Nicholas’s trusted subordinates.

He thought there might be some risk, but that the man might have made a mistake and gotten caught.

One could think that.

Just think.

‘But, how?’

The “disguise suits” from the Demonic Spire, which he had gone to great lengths to procure, boasted overwhelming performance. They were so good that one would think they could successfully assassinate anyone except the Emperor, who was constantly accompanied by the Sword Saint.

Even if there had been a small mistake, with equipment of that caliber, being so openly captured and bound was unimaginable.

Meanwhile, the other party continued speaking with a bright smile.

“He came to my private room trying to add another hole to my body. Seems like a friend who doesn’t know proper manners.”

“I don’t know what idiot would fearlessly send something like this to me. But I wanted to let you know that this kind of attempt is far from enough.”

“…You mentioned manners, Baron Campbell. But you yourself.”

Count Rebel said, barely suppressing his boiling voice.

“Being of lowly blood, perhaps you don’t know proper etiquette?”

In truth, he was barely containing his anger that had risen to its limit.

But his mind was working more coldly than ever.

He gestured to his aide in an inconspicuous manner.

It was a signal to prepare other “equipment” inside the mansion.

It’s well known that the Demonic Spire’s biggest sponsors are the Council of Elders, which means Count Rebel’s mansion is also well-equipped with such “cutting-edge equipment.”

Probably even now, if he just gave the signal, devices capable of killing that man dozens of times over would be starting up all around.

‘…If it’s come to this, there’s no need to hold back anymore.’

Not much time remained until he and the other members of the Council of Elders would execute their “plan.”

Until then, he had tried to avoid giving the other side any excuse to attack them through unnecessary actions, but there was no reason to tolerate someone who provoked them so blatantly.

Although the pretext was provided by his side, the other party’s actions had clearly crossed the line. There was no reason to tolerate it any further.

“You need some education in manners, Baron. Don’t blame me too much for what follows.”

“Oh.”

But despite Count Rebel’s cold voice.

Only a voice that remained remarkably calm returned.

Beyond composure, it was as if he would be disappointed if such things weren’t done to him.

“I’m looking forward to that.”

“…”

Count Rebel gritted his teeth inwardly.

Apart from teaching that guy some manners, he felt he wouldn’t be satisfied unless he delivered a verbal blow as well.

“…After I finish business with you.”

So what he came up with was, though he himself thought it lacked dignity and courtesy, a very “effective” sentence.

“I’ll have to visit the Tristan Duchess later and slowly ask her to take responsibility for this matter. It must be the Emperor or her who’s backing you.”

Perhaps it was because of such anger.

He failed to notice that Darwood Campbell’s demeanor had subtly changed upon hearing his words.

“I’ve never liked that cursed family of murderers. Especially that eldest daughter who always acts so noble.”

Count Rebel said with a sinister smile.

Well. He didn’t really intend to go that far, but if the situation arose…

Isn’t it quite well-known that the Tristan Duchess is a beauty beyond compare? He wasn’t one to refuse the secondary pleasures that came from “conquest activities.”

“I’m truly looking forward to it. Subduing an arrogant person like you, and then seeing the ‘docile’ Tristan Duchess would be quite an enjoyable entertainment-“

Only after uttering that sentence did Count Rebel realize.

“Let me just say one thing.”

That his words had a much greater “effect” than he had anticipated.

“I don’t particularly like it when someone speaks that way about people close to me, Count.”

Still with a smiling face.

Polite.

That kind of voice.

But what lay beneath it was.

Black.

A sticky, viscous black like soot that clings darkly.

Just looking at it made one feel as if their nerves were rotting.

“…”

“…”

“…”

The people around didn’t say anything.

More precisely, they couldn’t say anything.

‘-What.’

Into the suddenly frozen atmosphere.

Count Rebel could barely form that thought.

Rumors are always exaggerated and distorted in strange ways.

At least, that’s what Count Rebel had believed until now.

-There is a monster in human form inside Elphante.

When such rumors circulated, he was among the first to scoff.

What, people were so overwhelmed by mere “presence” that they couldn’t move?

The warriors, knights, and wizards who were present?

Don’t make me laugh. How desperate must the Emperor or Duke Tristan be to spread such nonsense?

But.

Anyone who had seen ‘this’.

Anyone who had experienced it firsthand.

Would have to accept it.

Is this how an ant feels before an elephant?

“First of all, I came to pay my respects, and I thank you for your warm hospitality.”

Even as such mocking words continued to fall, no one opened their mouth.

Advanced equipment or whatever, it’s still operated by people in the end.

But for a person, not to feel fear before the “thing” in front of them.

It’s impossible. Absolutely.

“Well. Next time, I’ll be waiting for something a bit more… ‘intense’ to be sent.”

That was the last sentence Darwood Campbell left before departing.

●

“…This is strange.”

When I muttered those words with a sense that something was wrong with the world, Victoria, who was devouring cake beside me, quickly turned her head in my direction.

“What is?”

“Why aren’t they coming to kill me after all I did…?”

I broke into someone else’s mansion in the middle of the night, half-destroyed it, insulted the owner, and left.

Isn’t this the time to either send a formal duel challenge or dispatch another assassin…?

“…”

Victoria looked at me briefly as if I were completely insane, then turned her attention back to her cake with a deep sigh.

It gave off the strong impression that even caring about such things was a waste of time now.

“…”

That’s harsh.

[It seems that young lady is getting used to it too.]

‘No, do you perhaps know? Why aren’t these guys responding when I provoked them?’

[…You should have moderated your provocation.]

‘What?’

[You should have picked a fight more gently for them to get angry. Isn’t the problem that you did it too well?]

‘…’

[You’ve been giving off the vibe of ‘if you touch me, I’ll grind you to dust’ while walking around, so what are you complaining about?]

‘…Really?’

In the scenario, the civil war rebels were people who didn’t care about causing bloodbaths to cut off the Emperor’s head and monopolize the Empire’s political and military authority.

But such people get so intimidated by a little scare that they give up fighting altogether?

‘…Was I that scary?’

[Did you really do it without knowing? You’re not just pretending?]

‘I definitely tried to control myself…’

While I was thinking about this, Victoria, who had completely demolished a cake beside me, sighed and added a comment.

“Actually, I understand up to a certain point. It was obvious that you were trying to ‘make the other party angry.'”

I flinch at Victoria’s words.

There was something in the middle that I couldn’t ignore.

“…If you understand up to a certain point, does that mean you didn’t after that?”

“From the point where the Tristan Duchess was mentioned.”

“…”

“From that point on, I fully understand how you feel now. You became so terrifying that even thinking about confronting you felt like suicide.”

“…”

Was it that bad?

I remember my emotions suddenly plummeting at that moment, but I didn’t really grasp how that might appear to others.

“The Tristan Duchess would be pleased to know you think of her that way. Good for you.”

“…Hey, Victoria.”

“What?”

“I don’t know if it’s just my imagination, but why do you look displeased saying that?”

“It’s your imagination.”

“…”

“It’s just your imagination. If you keep looking at me like that, I’ll stab you.”

Victoria said while repeatedly stabbing her cake with a fork.

As if threatening to do the same to me if I didn’t shut up.

“…And about what I asked you to look into.”

As I quietly closed my mouth, Victoria sighed and changed the subject.

“Well, it’s good news for you. Military tensions are being observed in various places. All sorts of disturbances are happening around Count Rebel’s territory.”

That’s right.

I brighten up, waiting for Victoria to continue.

“Really? Finally they’re trying to do something to me-“

“No. It seems the news that they ‘might harm you’ has reached ‘the other side.'”

“…”

What?

“The Council’s military strongholds in the area are being systematically destroyed.”

“…”

“According to common reports… it’s being done by ‘several women.'”

What?!

[Come to think of it, that’s true.]

‘Huh?’

[You did this before too, but you always assume that you’ll handle everything ‘by yourself.’ You really don’t consider that ‘others might get involved.’]

‘I… guess?’

[So I’m asking if you haven’t learned anything.]

Calivan continued with a smirk.

[As much as you cherish them, the ladies around you cherish you too.]

‘…Why bring that up suddenly?’

[So, in a situation where you might be in ‘danger,’ how do you think they would react?]

‘…’

Oh.

Wait.

Hold on.

The problem isn’t Count Rebel picking a fight with me.

Is he about to die?

●