Ch.320320. ·····Thanks to you, brother, it seems like it will be resolved.

“That was a close call.”

After resolving the incident, I couldn’t fall asleep right away, so I was sharing a drink with Evander Alphonse in the reception room again. I let out a long sigh.

“Indeed it was.”

Evander Alphonse took a sip of his drink and slowly set it down.

“…But who would have a grudge against you?”

“I believe Prince Leonis, the younger brother of Emperor Callian of the Western Continent, is behind this.”

“W-what did you say!?”

I then briefly explained everything that had happened. As he listened, Evander Alphonse’s expression gradually hardened.

“Even if Prince Leonis lost the succession dispute, he must still have enormous backing… Could this put the Alphonse family in danger too?”

It was a reasonable concern.

This time, I had used the hourglass to save Evander Alphonse and Padericks, but someone else might die next time. I only had one use of the hourglass left. Moreover, since the time I could go back was limited, what if an incident occurred in Alphonse territory, which was relatively far from Lake territory? That would be a true disaster. I needed a definitive way to bring down Prince Leonis.

“Yes, I should look for a solution as well.”

Evander Alphonse hesitated for a moment, then his eyes lit up as if he’d thought of something.

“You’re currently on good terms with Emperor Mallius, aren’t you?”

“That’s correct.”

“If the captured intruders confess that they’re Prince Leonis’s men, the problem could be easily resolved…”

Evander Alphonse was right about that too.

We now had justification.

I was already set to marry the princess.

Even without that, they had attempted to assassinate me, a person from the Eastern Continent, without provocation. If they confessed, the Eastern Imperial Court would take action.

Then I could easily resolve this matter.

However, the problem was…

“They’re tight-lipped. They absolutely won’t confess.”

“I suppose so. If they were determined enough to infiltrate this place with three men, they must have already prepared themselves for death.”

“…How are you feeling, Brother?”

“Haha… My little brother is teasing me. I didn’t do anything, so how could I not be fine?”

“…I apologize. I tend to be hasty.”

“It’s fine. What matters is that we both survived. Still, you’ve grown incredibly strong…”

Evander Alphonse shook his head as if at a loss for words.

Fearing someone might get hurt, I had quickly subdued the intruders in an instant.

I had captured them swiftly without a single mistake.

No wonder he was so surprised.

I scratched my head with an embarrassed expression.

“…I suppose my hard training shows results in times like these.”

“Hmm, where are the intruders now?”

“I’ve set up a temporary prison in the basement. I broke all three of their ankles, so they definitely can’t escape.”

“Good work.”

Despite the time that had passed, my hands were still trembling.

Without the hourglass, something truly terrible would have happened.

In the original story, when the protagonist Serion Lykus used the hourglass, he always used it for his companions rather than himself.

As a reader, I found that somewhat disappointing.

Being completely immersed in the protagonist’s journey, I had wanted him to use it for himself.

But now…

Having experienced it firsthand, I didn’t even have time to consider alternatives.

When I saw Evander Alphonse’s corpse, even if just for a brief moment, Ellaria Alphonse’s face flashed through my mind.

Having already lost her second son, losing her eldest would bring unspeakable grief.

That’s why the only thought that came to mind was to somehow bring him back to life.

Now, to wash away the memories of events that never happened, I downed my drink in one go and spoke.

“Brother, I have a favor to ask.”

“What is it?”

“Would it be possible to summon Brother Leonard to Lake territory?”

“Leonard? Why?”

“I need to meet with him urgently. I’m asking for your permission in advance since you haven’t yet decided to return to the family.”

At that, Evander Alphonse set his glass down on the table with a thud and nodded.

“I don’t mind. I’ve already decided to return to the family anyway.”

“…Pardon?”

“After what happened today, I’ve been thinking a lot. I can’t bear to see our parents in danger.”

I smiled gently at this unexpected news.

“You’ve made a good decision. Father and Mother have been waiting desperately for you.”

“…Father too?”

“You know Father isn’t one to show his emotions. But when you return to the family, he’ll be so happy he won’t be able to hide it.”

Evander Alphonse took several deep breaths as if trying to hold back tears, then quickly changed the subject.

“By the way, how do you plan to make the intruders confess? If we fail, we’ll have no way to prove Prince Leonis’s crimes…”

I straightened my back, moving away from the sofa. Then I looked at Evander Alphonse with a wicked smile curling at the corners of my mouth.

“…I think it will be resolved thanks to you, Brother.”

*

“Cough-! No matter what you do to me, I will never talk!!”

Meeting with one of the intruders.

It was the one I had confronted before turning back the hourglass.

I spoke with an indifferent expression.

“I haven’t said anything yet. Why are you suddenly talking on your own!?”

“K-kill me instead! What kind of game is this, keeping me here for three days without even torturing me!?”

“You want to be tortured that badly!?”

At my question, the intruder, tied tightly to a chair with rope, ground his teeth.

“Haha! If I feared torture, I wouldn’t have come here in the first place!”

“So what’s your name!?”

“My name is Selden Alphonse, scum of the Eastern Continent! Kuhahaha!”

The torture hasn’t even started yet, but why does his mental state seem so unstable?

Are all of Prince Leonis’s subordinates like this?

I smiled slightly and tilted my head.

“Why am I scum?”

“…What else would you call someone who doesn’t even ask the name of an intruder in his own home for three days!?”

“Hah… Do you still not realize that I’m giving you a chance?”

“Kuhahaha! I may not know much, but I know one thing—you haven’t managed to get any proper information from the others who were captured with me.”

I yawned deeply and continued.

“So who’s behind you?”

“There is no one behind me!”

“…So you really have no intention of talking?”

“I’m telling the truth, why won’t you believe me?”

“You have no reason to kill me. Unless it’s Prince Leonis.”

“Who is Prince Leonis?”

I tested him slightly, but this intruder was remarkably good at controlling his expressions.

As he said, I hadn’t even managed to get his name in three days.

“Prince Leonis, that dimwit from the Western Continent.”

“…I don’t know him.”

“A shameless man who’s trying to kill his own brother and only sister to take the Emperor’s throne. He’s even ugly to boot.”

“…I have no idea what you’re talking about!!”

Honestly, thinking about what happened before I turned back the hourglass, I wanted to cut off this intruder’s head right then and there.

However, I needed to reveal who was behind this.

For Emperor Mallius to take action against the Western Continent, he needed a “justification.”

I looked at the intruder, who was still grinding his teeth in the chair, with cold eyes.

“You don’t have much time left to come clean.”

“Why don’t you give that chance… to a passing dog?”

“Actually, you’re worse than a dog. You’re living the life of a worm, taking lives without any will of your own.”

“…Seeing how you keep spouting nonsense, you don’t seem to like torture much?”

I crossed my arms heavily and spoke leisurely.

“That’s right. I can cut off your head, but torture doesn’t suit my personality.”

“Kuhahaha! How lucky! Even with all this provocation, you’re just trying to maintain your noble dignity?”

Tap-tap! Tap-tap!

Just then, the sound of heels coming down to the basement echoed.

I immediately turned my gaze to the intruder.

“This is truly your last chance. Tell me who’s behind this.”

“You keep making me repeat myself. Is your memory that bad?”

Creeeeak-! Clank-!

Just as I was about to say something more, a woman with long purple hair entered the prison, her hair flowing behind her.

She smiled brightly at the intruder.

“Is this him?”

“Yes, this is the intruder I told you about yesterday.”

“Ah… I see.”

“Will you be able to do it?”

The woman looked at the intruder and trembled slightly.

“If it’s Lord Selden Alphonse’s request, I must comply.”

“Thank you.”

“Could you perhaps bring the other two intruders here as well?”

“…Pardon?”

“Fear grows when one watches others, you know.”

I nodded to her as she gave a chilling smile.

“I’ll arrange it right away.”

After giving her a light bow, I approached the intruder tied to the chair.

And for the first time, I gave him a genuine smile without any pretense.

“Thank you for not revealing your backer until now.”