When Selling a Grave, Exclude My Own 7

Alice was an android beep-boop.

Of course, after Gaia, a True Ancestor, and the Dunhill Family’s maggot achieved fusion, she became a more complex entity composed of half-machine, half-organic matter rather than a perfect android. But fundamentally, it meant she could freely do anything a machine could do.

So, installing a camera with recording capabilities and enabling long-distance communication in Alice’s body was a piece of cake.

In fact, Alice had been diligently sending Rilstia and Oriana real-time evidence of Ruincrest’s rebellion and circumstantial evidence and documents related to the mega corp that had a military supply agreement with Arbentaine.

And now.

Alice was sending what she saw and heard somewhere.

[Our, no, the Arbentaine’s cause that I and my predecessors have achieved has been thwarted. All the resources we’ve gathered have been completely depleted. What should I do now, Alice?]

[Hmm? Find the cause?]

[The cause, you say. If I think carefully about the cause of this disaster, it would be those who dared to invade the archduke Arbentaine residence and destroy the homunculus cultivation facility.]

Alice’s video was being sent to the family of a Coffee Tree heavyweight, a member of the anti-rebellion faction.

Since it was a communication channel through which he received Arbentaine’s military supply information and minor evidence of rebellion from Alice, this time too, he was censoring the communication, wondering, “I wonder if Lady Alice has sent any useful information?”

“That’s…”

“It looks like the archduke Arbentaine residence. I know because I’ve been invited to banquets there.”

“But why is it like that now? Has it been attacked or something?”

“Surely not. Who would dare to touch Arbentaine in the Ruincrest layer?”

Even the anti-rebellion faction, when considered within the entire Ark, was in the top 1 percent of the highest echelons, but Perdain, who firmly controlled Ruincrest, was in an overwhelmingly superior position as a meritorious family.

No matter how much they opposed the rebellion, from Coffee Tree’s perspective, they could never even dream of terrorist attacks on meritorious families.

“But whoever did it, it’s a complete mess.”

“To think that such a massive facility exists beneath the archduke Arbentaine residence… I didn’t even sense it?”

“They must have installed a magical engineering confidentiality system.”

“Doesn’t that cost a tremendous amount of Ark dollars per hour?”

“That would be pocket change for the archduke Arbentaine residence.”

“Heh heh heh, whoever it is, they’re going to be completely screwed this time.”

Thus, the Coffee Tree heavyweights analyzed Alice’s video and voice while chatting amongst themselves.

They thought that although the evidence was still insufficient, if they gathered it and reported it to the Ark Central Administration, they could surely dispatch a First-Class Overseer or executor unit to stop Arbentaine’s ’cause.’

In fact, Coffee Tree’s plan was decent.

Because they were afraid of Arbentaine, they wouldn’t provoke Arbentaine, and they would gradually gather evidence through an excellent spy named Alice.

If they were caught, they could just cut off the tail, and since Alice was taking on the risk anyway, if things continued like this, Coffee Tree would eventually be able to deal with Perdain without even confronting him.

But Alice didn’t like them from the first time she contacted Coffee Tree.

They were cowards, and their motive for stopping the rebellion was that they didn’t want to lose their wealth and lives.

Just guys who were afraid of war and satisfied with their current lives.

But these guys, instead of stepping up themselves, were making Alice do the spying for them?

If they were caught, the best-case scenario might be death.

It wasn’t that actual spying was dangerous for Alice, but since Coffee Tree and its heavyweights knew Alice and still tried to put her in danger, from Alice’s perspective, Perdain and the anti-rebellion faction were all the same bastards.

So, Alice decided to do this.

-Oh, are you afraid to step up?

-Then I’ll make it so you can’t stand not stepping up.

-Are you afraid to be brave?

-Courage is inherent in you, so I’ll create an opportunity for you to be brave!

Thus, Alice transmitted Perdain’s anger to the Coffee Tree heavyweights in real time.

[This. It’s definitely those guys.]

[Those guys?]

[The anti-rebellion faction!]

-Thud!

In an instant, the Coffee Tree heavyweights.

Regardless of their origins as nobles, merchants, or hunters, the hearts of everyone present sank.

“What?”

“If it’s the anti-rebellion faction, doesn’t that mean us?”

“No, what is this? We didn’t even go near there, and no one knew there was such a massive secret facility under the archduke residence…”

Then, something flashed through the heavyweights’ minds.

[It’s a simple matter. Those anti-rebellion faction guys, the cowards of Coffee Tree who have no courage or cause, were cornered and caused this mess!]

“N, no!? What does that even mean!?”

“This…”

“No, what…!”

“No! Absolutely not! Lord Perdain, we didn’t even know such a facility existed in your archduke residence!”

The Coffee Tree members were shocked and expressed their injustice at Perdain’s declaration on the screen, but unfortunately, this wasn’t two-way communication, but a reconnaissance recording that Alice was unilaterally sending.

No matter how much Coffee Tree protested their innocence, Perdain couldn’t hear them.

[Yes, yes… Thinking about it, it’s a simple matter. Those guys are still nobles of Ruincrest! Their wealth and influence aren’t comparable to mine, but they’re considerable when looking at the entire Ark! If they’re determined to oppose me, there’s no way they couldn’t do something like this!]

“…….”

No, that’s not it.

We’re cowards.

We don’t want to lose what we have, we’re afraid of the rebellion war, and we’re even more afraid of you right next to us.

That’s why we’re moving so cautiously…

[If it’s the anti-rebellion faction… are you sure it was them, Father?]

[Alice, do you know who in the Ruincrest layer is hostile to me and Arbentaine right now?]

[Hmm… no one?]

[That’s right, no one. Any potential forces have already been incorporated into the cause. The entry and exit of all personnel in the layer cannot escape my eyes. It’s impossible for an enemy to come from outside!]

[In that case, the culprit of this archduke residence terror attack is naturally…]

The Coffee Tree heavyweights felt it when they saw Perdain’s very sharp eyes on the screen.

Ah, we’re screwed.

[Yes. Coffee Tree, those cowardly trash bastards dared to bite me directly! I’ve been leaving them alone because they haven’t taken any direct hostile actions, but these guys are trying to screw me over properly as the cause gets closer!]

“N, no…”

“Us?”

“Me?”

“Huh?”

Coffee Tree felt wronged.

No, we really didn’t do anything…

But the Coffee Tree heavyweights could understand Perdain’s words.

The only entity currently opposing Arbentaine in the Ruincrest layer?

-It’s Coffee Tree.

The force opposing the cause?

-It’s Coffee Tree.

In fact, Coffee Tree was even thinking of secretly gathering evidence and reporting the rebellion to the Central Administration.

No, now that I think about it, it’s not strange for Perdain to suspect us… but we really didn’t commit the terrorist attack on the archduke residence!

[Tonight… tonight! All the cowards who oppose the cause will be purged!]

“Gasp.”

“Haaah!”

“This can’t be…!”

In the end, from Perdain’s mouth.

From the mouth of the head of the meritorious family, the word ‘purge’ came out.

[As of this moment, I declare in the name of the archduke Arbentaine! The Ruincrest layer is entering a state of emergency martial law! All citizens are prohibited from going out until martial law is lifted, and those who show suspicious behavior will be killed immediately! The targets are all families and entrepreneurs belonging to Coffee Tree, and…!]

With that, Alice’s video transmission ended.

Ah, he even declared martial law?

If this happens, the Academy will also close… now it’s not just a matter of fighting and winning, but Perdain’s expression of his will to completely exterminate the forces and families themselves without leaving a trace.

“…….”

“…Huh.”

The heavyweights clutched their heads.

Alice risked her life to send a recording video from right in front of Perdain.

Thanks to that, they were able to recognize Perdain’s martial law and extermination plan in advance.

But, but…

What can we possibly do against a meritorious family?

No, but if we stay still, we’re going to die anyway?

Judging by the way Perdain’s eyes were rolling and his murderous intent was leaking out even through the screen, it didn’t seem like he would listen to us even if we insisted we weren’t the ones who did it?

Honestly, if I were Perdain, there would be no one else to commit a terrorist attack on the archduke residence other than the anti-rebellion faction?

“Eeeek! This won’t do! Gather all the private soldiers as of this moment!”

“Yes!?”

“What did you say?”

“Are you out of your mind! Lord Reikingdon!”

“Then what are we going to do?! Lord Perdain has already designated us as prey, and he won’t listen to any excuses we make!”

That’s true.

Since he declared martial law and an extermination order, Perdain’s private soldiers and combat secretarial corps would come rushing in as soon as it got dark.

They would kill not only themselves but also their families, employees, attendants, and even young children who inherited their blood.

“We can’t just sit here and have everything taken away and die!”

“Th, that’s right!”

“I hate war, but Perdain started this first!”

“We have to fight back!”

“I’ll contact a mercenary company I have personal connections with!”

“I’ll activate the combat imprint for all private soldiers.”

“E, ergh…! I’ll fight too. I’ll protect my family with my own hands!”

In the end, Coffee Tree had to reluctantly muster ‘courage.’

★

★

★

In fact, Alice had given the video a very slight ‘modification.’

In the transmitted screen, the Coffee Tree heavyweights saw Perdain alone, full of anger, saying, ‘It’s definitely those Coffee Tree bastards! I’ll wipe out all the anti-rebellion faction guys!’ but in reality, Perdain remained calm and composed even in this situation.

So, Alice subtly said from the side.

‘Father, in your opinion, is there any force in the current Ruincrest layer that could terrorize our family?’

‘No, there isn’t. As far as I know, they don’t exist. The family’s eyes control and monitor all personnel entering and exiting the layer…’

‘No, there is, isn’t there? Coffee Tree.’

‘What?’

‘Who else would there be besides them?’

‘But, those cowardly guys…!’

‘A cornered rat with no way to escape will bite a cat’s paw, won’t it?’

‘…That’s right. You’re right, Alice!’

Thus, with Alice’s encouragement, Perdain burned with clear hostility towards Coffee Tree and gathered his private soldiers and combat secretarial corps.

However, Perdain didn’t really think Coffee Tree was the culprit.

‘Since we’ve been terrorized, the justification for this matter is on our side first.’

Perdain thought there might be intervention from a third force or an infiltrator he hadn’t identified.

In fact, Perdain’s cool-headed judgment was close to the truth.

‘First, I’ll search all the families belonging to Coffee Tree, and take this opportunity to instill fear in them so they can’t oppose the cause. Maybe more people will join the cause.’

The reason for grandly issuing martial law and an extermination order was to give a kind of warning to the nobles belonging to Coffee Tree.

You know me, right?

You know I do what I say?

So, crawl when I tell you to.

Okay?

Let’s go easy on each other.

We’re all nobles of the same Ruincrest and descendants of meritorious families.

If the cause succeeds, we’ll be the rulers and dominators of the world.

So, let’s do it together. Okay?

Even if it was a coercive expression, Perdain thought that if this happened, he could completely unite the divided Ruincrest forces into one.

But…

“Oh my, Father. Look over there. A fully armed private soldier corps is waiting as if they’ve been expecting us~?”

“…!!!!!!”

No, what?

What did you say?

They were gathering a private soldier unit as if they knew we were coming!?

Even from a distance, the scale was considerable.

‘This, this…! Isn’t this a declaration of their will to deliberately oppose Arbentaine!!!’

They were preparing for battle, and they were gathering the private soldiers and troops they possessed…?

Then they knew I was coming?

I didn’t think so.

No matter how bold these bastards were, Perdain believed that petty people like Coffee Tree wouldn’t commit a terrorist attack.

Even if it was this or that, they were nobles of the same layer.

But… but these guys were for real?

As Alice said, they really did cause the terrorist attack on the archduke residence!?

Evidence?

The moment they deliberately gathered private soldiers like that, it was already over!

“Th, those damn bastards!!!!”

Alice grinned at the furious Perdain.

She hadn’t done anything like a mastermind until now and had been happily attending the Academy, but since she had inadvertently become a mastermind, she smiled like a mastermind.

Many graves were dug today… but at least there was no grave for Alice among them.