Chapter 86: Count Corrode and the Eight Knights – 5

“Whew.”

On the fourth day of the talks, I took a moment to rest by the riverbank.

It wasn’t just Vivian and Count Corrode who were exhausted.

Vivian’s guards, the eight knights, and I were all worn out too.

Every day felt like a battle of wits and stares, like walking on thin ice.

According to Vivian, she was giving her all to ensure no conflicts arose.

But political battles weren’t my domain, so there wasn’t much I could do to help.

To endure this fatigue, it was necessary to take occasional breaths of relief.

That’s why I was spending time by the river today.

“Why don’t they leave already…”

The muttered words slipped out before I realized it, but someone seemed to overhear me.

It was Count Corrode.

Behind him were Liard and Bariot, though the others were nowhere to be seen.

The knights outside the castle all had swords hanging from their waists.

Although I felt awkward about being overheard, I didn’t bother correcting myself.

There was no need to mask sincerity with pretense.

Count Corrode spoke up.

“Besides, I could say the same to you. Alan, aren’t you leaving?”

“Leaving? Where to?”

“Where else? Back to your hometown.”

Count Corrode’s usual dignified air seemed slightly diminished.

His shoulders were relaxed, and his expression was softened.

He didn’t react irritably to my offhand remark either.

The atmosphere was entirely different from the one Vivian had described.

It seemed like he, too, was trying to take a break here, just like I was.

Still, I couldn’t help but wonder—why has everyone been talking about home so much lately?

I felt like the only one unable to adapt to this sudden shift.

“I’ve never heard that your Alan family was treated kindly.”

“We’re not exactly kind. But this is just basic decency. To have been torn away from your family at 14, growing up alone in enemy territory, and to rise this far… not as a commoner, but as the eldest son of a great house of the Eastern Kingdom, the Alan family.”

“It’s unfortunate, isn’t it? Growing up among commoners during those formative years, unable to learn proper etiquette.”

“Well, maybe that’s all thanks to Vivian Rondor. Wasn’t she the one who threw you into the punishment unit?”

I chose to remain silent.

I had come here to escape them, yet here they were, following me, testing my patience.

I absentmindedly poked at the ground with my foot, waiting for them to leave.

Count Corrode, who had also been staring at the flowing river, suddenly asked quietly.

“…Want some help, Kailo Alan?”

“What?”

“Returning home. I can help.”

He turned slowly to look at me.

Behind him, Liard raised his eyebrows at me as if in agreement.

It was clear they had rehearsed this plenty of times—their actions were far too natural.

“Getting one person out of a city is no big deal. With peace between the Eastern Kingdom and Delrum on the horizon, it wouldn’t hurt me to have a debt owed. As the future head of the Alan family, and with your skills as a knight… it’s a fair deal.”

Thoughts swirled chaotically in my head at his offer, but my conclusion came just as quickly.

“…No, thanks.”

It was a troubling proposal.

Besides, I’d already thought this through far too many times.

I had resolved not to leave, even for my father’s sake, and Count Corrode couldn’t sway me.

Knowing Vivian’s current predicament, I couldn’t simply leave.

Knowing she might die, I couldn’t bring myself to abandon her.

If I had to part ways, I wanted to do so looking her in the eye and saying goodbye.

After helping her secure her position and eliminate her enemies, perhaps the grudge against our family would lessen—if only a little.

At that time, perhaps we could exchange a handshake or even a hug and cheer each other on as we walked our respective paths.

Although Vivian persistently denies the bond we share, she would surely manage that much.

…Or perhaps not.

I don’t know.

I won’t think about it.

In any case, we each have our own paths to walk someday.

I simply want to tread mine with as little regret as possible.

Count Corrode let out a hollow laugh, seemingly caught off guard by my refusal, then remained stiff for a long moment.

Exchanging glances with his knights, he muttered in a voice laced with exasperation.

“…You’re even dumber than I thought. What exactly do you stand to gain by staying in this land?”

“What reason would I have to trust the hand of someone who mocked me just days ago?”

“…It was merely a battle of wits, nothing personal.”

“Enough. I don’t need your help. I have no intention of owing you anything.”

“…Think again, Kailo Alan. You might regret this choic—”

“I said enough.”

Count Corrode gazed at me silently for a moment in response to my firm answer.

After exchanging looks with his knights once more, he turned and left without another word.

I watched them depart, their backs receding into the distance.

Then, taking a deep breath, I returned my gaze to the flowing river.

***

“Foolish bastard.”

Count Corrode muttered the words bitterly from the room allotted to him.

When Liard and Bariot followed him in and shut the door, he threw his sword to the ground in frustration.

Next, he flung himself into a creaky chair, continuing his tirade.

“The cub doesn’t even realize the mother bear is gone and keeps thrashing about. Still… still…!”

Liard, as if sharing his master’s incomprehension, voiced his agreement.

“Sir Hiden clearly gave him a warning. Could it be he lacks any sense of crisis?”

Bariot murmured.

“Or perhaps he’s that confident in his abilities. If he’s been hunting dragons since the age of fifteen, it’s not unreasonable.”

Count Corrode let out a groan and spoke in a rapid-fire manner.

“In the end, the Alan brats are all the same. Stupid, but physically indomitable, with an infuriating tenacity. Their family crest is fitting. No bear could match a bear like that.”

“There’s certainly a resemblance to Jade Alan. He must have been separated from his father since the age of fourteen.”

“On top of that, he reeks of the habits of common folk, making him all the more repulsive.”

Kailo Alan’s unreasonable behavior had thrown many of Count Corrode’s plans into disarray.

For years now, these two brats—Kailo Alan and Vivian Rondor—had been a thorn in his side.

Ignorant whelps who licked each other’s wounds had grown this formidable.

Count Corrode instinctively felt that any further delay would cost him the opportunity entirely.

This was a turning point.

Vivian Rondor had thrived, using Kailo Alan as her shield, and she had grown strong enough to gather a significant number of talented commoners around her, bolstering her power.

Though criticizing her actions was easy, the improvement in Loctana’s situation was unnerving.

The military was being reinforced, and the economy was revitalized.

Amid these positive changes, Vivian’s standing had solidified.

This could not be allowed to continue.

Count Corrode and his collaborator had already joined hands.

The collaborator had promised that if they succeeded in elevating him to the position of Duke of Rondor, he would cede part of Loctana’s territory to Count Corrode.

The territory included fertile lands, stunning landscapes, and highly versatile trade routes, making it imperative to crush Vivian Rondor at any cost.

If their plan succeeded, the Rondor family would never dare challenge the Corrode family again.

The changes that began now would ripple far into the future.

Though his collaborator must also foresee this future, they likely still coveted the position of Duke of Rondor more than their current status.

In any case, once the change took place, there would no longer be a reason to call the Duke of Rondor, nor would they hold the status of actual rulers of this region.

Above all, this plan was irresistibly tempting to Count Corrode, who was hungry for power.

It was a plan that had been in progress for several years already.

However, it had frequently been thwarted by that man, Kailo Alan.

Even now, it was the same.

If only Kailo were out of the picture, the rest of the plan would flow smoothly and naturally.

He was the only thorn that remained awkwardly lodged in the way.

No matter how much one tried to ignore him, his presence was impossible to overlook.

“Even if you try to remove him, he won’t budge…”

During the time of Lady Alan, it was Vivian who refused to let go of Kailo.

And during Jade Alan’s time, it was Kailo who refused to leave.

“…Hah.”

With a sigh, Count Corrode clicked his tongue.

Liard spoke up.

“Didn’t Scholar Crellin say that the two of them still openly show hatred for each other?”

“Indeed, he did.”

“Could it be a lie? Judging from Kailo Alan’s behavior.”

“No, Brynden also conveyed the same, so it must be true.”

“Then why is it that the two of them… no, especially Kailo Alan…”

“…That’s why I can’t understand the Alan.”

In the end, everyone gave up trying to understand and fell silent.

In that silence, a shared thought bloomed, one that everyone held without saying a word.

Their gazes silently met across the room.

“…So?”

Liard asked.

“What do you mean?”

Count Corrode leaned back against the chair and spoke weakly.

“I’ve given them enough chances. This is where meddling children stop interfering with the plans of adults.”