Episode 93 – Lure

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The day before the event to welcome the Inquisitorial Order dispatched to investigate Jennifer’s suspicious death and the heresy spreading in the capital.

Piadu, the son of Duke Balguir who had been missing, appeared at the Duke Balguir family’s mansion in the capital.

And with a prostitute named Rose.

Villard, who had been preparing to go to the Imperial Palace with a disturbed mind because of his son’s disappearance for three weeks, grabbed his son by the collar and dragged him into the room.

Villard, who always maintained a calm appearance, rarely turned his face red and shouted at Piadu.

“What the hell are you? Where the hell have you been until now!”

“I’m sorry, Father…”

Slap

Villard slapped Piadu across the face before he could finish his sentence.

Piadu gritted his teeth and didn’t make a sound.

“To think that my only son is so useless, who would welcome my ascension to the throne when my heir is such a pathetic bastard like you!”

“…”

“So, you smelled the party and showed up only today? You trash.”

Piadu answered without batting an eye, like a trained soldier.

“No. I heard rumors that my disappearance is linked to the Countess Jennifer’s heresy charges, and I came to correct my mistake.”

“You knew that and you still did that shit? And who is that whore? Did you run away with her in a love affair or something?”

“That’s right.”

“What?”

Villard was so dumbfounded by Piadu’s almost refreshing answer that he inhaled roughly.

He didn’t know how that woman had bewitched him, but Piadu didn’t seem to be afraid of Villard’s anger, unlike usual.

Rather, Piadu began to spout shameless nonsense.

“I’m going to take her as my partner this time.”

“…You’re crazy. You’re out of your mind. Talk some sense!”

“Father, please allow it.”

“Eeek!”

Mana began to rise from Villard’s body.

Villard activated the torture magic that Piadu was so afraid of, waving his mana as if showing off.

Sharp, mana-made fishhooks stuck to Piadu’s shoulders, chest, arms, and legs, piercing through him.

“Ugh!”

As it was magic used to torture criminals, the pain must have been indescribable, but Piadu gritted his teeth and held back his screams, unlike usual.

Villard, who was full of anger, was surprised by his son’s appearance, and his anger subsided a little.

“Huh, so you’re trying to act cool because you got a girl you like.”

“Kkeueu… Keuk,”

Villard bent his fingers and manipulated the fishhooks attached to Piadu’s body, pulling them taut.

Piadu’s eyes turned bloodshot and tears began to leak out as he felt the pain of tearing his skin and directly stabbing his nerves.

However, Piadu occasionally let out groans between his teeth, but he never screamed.

Villard was even more surprised by his son’s appearance and released the magic.

As the needles that had pierced his skin and pulled his body disappeared, Piadu collapsed to the ground.

Villard looked down at his son and opened his mouth.

“I’m worried that she’s a prostitute, but it seems like you’ve met a decent girl. You’ve become quite manly in the meantime.”

“…Tha, eugh, thank…you.”

Villard sighed as he looked at his fallen son.

His son, who would never rebel against his father for fear of him, even if he played bad games outside, was doing strange things at a late age, but he had returned to a fairly manly appearance that even Villard admired.

Just a few months ago, Piadu would scream so loudly that the whole neighborhood would hear him at the sight of a single needle.

Men tend to change when they have someone they truly love, and it seems that the prostitute was such a person to Piadu.

What kind of woman is she, that a mere prostitute could change that frivolous Piadu, who had already had his fill of whoring around, like this?

Could it be brainwashing using something like drugs, rather than a normal method?

Villard thought it was necessary to find out who the prostitute named Rose was.

“…Ha, bring that girl here. I need to meet her myself.”

“Then, let’s go together. I’ve made a reservation for a meal.”

“What?”

Villard was dumbfounded and annoyed.

Was he saying that the Duke of this empire would show himself in front of people, dining with a mere prostitute?

Villard judged that his son was completely possessed by a woman and was out of his mind.

He even thought that enduring the pain of torture magic was not a sign of becoming manly, but merely a simple bravado.

However, Piadu opened his mouth as if he had read Villard’s thoughts.

“Don’t worry, Father. There’s a secret restaurant that’s not open to ordinary people. If we don’t use a conspicuous family carriage, we can have a meal in secret. The quality of the food is also decent.”

At this point, Villard was so shocked that he felt like he had been hit in the back of the head.

The shock was so great that his anger had long since disappeared.

“…You thought and acted that far ahead?”

“…I’ve been short-sighted until now.”

Piadu was his one and only son, but he was never a bright child.

He was intoxicated by the sweetness of the power given to him from birth, and he only knew how to wield it. Even though he had been educated since he was young, he grew up into a pathetic figure who spent his days in debauchery.

Still, as his own child, Villard had affection for his son, but he was also prepared to kill him for the sake of the future if he ever ascended to the throne.

But what the hell happened to him during these three weeks that he’s showing a different side of himself?

The street proverb that a man is what a woman makes him sounded painfully true today.

Villard nodded in satisfaction.

Even if it’s a secret restaurant, it’s impossible to completely control the secrecy, so even if it’s a good answer, it’s only worth 5 points, but it was only natural that he looked great if his son, who had always failed, scored at least half marks.

Villard told Piadu to lead the way.

Unlike usual, Piadu bowed politely to Villard and went out to arrange a carriage.

He thought that things had only been going wrong since Jennifer’s death, but good and bad luck always come in turns.

A few moments later, an ordinary carriage with no special features arrived at the Balguir family’s mansion.

Villard got into the carriage with Piadu.

“Where is that girl?”

“She’s waiting at the restaurant first. For a good seat.”

“I see…”

While the carriage was moving, Villard asked Piadu a few questions about politics and society that were difficult to answer.

Normally, he would only spout nonsense and shut his mouth, saying that it didn’t suit him, but now Piadu, though a little off, was spitting out answers without hesitation.

Villard was newly impressed by his appearance.

Villard tried to count how long it had been since he had enjoyed talking to his son, but he couldn’t remember it very well.

After thinking about it a little more, it seemed that he had never enjoyed talking to his son due to generational differences or differences in levels.

What kind of magic did that prostitute cast?

Could she really be a witch?

Villard scratched his head.

Villard was so engrossed in the conversation with Piadu that he hardly looked out the window.

Was that why?

Villard didn’t realize that this wasn’t a restaurant.

“Father, we’ve arrived. Please get off.”

“Is that so? Let’s talk about the rest with that child again.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Remembering that the carriage looked shabby, Villard pulled the door of the carriage open with his own hand.

When the carriage door opened, a person he had never seen before was standing right in front of the carriage entrance.

The person, who almost bumped noses with Villard, was a young man with black hair, amber eyes, and pale skin.

At first, he thought he was an employee opening the carriage door, but he was actually sticking his head into the carriage, looking around and looking at Villard and Piadu’s faces alternately.

Villard asked the young man who was presumptuously blocking the entrance to the Duke’s carriage.

“What are you doing instead of getting out of the way?”

“You’re Duke Villard de Balguir, right?”

The young man smiled so wide that his mouth seemed to tear.

Villard began to get angry at his disrespectful attitude.

If you run a suspicious facility called a secret maintenance restaurant, it may be natural to hire people who roll around in the underworld, but even so, to hire someone with such a lack of manners as a carriage attendant,

Villard lowered his voice, deducting points for Piadu’s choice of location.

“You bastard. Do you want to die…”

“Do I want to die, what?”

“…”

Villard stopped talking.

It was because he had found a rope used to bind people in the young man’s hand.

“Who, who are you?”

“Me?”

The young man said with a smile.

“The chef in charge of today’s main course.”

At the same time, Piadu, who was standing behind Villard, covered Villard’s face with a blanket, blinding him.

Villard was startled and struggled.

However, he felt someone forcibly grabbing Villard’s legs and tying both ankles and wrists.

Villard realized that something was wrong and shouted.

“What is this! Le, let go! Won’t you let go? Do you know who I am?! Piadu! Piadu! What is this all about!”

Villard was very embarrassed and struggled, calling out to his son.

Piadu’s familiar voice slowly came from near Villard’s head.

“Ah, don’t worry, Father. It’s for security because it’s such a secret restaurant…”

“Don’t be ridiculous! Piadu, what are you saying!”

“Shh, be quiet. Father, the dignity of the Duke’s family is falling.”

“You bastard! Did that whore tell you to do this!”

Villard felt that his mind was not keeping up with the embarrassing situation that was happening now.

The Balguir family was the ruler of the Balguir Kingdom, which bordered the Sionia Kingdom until the Sionisia Empire was founded.

In other words, he was a king until 20 years ago.

Kidnapping was a first for him.

“Wait! What do you want!”

“Ah, you’re noisy. I need to quiet you down for a moment.”

“I’d be happy to do that. Baron.”

Villard lost consciousness as he felt the sole of someone’s solid shoe crush his nose.

.