episode_0278

“What?”

Victoria’s attitude until just before, which had been indifferent and even somewhat relaxed,

was, in some ways, no different from her usual self.

However, things changed from the moment Laonjena mentioned her mother, Adrian.

She always maintained a poker face, but now her face had visibly hardened.

If Victoria had an unavoidable weak point, it would ultimately be her mother, Adrian, whom she had lost too soon.

[The reaction is immediate. Are you curious? Or do you want to kill me for bringing up your mother’s name? It’s simple to do that. Accept my offer. Step aside, you two beside her. Then I will let you come here and kill me.]

Although the words were brief, a murderous aura of a terrifying level emanated from Victoria’s eyes and voice.

It felt as though she would summon her sword at any moment and rush to take Laonjena’s head.

However, Laonjena, on the contrary, seemed to find that appearance consistent with what she wanted and persistently pressed for a negotiation.

“You mustn’t give in, Victoria! It’s that guy’s wicked scheme!”

“That’s right! Please wait a moment! Our colleagues outside will handle the situation and find a way!”

Although they don’t know the specifics, Farnese and Vincent also know Victoria’s family history to a certain extent. After all, they are also from aristocratic families, so they grew up hearing about the great aristocratic Bayern saga.

Therefore, they recognized that even Victoria, who is usually so rational and unshakable, would find it difficult to endure the provocation Laonjena was currently unfolding.

“I will do as he says.”

However, Victoria’s decision was to step into Laonjena’s proposal.

Victoria made a decision without hesitation,

but unlike the murderous intent from just before, she felt a little calmer.

“There’s no guarantee that the situation will be resolved properly just by standing here facing off like this.”

Although it was a momentary surge of personal murderous intent, Victoria, who possessed the responsibility of a leader leading her comrades, was not the type of person to remain stuck in that state.

“Understood, Victoria.”

Therefore, Vincent and Farnese also accepted Victoria’s order.

[Heh heh…as expected, she is different from Antoine, who only knows how to stab in the back.]

Laonjena, who was watching the scene, reacted with a subtle upturn of his lips.

[I welcome it. I welcome the opening of Pandora’s box and the discovery of the story of dirty infighting.]

Thud thud thud thud thud thud thud!

That smile was an acknowledgement.

Therefore, as promised, Laonjena raised the switch next to him and lowered the bridge that would allow crossing the cliff edge to Victoria.

**********

“The Holy See made such a secret request to Bishop Charlotte, Eugene?”

Grand Duchess Marianne, who had been diligently taking care of the people of Bahad and was taking a short break,

was having tea with her beloved adopted son, Eugene Schneider, who had come to visit.

Her eyes widened slightly at what Eugene Schneider said.

“Yes, Mother. I’ve been personally trying to grasp the situation yesterday and today, but I haven’t had much success. So, I came here because I thought you might have something you could point to. I know you’re very busy taking care of people, but…”

“Oh my. How can you say such things when my son comes to see his mother? Hohohoho.”

Eugene is telling Marianne about the Holy See’s request that he heard from his older sister Charlotte yesterday.

Marianne has become especially busy since Bahad’s center was restored.

This is because she has to take care of the sick and feed the starving people.

Therefore, after the security-related systems such as the Heart of the Sun were fully established, Eugene and Charlotte tried not to burden Marianne with any more burdens.

Nevertheless, the Holy See’s movements were so unusual that Eugene asked his mother for help.

“Well…I don’t really have anything that comes to mind right now…”

Marianne, who was pondering to herself, shook her head slightly.

“I see.”

Eugene nodded slowly at Marianne’s skeptical reaction.

‘Hmm…that’s not like Mother.’

However, unlike his nodding, Eugene had serious doubts about Marianne’s current reaction.

‘If it were Mother usually, she would be thinking more actively and trying to help in any way she could.’

Who is Marianne? She is the woman whom Charlotte, who is overflowing with benevolence beyond her age, respects and wants to resemble the most.

In other words, she is a woman who is so overflowing with love that she can’t think straight when it comes to her adopted son, Eugene Schneider.

It doesn’t make sense for such a woman to show such a static reaction now.

‘In fact, this is the kind of appearance she’s been showing recently. Ever since we experienced the dimensional rift together and there were reports of strange movements on the Empire’s side, Mother has been showing this kind of appearance.’

Of course, the respect and love that Eugene Schneider has for Marianne is very deep.

Therefore, he wouldn’t make such a confident analysis based solely on her current appearance.

From the moment he learned that Marianne had been diligently investigating Atlantis, Eugene naturally watched her new appearance, and the situation was sorted out in those few days.

“Um, son…? I hope you don’t misunderstand when I say this…”

At that moment, Marianne, who had been maintaining a fairly static reaction, hesitated and seemed to want to say something else.

“What is it, Mother? Tell me anything. I’m your son, Eugene Schneider! I’m always on your side, Mother!”

Eugene welcomed her with a naive smile.

Eugene’s complex analysis is more about worrying about Marianne than doubting her.

He wonders if Marianne has any worries that he doesn’t know about.

Therefore, Eugene is prepared to listen and empathize with his beloved adoptive mother if she confesses her inner thoughts.

“Okay, thank you, son. So, what I want to say is…”

Marianne, who seemed relieved by Eugene Schneider’s attitude, was about to continue speaking,

“Eugene Assault Captain! Another letter has arrived from Vivian Pietà, the head of the trading company! It’s a letter with an urgent ribbon attached!”

However, her words were soon cut off.

This was because Donovan, the vice commander of the Bahad defense force, urgently sought out Eugene Schneider.

“An urgent letter from Vivian Trading Company?”

Skrrrt!

Eugene roughly pulled the chair back and stood up.

Currently, the person who can provide him with the best quality information is undoubtedly Vivian.

In the first place, she was the one who first told him about the suspicious movements of the Imperial Knights.

Therefore, Eugene is reacting immediately, even though he was talking to Marianne.

“If she’s sending it with an urgent mark…”

Rustle, rustle, rustle,

Eugene opened Vivian’s letter that he received from Donovan.

Flitch!

Then, Eugene Schneider began to read it,

and his expression suddenly hardened subtly.

“What’s written in it, Eugene?”

Then, Marianne also came closer to him and was curious.

“It seems that the imperial family has sent a secret rescue request to my cousin, Vivian, the head of the trading company.”

It was an unexpected content.

The emperor, feeling threatened by something, sent a rescue signal to Vivian, who is his cousin but not really on good terms with him.

**********

[I know she’s only 21 years old, but her mind control ability is unbelievably great. I thought she would draw her sword and rush at me as soon as she stood close to me.]

Victoria, having crossed the bridge that Laonjena lowered, finally stood about five steps away from her.

Victoria is looking at Laonjena with a poker face that betrays no emotion.

Laonjena admired her, shaking her head in amazement.

“It doesn’t seem like an environment where we can have a leisurely conversation over tea, so let’s get straight to the point. Tell me, considering that a knife might be coming straight for my neck, as you say, what’s the background behind bringing up my mother’s name?”

But if things are proceeding as she said, Laonjena will eventually give her neck to Victoria.

So, she should be able to suppress the murderous intent that is welling up within her.

Therefore, Victoria was intently focused on the story that Laonjena was about to tell.

[I guess you have a rough idea, but I’ve been doing some extensive background checks on the existence of Victoria von Bayern.]

Then Laonjena started off.

[In the process, I learned that you, Victoria von Bayern, have a great interest in the Sword Saint Ulysses Schneider, the first Jedi of our Sophists.]

Laonjena reacted quite meaningfully when Victoria appeared.

That means she had been paying close attention to her,

The Sophists and Laonjena had been stalking Victoria for some reason.

Therefore, she also knew that she had been searching for traces of Ulysses Schneider during her wandering days.

“That’s in poor taste. Yes, the Sword Saint was also a close friend of my father’s. I followed my father’s belief, and so I believed that the Sword Demon’s appearance was not his entire being.”

Victoria, judging that there was no reason to hide it anymore, told her that she admired Ulysses.

[Heh heh heh…then you must not like what’s in front of you very much. A human who betrayed his master, a human who drove his master to death and gave him the stigma of the Sword Demon.]

Laonjena reacted sarcastically to Victoria’s candid revelation.

The story that Laonjena betrayed Ulysses Schneider is not something that can be known simply by having an interest in Ulysses.

In other words, Laonjena assumed that Victoria had heard a more in-depth behind-the-scenes story from Antoine or Constantine.

“His best disciple, and even more than that, he was a great favorite, wasn’t he? That was the first time I saw my father so angry. How could he betray the benefactor and master who saved his life, raised him, and even taught him the path of the sword?”

Victoria didn’t bother to hide it.

When Ulysses died, Constantine was still wandering with his daughter.

So, she heard the inside story of the incident a little later from another close friend, Antoine.

Constantine couldn’t hide his emotions in shock for a while, and because of that influence, Victoria was able to understand the general situation.

Clench…!

At that moment, Laonjena’s expression, which had seemed relaxed and had a sneering expression, was distorted.

[Don’t lie…because of that snake-like human…I was caught in the scheme of that snake-like bastard Antoine…the real person who killed Ulysses Schneider was Antoine, that son of a bitch!!!!!!!!]

An explosion of passionate emotions,

Laonjena began to explode with the twisted chaos within her.

At the same time, she claimed that the person who corrupted and killed the Sword Saint Ulysses Schneider was not herself, but Antoine Desselles Obleon.