episode_0463

I had imagined various reactions that could come from Nege, but he didn’t show any of them.

Silence filled the air as I explained the situation of Viscount Hutton to Nege, but he didn’t seem happy, upset, or surprised. He just stared at me blankly.

“Why aren’t you reacting at all?”

It was eerie.

“I was just too shocked. I’m still trying to understand what the boss told me.”

“Shocked? In what way? What don’t you understand?”

Was he surprised that Viscount Hutton had collapsed and fainted?

To someone like Nege, the extent to which a person can be cruel might have been shocking.

“You said everything was done by the boss.”

“It wasn’t all me, did I just lead it to happen that way? It wasn’t that difficult.”

It was all about getting someone to find the weaknesses, then using those weaknesses to provoke the Viscountess and create the situation.

“While it may not have been difficult for the boss, it’s a remarkable feat for someone like me. I’m worried that you went through all this trouble because of me.”

“The Viscount’s downfall was due to the reputation he built up. If those people hadn’t left behind those weaknesses, I wouldn’t have been able to bring him down so quickly and easily. And he hasn’t completely fallen yet.”

“From what the boss said, it seems like it’s only a matter of time before he falls, right?”

Although I said it humbly, the Viscount’s family was as good as finished.

“Thank goodness. You’re happy about it, right?”

“I’m not sure if I can simply express this feeling as happiness. I sorted out my feelings about Viscount Hutton that day with Fran.”

Nege seemed to find it difficult to explain the emotions he was feeling.

“I thought he would live well in that position until he died. Whatever I did, it wouldn’t change anything. Sorting out my emotions was ultimately a compromise with reality.”

What could change if commoners hated nobles?

They would still live well.

There was nothing commoners could do to take revenge on nobles.

So, I turned away from Viscount Hutton under the excuse of sorting out my emotions.

“I thought I had sorted everything out, but it seems like I haven’t. Listening to the boss’s words, I couldn’t believe it, but it made me feel good. What should I say? It wasn’t a relief, but it felt like a weight had been lifted off my chest.”

“A sense of relief, right?”

“Yes! That’s it.”

I was relieved.

Nege showed a positive reaction.

But why was his reaction so indifferent?

Shouldn’t there be at least a hint of joy if he was happy?

“But the reason I feel good is a bit different from what the boss thinks.”

“What’s different? Weren’t you happy that Viscount Hutton became unhappy?”

“That too, but I was grateful and happy for the effort you put in for me and my daughter. I’m grateful, and I’m thinking about how to repay you.”

“It’s okay. And it’s natural for family members to help each other in such situations.”

Nege blushed at my mention of family.

“Are you uncomfortable?”

I already consider Fran as my family.

Therefore, it’s only natural that Nege is also part of my family.

“No. I’m fine.”

Feeling slightly uncomfortable with Nege’s gaze, which seemed a bit dazed, I took a step back.

“Ahem, by the way, when things are settled, would you like to meet?”

“Meet the Viscount?”

“Yes.”

Just hearing that Viscount Hutton had fallen wouldn’t make it feel real.

The final revenge is to directly meet the opponent who has fallen into disgrace, isn’t it?

Negi hesitated before accepting my proposal and said, “Can I take some time to think about it and give you an answer?”

“Of course. Take your time. There’s still plenty of time. I told you because I need to know how things are progressing.”

Having prepared the Marquis of Hutton well, all that was left was to receive the results and enjoy them.

I don’t know how much longer he has left in his life, but that time is unlikely to be comfortable or enjoyable.

Having denied everything in life, it is also questionable how long he can endure in his right mind.

‘That beautiful child is not my own, and the prestigious family has been torn apart from within. Knowing that my wife has another lover, it’s enough to drive me crazy.’

The amount of misfortune pouring down on one person is no joke.

Being an awakened one doesn’t mean you can easily withstand mental shocks.

Denying everything you’ve lived for must feel like a betrayal, and it seemed like he wouldn’t last long.

“Negi, do you prefer to see the Marquis of Hutton suffer for a long time, or would you rather cleanly end it at the top?”

“…That’s a scary question.”

I chuckled and said, “If you’re hesitant to choose, you don’t have to.”

But in my opinion, Negi would make a decisive choice.

She may be kind and gentle, but that doesn’t mean she’s without anger.

Moreover, once a naturally gentle person gets angry, it’s truly terrifying.

‘I spent several years in prison unjustly because of that guy.’

Even if she didn’t become like the people there, she must have heard and seen many things.

Even if the stories were full of boasting among the criminals, there wouldn’t be anyone feeling remorse for the tragedy of the Marquis of Hutton.

“I prefer the latter.”

And as expected, Negi made an unexpected choice after pondering.

I thought she might wish for the Marquis of Hutton to suffer as much as she did in prison.

And could this be evidence that she is kind?

Seeing her show mercy even to her enemy.

“Will that satisfy you?”

“You’re not going to kill him yourself, are you?”

“I don’t need to dirty my hands.”

With so many people wanting to kill that man, why should I be the one to do it?

“Alright then. It seems better for me to end it quickly.”

“Isn’t it better for him to suffer for a long time?”

“Of course, that would be more painful. But watching him suffer for a long time would also be difficult for me.”

Enjoying watching someone else’s misery is one thing, but eventually, the existence of the Marquis of Hutton could become a burden.

I agreed that it would be too exhausting.

“Understood.”

It wouldn’t be difficult to proceed in the direction Negi wanted.

“Do you know about Franco?”

“Not yet.”

“When will you tell me?”

“I need to know before the results come out.”

“Can I tell you?”

“You, Negi?”

“Yes. I want to see the child and talk to him face to face.”

Just because you’ve enlisted in the military doesn’t mean you can’t see your family until you get leave.

You can meet them during visitation.

“Feel free. Let’s meet on your day off.”

Negi insisted that taking a day off from work was not good, but can a person work continuously for 365 days?

He decided to take a break once a week, and on that day, he could visit Franco.

It might take a few days to travel there, but Negi wouldn’t understand that, so using Daemon to go and come back would be fine.

※ ※ ※

“You called for me?”

“Gabriel, come in. Have a seat.”

“Yes.”

After destroying the hatchery, the direct unit had been engaging in leisurely activities for a while.

Actually, it doesn’t quite fit to call it a leisurely activity.

Perhaps because of experiencing the difficult task of the incubator, relatively speaking, the original task became easier.

So, it would be more accurate to say that it returned to the original task rather than a leisurely activity.

“What did you call me for?”

“A notice came from above. They’re summoning you.”

“Me? Am I the only one going, not the entire direct unit?”

“Yes. It says that other direct unit members may be summoned later.”

“What kind of situation are we being summoned for?”

“Unusual things are happening in the Empire these days.”

Listening to Captain Rebecca’s explanation, I began to grasp what I needed to do.

“So, we’re supposed to find the reason for these abnormal occurrences and come up with a solution. I understand what needs to be done, but may I ask why I’m being specifically summoned?”

“Princess Hwang mentioned you directly, and I also thought you were a suitable choice. This time, it’s not something that can be solved simply with strength. We need to analyze the reasons for these occurrences and come up with solutions. That’s why I thought you were suitable.”

It might be a good choice, but since she was specifically summoned from above, it was said that she was not an unsuitable choice to recommend other unit members.

“Thank you for trusting me.”

“It’s quite serious. It’s happening in a few places, but it seems to be getting bigger.”

“We need to find a solution as soon as possible.”

A heavy responsibility was placed on my shoulders.

But it wasn’t bad.

Even if it meant being summoned for this task to fulfill my father’s request for treatment, it wasn’t a bad thing.

‘Finally, the moment I’ve been waiting for has come.’

The more serious, the better.

The more serious the task, the more rewards you could receive upon completion.

“Where do I need to go? I will move as quickly as possible.”

“You need to hear the details first, why are you in such a rush to go already?”

“Sorry. I was too eager.”

“No matter how serious the situation, don’t act too hastily. You might end up making things worse.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

“Okay, since we have to go far, start packing your things.”

“Yes.”

For the sake of my father, this business trip must be resolved.

During the last vacation, spending time with my father changed my thoughts a lot.

As Chairman Soo-han said, my father is also a person.

The situation had come where I, who had always been in a protected position, now had to protect him in return.

Feeling a strange emotion of how much I had grown, I also felt sorry for my father who had been taken away too early due to injury.

‘I will lift my father up again with my own hands.’

If I could accomplish it, it would be a very meaningful moment in my life.