Chapter 110

“Gulp gulp!”

Count Holstead coughed up blood, staining the white sheets red. At a glance, his condition was far from normal. Whatever illness he had, it seemed like he was on his last legs. His fingertips were black, and even his eyes looked hollow, making it seem like treatment would be difficult.

“You’re probably thinking, ‘He clearly has a chronic illness… It looks hard to treat… What a pity for someone so young…’ or something along those lines.”

“How did you…?”

“I’m quite used to those kinds of looks. It’s better than the disgusted glances people give, wondering if it’s contagious.”

He hit the nail on the head, leaving me at a loss for words. I had made the mistake of pitying him without thinking, something very unlike me. I knew better than anyone how annoying and unpleasant such looks could be, yet I still made that mistake.

If I were some ignorant kid, maybe it’d be understandable, but for someone like me, the head of the Confucian order, it was unacceptable.

“My apologies. I unintentionally offended you. I bow my head in apology.”

“There’s no need for that, Sir Werner.”

Count Holstead coughed up blood again onto the sheets. Wow, is this a ketchup factory or what…?

“Such looks are nothing new to me… and it’s a trivial matter anyway. What’s important is the situation in my territory.”

“Yes… So, is it true that the Black Round Table has infiltrated this territory?”

“Yes, the source is reliable… and the information has been verified. The Black Round Table you defeated at the party has indeed infiltrated this territory.”

That incident was concluded as a rebellion by some nobles who were arrested at the time… But since he’s close to the Crown Prince, I guess he could get such information. Still, to get that kind of intel from the Crown Prince, he must really be trusted.

“But you said you verified it personally… How exactly did you confirm it?”

If he had encountered them directly, it wouldn’t have ended well. Besides, someone without legs couldn’t possibly escape from such a confrontation unscathed.

“Before I verified it personally… I could still walk on two legs. And I had quite a few guard knights with me. Is that… sufficient evidence?”

Why am I like this today? Did I catch something from that bastard Hoon? I keep unintentionally poking at his sore spots.

“Don’t worry too much about it. I’ve always been weak, so I didn’t walk much anyway.”

“Yes, and I heard there’s another issue.”

“Yes… I’m not sure if it’s related to the Black Round Table, but… the miners’ union has been acting suspiciously lately.”

“…The miners’ union?”

“Yes, as you know, the specialty of this territory is iron ore and various other minerals. So, a significant portion of the population works in related industries, with most being miners. They formed a union to protect their interests.”

They formed a union in this era? If they’re not careful, they might end up like the Defias Brotherhood Season 2. Or maybe it’s the start of a new revolution.

“Why would such a union…”

“Why did I allow such a union to form? At first, I thought they would be a shield to protect themselves. I thought it was an organization created by the powerless to defend themselves.”

“You said ‘at first’…”

“At first, they demanded better working conditions and realistic wage increases… but not anymore.”

I could roughly guess where this was going.

“They started demanding ridiculous things, like a three-shift system because of labor shortages… or equal pay to the noble retainers… They made outrageous demands.”

“What kind of crazy…”

“Well, the three-shift system was unreasonable, but increasing the workforce was possible. Equal pay to the noble retainers was out of the question, but I did raise their wages by 30%. Their working conditions were indeed harsh.”

Wow, isn’t he the best boss ever?

“You granted all those demands, so why are their movements suspicious now?”

“After granting those demands, they started making even more unreasonable requests. They demanded one house per miner, or for me to pay for their children’s education…”

“Don’t tell me you granted those too?”

“Partially, yes. But then they made a demand I couldn’t possibly agree to.”

“What was it?”

“…They demanded that my younger sister marry the union chairman. The chairman is 43, and my sister is only 16.”

Wow, these bastards really got bold when they were spoiled. As the saying goes, if you keep showing kindness, they’ll start acting like they own the place.

“I firmly refused. In fact, I was so angry that I beat up the person who delivered the proposal and sent him back… I still regret that part.”

I’m surprised he didn’t execute them. If someone spouted such nonsense, they’d deserve to be torn limb from limb. Any saint would do the same.

“Then they all went on strike. They demanded an exorbitant amount of money for medical expenses and insisted on marrying my sister to the union chairman.”

“What kind of bastards are these?”

“Well, I could have given them the money. But my sister… I didn’t want her involved in this. However, as the strike dragged on, problems arose in the territory.”

“Problems?”

“…As I mentioned, most of the territory’s population works in the mining industry. It’s not just the miners. When the supply of raw materials stopped, the territory’s economy fell into chaos.”

Count Holstead coughed up blood as he continued.

“I had no choice but to hire other miners to continue the work. But the miners’ union killed all those miners. The perpetrators are in prison… but they’re all young kids. You can guess why.”

The union’s leadership clearly orchestrated it, but the young miners took the fall. I could roughly understand the structure. Such organizations were everywhere where I came from.

“Then my sister said she would marry him. I tried to stop her, but her will was strong, so I took her to the meeting place.”

“So that meeting…”

“That’s where I was able to complete the ‘verification.’ But how they appeared at the meeting with the miners’ union is a mystery. What benefit could they possibly have… So I’m also curious if they’re connected to the miners’ union.”

That’s true. The Black Round Table wouldn’t interfere in a small matter like a negotiation between a border noble and a miners’ union. Their goals are unclear, but they definitely don’t meddle in such trivial affairs.

“Yes, I understand. I’ll investigate it myself.”

“Please do. And if there’s anything inconvenient, please let the butler know.”

“Well, there’s nothing too inconvenient.”

Except that out of all the rooms, we only have access to two.

“Ah… Please don’t enter any rooms other than the guest room, my room, and the dining hall. There are rooms where important items are stored…”

“Yes, I understand.”

Is he hiding something strange? It was curious, but this was Count Holstead’s house. I wasn’t so uncultured as to break the rules set by the host in someone else’s home.

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As I followed the butler back to my room, I decided to ask the questions I had been wanting to ask. I had considered asking Count Holstead, but I held back because I had already unintentionally touched on many sensitive topics today, and I was afraid of provoking him further.

“Um… Where is Count Holstead’s younger sister?”

I hadn’t seen the younger sister who was said to have attended the meeting. Usually, when guests come, unless they’re particularly unwell, they come out to greet them.

“That matter… Please don’t bring it up in front of the master. The clothes he wore at the funeral haven’t even dried yet.”

“…I see.”

“She was such a bright person. But that damned union chairman… to do that to such a young lady…”

Ah, since the Black Round Table is a secret, it must be known that she was killed by the union chairman.

“Don’t worry too much. I’m here to resolve everything.”

“Yes… Please do.”

It seems I’ll have to take this matter seriously. It’s the duty of me, Werner Altan, head of the Confucian order, to exterminate those bastards.

With great power comes great responsibility.

As someone with divine Confucian authority and innate magical prowess, it’s my duty to annihilate those scum. And above all, I have the Magic Book Enok in my hands, proving that my justice is right.

Heavenly Father, please help me kill those Defias Brotherhood-like bastards.