Chapter 204

“If you insist on turning a blind eye to the witches who have infiltrated the empire, then you must at least faithfully fulfill your duty to protect the empire from external threats.”

Leopold coldly glared down at Duver.

“Witches… I apologize for my impertinence, but there are more than a few knights who question the legitimacy of such claims. Witches, after all, are beings that were only occasionally spoken of a hundred years ago, aren’t they? When such a term suddenly resurfaces, it’s only natural that people find it hard to believe.”

Yet, rumors about the witch Ophelia were swallowed hook, line, and sinker by everyone.

Even before the civil war broke out.

“Is that so? Ernst has been slandering me, claiming that I’ve joined hands with witches… You must be aware of that, aren’t you?”

“Yes. That… Marquis Valenstein’s remarks, and if I may be so bold… some of the knights under my command also witnessed Sir Median’s battle that day.”

Duver kept glancing at me as he spoke.

He seemed to be struggling to suppress the urge to ask if it was true.

I gave him a look that said, “What are you staring at?”

Duver quickly averted his gaze.

Even a master can end up like that if they grow complacent. What a waste of accumulated achievements.

“Fine. Let’s skip the details. It’s all predictable anyway. Whether it’s me or Ernst, both of us have accused the other of consorting with witches… So, doesn’t that mean one of us must be dealing with witches? Knowing full well how sensitive the Elpinel Church Order would be, neither of us would make such a baseless accusation.”

“That… would make sense.”

If you accuse someone of being in league with witches to incite a civil war, and later no trace of witches is found, it would cause an uproar of unprecedented scale.

The Holy Kingdom, especially the Elpinel Church Order, would protest vehemently.

“Or perhaps, do you believe Ernst’s lies? That I’m using the power of witches to devour the empire? Given how you’re rejecting my request to exterminate the witches, could it be…?”

“N-no, that couldn’t be! I’m just being cautious…!”

Duver protested, sweating profusely.

“Hmm… Come to think of it, you’ve always been close to Ernst. I must admit, I’m quite envious.”

“Please believe me! I am a knight loyal to the empire. Before the civil war, perhaps, but how could I follow someone who has caused chaos throughout the empire?”

Even as he pleaded with Leopold, his gaze was fixed on my left hand.

The hand resting on the hilt of Durandal.

The Ice Blade, which had torn apart countless enemies, gleamed with a dark luster.

Leopold took a sip of wine and laughed.

“There’s no need to be so flustered. It was just a light jest. How could I doubt Sir Duver’s loyalty? As much as you are loyal to me, I trust you in return.”

“Thank you…!”

“And I also know very well that your children are just as loyal as their father.”

“…Excuse me?”

The absurdly ominous tone made Duver’s hand, which had been wiping away sweat, freeze momentarily.

“Your two sons, I mean. Sir Pierre and Sir Damian, was it? Despite their young ages of twenty-one and eighteen, both have achieved remarkable feats in the 2nd Knight Order. Their accomplishments surpass those of five or six other knights combined. You must be incredibly proud of such sons.”

“Th-that is…!”

Duver’s fingertips trembled.

Wine spilled from the glass he was holding, soaking his sleeve, but he didn’t seem to notice.

“Of course, it’s not just your sons you can be proud of. I heard your eldest daughter turned fifteen this year. She’s already rumored to be a great beauty, something any father would be delighted about! Her name was… Anna, wasn’t it? A name full of sentiment… As you well know, my mother also bore that name.”

Leopold leisurely set down his wine glass and smiled, interlacing his fingers.

His eyes were cold, but the corners of his mouth turned up in a smile.

His naturally cold expression made him seem ruthless and calculating.

“Ah, yes. I believe I saw her once during my inspection of the capital. Your estate is in the northeast of the capital, isn’t it? The garden was impressive, with lilacs in full bloom. A girl with brown curly hair was strolling through the garden. That must have been your daughter. It seems the great fire half a year ago didn’t reach your estate… That’s fortunate, isn’t it?”

A suffocatingly heavy atmosphere filled the room.

Duver was trembling slightly, though whether from anger or fear was unclear.

“But… what a pity. If I lose to Ernst while defending against the Great Invasion, the ‘Witch’s Army’ will take the capital… That woman, she enjoys turning beautiful girls into courtesans.”

“What… did you say?”

“Do you know the girl from the Bernstein family? She became Isabella’s maid… After suffering disgrace at the hands of the late emperor, she recently lost her life. Did you know how many men’s marks were left on her body? She was even pregnant. To think your daughter might suffer the same fate… It’s truly heartbreaking.”

Surprising. I didn’t know he was capable of such threats.

Leopold seemed to have changed a bit over the past week.

I’m not sure if this is a positive change… but at least he seems more decisive than before.

“That can’t be…!”

“Why so surprised? If Isabella is a witch, it’s only natural. You must be certain of that much.”

“What… do you mean?”

The transformation of the 1st Prince seemed to have shocked Duver as well.

He was completely overwhelmed, trembling to the point where he couldn’t even muster the courage to show defiance against someone he could cut down with a single stroke.

“If Isabella isn’t a witch, then it means that I and Princess Ai-shan Gi-or… no, Sir Median, have joined hands with witches. If you believe that, then you must also believe Ernst’s slander. In that case, you’d think we’ve killed all those who stood in our way…”

“So, you dare to refuse the depraved prince, huh? Especially when he knows everything about your family and stands before the Carnivorous Beast, who even defeated the Ghost Sword.”

Carnivorous Beast.

…So, that’s the unpleasant story you were talking about.

Indeed, it’s not exactly a cheerful topic.

“Did you know? Beastmen are said to favor women, especially young girls. They say the flesh is tender… But grabbing a ten-year-old girl to eat? That’s too little. So, they prefer girls around fifteen… So, wouldn’t the ‘Carnivorous Beast’ be the same? By the way, isn’t your daughter fifteen?”

Leopold subtly gave me a look.

As if asking me to ramp up the horror atmosphere at this point.

Sigh… Fine, I’ll do it.

I let out a mental sigh and raised my killing intent.

Not the power of my profession, but pure malice. As if a mortal enemy stood before me.

The reflection in Duver’s eyes was… hard to make out, shaking violently, but it was clear that my eyes were emitting a fierce blue light.

Since I was at it, I licked my lips slightly and smiled to enhance the intimidation effect.

Like savoring the anticipation of a delicacy.

It didn’t feel great, but the effect was undeniable.

Duver’s face turned embarrassingly pale.

Leopold tapped the desk.

“Of course, there won’t be a tragedy where your daughter ‘disappears’ and ends up as the Carnivorous Beast’s feast. Nor will your sons be sent to the gallows for falsely claiming other knights’ merits, or your wife found having thrown herself in despair. All of this is just a joke, of course. But, what were we talking about again?”

“……”

Duver couldn’t say a word.

A person completely overwhelmed by the momentum doesn’t even think of resisting.

A clear terror was cast over his pale face.

“Ah, right. We were talking about dispatching the 2nd Legion to the Pale Moon territory. To stop the witch Isabella’s evil deeds, it’s unavoidable. Isn’t that lucky for you? Think about it. The great legion commander who repelled a massive invasion with just the Imperial Army’s strength! What an honor!”

All this threat was just a ‘joke,’ spoken in a calm tone.

Of course, to Duver, it would feel all too real.

His sons being executed would be just legal enforcement, and someone who defeated the Ghost Sword wouldn’t find kidnapping a girl difficult.

He had no choice.

“…Yes.”

Leopold stood up and approached Duver, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Like a monster’s fangs touching him, Duver shuddered.

“Congratulations. Every household will sing your praises, and Pale Moon will thank you with lavish gifts. The Grand Duke’s wealth is renowned even in the capital. Plus, you’ll protect your family from the witch. Truly fortunate, isn’t it?”

Leopold leaned in close to Duver’s ear.

As if about to bite his fat neck.

“Who knows? With Marquis Valenstein committing treason, we’ll need to elect the next Royal Guard captain… Your name might just come up. Georg is too rigid, and Frederick lacks both skill and reputation. You’re the only suitable candidate.”

“…It’s an honor.”

Leopold smiled brightly.

“Honor, indeed. So, can I trust that you’ll fulfill your knightly duty and head north?”

Duver nodded heavily and left the office.

His back soaked in cold sweat.

—-

“Hmm, is this really okay?”

After Duver left, I casually asked Leopold.

“What do you mean?”

“It’s not my place to say, but if you push him too hard and Duver turns his sword against you…”

Threatening to annihilate his family and dangling a reward for completing the task… The level of threat seemed a bit excessive.

He might betray you in a fit of rage and try to kill you.

“Him? On what grounds? Heading north has the pretext of protecting the Empire. If he targets me now, it’s participating in a civil war without just cause. He’s not exactly popular, so even his subordinates wouldn’t follow him.”

Leopold shook his head confidently.

“Unlike Valenstein’s personal deviation, the Imperial Army is a massive organization of thousands. Without a legitimate reason, it can’t move. Plus, with Pale Moon and Bien’s guard in the capital, any rebellion would fail before it starts. They’d be suppressed by the 1st and 3rd Legions before they could act.”

This guy’s talk of pretexts hasn’t been wrong before…

But this time, it was quite convincing.

“He’s not foolish enough to not know that, nor reckless enough to risk it… So, it’s the right prescription. Sending a knight or two from Bien to keep an eye on him should suffice.”

“What if other legions side with Ernst and betray Your Highness?”

“If even the 1st and 3rd Legions betray, then it’s a fight we couldn’t have won from the start. At that point, we’d just have to accept death. What else could we do?”

Leopold shrugged nonchalantly.

…He’s not wrong.