Trash of the Count's Family

Click.

Violan put down her teacup as she spoke.

Oooooo– oooooo–

The area was still shaking slightly from the vibrations of the magic circle, but Violan seemed calm.

“Between 7pm to 9pm last night… Nobody saw Vice Captain Hilsman for two hours.”

Hilsman looked extremely anxious, as if he didn’t know what to do.

“What is going on right now?! I was just having a late dinner, madam! I was at my place! You know that I live alone, madam!”

She quietly observed the anxious looking Vice Captain Hilsman.

Violan started to smile.

“I really must seem like a fool to you.”

Inside this area that was surrounded by a circle…

Although the people inside couldn’t tell what kind of spell was in it, the roaring mana made it possible to tell that it was extremely strong.

“At seven in the evening yesterday… Sir Hilsman left, saying that he would go home for a bit. And… At exactly 9 pm… You walked into the Lord’s Castle.”

“I am that Hilsman!”

He sounded as if he truly felt wronged. He also sounded as if he had no idea as to what was going on. His expression seemed real.

“Madam, you are suspecting me because nobody saw me for two hours?! How can you be so sure? Seeing me going into the house or lighting a fire to cook… I’m sure that someone must have seen me. How can you be so sure that nobody saw me during that time? This is not like your usual rational self, Violan-nim.”

“Then let me ask you a question.”

Violan picked up her teacup as she asked.

“Sir Hilsman. What did I promise to do for you if you became Captain? Do you remember our deal?”

Her eyes were slowly starting to glow blue.

“You better remember it. Otherwise, you will be suppressed by mana until you explode to death.”

All emotion disappeared from Hilsman’s face.

“Haaaa.”

He let out a short sigh. He then shook his head side to side.

His body leaned back into the chair as if he was slumping over.

Finally, he looked toward Duchess Violan.

“There is nothing.”

“…What?”

The Duchess’s pupils started shaking.

On the other hand, Hilsman’s eyes were very still.

“There was no deal whatsoever.”

His voice was full of confidence, as if he was telling the truth.

“Madam, someone like you, who cares so much about the Henituse territory and the family, someone who values elegance so much, making a deal with me?”

He shook his head as if it made no sense.

“The Duchess, no, the Deputy Territory Lord would never make a deal with someone over something like the territory’s Knight Captain position. It’s not like you wish for young master Basen or young lady Lily to become the territory lord. You wish for the Henituse territory’s administration and troops to be maintained in a clean manner more than anybody else.”

Violan’s mouth opened.

“Yes…I do wish for that.”

Hilsman did not say anything else.

He just shook his head, as if he found all of this to be unbelievable.

“However, Sir Hilsman did make a deal with me.”

‘Mm!’

Hilsman eyes opened wide.

“Violan-nim! I am not greedy for power! Why do you keep testing me-”

“If I, Hilsman, rise up to the Captain position, if I become skilled enough to reach that level, please give me the opportunity to choose my own liege.”

Violan’s stoic voiced echoed through the room.

“I wish to follow young master Cale Henituse.”

She recalled the conversation she had with Vice Captain Hilsman about one and a half years ago.

He had spent a few months after coming back from Harris Village with Cale to swing his sword day and night. After that, he came to look for Deruth and Violan saying that the Knight Captain would not give him permission.

‘If young master Cale becomes the territory lord, I wish to wholeheartedly serve him as my liege as the Knight Captain. Of course, I will give my everything to serve the territory even if someone else became the territory lord, but I wish to serve a different liege in my heart in that case.’

She didn’t remember everything about it, but she remembered some parts very clearly as it had been quite a unique situation.

very odd for someone like Vice Captain Hilsman who likes status

she knew would never say something

“But he proved it.”

changed

as a valiant knight of the Henituse territory, doing more than any other knights

the Henituse territory… Cale and his friends had played the major roles, but many others had

give his life not for Cale, but for

had heard that with her, had told Hilsman that he had become

he finally understood his mission and to

Click.

Violan lowered her teacup.

be the

not get rid of it

not calm her

the person who is the sword and shield of our Henituse family. I cannot

was called Young Master Silver Shield, but there were many people

the responsibility of the Henituse family to

“Where is Sir Hilsman?”

I am right here.

Baaaaang!

shook

stretched forward. His body

as an eagle’s claw

Baaaaang!

another loud

She leisurely raised her hand. She then slowly caressed the thing

should be cold

“Thank you very much.”

all, our human’s mommy! This much

smiling brightly, as if he was enjoying

heard a relaxed voice at that

“How disappointing.”

turned sharp

Please take care

Ooooo–

the magic circle before it flailed around, as if to pressure Hilsman. Violan

spoke with an innocent smile

him! Hey,

“Haaaaa.”

echoed

down on his

“Sir Hilsman is alive.”

“What?”

shook his head side to side with

you head there. He seemed quiet devoted to the Henituse household, so I knocked him unconscious with as little

“…Who are you?”

“Duchess Violan.”

was disguised as Hilsman and had a faint smile on his face, he gave off

feel years of experience coming from the way this guy was acting. He also

punk Deruth seems to have

“What are you saying…”

feel like someone must be watching

as Hilsman turned

video communication

that the smirk on this Hilsman’s

well. I was really just planning on quietly observing before leaving. I thought I should see the birth of a new legend.

He shrugged his shoulders.

a person who cannot be revealed. I guess it is time

you can go?! The human

didn’t seem to

voice flowed out of the

the

“My, my.”

head side

speak to me that way. Well,

who was on the other side of the video communication device,

is this

the same expression on her face

She couldn’t believe it.

Escape?

like that was impossible for this

“But you see…”

man disguised as Hilsman opened his mouth

is a

turned

was curled up in a smile but his gaze

is

out of their seats as soon as

moment with Duke

something

when Alberu told him about how he was going

do not

do not like meaningful

both you and Cale will take what I just said to heart… I will give this a

meeting today… Duke Deruth had said the

worth doing for the sake of the future, but… We don’t really have an answer

Han and

‘Why is he lying?’

talking about Hilsman. But he was also talking

short

Cale started to frown.

* * *