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 so

would never say something

“But he proved it.”

had changed

a valiant knight of the Henituse territory, doing more

taken place in the Henituse territory… Cale and his friends had played

give his life not for Cale,

Deruth, who had heard that with her, had told Hilsman that

he finally understood his mission and to please come look for him if we need a

Click.

Violan lowered her teacup.

Hilsman to be

it no matter how much tea

not calm

be the person who is the sword and

Silver Shield, but there were many people in the world who wished to be the sword and

was the responsibility of the Henituse family to protect such knights of the

“Where is Sir Hilsman?”

you mean? I am right

Baaaaang!

shook at

forward. His

as an eagle’s claw

Baaaaang!

another loud

raised her hand. She

be cold oddly felt soft

“Thank you very much.”

our human’s mommy! This much is easy

brightly, as if

relaxed

“How disappointing.”

turned

Please take care of this

Ooooo–

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

spoke with an innocent smile

catch him! Hey,

“Haaaaa.”

echoed

down on his

“Sir Hilsman is alive.”

“What?”

side to side

find him asleep in the basement of his house if you head there. He seemed quiet devoted to the Henituse household, so I knocked him unconscious with as little damage as possible.

“…Who are you?”

“Duchess Violan.”

smile on his

years of experience coming from the way this guy

punk Deruth seems to have a lot

“What are you saying…”

someone must be watching all of this.

disguised as Hilsman turned toward

quietly looked at the video communication device dangling on

Raon felt that the smirk on

observing before leaving. I thought I should see the birth of a

He shrugged his shoulders.

be revealed. I guess it is time

go?! The human

comment. He didn’t seem to care that he couldn’t see

of

What the hell are

“My, my.”

his head side to

me that way. Well,

was on the other side of the video

hell is this crazy

had the same expression on her

She couldn’t believe it.

Escape?

was impossible for this

“But you see…”

Hilsman

a damn rat

gaze turned toward

curled up in a smile but his

hell is

both jumped out of their seats

moment with Duke

something was

Alberu told him about

not like

meaningful

will take what I just said to heart… I

today… Duke Deruth had said the

doing for the sake of the future, but… We don’t

Han and Raon after

‘Why is he lying?’

But he was also talking about

that short period

Cale started to frown.

* * *