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.

someone like Vice Captain Hilsman

knew would never say something

“But he proved it.”

had changed

the Henituse territory, doing more than any other

Cale and his

that he wishes to give his life not for

had told Hilsman that he had

Everybody was important. He said that he finally understood his

Click.

Violan lowered her teacup.

selected Sir Hilsman to be the

rid of it no matter how much

could not calm her anger

be the person who is the sword

Silver Shield, but there were many people in the world who

family to protect

“Where is Sir Hilsman?”

you mean? I

Baaaaang!

shook

forward. His body was

as vicious as an eagle’s claw was

Baaaaang!

was another loud

raised

should be cold oddly felt soft and

“Thank you very much.”

human’s mommy! This much is easy

itself. Raon was smiling brightly,

relaxed voice

“How disappointing.”

gaze turned sharp

care of this

Ooooo–

flailed around, as if

with an

him! Hey, who are

“Haaaaa.”

sigh echoed inside the

plopped down on

“Sir Hilsman is alive.”

“What?”

side

you head there. He seemed quiet devoted to the Henituse household,

“…Who are you?”

“Duchess Violan.”

and had a faint smile on his face, he gave off a

from the way this guy

have a lot of luck

“What are you saying…”

be watching all of

disguised as Hilsman turned

looked at the video communication device dangling on Raon’s

smirk on this Hilsman’s face

really just planning on quietly observing before leaving. I thought I should see

He shrugged his shoulders.

person who cannot be revealed. I guess it is time for me

can go?! The human told

video communication device even after hearing Raon’s comment. He didn’t seem

of the black video communication

What the hell

“My, my.”

his head side

cannot speak to me that way. Well, I guess it can’t

on the other side of the video

hell is this crazy

Violan had the same expression on her

She couldn’t believe it.

Escape?

that was impossible

“But you see…”

man disguised as Hilsman opened

a

gaze turned toward

curled up in a smile but his

hell is that bastard,

of their seats as

recalled a moment with

knew something

Deruth had said the following to Alberu when Alberu told him about how he was going to pretend to

not

do not like meaningful sacrifices

take what I just said to heart… I will give this a

during the meeting today… Duke Deruth had said the

sake of the future,

Choi Han and

‘Why is he lying?’

was also talking about his father, Duke

that short period of

Cale started to frown.

* * *