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.

for someone like Vice Captain Hilsman who

would never

“But he proved it.”

changed after

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

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

he wishes to give his life not for Cale, but

had

was important. He said that he finally understood his mission and to please come look for him if we need a sword or a shield for

Click.

Violan lowered her teacup.

Hilsman to be the one by my side as we headed

get rid of it no matter how much tea she

calm

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

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 here. I

Baaaaang!

shook at that

hand stretched forward. His body was

vicious as an eagle’s claw was

Baaaaang!

another loud

an eye. She leisurely raised her hand. She

should be cold oddly felt soft

“Thank you very much.”

all, our human’s mommy! This much

smiling brightly, as if he was

relaxed voice at that

“How disappointing.”

gaze turned

Please take care of

Ooooo–

before it flailed around, as if to pressure

an innocent

will catch him! Hey, who

“Haaaaa.”

sigh echoed inside the

down

“Sir Hilsman is alive.”

“What?”

shook his head side to side with a dejected smile

basement of his house if you head there. He seemed quiet devoted to the Henituse household, so I knocked him

“…Who are you?”

“Duchess Violan.”

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

feel years of experience coming from the way

to have

“What are you saying…”

feel like someone must be watching all of this. Is Cale Henituse watching

as Hilsman turned

the video communication

that the smirk on this Hilsman’s face

on quietly observing before leaving.

He shrugged his shoulders.

I guess it is time for me to

go?! The human told

video communication device even after hearing Raon’s comment. He didn’t seem to care that he couldn’t see the person on the other

voice flowed out of the black

the hell are

“My, my.”

his head side

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

was on the other side of the video communication device, had the following

is this crazy

expression on her face right now.

She couldn’t believe it.

Escape?

that was impossible for this

“But you see…”

Hilsman opened

is a damn rat

turned toward

was curled up in a smile but his gaze was

is

their seats as soon

moment with Duke

knew something

to Alberu when Alberu told him about

not like meaningless

like meaningful

and Cale will take what I

during the meeting today… Duke Deruth

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

Han

‘Why is he lying?’

was talking about Hilsman. But he was

that short

Cale started to frown.

* * *