Episode 47.15

"Hahaha. I understand the situation now. Their side had a misunderstanding because Lecan called himself an escort of Wazrof merchant Chaney in an effort to guarantee his identity."

"Yeah."

"I was unsure what to make of when messengers sent by Earl of Rotor and Earl of Chada came with an abundance of gifts all of a sudden. Earl of Rotor's messenger even spoke, 'We are truly honored to have been bestowed grace and mercy by Lecan-sama whom House of Wazrof has sent to House of Cogcroix.'"

"Sorry for the trouble."

"Nothing of sort, it's all gestures of appreciation toward Wazrof. Still, I'm glad to see the medal has been put to good use. Let me get you this. Use as you see fit."

"Hm? That's some luxurious looking silver medal."

"It's made from Diran Silver Steel. It has our family name and crest engraved. It's a mark of being my proxy."

"Hou. Much appreciated. I'll take it."

Lecan casually put the Diran Silver Steel medal in his <Storage>. Chaney turned wide eyed when he witnessed that.

"However, it's only inevitable for their side to harbor a misunderstanding. From where Nina-dono stands, it must look like Chaney was working under my directives."

"Oh yeah?"

"Think about it. Where in the world would you find a merchant hailing from another region sending an escort smack dab in the middle of a local noble succession war?"

Chaney nodded in agreement here.

"That supposed escort is also a match for thousands that has the capability to completely overturn the tide of the battle that was overwhelmingly in the rebel's favor on his own. His skill with a sword is peerless. He shoots magic of unrivaled power without the need of preliminary casting and even wields recovery magic. Although not impossible, such an individual can't have been employed by any average merchant. Then a little investigation reveals that escort is the fiance of the cousin of Wazrof Head. Even the biggest ignoramus would connect the dots by this point."

"What dots?"

"That it was the will of Wazrof Household. In other word, the one who sent that magic swordsman was none other than House of Wazrof itself. He disguised himself as an escort of a merchant so that both Cogcroix Household and Kandros Household could save their faces without owing Wazrof."

"Nobles are such a convoluted creature."

"This particular one was your handiwork. From Kandros's perspective, they must think I was aiding my relative, Nina-dono. At any rate. The end result was nothing short of exemplary. A testimony of your strength. The strength that saved two townlords and one merchant house. This must be the so called honor of adventurers."

"Well yeah, I guess."

"One thing I do not understand."

"Hou. What is it?"

"Just what sort of objects are those gaiters?"

Manfrey knows Lecan's personality well. He saw through how Lecan was doing all that purely out of his desire for those gaiters. Hence his curiosity.

"Can't tell you."

Manfrey Wazrof is someone who could easily get ahold of intel on <Genesiac Grace Gear> or <Ancient Grace Gear>, nothing can be hidden from this man if he wishes to know something in earnest. Lecan has no intention to talk about <Genesiac Grace Gear> with Manfrey.

"Hou. Do you now. Then let us leave it at that. By the way, both Nina Cogcroix and Naris Kandros have indicated their desire to attend Lecan's wedding ceremony."

"What?"

"And it will likely be both of them coming in person. I shall put their names on the invitee list."

"Ah, well, it's all yours."

"Leave it to me."

"Umm. Please pardon me for meddling in, but am I correct to assume Lecan-sama will hold his wedding ceremony?"

"Hahaha. That's what my cousin wants. Just the other day she told me she'd like to hold the ceremony at this town's Yuminos Temple. Naturally, all the bothersome preparations shall be taken care of by Wazrof."

"I-is that true then. Err, Lecan-sama."

"Hm?"

"I believe not having the ceremony in Vouka would come as a huge shock to Crimus Ulban-sama and Ceres Temple."

"Really?"

"Ah, I've got that covered. I'm thinking of letting Mashajain's Yuminos Temple be the leading party with Vouka's Ceres Temple as the aiding party in the ceremony. And Crimus-dono shall be put on the VIP seating as Lecan's guardian. Of course, I plan to personally propose this matter to Crimus-dono and Vouka's Ceres Temple. What do you think, Lecan."

"All yours."

"I see. Then we will have to decide on the date, however right now is at the busiest period for my cousin."

"Hou. Really."

"Show some care to her will you. Well, and that's the reason the ceremony will not be any time close. Do discuss among yourself, Norma and Eda-dono until our house aide leaves for Vouka."

"Eda's at the capital now."

"I am aware. It was our house's retainers who sent her there after the <Purification Ritual> at Yuminos temple. Eda-dono will make a stop here in her journey back to Vouka later, our house aide shall accompany her then."

"Got it."

"Still, that was truly a perfect storm of traitors in this incident."

"Hm?"

"Ceras believed that Muzz and his wife had betrayed him. Ceras and the previous townlord's brother betrayed the townlord and Muzz. That clerk Zeahad betrayed his employer, Muzz, to become Ceras's pawn then proceeded to betray Ceras by colluding with Keibun."

"Don't really remember all those names, but it's thanks to them selling some of the stolen goods to Rotor townlord that we found their trails."

"That's right."

"Ah, one thing I don't get as well. Why'd a merchant planning to raise a revolt tell Rintos about the intel on stolen goods. Guy's pretty much willingly walking toward his own gallows."

"I cannot fathom that either. Perhaps he was using Rintos in an attempt to get rid of the traitors. Perhaps he had full confidence it won't trace back to him. Either way, Ceras must be seeking Rintos's approval as his main motivation."

"His involvement gonna be obvious if he sold the stolen goods to fund the revolt. Only a matter of time for Rintos to find out."

"I think he had some plans on that. He would say that it was the townlord's brother who raided, sold off the goods, and funded the army before killing the brother."

"What. Sounds terrible."

"It is the truth that the soldiers faking as bandits were working under the previous townlord's brother, so he would have a case. However, that lie would some day laid bare. Well, I'm sure the townlord's brother himself must be planning to eliminate Ceras and his grandson once they succeeded with the revolt as well. It's clear as day the maneuvers he had been making was all to instate himself as the townlord."

"It's traitors' wholesale."

"Indeed. And in my belief, the biggest traitor of all was Ceras."

"Hou."

"No matter how you sugarcoat it, Ceras is Rintos's ultimate object of enmity. Putting Rintos under his care is akin to raising your nemesis. In other word."

Manfrey sipped his remaining cold tea.

"Ceras was his own traitor."

[Episode 47 Traitor] End/Next [Episode 48 Rebirth]