CH 74

The Dagger of Absolution.

Translated by SoundOfDestiny

Edited by Zil

“The most important factor that led to the easy destruction of my family by the Empire was the leakage of internal information to the Empire.”

“…………”

Sven speaks in a cheerful tone in front of Viscount Wolfert, who has fallen silent.

“The Earls of Arbeil had a fortified city that was impregnable. The city was impregnable and well-fed, and even if it had been besieged by an enemy army, it could have been held for months…. However, a hidden passage, known only to the Countesses, was discovered by the imperial troops and allowed the enemy to enter the city through it.”

It was originally intended as a hidden passage for the Count’s people to escape to the outside world in the event of the fall of the town, but it turned out to be the very thing that brought about the Count’s downfall.

The Countess of Arbeil’s army was attacked by surprise through the hidden passage, and all of the Countess’s men, except Sven, were killed.

“What does that have to do with …… me?”

“The only people who knew the location of the hidden passageway were my parents, my brother, me,……, and my aunt, who married into the Viscount family, Viscount”

“Ghh….” 

“And the other day, when I questioned my aunt, she told me that she had told you about the hidden passage. She convinced me that she needed it to send reinforcements.

When she learned that the Countess of Arbeil had been destroyed because of her secret, she wept and repented to Sven.

The sight of her sturdy aunt in tears made Sven’s eyes grow even darker.

“This is why I am going to take revenge on you. …… Do you understand, Viscount?”

“I don’t know! I don’t know anything! I did not sell the Count’s house!”

The Viscount’s face turns pale, and he shakes his head, repeating his denial.

As he was shaking his head and repeating his denial, his eyes moved rapidly and sweat poured down his forehead.

None of the soldiers here, let alone Sven, believed in the Viscount’s words.

The young soldier, who had lost his family, was even more determined.

“…… Of the ‘Eight Eastern Houses’ that are entrusted with territories on the border, six have turned to the Empire. Five of these families have been forced to give money and food to the Empire as proof of their betrayal. Some families have deputies sent from the Empire. How is it that only the Viscount of Ulfert is exempt from this?”

“Ugh. …… Well, that’s ……

“You sold my house, the Earl of Arbeil, to avoid paying taxes to the Empire, didn’t you?　Or did you sell the Earl of Arbeil in order to get a better deal than the other houses?”

“Ah, …… ah, …….”

The Viscount’s lips quiver as he backs away.

Sven slowly lifted his hand and thrust his fingertips to him.

“You made my father kill the Earl of Arbeil for your own protection!　You murdered your own brother-in-law, the man who was supposed to be looking out for you!”

“Hiiiiii!!!!”

The Viscount shakes his body and finally falls on his buttocks.

The pig-fat man looks at the boy, who is only half his size, with frightened eyes.

The crime he had committed was now before him to be judged.

In the eyes of the Viscount, Sven looked like the Grim Reaper with his scythe raised.

“Yu, forgive me!　I had to do it this way!　It’s the only way for the Ulfert family to survive…..” 

“……Viscount, if you have no choice but to betray me for the sake of your own house, then let me do the same.”

“…..ha?!”

The Viscount did not understand the meaning of Sven’s words, and asked him back with a dumb face.

The Viscount, who was sitting on his buttocks, narrowed his eyes coldly – without hesitation, he flipped his right hand.

“Gahh…….”

The sharp metal tip is struck into the Viscount’s neck.

With a flash of silver, Sven plunged the dagger he had hidden in his clothes into Viscount’s throat.

“I will offer your life as a gift to His Highness Prince Raidorl and restore the Earldom of Arbeil. As a member of a noble family, I will get my hands dirty for the sake of the family. It’s the same as what the Viscount did. You’re not complaining, are you?”

“Gah …… is …… or is……”

The child Sven’s slender arms could not penetrate the neck of the flabby Viscount.

The Viscount was stabbed in the throat, bleeding, and his body was convulsing with a strange breathing sound.

“No, I don’t want to ……, I don’t want to …….”

“…………”

Neither Sven nor the other soldiers had any mercy on the suffering Viscount Ulfert.

Ulfert cried out for a full five minutes before finally dying.