CH 94

Snake in a tiger's den

A few days after receiving reports of the fall of the Count of Calcifer.

Raidorl’s army arrived at the town of Caltris, in the territory of the Counts of Calcifer.

Caltris was a fortified city, but now its gates were open. Even on the ramparts, where the Count’s banner was displayed, there were only a few soldiers on guard.

The city’s appearance, as if to show that it was not hostile, caused Raidorl to raise his eyebrows slightly.

“What do you think of……? Do you think it’s some kind of trap?”

“Well, …… what do I think?”

The question was put to Darren Garst, who had been appointed general of the army of Raidorl.

Darren glanced sharply to either side of the wall and tilted his head, “Hmm?”

“I don’t feel any hostility, but I can’t deny that it’s a trap to lure His Highness Raidorl into the city to strike him down.”

“We can’t know if we don’t enter the tiger’s hole. That’s all right. Let’s see what Brad Calcifer has in mind, shall we?”

Raidorl and co. have already heard from a secret agent that the Calcifer family was destroyed in a coup d’etat by their legitimate son, Brad Calcifer.

According to information, Brad had rebelled during a meeting of the three noble families and had killed the heads of the three families.

He then proceeded to overrun the territories of the Barons of Kyrgyzstan and the Viscount of Kubertos, who had lost their heads, killing every last defiant person and survivor of the noble families.

“……brilliantly done. He must have been planning and preparing for this for quite some time. No doubt about it, Brad Calcifer is a crook.”

The question is whether Brad is useful or dangerous for Raidorl.

He is like Sven, a military strategist, who is thoughtful and daring enough to throw his weight around at the right moment.

But the ruthlessness with which he would deal with even his own father is not something to be trifled with.

Even if Brad had sworn obedience to Raidorl, he is a man who can betray even his parents, and he will not hesitate to cut off Raidorl if necessary.

“Hello, hello, welcome!”

As soon as Raidorl passed through the castle gates, an unfamiliar man approached him.

He had his golden hair pulled back and was dressed in a black dinner jacket, as if he were going to a party. He even had a rose on his chest, which looked strangely dumb.

“……Your Highness, that’s Brad.”

“…… I see.”

Raidorl nodded at Justy Oigist’s advice.

“Thank you for welcoming me, Sir Brad Calcifer.”

“Ha ha!　Your Highness, thank you very much for travelling so far to see us!　It is a great honor to welcome the royal family of Zain back to this city that once belonged to the Empire!”

Brad kneels down and bows his head in a theatrical motion.

Raidorl, without getting off his horse, looked down at Brad with a scowl.

“….. Let me ask you this, is it correct to assume that the Countess of Calcifer will surrender to our forces?”

“Of course, of course. We have no wish to oppose the Zain Royal family.”

“Royal family…….”

Does he simply mean what he says?

It’s also possible that he is aware of Raidorl’s antagonism to his brother, Granard, and is trying to be sarcastic about it.

It’s hard for Raidorl to know what’s going on in Brad’s mind, but for now it looks like there won’t be a battle.

“But, I have only one correction to make.”

“Hmm? Tell me.”

“I’m not Brad Calcifer and this is not the Count Calcifer’s house.”

Brad stood up and opened his arms wide. Then all the soldiers on the walls surrounding the town started to move at once.

It was only a few seconds before the sudden movement of the soldiers made the army tense. They were immediately stunned and looked up at the walls.

“This town is Viscount Ilkas. And my name is Brad Ilkas, sir.”

The flag of the Counts of Calcifer, which had been flying above the city walls, was lowered at once by the soldiers.

In its place was a coat of arms of a falcon with a snake in its mouth on a blue cloth. It was the coat of arms of the Viscounts of Ilkas, who were supposed to have perished in the war against the Empire.

“I am no longer a man of the traitorous as Count Calcifer, but a man of the loyal Viscount Ilkas, and I pledge my allegiance to the Kingdom of Zain”