Book 10: Chapter 1: Traitor

Book 10: Chapter 1: Traitor

"How dare you tell my master! This is what I'm going to do to you!"

"Ow! It really hurts, stop!"

I, Count [Liam Sera Banfield], had called a girl to my office.

I was punishing the girl [Ciel Cela Exner] by clamping her head between both fists and moving her with a grisly motion.

Ciel's crime - that is, he informed my master [Yasushi], who is called the Sword God, that I was reluctant to marry Rosetta.

I had been on the run from marrying my fiance, [Rosetta Sele Claudia], but when Ciel told my master everything, I lost my escape.

Ciel used my master to push me into a corner.

"Hah, hah - this one time I was in a cold sweat. I never thought you would outwit me."

Ciel, freed from my muzzles, holds her head in her hands and stares at me with tears in her eyes.

"I didn't think it would end like this either!"

You didn't see this coming? If you had assumed I wouldn't go on and marry Rosetta?

Unfortunately, that's not true.

"Hmph! I was going to marry Rosetta from the beginning because I wanted her title. I would have married her within ten--nay, within a hundred--years even if Master hadn't told me."

Normally, I would be treated as a full-fledged person once my training as an aristocrat is complete.

Not in terms of age, but in terms of society.

People around me say things like, "Get married to Rosetta and have children."

It seems ludicrous that a society that still places so much importance on blood relatives can live in space when people can now live in space.

But that is the world we live in.

I am a winner in this world and I intend to make the most of my position and enjoy it.

In my second life, I have decided to live freely without having to worry about anyone.

Marriage with Rosetta was important for me to obtain such freedom.

If I obtain Rosetta's ducal title, I will be one of the most powerful aristocrats in the empire, both in name and reality.

--If it were true, I had planned to get married quickly, but Rosetta fell for me so quickly that my plans went awry.

Originally, I would have been forced to marry Rosetta, who hates me.

Ciel is still looking at me in protest, holding her head in her hands.

"I won't let you do what you want."

Rosetta fell easily, but this girl still resists me.

I'm going to let her off the hook this time for her attitude.

I absolutely cannot forgive her for taking advantage of my master, but Ciel is a precious daughter entrusted to me by a lord and nobleman with whom I have a partnership.

It is not easy to punish and this level of resistance is more interesting.

Besides, no major irreparable damage has been done.

Ciel is only capable of that level of mischief.

"Do you think you can stop me?"

"I'm definitely going to wake everyone up and show them what a scoundrel you are!"

"That'll be fun. I hope your word gets out."

"Ba, you fool! I'm going to get you out of your hide, I promise!"

This is it, this is it! It's a conversation between a scoundrel and a girl who wants to do the right thing!

But - if it's me and Ciel, many will judge my words to be right.nove(l)bi(n.)com

Because people trust me more than they trust the words of Ciel, who knows the truth.

Ciel can't outsmart me.

--My master got in the middle of this case and it was an accident.

"No matter how much resistance you put up against me--hmm?"

I shift my gaze from Ciel to the office window.

Black smoke is rising in the distance.

I also felt a slight earth tremor, so I wondered if there had been an explosion.

"An accident? No, it's not."

"Huh? What?"

Ciel's side doesn't seem to understand what happened.

This dullness is proof that this girl cannot be a threat to me.

I shifted my gaze to the floor and decided to call for my escort.

"What happened?"

Seeing me questioning the floor, Ciel first gave me a foolish look. Who are you talking to? She has that kind of look in her eyes.

But when a black shadow appears on the floor, a person looms up from it.

It is Kukri's subordinate wearing a mask - [Kunai].

"Bandits have invaded. We've already set up a perimeter."

"-is that a break-in?"

I narrow my eyes at Kunai, who kneels down and hangs her head.

Kukri and his men, though few in number, are excellent.

But failure is not an option.

"What's wrong with Kukri?"

"The chieftain is in command on the ground."

"Call them out when you're done. You let those bandits into my mansion."

I saw Ciel rattling and shaking as the slightest hint of irritation and murder leaked out.

I thought I had made a mistake and hurriedly suppressed my killing intent.

I was worried that Ciel might stop resisting in fear of me, but she was acting stout-heartedly.

"It's so unsightly." he said.

"Why don't you say something?"

Kukri said nothing.

In the awkward atmosphere, I thought.

The only one in the room not looking like a fool was Klaus, who was doing his job without a care in the world.

Then, Klaus defended Kukri.

"Knights and soldiers have also been killed,the enemy must have been very skilled. It cannot be said that Kukri-sama is solely responsible.

Klaus is right.

We can't keep talking about it forever.

Let's get on with the matter at hand.

"Klaus, send a new escort for His Highness Cleo."

"As to the matter at hand, His Highness Cleo says that the Banfield family does not need an escort."

"What?"

"He said he could not bear to do so because of the damage he had caused in this case. However, he really seems to think that we are not worthy of his trust. We are told that they have prepared their own SS."

While entrusted to escort him, he failed and injured Cleo himself.

A fiasco indeed.

Marie wrinkles her brow.

"You say we can't be trusted? Do you have any idea how many people, goods, and money we have provided? Without Master Liam, I wouldn't even be a portable shrine, and he's got the nerve."

Tia likewise makes no attempt to hide her frustration.

But she was calmer than Marie.

"The knights and soldiers we sent to His Highness Cleo were elite. The enemy who defeated them is thought to be quite capable. Liam-sama, I think we should dispatch someone here to the capital planet."

The main people present are.

Tia and Marie, who have personality problems but can get the job done.

Kukri, who failed this time but has a proven track record.

And Klaus, who is the most reliable.

"It would be best if we could dispatch Klaus. Tia can't be moved, and I want to leave Marie to guard the main planet. Then, the only one left is Kukri."

He grins and looks at Kukri, and then he himself stands up.

He must have guessed what I was going to say.

"I would like the opportunity to clear my name."

"-- all right. There won't be a next time."

"Ha!"

"Klaus, prepare the forces to be entrusted to Kukri. Everything is yours."

We decided to dispatch Kukri, but it is not only the dark side that will be sent to the capital planet.

Lost knights and soldiers had to be dispatched as well, and Klaus decided to leave the selection process to him.

"Yes."

I looked at Klaus, who replied without hesitation, "This is it, this is it!" I thought to myself.

No matter if she is a beautiful woman, a knight with character issues should not be.

Tia, Marie, I'm talking about you guys.

Kukri approaches Klaus.

"Sir Klaus, I have something that I would like you to prepare for me. May I have a meeting with you immediately?"

Klaus looks at me, I nod and he and Kukri leave the room.

Klaus and Kukri leave the room.

Klaus, but inwardly he was scared.

(Why am I walking alongside the dark side? These people scare me.)

For some reason, Klaus is trusted by Liam and entrusted with various tasks.

However, from his point of view, he does not understand why he is being treated as an executive at all.

Moreover, he is even given the position of the first knight of the Banfield family.

Keeping his face expressionless so that he would not realize his troubled inner thoughts, Kukri spoke to him. Kukri is tall and speaks to him as if he is looking down at him from an angle.

Kukri spoke to me as if looking down at me from a slant.

"You owe me?"

"Yes, sir. We were saved thanks to the protection of Klaus-dono. I don't mean to thank you for that, but if there is someone you want to kill, please let me know. Whether it's Christiana or Marie, I'll make sure to eliminate anyone who gets in my way."

"Kuhihihi," Klaus reflected as he looked at Kukri, who was laughing.

(Is he still angry with those two? No, it's more like killing each other among friends, absolutely not!)

"I'm not interested in assassination. Help me when I am in trouble."

"Those two are after your position. They will certainly try to kill you if they get the chance."

(Those two would kill me and try to take the first position. I'd like to take their place right now, but I'm not sure if Liam-sama would approve--)

When Kukri told him that Tia and Marie were trying to kill him, Klaus did not think of killing them on the contrary.

They understood that if someone was missing in the current situation, it would be a major blow to the Banfield family.

Klaus also valued his own life, but he also owed a debt of gratitude to Liam.

He did not want to drag him down.

To be more precise, he did not want to get involved in a radical factional war.

"It's useless. It's not good for the Banfield family. Then how about the price of protecting me from both of them?"

"--Then so be it."

Klaus has also made connections with the dark side because of his protection of Kukri.