Episode 83: Birds of a Feather
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“What?! Count Segenard was killed by Kenta Maya?!”
In a certain noble’s mansion within the Demon Tribe Nation, the mansion’s master roared at the information brought before him.
The Demon Tribe Nation noble killed by Kenta was apparently named Segenard.
“How in the world did that happen?! There’s no connection between the Count and Kenta Maya, is there!”
“W-Well, that is…”
The reporter was also a noble, but the master of this mansion was several ranks above him.
The lower-ranking noble seriously agonized over whether he should deliver this report to the higher-ranking noble, but he cautiously opened his mouth, knowing he couldn’t remain silent.
“Count Segenard was planning to save Princess Meileen himself and become her Prince Consort…”
“Hah?! That incompetent as Prince Consort?! Don’t be ridiculous!!”
The mansion’s master shouted, then roughly sat down in his chair.
“So? The Count and you lot went waltzing into that forest where Kenta Maya is.”
“T-That’s right…”
Hearing the lower-ranking noble’s reply, the mansion’s master sighed deeply.
“To think someone would try to outmaneuver us.”
The mansion’s master said, then glared at the lower-ranking noble who had reported.
The glared-at lower-ranking noble trembled at the intensity of the gaze.
After all, the mansion’s master was the head of the Anti-Royalist Faction.
That meant he was also the top of the lower-ranking nobles present.
Even though they were asked by a noble higher in rank than themselves, their actions were nothing short of treason from the top’s perspective.
Now that it had been exposed, they were internally despairing about what kind of punishment they would receive.
The mansion’s master looked at the trembling lower-ranking nobles and scoffed, then plopped down on the sofa.
“Well, if I consider it as having a useless burden disposed of, it might not have been such a bad move after all.”
For a moment, the lower-ranking nobles thought they had been saved by the mansion master’s words, and they looked at his face with pleading eyes, but they despaired again when they saw his expression.
The mansion master’s eyes, as he looked at them, were as cold as could be.
“However, even if he was useless, a Demon Tribe Nation noble was harmed, so Kenta Maya must receive a fitting punishment.”
The mansion’s master said, looking at the lower-ranking nobles with cold eyes.
“P-Punishment, as in?”
As the lower-ranking noble fearfully asked, the mansion’s master grinned and said.
“What else could it be but death?”
Hearing those words, the lower-ranking nobles despondently hung their heads.
They understood that the mansion’s master was telling them to become a suicide squad and attack Kenta.
However, the mansion’s master said something unexpected.
“Hey, hey, why are you despairing on your own? The opponent is the one who defeated His Majesty, who was hailed as the strongest in history, you know? You wouldn’t be of any use even if you went. Don’t get conceited.”
“O-Of course…”
“Besides, Snail-dono’s plan will begin soon. We can’t allow anything to interfere with it.”
“Snail-dono’s plan?”
Snail is a close aide to the current Demon Tribe Nation King, Mekido.
Hearing that the aide and the mansion’s master were connected, the lower-ranking nobles stirred.
The top of the Anti-Royalist Faction was connected to the King’s aide—could this faction be a trap to expose enemy forces?
Such thoughts crossed the lower-ranking nobles’ minds, but the mansion’s master said as if to drive a wedge.
“Don’t misunderstand. It’s not that I approached the Royalist Faction. Snail-dono approached us.”
“!? S-So, could it be?!”
Seeing the lower-ranking noble who seemed to have understood the situation, the mansion’s master grinned.
“That’s right. The current His Majesty’s closest aide is an Anti-Royalist.”
The fact was so shocking to the lower-ranking nobles that they stiffened.
Ignoring the shocked lower-ranking nobles, the mansion’s master continued.
“That Snail-dono is advancing a certain plan. You will assist him.”
The lower-ranking nobles accepted the order, thinking, “If it’s just assistance…”
And, as they were allowed to leave, the lower-ranking nobles bowed deeply before exiting.
Seeing off the lower-ranking nobles and looking at the closed door of the room, the mansion’s master scoffed again.
“What makes them think they’ve been forgiven? The sin of trying to betray me once can’t be erased by something like that.”
The mansion’s master said, then grinned ferociously.
“Assistance is assistance, but it’s assistance on the front lines.”
The lower-ranking nobles who thought they had been forgiven didn’t know.
That they would be placed in a more dangerous situation than today.
The only one who knew that, for now, was the mansion’s master.
“Even so, Prince Consort, huh?”
While drinking the wine placed on the table, the mansion’s master muttered.
“To think he was thinking the same thing as me.”
Currently, within the Anti-Royalist Faction of the Demon Tribe Nation, rumors were circulating that whoever became Meileen’s Prince Consort would become the next person in power.
That was certainly not wrong, but…
No one knew that it was angering a certain person.