Chapter 28: The Rabbit trap and the Lion (2)

“What on earth is going on!”

The Baron couldn’t collect his thoughts amid the sudden turn of events.

It should have been over by now, but Jacob hadn’t returned.

On top of that, the sounds of battle echoed throughout the mansion.

The knight who rushed into the office answered hurriedly.

“W-we’ve been completely overwhelmed! Everyone sent to the assassination mission and even the standby mercenaries—every last one of them!”

“Then what the hell does that mean, you idiot!”

“I—I don’t know either…”

“Where the hell is that bastard Jacob?”

“H-he hasn’t come out since entering Prince Glenn’s room.”

A rage like a wildfire threatened to consume him from within.

What on earth was happening?

Wasn’t this just a matter of assassinating some drunken ruffian and a few slacker soldiers during training?

How had things turned chaotic enough for the mansion to sound like a battlefield?

“Baron, you should get to safety first—”

KWAANG—!

With a loud crash, the office door flew open.

The knight speaking drew his sword reflexively, but before he could react, a punch landed squarely on his face.

“Ugh!”

The knight collapsed, then was further kicked while sprawled on the floor.

Tristan stared coldly at the Baron.

“Viscount Panario, don’t resist and come quietly.”

“W-what kind of madness is this? Do you have a death wish?!”

“Let him freeze to death.”

Tristan’s icy retort silenced the Baron’s protests.

***

As a few knights roughly dragged him away, the Baron resisted in response.

Though, it was hardly meaningful resistance.

“Let me go, you sons of bitches! Jacob! Any knight, come help me now!”

“Jacob is dead.”

Dragged out into the hallway, the Baron’s struggling was cut short by a familiar voice.

“Y-you… how—”

Flushed with shock, Glenn gave a faint smile.

“Why? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“I’m pretty sure you were drunk…”

“Yeah, that caused me quite a bit of trouble.”

Still somewhat under the influence of lingering alcohol, Glenn’s expression darkened.

If he hadn’t deliberately resisted vomiting earlier, it would have been much worse.

Realizing he’d been fooled, the Baron exploded in anger.

“Damn it! That bastard tricked me?!”

“Tsk. Looks like this guy can’t even hold a conversation.”

Glenn then signaled the surrounding knights with a glance.

“Ugh!”

In an instant, two soldiers brutally began beating the Baron.

But they carefully avoided any fatal blows.

“That’s enough.”

“…cough, ugh.”

“Shall we have a little chat now?”

“If you kill me, you won’t survive either, I swear.”

“Slow learner, aren’t you?”

At Glenn’s words, the soldiers approached again and resumed kicking.

Minutes later, the Baron was half dead.

“cough, cough… Wait a moment!”

“Wait?”

“Think about it. If you kill me, you won’t survive. That’s a fact!”

“Hmm.”

Come to think of it, it wasn’t entirely wrong.

After all, he was still an Arian noble.

As Glenn pondered, Nedian spoke up.

“Will you really let him go just like that?”

“What do you think?”

“It’s right to kill him. Who knows when he might try to take revenge?”

The Baron shivered under the cold gaze.

“That’s true. But if I kill him, my position becomes precarious.”

Neither option—to kill or to spare—was viable.

That was Glenn’s conclusion.

The reason was obvious.

The delicate relationship between the duchy and the kingdom.

What if they killed the Baron here?

Would the kingdom really trust Glenn?

Up until recently, Glenn was branded a madman even within the kingdom.

An Arian noble from their own land and a long-time enemy of the kingdom.

Who would they trust more?

No matter what Glenn said, relations between the two countries would shatter.

And naturally, the secret assassination plan would be ruined.

… Could it be that the whole thing was orchestrated with that outcome in mind?

No, some things simply didn’t add up.

“Why did they try to kill me?”

“T-that was all Jacob’s decision…”

“Stop talking nonsense, friend.”

What possible benefit could there be in killing themselves?

“We’ve never even met, so it can’t be a grudge… and simple quarrels, robbery, or banditry are too risky against the Lion Knights. So it can’t be that either.”

The Baron shut his mouth.

Then, naturally, he avoided Glenn’s eyes.

“You don’t want to say?”

Glenn started to look at the Baron more intently.

He was certain they couldn’t kill him.

What was the Baron relying on?

Simply sharp wit?

He didn’t exactly look like that kind of man.

… Then there must be a mastermind behind this—naturally.

If there was, who could it be?

After a brief moment, one name suddenly came to mind.

“…Count Sailharun?”

At the unexpected mention, the Baron’s eyes twitched.

“Could it be that Sailharun’s family is behind this?”

“…I don’t know what nonsense this is.”

His reaction wasn’t confusion over the question.

It was a clear denial disguised as a question.

That felt like the right answer.

Sailharun… then the story fits.

“Master, no matter what, that’s… Are you saying the Sailharun family arranged to kidnap the Baron?”

Nedian asked with a grave expression.

He shook his head and continued.

“That would be outright treason. No matter who Sailharun is, joining hands with the Arians is crossing a line…”

Even if they were enemy families, they belonged to the same duchy.

Yet borrowing help from a neighboring country that was practically an enemy?

That was well beyond crossing the line.

Glenn gave a bitter smile.

“You’re only just realizing that? One of them has to disappear for this to end. Though they’re families from the same duchy, they are clear enemies.”

“Could it be that you, Master, orchestrated this to take down Sir Niran?”

“That might be part of it. But there’s another reason I don’t yet understand.”

It was a question Glenn had wrestled with in his past life as well.

Count Sailharun’s deep hatred for House Lepent.

Both then and now, the Count acted as if they were mortal enemies.

Simple political opposition didn’t explain it.

But that wasn’t the matter to dwell on now.

“Hey, Baron, can you satisfy my curiosity?”

“I still don’t know what the hell is going on.”

The man’s eyes darted nervously as he pretended ignorance.

Watching that, Glenn felt a twinge of contempt.

If you kill him, your position worsens.

That’s a fact.

But if you let him live, does the situation improve?

“No, it doesn’t.”

Then there was no need to think any longer.

In the blink of an eye, Glenn swung his short sword and plunged it into the Baron’s neck.

“…W-wait—think again… gurgle.”

With a short gurgle, blood splattered.

Glenn wiped the drops from the blade and spoke calmly.

“Send for Saintess Monica.”

***

“No matter how much I think about it, this is a problem of reputation.”

“Huh?”

At the unexpected comment, Nedian laughed.

“Isn’t that true for Saintess Monica too? Nobody trusts her because of his reputation, ha!”

Isn’t it because he’s the type to start by cutting off fingers if things go wrong?

Nedian swallowed the question lodged in his throat.

Not that he thought Glenn enjoyed such conversations.

But it was right to show willingness if it was necessary.

Even if it made him appear cruel to others.

Anyway—externally, the Master was still just a madman.

“But won’t it be clearer when you see the letter?”

Glenn held a partially burned letter in his hand.

“That’s true… but is there anything else?”

“It says a large-scale smuggling operation was discovered underground. Aside from that… it’s probably faster to question the suspects directly.”

“Will they cooperate with us willingly?”

“We’ll try to be as gentle as possible.”

As the report continued, the office door suddenly opened.

“Ah, Saintess Monica. Have you finished the investigation?”

Monica nodded with an expression full of distress.

“…Yes, there really were drugs mixed in with the alcohol and food. It seems to be a sedative and a paralytic agent.”

She then bowed her head slightly.

“I apologize for earlier—I was caught off guard.”

“Glad you believe us now.”

“Still, was it really necessary to kill the Baron? We should talk this through first—”

“Once you see this, I think your opinion will change.”

Glenn handed over the letter.

Though partially burned, it was still legible.

“…This is—”

As she read, her expression darkened.

“…Proceed with the matter through the Spring Priests. No need to annihilate, but cause significant damage. The informants are already sufficient. However, confirm the target’s location before proceeding. This letter is to be burned immediately after reading…”

The Spring Priests—that is, the Hernesia Order.

“That’s what this means?”

“The letter was in the Baron’s possession. I think he tried to burn it but failed.”

“…The ‘target’ mentioned here—”

“Is probably this matter. To explain briefly…”

The Baron came to negotiate with the Arians.

And those who received this letter were trying to sabotage it.

To do that, they called on the Hernesia Order priests.

“No matter how much money you offer, it’s difficult to recruit mercenaries in the north who can face the Lion Knights.”

Monica nodded unknowingly.

The Lion Knights’ prestige in the north was absolute.

She had only heard stories before today, but this incident made it real.

Before coming here, didn’t the knights keep boasting about it?

Also, the Hernesia Order was the most influential religious organization in the Lepent Duchy. So they wouldn’t target him directly.

Glenn trailed off awkwardly.

But Monica seemed to understand without hearing the rest.

“They’re using the weakest among the four great orders… Oh, goddess, how cruel.”

If their plan succeeded, relations between the two countries would deteriorate.

Then naturally, Glenn’s own plan would become difficult to carry out.

It was a cunning and meticulous move.

They could interfere regardless of what negotiations Glenn pursued.

Very much like the method of Count Sailharun.

“This isn’t just an insult to the Prince, but to our entire order. How dare they treat the sacred rite with such disrespect, casting a shadow on the goddess’s children!”

“Indeed. It’s unforgivable.”

“Right now, we should cut off that Baron’s head… Oh my.”

“Eh?”

“Sorry, that slipped out.”

“Ahem”

She unintentionally spoke so harshly?

Glenn had felt this before—it seemed religious people were impossible to please.

“Anyway, as you said, Prince, our order has suffered twice already. We are truly grateful.”

“…Latum Hernesia. We only did what we had to do. More importantly, I have a favor to ask of you, Saintess.”

“Please speak freely. The Prince is already a benefactor of the order.”

That was no empty phrase—it was true.

If it weren’t for him, the order would have been wiped out or severely damaged.

“I would like you to go with us to the Arian capital’s royal palace and plead our case in person.”

“That… That sounds reasonable. If this continues, the Prince may have to resort to using a pseudonym. However, we didn’t have plans to travel to the capital…”

“We will handle the escort. Also, as you know, the Arian Kingdom is weak when it comes to religious enforcement. This is an opportunity to spread the goddess’s words further.”

“To spread her words… what a noble duty.”

“Yes. And… though it’s embarrassing to say, you might also be able to make use of me.”

“To make use of you… Ah, you mean to use the fame of the Red Brigade. Am I correct?”

The mention of the Red Brigade caused Glenn’s face to flush momentarily.

“…Yes, that’s right. But the term ‘Red Brigade’ is a bit…”

“Why? I think it suits you very well.”

Monica’s eyes sparkled like a child reading a fairy tale.

… Was this her nature?

“Well then, I’m counting on your help.”

“I will discuss it with the order, but I am positive. It is an essential matter after all.”

“That’s a relief.”

Thus, Glenn and the Hernesia Order’s priests embarked on an unexpected journey together.

Their destination was the capital of the Arian Kingdom,

Niran.