I Became the Narrow-Eyed Villain in a Dropped Novel

Chapter 147:

The Short blade unit who had kicked open the door, drawn by the mana, didn't believe Ede's wild excuse that he was in the middle of receiving instruction on mana manipulation.

But regardless, their opponent was Count Valheit.

They couldn't just start a sword fight on mere suspicion.

The Short blade unit, who had searched every corner of the room for a long time, had no choice but to leave with displeased expressions.

Well, the surveillance around the room became even tighter, but that much was bearable.

“Setting that aside, what was that excuse? Do you want to become my top disciple or something?”

“No, I just spat out whatever came to mind. Well, if you were to teach me, I wouldn't refuse….”

“I refuse.”

“…I knew you'd say that.”

Ede let out a short sigh and spread a map on the table.

It was a small map that barely covered the table, so it didn't have detailed information.

“What a compact map.”

“What can I do. The more detailed and larger one was taken during the body search.”

Ede drew an X on the map with a sullen face.

It was the mansion where we were currently confined.

“It’s on the complete opposite side from the Royal Palace where the Duke must be staying. At this rate, it would take a good 30 minutes even running in a straight line.”

Ede drew a thin, straight line between the mansion and the Royal Palace on the western edge.

In reality, the path would be much more complicated, so it would take twice as long.

“Are you certain he's staying at the Royal Palace?”

“There’s nowhere else to stay. The Investigation Team is also staying at the Royal Palace.”

“I certainly felt a lot of faint hostile reactions.”

The Gellihain Supervisory Office, called the Royal Palace, was a building that utilized the old palace of the Karajo Kingdom as it was.

It was the largest and most magnificent building in all of Gellihau, not just the city of Gellihain.

It was a place that high-status people like the Investigation Team from the Imperial Capital or the First Duke would like, but it was also quite excellent in terms of security.

It was nearly impossible to infiltrate past the garden surrounding the palace and the walls and spires surrounding that garden.

Johann Geller was highly likely to remain in the Royal Palace until the official schedule tomorrow.

Even if he wanted to go out, the Three Blades would obviously stop him.

At most, he would just meet privately with the Investigation Team inside the Royal Palace.

“The First Duke won't be in danger until tomorrow. For now, we just need to worry about the Black Hand.”

“Did you find them? After rampaging so loudly, you must have found them, right.”

Ede asked, with a mix of slight reproach and admiration.

It was true that, as much of a fuss as I'd made, I had found out exactly where the bastards were.

“About 30 of them have infiltrated Gellihain. About 20 are clustered in a specific area, and the other 10 are scattered here and there. The 10 are probably personnel who had already infiltrated, and the 20 are those who came in for this job.”

“You can tell that much detail with detection? Is the spell you use a higher tier or something?”

“It's not like that.”

It was true that Valheit could use all sorts of spells in creative ways.

But even so, he couldn't ignore the fundamental limitations.

The Mana Grasp he used most often was originally intended for lifting light objects, but with Valheit's application and mana, it could be made into a weapon.

However, he couldn't ignore the constraint that the arm created by mana must be attached to the body and only one could be made, nor could he create an arm in mid-air or create and swing two.

Detection was the same.

It was possible to increase the range and improve accuracy, but it was impossible to read detailed information.

The limit was figuring out, 'That's probably a strong guy,' or 'He bears this much hostility toward me.'

And yet it guzzled mana, which is why it was inefficient.

In other words, the reason I could filter out the Black Hand so accurately was that their hostility toward me was sky-high.

It was a level of hostility incomparable to the Three Blades who were wary of me, as if they were looking at their parents' murderer.

I was worried it would be hard to distinguish them from the Three Blades, but it was good that they were so clearly distinct, though it felt unsettling.

‘This bastard Valheit, did he do something wrong?’

The story of the frontier region didn't come up much in the novel.

At most, the Dix Autonomous District, which was related to the Demon Tribe slave trade, had appeared as a setting once.

As such, there naturally wasn't much known about the lore.

It was just known as a place where nations conquered by the Empire were gathered.

I had devoured even the trivial lore left by the author of 『The Path of the Demon King』 on SNS, but I hadn't been inside the author's head, and I couldn't know what wasn't written.

“Mr. Ede, do you know much about the history of the Karajo Kingdom?”

“Uh, I did some research, yes? Why do you ask all of a sudden.”

“Something came up that I'm curious about. Is there any reason the Karajo people would hate me?”

Ede blinked and looked me over.

He looked like he didn't understand the intent of the question.

It must be strange for me to ask about myself directly.

Normally, I would have looked it up myself to avoid this situation, but I had no choice since I was out of time.

“Is this some kind of test?”

“Think of it that way. You don't need to explain the whole context. Just a brief answer will do.”

“Um… You instigated the countries that the Karajo Kingdom treated as vassals to request aid from the Empire, right? You contributed to the swift downfall of the Karajo Kingdom, which was a regional power in its own right.”

“Is this a famous story?”

“It's not exactly a secret, I hear anyone who'd know, knows.”

So they hate me like that because I'm the bastard who ruined their country.

I understood that intense hostility.

“Why do you ask that? Don't tell me you have amnesia or something?”

I flinched slightly at Ede's joke-like question but smiled and shook my head.

“The Black Hand bastards' hostility was stronger than I thought, and I was wondering why they hated me so much, but now the mystery is solved.”

No, why wouldn't you know that?

Ede's eyes said as much as he tilted his head.

I couldn't leave any room for suspicion, so I decided to gloss it over.

“I didn't know people could hate someone for such a flimsy reason.”

“Count, you're really… Nevermind! That's just like you! As expected of the Empire's old snake!”

I could see Ede's respect for me diminishing.

It stung a little, but what could I do?

Being treated like the old snake was better than being treated like a senile old man.

“The 10 scattered ones seem to be the key; if I had an accurate map, I could have figured out where they're staying.”

“Mark it for me. I have a detailed map in my head.”

You should have said so sooner.

I marked the approximate locations based on memory.

They weren't the exact locations, but it seemed to be enough for Ede.

“This is where the printing presses are gathered, and this is the shopping district… Huh?”

“What is it?”

“This place you marked north of the Royal Palace. It’s where the reporters who followed the Investigation Team are staying.”

“Then isn't that a place where citizens of the Empire are staying.”

“That's why it's strange.”

Hmm.

Newspapers and cameras.

The puzzle pieces were starting to fit together.

* * *

The next morning.

The Investigation Team Director, Hendrick, and the First Duke, Johann Geller, were facing each

other awkwardly.

“You have managed it truly splendidly, First Duke.”

“You praise me too much.”

“…….”

“…….”

When the awkward conversation died, the already bleak atmosphere froze even harder.

Hendrick couldn't stand it and fidgeted with his fingers, letting out a dry cough.

“It's not called the model of the frontier for nothing.”

“That's the third time you've said that, Chancellor.”

“I-Is that so? Hahaha.”

Even though he was the Emperor's uncle and a senior elder of the Imperial Family, Johann Geller was uncomfortable.

It might be different for the Emperor, but ignoring a Duke just because you're part of the Imperial Family wouldn't end well.

Twisting his lips awkwardly, Hendrick looked over the report the Investigation Team had hastily written.

There was almost nothing to fault.

It was profitable enough not to need help from the central government, and the locals' complaints were being managed reasonably well.

Rebel activity had been reported, but it was nothing compared to other frontier regions where riots broke out frequently or that asked the central government for help due to famine. The rıghtful source is novel·fıre·net

‘Damn it. This isn't how it's supposed to go.’

Immediately after Blaiher ascended the throne, Hendrick thought he would now have the Empire in the palm of his hand.

At least until the young Emperor learned how state affairs worked.

But Blaiher captured the hearts of the bureaucrats, the military, and furthermore, the citizens of the Empire, much faster than he had expected.

He became a leader everyone acknowledged, even if he didn't draw cheers.

Of course, it was much better than during the time of the previous Emperor, but Hendrick felt impatient.

The thought that Blaiher might treat him coldly like the previous Emperor had, tormented him.

That was why he had volunteered for the frontier region inspection.

To prove his usefulness, even if just a little.

Blaiher's intention was clear.

Find fault with the Dukes.

To state the conclusion first, he had failed.

“I suppose we can consider the inspection schedule for Gellihain and the Supervisory Office finished.”

“Well… hmm.”

“Is there something more you need to do?”

It was a gentle tone, but the words had thorns.

Hendrick had no choice but to back down before the aura of the First Duke, who sat with his back ramrod straight and his eyes shining fiercely, belying his age.

“It seems there's no need to investigate further.”

“That is good news. I have prepared an afternoon banquet. We will escort you as soon as the official schedule is over.”

He knew it meant 'eat and get lost', but he couldn't get angry or force the issue.

Hendrick nodded listlessly.

“Victor, what's the next schedule?”

“It ends after you announce the inspection results to the reporters. The Chancellor will answer pre-submitted questions, and then the old man, no, the Duke, just needs to say a few words of blessing.”

Victor spoke slower than usual, as if the formal expressions weren't sitting right in his mouth.

“Is that the end of this schedule?”

“Those wolves… ah, excuse me. It's officially over after the reporters take a few pictures.”

“So it seems, Chancellor. I hope the next inspection goes as smoothly as this one.”

“I suppose it must.”

Hendrick replied with a dejected expression.

It would take several months to wrap up this inspection and investigate the other frontier regions, so the Dukes would obviously clean up their lands in the meantime.

This move, the frontier region inspection, was a clear victory for Johann Geller.

“Victor, gather the reporters.”

Victor nodded, left the room, and let out a deep breath.

Haah, this kind of work really doesn't suit me.

“I’ll have to beg the Count or whatever it takes to get Semia back.”

“Is it settled?”

“Yeah. Call the reporters. Once we deal with those bastards, this damned job is over.”

Over.

As he spat out that word, Victor felt a slight sense of unease.

The Count, for whatever reason, had walked right into captivity, and the Ravens had just hovered on the fringes before quietly disappearing.

In the end, did this assassination plot even exist?

“The reporters are on standby.”

“My, they're fast. Escort the two of them. I'll check the surroundings.”

There was no need for me to stand in front of the reporters too.

He shuddered, recalling the wolf-like reporters who had relentlessly dug for Semia's whereabouts.

“Respected citizens of the Empire, I am here to report the initial results of the inspection of Gellihau….”

Hendrick's dragging voice began a long speech.

The moment he was about to feel relieved that it was really over.

“We have a big problem.”

A Short blade unit hurriedly sought him out.

“I told the Short blade unit to be on standby during the official event.”

“Valheit has escaped.”

“We posted so many guards, and he just left? The skills of the guys left at the mansion shouldn't be lacking.”

“Well… he apparently smashed through the roof and bolted.”

“…….”

That old snake pulled a forced breakthrough like that?

That man, who always maintained his dignity no matter what dirty deeds he did?

“Hah. It's the end of the world.”

“What should we do?”

“The press conference has already started. If we disperse it now, it won't end as just a disturbance.”

Unlike the flustered short blade unit, Victor spoke calmly.

He was already prepared.

“Ragion.”

“Already responding.”

“Then that's fine. For now, the official event proceeds as planned. After they take their pictures, lock all the reporters in their rooms.”

Pulling personnel to deal with the Count could leave them vulnerable to a feint operation.

The distance was far, and Ragion was blocking the way, so the Count wouldn't be that fast either.

‘I really wish he would keep the speech short.’

Victor clicked his tongue as he watched Chancellor Hendrick ramble on.