Chapter 25 : Chapter 25
Chapter 25
Dealing with the case surrounding Administrator Roberto, a full investigation of all administrators and employees, and on top of that, preparations for hosting a sudden council of lords.
The Moner family's Lord's Castle was moving more busily than it had in the past ten years.
In the office of the Lord's Castle, Regent Markberg, who was wrestling with a mountain of documents that reached his shoulders, blinked his eyes at the sudden news and raised his head to look at his aide.
"A demonkin...?"
"Yes, it is said that the Young Lord's knight, who was coincidentally wandering around the cathedral, has disposed of the demonkin and its remnants that were in the cathedral."
Had the man, who had been looking tired lately, suddenly gone mad?
He looked at his aide carefully, but the machine-like aide seemed no different than usual.
"...Where in the world would a demonkin be?"
Of course, there were many legends about demonkin.
That they ate humans, or that they were minions of the devil.
No matter how much the world was infested with demonic beasts, there was no way that demonkin really existed.
In the first place, how could a demonkin appear on this continent, which was blessed by the gods?
In addition.
"...A knight for that madman, what's that all about?"
Who would want to dedicate their entire life to a madman?
Despite being a young lord, not a single knight had sworn allegiance to Ian.
No, he knew that there were none.
"A man in a white mask has claimed to be the Young Lord's knight.
According to rumors, he seemed to be an assassin who uses a dagger..."
"Hah... did he pick up a contractor from some assassin's guild?
And that assassin coincidentally killed a demonkin?"
An assassin the young lord happened to find became a knight and then coincidentally hunted a demonkin.
It was a series of incomprehensible events.
In the first place, a being as unrealistic as an angel was taken down by a mere assassin?
The sudden demand for a council of lords was also strange.
A feeling of unease wouldn't go away.
"So, what does the Holy Empire want to do?"
"Well... they have sent consolation money, saying that they feel responsible for the priests who were seduced by the demonkin."
At those words, the regent groaned.
It wasn't as if the clergy's corruption was a recent thing, but to think that they would use a demonkin as an excuse.
"Hah, seduced by a demonkin.
I don't know who thought of it, but it's a good excuse.
So, what do they want to do?"
"They have expressed deep regret for the actions of the priests who committed atrocities at the hands of the demonkin, and have requested to hold a memorial service for the victims."
"Hah..."
Markberg looked at his aide with astonished eyes.
It was strange that the Holy Empire would move so proactively.
"What is it?
There's no reason for the Holy Empire to suddenly take an interest in the Moner family..."
As the regent was lost in thought, stroking his chin with suspicion, his aide continued.
"Well, they say they will send a high-ranking cleric to investigate the evil deeds of the priests currently in the domain.
They say there might be traces of the demonkin left."
For a moment, the two's gazes met in mid-air.
"They're trying to start a civil war.
The Pope has made a reckless choice."
It seemed the Holy Empire wanted to use the extraordinary event of a demonkin's appearance as a starting point for a power struggle.
They were trying to blame all the corruption of the priests on the demonkin and eradicate the corruption and injustice within the clergy.
"The Holy Empire can do as it pleases.
As for us, they're giving us money and even holding a memorial service, so let's just smile and eat our rice cakes."
The regent grinned at the unexpected windfall, then his expression hardened as he instructed his aide.
"The council of lords is next week.
Let's make it so that the security forces were the ones who did well in this, so that the young lord's knight doesn't get too much attention."
This council of lords was a golden opportunity to crush the forces that still supported the young lord, so not even a shred of attention should be allowed to go to that madman.
"No matter what he does, he won't be able to do anything about the fifty million gold.
What can that madman, who has nothing but a title he can't even use, do?"
Ignoring the persistent feeling of unease that wouldn't go away even as he spoke, Markberg dived back into the mountain of documents.
* * *
"Hmm..."
I lay in the middle of the training ground and looked at the quest window, which was emitting a faint light.
[Quest Complete]
-Reward increased for exceeding the quest objective.
[You have defeated a demonkin.]
-Quest reward increased.
[You have deceived a demonkin for the first time.]
-The old shepherd Ajiyog is after your soul.
-Quest reward increased.
If I pressed the sparkling [Claim Reward] button, this quest would be completely over.
'It's not enough...'
After finishing the negotiations with the Saintess, Ian spent most of his days on the training ground.
Not only did he need time to digest the insights he had gained from the fight with the demonkin, but he had also keenly realized that he lacked strength.
'With this kind of mediocre strength, I can't do anything.
I need overwhelming strength and an organization...'
At that moment, Lina and Puck, who were training with the members, approached and said with a look of disgust at the sight of Ian sprawled on the ground.
"Duke, have you used up all your mana again?"
Judging by the sword marks that filled the entire area, he must have been out since dawn, continuously swinging his dagger.
Since the day he said he saw a demonkin, Ian had seemed impatient, as if he were being chased by something.
"Captain!
We're ready!"
Puck, who was next to him, jumped and shouted.
Puck, who had been depressed for a while because she couldn't awaken her trait, had regained her spirits and was participating in the training more diligently than anyone else.
"Not captain, Young Lord."
After chuckling at Puck, who had called him captain several times, he stood up and saw the members approaching from a distance.
"...so no one really left."
There was no one among them who didn't know the truth of what had happened at the cathedral.
Despite witnessing that horrific scene, all the members had decided to remain here.
"Captain, Captain.
Lina-unni and Reina-unni said that we're going to decide on a name for ourselves now, like a knightly order.
What, what would be good?"
Puck blinked her eyes, full of anticipation, and begged for a name like a child wanting candy.
Ian looked at the members approaching from a distance.
These were people who, just a month ago, had spent most of their time at home and in the market, unaware of their own traits.
Ian, looking at them, slowly said.
"The Black Noble Order ."
There were such people on Earth as well.
The great women who, upon realizing that the enemy was attacking, came out from their homes, kitchens, and laundry places and defended the castle with just a single hand axe.
Like them, who had defended Saint Tortosa and were knighted and honorably called the 'Order of the Hatchet', the Black Noble Order would also one day be remembered as the noblest darkness.
With that thought, Ian scanned the faces of the members with a proud expression.
"What... it's not cool at all."
"It sounds like the name of an assassination group."
"What assassination group?
It's the name of a back-alley gangster organization.
These days, even gangsters would be too embarrassed to use a name like that."
The words of Puck, Reina, and Lina, in that order, pierced my heart.
"Well, it's still better than our current nickname."
Lina, who had smiled faintly, took Puck and headed towards the members to tell them the newly decided name.
"Current nickname?"
Since he had thought it was foolish to give names to people who might leave at any moment, they had only been called members, so there was no way they had a nickname.
With that thought, he looked at Lina, and Lina shrugged her shoulders.
"'The Young Lord's Pillows', or 'The Night Maids'.
It's obvious what people think."
Guilt washed over me at her words, as she spoke as if it were no big deal.
Since I was the one who brought them here, I should have paid more attention to them.
"...I thought they would curse me, not you."
"There's probably no one who didn't expect that much when they came here.
They all came crying and wailing, but now they're all... proud.
They're also curious about what they'll be doing in the future."
Lina's gaze fell on Ian.
The young duke whose thoughts were impossible to read.
He seemed reckless, but all his actions brought good results.
It might just be a coincidence.
No, it was probably a coincidence.
Judging from the fact that he had made the reckless plan to kill the clerics as soon as he heard Puck's words, and that he had stormed into the city hall after hearing his own words, it didn't seem like the duke thought about things like strategy or tactics.
'An ignorant person.'
He was literally an ignorant person.
Who in the world would listen to the words of commoner women, empathize with them, and share their pain?
That's why Lina decided to bet her life on the luck of Ian, who had awakened her talent.
To repay the grace of avenging her parents' injustice.
To repay him for gifting her the present where she could walk and talk like a human being.
"So please, continue to make us proud."
"Of course."
Ian, who had answered vigorously, walked towards the Black Noble Order.
***
That afternoon, Ian headed to the Golden Goblin Merchant Guild with Reina for a final check before the council of lords.
"Young Lord!"
Rick, still with his sly face, approached Ian as soon as he saw him and greeted him.
"It's been a really long time!
Oh, I don't know if you've heard, but something big happened at the cathedral over there.
A whopping!
A fearsome legendary demonkin was hiding there..."
Rick, who had been chattering nonstop from the side, suddenly paused, and his eyes, looking at Ian, began to tremble.
"Haha!
Don't tell me you think I'm a demonkin?"
"Pardon?!
Oh, no way!
You're quite the joker, Young Lord!"
Even so, he secretly clasped his hands and began to walk with his eyes closed.
"...Really?
Are you really praying while walking right now?"
"Pardon?
Ah, I forgot to attend the evening service yesterday.
With the cathedral in an uproar and the guild's work overflowing, I haven't been in my right mind.
Haha..."
Ian stopped in his tracks, looking dumbfounded at Rick, who was walking away with his lips moving.
"O holy God of Light, please destroy the evil so that my life may not be tested..."
"That bastard is praying with an exorcism prayer."
From the mouth of Rick, who was walking with his eyes closed, a part of the holy scripture that was said to drive away demons flowed out ceaselessly.
Ian, who had been staring blankly at the back of Rick, who was brazenly treating a living person as a demon, looked at Reina with an aggrieved expression, and she was covering her mouth and laughing faintly as if she found it amusing.
"Well, at least he's a good kid..."
* * *
"Welcome."
Rylae looked at Ian, who had entered the office with a somehow more grim expression than usual, and Rick, who was trembling slightly next to him.
"Did Rick perhaps do something rude...?"
"Oh, what are you talking about, President.
I escorted him politely, stylishly, and with manners, just as you said."
As she was looking at him with a suspicious face at Rick's hasty excuse, she saw him secretly making the sign of the cross with his fingers.
"Rick."
"Yes, yes!
President."
She covered her forehead with her hand for a moment and pointed to the door.
"Get out right now."
"Yes!
Yes!
Thank you!"
Even at the words to get out, Rick bowed deeply as if he had finally been saved and hurried out.
"That child is very timid..."
"It's fine, I guess a person can look like a demon sometimes."
Despite his words, Ian's voice was laced with thorns.
Just as Rylae was vowing to break all of Rick's fingers today, Ian, who had sat down on the sofa, leaned forward and asked.
"So, is the favor I asked for done?"
"Yes.
We have purchased all the food with the remaining thirty-five million gold.
As for the conditions, we have set the compensation to the maximum, as you requested."
Taking out several contracts and placing them on the desk, she said in a worried voice.
"But will it really be alright?"
"What will?"
"A war might really break out..."
Then Ian, who was looking over the contracts on the desk, said.
"They can't go to war even if they want to.
It might be a different story if the Duke were here, but now, if even one of the knightly orders on the front lines moves, the kingdom's knightly order will come rushing this way."
If a war really broke out, the Moner family would not lose.
If all the swords and shields of the front lines were turned towards the kingdom, they would have enough military power to fight a battle with the royal family.
The royal family, knowing this, would have no choice but to intervene in any way possible to prevent a war if they saw any signs of it.
"That's what the three domains are counting on."
The conviction that no matter what they did, it would not lead to a war.
It was because of that conviction that the three domains could take such an arrogant stance.
It was time to solve the biggest problem that had been eating away at the Moner family for a long time.