Episode 10
“This is Francisca, the wizard who will help you in this case. An outstanding wizard who has already reached the 4th rank.”
“I am Francisca, Princeal’s granddaughter.”
“If it’s Frindal-sama… ? You are an exclusive wizard… .”
“Yes, his granddaughter is right.”
“Really, the future is terrifying. How beautiful are you there… .”
Baron Bellon was busy praising the party as if he had no face.
To Allen, he was dazzled by the majesty and charisma of a ruler, and to Francisca, his beautiful appearance, full of talent and wit.
Allen was moderately humbled by his flattery.
Baron Bellon.
An incompetent baron who didn’t take any action until the case got this big. It was one of the appearances of aristocrats that Allen typically loathed.
Looking at his face, it seemed that he was doing things without thinking.
“… By the way.”
Baron Bellon flattered him several more times, not suited to the urgent situation, and then looked around Allen unobtrusively.
“… Didn’t Confucius Julius originally come here?”
“Haha, Baron, it seems that I am not confident.”
As Allen spoke to him with bones, he quickly shook his head with a sullen smile.
“How do you say that, Confucius? I’m just curious about the rumor that Confucius Julius has changed… .”
I’m curious… under.
With that in mind, did you only have to shine your face once before? Allen noticed a sense of incongruity waving around him that he had never felt before.
“Unfortunately, my brother has been away for a long time in the northwest city of Gabia.”
“… I’m sorry. Oops, I didn’t care for the guests. Come on inside. Tea made with Hibel’s specialties is available.”
After arriving in the drawing room and chatting a bit, they were able to hear the details of the incident.
“I was informed of the incident two weeks ago.”
Allen narrowed his eyes and looked at him.
‘The mood has changed.’
Is it because the damage to the territory is large? Or, is there at least something that is enough to become a lord? Whatever it is, I’m sure there is something there.
“It was the news that merchants going to and from the village and herbalists who climbed the mountain were disappearing.”
He clouded his expression as if sadly, but no one was present who thought that was the truth.
If you really thought so, you would have asked the countess for help before this happened.
“At first, I thought it was an attack by a monster or a swarm of thieves. It’s about a few people dying, isn’t it common? By the way… .”
“Isn’t it?”
Allen asked a question to double-check the information he knew.
“Yeah, it wasn’t. When I first sent a few soldiers to investigate, I saw traces of monsters as I expected, so I decided it was an attack by a monster. However… . That wasn’t the end. Reports keep coming.”
One day, two days, three days, four days, five days, six days… .
“At that time, I realized the seriousness and dispatched the soldiers late, but the situation had already grown out of control. Monsters have even started raiding towns and kidnapping people.”
After talking that far, he began to explain the identity of the attacking monster.
“The monster… . To be honest, a trained soldier would be able to deal with it alone. However, when soldiers appear, they run away in an instant… . That’s true.”
He complained that it would be impossible to catch him unless he rode a horse.
“Then guiding them to another place and grabbing them… .”
When Francisca asked if he would like to dig a trap, he replied simply.
“Franciska. Have you forgotten where this is?”
“yes? That’s it, Hibel, the northern city of the Countess… . ah.”
She had a look on her face that she had just realized.
“Yes. This is a city located in the northern part of the Counties, on the border of the Michelland Mountains.”
The city of Hibel was created while pioneering the Michelland Mountains.
A city formed naturally by transporting logistics while trading rare medicinal herbs, ore, and leather from the mountains.
So outside the city was full of dense forests.
To say that there is a forest means that there are creatures that live there. Therefore, there were several inconveniences in moving.
“If we knew where the culprit is, we could call a raid, but… .”
“You say that it is difficult.”
“Yes. That’s right.”
It could be easily defeated in the plains, but it was difficult to track the monsters running away in the dense forest with many obstacles and limited visibility.
Even if they tried, the forest was overflowing with other monsters, so it was obvious that they would just throw away their troops.
Baron Bellon had a sad expression on his face.
Allen quietly listened to Francisca and his conversation, then opened his mouth to confirm the momentary discomfort.
If the answer to this question is different from his thoughts.
“What did the Baron do until things went that way?”
If you do something different than before.
‘The cause, what could be.’
Allen’s gaze upon him was tainted with contempt. A situation that clearly calls for accountability. Francisca was silent at Allen’s sudden action.
“I know at least we have had enough time to evacuate the people around Hibel.”
How many villages were there in this rugged area, didn’t they take any action?
Had it been the one he had ‘experienced’, he would have put on a brazen face in this situation.
‘Avoid responsibility, and take on all the burdens.’
He was hiding in the mansion until he killed the chimera magician, the black screen that caused the incident.
But… .
“sorry. Confucius, it was my mistake. It is true that we did not take proper action in the event of a sudden event.”
It wasn’t.
The baron answered with a shy expression.
“I was not in the mood to accommodate the refugees flocking to this place, so I won’t make that excuse. If I hadn’t built up my self-esteem, I wouldn’t have gotten this big.”
Allen quietly closed his eyes to his excuses, not his excuses. However, his insides were more complicated than the outside.
‘The Baron Bellon I knew and knew did not act like this.’
I haven’t done this before. She turned to say that she hid in fear, pushing a thick mug.
In the end, while evading taxes, Julius caught Deulmi.
Looking at it now, it’s like I’m acting like I’m deliberately incompetent… .
Whether Allen was in deep thought or not, Baron Bellon erased the appearance of a small boy from before and bowed his head with a rather serious face.
“In such an emergency situation, I can’t stay away from it any longer. Just speak. We will do our best to support you.”
Now he looks like an aristocrat who really rules a city.
‘then.’
Allen opened his mouth to find out his intentions one last time.
“Then, can you carry out the renewal of the oath right now?”
In response, Baron Bellon replied as if it was natural.
“Of course. We, Hibel, promise to swear an oath to the Reinhardt family in the future.”
The meeting, which lasted several hours, ended successfully.
Unlike the situation before the return, when Baron Bellon was forced to talk to his knight, he talked to him about a constructive plan and obtained cooperation.
Plans for evacuating residents, strategies for effectively defending the city, tracking down the culprits, etc.
It was a conversation that was close to a waste of time for Allen, who knew the location of the Chimera Master’s workshop anyway, but it was a shock to Baron Bellon’s behavior changed.
‘It was Julius who saved the city on behalf of the incompetent Baron.’
He was the one who killed the Chimera Magician on behalf of the immobile one.
It was Julius who punished him for trying to evade the city’s taxes.
‘If, all of that.’
If it was a duke to use his incompetence as an excuse to make Julius get the ball.
“… No need to think now.”
He shook his head.
This will be known for sure, Julius, depending on what he will bring to Gavia.
After all, I didn’t come here to know that.
Allen left the mansion with a minimum number of people.
The purpose of coming to Hibel is to end the past by solving the case, and to bring someone who might be of help. There was no need to be thirsty for things I couldn’t figure out now.
Francisca wanted to rest in her private room to unwind from the exhaustion of ten days of travel and a series of meetings, and that’s why she didn’t come out.
The city was chaotic. No, it was maintaining the minimum order.
Even if the city is controlled by soldiers, all the residents are already trembling with anxiety.
It couldn’t be easier to control.
Major areas, including major shopping malls, were protected by soldiers, but other areas close to the slums were full of incidents and accidents.
He has already identified more than five crimes while roaming the city, including two felonies, such as arson and murder.
The reason Allen, confused and wandering aimlessly, was because of one concern.
‘Just because the other person has some talent, is it right to decide the future of the other person at will?’
Allen had one thought in mind from the moment he planned to come here.
He knew who had what talents in the future, and who would make a name for himself in battle.
Because of this, he was able to harvest the seeds before they showed any talent, and to dispose of them before they bloomed.
But is that right?
‘If it’s not right, what would be different?’
Have you already made up your mind to kill him? I had no intention of being more hesitant and acting like a gentleman.
However, that and this were different.
The people he will recruit in the future are those who have a direct grudge against Julius before his return. Those who have suffered damage due to his ignorant choices, those who have been turned away according to the principle of power.
But, what about others?
for example… . So, the girl who lost her mother and blossomed her talents in a woman’s body?
‘It’s ridiculous to hesitate now.’
It’s good to recruit someone with a grudge against him.
They will be with him until the end because of their desire for revenge.
Likewise, people who depend on money were good to use. They wouldn’t hesitate to be used if the conditions were good.
But, if you live a normal life.
Allen moved quickly and killed the Chimera Shaman. If the case is resolved smoothly, they will live in the city peacefully unlike before the return.
So, if you are a person who will live without war or war.
‘Is it really right to attract talents?’
His steps forward may be criticized by others.
Allen will do a lot of work close to him.
He will also help him deal with the catastrophes happening in various places. He might even uncover a conspiracy that would pose a great threat to some. Also, you will build a reputation by saving many people.
The higher his name gets, the higher he will stand.
But that might not be the end… No, it’s definitely not going to be good.
Because in the end he’ll hit him.
Whether you find a way to save your brother or not, you will eventually kill him.
Attempts to target its weakness may end in vain, and the trap prepared to kill it may fail.
Until he rises to heights he can’t reach.
If the timing is quick, I might be able to get away with it even after hitting him, but… .
‘If 10 or 20 years pass… . Even if he saved the world, if only after accumulating achievements.’
Whatever the reason, Allen will be hostile to any faction he aids.
Even if you find a way to save your brother, what does that matter to those who don’t care?
To them, Allen would be nothing more than a dirty traitor who stabbed his brother in the back.
Even if he saved his younger brother with a miraculous probability. His body belonged to his younger brother, but what he did was a bastard, so he could not avoid being hostile.
Along the way, Allen couldn’t help but ponder whether it was the right thing to do to attract people who would live in peace without his intervention.
‘It would have been easier if there was no guilt.’
Wealth and fame will follow those who make battle as their main job, but if left alone, who will marry someone and start a normal family?
Aren’t they going through the blood they don’t have to go through?
Julius, if it were him, he would have drawn him in at random without thinking about such things.
Am I thinking too deeply?
As I was walking down the street, I heard a shout.
“My mom is out! So take it and eat it!”
“No, kid. Will we come with you in a little while?”
“Okay, did we know that the High One is coming today too? So shut up.”
When he turned his head, he saw a girl from the tavern, or a woman who had just come out of his tavern, running towards the soldiers who were sitting there.