Episode 5. Rain poured down
On the fifth day of starting physical training.
There was a voice calling Sirius back from outside.
“Sirius.”
There was only one person who addressed Sirius without honorifics in this annex.
It was Yustia, Sirius’s spouse.
“You seem to be taking a lot of walks around the fortress these days.”
“I feel like my stamina is lacking.”
He replied calmly.
“So, I started training my physical strength.”
“….”
Yustia wore a puzzled expression.
“You, who have spent your whole life studying in the room, are starting physical training?”
“Is there a problem with that?”
“It’s not that, but….”
“Now that I’m no longer alone, I need to take care of my health.”
“….”
“If my chronic illness suddenly takes me one day, wouldn’t you be in trouble too?”
Yustia marrying Sirius was to prevent other families from coveting the Rigel family.
Even a powerless, sickly scholar could block other families’ advances by marrying him.
But if Sirius were to die… those people would start moving again.
They would pressure her to ‘remarry’ someone from their own family, and the Rigel family would be in trouble again.
From Yustia’s perspective, who wanted to prevent the Rigel family from being controlled by other families as much as possible, it was essential for Sirius to live a long and healthy life.
“Well… judging by your complexion these days, you don’t seem like you’ll drop dead suddenly.”
“Thanks to the physical training.”
“I’m curious about how you’re training your physical strength.”
Yustia sighed.
“Training your physical strength is good, but stay inside tomorrow instead of going out.”
“Why is that?”
“Guests are coming.”
“Is it perhaps the patriarch?”
“No. Father is quite busy these days and finds it difficult to leave the main house.”
Yustia’s father, Rutvein Rigel, was a sorcerer of the ‘6th Circle.’
Since the realm of sorcery ranges from the 1st to the 9th Circle, being of the 6th Circle denotes a considerable level of skill, but… he was far below the standards of the heads of the five great houses on the continent.
Furthermore, his children lacked talent compared to their father… the future of the Rigel family seemed quite bleak.
“The one coming tomorrow is Kardain, who is in charge of security.”
“Kardain?”
“He’s a delegate from the Yuterus family. You must have exchanged greetings at the wedding… don’t you remember?”
To Yustia’s question, Sirius shook his head.
“No, I remember.”
Kardain Yuterus.
A 5th Circle sorcerer dispatched to aid the fallen Rigel family.
Although he had not met him personally since arriving in this world, he knew well what kind of person he was.
“I had many conversations with him at the feast.”
The feast where Sirius collapsed.
Kardain Yuterus was the one who had forced strong liquor on Sirius at that time.
***
The next day.
Sirius responded to the maid’s call and made his way to the main gate of the annex.
He had to greet Kardain along with Yustia.
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“It’s quite strange, isn’t it?”
“What is?”
“Isn’t Kardain the head of security being paid by the Rigel family?”
While waiting at the gate, Sirius remarked to Yustia.
“It’s… unavoidable.”
Yustia replied, looking embarrassed.
“Other than my father, there is no sorcerer stronger than Kardain in the Rigel family, so we have no choice.”
“…”
“The Rigel family is currently receiving a lot of help from the Yuterus family. So, we have to be courteous and let him in.”
Yustia’s voice was stiffer than usual.
Just by hearing that tone, one could guess what feelings Yustia harbored towards Kardain and the Yuterus family.
“Just as a precaution, please refrain from bringing up such matters in front of Kardain. I will take the lead in handling it, so you just need to stay quietly by my side.”
“We were supposed to discuss accounting matters, right? It’s an area where even if you want to intervene, you can’t, so don’t worry.”
While having this conversation, a man on horseback approached them.
He was a middle-aged man with a robust build.
“Welcome, Kardain.”
“It’s been a while since the wedding, Miss Yustia.”
The man extended his hand for a handshake with Yustia.
And then, he turned his gaze towards Sirius.
“And… our son-in-law as well.”
He was smiling, but his eyes never did.
In his mind, he must have been puzzled, wondering, ‘Why is this guy so composed?’
“Please come in, Captain Kardain.”
Facing that Captain Kardain, Sirius greeted him sharply.
As if nothing was amiss, in a calm voice.
***
“So, the amount in this section is too…”
“That’s just something the lady doesn’t understand.”
The struggle between Yustia and Kardain continued in the parlor.
Yustia argued that the amount demanded by the Yuterus family was too high.
“Miss, the Yuterus family provides a lot of personnel and supplies for the Regel family. So, you should pay a fair amount.”
“Yes, I also appreciate the efforts of the Yuterus family. I believe it is right to pay a sufficient amount for their hard work.”
“Well, then…”
“But the expenses related to the goods seem to be set too high compared to the market price. This is excessive.”
“No, if you consider the cost of transportation by the Yuterus family…”
“Then please provide a list of the items you need. We will personally procure and supply them.”
“Oh, you shouldn’t say that…”
Considering the position of the two families, Yustia was clearly in a disadvantageous position.
Nevertheless, Yustia was trying to persuade Kardain skillfully, unfolding her arguments.
The maids gathered to praise, ‘Lady Yustia is the smartest in the Regel family,’ and it seemed not to be mere flattery.
‘Such a demeanor… reminds me of Jegal Chonggwan.’
Sirius recalled the memory of Baek Murang and Jegal Yeon.
When Baek Murang was the head of the Murim, he had direct subordinates he trusted more than anyone else.
Among them was Jegal Yeon, who took the position of Grand General of the Murim in a woman’s body.
She was renowned as a mathematical genius from a young age, but was pushed out of power struggles in Jegal’s family and remained in a lower position.
Baek Murang picked her up and made her a general, entrusting her with the role of Grand General when he later became the head of the Murim.
Unfortunately, she passed away early due to illness.
If she had been alive, she could have prevented corruption within the Murim, and Baek Murang always regretted her death.
Now Sirius… was receiving a similar impression from Yustia as he did from Jegal Yeon.
‘Yes, if I am to truly establish a Murim in this world, I need someone to take on the role of Grand General.’
A Murim couldn’t be built alone.
Especially the role of Grand General, handling various practical matters, had to be taken on by someone else.
If Yustia could take on a role similar to Jegal Yeon, it would be a great help to Sirius.
Watching Yustia counter Kardain, Sirius was thinking along those lines.
“Captain Kardain, I will bring more documents. I would like to explain each one to you personally.”
“No, there’s no need for that…”
“Please wait just a moment.”
In the end, Yustia left the parlor to bring additional documents.
It seemed like she wanted to present more objective data to shut Kardain’s mouth.
“Ha, this is quite something.”
Cardain wore a perplexed expression.
“Miss Yustia seems to only talk about money. I was just curious about how the newlyweds were doing, that’s why I dropped by.”
“I see.”
“Having a mind that’s too sharp can be troublesome. It must be tiring to scrutinize everything.”
As Cardain blabbered on, he gazed at Sirius’s face.
“So, son-in-law… How’s married life treating you?”
“It’s just ordinary.”
“Ordinary, huh.”
Cardain nodded his head.
“To be honest, son-in-law.”
“Yes.”
“I was quite worried. You collapsed suddenly at the banquet.”
“…”
“Perhaps it was my fault for making you drink too much that night? In fact, I wanted to apologize for that today.”
“It’s fine.”
Sirius replied in a casual tone.
“It doesn’t matter now.”
“Really?”
“Yes, as you can see.”
“…”
“In truth, you recovered that very night.”
At that, Cardain’s eyebrows twitched.
“You recovered that night?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Hmm, you seemed to be in quite a bad state…”
“I felt better after a nap.”
Cardain’s expression hardened even more.
Addressing such Cardain, Sirius spoke calmly.
“Why are you looking so stern?”
“Well, it’s just…”
“Shall I guess the reason?”
“What?”
Cardain’s eyes widened.
“Today, the Chief of Security must have made you quite uncomfortable. There are two main reasons for that.”
“What do you mean all of a sudden…”
“Firstly, it must have been bewildering to see Sirius, who should have been frozen to death on the first night, alive and well.”
“…!”
Of course, there’s a possibility someone else could have tampered with the drinks. But judging by the current attitude… it seems Cardain is the culprit who tried to kill Sirius.
“And… isn’t it unbearably unpleasant to know that this scholar spent the first night with Miss Yustia?”
“W-What?”
While Kardain was having a conversation with Yustia, Sirius observed closely.
He repeatedly noticed an inappropriate gleam in Kardain’s eyes.
It was a sinister gaze, harboring dark intentions toward the woman in front of him.
“S-Sirius! What are you saying right now…?”
“Listen, Kardain.”
There was no need for formalities anymore.
Looking straight at Kardain, he spoke in a cold voice.
“I’ve been thinking about this for a while.”
“W-What?”
“Sirius is nothing but a weak and powerless pawn. He holds no influence in the power struggle surrounding the Regel family. Why did anyone feel the need to kill such a person?”
To most people, Sirius was a negligible existence, whether alive or dead.
However, there were those who stood to gain from Sirius’s death.
“There is only one reason. Killing Sirius is the only way I can marry Yustia.”
“…!”
Yes.
That was the reason Sirius had planned to freeze and kill him.
“It’s not just your base desires, right? It must be a plan orchestrated by the Yuterus family.”
Sirius hadn’t just been training his body all this time.
Examining Sirius’s memories closely, he had heard various stories from the maids he had befriended over time.
As a result, he gained a deeper understanding of the situation the Regel family was facing.
“The head of the Regel family has only three daughters. The eldest and second daughters are already married to sons of other families, and those families are also eyeing the Regel family.”
“…!”
“To surpass them and take over the Regel family, the Yuterus family needs to secure the position of ‘son-in-law of the Regel family.'”
Yustia must have been aware that the Yuterus family had their eyes set on her.
However, Yustia had no intention of marrying Kardain.
Regardless of personal feelings towards Kardain, she judged that forming an alliance with the Yuterus family would not benefit the future of the Regel family.
Therefore, Yustia married the powerless Sirius.
Believing that once she became a married woman, neither Kardain nor the Yuterus family would dare to challenge her.
In the end, this marriage was Yustia’s last resort to protect herself from such men.
“Listen, Kardain.”
He glared at Kardain.
Kardain’s face, with scattered patches of dark red, was flushed with anger and shame.
“You seem old enough to know better, yet you want to take a mere twenty-year-old girl as your wife? Disgusting.”
“You…!”
Kardain tried to rise from his seat to grab Sirius by the collar.
But Sirius was quicker.
Smack!
With a slap that carried internal force, teeth spilled out of Kardain’s mouth.