65 Save 31 - Traitor

After the village chief scared me, I returned to my ship, I did not see them off, Alisa and the others did.

After setting sail from the island, the annoying students swarmed me with questions about what the drones were. My door was closed so I could only hear their annoying voices.

After a while of me no longer hearing a sound, I realized it was getting dark.

I went outside to get some air.

"It's so beautiful the sky at sunset" I said as I stretched and looked up and then at the horizon.

I stood there for a while until I heard footsteps, I thought it was the annoying students, but it was just....

"Rudel-san, you finally came out."

Airi changed into her uniform from the adventure clothes she had. She came to my side and glimpsed the view as well.

I kept quiet without saying anything as the moment I watched her hair swaying in the wind, a strange feeling grew in me.

Without my realizing it, my left hand was reaching for her right.

At that moment, she turned to look at me and I cowardly turned my face away in shame.

Then, she broke the silence with a very painful question.

"Rudel-san, why didn't you answer my question that time?"

That time, the moment she fell from the cruiser and I rescued her, we had discomfort since we were under attack and after releasing everything our hearts harbored. She proposed to me.

I still don't understand. Why me?

Her gaze was in a shy and embarrassed way, she was watching me with utmost interest.

"On that occasion, I was sincere with you. I wasn't lying about it."

Ever since we got back together, even when it was just the two of us. This conversation hadn't happened. Was it due to the village headman's strange shady reading?

"Please, even if it takes you a long time, I'd like to hear your answer, whatever it is."

Hearing that last, I just said, "I'm hungry," and cowardly escaped.

I was getting farther and farther away from her, and then I thought about why I ran away and couldn't tell her.

(Please understand at once. We can't be together, you are a commoner and I am a noble, we are from completely different social worlds and, only a miracle could make us be together).

◇◇◇

After arriving at the kingdom, Rudel and company went to give their report to the palace. After a while, an emergency meeting was held.

"There's no way something like that is possible!!!"

"We're talking about the viscount's lost object, it wouldn't be something weird if it were possible, but what terrifies me is, if I destroy that entire fleet without killing anyone, wouldn't it be possible that he could invade and conquer the kingdom!!!?"

"That's right!!! That man has no respect for anyone according to reports, he's so frivolous that he can mercilessly destroy anyone!!! Just remembering how he invaded the Rossini's territory and toyed with them, shows how terrifying he is!!!"

"A man like him doesn't deserve to have that technology... should we give him some fine and take it away from him?"

"Our country's adventurer laws dictate that it's a violation of his rights, we can't take it away from him as we would be breaking the law!"

"Don't you remember what the report said, not only on this occasion but in the attack on the cruiser he was on? That boy shouldn't have that much power, at the very least, let him support the palace and have a few restrictions so we don't believe he's planning something against us!!!"

"The prime minister, Duke Bismarck and the queen herself are backing him. We can't touch him, even if we want to."

In this meeting of ministers about what happened recently, the subject of Rudel was the reason for their meeting. The students and Rudel himself, reported what happened with the pirates, Rudel only said that he defeated them without going into detail.

The students told everything they saw without lying, that being the problem.

Among them, there was only the Marquis Balzac and the members of his faction in the room that could only be used when the Prime Minister summoned one.

He was frightened. Sweat beaded on his forehead.

He had not told anyone about those pirates were his doing, he thought it was unnecessary. Fortunately, for him, he managed to avoid his own unintended end.

If Erselica's letter had been read, since she showed no knowledge of it, he would have told the others what he was planning. No doubt her head would have been rolling long ago.

Her thoughts were focused on the biggest problem of all.

(That boy... I thought it was just absurd stories about what happened on the cruise ship.)

(If I hadn't entrusted all the responsibility to that idiot Orwell, my head like his would have been removed by now!)

His hands were shaking with fear.

(What's worse, that whole fleet that had weapons and mobile knights smuggled in I destroy without even being present! It's very dangerous, really dangerous for anyone, whether it's for this country or for me).

His beard was filling with sweat.

(If that old man from Ritzburg or, Siegwald tell him to investigate me or come after me, it would certainly be very bad. He is the favorite dog of those old men, but he doesn't seem to want to involve him, so I am safe for now. The queen has also taken a liking to him according to her maids, how can you take a liking to the one who beat the next king of his country and even more so to your own son?)

(I must do something... that's it!!! The plan, I must advance the plan as soon as possible and notify Franz!)

Despite having hostile thoughts, the marquis was still trembling and the ministers were still talking.

"I still can't believe he found the heart of the dungeon! It's a legendary act for any adventurer and that boy finds it and worse, destroys it!"

"I heard that despite blowing it up, he brought a strange thing with him. He didn't even notify the guild!"

The ministers kept talking about Rudel, some with envy and some with hatred.

◇◇◇

The place was the king's room of the commonwealth of Talis.

There, Klein's father Franz was conversing with the king and his prime minister.

"It's just as you hear, we finally finished that. After several years of being in the shadows and spending a lot on secret manpower. we managed to complete it!"

"Is that so? So when will the promised day be?" said the king hiding in the darkness of his room.

The light coming through the window only illuminated a part where two men stood.

"If I am not mistaken... any moment now, I am only waiting for notification from the marquis that there are no more vermin in the court."

"Sounds good to me, Your Majesty, may I tell Askewell, to stop spying on the kingdom and start distributing the mushrooms?"

"Have they already been made into pills for you to ask?"

"Yes, we have the quantity our analysis never predicted. No doubt our people desire this victory against those worms."

"Very well." Said the king as he laughed. "Notify him as soon as possible and have our forces and allies get ready."

"Confirmed, very well, Kingsfort-dono, if you have nothing more to add..."

With a smile, Franz said "I would like His Majesty Rafiel, also to go to the battlefield."

"How?" said the king intrigued.

"I'm sure both you and your soldiers wish to see the end of the Royal Family, so there is no greater motivation for you to go as well."

After a moment of thought, Rafiel said "all right, prepare a flagship for me." With that said, Franz withdrew and had only one thought after that.

(Altfode and Talis, I'll have them both whether I want them or not, kekekeke.)

◇◇◇

It was night, the place was Duke Bismarck's border territory, there, was Vayne patrolling.

His appearance was of a very attractive young man of similar features to his sister. His blond hair was tied in a ponytail. He was watching the surroundings as there was talk of a strange ship or ships prowling the destroyed territories at night.

His face showed weariness, he had not slept or eaten well for two days.

His home, his future territory even, was going through very unfortunate things.

He, still, was fully confident that everything would work out.

"Vayne-sama!"

A soldier arrived to warn him of something.

"What is it?"

"A large box has arrived, the one who sent it was Viscount Bradford."

"A box from Rudel-kun? Could it be a gift?"

Vayne thought maybe something good had happened for him to send her a gift.

She walked along with the soldier to see the box. It was a large box, several soldiers stood around it.

"Vayne-sama, it smells like liquor. This means the viscount sent us a gift, I hope it meant what I think it is."

Several soldiers were happy to think of something good happening for such a gift. Vayne, even thought of Alisa.

(I see, my little sister finally got her thoughts in order).

Just as he was approaching a soldier said something that stopped him.

"It's a bit sad that the viscount personally sent a vassal to bring it."

(Vassal... Rudel-kun has vassals?)

(His business at home is very productive so he definitely must have them.)

(But still... when he brought gifts he brought them in person and with some very strange golems instead of people...)

A subordinate who tried to open the box without permission said.

"Vayne-sama, I'm sure it smells like wine, but there also seems to be tobacco as the aroma is very strong."

Vayne stopped walking.

(Liquor... tobacco... strong aroma...)

At that moment...

"Everyone, get away from that box and hide!"

...A huge explosion, five meters around happened.

Vayne was hit by the explosion and crashed into a rock wall.

Blood was pouring from his head and his eyes wouldn't open.

"Quick someone use water magic to put it out!!!"

Soldiers and knights ran as they tried to search for injured people and put out the flames.

◇◇◇

The prime minister's private room.

A place where the smallest number of people could enter with permission, even Liam, had to ask permission to enter.

Only the king and queen could enter without permission.

Mayer was working very hard. He was looking for evidence that could destroy the faction and Marquis Balzac himself.

He had his own house, but he preferred to be in his office which he called his private room, all due to the passing of his wife and son.

He slept, ate and even bathed there. Only a toilet for basic needs he did not have.

He had returned from the bathroom, a pile of documents awaited him stacked on the floor and his desk.

After sitting down, he pulled out a bottle of wine and a glass from a drawer.

The glass had a small scratch on it, he knew that scratch is the last memory of his wife.

He poured himself a 1/3 of alcohol, he was so stressed that he wanted to drink a lot.

He thought about everything that was going on as he relaxed while shaking the ice cubes put in the glass.

(That dirty bastard Balzac, I don't know what he's up to, but I won't let you get your hands on my post or Rudel-kun. That kid will be a big change for this country, that's why I can't involve him until he's legally a member of my faction).

After thinking about how much fun it would be to defeat the marquis, he took not one, but five sips of his drink.

It was very relaxing according to the sound of happiness he made.

After placing the glass on the coaster....

"Huh?!"

He felt a great pain in his chest and throat.

The pain was so great that almost everything on top of the desk, both the magic lamp and the glass and papers, fell to the floor with him.

He unbuttoned the buttons of his shirt and with his hands tried to circulate blood by blows to his chest.

The pain was so much that his throat burned, it was not a burning from a strong drink, it was a burn from having ingested something very dangerous.

As he grabbed his throat and scratched with his fingernails due to the pain, he thought.

(T-That can't possibly be my age!!!!! The king's personal doctor gives me a checkup every month and says I'm healthier than many young adults... there's no way anyone...)

At that moment, when the lamp shone on the glass, Mayer saw it.

He noticed how there was a slight white mark on the edges of the glass.

He knew how he left every tiny thing, so, if someone came in, it would be impossible for him not to see it.

Even if it was someone who was a spy. Both the bottle and the glass were in the same position.

The problem was that Mayer never thought that dirty tactics could evolve.

(Shit! I neglected that little detail!).

The glass that he always drank from, had a whitish color, someone had placed something, possibly poison that was colorless and colorless for detection.

Mayer tried with all his might to grab the small portrait of him and his wife as youngsters.

Before his hand managed to reach him, his vision and hand fell.

◇

It was already evening, after I finished giving my report, I was forced into a party where I was being harassed by mature, single women. They were all beautiful, but their breasts were not something worthy of praise and more so that they all looked like harpies wanting to hoard every last coin I had.

I managed to get out after saying "oh, look how late, I have to sleep for class". It was evidently a lie since the classes are self-study.

As I walked down a long corridor, I stopped to look out the window, what was up there was the one thing I wouldn't get used to.

"It may be a ridiculous fantasy world, but what is the significance of having two moons? I just don't get it, what's the point of having two moons?"

I immediately fell silent after hearing footsteps, I hope no one heard me. Turning to look, I saw her. One of the most beautiful women I had ever seen both in my past life and in my new life.

It was the queen, Lecia von Altfode, Liam's mother.

A woman possibly in her 30's, silky ash blonde hair pulled back on the right, beautiful alluring navy blue eyes, curves that made you think it was impossible for her to have given birth, let alone a very idiotic one.

Her hips were so wide that even in that elegant dress she had the silhouette of a swan. And to make it even more unreal. Two huge meteors that seemed to attract me to them.

Without a doubt, this woman was an out-of-this-world creation.

"Good evening, Viscount Bradford-dono." She said as she lifted her dress a little to greet me, I greeted her as well. It was only a brief moment, but just as with the girls, her splendid breasts jumped out for a brief split second.

That will be stored in my memory forever.

"Good evening, my Queen, what can I offer you on this beautiful night?"

After the bad joke played on me by that bastard Ixion, I came to beg her forgiveness as I knelt down begging for my life.

She said to me a little nervously, "it's ok, I'm sure you didn't say that for pleasure, did you?". I instantly said "never!!! first die before disrespecting her!".

If I try to tell her that I will really die.

The queen laughed for some reason and told me the following.

"You certainly are an amazing person, no, I think perhaps very eccentric. You behave politely, but sometimes you are almost like a barbarian."

I wanted to tell her it wasn't true, but I would be lying if it were. She continued talking.

"I was at the party and I noticed how women were approaching him, maybe, you're someone who doesn't like women around him?"

I clarified "n-no! I just don't like being harassed and even more so women who are only interested in approaching me for the money generated by the businesses run by my father!". Since it could generate a misunderstanding and think that I don't like breasts, women's breasts to be clear. Soft and soothing breasts, not hard and hairy.

Just remembering about that time, makes my butt hurt, despite getting out of there without limping.

He saw me and laughed again. Her face is very childish for an older woman. Her smile reminds me of another, very similar one.

At that second, a blonde girl popped into my head. Her smile was a little blurry, but the friendliness showed.

The queen was pointing to a room.

"Would you mind joining me for a cup of tea?"

I replied "of course."

After entering the room, we had tea and cookies. There was a maid from the group accompanying her. She served us tea.

I was on the couch near the bottom of the snack table and she was on the top.

We would laugh about my misadventures with the old men and the danger of hunting pirates.

Sometimes, she would make an expression of amazement, or anger or sadness.

This woman has so many charming expressions on the same face, it definitely provoked me.

"Take her to my side."

For some reason, she looked up and said "huh?". She must still be in awe of the battle against the bloodthirsty bastard I told her about.

My terrible thoughts towards her kept coming out as my eyes kept darting to that cleavage that only that bastard Liam got a taste of.

"Truly Liam is lucky, I would have wanted my mother to suckle me with her big bulges too. No, that sounds weird, better that I should take Liam's place so I could enjoy being suckled and spoiled by her."

My horrible, but faithful thoughts kept manifesting in my head.

"If I had a wife, I'd want her to have not only those two great monuments to lie on. Also those splendid hips that I can't believe look so curvaceous despite having given birth."

My imaginary hands moved to try to grasp and squeeze those big maternal marshmallows.

It was just short of grabbing them, as usual, there seemed to be no bra for that size.

I was inches away when....

"Viscount-dono."

I awoke from my trance to find the queen sipping tea and a cookie in her hand. I was sitting with my cup still in my hands.

"Did you have a good sleep?"

I seemed to have fallen asleep when she said that. How embarrassing.

"S-sorry... I apologize for causing you trouble."

"It's okay." She said.

"Before we end this pleasant conversation. I'd like to tell you this."

With a serious expression he said something that surprised me and all I could say was "I understand, I'll be careful, if you'll excuse me." I proceeded to leave to make some preparations beforehand for what she told me.

Without a doubt, a beautiful and reliable older woman as a queen is something to envy.

◇◇◇

By the time Rudel came out, Lecia, the queen was finishing her tea.

The instant she no longer heard his footsteps, she....

"k-kyahh!!!"

She made a strange adolescent cry for a woman her age.

A maid standing next to her called out to her.

Lecia, was shaking causing her cup to shake and the cookie in her hand to shatter.

"My queen, why did you allow such a shameless man to say that to you!!!?"

Rudel thought he was hallucinating. He openly told the queen that he lusted after her maternal breasts.

She heard all that without saying a word.

The maid in the room grabbed a sword from a decorative suit of armor so she could thrust it into the man who was shamelessly trying to grope the most important woman in the kingdom.

Before the sword was thrust into his back. Rudel paused to say "it was a good dream, no doubt only in my head could I say and do such obscene things with the queen."

After that, he sat up. Lecia could think that it was just his thoughts overflowing from his mouth.

Calming down, she spoke to Rudel normally and they resumed their conversation.

The maid did not take her eye off Rudel until he had left the room completely.

Her face showed contempt and spoke ill of him.

While Lecia, had her hands on her red face, her childish adult face showed a shame she had never known.

Her thoughts unlike the maid's mouth indicated otherwise.

(I-I'm an old woman, I'm married and have a child.)

(Even if it's a joke, it went too far!)

Suddenly, his hands came down touching her breasts, waist and hips.

(Even after Liam had left both my chest and his wet nurse's chest. They kept getting bigger...and, am I really that thin? I've been eating a lot of sweets lately and reviewing papers, so I haven't been able to exercise).

Her mind then had a strange thought that made her heart beat like a locomotive.

(...Really, can an old woman like me arouse desire in a young man?)

She didn't know it, but her innocent fetish went up a notch to one where she didn't give a laugh.

◇◇◇

On that same night, in the male dormitory.

Rudel had changed rooms after moving up in rank.

His room was larger and more luxurious.

Outside of it, stood a man. He was a brown-skinned servant, blond hair pulled back over his left shoulder.

He had a key in his hand.

His eyes were closed, he opened them when he heard footsteps.

It was three men approaching him. They were not teachers or janitors or servants.

One of them, the tallest, burly one in a white suit asked him.

"Are you sure he's not here? It would be troublesome if he were, we would have to personally take care of him for you."

The servant replied "no problem, according to an informant, he is still in the palace. Besides, my employer has said that you can make a forgery look real, is that true?".

The bald headed man with a smile said.

"This document is an elaboration of months of work, bribes among other things. Not even an expert in forged signatures will notice since we, the Cashmiro Family, rule the underworld for a reason." The servant smiled at that.

"Sounds good to me, the door is open, so please."

There were students hovering around, but no one did or will do anything. The man who gave the impression of being the leader was someone who had a wanted poster.

Only an idiot would try to tell him or do anything.

After a while of listening to strange sounds. The three men came out. One of them said "job done, tomorrow will be a big day for the future family investment to the future prime minister, won't it?"

"Idiot, you talk too much."

"Servant, tell your employer that our part is done. We'll just wait for the assigned day to be ready and for our final payment to be made."

"I understand, thank you for your cooperation and good night."

The men retreated as if they were masters as they bumped into the students. The servant smiled and left for his own room for tomorrow's show.

◇

"This tea is most exquisite. You have my blessings in having prepared such a delicacy."

I was having a meeting with the only senpai I know. Eleonora von Roseblaire, a beautiful girl older than me, hair in curlers at the ends, shoulder-length cyan. Fuchsia eyes, lips the same color as her hair for some reason.

The most surprising detail, was not that like Alisa; she is all ojou-sama. But her surprisingly large and long breasts.

They were inches away from touching the table.

We were in the room where I usually hold my tea parties for the girls.

They weren't there today, apparently there was a problem at Alisa's house with her brother. She asked Airi to accompany her to deal with it.

"Minister Balzac?"

We were chatting about unimportant things, until the subject of the palace came up.

In it, she was telling me how her father discreetly asked her to tell her to tell me to watch out for someone named Minister Balzac.

"That's right. That person is currently the one who holds the most political power. He is the patron of the Saint, several nobles if not the vast majority, and even both the temple and the two dukes other than house Bismarck support him."

"And what does that have to do with me?"

"You're a foolish man aren't you? Well, not that that's a problem, being too serious makes you a dull man you're not, fufu."

His strange laugh along with his lips startled me a little as his gaze was focused on me.

"I don't think you haven't heard rumors about how great your lost item is. There are many who envy you and wish to steal it."

"Even if that is so, the law is on my side. Whoever finds a lost object gets to keep it."

"True, but, there are people who are at the top and can trample on that law like a cockroach. And, worse, having found the mythical heart of the dungeon makes envy grow."

Humans in power are a pain in the ass no matter the era.

Before I could say anything, footsteps and loud voices could be heard.

The door was abruptly thrown open.

"Viscount Rudel van Bradford-no, Bradford, the palace has sent us to stop you!"

Several armed knights and soldiers entered the room surrounding us.

(I see, it finally happened just as Ixion told me...).

Eleonora-senpai came to my defense.

"What do you think you're doing barging in like that!"

"Sorry for the intrusion without permission, but, we have orders from the palace to come for the rebel."

"Rebel you say? And the evidence!"

"That's right, an informant told us that yesterday, the rebel received a mysterious package."

That doesn't sound like very good evidence, you know?

Out of nowhere, they grabbed my shoulders and dragged me towards my room.

◇◇◇

Siegwald, Alisa's father, was reading a report in his office at his home in the capital. It was about what happened yesterday in his territory.

His temple was full of veins, it was because he thought who was the culprit of the attack on his house.

Then, the door to his office opened.

A group of men in uniform accompanied by soldiers walked in.

"What is the meaning of this!" shouted the head of the house, before hearing a barbarity.

The man in the middle, held a scroll, after opening it he settled his tongue before speaking.

"Duke Bismarck, the palace accuses you of embezzlement while being the minister of finance. We have been ordered to conduct a requisition of your assets."

With that said, the soldiers proceeded to take valuables from the house, not only from the room, several in soldiers in different rooms. Including Alisa's room.

The documents she had on her desk were also seized.

She showed no signs of trying to defend herself or deny it.

(You finally did it, didn't you Balzac?)

He just watched as everything his family worked for generations was taken away.

◇

The soldiers brought me to my room, they didn't open it. They just kicked it like it was a movie.

They messed up my room completely, I'm not exaggerating when I say they destroyed everything.

One of them grabbed the stuffed versions of the girls and me. He tore them up looking for something incriminating.

Only him, not even the one who destroyed a tea set my instructor gave me, I will not forgive. I swear that you and your family will beg me on your knees for forgiveness when all this is over.

The gentleman from earlier approached me. he was holding a stack of letters in my handwriting that were sent to the commonwealth.

"So, what do you have to say about it criminal?"

I'll just say this without interest.

"Yes you have taken your time recreating my way of writing, sorry to say my form is very curvy so it was a bad attempt."

After saying that, the guy with his iron glove hit me.

"Don't try to get smart with real knights brat!"

The knights in their armor kicked and stomped on me.

It reminds me of what happened on the cruise. I used magic power to resist the blows.

With my free eye, I watched as Ixion was camouflaged with a broken ornament.

His red eye was looking at me, I lifted my face to open my lips and tell him voicelessly.

"Leave them."

These idiots would have been eliminated had Ixion not been calmed beforehand.

He had warned me that this would happen. That it would be better if I took over the palace so there wouldn't be these problems.

I told him that I am not a tyrant to do so.

The guys stopped as a soldier pulled out a letter.

"Captain, it says here that the payment to the commoners in the attacked territories to generate insurrections!"

"This letter indicates that you had a secret agreement with the bloodthirsty knight!"

More false nonsense came out.

The gentleman who seems to be his captain laughed at me.

"No matter how fond you are of the prime minister, the queen, with this you have fallen, you damned criminal. take him away!"

The knight heard his order and grabbed me like a rag.

They didn't even lift me up, just dragged me away like I was trash. They went all over the academy.

Professors, servants and students alike saw me and talked trash about me.

"It's obvious that he got to that rank by black hand."

"I always knew he was up to something."

"I'm glad they finally caught him, I have evidence of his bribes."

Senpai was in a crowd trying to get through, soldiers prevented him, he was shouting my name. I was glad to have an ally and that the girls weren't here.

We still hadn't made it outside the building, it was covered in garbage and spit from the bastards these.

After we got outside, there was a carriage waiting, I was thrown into it like meat to the slaughter.

The door closed and the slander continued.

The only face that made me smile was seeing my instructor try to defend me as he approached the carriage.

He was pulled back and his face was one of pain for not being able to help me, I thanked him with a smile for showing me that true knight are in suits.

◇◇◇

For some reason, Lyle, was called home immediately.

He had to leave his studies at the military academy for no reason.

He, upon arrival, opened the door, a lot of knight were there.

Soldiers surrounded the island, he was nervous.

(What the hell did you do now Rudel?)

He walked up the stairs to his father's office.

As he entered the room, there was a gentleman going through several documents. They were familiar as there was no information other than about the family.

She sat down in a prepared chair.

The gentleman reviewing the documents left the folder on the table, sat down to talk to him.

Lyle wanted to ask where his family was since he did not see them after entering.

The gentleman spoke to him without manners asking for personal information.

Lyle, was answering normally, until the gentleman asked him something that left him strange.

"Who was the founder of this house?"

"Huh? Well, it was my great-great-grandfather, the name was? what was it?"

Lyle started to panic at the strange question, he never cared about the origin of his family. The gentleman answered him as he read the older, brown document.

"Leo. Leo van Bradford, it says here that he was the founder of the Bradford Household."

Lyle, was surprised, he didn't know his ancestor was called that.

The man kept reading more things that puzzled him.

"It says here that he served as a baronet and became a nobleman of a place designated by the palace in his time. But in this document from the palace itself from long ago, it says there is no record of any Leo or any registered Bradford family."

Sweat beaded on Lyle's forehead, he didn't understand what was going on.

"There are no records of the other chiefs here, with the exception of your father. He's the only one on record. The others are ghosts."

He was glad for a second to hear that his father was registered.

"Hey." Said the gentleman to the subordinate next to him.

"The crest of this family and the Bismarck house, aren't they very similar?"

"Now that you mention it. House Bismarck has a golden lion in profile with a horn, while these guys have a similar lion, but black and blind looking the other way."

"It's very strange, but there have been similar crests for a long time, let's not waste time and I went on to finish this boss."

"Ya, I understand."

The gentleman put the document aside and received some papers from his subordinate. He put them on the table on Lyle's side. He had no idea what this meant.

The gentleman answered him.

"As the next head of the family, it's not normal for you to inherit everything, is it?"

"We'll help you become the head faster. You just need to sign here and declare that your brother is a traitor who has been selling information and contraband to the commonwealth for years."

"The title, rank, and the business of your territory will be yours faster than you can dream."

Lyle grabbed the pen. What the man said was true.

He would be just a country baron while Rudel is someone without heritage who rose in rank after becoming a noble independent of the house.

It was not uncommon among relatives to do this.

And even more so among those like Lyle, who were looked down upon by that younger brother.

The pen approached the document, the knight smiled, it was there that something the lore of the game did not show about the Bradford family was demonstrated.

With a large scratch all over the document, Lyle laid the quill shaped pen on its left side.

"Sorry."

"That sounds like a very nice proposal, but I think you have the wrong person."

The knight were quizzical at that response.

"Rudel is not a traitor, he's an idiot and a bit of a weirdo yes. He's such a coward that he runs away from a brothel under the excuse that he's dirty. I think they got the wrong family."

A memory came to his mind, it was from before Rudel started the academy.

Lyle upon returning home, was scared. He made a bet with people he shouldn't have, in the end they scammed him, they told him that, if he didn't pay as soon as possible, things would end badly.

He thought that in his room he had something of value and he was going to sell it, he didn't want to ask his family for money since they didn't have any.

He went into his room and found a leather bag.

When he asked what it was, he found a large amount of bills. At that moment, Rudel happened to pass by and said, "Hey, you good-for-nothing, some strange guys came and said they would pay you what they owed you, so they left that bag and went back without saying anything else. Don't ever lend money to anyone again, we're not rich."

He went to the courtyard after saying that, Lyle went back to the academy and when he was going to pay those individuals back.

"Huh?"

He found out that it was an illegal gambling house and they were crushed in the night, they said the surroundings said they saw a strange sphere raze the place and then the knight came in the morning and found them tied up and incriminating evidence.

Lyle could only think of one thing.

(No kidding! But how?)

Then he remembered some words he heard from his father after returning.

"It's a good thing Rudel is taking care of paying off all our debts."

As the older brother, Lyle felt frustration about somehow, his little brother secretly getting involved in his life and settling his debts and crushing the extortionists.

Lyle hated that Rudel always proved himself superior. He was the next heir to the house, Rudel's accomplishments only filled him with panic, his brother could take his position from him if he wished, but he denied it himself and said it belonged to Lyle.

(Are you putting me down?) That was what the firstborn thought about his brother's act of goodwill.

(Don't fuck with me you fucking Rudel! I'll show you that I can generate income on my own too).

Lyle was studying hard at the academy, he wanted to improve his territory so Rudel would make an idiot face at how they can get by without him.

That was Rudel's stupid older brother. Someone who wouldn't sell out his family against the game.

The knights noticing how annoying he was. They grabbed his hand and forced him to make him form, they didn't care if it was scratched or not the document.

"Sign!"

"No, I told you Rudel is innocent! They were wrong about-"

At that moment, a blow to his head came.

"Sign!!!"

"No!!!"

"My little brother is guilty of being an idiot nothing else!!!"

Several sounds of pounding and pain could be heard throughout the house.

Downstairs in the dining room, was the family.

The only daughter, Pola, was hugging her mother, Sonia.

They were both crying and frightened.

"Mommy, why are those knight hurting Lyle onii-chan, Bram onii-chan and Daddy?"

Sonia, with tears in her eyes, watched as on chairs sat her husband and second son. Their faces and hands were swollen.

They, too, were interrogated and being bribed with Rudel's riches, even a reward was bestowed on them.

Bram, refused without even finishing the knight's speech while his father, Walt, said that he has no reason to want his son's title, at his age something like rising in rank does not bring him any benefit.

Under those statements. The male members of the family were beaten and forced to write.

The women were only threatened with being sold, but thanks to the law of protection of the Saint, only Rudel who was accused of being a traitor had that punishment, they did not since they do not even know how a mobile knight works to want to try to frame them.

Every time Lyle's screams were louder, Sonia hugged her daughter who was crying loudly and, her mother prayed that Rudel's problem is just a mistake.

"For the last time! Rudel is not a- puah."

A sound of something similar to drops fell to the floor.

◇

I was thrown into the jail on the 1st first floor of the palace jail.

After throwing me like trash into this cell and chaining me up, a knight said, "Tell me who will save you now, traitor."

I was sitting looking at the wall. The place is damp from the rains. The cell is bars and a bed, there is a long curved staircase to get in or out.

There is a guard outside, there is no one here but me.

"Master."

And Ixion, he was hidden following me without saying a word so far.

But, for some reason his tone was weird.

"I warned you that this would happen."

"It's true, do you want to rub it in my face?"

"It's not that."

Ixion was very serious and not saying his usual insults to me.

"They wish to kill him. They want to get both Battler and Brunhilde. If I had attacked him from the beginning, he would be on the throne now and not here."

"I told you I gain nothing by it."

"Even if you do, it doesn't change the fact that they are violating the master and servant contract."

"Ixion, what are you talking about?"

This boy's red eye was scary for a moment at what he said.

"The master's life preservation security protocol has been activated. Therefore, this country as well as those who put it here will be destroyed."

I looked at this guy and that I said his acting was no longer giving a laugh.

"Stop joking."

"I'm not joking."

But he wouldn't even give a comment regarding what I said, are you really going to do what you say?

"Stop talking nonsense! I don't want you to kill anyone."

"Even if you don't want to, preserving your life is more important than anyone else's. I can send a ship to rescue your family, those two and anyone else, but the protocol is activated. I will start the attack after the slightest intention that they will come to assassinate you or not."

His words only made me think, that something bad was going to happen if Mayer-san or the queen didn't help me.

For the sake of them and this country, they must release me as soon as possible.

◇◇◇

At the bottom of the sea of a certain island.

A strange black shadow seemed to twist and grow.

Bubbles were coming out and these seemed to contain a message, which deciphered in the human language read.

"Rudel..."

"Death... soon..."