Episode 96. Heir.
Foggy evening.
People with Strange’s name began to gather at the castle one by one.
The number was approximately one hundred people, most of whom were in the position of castle lords or lords of each region.
Twenty people, called elders, excluding their children and guard knights, sat in front of a long circular table.
“They say the head of the family has a serious illness that cannot be cured. Is this really true?”
A knight with a face that looks as treacherous as a mouse twirls his mustache with his index finger to start a conversation.
“I heard an evil rumor that the head of the family had passed away. “Of course, I didn’t believe it.”
A man with a bald head and heavy body adds flesh to the story.
“Whether it is true or not, the head of the family who presided over the meeting will be here anyway. Today we must make a firm decision. “Now that Gunther and Hysteria are gone, how can we stop the waves from the east?”
A middle-aged man with a thin figure and a white fedora added his words.
The conversation between the three was enough to arouse the curiosity of others gathered in the conference room.
In addition, since the ‘eastern wave’ agenda has emerged, a solution must be found.
“You said the eastern wave has begun?”
Guardian Knight Commander Beth asked the middle-aged man wearing a fedora.
“That’s right, I think it started about two weeks ago. At first, monsters appeared little by little… . “At some point, hundreds of them started attacking the village every night.”
“I’m not going to sit still in the Glazer.”
“No, I don’t think they care. Perhaps they are just trying to protect their own territory. Even though we know that it is not people like us who are dying, but the weak people.”
The middle-aged man was holding the handle of his cane tightly as if his anger was boiling over him as he talked.
The person who is talking to Beth now is a knight who guards the border between the east and the south, and is reputed to be quite outstanding among the collateral powers.
[Kypar de Strange]
Although his reputation was not as great as Monestier, he was still one of the most talented knights in Strange.
Even when Gunther and Hysteria were alive, he was the only hard-line knight among the sidelines who risked death to carry out his will.
“So shouldn’t the head of the family move quickly? “If we just sit back and watch, waves from the east will hit the south.”
Beth nodded in agreement.
But he did not open his mouth to answer.
How dare the Knight Commander express his opinion in a gathering of Strange elders?
Of course, no one would criticize Beth for speaking her mind, but she never crossed the line that she had to follow.
“Meet the matriarch!”
A knight’s loud shout was heard outside the door.
This was heard one after another from far away to near.
“Meet the matriarch!”
Guardian Knight Commander Beth arrived first and stood at attention behind the golden chair.
Lois, with fierce eyes, walked over and sat down.
dump.
Everyone bowed their heads.
Among them, except for one, Verdin, who followed right behind.
‘Rox, don’t make a mistake. No matter what happens, you must never open your father’s mouth.’
He prayed.
I hope that others will not find out that my father, who was brought back to life with Rox’s power, is dead.
“My father has a cold and is dying. Open all the windows to change the air in the room.”
Verdin spoke softly.
Four knights hurriedly opened the windows of the conference room to ventilate the room.
Phew-
A humid wind from the forest blew and ventilated the room.
This was actually to hide the odor secretly emanating from his decayed body.
“Let’s start the meeting.”
The elders who attended the meeting scribbled pens and papers in front of them to report problems that had arisen in their territories.
Of course, we did not discuss trivial matters such as small-scale battles that occurred within the territory.
The only topics of conversation that were related to all those gathered here with the name of Strange were topics of conversation.
Verdin raised his voice while scanning the faces of those gathered in the hall in order.
“The person in charge of today’s meeting is me, Verdin de Strange. Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedule.”
He nodded briefly, and the elders nodded equally as if receiving his greeting.
Perhaps, if he had been here alone, he would never have reacted like this. They only respect me because my father was with me.
“I will keep the story I am telling you short. “I will give you plenty of time to talk about other things, so please feel free to discuss them later.”
Kaipa asked, taking off his fedora and placing it on the table.
“So you’re saying that the master, not the head of the family, summoned us?”
He looked uncomfortable.
“That’s right.”
“Huh-huh, so that means we came here under orders from the master, not the head of the family.”
“It was just a suggestion rather than an order.”
“The letter said that anyone who does not arrive within today will die. “Are you sure that’s a proposal?”
“Yes, it is a suggestion. “Because you can choose whether to die or not.”
“… … .”
“And I tell you this clearly. “Anyone who is late or does not come to today’s meeting will end in death.”
“… … .”
“No matter how much the same blood flows, there are no exceptions.”
“… … What! Go, matriarch. Even if Master Verdin is the successor to Strange, how can he already act so arrogantly?”
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He looked at his father with an aggrieved expression.
But it was impossible to get an answer from my father.
All you have to do is face those cold eyes and voice your dissatisfaction.
“Please sit down, Baron Kaifa. From now on, you will understand why I said this.”
“reason?”
“Yes, the story about ‘death’ written in the letter I sent to the elders was never meant to deceive you. “It is to protect you from the forces that caused the civil war.”
“?!”
The place became noisy.
As soon as the word civil war came out, the elders began to express their opinions one by one.
-The story I heard through rumors was true. I heard that the mercenaries were noisy even after Baron Monestier plotted his evil plan.
-That’s right. It was said that not long ago, the Adventurer’s Pavilion was recruiting knights needed for the operation to annihilate Strange.
-I thought it was Glazer’s doing, but it was a civil war!
thud!
My father hit the table with his fist.
No, to be precise, it was something Rox, who controlled my father, told me to do.
I glared at him and cursed in my heart.
‘Stay still.’
My father nodded, as if his eyes had communicated.
‘Still, I’m glad.’
Because I have a father, I have some control.
There is only one reason why I brought my dead father.
To give a final command to Strange, who lost his head like this.
‘Once this meeting is over, I’ll send you to a comfortable place.’
Kaipa asked carefully, looking at his father.
“Can I continue listening to the story? “Who on earth started the civil war?”
Verdin took out a bug hidden in his father’s body and showed it to them.
“Does anyone know what this bug is?”
There was only one person here who knew about this bug.
Kaipa de Strange, who asked a question a little while ago.
Verdin continued asking questions without stopping.
“The owner of this bug is the one who started the civil war. “It seemed like he had been looking for an opportunity for a long time and then added it to his father’s potion.”
Kaipa lowered his head because he knew who the bug was.
Because he was the maternal relative of Catherine, the center of the civil war.
If she is the culprit, Kaifa will not escape death either. If we follow Strange’s laws, this is of course directly related.
gulp-
Kaipa swallowed his saliva, pondered for a while, and then spoke to Verdin.
“… “I know the owner of that bug.”
* * *
The meeting is over.
Verdin previously relayed to those with Strange’s name what had happened inside and the fact that Glaser’s movements were unusual.
They all decided to return to their posts and prepare for war, and to send separate vassals to report and manage the details.
Kaipa, who was left alone in the castle while everyone was leaving, asked.
“Why did you ask to see me separately?”
Verdin, who was left alone in the conference room, smiled slightly at him.
“It’s because I want to entrust Strange’s future to him.”
“… … yes?”
He didn’t understand what it meant.
Are you leaving your future in the hands of someone who expressed displeasure throughout the meeting? A story that could only come out of the mouth of Lois, who has seen him for a long time.
“He literally said he wanted to entrust Strange’s future to him.”
“I don’t understand why you said that so suddenly. “Can you please explain it to me?”
“My father was silent at the meeting earlier, but he wants to kick out all the traitors within Strange.”
“… … .”
“I would like to leave the matter to Baron Kaipa, but since there is no justification, I am telling you separately.”
There was only one reason why Verdin asked Kaipa a question earlier.
Which side will he stand on: the Marquis of Reuss or the Duke of Catherine?
This was a choice about which had darker blood: Strange or the royal blood.
And he did not disappoint Verdin, who hosted the meeting.
‘You’re entrusting me with such an important task?’
Kaipa thought Verdin had been lenient.
If I wanted to, I could cut off this old man’s head with a single sword.
Nevertheless, in order not to invade his position, he spoke on an equal footing.
Kaipa answered with his hands together with a stern expression, different from his attitude in the conference room.
“First of all, let me apologize to you, Master. “I showed careless actions that belittled you in front of many people.”
Verdin took his hand and lifted him up with a kind smile.
“I can’t help but be angry because a guy who hasn’t even turned 10 years old has summoned the elders.”
“Please do not forgive my rudeness.”
“I think forgiveness is just a time to get to know each other because we don’t know much about each other.”
This incident made him never look down on Verdin.
At such a young age, he is able to clearly convey his claims to many people, and it also creates an opportunity to instill the driving force to implement them.
This is a person worthy of being the next head of Strange’s family.
“I don’t know what kind of work you will entrust to me, but I will show this old man’s loyalty by sacrificing his little remaining life.”
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