[Trantor - Night]


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    Chapter 7


    When I think about it, it was only natural.


    As soon as I heard the story of his son''s abduction, I was certain that I was the tastiest hostage.


    * * *


    Sigh...


    Melissa Cascadia, the acting Count of Cascadia, held her head in her hands, overwhelmed by an intense headache brought on by extreme fatigue.


    She let out a deep sigh.


    "Manpower, funds... There''s nothing that isn''tcking..."


    As the businesses faltered, the funds dried up, and as a result, there was no money to maintain the forces.


    Having fallen into the vicious cycle once, she, still young, had no idea where to begin fixing things.


    "No. I can''t just sit here like this."


    She pped her cheeks and shook her head vigorously.


    She wanted to throw it all away and cry, but she couldn''t.


    Too many people''s lives depended on her shoulders.


    "External pressures... Just how many people are tangled in this?"


    Signs of external forces reaching into the Cascadia County were bing increasingly apparent.


    On top of that, there was an internal saboteur.


    Tyvel Cascadia.


    Her uncle and now practically her mortal enemy.


    He was iming his own qualifications as the next Margrave and had been exploiting her authority as he pleased.


    Normally, it wouldn''t have been possible.


    However, unlike Melissa, who had not been formally recognized as the Count''s sessor, Tyvel Cascadia had connections to central nobles and was unterally stealing her authority.


    He had actually taken significant control of the private army and knights allowed to the Margrave, securing a considerable amount of forces and even filling part of the county guards with his people.


    Now, he was systematically getting rid of those who could support Melissa.


    At first, she hadn''t realized it.


    But by the time she figured out he was orchestrating things behind the scenes, it was far toote.


    As a result, the county''s military forces were in shambles, and the funds were depleted.


    This recent issue with the Verus Armory business was probably another one of his maneuvers.


    At its core, dealing with Tyvel, who had session rights, would extinguish the biggest fire.


    But realistically, his forces were far stronger, making that impossible.


    She hadn''t told her older brother, Leon, about this because she feared he might act recklessly.


    Though he wasn''t particrly powerful or a genius, her brother had a fiery streak, and she worried he would storm off to confront Tyvel the moment he found out.


    Considering Tyvel''s side was already willing to resort to murder to get rid of both Melissa and Leon, she had no choice but to hide the information to protect her brother.


    However, she couldn''t hide it forever.


    Moreover, she was so short-handed that she judged she needed his help, even if it was risky.


    For now, Tyvel’s side was rtively quiet, so they probably wouldn’t target Leon just yet.


    Before it was toote.


    ‘I have to protect Leon...’


    Even if it meant marrying him off to another household as a son-inw.


    At that moment—


    Bang!!


    “Ah... Mydy!!”


    A knight burst in with a panicked shout.


    “Hmm?”


    It was none other than Haphon, the knight who served as her escort and aide.


    He had originally followed the previous Count, Galeon Cascadia, but now swore his loyalty to her.


    “Sir Haphon, what’s wrong?”


    “You need toe outside right away!!”


    The urgency in Haphon’s voice sent her anxiety skyrocketing.


    Melissa jumped from her seat and hurried out.


    She soon arrived at the mansion''s entrance, where two knights were kneeling with their heads bowed low.


    “What is this...?”


    “We’re sorry! Mydy!”


    “Please, kill us!!”


    As soon as they saw Melissa, the two knights mmed their foreheads to the ground and shouted.


    “What happened?! Exin immediately!!”


    Her unease grew exponentially.


    Had Leon done something reckless?


    No, then where was Leon?


    As countless thoughts swirled in her mind, the worst possible news struck her ears.


    “It seems that Lord Leon has been kidnapped.”


    “What? By who?! Don’t tell me... Was it my uncle?! That man?!”


    “It appears to have been Tyvel Cascadia... His subordinates, to be precise. We tried to chase down those trailing the young master, but it seems we were outmaneuvered...”


    * * *


    I was now being led into a shabby underground hideout.


    Surrounding me were knights, their menacing demeanor pressing in on me from all sides.


    “Move quickly.”


    “Well, it''s so tantly obvious you n to lock me up that it’s hard to even bother reacting.”


    As I followed the knights, I saw that the underground cavern already held numerous other captives.


    From young boys and girls to grown men and women, the variety was vast.


    But one thing was clear.


    The people imprisoned here were likely rtives or close acquaintances of those running businesses under the Count''s domain.


    After a long trek, we arrived at a cell made of sturdy iron bars.


    “If you don’t want to get hurt, get in.”


    The knights’ actions were filled with an unspoken threat: noble lineage or not, resistance would get me killed.


    I entered the cell without resisting and asked,


    “So you’re just nning to lock me up? Didn’t Tyvel specifically say he wanted me?”


    “That’s why I’m here.”


    The answer didn’te from the knights.


    “You’ve alwayscked even a shred of courtesy.”


    Footsteps echoed through the underground prison as someone approached from the other side.


    Soon, a man in his thirties with short, ash-colored hair emerged into the torchlight.


    “Long time no see, Leon.”


    He looked down at me coldly and spoke.


    “If you had just kept quiet and hidden, this wouldn’t have happened...”


    “Well, someone decided to let cockroaches infest the house.”


    This man wasn’t my uncle, Tyvel Cascadia.


    But I knew him well enough.


    The man before me was Tyvel Cascadia’s eldest son, Vishiri Cascadia.


    A man who needed to be eliminated as a priority in cleaning out the branch family.


    That was his true nature.


    He was a man with considerable ambition, much like his father, and he was also the reason I hade to terms with myck of talent for the sword in the past.


    While I certainly disliked my uncle, who frequently barged into the count’s estate to cause trouble, I loathed him even more—he who directly picked fights with me and Melissa.


    -You idiot. Even with noble blood, you''re utterly useless. You''re not fit to wield a sword. Doesn’t the count already know that? Someone like you being a direct descendant—what an unjust world we live in.


    I could never forget the words he said when he first saw me pick up a sword and swing it.


    Even when my father was alive, he spewed venomous insults.


    Now that my father was gone, it didn’t take much imagination to figure out how wild he would be.


    “So, where’s my uncle, and why are you here instead?”


    “My father is a busy man. He doesn’t have time to meet someone like you.”


    “Oh, so you’re free enough toe meet me?”


    At my provocation, he let out a faint chuckle.


    BANG!


    Then, as if to threaten me, he kicked the iron bars between us.


    “You still don’t seem to understand your situation. Do you even know where this is?”


    “Where else would it be? Some hideout you people set up.”


    I shrugged and casually leaned against the wall, sittingfortably.


    [Trantor - Night]


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    On the way here, they had dragged me into a forest outside the estate’s borders.


    If I’d tried to find this ce on my own, it would’ve taken quite a while.


    “You don’t seem to grasp your predicament.”


    “I’m a hostage, aren’t I?”


    It was obvious from the moment they brought me here.


    In fact, I’d anticipated this oue from the start.


    The only reason I followed them without resistance was to see if Uncle Tyvel or Vishiri was sane enough to meet me.


    I also needed to confirm the location of the ce where they were holding Verus’ son.


    Indeed, during the process of being brought here, I’d seen numerous iron cages, one of which held a dwarf who seemed to be Verus’ son.


    I had sessfully identified their secret hideout.


    There was no need toplicate things by searching for it myself when they were willing to bring me straight to it.


    This was only possible because they mistakenly believed I waspletely powerless.


    After all, no one in their right mind would bring a ticking time bomb to their stronghold.


    “A hostage. Heh, yes, a hostage. So my father can formally take over the authority of the margrave.”


    “Do you really think Melissa would negotiate over my life alone?”


    “That remains to be seen.”


    “So, the businesses the count’s estate has been investing intely—are they all packing up and leaving because you’ve been rounding up their families?”


    “Why take the long way around when there’s a simpler option?”


    “And you’re confident you can handle the aftermath?”


    “Many of the nobles in the capital are already on our side. Who would listen to the likes of you?”


    It’s clear there are more than just a few traitors.


    If Melissa is to be the legitimate margrave, we might need to make a hit list.


    He sat down on a chair prepared by one of his soldiers and looked at me.


    “Stay quiet. Once we get that woman to transfer her authority, I’ll consider sparing your life, even if not your sister’s.”N?v(el)B\\jnn


    “Because Melissa deserves to die for being a rightful heir?”


    “It’s tragic, but that’s how it has to be. If we’re being honest, the authority should’ve gone to my father or me rather than an unqualified brat like Melissa.”


    I couldn’t help but let out a bitter chuckle at his words.


    “People who shouldn’t even have any im to the count’s authority are buttering up central nobles to grab an opportunity, and now you’re talking about legitimacy? Well, I guess whoever wins and spins the narrative gets to be the hero, while the loser bes the viin.”


    “You’re quick to understand. That’s good. If you behave, you’ll be fine.”


    He rose from his seat, seemingly out of things to say.


    “Once my father officially takes over the authority, an official margrave appointment wille down from the capital. From that point on, Cascadia County will no longer be managed by you siblings but by my father.”


    “And then you’ll inherit it after him?”


    “That’s right.”


    He turned away.


    “Keep him under strict watch. If he tries anything funny, feel free to break a limb or two.”


    “Yes, sir.”


    Some knights bowed their heads.


    “Those faces seem familiar. Turns out the ones who left the estate after my father passed were the ones you’ve recruited. When did you start enticing them?”


    At my question, Vishiri Cascadia didn’t respond and simply left.


    “Vishiri Cascadia.”


    When I called his name, he paused.


    “I’ve got things to do right now, so I’ll let you go. But let’s meet again in a little while.”


    “You’re nothing more than a barking dog.”


    Apparently confident I couldn’t escape, he promptly exited the underground prison.


    Left behind were five knights who seemed to be aura users, along with over ten soldiers.


    There was likely a considerable force waiting beyond this underground area as well.


    Sitting back down, I closed my eyes and began circting my aura slowly.


    I was already exhausted fromck of sleep, which only worsened my foul mood.


    Perhaps because of this, the aura coursing through my body mirrored my emotions, circting more violently.


    “Librarian.”


    I suppressed my voice and called out to the librarian through thought, and a question mark appeared before my eyes.


    The librarian’s text seemed invisible to others.


    “Is there any way to force myself to sleep?”


    [It is possible to temporarily block your aura and lose consciousness, but it is not rmended.]


    I figured as much.


    With the sheer amount of aura I possess, there’s no telling what might happen if something goes wrong.


    This is the first time I’ve ever experienced a situation where my aura is overflowing like this.


    [However, if you exhaust yourself with strenuous activity, fatigue will likely lead you to sleep.]


    So, basically, I should tire myself out.


    [Trantor - Night]


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