A Famous Traitor and Treacherous Genius

Chapter 63

63 – Duties of a Nobleman (3)

Sirene territory is on the border with the empire.

If Gibraltar has a canyon, Sirene has a ‘great river’.

A wide river flowing down from the elf forest.

At the downstream point, it is as wide as the Gibraltar Gorge, so it is not a river downstream but a terrain that is actually a sea.

The accepted theory is that a waterway was created in the wake of a dragon that once fired its breath from the elf forest and penetrated into the southern part of the continent.

The empire has tried to cross the river several times so far, but the terrain here was, in a word, ‘bad’.

‘To come up from the empire, you have to climb a cliff, not a river.’

In ancient times, the altitude of Sirene was so high that one wonders if someone deliberately raised the land high for the defense of the kingdom.

Moreover, in order to protect this terrain, defensive formations were also established in the County of Sirene over the past hundreds of years, so it was no exaggeration to say that it was another wailing wall from the empire’s perspective.

How did Sirene open the door?

“I’m going to die—! I’m going to die!!”

As soon as I arrived in the County of Sirene by carriage, a woman protested on top of the walls of Sirene.

“Oh, girl!! Calm down, please!”

“Does it look real?! Argh!!”

A blonde woman with hairless hair stands on the railing of the castle wall and screams.

Her eye makeup is smeared, and her clothes are all black, like she is wearing mourning clothes.

“Ha.”

Viscount Hex looked up at the top of the castle wall and lamented.

From noble mtl dot come

“As soon as she arrived in the county, she showed her bad side.”

“Are you the Lady of Sirene?”

“Yes. Ariana Sirene. An unlucky woman who fell in love with an imperial general.”

Why is she a woman of misfortune?

Of course, the person she fell in love with died.

“I think General Hayreddin was assassinated because of him, and on top of that, the king wants to hold a festival.”

“I heard that they barely even prepared a memorial space.”

“I said that our Highness overturned that place as well. I guess.”

Viscount Hex got out of her carriage and shook her head.

“Nothing will change no matter how much effort you make… Tsk.”

“Viscount Hex.”

“Why. Do you think I said something wrong?”

“Are you quick on your feet?”

I got out of the carriage together and pointed at the top of the castle wall.

“Most people who cause such a suicidal commotion do so to vent their extreme desire to know themselves.”

“Yes. But?”

“But a person who is crazy in love is not like that.”

I lightly raised the blade of my hand and slit my own throat.

“They gather as many people as possible and then take their time to convey their message.”

“…Message?”

“Yes. A message of anger and hatred towards someone.”

For example-

“Something like his father his.”

“Ariana—!”

A middle-aged nobleman hurriedly climbed up the castle wall.

“He is the Count of Sirene. A margrave, not a margrave.”

If you look at the Sirene territory, it is also a change.

Of course, it would not be strange if he received the title of Margrave, but he could not become the Margrave because Gibraltar had the title of Margrave.

A victim of checks against Gibraltar.

The title of margrave cannot be given to Gibraltar, and it would be embarrassing to give it to an ordinary count, so the head of the count family suffered damage due to Nostrum’s strange system of subtly placing the title of margrave between the marquis and the earl .

“Did he come up as a father with a daughter, or did he come up because he was embarrassed by the commotion caused by someone from the royal family?”

“I heard that the earl loves his daughter, but this problem with Hayreddin has caused him quite a bit of trouble.”

Viscount Hex seemed to be tired and tried to move his feet towards the door leading to the castle –

“Wait a minute. Could it be that the person who said the lady was waiting-“

“You should run.”

“…Damn it!”

Viscount Hex ran straight ahead.

“You’re here, father.”

“Daughter! Come down! “What are you doing!”

“The person who saved my daughter, whose loved one died, can’t hold a funeral, but it’s still a festival.”

“Daughter…! Please! That’s not something I can do-“

“I wonder if I can hold a festival even if I die. I will watch from the afterlife.”

Ta-ah.

The Lady of Sirene herself threw down the castle wall.

Dozens of meters high.

A place with no trees or flower beds in the middle.

“Ariana–!!”

Count Se Irene hurriedly called his daughter’s name her, but he could not jump down, only holding on to the railing of the castle wall.

The expressions that pass across the face are despair, fear, and anger.

Could it be anger at her daughter’s actions of trying to take her own life her her her?

Or is it resentment at having tarnished one’s own face and not knowing how to report to the king and queen in the castle over there?

‘I think it’s the latter.’

Since I knew very well what kind of person Count Sirene was, I couldn’t help but laugh.

Still.

‘If Lady Sirene dies, the empire will try to use her again, so we cannot kill her.’

Whether Ariana Sayre jumped with the intention of telling everyone alive, including her father

‘There is someone with talent who can save your life.’

Since it’s in my eyes, I can’t let it die to help the empire.

‘It’s not for my benefit, but I can’t let my enemy die to benefit me.’

So he encouraged Viscount Hex.

So that he can react right away.

Kwa-euang!

Dust rises.

At the same time, there was a loud sound of something hitting the castle wall, and I lightly stirred up the dust that flew in front of me with my hand.

“aaa!!”

A scream that erupted late in timing.

The people watching around them screamed as if something they had expected would happen, but-

“Ugh…”

“…”

Unfortunately for some, that didn’t happen.

“Are you okay, my lady?”

“Ah…”

Viscount Hex is stuck on the floor.

He is lying on the floor, holding in his arms, his Lady Ariana, whose back is slightly dusty.

“Nice catch.”

Catch a fall in the air safely with a princess hug and land lightly?

That’s something only a master like my father can do.

Unfortunately, Viscount Hex is not that good, but-

“It looks like there are no injuries. Thanks goodness. Haha.”

“Hex, Viscount… ?”

“I understand how you feel, but if you’re trying to die, ugh, you can’t.”

Viscount Hex patted the Lady Sirene’s back.

“If I die and follow you, I won’t be happy.”

“Ugh, ugh, ughhh!!”

Lady Sirene sobbed in the arms of Viscount Hex.

She cried so mournfully that everyone around her was looking at her with pity –

“Huh? What is it?”

On the castle wall.

“I thought it would be a nice sight, but ugh.”

The blond-haired man in red, who had come up to a different place from where the Count was standing, was consuming his food with a pale face, holding a bottle of alcohol in his hand.

“It’s a shame. Ugh.”

No one could have heard it, but I kept my ears peeled for that guy.

The reason the Lady of Sirene wanted to protest by dying was her father, but that man would be ranked 0.

‘Saint Geo Nostrum.’

A being that has turned memorial services and funerals into festivals and masquerades.

He is the king of our Nostrum.

* * *

After Viscount Hex took Lady Sirene to the infirmary.

I suddenly passed the castle gate alone-

“Are you Master Gray Gibraltar?”

“Are you… The Knights of the Black Rose?”

“Yes. My name is Carlos. I was originally supposed to serve Viscount Hex…”

“I understand. If the order is to bring Viscount Hex’s passenger, please guide him to him immediately.”

“…Follow me.”

Soon, I was able to enter the castle with the guidance of a knight who saw the sign of the carriage I was riding in.

‘I’m glad it’s a familiar name.’

Carlos.

It’s not a particularly important name, but I remember him as someone who worked at the Nostrum Governor-General.

If there is a reason to remember-

‘Is this person okay to follow or not?’

You could say it’s paranoia, but my response has to be different depending on whether it’s a shadow or not.

You could say that I live a tiring life, but the risk of assassination doesn’t matter at any time or place.

Fortunately, this man is not a shadow.

Even though the Governor-General is obsessed with the high salary and silver from the empire, he is not the one trying to kill me right now.

“This way.”

As expected, he brought me to a luxurious hotel in the County of Sirene.

“Siren’s tears.”

For a hotel name, it is quite an unusual place.

It’s a familiar name.

“Go to the top floor and he will be waiting for you.”

“Thanks for the guidance.”

I went straight up the stairs from the front door.

The hotel’s condition is, in a word, top-notch.

There are no materials that are not of the highest quality, and even the paintings on the walls are only paintings of famous nobles in the capital.

‘It’s a border area, but it’s also a tourist destination, so rich nobles often come here.’

Not only does it have a view of the sea, but it also has the advantage of overlooking the empire.

At the top, she is waiting.

Knock knock.

“Come in.”

As soon as I knocked, I heard a familiar woman’s voice inside.

“Meeting Queen Carmen.”

As soon as I opened the door to the suite and entered, I was greeted, but I immediately felt a chill down my spine at the presence of another person in the room.

“Hmm.”

A white-haired old man sitting across from Queen Carmen.

Although he was wearing luxurious robes, he was as discreet as possible until I opened the door and saw him in person.

“In a way, I’m training my physical strength.”

“Father.”

“I’m sorry, queen. For that guy’s son, I’ve never heard of him training properly…”

This old man fiddling with his white beard that hangs down to his neck his his his-

“It looks like they are training separately in an unseen place. Passed.”

“…Meeting His Excellency the Prime Minister.”

The Prime Minister of this country.

Commander-in-Chief of the 12 Ministers.

One of the masters like his father

“Your Excellency the Archduke of Winchester Morgania.”

The Grand Duke of Winchester and Carmen’s biological father.

“Hmm…”

“How are you feeling, Dad?”

“… I don’t like her face because she looks like Abby or Ami, but her behavior is definitely different, which is nice.”

I didn’t expect to hear bad things about my parents as soon as I met them, but-

“Gray Gibraltar. Do you know why I hate your parents?”

“This is because Crimson Gibraltar unilaterally broke off his engagement to Carmen Morgania, and Charlotte Lembourg Gunther took her place as her fiancee. And…”

“And?”

“In order to maintain the power of the Duke of Morgania, she had no choice but to make her only daughter and her wife of Saint Geonostrum.”

“…”

The Archduke continued fiddling with his beard, then pointed at me with his hand and turned his head to Queen Carmen.

“Daughter. Isn’t that the child you had with that Crimson guy without me knowing?”

“I hope so. Unfortunately, that child is Charlotte’s son. Bloodline.”

“…No matter how you look at it, it looks the same as when you were young?”

“It’s the fate of geniuses who had to become smart from a young age. They grow too thick to act like children, and it’s embarrassing to try to be cute.”

Queen Carmen giggled and said.

“Son, let me introduce you. This is your political grandfather.”

“I would like to introduce you once again. My name is Gray Gibraltar, and Queen Carmen is her political mother.”

“…Tsk.”

The Grand Duke openly clicked his tongue at my greeting.

“All the kids these days are boring. Grandpa, you have to be cute and show off your charms. The same goes for the granddaughter and the grandson. How can they all be like this?”

“If you were a grandchild born into an ordinary family, wouldn’t you know it? Your title and status are too high to want that, right?”

“Sigh. There’s really no difference in rushing forward without saying a single word. It feels even worse than when I was raising my daughter.”

A vague feeling passes through the Archduke’s eyes.

However, the Archduke’s wishes cannot be granted.

It’s the same with Queen Carmen, but she’s not the type of person I can get along with.

‘You would want a child like Astasia, but her daughter is Carmen and her granddaughter is Nari Aji.’

And here, add Gray Gibraltar.

“I heard that you witnessed a major accident on the way. Were you surprised?”

“I was surprised. I never thought that the Lady of Sirene would commit suicide.”

“Fortunately, Hex ran to save her, but the timing was just right. It was a miracle. If I had fallen…”

“There was no knight near her that could save her.”

I can say this with certainty.

“The soldiers guarding the castle walls did not even think about throwing themselves away, and the same was true on top of the walls. However, it is not like the high-ranking knights here can always walk near the walls.”

Really, if we had arrived a little later, I might have attended Lady Sirene’s funeral first.

“Actually, I know very well why you two sent Viscount Hex to Gibraltar to bring me here.”

This is to prevent such accidents.

“Imperial language interpretation is just a superficial justification, and in reality, it has other intentions.”

If you go a little more fundamentally.

“Gibraltar’s bloodline. Aren’t you trying to use Charlotte’s bloodline, to be precise?”

“…”

“Just because I’m here, news from here will reach Gibraltar.”

The top priority is to act as a sort of ‘suppressor’ to suppress such crazy behavior as a person holding a festival in front of a woman who lost a loved one.

“Saint Geo Nostrum. Our Highness will refrain from his outrageous actions just because Charlotte’s son is here.”

Still.

“Even though I feel like I’ll be killed if I’m hated by Crimson Gibraltar.”

It’s really unpleasant.

“Charlotte I haven’t given up on Gibraltar yet.”

The incompetent king is still targeting his mother.

“So, there is a good way to deter the St. Geo Nostrum. A very good way to make it less likely to cause accidents.”

“Carmen, son, there is nothing you can’t say to the king. So, what was it?”

“We use letters.”

I raised my hand.

“Mother’s letter.”

Last 3 years.