Chapter 213 – Express

“—Go.”

After giving the command to Caduceus, he liquefied from his cat form and slipped out through the gap beneath the door. I had sent him to guard Father. Then, I contacted Father via the communication device.

“Information from Harold and Cynthia. It seems the former servant Godwin has been loitering around the Count’s estate. He was also witnessed with unfamiliar individuals, so caution may be necessary.”

“Understood. I’ll conduct some investigation on my end as well.”

After a short while, that message came back from Father. Godwin was a servant Kathryn had called over from the Marquis’ household.

We had identified him as likely being Godwin by having Harold and Cynthia match the facial features against a clay model of the servant’s face I’d made.

“What kind of person is this Godwin?”

“In my opinion… I don’t believe he’s an honest individual. It seems he would harass servants who didn’t conform to their ways until they quit.”

“…That figures.”

“Are you alright, Grace-sama?”

Rosemary and Ashley frowned. When Marlene went to Grace’s side with a worried expression, Grace smiled back at her and took her hand.

“I’m… a Dhampir. Since there were aspects that frightened people, I didn’t experience much direct harassment.”

“I see… So that’s the kind of person he is.”

Claudia let out a small sigh.

…I’ve heard people complaining about how a monster was staying at the Count’s household when Grace wasn’t around. Even if they didn’t harass her directly, they certainly wouldn’t be kind to her.

Still, the problem lies more with the unfamiliar individuals he was reportedly with than with Godwin himself. Possibility of collusion. Or possibility of being manipulated into running errands. We should consider all these possibilities.

“I’ve memorized his face. Can I move out too?”

Sheila, who had been glaring at Godwin’s bust with half-closed eyes, asked this.

“What are you planning to do?”

“Places where unfamiliar people are holed up—I think we can identify them with a bit of questioning. Godwin doesn’t know my face either, so it’s quite advantageous.”

“If Sheila’s going, I’m going too.”

Irmhild stood up.

“…Understood. Move in pairs and make regular contact via the communication device. If you’re discovered by the other side, don’t hesitate to fly away and disengage. Just that alone should serve as a deterrent against reckless actions.”

“Right. We’ll just identify the location. We won’t push ourselves.”

Since both of them excel at detection abilities, there shouldn’t be any worry about being surrounded.

Now then—Caduceus seems to have stuck to Father as planned. Father decided to go out by carriage with accompanying knights… but where is he heading?

…Given the timing of his departure, is it to the annex where Kathryn is?

I heard that to eliminate her influence on Daryl, she’s been confined to a separate residence from the main house. They’re being careful with servant selection too, and even for purchasing supplies, they’re accompanied and required to submit detailed expenditure reports.

Father, having alighted from the carriage, left his accompanying knights there, had the guards open the tall iron-gated entrance, and headed toward the house through the front garden where flowers were blooming.

Though it’s called the Count’s annex, it’s not a particularly large mansion. It’s about the size of a slightly large commoner’s house, but compared to its scale, it has high walls… and inside those walls, there’s a front garden with a gazebo.

Compared to the house and front garden’s appearance, the walls feel relatively new, as if they were built later. Whether it’s for confinement or seclusion… at any rate, it certainly functions as an isolated prison from the outside world.

“The master has arrived.”

The servant who came to greet him bowed respectfully to Father before withdrawing to the adjacent room.

“What brings you here at this late hour?”

Kathryn, who seemed to have been embroidering on a tapestry, asked this with a somewhat perplexed expression.

“I came to talk a little. Has anything unusual happened recently?”

He probably brought them from his study. He placed several books on the table. They were books of genres like fairy tales and stories.

“Aside from your coming at this hour, everything is as usual. Did you bring books instead of embroidery thread today?”

Father stared intently at Kathryn, but eventually nodded quietly.

“I see.”

Kathryn furrowed her brows and spoke.

“About Byron… couldn’t you release him from his cell?”

“That’s impossible. He tried to escape from this house, and he was voicing his dissatisfaction about Daryl becoming the heir.”

“I… see. If you’re going to this much trouble, you might as well dispose of us all at once. Or… do you think I would be

bound

by something like this?”

“That’s not it. You’re Daryl’s mother, and my wife. I believe I share responsibility for what you and Byron did. That’s precisely why I won’t casually discard you.”

“You still call me your wife?”

At Father’s words, Kathryn laughed self-deprecatingly. Her laughter lacked much strength.

…Somehow. I feel the impression is quite different from before. Well… judging from what I see, the judgment Father handed down feels like a lenient verdict, so perhaps with time and calming down, she’s had various thoughts.

“As long as there might be those who would try to carry you off, I cannot grant you freedom. As the lord, I must definitely draw a line there… but speaking solely of the relationship between you and me, I wish to rebuild it anew. If my presence is bothersome, I’ll try not to come as much as possible.”

“You may… do as you please. You are the lord, after all.”

Kathryn looked up briefly but answered indifferently.

“I see. Then I shall take my leave for today.”

As Father stood up, Kathryn started to reach out toward his back but ultimately withdrew her hand and shook her head.

“…I’ll see you to the gate.”

“Right.”

But Kathryn didn’t move until Father had left.

After Father left the house and the door closed momentarily, Kathryn muttered to herself. Caduceus, slipping out through the door gap, heard Kathryn’s murmur that should never have reached anyone.

“Apologizing now… what will that accomplish? Even if you forgive me… Lisa and her son won’t forgive what I’ve done. Is that… acceptable?”

So Kathryn doesn’t know that Father and I have reconciled. Since it’s being kept secret, if asked, Father would likely only say we’re estranged.

It doesn’t matter. I don’t feel strongly about Kathryn one way or the other.

You could even say I don’t care. Once I gained power and left the household, it became part of the past. I don’t expect apologies or revenge. It’s indifference—as long as we don’t get involved, that’s fine.

But Mother probably… no, if she could hear words of apology, she would surely forgive Kathryn. That’s the kind of person she is.

I shake my head and switch my thinking. At the very least… it seems there’s no connection between Kathryn and Godwin.

Kathryn followed after Father and came out of the house. Suddenly—the sound of someone collapsing could be heard.

Father and Kathryn looked up and saw.

Smoke was billowing at the gate, and the gatekeepers and accompanying knights were collapsing as if their strings had been cut—.

“Sleep Cloud!?”

The moment I confirmed that scene, I stood up and gripped Ouroboros.

“Wh-what happened?”

At my demeanor, tension ran through everyone. Before leaving the house, I need to have Grace’s Cursed Tool in its Released Form.

“Father’s being attacked. I’m heading to the scene immediately. Everyone else, stand by here!”

“Understood!”

As I rushed out of the house, I pondered.

Indeed, even with the watch soldiers and accompanying knights—it was the minimum personnel. Is that why? Thinking they could force it now if they had a Magician?

They investigated Father’s movements and lifestyle patterns, and calculated that with the reduced personnel now, they could launch an attack?

Then, for what purpose? What’s the target? They’ve even mobilized a Magician. If it were just a resentful former servant or a rescue attempt, the quality of the personnel involved doesn’t make sense. Among those connected to the former Marquis Broderick who’s lost power, is there someone who could pull such strings? Even if there were, would there be reason to try to rescue Kathryn while leaving the former Marquis behind?

Or perhaps… it’s a different group. For example—involving Silvatoria.

Questions remain, but I ride Lindwurm and rush to the scene at top speed. Meanwhile, Caduceus continues to relay the situation there to me.

Whether Father and Kathryn understood the situation at the entrance, their eyes widened.

“Is that Water Magic!?”

“Da-damn, tricky!? Re-regardless, get inside the house!”

“That would leave us with no escape route!”

“B-but…! Even if we stay in this garden…!”

At Father’s words, Kathryn frantically scanned her surroundings as if seeking an escape route, then froze.

I follow her gaze. On a thick branch of a tree higher than the wall. There was a man dressed entirely in black with an arrow nocked to his Bow, aiming directly at Father.

The arrow was being drawn to be released. Seeing this, Kathryn—pushed Father aside and stepped forward, spreading her hands as if to block the way.

“I… I…!?”

Kathryn’s expression showed she was astonished by her own actions. By then, the arrow had already been released—flying straight toward Kathryn’s chest.

Bracing for the impending impact, Kathryn tightly closed her eyes. But—the arrow was Deflected in a different direction. Caduceus had knocked it away. It happened in an instant. Whether the Marksman saw it in the darkness of night. He widened his eyes and nocked another arrow.

But.

“Don’t think there’ll be a next time!”

From directly above.

I jumped down from Lindwurm’s back and Charged.

Expanding Shield to the front. Breaking both branches and trunk while engulfing the assassin. Falling straight down to the ground as if to Smash him. The sound and sensation of bones cracking and breaking. Another one! The Magician who used Water Magic!

Using the crushed man as a stepping stone, I leaped up while employing Levitation. Closing in on the Magician in black Robe on the commoner house’s roof. Swinging Ouroboros while Charging.

The enemy also used Levitation to Jump and disengage. With just that… do they think they can escape?

I’ll make them properly repay the courtesy of their pointless interference.

Lindwurm, having circled around from behind, body-slammed with his massive frame and sent the Magician flying back toward me.

“Whoaah!?”

He screamed and deployed a Shield but—.

“Sink.”

I drove a Palm Strike directly from the front. The Magical Power shock transmitted through the Shield captured the Magician’s head. Spinning him once in the air. As he rolled his eyes white, Lindwurm flew in and bit his leg, capturing him.