Volume 2 Chapter 78 Dark Knight I
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Maribel raised her voice clearly as she spoke.
She placed her right fist against her flat chest and began to pace slowly beside McCutchen.
The golden-haired young princess continued.
”The culprit who killed the two has yet to be found. Moreover, even my families and close acquaintances went missing 3 years ago for some reason. Concealed traces and vanished associates… When I investigated this far, I considered that a significant organization might be involved in their deaths.”
”Are you saying that I was also the one who eliminated them!? I’ve devoted my whole being to serving Your Excellency until now, and this is how I’m repaid──with the accusation of murdering my master!?”
”What you’ve done for me cannot be erased. I am grateful. But that is a separate matter.”
Maribel looked up at the stout steward with her deep dark blue eyes.
She slowly cast her gaze around the surrounding nobles.
”The great power that killed them――there were many candidates for it within this fortress. However, after Godfrey’s sudden death from illness, the two people who disappeared were also eliminated. This means that the culprit must have been someone who wouldn’t have had a good alibi at that timing. For that person, even those who were just casual acquaintances and had nothing to do with the matter were potential targets to be eliminated. I naturally deduced this reasoning. ──If Godfrey’s death wasn’t due to old age, but rather someone had been slowly poisoning him, then everything would connect, wouldn’t it?”
”It seems that Your Excellency Maribel is feeling weary.”
McCutchen appeared to have no intention of taking her seriously from the start.
Or perhaps he feared that if he argued seriously with Maribel’s youthful appearance, it would embarrass the lords from the frontier.
Regardless, from Kian’s perspective, the old steward’s choice did not seem particularly wise.
”Your Excellency, let us speak slowly in a separate room later. I will explain everything to everyone here, so please step down for now. ――Guard! Guard!”
However, there was no response from the guards at his call.
Instead, bang!
Bang!
Bang!
As one after another, the entrances to the hall were sealed off.
There were no knights under Waterman here besides the Katze; all those fully armed on guard were Owls’ subordinates.
”What… I see now.”
”Hehe. The knights of Baron Waterman are guarding the outer perimeter of the south wing. The ones protecting this venue are my dear knights. Lord Steward? Unfortunately, these fellows only listen to what I say.”
Owl, wrapped in a cape as black as night, said this politely.
He ruffled his Owl feathers and stepped towards McCutchen.
”Lord Steward, stand back.”
Katze stepped forward, his eyes lit with a murderous intent.
He was the most skilled among Waterman’s subordinates.
Katze’s 5 squire knights took the same combat-ready stance behind him.
In contrast, Maribel’s side showed only a young guard flustered and out of sorts.
Christy stood frozen, embracing her staff with a tense expression.
The circle of nobles widened.
Feeling a duel was imminent, everyone naturally stepped back.
As tension rose, Maribel approached Katze with a resolute expression on her youthful face.
”I investigated the customer list of ‘Mao Yue’ from 8 to 5 years ago. Eight individuals involved in operations at the Izerland branch of ‘Mao Yue’ at that time held their own respective lists. The contents were all consistent.”
”Here is one of them.”
Owl took a bundle of documents from his pocket and held it up for display.
The bundle was covered in countless sticky notes.
Owl walked over to Archbishop Homolka, who stood closest, and handed over the customer list paper.
”Please.”
”Let me take a look… Ah, well, well.”
”As you can see, from 8 to 5 years ago, there was a person who continuously purchased poison concocted by the Shin country alchemist. A servant who served Godfrey back then──McCutchen.”
”That’s nonsense!”
McCutchen shouted sharply.
He staggered toward Maribel, but just before grabbing her thin shoulder, he stopped himself.
”This is nonsense. Such a scrap of paper can be forged in any way.”
”It’s fine to call in the associates of ‘Mao Yue’ later in court. I have even managed to track down the names of all the merchants you were dealing with.”
”It’s a trap, a conspiracy, Your Excellency. Who would be foolish enough to buy poison under their real name?”
”Hehe, no one, I suppose. That’s why they used an alias. But ‘Mao Yue’ isn’t foolish. The great merchant guild of the East certainly owns a magic tool that reveals the real name of the signatory. After selling poison, one can also sell the name of the buyer. I wonder how many among us know this fact.”
”McCutchen, it was the steward Dylan who sent you to buy the drugs, wasn’t it? You went reluctantly at his command. Dylan passed away from illness before Godfrey did.”
”…That’s not true…”
McCutchen’s voice trembled.
His murky eyes slowly turned toward Maribel, Natasha, and Homolka in that order.
Then there were the head magicians and bureaucrats who were observing nearby.
The old steward had used people with a certain level of trust without ever fully trusting them.
McCutchen’s expression twisted as if he was about to shout “betrayed.”
”This is wrong! I won’t accept this! To humiliate me in a gathering of lords is unacceptable! …Owl, is it you? Or, Homolka, is it you? After I kept you on a tight leash as Archbishop.”
”Kukuku, I take pride in my position as Archbishop.”
”…I won’t acknowledge this. A trial. Later, in the church. I will prove my innocence splendidly.”
With that, McCutchen stumbled sideways, attempting to escape from Maribel.
The nobles quickly parted the way.
However, all the doors of the venue remained closed.
”Well, well, where do you intend to go?”
The figure of Owl blurred like mist.
Transformed into black fog, he passed the old steward, and a shape began to form as shadows rose before him.
”…!”
”Ufufufu♡”
Owl’s arm emerged from the black cloak.
His long, muscular fingers gripped a magician’s staff.
He curled his lips into a grin that split his face, revealing his jagged teeth.
”Stop it, Lord Owl!”
Katze drew his longsword and stepped in front of McCutchen.
The knightly followers also drew their swords to protect the old steward.
The noblewomen around screamed in panic.
”No, I won’t stop. This is already sufficient with just this many witnesses in this very hall. ――Lord Steward? You cannot leave this hall. Hnfufu. As the blade of Her Excellency Maribel, who has exceeded the bounds of evil, I will not permit it.”
”Do you mean to forcibly detain him, Lord Owl?”
”Can you not see, Lord Katze? If you wish to live, remain still and watch. You are merely following orders. I won’t punish you if you do not protect that man.”
”I can’t!”
”Sir McCutchen, stand down!──”
”Lord Owl, no matter how skilled you are, we outnumber you! Move aside!”
”Please open the road quietly!”
”Ugh…”
McCutchen sweated profusely before the grotesque knight, resembling a shadow with a red mouth that laughed.
The old steward surveyed the crowd.
”Oswald! Is Lord Oswald here!?”
”――――.”
The blond youth with a shaved side held several young maidens in his arms, shielding them from the chaos.
Although he heard McCutchen’s words, he did not move.
”———————! Uh, Waterman! Waterman is! Where is he!? He hasn’t come here yet!?”
”Baron Waterman? Ah, if it’s him…”
Owl twisted his mouth into a sinister grin.
He shoved his hand under the cloak and pulled out something round from inside.
Plop….
”Huh!? Ah…, ah… Oh… Baron, Water…?”
A bald head.
Bright eyebrows.
His eagle-like sharp eyes twisted in anger.
His right ear was missing.
In fact, it was just the head.
Laid carelessly on the carpet was the head of Baron Waterman──.
”Aaaaaah!” “Ugh, Baron Waterman! Baron!” “Aaaaaah, ahhh!?”
”You, how could you do this to Baron!”
Katze bared his teeth and glared at Owl.
His knights, without exception, were silent.
In the next instant, without warning, they charged at Owl.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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