Chapter 83.

The door opened and Regina walked out with a sigh.

Seeing her somber expression, I could roughly guess Benjamin's condition.

“How is he?”

“I’ve administered a sedative, so he should calm down in about 20 minutes. Then I’ll check his condition and administer the truth serum.”

“Understood. Please go down and rest for a bit.”

“There’s something I need to talk to you about before that.”

Regina stopped me as I was about to head down.

From the look on her face, it didn't seem like she was about to say anything good.

“Is something the matter?”

“Who is the medical officer in charge of the headquarters?”

“…I wonder?”

Was there even a medical officer to begin with?

At my answer, Regina’s eyebrow shot up.

She seemed to think I was teasing her, so I quickly corrected myself.

“There probably isn't a specifically assigned person. If needed, we call a doctor from across the lake or go find one ourselves.”

“…I didn't know that.”

There was hardly ever a reason to get injured at the headquarters.

At most, it was a paper cut.

“Then who is managing my brother?”

“The butler manages his meals and hygiene.”

“Does Mr. Ron also handle his treatment?”

“As you just saw, he’s not in a state for treatment or anything of the sort.”

I heard that every time Ron entered, Benjamin would scream and throw things, so forget treatment, even providing for his basic needs was being done by force.

“Isn't this a bit far from the treatment you promised?”

“Just getting him out of your father’s clutches is a treatment in itself.”

“That’s true, but.”

Regina readily admitted it.

At the time, they were both so focused on securing Benjamin’s safety that they had barely discussed treatment methods.

“For the time being, I will stay and monitor his condition. In the long run, it would be good to have a doctor stationed here.”

“It’s because there are a lot of quacks.”

I remembered the quack who came to examine Wilhelm’s left arm last time and was kicked out after suggesting bloodletting.

To be honest, my trust in the doctors of this world had diminished greatly.

“That is true. The truly skilled doctors have already been snatched up by various places.”

“If you understand….”

“No, a doctor is necessary, and not just for my brother. You have a subordinate who was severely injured this time, don’t you? You need someone you can trust to handle things if a similar incident occurs again.”

The thought of Wilhelm, who had been hanging on in a half-dead state, made me agree.

However, the fact that the person bringing this up was Regina, a member of the Raven, made me feel uneasy.

Should I toss out some bait?

“Do you have anyone to recommend?”

I asked casually.

If she intended to plant a spy who could move openly within the headquarters, she would recommend someone herself.

“The people I know are all tied to my father. Besides, you wouldn't be at ease if you hired someone I recommended, would you, Count?”

“I won’t deny that, but you could at least tell me where to look.”

When I pressed her once more, Regina frowned slightly and pondered.

I wonder if she's weighing whether to snatch it up or to back off one more time.

“If you insist, then look into the Vestol Assembly’s People's Medical Center.”

“I thought you would recommend a place in Leitche.”

“Unfortunately, Leitche isn’t famous for its doctors. In terms of skill alone, Vestol is the best.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

The Vestol Assembly.

It doesn't seem like I'll have a reason to go there for a while.

Well, it’s not an immediate need, so I can think about it slowly.

“It’s about time. Let’s go in.”

“Am I going in as well?”

“The sedative has taken effect, so he won’t have a fit.”

“What if he does have a fit.”

“We’ll have to use a stronger drug.”

From her unconcerned tone, she seemed confident that the drug had worked well.

Though I was a little anxious, considering he had screamed for me to be killed the first time he saw me.

When the door opened, light streamed into the dark room.

At its end, I saw the haggard figure of Benjamin, crouched down.

“…….”

Benjamin, whose eyes met mine, neither screamed nor trembled.

He just shrank back a little more.

“His eyes seem a bit glazed over.”

“It’s within the normal range. I’ll administer the truth serum now.”

After examining Benjamin, Regina took out a syringe.

Benjamin’s face contorted when he saw the syringe, but he obediently offered his arm.

As the transparent liquid fully entered, Benjamin let out a gasp and his breathing became ragged.

Just as I was about to ask if he was alright, Benjamin opened his mouth.

“Have you come to kill me, Count?”

“I have not.”

At my denial, Benjamin’s breathing gradually calmed down.

Regina, who was checking Benjamin’s pulse, smiled faintly.

“It’s okay, brother. We’re just going to ask a few questions.”

“Father?”

“He’s not here. This is the Eslick Empire.”

“I see….”

As if his tension had eased, he relaxed his posture a little.

According to Regina, the effects of the truth serum would last for about 2 hours.

It was a long time if you thought it was long, and a short time if you thought it was short.

“May I begin the questions.”

Benjamin glanced at Regina once, then caught his breath and nodded.

I decided to ask what I was most curious about first.

“Why were you so terrified when you saw me?”

“You ask because you don’t know? It’s because of the promise you and Father made.”

“Ah, you mean that.”

Regina mentioned it last time.

That there was some kind of pact between the Duke and Valheit.

I still don't know the details, but….

“If my memory is correct, it wasn’t aimed at you.”

“Technically speaking, that might be true. We agreed to take care of each other’s troublesome matters, not that you would kill me. Isn’t that the same thing?”

Benjamin, his words now flowing, excitedly poured out his speech.

I was just fishing with a rough guess, but it worked well.

“Until a request is made, I have no reason to kill you.”

“Isn’t the pact you and Father made about scratching each other’s itchy spots without a request even being made?”

So that’s what it was about.

A setup where one would do the other's dirty work if they just hinted at their intentions.

“Killing the Duke’s eldest son is not a matter to be handled so lightly.”

“Then why did you do it back then? Before Father even noticed, you, Count, dealt with me and my followers first.”

“I didn't kill you.”

“Only I survived!”

“Yes, so I didn’t kill you, did I?”

As the conversation continued without me knowing the exact details, it ended up looking like I was teasing him.

Benjamin bit his lip and glared at me.

This was better than him cowering and hiding in fear.

“Let’s take a short break. Please be careful, as pushing him too hard will make the drug wear off faster.”

“Let’s do that. I’ll give you two minutes.”

While Regina checked his pulse and readjusted the syringe, Benjamin continued to glare at me.

I responded with a smile.

“Alright, let’s start again. I understand the reason you were afraid of me, now tell me how you ended up being captured by trolls.”

“After you found out about my coup, I went straight to the North. I thought I could get at least minimal support since there are many demons in Leitche who are discontent.”

“But the Duke made his move first.”

“Those trolls were hired by my father. He said it to my face several times, so I'm certain.”

“Do you know why he used such a troublesome method?”

“He probably wanted to stop you from making a move. He wouldn't have wanted the information I had to get to your ears, Count.”

I had a faint idea that might be the case.

He disliked handing Benjamin over to me enough to openly refuse.

Still, seeing as he backed down a step, it probably wasn't information he could never let be known….

“What is this information?”

“While working in the Raven, I once investigated what my father was doing.”

“You were also part of the Raven?”

“Originally, my brother was the head of the Raven. Now, Father is managing it directly again.”

Regina added a supplementary explanation.

Thanks to her, what Benjamin was saying sounded a little more credible.

“It was the task of uniting the families of the nobles and merchants you dealt with for my father into a single organization. And I found out about it.”

“He threw his own son into the midst of trolls for something like that? Isn’t that an overreaction.”

“Because it didn’t end there. Though they were ruined for opposing Father, they were still the upper class of Leitche, so the organization they formed had some power. Father acted as an anonymous benefactor and guided them to search for the Commander of the Eight Council.”

Why is the Commander suddenly coming up here?

“I also don’t know why he tried to find the Commander of the Eight Council, or why he used anti-establishment figures instead of going through the Raven. But he must have known that the Count wouldn’t stand idly by if it was related to the Commander.”

“So he tried to hide that fact….”

“He borrowed your hand to cut off all my limbs, and I was imprisoned among the trolls.”

So this was all done with the knowledge that Valheit would pursue anything related to the Commander with gritted teeth?

It felt like there had to be more to it, but Benjamin said no more.

“Is that all?”

“Regarding what you asked, this is everything.”

“Is that so? Then let me ask some more.”

Now that the biggest question was solved, it was time to ask about the minor details.

There was still plenty of time left, after all.

“Tell me all the information regarding the coup you prepared and the Duke’s response.”

A long interrogation began.

***

After 2 hours, Benjamin began to show signs of anxiety again.

When Regina suggested ending the interrogation, Valheit agreed without much protest.

Regina sighed as she looked at the room from which sounds of sobbing and muttering could be heard again.

“The truth serum was quite effective.”

“It can’t be used consecutively.”

“I don’t have anything to ask for the time being. Though I think I will again soon.”

Valheit said with a grin.

Considering the number of questions he asked today, it seemed unlikely he would have anything to ask for a long time.

However, there was one thing that bothered her.

‘There’s no way he didn’t know what my brother did, so why did he ask in such detail?’

Wasn’t Valheit the one who crushed the conspiracy Benjamin had plotted to eliminate their father?

From his questions today, it was as if he knew nothing at all.

‘Was he confirming it against his own information?’

Thinking of it that way, it wasn’t entirely implausible.

Perfect information wasn’t necessary to send Benjamin into the abyss of ruin.

But that wasn't the only strange thing.

‘It felt like he was deliberately hiding something about the promise he made with Father….’

One thing was certain.

He had blatantly fished for information from Benjamin, and if it weren't for the truth serum, Benjamin would never have answered.

Moreover, there was more than one promise between the Duke of Leitche and Count Valheit.

Taking care of each other’s messes was just one of the promises.

The other promise was much more important and heavy.

But today, Valheit never once mentioned that promise.

‘It was a promise to overturn the Eight Council and change its structure when the time comes.’

Before the Duke of Leitche lost interest in the Eight Council, what he was most interested in was changing the structure that was focused on the Commander, and Valheit had agreed.

‘Did he change his mind? Is the current state more advantageous to him? Or….’

“…ss Regina. Miss Regina?”

“Ah, yes! What is it.”

“Are you unwell?”

“No, no. I was just thinking about my brother’s condition. What did you say?”

“I said something has come up and I must be going.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Valheit, who had stopped for a moment to observe Regina, turned around.

At some point, the Count’s loyal butler had appeared beside him.

As they walked away, Regina unintentionally overheard an interesting conversation.

“The Third Duke’s younger sibling was kidnapped?”

“Yes, His Grace the First Duke has begun an investigation.”

“Damn it.”

Hearing the sigh laced in Valheit's voice, which was different from usual, only deepened Regina's curiosity.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.