Chapter 84:

The Eslick Empire’s Third Duke, Timershi Stetten, has one younger brother.

He is a man who takes exactly after his older brother arrogant, greedy, and one who pours all his energy into showing off.

His name is Brauder Stetten.

The only difference between Brauder, who even possessed the same handsome looks as his brother, and Timershi was that he had absolutely no interest in politics.

He dumped all the duties of a Duke onto his brother, and his daily life consisted of playing around and irresponsibly showering gifts on anyone who caught his fancy.

Brauder, who looked down on and ignored not only nobles but also common citizens, was a figure who would stand at the center of the Empire’s political firestorm after being kidnapped.

That was the rough outline of Brauder Stetten’s character from the original novel.

This unprecedented incident of a Duke's brother being kidnapped plunged the Empire, which was in the midst of a civil war, even deeper into a quagmire.

“I thought the kidnapping wouldn’t happen since the story has changed.”

Unlike the original story, Blaiher had legitimately ascended to the throne, and the conflict with the Dukes had not yet erupted.

There was no reason for Blaiher to order Noah to kidnap Brauder to shake the Dukes’ united front.

‘And yet he was kidnapped. Though the timing is a bit different.’

The status window indicated that there were 223 chapters until the world’s destruction.

Brauder didn’t appear until after the 90th chapter, which meant he was kidnapped much earlier than in the original.

“We’ve arrived, Count.”

At the hoarse voice of the coachman, I poked my head out slightly.

The magnificent mansion exuded a majesty that seemed to crush people beneath it.

‘Anyone would think he was the Emperor.’

Clicking my tongue, I stepped down from the carriage, and a figure who appeared to be a butler approached and bowed his head respectfully.

“We have been waiting for you, Count Valheit. I am the head butler managing the First Duke’s mountain villa. It is an honor to have you visit.”

“I am concerned that I may have kept the First Duke waiting too long.”

“There are still Dukes who have not arrived. You are about in the middle, Count.”

The butler cracked a joke with a gentle expression.

“Please lead the way.”

“Yes, Count. The garden is complex, so please follow me closely.”

Only after pushing through rows of dense shrubs for a good while could I set foot at the mansion’s entrance.

It was a garden whose only purpose I could find was to tire out its visitors.

“A mansion befitting the First Duke. It could rival the Imperial Capital.”

“How could we dare.”

Despite his humble words, the head butler's face was overflowing with pride.

It was a mansion worthy of it.

Though it seemed to be teetering precariously on the edge of treason.

After passing through endlessly stretching rooms and corridors, a door that towered over me greeted me.

It was on a scale that made me doubt if a person could even open it.

When the head butler placed his hand on it, the door slid open smoothly.

I felt a not-insignificant amount of mana.

Using magic just to open a door?

This is a bit….

As I passed the head butler and stepped inside, I saw familiar faces.

I smiled exaggeratedly and bowed.

“It has been a while, Your Graces. I trust you have been well.”

“Have you also been well, Count Valheit?”

Only the Sixth Duke replied with a good-natured smile.

The other Dukes simply watched the Count wedged between them without a word.

“Shall I take the lowest seat? It would not look good for a mere Count to sit among the Dukes, would it?”

“Please sit next to me.”

An old but firm voice stopped me as I was pulling back a chair.

Johann Geller’s eyes glinted as he sat in the very center of the semi-circular table.

“Is that truly alright? I feel burdened.”

“Don’t refuse, have a seat. You are the most important person at this meeting today.”

Even if one were completely clueless, it was glaringly obvious that Johann was suspicious of me.

Is this a case of keeping your enemies close?

“But First Duke, no matter the circumstances, seating the Count next to you….”

“Timmy, it would be best for you to keep your mouth shut as much as possible today.”

Looks like that idiot didn’t grasp the situation.

Passing by Timershi Stetten, who had shrunk back at the First Duke’s words, I sat to Johann Geller’s left.

“Are all the Dukes gathering?”

“Chartra and Dopel have sent word in advance that they cannot attend. There will be five Dukes, and six if we include the Count.”

“This will be a meeting that sways the fate of the nation. For such a gathering to deal with a matter as trivial as. Brauder is a bit unbecoming, I must say.”

Baring my teeth, I smiled and looked at Timershi, and his face quickly flushed.

If not for the First Duke’s warning, he might have spat out a curse right away.

“It’s true that Brauder is a worthless fellow. He was a good-for-nothing who did nothing but swagger around with the Vestol lot.”

“I didn’t go that far. But I agree. He’s a worthless fellow.”

At the blunt assessment, Timershi couldn’t dare to refute and just huffed angrily.

Uncomfortable with the situation, Giuseppe intervened with an awkward smile.

“Let’s set aside Brauder’s flaws for a moment. Regardless of the life Brauder lived, aren’t we gathered here today to bring back Stetten’s son?”

“Perhaps if he had behaved himself, this wouldn’t have happened.”

Johann clicked his tongue and shook his head.

Separate from his suspicion of me, it seemed he really disliked Brauder.

“My brother may have done many wrongs, but that doesn’t mean he deserves to be kidnapped, does it?”

“You’re right about that, Timmy. No citizen of the Empire should be kidnapped.”

“Thank you, Your Grace.”

At the first friendly words he had heard, Timershi nodded his head like a dog desperate for praise.

I don’t know if it’s fortunate or unfortunate that he’s stupid enough not to realize he was being treated like a commoner, not the scion of a Duke.

“So, what happened? All the newspaper said was that many people saw Brauder being kidnapped in broad daylight.”

“We have gathered to find that out and respond.”

“So you’re saying you don’t know much.”

“To be frank, yes, Count.”

As Johann readily admitted it, I was momentarily at a loss for words.

Wait, they’ve done nothing until now?

“You don’t even have a suspect?”

“There are several suspects, but they are all just possibilities. It’s at a level where both you and I could be suspects, Count.”

“I’ll take that to mean that a damn lot of people hate Brauder.”

He was bound to have many enemies.

Brauder himself was an idler with no interest in politics, but the situation surrounding him was extremely political.

The very fact that Vestol merchants had latched onto him, realizing he would hand out concessions if they just drank and played with him, was a political problem for the citizens of the Empire.

While his brother Timershi was with the conservative Johann Geller, his younger brother Brauder was hanging out with people from Vestol, who were enemies until yesterday.

It was a comedy.

After the kidnapping drama ended, he was so scared that he even tried to cling to Vestol and sell out the Empire.

There was no one more detestable than him.

“Still, isn’t there at least one person you suspect the most? You can be honest and say it’s me, so please speak your mind.”

“We do suspect you, Count, but you are not the prime suspect.”

“Are there folks even more suspicious than this old snake?”

“Yes. Because the ones who carried out Brauder’s kidnapping were demons. And you have no connection to that side, do you, Count?”

The moment the word ‘demon’ was mentioned, a thought flashed through my mind.

No way.

They haven't even met Blaiher, why would they kidnap Brauder?

“And since the rare Diaboli were said to have led it, you are pushed even further from the list of suspects, Count.”

Since the Diaboli were not a common race, I had a good idea of who the culprit was.

How long has it been since I received their report, and they’re already causing trouble?

“First Duke, the Second and Seventh Dukes have arrived.”

“Let’s discuss the details once everyone has gathered.”

“Let’s do that, hahaha.”

Fortunately, no one seemed to have noticed my awkward laugh.

I now had someone to contact as soon as this meeting was over.

***

“Lord Werner, no, I suppose I should call you Mr. Werner now.”

“There’s no need to mind the titles.”

Even after stepping down from his position as a Duke, Werner Chartra’s authority had not diminished in the slightest.

If anything, he looked healthier than when he was stressing over the Emperor.

“I know you’re busy, so I’ll ask you directly. Where is Brauder Stetten?”

“Didn’t they say he was kidnapped? Why are you asking me that?”

Werner replied indifferently.

His attitude said he had no interest in such gossip and that I should go elsewhere.

“It’s been said that the kidnappers were demons, and that the rare Diaboli were involved. What are you hiding?”

“It’s known that far? Good.”

“What do you mean, good?”

“Because it will serve as a good example.”

“I’ll take that to mean this was your doing, Mr. Werner.”

Werner, with his arms stubbornly crossed, just shrugged his shoulders.

I couldn’t sense any anxiety from being caught.

“Did you come all this way just to talk about that?”

“No matter how pathetic of an idler he is, he is of direct Stetten blood. He is not someone you can touch just because you don't like him.”

“Because I don’t like him? Do I look stupid enough to act for such a reason?!”

The power in his booming shout made me flinch for a moment.

Right, no matter how famous the Chartra were for their martial prowess, he was once a Duke.

His political sense isn’t zero.

“Would you at least tell me the reason? I’ve been dragged into this, so I need to at least prepare some countermeasures.”

“Since demons made the move, you shouldn’t be easily suspected.”

“That would be the case if that idiot Timmy was the only one looking for his brother, but Geller is involved as well.”

“That… is indeed a troublesome matter. If the Three Blades get involved, they are not an easy opponent.”

Werner readjusted his posture and bowed his head.

“My apologies. But we had our reasons. Evidence poured in that Brauder was colluding with Vestol.”

“Isn't he a guy who always hangs out with merchants from that side anyway?”

“If it were just that, I wouldn’t have touched him. It’s well known that Brauder looks after the Vestol guys while playing with them.”

Does he mean he was in bed with Vestol beyond the usual level?

Suddenly, I remembered Brauder’s end.

Freed from his kidnapping, Brauder became a point of contention among the Dukes.

Terrified, he betrayed the Empire and sided with Vestol.

In the end, he is used and discarded by Vestol, abandoned even by his own brother, and dies a lonely death by hanging.

If things are flowing in a similar way….

“Betrayal?”

“Treason. Treason on a level that can't be compared to the small fry I've caught so far.”

“There’s no reason for a guy who has nothing to fear with Timmy watching his back to commit betrayal.”

“I thought so too.”

Werner took out a thick stack of documents from his desk and handed a few pages to me.

“These are the transactions between Brauder and the Vestol Merchant Guild.”

“Liquor, liquor, women, liquor, hunting there’s nothing particularly unusual, is there?”

“That’s right. It was at the level of taking money from the Vestol guys for his own pleasure. Look at the next page.”

The moment I turned the page, I immediately understood what the problem was.

Weapons, magic gear, magic tools, and an unusually large amount for personnel costs.

“Was he planning a coup? Why did he buy so much?”

“A coup from a man who doesn’t even know how politics works? If that were the case, I wouldn’t have kidnapped him so hastily.”

“What is it then?”

“He sold citizens of the Empire. As test subjects.”

“…What kind of experiment?”

“It’s still under investigation, so I can’t say for sure. However, the demon you sent me said it seemed like a curse.”

A curse.

I was reminded of Kranacht, the small city I went to with Kaseph.

Coincidentally, wasn't that the Third Duke's city?

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