"Nathan is waiting outside. Why? Do you want to see Nathan's face?"
"No, I don't."
Yuder immediately shook his head. The faint smile on Kishiar's face deepened a bit. His gaze turned to Robel, who was sleeping soundly, oblivious to anyone's presence.
"Is that the person sleeping over there Robel, who sneaked in as a servant?"
"Yes."
"When we asked those who had lost their memories after the investigation was over, there was someone who knew him."
"Could that person be a woman named Marty?"
At Yuder's question, Kishiar nodded in agreement.
"Yes."
"I've also heard a bit more about that part here."
Yuder quickly finished his report, summarizing the fact that Robel had promised to cooperate for Marty, as well as the assumptions he had made based on the information he had heard from him.
"Contrary to his speculation, I think there might be another motive behind this murder. However... I still don't know exactly what it is."
"I can see that my assistant has been working non-stop even while he's here."
With a strange expression, Kishiar let out a short laugh and soon withdrew his gaze from Robel.
"From our investigation, we judged the murder to be a mere pretext for the real purpose. There was not even a minimum intention to hide the perpetrator. Then, should we assume that there is something they hoped for in the subsequent movements of those who discovered this case?”
That was true. Yuder nodded cautiously, and Kishiar began to summarize the current situation after the incident.
"We don't need to talk about our movements anymore, and Baron Willhem has now concentrated all his forces on the investigation of this matter. He has strengthened the protection around the mansion several times and has withdrawn the knights patrolling throughout Tainu, leaving only the minimum number."
"...It seems he started to be scared after feeling that those who he hasn't even managed to catch even the tail can boldly come up to his doorstep."
"Yes. Although he seems to be half-doubting so far, it's clear what he's thinking when you see the soldiers blocking between the annex and the main mansion since the murder occurred."
The turnaround in attitude, which was trying to frame Yuder as the culprit just a few hours ago, was surprisingly quick.
"It seems that he's been locked in his office since then, so he must be in contact with Duke Tain. He's late in realizing the seriousness of the situation."
Kishiar spoke with a cold smile.
"As a result, the security of Tainu is almost blank, except for a few places like the Security Management Team and the Willhem family mansion. Of course, I sent the Peletta Knights and the Cavalry to various places to wait, but... By now, Duke Tain should realize that it's time to give up his stubbornness. I think they will formally ask us for help tomorrow."
"Then I might be able to leave here sooner than expected."
Knight Commander Jeymer Phil might be quite disappointed, but in the end, he was in a position to follow Baron Willhem unconditionally. Yuder was quite looking forward to seeing his reaction when he suddenly received the news to release Yuder without a proper second investigation.
"...Did you want to leave?"
Kishiar asked with a curious look in his eyes.
"Isn't it obvious?"
Yuder's purpose in coming here was primarily to meet Robel, save him, and obtain information, and secondarily to ensure that Kishiar and the Cavalry were not held back because of him. Since everything had been achieved, there was no reason to stay any longer.
“Seeing from the outside, you’re sitting so comfortably that I was almost confused for a moment whether I sent my assistant to prison or to rest in his room. Thankfully, that is not the case.”
Yuder, who had thought that this place was no different from his own room, silently averted his gaze.
"Before I came here, even when I sat down, it didn't feel like I was sitting," he said. "The one who should feel that way is completely unchanged, so it feels quite disheartening."
"...Did you really come to scold me?"
"You think I would willingly come here and think you wouldn't even listen to this much?"
"I'm sorry, but..."
"You're going to say this was the best choice, right? I know. There's no need to apologize."
The man who seemed to fully understand Yuder's choice and reason responded in a low, subdued voice, then took a deep breath, closing his eyes and opening them again.
"Next time, however, I'll make you think that a different choice is the best."
After uttering a cryptic sentence, Kishiar skillfully masked his emotions.
"Now, let's think about what those who have stolen everything from the secret vault in the Red Deer Consortium are really after based on the current situation we summarized."
"...Understood."
What do Nahan and Ershi currently want?
Their original goal was to uncover the secret trade conducted by Tain Duchy and expose it to the world, delivering punishment. In fact, that goal was not very different from Kishiar's. The difference was only in the method used to achieve the purpose.
'They've already obtained information related to secret trade in Great Sarain Forest and Tainu. They caused an explosion, creating chaos in the city, and have probably tracked the movements of Baron Willhem.'
Yet, they seemed to have not reached the real core of the matter. It could be that the information they obtained was not complete, or something was blocking them, even if they had the right information.
Would those persistent individuals give up, though?
'If they were to, they wouldn't have committed murder in Baron Willhem's house after the explosion incident.'
Nahan's side was intentionally increasing the city's terror. Until now, the nobles had only recognized these events as minor incidents while hunting down the Awakeners terrorist group that had killed Tainu's Knights. But after today, that would no longer be the case. As chaos intensifies, it becomes impossible to dismiss or hide this matter. Chaos was also the best emotion to paralyze human judgment.
A fearful Baron Willhem. The current situation in Tainu, where the city gates were closed, and internal security was focused in one area. The explosions that had occurred so far. The current locations of key figures involved. Possible strategies Nahan might take based on experience. All the words Yuder had heard so far... Yuder's mind was tirelessly working.
"...Ah."
A moment later, he unknowingly let out a small sound.
"Did something come to mind?"
It could be a guess. However, he wanted to confirm one thing.
"Commander. Among the few places where the Knight has not withdrawn yet, except for the Baron's mansion and the security management team... Is the house of Graham Willhem included?"
Before coming to the security management team, Baron Willhem had ordered the Knight Commander, Jeymer Phil, to be summoned from Graham Willhem's house to investigate Yuder. If the most significant change caused by this murder was the reassignment of forces within the city, the relocation of the Knight Commander was one of the most critical matters.
Yuder's words seemed to have triggered some suspicion, and Kishiar narrowed his eyes.
"...According to Nathan's investigation and report today, he was involved in the explosion in the warehouse district that happened yesterday," he said.
"It must have been in the Red Deer Consortium warehouse area, right?"
"Yes. It was one of the places the Pelleta Knights were keeping an eye on."
Yuder finally drew a conclusion.
"The real target they were after through this incident might have been that person."
Even though the death of the second younger sibling and spouse didn't faze him, Baron Willhem had sent even the Commander of the Knights to guard the front of Graham Willhem's home. Was it simply because the second younger sibling and spouse were leeches on the Baron's fortune, and Graham Willhem was a capable person trusted with the Red Deer Consortium? The Baron that Yuder knew was not that kind of person.
What was the first incident that the enemy had instigated in Tainu? Even after the Red Deer Consortium building explosion that Robel had mentioned, they again caused an explosion in a warehouse-dense area of the consortium warehouse, 'coincidentally' injuring Graham Willhem. Could all of this have merely been the result of chance?
From the beginning, they had been focusing on the Red Deer Consortium warehouse. Graham Willhem, a central figure in the warehouse, could have been a target as well.
"Then, the likelihood that yesterday's incident was aimed at Graham Willhem to unravel the warehouse and fan the flames of chaos is high."
Without any further explanation, Kishiar quickly understood Yuder's intention. His words were exactly what Yuder was about to say.
"Robel said he has read almost all the papers taken from the secret vault. But considering there was no movement for a while afterward, I think the information obtained was either incomplete or something was blocked. So then..."
"First, create a noisy event to divert the enemy's attention, and then target the real goal... The tactics of someone who knows how to deal with the military. Attempting this despite knowing the huge difference in power must mean they were very confident."
"Or they might have committed it, considering all the possible damage as well."
"Right. Bold and ruthless. Very like them."
Kishiar uttered with a sharp smile, and Yuder agreed with his words.
'Yes, that's their way. Whether it's a dangerous strategy where their comrades take great risks or not, if they survive and succeed, they'll have achieved their goal.'
It wasn't merely a plan to trip up the Cavalry or create internal strife; they had thought of taking it a step further. As Kishiar said, it was indeed bold and risky. Yet surprisingly, up to now, coincidences had piled up, and they had achieved much more significant success than expected.
Baron Willhem quickly moved his knights and troops, thinking that they were targeting him. There were still some guarding Graham Willhem and the Red Deer Consortium warehouse, but the number must have been much less than before. Moreover, with Yuder's involvement, the attention of the Cavalry was now focused on the murder and security management team.
With one audacious murder, they diverted the enemy's attention, created chaos, made an opportunity to get what they wanted, and even tied up Yuder's feet. If they wanted to move, now was the perfect moment.
"We have no time. We must move immediately."
Kishiar turned the sapphire embedded in the bracelet-shaped magic tool he had on. It flashed once, and shortly after, Nathan Zuckerman appeared.
"Did you call me?"
Nathan Zuckerman looked at Yuder, who was inside the room, with a momentary, complex gaze.
"Nathan, have there been any changes in the situation?"
"None so far."
"Good. Contact those near the broken building of the Red Deer Consortium and Graham Willhem's house, and we'll move immediately. Time is of the essence."
"I will go ahead and send the message."
Nathan did not ask his lord why he gave such an order. Before rising from his seat, Kishiar looked briefly at Yuder's face beyond the bars.
"See you tomorrow."
"Take care."
The farewell was simply that. Kishiar and Nathan melted into the darkness and vanished as quietly as they had come. Yuder sat for a while as if he had dreamed the entire event, putting his hand into his pocket. The warmth emanating from the heating stone and the lingering cool scent in the air made him realize that it had all been real.
'...Then shall I make my move now?'
"Nathan is waiting outside. Why? Do you want to see Nathan's face?"
"No, I don't."
Yuder immediately shook his head. The faint smile on Kishiar's face deepened a bit. His gaze turned to Robel, who was sleeping soundly, oblivious to anyone's presence.
"Is that the person sleeping over there Robel, who sneaked in as a servant?"
"Yes."
"When we asked those who had lost their memories after the investigation was over, there was someone who knew him."
"Could that person be a woman named Marty?"
At Yuder's question, Kishiar nodded in agreement.
"Yes."
"I've also heard a bit more about that part here."
Yuder quickly finished his report, summarizing the fact that Robel had promised to cooperate for Marty, as well as the assumptions he had made based on the information he had heard from him.
"Contrary to his speculation, I think there might be another motive behind this murder. However... I still don't know exactly what it is."
"I can see that my assistant has been working non-stop even while he's here."
With a strange expression, Kishiar let out a short laugh and soon withdrew his gaze from Robel.
"From our investigation, we judged the murder to be a mere pretext for the real purpose. There was not even a minimum intention to hide the perpetrator. Then, should we assume that there is something they hoped for in the subsequent movements of those who discovered this case?”
That was true. Yuder nodded cautiously, and Kishiar began to summarize the current situation after the incident.
"We don't need to talk about our movements anymore, and Baron Willhem has now concentrated all his forces on the investigation of this matter. He has strengthened the protection around the mansion several times and has withdrawn the knights patrolling throughout Tainu, leaving only the minimum number."
"...It seems he started to be scared after feeling that those who he hasn't even managed to catch even the tail can boldly come up to his doorstep."
"Yes. Although he seems to be half-doubting so far, it's clear what he's thinking when you see the soldiers blocking between the annex and the main mansion since the murder occurred."
The turnaround in attitude, which was trying to frame Yuder as the culprit just a few hours ago, was surprisingly quick.
"It seems that he's been locked in his office since then, so he must be in contact with Duke Tain. He's late in realizing the seriousness of the situation."
Kishiar spoke with a cold smile.
"As a result, the security of Tainu is almost blank, except for a few places like the Security Management Team and the Willhem family mansion. Of course, I sent the Peletta Knights and the Cavalry to various places to wait, but... By now, Duke Tain should realize that it's time to give up his stubbornness. I think they will formally ask us for help tomorrow."
"Then I might be able to leave here sooner than expected."
Knight Commander Jeymer Phil might be quite disappointed, but in the end, he was in a position to follow Baron Willhem unconditionally. Yuder was quite looking forward to seeing his reaction when he suddenly received the news to release Yuder without a proper second investigation.
"...Did you want to leave?"
Kishiar asked with a curious look in his eyes.
"Isn't it obvious?"
Yuder's purpose in coming here was primarily to meet Robel, save him, and obtain information, and secondarily to ensure that Kishiar and the Cavalry were not held back because of him. Since everything had been achieved, there was no reason to stay any longer.
“Seeing from the outside, you’re sitting so comfortably that I was almost confused for a moment whether I sent my assistant to prison or to rest in his room. Thankfully, that is not the case.”
Yuder, who had thought that this place was no different from his own room, silently averted his gaze.
"Before I came here, even when I sat down, it didn't feel like I was sitting," he said. "The one who should feel that way is completely unchanged, so it feels quite disheartening."
"...Did you really come to scold me?"
"You think I would willingly come here and think you wouldn't even listen to this much?"
"I'm sorry, but..."
"You're going to say this was the best choice, right? I know. There's no need to apologize."
The man who seemed to fully understand Yuder's choice and reason responded in a low, subdued voice, then took a deep breath, closing his eyes and opening them again.
"Next time, however, I'll make you think that a different choice is the best."
After uttering a cryptic sentence, Kishiar skillfully masked his emotions.
"Now, let's think about what those who have stolen everything from the secret vault in the Red Deer Consortium are really after based on the current situation we summarized."
"...Understood."
What do Nahan and Ershi currently want?
Their original goal was to uncover the secret trade conducted by Tain Duchy and expose it to the world, delivering punishment. In fact, that goal was not very different from Kishiar's. The difference was only in the method used to achieve the purpose.
'They've already obtained information related to secret trade in Great Sarain Forest and Tainu. They caused an explosion, creating chaos in the city, and have probably tracked the movements of Baron Willhem.'
Yet, they seemed to have not reached the real core of the matter. It could be that the information they obtained was not complete, or something was blocking them, even if they had the right information.
Would those persistent individuals give up, though?
'If they were to, they wouldn't have committed murder in Baron Willhem's house after the explosion incident.'
Nahan's side was intentionally increasing the city's terror. Until now, the nobles had only recognized these events as minor incidents while hunting down the Awakeners terrorist group that had killed Tainu's Knights. But after today, that would no longer be the case. As chaos intensifies, it becomes impossible to dismiss or hide this matter. Chaos was also the best emotion to paralyze human judgment.
A fearful Baron Willhem. The current situation in Tainu, where the city gates were closed, and internal security was focused in one area. The explosions that had occurred so far. The current locations of key figures involved. Possible strategies Nahan might take based on experience. All the words Yuder had heard so far... Yuder's mind was tirelessly working.
"...Ah."
A moment later, he unknowingly let out a small sound.
"Did something come to mind?"
It could be a guess. However, he wanted to confirm one thing.
"Commander. Among the few places where the Knight has not withdrawn yet, except for the Baron's mansion and the security management team... Is the house of Graham Willhem included?"
Before coming to the security management team, Baron Willhem had ordered the Knight Commander, Jeymer Phil, to be summoned from Graham Willhem's house to investigate Yuder. If the most significant change caused by this murder was the reassignment of forces within the city, the relocation of the Knight Commander was one of the most critical matters.
Yuder's words seemed to have triggered some suspicion, and Kishiar narrowed his eyes.
"...According to Nathan's investigation and report today, he was involved in the explosion in the warehouse district that happened yesterday," he said.
"It must have been in the Red Deer Consortium warehouse area, right?"
"Yes. It was one of the places the Pelleta Knights were keeping an eye on."
Yuder finally drew a conclusion.
"The real target they were after through this incident might have been that person."
Even though the death of the second younger sibling and spouse didn't faze him, Baron Willhem had sent even the Commander of the Knights to guard the front of Graham Willhem's home. Was it simply because the second younger sibling and spouse were leeches on the Baron's fortune, and Graham Willhem was a capable person trusted with the Red Deer Consortium? The Baron that Yuder knew was not that kind of person.
What was the first incident that the enemy had instigated in Tainu? Even after the Red Deer Consortium building explosion that Robel had mentioned, they again caused an explosion in a warehouse-dense area of the consortium warehouse, 'coincidentally' injuring Graham Willhem. Could all of this have merely been the result of chance?
From the beginning, they had been focusing on the Red Deer Consortium warehouse. Graham Willhem, a central figure in the warehouse, could have been a target as well.
"Then, the likelihood that yesterday's incident was aimed at Graham Willhem to unravel the warehouse and fan the flames of chaos is high."
Without any further explanation, Kishiar quickly understood Yuder's intention. His words were exactly what Yuder was about to say.
"Robel said he has read almost all the papers taken from the secret vault. But considering there was no movement for a while afterward, I think the information obtained was either incomplete or something was blocked. So then..."
"First, create a noisy event to divert the enemy's attention, and then target the real goal... The tactics of someone who knows how to deal with the military. Attempting this despite knowing the huge difference in power must mean they were very confident."
"Or they might have committed it, considering all the possible damage as well."
"Right. Bold and ruthless. Very like them."
Kishiar uttered with a sharp smile, and Yuder agreed with his words.
'Yes, that's their way. Whether it's a dangerous strategy where their comrades take great risks or not, if they survive and succeed, they'll have achieved their goal.'
It wasn't merely a plan to trip up the Cavalry or create internal strife; they had thought of taking it a step further. As Kishiar said, it was indeed bold and risky. Yet surprisingly, up to now, coincidences had piled up, and they had achieved much more significant success than expected.
Baron Willhem quickly moved his knights and troops, thinking that they were targeting him. There were still some guarding Graham Willhem and the Red Deer Consortium warehouse, but the number must have been much less than before. Moreover, with Yuder's involvement, the attention of the Cavalry was now focused on the murder and security management team.
With one audacious murder, they diverted the enemy's attention, created chaos, made an opportunity to get what they wanted, and even tied up Yuder's feet. If they wanted to move, now was the perfect moment.
"We have no time. We must move immediately."
Kishiar turned the sapphire embedded in the bracelet-shaped magic tool he had on. It flashed once, and shortly after, Nathan Zuckerman appeared.
"Did you call me?"
Nathan Zuckerman looked at Yuder, who was inside the room, with a momentary, complex gaze.
"Nathan, have there been any changes in the situation?"
"None so far."
"Good. Contact those near the broken building of the Red Deer Consortium and Graham Willhem's house, and we'll move immediately. Time is of the essence."
"I will go ahead and send the message."
Nathan did not ask his lord why he gave such an order. Before rising from his seat, Kishiar looked briefly at Yuder's face beyond the bars.
"See you tomorrow."
"Take care."
The farewell was simply that. Kishiar and Nathan melted into the darkness and vanished as quietly as they had come. Yuder sat for a while as if he had dreamed the entire event, putting his hand into his pocket. The warmth emanating from the heating stone and the lingering cool scent in the air made him realize that it had all been real.
'...Then shall I make my move now?'
