Chapter 29: Chapter 29
Chapter 29 - If You’ve Come to the Grand Duchess’s Territory, Follow the Grand Duchess’s Laws
That day, Ferda spotted a group charging toward Grand Duchess Valdrova’s territory from the highest vantage point.
There were roughly twenty of them, all mounted on horseback.
Unless they had been raised in the Far East, all horses instinctively recoiled from a dragon’s presence.
Yet despite having been bred in the Central Region, these horses showed no such instinctive fear.
They were steeds trained to charge into certain death until their final breath, even if it meant losing their lives or having their legs severed.
Only the Empire’s finest elite were worthy of riding such horses.
Ferda knew exactly who they were.
"The Extermination Squad."
Standing beside him, Luri responded.
"If it’s the Extermination Squad, then they’re the Imperial organization responsible for monitoring the territorial lords."
"That’s right. They were originally called the Imperial Inspection Corps under direct Imperial command, but they changed the name themselves."
It had originally been established to monitor corruption among regional lords and keep them in check.
The Emperor had created it to win the hearts of the people.
"They never showed up before, yet the moment Lord Ferda arrived, they suddenly started prowling around the Far East."
Luri spoke as if Ferda were the root of all evil.
To be fair, she wasn’t exactly wrong.
"Do you know why? Because there was nothing worth eating."
"Nothing worth eating?"
"They call themselves the Extermination Squad, but in reality, they’re just a gang that extorts money from territorial lords."
Although the Emperor had founded the organization with lofty ambitions to gain the people’s trust, it lost its purpose and became corrupted within months.
In the end, under the pretense of inspection and anti-corruption, they transformed into government-sanctioned thugs who intimidated lords and extorted money from them.
What kind of place had Grand Duchess Valdrova’s territory been before Ferda arrived?
The castle itself had been neglected, and the local lords were nothing more than the front line, relying entirely on Grand Duchess Valdrova’s back.
No one bothered visiting because it was dangerous, and the travel expenses alone weren’t worth it.
"So they’re no different from wandering knights."
"The only difference is whether they’re extorting lords or commoners."
"If they came under the pretext of an inspection to squeeze money out of us... they’ll probably interrogate you about Teshalos Wolcher. Will that be alright?"
Killing a noble was a grave crime.
The regional lords who had witnessed it had undoubtedly reported it to the Empire.
"They’ll bring up the charge of murdering a noble, sure, but that’ll only be one of several accusations."
"Have you committed other crimes as well?"
"No... yet yes."
Ferda had been born into a Knight Family.
Because of that, he knew exactly which words the Extermination Squad would use first.
Words that made every lord’s heart race.
"They’ll pressure me with charges of conspiring to incite rebellion."
Conspiracy to commit rebellion.
There was hardly a phrase more terrifying.
It was the kind of accusation that could mean anything depending on who wielded it.
And if things went badly, it could cost someone their head.
Without a doubt, they would fabricate crimes that never existed and force them upon him.
"It would probably be best not to mention Maecho either. Shall I throw them out?"
Ferda shook his head at Luri’s question.
"No. Since they’ve come all this way as our guests, shouldn’t we properly lure them in?"
"Lure them in?"
"They’re people who stand near the very heart of the Arken Empire. If we can win them over beforehand, won’t that make things much easier?"
"Hmm..."
Their minds were filled with blind greed.
The only thing they trusted was the insignia pinned to their chests.
From birth, they were beings riddled with weaknesses.
"To think creatures even worse than garbage are about to enter our castle..."
Luri muttered quietly.
She openly despised knights.
At that moment, her hatred toward them had reached an unprecedented peak.
There was good reason for it.
She had only recently escaped suffering from the stench, only to be told by Valdrova herself that she smelled.
"Lord Ferda."
"What is it?"
"If those primitive idiots want to enter this castle... shouldn’t they scrub themselves clean?"
They absolutely should.
If they didn’t, she looked ready to start a rebellion herself.
"Do as you please."
"Thank you."
Having received permission, Luri hurried off to prepare bathwater.
***
Karl Harvest.
The eldest son of the Harvest Knight Family, he served as the field inspection leader of the Extermination Squad.
The title of field leader might not have sounded particularly impressive, yet Karl had no complaints.
After all, it was one of the few positions where a mere knight could lord over regional nobles and act like a king.
Recently, a new source of prey had appeared before them.
Ferda Valdrova.
A man who had been cast out of House Rosnova and accepted an engagement with the Grand Duchess without hesitation.
At first, everyone had laughed at him.
They mocked him as a fool who had given up being a noble only to be torn apart by the Grand Duchess.
Yet he had not been torn apart.
Instead, he had continued to prosper.
Ever since he set foot in the Grand Duchess’s territory, the long-stagnant Eastern Region had finally begun showing signs of growth.
For now, it was merely the Pascal Trading Company establishing a branch office.
But before long, merchant caravans would begin traveling there more frequently.
That meant large amounts of money would start flowing through the East.
Naturally, the Grand Duchess’s territory, once dismissed as worthless scraps, now looked like delicious prey.
The first to catch that scent was none other than the Imperial Extermination Squad.
Its development accelerating into a steady upward trend was already considered inevitable.
Yet they greatly underestimated Ferda’s achievements.
That simply means Grand Duchess Valdrova has accumulated an enormous treasury.
Not once did they imagine that such accomplishments were possible because Ferda himself was exceptionally capable.
After all, he was merely discarded baggage expelled from House Rosnova.
The current Regent comes from a Knight Family, so he probably knows exactly how we operate.
Since Ferda came from a Knight Family, he would naturally understand the Extermination Squad.
Karl even believed that Ferda might be easier to deal with than other lords.
As long as he handed over an appropriate amount of money, the Extermination Squad would refrain from causing excessive trouble.
That was how they always operated.
We need to squeeze as much out of him as we can while he’s still rich.
The Grand Duchess’s territory was dangerous, and even Valdrova’s wealth could not last forever.
Still... I can’t underestimate him either.
Karl wasn’t foolish enough to believe everything would proceed exactly as planned.
When people gained power beyond what suited them, they inevitably changed.
If Ferda became arrogant after rising to the position of Regent, Karl intended to crush him.
Naturally, he had already prepared for that possibility.
"Has the reply to the letter we sent earlier arrived?"
As a final precaution, Karl had sent a letter to Count Ulvera Consilus.
His adjutant answered after checking its contents.
"Yes. He’s currently on his way to Valdrova Castle. We should be able to speak with him first."
"Excellent."
Karl smiled broadly.
An informant who had provided information about Ferda Valdrova.
An ally who would strengthen the Extermination Squad’s position.
And a witness.
With all of that, he now possessed every card needed to crush Ferda Valdrova.
No matter how Ferda responded, he would never escape the Extermination Squad’s pressure.
At last, they reached the entrance to the inner castle.
With hardly any servants around, the surroundings felt deserted.
Most lords filled their castles with numerous servants simply to display their prestige and dignity.
Yet after entering the inner castle, the only people they saw were a gray-haired man in military uniform and a young girl wearing a maid outfit.
The man stood with his hands clasped behind his back, looking down at them as though he had been waiting.
Is that him?
The third son cast out from House Rosnova.
Just as they had heard, he was tall.
But his physique was slender.
He looked far too frail to be someone from a Knight Family.
Perhaps because he’s the Regent... those eyes are unusual.
His eyes possessed remarkable depth.
Even at first glance, his expression suggested he was not an easy opponent.
Ordinary people would have become nervous under such a gaze.
But Karl had witnessed this sort of thing countless times before.
People who possessed nothing of substance, yet dressed themselves up with empty confidence.
He had watched them all crumble.
At the end of the day, he’s just Grand Duchess Valdrova’s kept man.
To Karl, Ferda looked like nothing more than an arrogant youngster putting on airs.
Suppressing his sneer beneath his helmet, Karl dismounted and removed it.
True to being the eldest son of a Knight Family, his sharply defined features were striking.
"It is an honor to meet you, Lord Ferda Rosnova! I am Karl, eldest son of the Harvest Family. By Imperial command, I have come as a representative of the Imperial Extermination Squad to conduct an official investigation!"
Placing a hand over his heart, Karl offered a respectful greeting.
Ferda accepted it with equal courtesy.
"The pleasure is mine, Sir Karl Harvest. However, I abandoned the Rosnova name long ago, so I would appreciate it if you addressed me as Ferda Valdrova."
"My apologies."
It had not been a mistake.
Karl had simply wanted to remind him that he was once the third son of House Rosnova.
The implication was clear.
"We’re both from Knight Families, so you know how this works, don’t you?"
Of course, such petty tricks had no effect on Ferda.
"What business brings the Extermination Squad, protectors of the Empire’s citizens, to this place? There aren’t even any citizens here in Valdrova Castle for you to protect."
"This hardly seems like a conversation to have while standing outside. Would it be alright if we continued inside?"
"Inside, you say..."
Ferda had welcomed them at the entrance to the inner castle.
He glanced behind him.
After exchanging a look with the young Attendant, he gave a slight nod.
"It is possible. However, you’ll have to follow our castle’s rules. Will that be acceptable?"
"What rule would that be?"
"A new rule was recently established in our castle. Every knight must finish bathing before entering."
Karl frowned.
It sounded like an outright insult, as though Ferda were saying they stank.
"And who came up with such a ridiculous rule?"
Luri Silverwind, Attendant to the Red Dragon, Grand Duchess Valdrova.
"I did."
Ferda answered as though it had been his own decision.
He simply wanted to avoid unnecessary back-and-forth.
Gesturing toward their silver plate armor with his chin, Ferda continued,
"Wearing things that trap so much sweat makes it easy to fall ill. Especially here in the Far East, where ominous energies lurk everywhere. Maintaining cleanliness comes first. That’s why I established this rule and require everyone to bathe regularly."
"Hmm..."
Karl disliked the idea of being forced to bathe the moment he arrived in someone else’s territory.
However, once you entered another lord’s domain, following that lord’s rules came first.
Besides, he had sensed the foul, unsettling atmosphere of the Eastern Region throughout the entire journey here.
"Understood. Since we’ve come to the Grand Duchess’s territory, we should abide by the Grand Duchess’s laws."
"Much appreciated."
Ferda turned his head slightly toward Luri, who had been waiting nearby.
As though she had been anticipating this very moment, she stepped forward and greeted the inspection party.
"Welcome to Valdrova Castle. My name is Luri, and I’ll be attending to your baths. Please, this way."
Disappointment was evident in Karl’s eyes.
Luri was a beautiful girl with silver hair and silver eyes, but her body was still that of a young maiden, lacking any curves.
She had neither the figure nor the charm he had been expecting.
The thought of such a girl attending to his bath instantly killed any excitement he might have had.
I’ll just wash up quickly and come back out.
That, however, was only Karl’s assumption.
Not a single speck of grime will remain on them.
Luri had never been more serious.
In her hand was a coarse scrubbing brush.
The Spirits she had summoned were also standing by in the bathhouse, each holding a scrubbing brush just like hers.
They welcomed the visitors fully prepared to strip away every stubborn layer of dirt clinging to their skin.
"Aaaaargh!"
"Help!"
"Argh! Aaaagh!"
That day, screams echoed continuously throughout Valdrova Castle.
***
After finishing their baths, Ferda and Karl finally met face-to-face in the reception room.
Ferda discovered one rather astonishing fact.
So his skin really was this fair.
The difference was so dramatic that it looked as though an entire layer of skin had been peeled away.
Karl, having been scrubbed thoroughly, swallowed the curses rising in his throat.
"...Thank you for your hospitality."
"Think nothing of it. I had no idea you’d receive such a warm welcome myself. Now then, have a cup of tea."
"Yes."
Karl and Ferda each picked up a teacup.
To get the conversation started, Ferda spoke first.
"So then, what brings the Extermination Squad here?"
"As I mentioned earlier, we’ve come to conduct an investigation. Regent, do you know what charges have been brought against you?"
"I don’t. That’s precisely why I’m asking."
"I see."
So he’s pretending not to know.
Karl delivered the speech he had prepared beforehand.
"Regent Ferda Valdrova, you are currently under investigation on charges of conspiring to incite rebellion against the Empire. Do you understand?"
The accusation was exactly what Ferda had expected.
Predictable.
Still, he decided to play along.
"I see. So you’ve come to award me a medal, have you?"
"This is hardly the time to joke with the Empire’s chief inspector."
"I wasn’t joking. Since you mentioned conspiracy and incitement to rebellion, I assumed that’s why. After all, the only thing I’ve done is contribute to the development of my territory."
"We are well aware that Your Excellency has devoted yourself to the Empire’s prosperity and stability. However, once a formal accusation has been submitted, we are obligated to investigate."
"And who is the accuser?"
"I’m afraid I cannot disclose that. It’s classified information."
You can’t disclose it?
No—you can’t because there isn’t one.
"I’ve heard that you recently signed a contract with the Pascal Trading Company."
"That’s correct."
"I’ve also heard that, under that agreement, the Pascal Trading Company is fully funding the road improvements and supplying all the materials your territory lacks."
"Not entirely. I’m contributing a tiny portion myself."
Stephan had insisted that even a token investment was important.
As a result, Valdrova Castle was covering about one percent of the total cost.
"Everything you’ve just described can be investigated under the charge of conspiring to incite rebellion against the Empire."
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