Chapter 180

Chapter 180

***

It was similar to the day Rickart went catching wild boars when he was young. Stormhearts Castle was somewhat bustling since morning, and several people were busily moving around.

Students wearing navy blue Academy uniforms gathered and listened to someone's explanation, and people wearing monk robes on the outside but equipped with armaments inside moved luggage and also prayed lightly.

There were also people who came from the Viola Clan. Rickart's senior adventurer Blaetter was seen gathering still young Clan people and saying something or other to them.

Although they each had different origins, there were largely two things in common. One was the point that everyone was in an armed state, and the other was the point that even though they had different origins they followed one person's instructions.

A person standing next to a horse whose whole body was bright red, stroking its neck. His hand softly stroked the horse's neck, but his gaze was heading toward a woman and he was conversing with her.

The woman was Rickart's sister-in-law and the mother of Fritzfried and two daughters, Eileen. Whether because she gave birth to as many as three children, she had some figure now.

Fritzfried was now 9 years old. The second younger sister was 5 years old, and the youngest was just about to take her first steps so she was held in the nanny's arms.

Unfamiliar adults visiting the house was in some ways a truly scary matter. Especially people possessing bluish weapons, that was.

The mother's expression also seemed anxious and scared. However that anxiety and being scared wasn't because of the unfamiliar people, but because of the words Rickart was saying carefully.

Saying that the sister-in-law's father, was targeting the sister-in-law and the children.

However to Fritzfried or the two younger siblings such words didn't enter their ears. Originally words spoken by adults were bound to merely brush past their ears like the wind.

Fritzfried had seen Rickart once, but because he was young he had no memories. So practically it was no different from seeing him for the first time now, and the two younger siblings were truly seeing their uncle for the first time in their lives.

Half blankly, half as if fascinated, and with an expression exactly like being very slightly scared they looked at their youngest uncle.

Since the contents of the story being conveyed to the sister-in-law was the contents, Rickart's expression wasn't very bright either. It was serious.

But Fritzfried and the two younger siblings merely found their unfamiliar uncle looking somewhat dangerous, and scary too, and also looking cool.

There was a story they heard from the territory people while coming and going. That their youngest uncle was truly gentle and listened well when he was young.

However now there was no one in the world who didn't know him. That his bravery was incomparable, he was bold enough to kill Sultans and Kings, and for sword skills an opponent couldn't be found.

"......So I will hide the people. If the impolite bastards targeting Sister-in-law and the children come, I will draw them even to the castle and catch them all. Killing some and saving some I must make them spit out the mastermind of the matter."

"And the mastermind of that matter, is the Count."

"I know it's hard to accept emotionally, Sister-in-law. However taking contact with Father or Older Brother is late, and if we try to find out what intention the Count has by chance the other side will notice. For the immediate moment they might get scared and give up, but their bad mind won't disappear. They'll aim for the next opportunity."

Eileen breathed in deeply then breathed out. As if anxious like she couldn't stay calm she stroked the tips of her fingers.

"......Ultimately, I suppose it's a matter of who I love more."

Rickart didn't say it directly, but he was in a state where he clearly expressed his intention to kill the Count and Eileen's father.

For Eileen she was guarding the territory alone, plus it was naturally hard to readily accept the series of situations and it was confusing in various ways.

Nevertheless she knew what was important. Namely the children right here next to her now, looking at their uncle with somewhat foolish faces.

Looking at such a sister-in-law Rickart spoke softly but firmly.

"The guys coming into Stormhearts harboring evil intentions, it would be right to definitely kill them off. However, the matters beyond that I will take responsibility for. Whether I hear a scolding from Father or Older Brother, or buy Sister-in-law's resentment. I will shoulder it all."

Thereupon Eileen quietly looked at Rickart, then smiled snicker.

"You've grown a lot, Young Master."

"My height grew taller than Sister-in-law a long time ago."

"Indeed."

Rickart only then saw his nephews and nieces staring at him intently. Reaching out his hand stroking Fritzfried's head he said.

"You've grown a lot too, Fritz."

Whether because he still wasn't good with words or because he was unfamiliar, Fritzfried merely entrusted his head to Rickart's touch without any words.

Even though the second niece was a girl, whether what she was doing where her face was full of dirt. Rickart at his own will lifted the second niece up nimbly flash and held her in one arm.

The niece wasn't afraid, and didn't hate it either. But she didn't like it either. Just staring piercingly at Rickart she wiggled her hands.

Resembling her mother her eyes were big and her cheeks full of baby fat were round and full. Even with dirt on her face she was cute.

Children growing up in Stormhearts were usually similar. The point that they weren't very aristocratic. However that was also the most special point. Because it meant they grew up in the embrace of nature and people.

"What is your name?"

Rickart asked.

"......"

"You must answer."

Eileen pressed her slightly.

"Livie."

"It's Levina."

As she said her name with a nickname this time too Eileen corrected her slightly. Her real name was Levina. Levina von Caldebern.

"I am Uncle Ricky. Have you heard?"

Levina nodded her head nod nod.

"Because it's been a long time for me my memories are hazy, can you show me around the castle and territory?"

Though not much had changed either Rickart purposefully requested his niece. This time too Levina nodded her head nod nod.

"Would it be okay if you don't have a meal?"

"I ate and came. Rather I am worried about the territory's food situation. As I brought some food, Sister-in-law please take a look and have people sort it out a bit."

Doing so Rickart held Levina in his arms, put Fritzfried on Crimson Comet and looked around the outside of the castle together. Levina introduced him here and there.

As a little time passed Fritzfried also opened his mouth. What happened here, and Levina cried, and words like that.

Roy kept a slight distance, and followed crunch crunch exactly as if he had become his escort knight.

Doing so they looked around the places that had the greatest influence on the formation of Rickart's personality. They were merely quiet and simple. But from that simplicity the spirit commanding the whole world and the iron-like will extended out.

A man growing up receiving a mother's love gains the power to conquer the world, and a stable environment was bound to instill an indomitable will. Able to face any difficulties and pain. Everything else was branches.

All the places introduced by Fritzfried and Levina were places where Rickart's memories didn't linger. Of course now it was a place where his nephews and nieces were piling up new memories though.

Exactly like being introduced for the first time, Rickart listened to his nephews' and nieces' words. Burying the ruthless and bloody matters of adults in his heart for a moment.

"It's a betrayal. That is my conclusion."

A man with sharp eyes said. Whether he shaved his beard and it grew slightly again, his beard looked rough and prickly.

Although a banquet was set on the table in its own way, it wasn't a chef's skill but merely roasted meat and wine, seasonal fruits and the like were placed on it.

The right hand placed on the table was surprisingly not human skin, but steel. Though clunky, it had everything like fingers and all. But would it indeed move properly?

Anyway, this person was precisely Steel Arm Randel.

"The messenger hasn't arrived yet right."

A subordinate standing even though there were empty chairs nearby said. Thereupon Randel glared at him thud and said.

"What sounds like a messenger are you making. With so little tact how do you intend to act as my adjutant? In the first place you don't make a plan stuffing as many as 50 people into one gathering place. These fucking bastards are bound to run wild like dogs who never ate meat right when the work seems to be going well."

What Randel was talking about were the Clan people in Weisfeld. When contact couldn't be reached with them, not even in his dreams did he know they were all dead by Rickart and thought they betrayed him. That was common sense. And it was a matter that happened often too.

"......"

"Since they were gathered from guys like wild dogs anyway it's surprising enough that they listened to words until now though."

"Then what do we do?"

"What do you mean what do we do. Just abandon them. But watch, they'll have internal strife among themselves and scatter scattered and before long they'll be subjugated. Do you think I've seen this kind of sight once or twice?"

"No, what I mean is what do we do about Count Caldebern's request."

"Hey, is a territory the size of a booger with no men and only women and children such a worry for you?"

"What I'm worried about is the Count shifting the blame onto us. So we decided to mobilize the Weisfeld personnel, but if we step forward and take the blame for the crime of killing nobles what do we do? No matter how much the Count stepped forward and guaranteed it. I originally don't trust words spoken by nobles from the start."

"This bastard here......"

Randel glared at him as if to kill him. Thereupon the expressions of the other subordinates in the venue didn't look very good.

In the midst of an uncomfortable silence laid out, Randel abruptly shouted.

"Clap!"

Doing so he clapped his hands. However because one hand was made of iron a clapping sound didn't occur. Whether it was oiled well a swoosh, swoosh sound occurred, but it moved more naturally than expected.

"This bastard here is finally speaking words somewhat like a human. Even dogs understand human words if you live together for a long time, so you seem to be at least at that level."

Whether it was a curse or a compliment wasn't known, but anyway at the boss's words the adjutant made a proud expression.

"Of course I don't trust the words spoken by nobles either. But, to succeed in life like the Viola Clan you have to grab a noble's line no matter what. If not no matter how much you roll breaking your dick you only become mercenaries or thugs."

"Then what must we do?"

"You bastard! Who am I!?"

Thereupon the subordinates in the venue all shouted loudly in one voice.

"Steel Arm Randel!"

"Right! Fuck! I survived even in that fucking Crown Mercenary Corps! I survived even when that demon-like bastard whether it was Ricky or Dicky was slicing up adventurers and going around! I didn't eat my age through my asshole! I'm saying the time has come now!"

"So what will you do?"

"Since old times to grab a noble's line you have to grab it with a big guy. And you just have to resolve that guy's worries. When Count Caldebern makes Stormhearts's manor knights participate in the war and he himself stays still, what do you think the 2nd Prince will think? Huh? Look at this bastard, this. He tells him to come but he doesn't come? What scheme is this? Wouldn't he think that? And honestly I know, everything. The 2nd Prince is a retard at battle but he's quick-witted at least. I'm saying I heard all the stories and came."

"What stories?"

"If the Count truly harbors strange thoughts, I heard the words that it's okay to dunk him deeply a few times and came."

Dunking didn't mean anything else, it meant stabbing with a sword. In other words, it meant it was okay to kill him.

"......Really?"

"Yeah."

Rickart's prediction was half correct. That Count Caldebern had the intention to swallow Stormhearts was correct, but he couldn't grasp up to the point that Steel Arm Randel wouldn't move so easily and gently. Because he didn't have the leisure to investigate taking a long time.

Moreover the point was that not only Rickart but even the 2nd Prince had already harbored a plan to eliminate Count Caldebern.

What's important here was, so who becomes the Count. Tracing by bloodline naturally it was right to go to the Stormhearts side. However if the 2nd Prince intervened the story could get somewhat twisted.

Looking at human affairs, there were many cases where an obedient dog was preferred over a brave and upright person. To superiors.

As for fighting a war naturally battle was the most important, but what's as important as that was exactly the matter of ruling over subordinates.

Even though the 2nd Prince was broken by Rickart he made up for it by defeating the 5th Prince, and his ability to handle people was still somewhat on the having side.

"When, when do we do the work?"

The adjutant asked carefully. Thereupon Randel sliced meat with the sharp blade-side of his steel arm, then stabbed it deeply squelch and putting it in his mouth chewing it chewing he said. Meat juices flowed down sliding.

"Tonight. We kill not only the Count but even the brats completely all of them."