Chapter 181

Chapter 181

***

The weakness of a lifelong system was that people change. Every Lord in the world was basically a Lord until they died.

Even figures who were agile, active, and overflowing with confidence when young, often changed to being dull, passive, and timid as they aged.

With judgment clouding, suffering from anxiety, obsessing over trivial things, etc., not to mention ruining what they had achieved themselves it was often the case that they bankrupted the territory and family.

Count Caldebern Reinwald was such a figure.

When he was young he was active and sociable, but from around the age of 50 he became timid and suspicious. His age was currently 60 years old.

There wasn't exactly a turning point, but if one had to look for it, as his eldest son died first, and his wife also passed away, maybe the person changed due to the anxiety that his energy was declining and he was gradually becoming alone.

Because it wasn't a disease it couldn't be cured either. Even if he wanted to step down he couldn't step down. The right he naturally had since birth, the birthright, he could no longer even enjoy and it was merely burdensome.

Wanting to integrate the Caldebern main family and the Caldebern family of the Stormhearts line was his own will.

With the thought that if bloodlines mixed through marriage it would be good for each other, he had married Rickart's eldest brother Graut and his own daughter Eileen.

But actually now it felt like a threat. A threat aiming for his title and family, that was.

Moreover the point that Rickart succeeded ridiculously, and cherished his hometown made him even more anxious.

If the King of Adelorn unfolds his influence wouldn't he, a Count, be hopelessly eaten? Such a preposterous groundless fear was a pressing threat to him.

Having no energy, always tired, yet laying down sleep didn't come either. The young man who once dreamed too couldn't dream as he grew senile.

On a night a full moon hung on a high spire, Reinwald drank alcohol alone. Not to savor the taste of alcohol but because he wanted to get drunk and sleep.

One glass, two glasses, he poured wine into a large cup and drank. As the intoxication rose, and anxious thoughts faded a bit, memories of being happy when the dead people were alive brushed past.

However it passed too quickly. That's what time was. When young it seemed to run exactly in front, at some point ran together, and in old age stood exactly behind watching blankly as if telling you to go alone. One cannot go back.

The end of time was always the present. At the end of time Reinwald thought of his young grandson.

Right, all of this was for my grandson. It's for the family. As long as I sort out Stormhearts, even in the midst of this war my family will be safe. Being absorbed won't happen.

In Reinwald's heart, a hope as dim as the dark indoors bloomed.

Drowsiness visited. To dream a happy dream, Reinwald wanted to see his grandson before sleeping.

"Is anyone there?"

Reinwald called the escort knight guarding outside the bedroom. However, even after quite a long time passed there was no answer. That shouldn't be the case.

The thought also occurred that perhaps they couldn't hear, but to make sure he raised his old body. Walking in his pajamas he opened the door. However only the corridor full of pitch-black darkness was seen, and the person guarding the bedroom wasn't seen.

Count Reinwald stood staring into the deep darkness for a while. Though it's originally quiet at night, right now something was strange. There were no waiting servants, and it was desolate like a cold death.

No, because he grew old and his ears dimmed he didn't know, but staying still a very small sound was heard from somewhere.

SEOGEOK, SEOGEOK, SEOGEOK, SEOGEOK......

Wondering what sound it was, the Count took a lantern and went outside. The soles of his feet were cold but whether because he was old he was on the insensitive side to pain too.

The darkness filling the corridor merely barely yielded the path like exactly mocking him when the Count got close. The Count walked led not by light but by sound. By the sound going snip, snip.

That sound was being heard from the grandson's room. Was this rascal playing a prank not sleeping late at night? Having such a thought a smile spread warmly around his mouth.

Reaching out his hand he slowly opened the grandson's door. When the hinge sound going screeech was heard, surprisingly the sound stopped abruptly snap.

But something was a bit strange. On the bed a large lump was placed pitch-black.

Wondering what that was he thrust the lantern forward, but eyes met exactly. With a suspicious man whose nose and mouth were covered with a hood. The bed was completely full of blood, and the suspicious man was in the middle of slicing someone's neck.

Who would that someone be? Whose room was this here? The moment that thought hammered into his mind like a large nail the Count's eyes widened completely and his body froze solidly.

"Hiiik!"

Clang!

The lantern slipped from his hand.

Right then a third someone pounced on the Count's back. Covering his mouth with his hand pressing it tightly against his own chest, he put his mouth to his ear and whispered.

"You'll be able to see your grandson soon."

Rather than pain a sense of foreign body was felt. On his neck. And immediately bloody water surged up gulping, and his breath became stuffy exactly like sinking in water.

"Khul-leok! Keu-reu-reuk! Keu-reuk!"

Flop.

The one who assassinated the Count was none other than Randel possessing the nickname Steel Arm. Shaking off his bloody hand he looked down at the dead Count with a gaze with absolutely no emotions.

Actually seemingly not having much inspiration, he said to the person in the room.

"Hey, what are you doing? Why is it taking so long?"

"No, because I brought the wrong sword. It doesn't slice well."

"Why are you slicing that?"

"Because I have to show it as proof?"

"What proof?"

"......Indeed. Is it because I have a habit from doing adventuring."

"Fuck you even dirtied the bed right. You wash that."

"Yes?"

"Since you did it you take responsibility. Come out for now."

Thereupon the one who killed the Count's young heir looked down at his two hands full of bloody water for a moment, then since it was dirtied anyway wiped his hands swish swish on the clean part of the bedsheet. The half-sliced neck was truly terrible. Because it was covered by darkness it was somewhat better.

The man who covered half his face with a hood hurriedly approached Randel.

"Is the work downstairs finished?"

"Because I've roughly sorted it all out I'm here right."

"Then what do we do now?"

"Have you ever heard of lien?"

"Li, what?"

"It's a right that existed since the era of the ancient Empire. I clearly saw it in the imperial code. The right to occupy the collateral until the right is realized. In short saying I'll hole up here until the 2nd Prince gives me the title of Count. Stop all operations of the kids active in other regions. If he doesn't give the title we don't work either. Then the 2nd Prince will have no choice but to give the title of Count."

"I don't know what words you're saying but you look very smart, Boss."

"Clean. Perfect. Who am I?"

"Steel Arm Randel!"

A loud sound unbefitting the quiet corridor of the castle echoed. Randel nodded his head contentedly and said.

"Do you know how to be satisfied with something like autonomy like the Viola Clan? I will become a Count, I'm saying. You guys want to become knights too right?"

"I don't know how to ride a horse though."

"Fuck! If a Count dubs you that's a knight!"

"Hehehe......"

Randel draped his arm over his subordinate's shoulder and pulled him close whoosh. Even though the corpses of miserably dead nobles were strewn about in the corridor and bedroom, the two were in a good mood and giggled.

This was the problem. Whether it was the Invincible Grantz or Steel Arm Randel. Although they were brilliant in their own ways, had decisiveness, and also had the ability to lead subordinates, they had no plan or thought itself about what they were going to did once they got the title.

The two people went down to the downstairs via narrow stairs. Thereupon compared to the floor where the Count and his grandson died a disaster that couldn't even be compared had occurred.

Servants, employees, and a small number of escort knights were completely all dead while sleeping. The knights had drunk water mixed with drugs and fell fast asleep dying helplessly.

There was no need to blame their complacency. Because inviting people like jackals into the castle from the start was wrong.

If one had to find a comfort from this tragic disaster in its own way, it was the point that other than murder other crimes weren't committed.

Because even though Steel Arm Randel or his subordinates looked ignorant and naive outwardly, in doing work they were professional.

There was no such amateurish slackening of discipline like violating women or taking looted goods during the operation.

Setting a date they worked simultaneously swiftly, and finished cleanly.

However whether it would go exactly according to Randel's plan was unknown. Just as Count Reinwald misjudged, and Rickart also misjudged to some extent, because he too had misjudged something.

Randel and his subordinates cleaned up the corpses and sorted out the castle, then delivered the news to the 2nd Prince.

Because he didn't even participate in the war and tried to cause trouble with impure intentions, by the Prince's will they executed Count Reinwald so they were waiting for good news, that was.

In the midst of that somehow rumors spread completely that Randel had killed the Count.

Naturally, the residents living in the Count's direct territory were greatly shocked. Whether the Count grew old and senile and his judgment clouded or whatever, the difference between having a Lord and not having one was big.

Leaving everything else aside leaning mentally on the Lord was big, but being told he was murdered overnight was flabbergasting, absurd, and scary. What happens to us now?

Whether the territory people were anxious or not Randel and his subordinates robbed the Count's warehouse as they pleased pouring and drinking playing extravagantly. Finally even calling high-class prostitutes from outside they spent the funds the Count had stockpiled until now exactly like spending water.

"What did I say!? Huh!? I said it'll be fine as long as we don't betray among ourselves right!? Don't need anything! Fuck! Burp! Don't need women either! Don't need money either! Being comrades is enough! I only have you guysss!"

With two prostitutes held by his side whether it was an appropriate thing to say was unknown, but Randel appealed to his comrades about comradeship.

But it was quite a decent comradeship and they matched well. And they had been together for a long time too.

He was a person who once commanded a region and possessed capabilities worthy of being called the Empire's 9 Swords.

At that time the adjutant jumped up abruptly, holding up his glass exactly as if the alcohol was overflowing and shouted.

"Who are we!?"

"Steel Arm Randel!"

In a castle full of prostitutes and alcohol instead of elegance and honor, Randel's subordinates shouted resoundingly. The unity reached its peak.

As a heroic spirit naturally surged up and their hearts became full with loyalty and comradeship, at this moment at least neither women, nor money was needed. Randel and his subordinates embraced each other, put their arms around each other's shoulders and roamed around the castle.

Naturally they went outside in a crowd and cluttered the courtyard, scared the territory residents doing chores for no reason, went up to the castle walls looking at the sky and all together laughed hahaha.

They sang songs using past memories of suffering together as snacks, and suddenly wiped tears too.

However in the midst of being so excited one of the subordinates looked far away outside the castle and said.

"Huh? It seems the Prince sent a person."

"What!?"

Randel jumped up abruptly. The subordinates also all jumped up together. Because they were drunk their eyes spun dizzily, but blinking their eyes a few times they could see reasonably well again.

"What is it, where where?"

"Over there."

The subordinate pointed with his hand.

At the point where the road ended leaving the village below the castle, indeed there was a person riding a horse looking this way.

"Over here! Here! Retard! Can't you even find the road!?"

"Come quickly and give the title!"

"Wahahahaha!"

Because their mood was so good everyone shouted any sound. But exactly as if hearing those words, the person standing at the end of the road rode his horse and ran toward the castle.

It wasn't that fast a speed. No, was it fast? However getting closer, there was one fascinating thing.

"It's my first time seeing such a red horse in the world."

Someone among Randel's subordinates said. And the other people were all of the same thought.

The person riding the red horse crossed the village and finally reached the castle gate. Stopping the horse in front of it, he quietly looked up at the castle wall. It was a blond handsome young man.

Including Randel the subordinates thought, because it's about the 2nd Prince he sent such a cool person as an envoy it seems.

However the words the young man said were completely unexpected. Pointing exactly with his hand at the people looking down at him he shouted.

"I am the King of Adelorn! Rickart! Did you bastards think you would be fine daring to murder Count Caldebern! I will flay all your skins and salt them!"

"......"

At first it was confusing, and then they woke up from the alcohol. No one could quickly understand what words Rickart was saying. By the way who did he say he was?

Blinking his eyes blink blink Randel looked down blankly below the castle wall and asked.

"Excuse me, haven't you found the wrong place?"

"Shut your mouth! You bastards to be torn to death! You must be Randel! I will kill you most painfully!"

Randel continuously only blinked his eyes. Because he couldn't understand the situation itself on earth, and couldn't accept it.

If it's Rickart it's that Red Cloak Ricky right? Who went around butchering people since 10 years old. Who executed that Ehrenberg quintet. But now he was also an invincible military commander. And a King himself too.

So why was that person here.

He completely couldn't understand, but he couldn't deny the reality in front of his eyes either. Thereupon the sticky comradeship ended up cracking quickly.

Randel hiding his steel artificial arm behind him, pointing at the subordinate next to him said.

"I think you know wrongly but, Randel is not me but this person."