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Chapter 331 – Second Son Ars
A gruesome scene unfolds before my eyes.
Screams echo throughout the mansion, mingling with an unpleasant, jarring noise that pierces my ears.
“N-noooooo…!? N-Namk…! Namk…!!”
You don’t consider others to be human, yet these words come out when it’s your own child?
Frustration gripped me as I grabbed his hair. I took a deep breath, trying to calm down before speaking.
“Shut up. You didn’t teach your son the most basic truth: ‘If you harm others, it may come back to you.’ That’s why this situation happened, isn’t it?”
“Wh-what are you saying? We are nobles, you know? Since we’re managing them, the lowly commoners should silently accept our words—”
“Ugh… Listen. Who do you think you are? Some baron acting like the king of a great nation or a god?”
“…!?”
No way.
Talking to this guy makes me feel like I’m losing my mind, too.
We haven’t even gotten to the main point yet, so I need to stay calm.
I looked up, and somehow, the surrounding screams had stopped—except for one person.
The servants were looking at me with eyes that were both frightened and expectant.
I wasn’t sure if they were looking at me, so I looked back down at the Baron. He was frozen in a daze, not moving a muscle.
(Could it be what everyone was thinking but couldn’t say out loud?)
Well, whatever. That doesn’t matter now.
I came here prepared to destroy everything if necessary, and I found a man who might hold the key.
The noise outside suddenly grew louder, but what truly mattered was what happened next.
“I was attacked with the intent to kill, so I returned the favor with that very weapon. That’s all there is to it, so please don’t make an issue of it.”
“You…you returned the favor!? How dare you do such a thing to a noble!”
“Yuse, shut the hell up already…”
“Huh? Ah, Brother…?”
His brother had been killed right before his eyes.
Yet, the young man maintained his composure. He stepped before the servants and held up three fingers.
“Earlier, you mentioned having three objectives. One is ‘exterminating vermin.’ What are the other two?”
“One is to find a noble like you who seems decent. The other is to ensure that the money earned through the subjects’ endurance and sacrifice is properly returned to them.”
“I see. So, you’re saying that you didn’t come here to seize the Olan family’s money for personal gain or to seek revenge for those who died due to Father’s instructions?”
“That’s correct, though I can’t entirely deny the revenge aspect. I nearly died at the hands of Barche, who was acting on the lord’s orders to ‘solve the problem’ while escorting the carriage.”
“I was concerned about the presence of the head of the Kius Trading Company, as well as our own exclusive mercenary. Ah, so you kept them alive to use as information sources?”
“That’s the case.”
The young man touched his chin and gave a slight nod as if he understood. He seemed to have a clear grasp of the situation.
That was, in a way, a relief. But even among nobles, he probably wasn’t as gullible as Radd-kun of Guinier.
His eyes constantly observed me, showing no sign of complacency or overconfidence, even though we were in a meeting.
“Indeed, Father’s words and actions were beyond the pale. I must admit that much.”
“A-Ars… You…!”
“Father, wake up already. Being a noble doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want and get away with it. Not everyone will accept it. Take this boy, for example. He’s probably stronger than Barche. Isn’t it clear that your so-called authority means nothing to him?”
“Ugh…”
“But that doesn’t mean I can simply send you back now. You wounded the head of our household—call it retribution, if you will—but you also killed my elder brother, a noble and the next heir, right here.”
Simultaneously, a shrill scream pierced the air from behind the second son.
“Kyaaaaaah! Namk! Ah, Namk… Why… why are you like this?”
The woman, presumably his mother, called out the eldest son’s name in a faint voice that seemed to fade, only to be drowned out by an angry shout and the clang of metal.
“Mother, and you all, guards! Calm yourselves! Leave this matter to me for now!”
The young man, Ars, desperately tried to mediate, but the situation was chaotic.
In such an emergency, however, it became painfully clear who was relied upon and who was resented.
Everyone swarmed around the second son. No one listened to the third son, and not a single glance was spared for the lord slumped beside me.
Would this end peacefully? What demands would be made to achieve peace? Would I have to accept whatever proposal was made?
The mother, who had nearly reached a state of hysteria, was carried away by numerous maids and soldiers. About ten soldiers and an old man dressed as a butler remained at the front.
Also remaining were the second son, who was acting as the representative, and the third son, who kept glaring at me for some reason.
“Phew… Now we can talk a little more calmly. So, here’s my proposal—”
“…”
“We will overlook the killing of my elder brother. In exchange, you will spare the other members of the Olan household, including my father, the head of the household. How does that sound?”
It was the most peaceful proposal I could have realistically expected; it would likely end things most smoothly.
But…
“Impossible. No matter what, I will kill your father.”
I dismissed it outright.
There was no room for consideration.
“Let me reiterate: We’re talking about the ‘head’ of a noble house. Do you understand how problematic it would be to kill such a person?”
“To be honest, I don’t fully grasp it. Would it mean the Kingdom of Ortran would become my enemy?”
“Exactly. Depending on the situation, the national army might even mobilize. That’s precisely why—”
“Then it’s within my expectations, so no problem. No matter what happens, I will kill the trash beside me. Without fail.”
“——”
“Ars, was it? You must realize this, too. This man cannot change. Even if he gets hurt, and even if his son faces danger, he genuinely believes that he can do whatever he wants as long as the other party is a ‘commoner’ and not a ‘noble.’ Probably even now.”
As I said this, I turned my gaze toward the man. The eyes that had been glaring at me quickly looked away.
It’s over for this man.
“Didn’t I tell you? My goal is ‘vermin extermination.’ Keeping him alive won’t cure his arrogance. He’ll just continue to use people like livestock, have others kill anyone he deems troublesome without a shred of guilt, and funnel the profits into his lavish lifestyle and his quest for revenge against me. Who needs someone like that?”
“Are you seriously planning to take on the entire country?”
“It’s certainly not my preference, but if it’s the price for extermination, then I’ll accept it. Kius-san, is it correct that this country’s military has five ‘Flower-class,’ two ‘Awakening-class,’ and one ‘Immortal-class?’”
“Based on publicly available information, that count is accurate.”
“Then, even if they become my worst enemies, I can handle it one way or another.”
“…Fufu… Fufufu…”
“?”
The second son suddenly lowered his head and started laughing.
I stared, wondering what was happening, as his expression abruptly changed. He seemed to resign himself to something. The tension faded, and he turned his gaze to his father beside me. He was still wearing a wry smile.
“Haa… Father, I’m sorry. You must give up on your life.”
“W-what…?”
“Brother!?”
“If he came prepared to take on the whole country, it’s already too difficult. Even after hearing about our publicly declared forces, he still seems to genuinely believe he can win. Barche, from your perspective, is this boy truly that strong?”
“A-a monster… That’s the only way to describe him.”
“…Then it’s impossible. We can’t pit our country’s forces against someone like that. Frankly, Father’s status isn’t high enough to warrant a total war effort.”
“!?”
Oh… He’s actually being subtly insulted, belittled by his own son.
“So, you can do as you please with my father.”
“Ars!?”
“In exchange, would you spare my mother and younger brother, Yuse? Since my elder brother is deceased, the family inheritance will pass to me, the second son, Ars. If that happens, I promise to fulfill the third goal you mentioned, which is to return benefits to the people of the territory.”
“Specifically?”
“Only my father knows exactly how much the territory holds in operational and reserve funds. It’s difficult to present concrete plans now, but I understand there’s considerable leeway. Reducing the tax rate from 70% to around 20% over three to five years should be manageable. No matter how much we talk about giving back, doing so individually is simply unrealistic.”
“Hmm.”
“Now then… To ensure a stable income, even during fallow periods, let’s allocate a budget for land reclamation to expand farmland and create jobs. We don’t need to grow only rice. We could cultivate crops that provide winter income or increase rice production for export to other countries. More farmland means more people and greater prosperity within the territory. My goal is mutual prosperity and coexistence, so you should find this approach easier to accept, don’t you agree?”
“Ho, hoho…”
Even though he looks barely twenty, I can tell he’s saying something reasonable.
Frankly, my thoughts on redistribution were always along the lines of, “If you’re just squeezing people dry and hoarding it, spit it out, you idiot.” If this is the kind of solution he’s considering, then it’s perfectly fine.
The “extermination” part is the sticking point.
“I don’t know about your mother, but that third son…”
“My mother has always been a quiet person. She’s not the type to oppress or harm others, as you seem to fear. If you like, you can ask the servants directly.”
“I see.”
“Unfortunately, the third son is strongly influenced by my father and elder brother, which has resulted in his current disposition. He’ll be fourteen this year.”
“…”
“You appear to be around the same age, which is precisely why I understand that the argument ‘he’s just a child’ holds little weight. However, adulthood in this country begins at fifteen. My mother and I will work to correct his behavior. If you’re acting out of a sense of justice, could you please overlook this matter?”
This is tough…
I had heard before in Lagreath that adults were 15 years old.
If that’s the case, then it’s likely true here too. Above all, he looks about that age.
It’s not that I’m motivated by a sense of justice, but if I lay a hand on a child here, I feel like I’ll be seen as the “bad guy”…
Or rather, that’s how things are set up, isn’t it?
On the other hand, the second son didn’t care about his brother’s death and quickly abandoned his father, so he must be an extremely capable leader.
“…”
Without answering, I stepped closer. Tension filled the room, but I had no intention of making things worse.
With nowhere to retreat, the third son stood before me, pressed against the wall, and glaring fiercely.
Smack!
I slapped his cheek with the weakest possible force.
“Does it hurt?”
“Of course it hurts! What are you doing!?”
“Exactly. Anyone would feel pain if they were hit or kicked. If it’s a mutual fight, that’s one thing. But being hit and kicked without reason hurts not just the body, but the heart too. Even words alone can leave someone’s heart aching and torn to shreds.”
“…”
“And you, protected by privilege simply because you were born into this house, did that to anyone and everyone, one-sidedly. Do you understand?”
“…”
I didn’t know if he understood.
Tears welled up as he bit his lower lip, his eyes fixed on me. Were they filled with frustration or hatred?
He didn’t fight back, though; he just gripped his own clothes tightly.
That’s why I’ll say it plainly.
“If you hate me so much that you absolutely must kill me, then get stronger, hire mercenaries, or do whatever you want.”
“I-is it okay to say something like that?”
“But this is the only time I’ll forgive you. If you ever try to take my life again, I’ll kill you, no matter where you are or what protects you. Just like your brother, who was split in two. You better be prepared for that.”
“…”
I stared at the third son as if I were speaking to him, but the words were actually directed at the second son standing behind me.
This man is exceptionally capable and ruthless, for better or worse.
He prioritizes the greater good over personal or familial feelings when making choices, but that doesn’t mean he forgives those who killed his relatives.
Once he’s done what needs to be done and the circumstances are right, if he believes he can act without leaving a trace, a man like this might take action.
Besides, even his mother is hard to figure out.
If the risk of his acting is higher, making that clear now should prevent him from acting recklessly—as long as he’s alive. That’s the only way to think about it.
Sigh…
“Well then, I suppose I’ve achieved my purpose. Shall we be going?”
I called out to the two who were watching the developments from the back. They nodded slowly, as if resolved.
There are those who understand what comes next and those who don’t.
I pulled the dagger out, which had been driven deep like a stake. I hoisted the lord, now forcibly asleep, onto my shoulder.
“Would it be too much to ask to have the body returned, at least?”
“I can do as I please with your father, correct? In that case, I’m afraid this man won’t die in a way that leaves a proper corpse.”
“…You are truly terrifying. I sincerely hope this is the last time we meet.”
“Do your best to remain a good lord, beloved by all. If you do, that wish will come true.”
The only spoils of war were their attitudes—two villainous nobles with no exceptional abilities, only their lives and an expensive-looking dagger.
The fact that it ended there was undoubtedly the achievement of the second son, Ars. I glanced around the room one last time, then teleported away with Kius and Barche.
Well, only a little work remains.
Shall we proceed to the final conclusion?
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