Ascendance of a Bookworm

"Master Bonifatius is here"

The door slowly opened to the Lord's office, along with the voices of the soldiers guarding in front of the door. With Cornelius at the forefront, I drag Viscount Joisoturk and Angelica pulls a downward working man into it.

Lined up in the Lord's office is the Aerenfest leadership.

Mr. and Mrs. Lords, Ferdinand, the guardian of Rosemaine, and Mr. and Mrs. Knights Commander, the parents of Rosemaine, line up to back the front wall.

And on the right, there are five Knights served and one delegate from the Guardian Knights of the Lords clan. On the left was Norberto, who presided over the side service of the castle, and then Richarda and Osvalt, the leaders of the Lords' family.

I nodded one to Zilvester, looking around at those in line and admitting that everyone's gaze was toward Viscount Joisoturk, who had been dragged.

"We have followed your call and come to the top"

"Bonifatius, thank you"

And to hear the most important thing right now, I turn my gaze to Ferdinand.

"I need to ask you something before I interrogate you about this.... Ferdinand, what about Master Rosemayne?

"There is nothing else in life. But I was wondering if it would be a good idea to talk about it in detail... without giving the offender any extra information."

While vomiting words to indicate Viscount Joisoturk, Ferdinand indicates that there may be some of the sidelines and escort knights just by gaze, who are through with this incident.

As far as I'm concerned, I'd rather hear Rosemaine's container than hear about a trinket that could be twisted right away, but I can't help it.

"Okay, Bonifatius. Let's hear more about it after we jump out of the hall."

By the words of Aub Aerenfest, the interrogation begins. I spoke of what had happened since I left the Great Hall. He will state that he arrived at the scene where he was first engaged by physical strengthening, that he blew up if he hit him, that he rescued Rosemaine, that he caught a working man, and that Angelica had captured Viscount Joisoturk ahead of him when he discovered the rot.

"Looks like your downworking man was just ordered by a black-crushed aristocratic man. They just told me to carry my stuff on a horse and put it in a carriage with no crest, which is closest to the work place for the downstairs."

"Aub Aerenfest. As Lady Bonifatius said, there was indeed a carriage in that position"

According to information from the Knights, who were watching to bring the nobles home, there was a carriage with no crest in the position indicated by the man working the lower.

A carriage without a crest is a carriage for side service and underwork. Even if it doesn't have a crest on it, it has been marked so that we can see our carriage among the working people. However, we do not know that the mark is seen by nobles who are neither Lord nor Lord.

"Even after all the nobles who were in the Great Hall returned, there remained three carriages with Viscount Joisoturk's crest and three carriages with no crest. Perhaps he brought in a blackcrumb along with his squire and side service. I'm sure it's Viscount Joisoturk's carriage."

"... but there was only one carriage, a long way from the carriage with Viscount Joisoturk's crest. Even if you succeed in exposing Master Rosemaine, it seems strange around you."

The knights with positions begin to express their opinions. But every opinion is just testimony on the assumption that Viscount Joisoturk is the killer. It is Viscount Joisoturk who was an aristocrat in the Great Hall and was absent, so it is not impossible either.

But Viscount Joisoturk, who remained bitten by monkeys, shook his head desperately and denied their opinion. I'm even crying and shaking my head with a blurb. Must be the kidnapper, but that desperation bothered me a little.

Sending a glimpse to Zilvester right away, he seems to feel the same indissoluble, and Zilvester nods small.

"I'd also like to hear Viscount Joisoturk's opinion"

They took the monkeys. No, Viscount Joisoturk raised his voice like a scream.

"Aub Aerenfest, my carriage has one with a crest and two without a crest. I don't know one that it was in that remote place. Besides, I'm not taking Master Rosemayne. Isn't it Master Charlotte that I took it? That's what the knight who caught me must know."

I am not involved in Rosemaine's abduction at all, Viscount Joisoturk says. For that matter, you seem to be talking too much about what you did.

"Angelica, what do you say?

"Yes, indeed, it was Lady Charlotte who Viscount Joisoturk took. And east is where I threw Master Charlotte out and fled. There was a distance from the south where Master Rosemaine was helped. It seems a little impossible to think of both killers."

Around Angelica's words, Zilvester narrowed his eyes.

"So you're saying there are other murderers in the nobility?

"... I don't know. We might have managed to jump into the East Forest and then swirl south while we helped Master Charlotte fall, capture Master Rosemaine with a mesh of magic, give him the medicine, then give him to a working man, and immediately escape again to a remote management shed in the East."

Angelica says with a serious face, but it's something that everyone can see that's impossible for a normal human being.

I recalled Viscount Joisoturk's capture site. Indeed, it was away from where Cornelius went down with the horseman. In the woods it is harder to use a feathering horse than it is to successfully kidnap both to Viscount Joisoturk even if he is preparing a horse.

... but I can do it.

If I use physical enhancement to run as hard as I can, I might be critical in time. But Viscount Joisoturk can't. Besides, with all that physical enhancement and plenty of magic, Angelica can't possibly catch you.

A tonne and a lightly tapped desk at his fingertips, Gilvester shifted his gaze from Angelica to Viscount Joisoturk.

"Viscount Joisoturk, who is your accomplice?

"There are no accomplices. Considering that such a plan leaks out of someone else's mouth, you are certain to do it on your own."

Whatever you think, it just seems like you're being guided and danced like that. Viscount Joisoturk is too powerless to think about and implement that plan.

"So, Viscount Joisoturk. Describe their actions in detail."

Viscount Joisoturk's statement, which began there, was a terrible headache. It's so stupid that I can't even speak up if I'm not good at using my head. I can't move with my temples held down, such as Ferdinand, who makes a close plan when I do something.

Briefly, Viscount Joisoturk said he planned to kidnap someone among the lord's children and hide them in the management cabin he discovered in the fold of the hunting tournament.

If they took Vilfleet or Charlotte, they thought about giving Rosemayne some information about the place, or rescuing it together, to improve Rosemayne's heart certificate. And if he took Rosemaine, he said he was going to go help him the best and sell his thanks.

... How were you going to circulate the information when you were still on guard and not close to Rosemaine? Besides, it's up to me to go help Rosemaine the most. Thoughtful.

Bring the black scum of eating into the carriage as a squire and stop the escort knight. After he escaped, he thought that if he exploded and tried to destroy the evidence, the carriage he brought wouldn't even have a crest on it, so he couldn't possibly find out. It was a plan that was full of holes and just a hit.

And this fool said he didn't know Rosemaine's horseman could fly, and it was unexpected that he was chased with a horseman.

He could never get caught, so he threw Charlotte out and ran away, but it was even more unexpected that Angelica caught him where he thought he had escaped.

Most importantly, it was Rosemaine's actions that turned the cornerstone of the plan upside down. He didn't think Rosemayne had enough love to jump out on a horseback to help his sister-in-law who had just met him at the baptism ceremony.

If all these fools would have moved flashly, those who tried to figure out Rosemaine must have moved a lot easier.

In the words of Viscount Joisoturk, he sighed like Elvira was exhausted.

"Lady Rosemayne is the Virgin of Aerenfest, who breaks the hearts of even orphans. You call yourself a relative, don't you know?

"Lady Rosemaine was my sister, Rosemary's daughter, my niece..."

"You're making a mistake, Viscount Joisoturk."

Elvira gave a chilling grin, blocking Piscilli and the words. And stare quietly at Viscount Joisoturk with his pitch-black eyes.

"You are not a relative of Lord Rosemayne. Lady Rosemayne is my daughter. I officially responded as a mother at the Baptist ceremony, and Lady Rosemayne admires her and me."

As Elvira put it, it is at the time of the Baptist ceremony that you will be recognized as a child of nobility. He who responds at that time, his father and mother clearly decide. Because the mistress's child is excellent, it is not uncommon for her to be baptized as the first lady's child. In that case, it is unusual to have a good relationship because we are not friends.

"I'm really glad you and Rosemayne didn't have any relationship. Even though he was exposed and even poisoned, it is pathetic for Master Rosemaine to be bothered by any more self-proclaimed relatives. You don't have to call yourself a relative that doesn't have a very good influence. You can understand my kindness to Viscount Joisoturk, can't you?

With a tickle of laughter Elvira declared that Viscount Joisoturk's blood relatives could be thoroughly withdrawn from the area around Rosemaine. I can tell that I had a lot of depressed emotions accumulating on the look I see as sunny.

... Elvira seemed so annoyed about the Third Lady originally that she would really relentlessly rule it out.

Having been consulted several times during Calstead's absence, I exhaled gently.

Of course, I'm not going to condone anyone who put Rosemaine at risk either. As much as I put up with twisting it. I just want to get rid of it.

"More than poisoned the lord's adopted daughter, Lady Rosemayne, the extreme sentence would be decided, wouldn't it?

"Dear Elvira, I am not poisoned or anything! Why do you think you would do such a thing to harm Master Rosemaine!? This is my niece!?

"I'm not your niece. And it doesn't matter what thoughts you have. Even if you did not do harm to Master Rosemayne, you attacked the Lords' Hall and did harm to Master Charlotte."

To Elvira's words, Viscount Joisoturk was dismayed.

Obviously guilty, so disposing of Viscount Joisoturk is not a problem. But in the shadow of letting him dance, I do not know the nobility who did harm to Rosemaine.

"... Dear Calstead, could all the nobles in the large hall that closed it have been confirmed?

He looked up at Calstead, where Elvira was his husband and chief of the knighthood, and tilted his neck. I guess he was leading the Knights of the Great Hall. Calstead nods heavily.

"Oh, everything's been confirmed, including those back from the water. There are no nobles out there."

Since the crime scene alibi of the nobles who were in the Great Hall was what the Knights did, several of the knights in line nodded in agreement with Calstead's words.

Zilvester looks to Viscount Joisoturk with the strong eye of not missing a lie.

"Viscount Joisoturk, there's no such thing as an accomplice or collaborator, is there?

"... Yes"

Ferdinand, who was still listening while holding his temples, opened his mouth slowly.

"What I care about is the private soldiers who raided near the north hall. Is that really their private soldier?

"Dear Ferdinand, that private soldier was a private soldier of the Earl of Bindebalt. I checked the ring during the battle. I've seen the same ring in the temple. I may not be trusted with my own testimony, but no doubt."

That's what Rosemaine's escort knight, who looked up as if he had decided to. He's a junior knight who's been on his side as an escort knight since before Rosemaine's christening ceremony.

He entered the city without the Lord's permission and deliberately surrounded himself with the name of Arlensbach's nobility, who was guilty of attacking Rosemayne, the Lord's adopted daughter, and Ferdinand, the Lord's half-brother.

"You think it's Count Bindebalt?

"Has anyone else noticed?

Some of the escort knights who were fighting noticed that the blackcrumb was wearing a ring, but they didn't even recognize it until the crest, and according to the knights who were made to gather evidence, the blackcrumb that exploded had no evidence like a ring.

One lower knight confirming even the seal of the ring during the battle is weak as testimony and evidence, but Ferdinand nodded one.

"Viscount Joisoturk, where did you get that from? Why does he own it more? More than wearing a subordinate ring, that private soldier should be the property of Count Bindebalt."

"Wow, I don't know. Previously, as a private soldier who didn't have to lose it, I only gave it to Viscount Gerlach… I was such a person with links to criminals from other realms…"

Viscount Joisoturk, who opens his eyes and shakes his head with a stunned face, must have been a real puppet. If you want any more useful information, there seems to be no other way than to peek into your memory.

"... that's better already. Extreme sentences are inevitable beyond what you've done to the Lords' clan."

Zilvester waved gently and instructed him to take Viscount Joisoturk out. Immediately two of the Knights move to take them out.

"Call Viscount Gerlach tomorrow"

"Ha!"

I have heard that Viscount Gerlach has a territory adjacent to my wife's home, Count Risegang, which has long been terrible. I explored my memory to see if there was anything else useful.

... Speaking of which, Viscount Gerlach's wife invited Georgine to a tea party, you said.

The next day Viscount Gerlach was summoned and was to be asked. However, unlike last night, few people are here. The Lords and their wives, Ferdinand, and me, Calstead, and the Knights serve only five.

"Well, Viscount Gerlach, there's something I'd like to ask you"

"What is it?

It sounds good when it comes to showing off the wealthy, but they never work out, I could see Viscount Gerlach's belly shaking slightly just a little saggy.

... Your upper back is there, so you should work out a little bit, at all. Still young, but lame. Apprentice my abs.

As I hold down my belly, thinking about the need for civilian training, Viscount Gerlach, questioned by Zilvester, tilts his neck as if he has no idea why he was summoned.

"Why did you own the private soldiers of Count Bindebalt?

"Well, Count Bindebalt's private soldier, is it? I never owned anything like that, though?

"You know there was a raid close to north last night, don't you? The private soldiers used at that time belonged to the Earl of Bindebalt."

I have no idea, Viscount Gerlach frowns, as he says. Looks like he's going to pierce a total stranger.

"What the hell does that have to do with me, you say?

Inquired with a quiet and gentle grin, Zilvester also smiles softly.

"I caught the assailant, but he gave the private soldier away from Viscount Gerlach, because he said so. I thought I needed to talk to you for your information. He seemed to interact with Count Bindebalt?

"... ho, did that happen last night"

Viscount Gerlach narrowed his grey eyes. And he said, "I was in trouble, too," and looked around to ask for sympathy, clapping his shoulders.

"It is true that I had an interaction with Count Bindebalt, and it is true that he had been deposited with private soldiers. But I never owned it."

"Hmm, go on"

When Zilvester waved lightly, Viscount Gerlach answered "Your Grace" and spoke about the private soldiers.

"As far as private soldiers are concerned, they were told that we cannot take a large number of private soldiers to the city of Aerenfest, and the Count kept them. But the person in question is not sinful enough to pick it up. The Count's officials must have had some sort of disposition on Arlensbach's side, too, and I lost touch with them."

"So?"

"Even though just taking care of a private soldier will cost you wasted money, you can't cancel the contract on your own any more than the person in question isn't dead. So I gave it to Viscount Joisoturk a long time ago to see if I could give it to my squire if I didn't have to cancel the contract. I didn't even think about it as much as the dew, like it was used to make noise in the castle."

... Oh, this man is the killer.

I thought so without any context. I can't say what. It's just that my own account clearly tells me so. I find my eyes in a calm looking grin with a cloudy grin, which is extremely unpleasant.

For one thing, if I smash it on this occasion, it will be refreshing, but I have long been told not to do it. They need preconstruction just to work for the aristocratic community. It's a pain in the ass.

"I am the one who gave Count Bindebalt's private soldiers to Viscount Joisoturk, but I am irrelevant in this case. As the Knights confirmed, I was in the Great Hall, and I didn't know that there was such a big plan or that it would be implemented."

As the person confidently says, it is confirmed that Viscount Gerlach was in the Great Hall.

I'm sure he gave up the blackheads and caused confusion, but he couldn't have done harm directly to the son of his lord. That's what I'll overlap with.

Look here and say, "Not yet, anything?" and Viscount Gerlach, with his grey eyes narrowed, does not become angry. Perhaps everyone feels an unpleasant atmosphere for Viscount Gerlach, but since the field alibi is made by the knights, no further mention can be made on this occasion.

... How do I get to the point where I'm guilty?

Having determined Viscount Gerlach to be the killer, I desperately consider whether there is any way I can catch Rosemaine, medicate her and prove her absence from the scene in the Great Hall. Originally, this kind of role is not my job. But there must have been some way.

... What if I can't use physical enhancement?

I looked back at the word that the Knights had sealed off the Great Hall and made a crime scene alibi and the place that helped Rosemayne, where Cornelius went down with a horseman, frowned softly.

"Viscount Gerlach, is Viscount Joisoturk the only one who gave up the private soldiers of the Earl of Bindebalt?

"Oh, yes, Master Ferdinand."

Viscount Gerlach nodded quickly to Ferdinand's question. Ferdinand deepens the frown wrinkles and overlaps the words further.

"You don't have a private soldier anymore, do you?

"... of course. Count Bindebalt's private soldiers are no longer on hand."

Cloudy looking grey eyes narrow, and the grin on your mouth deepens. In contrast, the wrinkles between Ferdinand's brows deepened.

"That's good enough. Viscount Gerlach, stand back."

When Zilvester lifts his chin up and urges him to leave the room, Viscount Gerlach gratefully leaves the room.

Waiting for the door to close, I called on Zilvester.

"Zilvester"

I raised my gaze and looked up at the tapestry behind Zilvester. Behind this lies the magic supply. There's something I can't tell you other than the Lords.

Gilvester nodded small and stood up realizing what my gaze meant.

"Calstead, protect this place."

"Ha!"

"Zilvester and I go between magic supplies. The others are waiting."

I left Calstead and the others on the spot, and me and Gilvester and I headed between the magic supplies.

The face of the lord I was showing in the office from Zilvester peels off and a tired face emerges. I stopped my similarly repaired face and pulled my shoulders out once.

"Uncle, what is it?

"Zilvester, did you say you sealed off the Great Hall?

You recall Viscount Gerlach's attitude earlier, Gilvester nods with a very itchy look.

"Oh, the Knights have completely sealed it off"

"Is that really everything?

Zilvester carved a deep wrinkle between his eyebrows. The dark green eyes that crossed suspicious discomfort with the expectation of what I came up with are directed at me.

"... what do you mean?

"Everything, including the moving passages of the lower work and the loopholes taught to those who will be the next lords?

Zilvester looked lightly at my mention as surprised. And lean slightly to recall the interaction in the Great Hall.

"The underwork passage should have been sealed off. But until the way out..."

It's basically an emergency way out where the lords are informed and not even the Knights are informed. Even though the Knights will completely seal off the Great Hall, they're not supposed to do anything to inform us of the existence of a way out, so I don't think there's a knight who was watching the entrance and exit of the way out.

"My discovery of Rosemaine was around the woods where I worked downstairs. But the place where Cornelius unloaded the horseman and discovered Rosemaine's demon stone was further away. Given that the working men received Rosemaine from Viscount Gerlach and traveled on horses, Viscount Gerlach should have been around where Cornelius stepped down"

Zilvester turned into a dazzling face in my words. I added even more to my unthinkable, unthinkable face.

"I'm not sure because it's a pretty old memory, but from what I've heard from my father, there must have been one way to connect with the Great Hall near there. Didn't I?"

"That's right. Surely there is a way out. But isn't that all the lords know?

Zilvester looked bitter and affirmed the existence of a way out. When asked with a gaze how I knew, I flaunted my shoulder.

"My father and I would have been a little older, wouldn't we? I also received a Lordship education."

When my brother and lord Zilvester's father was a young man, his predecessor, the lord, was in critical condition. Father managed to bring it back. But even though I didn't want to be a lord, I was told what I would do if I couldn't relay until my brother had grown up.

"I think it's likely they used that loophole. Is it possible that its existence has leaked from Georgine to Viscount Gerlach?... Just a thought."

"Huh!?... Does my sister know where the way out is? You were making so much noise that you couldn't be lord because of me?

From Zilvester's face, which I said was unexpected, I learned that there was a slight deviation between the perception of Zilvester and the perception of the surroundings.

For Zilvester, I guess she's the sister who was daughter-in-law to another realm without being a lord, but for me, knowing from where Georgine was born, she's a lord and as educated a daughter as possible.

It was judged by his brother and his wife that Georgine stuck to the status of lord and therefore could not do well with Zilvester no matter what he thought. For that reason, Georgine was sent to Arlensbach, where his grandmother came from, but he was originally hoping, just like me, to assist Zilvester and support Aerenfest together.

Georgine will assist Zilvester, my brother and his wife had sweet expectations, wondering if it was because of my lord-educated support for my brother's reign without adhering to the status of lord.

"Zilvester, the one who will only know Georgine for a few years after moving north away. But Georgine was more baptized and had a lord-educated until the time of his move to the northern detachment. You better think you know what they know."

Jilvester nodded slowly as he meditated on his tight eyes.

"Is there any evidence that my sister is involved? Any evidence that Viscount Gerlach is the killer? If you need anything, so..."

"So look at it all. That must be the killer, though. Talk to Ferdinand somehow, raise the evidence, and put it in a trap. Evidence gathering is not my role. That kind of fine work is not suitable. All I'm good at is identifying enemies and smashing them. If I get permission, I'll crush Viscount Gerlach soon."

Zilvester, who was listening to my words, strokes his jaw with a difficult face and starts to think.

"Wait a minute. Exactly. That's troublesome. But my uncle has a wild mind that can't be ignored. Let's make Viscount Gerlach look into Ferdinand assuming he's the killer. Don't get more jobs, you'll be pissed off..."

"Mm-hmm. You'd better leave the task of using your head to Ferdinand. Of course I'm not the right person."

When Zilvester moves, he gets a full picture of the target. It is best to leave this kind of work to the civilian of Ferdinand and his children.

"But would this make it possible to refuse Georgine's visit without any problems? The malfunctioning and disposition of the invited Wilfried, in addition to which a private soldier owned by the Arlensbach nobility, was rampaged in the castle. We can refuse to visit for the sake of vigilance. Wouldn't a few years buy you some time?

"Uncle, as I was saying, I have to rebuild Aerenfest while I buy time by refusing to visit my sister."

We must forbid the movement of Arlensbach aristocrats to shred the power of the predecessors on the grounds that the peril of the Lords clan has been endangered many times in relation to the Earl of Bindebalt, while nurturing our own proximity and faction.

"It's the Lord's role. Do it tight. I'll beat back the Lords' Guard Knights for Aerenfest and strengthen the Knights."

"Nice to meet you, Uncle"

Zilvester's eyes glistened as he looked ahead.

By the way, shortly after I was motivated and out between magic supplies, Ferdinand told me Rosemaine wouldn't wake up for over a year because of the poison, and I thought I'd go after Viscount Gerlach and smash him.

"With the grudge of being forced to postpone contact with my granddaughter, you'd be forgiven for about a blow, wouldn't you?

"If you want me to forgive you, I'm not asking, I'm bringing proof! Not until then!

... In my opinion, that's definitely the killer, but the reality is limitless.