Tower of Karma

It had already been a week since Victoria left. During that time William barely went home and showed unusual working behavior. The amount of work that each person around you can't keep up with. Then the instructions and assignment of work to others are accurate. Who would have thought a man with a valiant name on the battlefield would show more brilliance in the King's Capital?

"Transport of materials to Laconia, we finally have a point of view. Together, the civil unrest in the north also took the form that Captain Sürvia had prevented before he went, and now the big question is whether there was much prospect."

"Now you're safe until spring. If we keep the Laconia fortification on the Ostberg side alone during the winter months, it will be a huge advantage."

William reacts to the words of his men.

"Don't keep your guard down. Just because it's winter doesn't mean the enemy isn't attacking. The insanity was broken by the superpower Garias, who was supposed to have launched it. Well, Captain Yang Legion, you were a special and brigadier general now, but there's no more to it than he's protecting."

My men simultaneously push silence.

Yes, one of the rules created more than a hundred years ago by the Seven Kingdoms and other nations, led by Galias, was inviolable in winter. There are other different rules, which are enacted at the King's Conference, which takes place every four years around the country. Breaking it would turn the Seven Kingdoms against all the enemies of the continent, so everyone was following these rules.

"This one breaks the rules, too, if you have to. So that's how you feel. Sounds like the price you paid for breaking it."

When he attacked Arkland, who took over Sambalt, it was Adrian, who was named one of the top hundred generals Galias boasted of, "The King's Armor". Though he managed to return alive after the defeat, he has been blamed and beheaded for his' unauthorized 'attack in the winter instead of the defeat. As far as pre-construction was concerned, it was cleaned up by Adrian's rampage. But Adrian made himself a famous general whose name is also roaring in other countries, loyal, and could not have extended to such acts without a royal decree, and it turns out that Garias himself was seriously thinking of crushing Arkland.

"You can break the rules. But risk and scale. You'll be able to convince yourself, no matter what happens."

These were words that William himself had spoken. William is a man who has walked around the rules to some extent. Sometimes I put it all together. The result is so far so good, but breaking the rules is not limited to the immediate impact. Now we can still call it success, but that's not necessarily enough.

"It's one paragraph anyway. I'm going home for a while. Run Julian if you need anything."

A subtle job was pressed even once upon Yulian, who was not here because of his temporary sleep. He was a subtle Yulian of origin, craftsmanship and martial arts, but this kind of use was treasured. There are no suitable materials, no unavailable personnel, etc.

"Good day, Master William"

"Oh, good luck. Rest when you make your separation."

William goes through the hustle and bustle to a place of silence where no one waits.

○

"Mind your own business!

His own mansion, which was supposed to be a place of silence, was occupied by one little monster.

"How did you know I was coming home?

"He came every day."

"Huh?"

William regains his sanity and wanders around. The room is vandalized, with small monster possessions such as dolls that are not my own, and sweets that I would have brought with me. Certainly not overnight work.

"I'll give it to you"

"Ah, oh. I don't mind if I stick around."

The little monster, Marianne, was delightful the moment William arrived, but suddenly makes a serious face to dazzle William. It was the biggest difficulty as William who wanted to go to bed early if he could.

"Did you bully Victoria?

William's cheeks bounce tingly. I didn't bully you, but it's not a good relationship. It is ruined to say that I was busy killing myself at work not to think about breaking up.

"What is Victoria doing now?

William shows how concerned he is for once. I'm not concerned.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey."

Wow. Isn't that the way it usually is?

William had somehow been swallowed up by the rage that gushed out like turbulence. At the end of the day, there was only one catch. Of course, there is nothing to think of in person about what will happen to our future relationship with Bernbach.

"But sometimes it's soggy. That's why Marianne is here now. When Himana."

Perhaps Marianne is free every day. You must have come to steal my sister's eyes. Otherwise, there's no way we can occupy someone else's house with our faces. If I'm free, I don't think I'd be able to do this.

"Indeed, it is true that there was a slight discrepancy between me and Victoria. But I guess you're just doing what you usually do, huh? Then you don't have to worry about that much. Time solves it."

I think it's a terrible answer, but William needs to get some sleep early and get back to the royal palace as soon as possible. The fact that one big guy has a paragraph means that he can finally get on with the trinket. I don't run out of work.

"But you had salt on your sweets, didn't you?

"That's common."

"It wasn't when it was a treat!

Marianne stares at William. William couldn't stand his gaze and distracted himself. Question William in tears. No matter how close you are, it's only a relationship through Victoria. It was winning Marianne's trust more than William could imagine, her love for a sister named Victoria, or both, that would follow her like this.

"I'll see you when I can make time."

"When!?

"No, I can't say when... I'm busy right now"

Marianne squeezes her skirt soot all the time.

"Always, that's how grown-ups get up."

The words of Marianne, blushed and crushed, stab William. I was conscious. After all, there's no reason for William to go see Victoria. In the world of loss. If I were to go see him, my creed would shake. She's an outsider, you can't brace her.

"You idiot!

Marianne runs away in a motion similar to that of her sister. He looked too much like 'her' after that, and William tried to reach out. William realizes the behavior and pulls his hand in.

Stupid, I am.

William mocking himself. I've been bluffing too much lately. An act that makes you feel painful about it. Stop, go see him, and what can you do with it? What words can be uttered?

"... go to sleep"

Marianne, who has visited this house many times by herself, will be fine to return. I'm never afraid to meet Victoria when I send her. I'm not being awkward. I haven't gone that crazy.

William was telling himself so.

○

Marianne and I were on our way home. From time to time there is no sign of turning back or coming after us. Marianne gets even more soggy about it. It was an act for my favorite sister, but as Marianne, I liked William. Because William had taken about half a step further than that to treat things that most adults would just have to do.

I'm sure the roots are sweet. Yes, I thought so.

"I don't want to talk to you. How hard is it to be here?"

Marianne is the youngest son and not the daughter of a legitimate wife, just like Ernesta or some sister. And you don't know Vlad before you lost your beloved wife. All I know is a monster of desire who only sees his daughter as a tool of politics. Without love or anything, I've never even had a shard of love poured out. It is the same for Ernesta and for Victoria, who had the opportunity.

Ma'am, I'd like to ask you a few questions.

"I'm sorry that I'm embarrassed right now."

Marianne, who was laying her eyes down, never even knew. that the man was not alone. It's not weird for the men to be in the aristocratic neighborhood dressed like merchants, for everyone wearing hats whose faces are hard to grasp. And a wagon full of bags.

"It's this way to apologize."

The man stunned Marianne with a knife. I didn't even think it was a scene of grabbing people, even my companions paying attention to how handy they were, the nature of the movement. Something around me won't solve it. Gently put Marianne, who passed out in the shadow of the carriage, on the bag and run the carriage with a face that doesn't eat anything.

"How come a user like my husband didn't go directly to kill Vlad?

A buddy asks a blur. The man who put Marianne to bed earlier laughed bitterly,

"I went to kill him. And it was payback."

The man puts his clothes all over. Everyone was stunned when they saw the wound there.

"Usually the one wears that servant unless there's something rare. When you're letting go, when your safety is somewhat secured. I used to be a soldier who rang on the battlefield, too. I have also taken the neck of a hundred captains. Still, I didn't feel like I could beat that servant, Helga. The only thing that got away with it was that there was a sparse but crowded street right around the corner, that he hated people's eyes, that's all."

The abdominal wound was in a different condition. The scar, unusually indented as to whether the meat had been ripped off, was covered with a terrible burn that must have burned and stopped the bleeding. That's the kind of procedure that would have killed him. I have no idea what kind of attack would make this happen.

"I see. I'm impressed."

"If he brings Helga in, I'll try to stop him. Kill Vlad in that gap. I'm not saying I can stop for minutes, but if it's about ten seconds, I'll try to stop it."

I'm not willing to survive after all of them have done their revenge. I'm ready to die when I choose this path. All we have to do is drag Vlad out, and we can't pull back any longer.

They didn't know that Vlad's daughter had multiple people entering and leaving that mansion. They failed to confirm. the age and face of the target daughter. The man who cared about himself didn't care about that again either. Thus the cause and effect were unexpectedly distorted.

○

When William woke up, the sun was already tilted and the red sky covered the heavens. William grew much taller and drowsy. My body is in good shape, would fall into the good category as a wake-up call. William dresses lightly and heads to the garden thinking about training for the evening first. I'd love to do an audition with Kyle if it's true, but I couldn't afford to go that far because my public opinion still wouldn't allow me to predict.

Finish the light audition. I washed my face and soaked it with a cloth.

"Is it gone a little? I haven't had much time lately."

William has never lacked morning and evening workouts. Even in this busy situation, not to mention the quality and quantity, we continue to do so twice a day. Other than that, though, it is too scarce compared to the time when we were running around the battlefield.

"Physically, we've come to a point where it's a peak, and then a mental problem, and the flesh has fallen, and it's not even a joke."

William was aware of the limits of his own flesh. I've reached my limit a long time ago. The stretch from there is mental growth, and if you want more, you have to look out for physical safety.

(Once I went through it. I was too incomplete back then, and I didn't even get to that guy. But no state could have drawn more power in a spiritual sense than then)

I was drunk by 'myself' then. A weak self whose heart was broken by a gap between ideal and reality. General, I've seen a very distant existence called Strakles, I know it. Fools who thereby lost sight of reason and exposed themselves to their true nature. But that's why I was able to pull it out.

(Now that we're physically enriched, what we should aim for is that state, even higher than that)

of the flesh, of the spirit, the task of removing the limiter. If I make a mistake, it breaks my body, my heart. The challenge ahead, that's all we've got. At the end of the long training, at the end of the drill, the quitting boy grew to this point.

(I have had enough experience in normal battlefields. All I need from now on is a battlefield against the monsters in the class of giants and generals, nothing else to learn)

In a way, this time HR was convenient. William was away from the battlefield, but at the same time he had a situation where he could easily rush to the big battlefield. The king's capital is the heart of Arcadia, if there is a war in Laconia, you can head there. Even if there is a battle in Browstat, we can head there. I was in a position to choose the battlefield.

"Well, shall we head to the royal palace?"

William always wears outfits in line with the White Knight's image. All this was something that Rutgard had looked over. It unifies the image, both in battlefield armor and in palace attire, even in light attire used in archaeology and so forth. They are all strategies that look to a long time in order to make the brand White Knight.

Even so, William chooses light attire that is relatively close to formal attire. Though the Royal Palace, the only place to head is at work. It was nothing like going away.

Just get dressed and head outside. There's a carriage outside that's letting Julian drop by for a specified time. Get in it and get yourself into the world of hustle and bustle again. Exactly. You won't be home for a week this time.

"William Lewis!"

William's unexpected figure stopped William as he was about to board the carriage he was letting Julian prepare.

"Marianne was taken. Anything you know?

Am I letting you out of breath because you've been running, Wilhelmina von Bernbach showed up. Speak the words of shock at the same time.

William stopped and stiffened the leg he was putting in the carriage.

"Sometimes, I was here, and Helga said," Maybe. "

"... before noon, I was here"

Wilhelmina opens her eyes wide. I grabbed William's pants just like that. Whoa, with a trembling hand,

"Why, why did you leave me alone!?

…………

William can't answer. This is the outskirts of the aristocratic city, but even if it rots, it is an aristocratic city. There is no particular problem with noble children walking. Marianne often seemed to walk around alone in the first place, and she had come all the way to this house by herself. If you ask me why, I'll have to give it back. And what is useless to give it back is that both sides know it.

"Tell me what the situation is. Let's start with the carriage."

That's what I say. I give Wilhelmina my hand. Wilhelmina also took William's hand, retreating an excuse, a weak voice, that almost came out of her mouth.

"You, change your destination. Head to Bernbach Mansion."

What process does the swing of cause and effect give them an end?

Now it just runs through.

○

"I see, I understand the situation"

William looked difficult. The deeper I listened, the crease between my eyebrows, the more I wanted to say something, the spicier I looked to say.

"... What decision has Uncle Vlad made?

Wilhelmina's face is slightly cloudy. Seeing that, William understood the whole situation.

"Kidnapping Victoria, now under discussion in the alley, demanding ransom. I know this far. If you consider the possibility of marrying the Grand Duke, you can pay without having to get lost. But I mistook the subject there and took Master Marianne. It's gonna make things easier here."

William dared decide to put it in his mouth. You can keep your mouth shut or you can put it on the Bernbach Mansion. But what I know, it's too late to cut it out there.

"The value of Victoria and Marianne is not equivalent. You can also decide that your son, who hasn't even been in a social setting yet, is not aristocratic. It is also understandable that Uncle Vlad will trump you if you don't want to have a problem at a delicate time when you may decide to marry the Grand Duke"

Wilhelmina kicks William. It was a tough gaze but at the same time it felt weak. He looks strong, but he must be weak inside. From here on out is a world built on the logic of a man, more than gold and the face of a house are involved. In this world, in this age.

"Of course, I'm not a stranger to Master Marianne either. We'll do everything we can to help. You can't use public power like moving an army, but with my personal help."

William tells us how sorry he is for his cooperation. He said this could not be done with full cooperation in the dark. William decided that the nuances would pass if they were Wilhelmina. Advice Wilhelmina spills a "thank you" with a thirsty grin. Now Marianne's fate has been decided.

"... hey, you know those kids and us, our mothers are different?

abrupt words. William snorts because Victoria had asked him once.

"Yeah, so you know something like this, too? Victoria told me the youngest was a different father."

William opened his eyes. I've never heard of that. It is a major problem if it is true.

"It's not about blood or anything like that. But in a way, that's why I feel sorry for him. Ever since Victoria was born, our mother, or someone who was Vlad's real wife, has been ill... and still kept smiling, he was an amazing person. Someone we all admired, beautiful, beautiful, and liked. The man died and the man changed. As a father, as a human being, you've changed. I also think he used to be a sweet good father. It's a long story from the past."

Hatred was on Wilhelmina's face. William was heartily surprised that the man had such a time, too. Whether it's the same blood or the same person, humans are different before and after loss. Somewhere, it's like I heard.

A boring story that's rolling everywhere. Because there is no reason for sin to disappear.

"Count Vlad's vice, do you know?

William gets a little lost and then nods. I thought I should shake my head, but if I were in the palace, no. But one of the information that comes into my ear, lately lurks, but he used to break it a lot more flashy. A slave woman, a peasant's daughter...

"You know that, don't you? But you don't know I'm still doing it, do you? That just got better at hiding it. I'm a little quiet... but then I can dissipate something else, huh? Vlad was terrible before he found power. Even flesh parents get involved relentlessly...... I really can't forgive you"

Wilhelmina's anger was unusual. The story doesn't look like a good connection, but I wouldn't have gone beyond listening to it. There's something quite scary about this anger when it comes to me.

"Teresia, your sister was the one who caused the most damage. Your second sister is still blind to the man. That man didn't love anything about his daughter. I don't love anyone anymore. Poor man who only loves power. Hey, what do you think?

William can't answer instantly. Vlad's vice. I know him best in a way. For living, Tellegia and others would have been an easy one. Although, of course, it would have been too harsh an event as a daughter of nobility. That is not the case, and I do not know how to be clear on this occasion or how to make a statement correctly. Reason would give me an instant answer. But they, the creatures called women, can't move with reason alone.

"... I feel like a man is where I get stuck in my remarks. That's why I hate it. Why can't you just say what you thought? What can't you do as it is?

William makes a difficult face. There's no way a man named 'William' could do something like talk as is. It can't even be on the inside when it's all for real. Even Wilhelmina would lie about one or two. Making it look like it is not as lifelike as she thinks it is.

(Expose yourself to everything? If I had such a strong heart, I wouldn't have chosen this way of life)

Hide it because it's annoying. Hide it because it's weak. If you're a true strong man, you don't have to hide it. You still need to hide because you are weak. The world is full of lies. Because everyone is weak. William doesn't deny that. I have a weak way of life, because I know it best. What she is saying is only rampant and emotional. Because the only words she wants to hear are not the real ones, but the ones she wants...

Don't you have a lie in your words? Can you absolutely tell me there's no lie in your relationship? You hate lies while you live in a world where nobility is called vanity. Of nobility, I hate its selfishness. You're using lies to reign over me. From my point of view, everything in this world is a hunk of lies. It's impossible to have an absolute relationship.)

William stares into his own hands. What's there isn't as puffy, as it used to be, a hand that can grasp kindness, affection, and hope. Fingertips are supple, but palms smell like blood if you can smell what you smell. There can't be anything that holds this hand that speaks absolutely well. Even the Kyles, who are inside, will never be able to protect them.

"Can't you answer that?

"I don't understand the intent of the question"

"Yes, you're right."

That said Wilhelmina silenced. Give me a look like a give up. William holds his mouth again, too. This matter ends with Marianne abandoned. Because that's how it's decided. From the beginning, at the time of the mistaking of the hostages.