Chapter 26: Triumphant Malice

“With the exemption of the tariffs on wheat brought about by its excessive demand, we
have raised the tariffs on cotton products. The frequent adjustment of government fund
acquisitions during the period of this special event is generally understood by the
counties affected.”
“Cotton is predominantly grown in Count Hanning’s territory. I heard that this year’s
harvest was particularly abundant… he has gained our favour quite well.”
“You’re right. After that, I received an offer from Count Hanning, and he said he would
love to cooperate to make His Highness’s accession ceremony a success.”
“Hah... he’s already made his plans to earn a connection. Not bad.”
“Thank you.”

A stark contrast to Morino, who happily bowed his head, Anderheim simply took off his
thin silver-rimmed glasses and threw the documents he was going through on the table
before giving out a long sigh.

“And for how long do you intend to keep coming here?”

He glanced at Jolga and Morino as he asked, only to see them tilt their heads in
confusion. Seeing them acting as such, the former Prime Minister Anderheim massaged
his temples and gave another long sigh.
It had been a month since the former Prime Minister Anderheim and his daughter,
Julieta, had moved from the Asbal family mansion, that had been called the Prime
Minister’s residence for generations, to a small mansion built on a hill to the west of the
capital. The old butler Thomas, the cook, and a few maids accompanied him to the new
mansion, saying that they would follow him no matter what. Taking Julieta’s hand,
Sigurd guided her along the beautiful verdant gardens. Learning the art of gardening
from the gardener who frequented the place, he built an elegant garden that seemed to
melt into the forest. Seeing the finished product, even Anderheim felt a little admiration
for him.
From the day Sigurd came to know of the truth of his birth, he began opening up his
heart to Anderheim little by little. He also began doting on Julieta in the literal sense.
Perhaps Anderheim’s abuses at Morino’s lack of preparedness were quite effective, for
once he had put in place an effective management system for all the gold hidden
underneath the Asbal Mansion that he had been handed, he groped for answers for a
way to tip the scales that made the nation move and put them into practice. Then he
came to Anderheim to chronicle his successes in detail.
Lutora was sleeping over at the Shrine as usual, but the twins, Cain and Abel, were
called by Anderheim. They were to study the management of the territory along with
Sigurd. The twins’ intelligence had caught Anderheim’s eye from the very beginning,
and he had often expressed his wish of making them his ‘successor’s’ aides to Malacia.

“No matter how soon Julieta would have been blessed with His Highness’s child, I
would still not live to see them reach adulthood. I thus needed to groom an outstanding
aide beforehand.”
“Lord Anderheim...”
“But it’s a different story if Sigurd temporarily succeeds the title. While they are a bit
young, as they gain experience together, making them the aides to the one who
succeeds the territory ‘after’ you would maintain stability. It would also reduce confusion
amongst the citizens of the fief.”
“Father...”

Morino was in admiration of Anderheim’s far thought out education, while Sigurd, deeply
impressed by his father’s well-thought plans, further resolved himself to put his heart
into studying the management of the territory to splendidly protect its denizens, albeit
temporarily.
Somehow, even Jolga seemed to find time to frequently visit the mansion on the hill,
just to deliver Julieta a book with a knight motif and jacket, a book rare to find outside
the knight’s personal salons, even within the royal capital. He narrowed his eyes upon
receiving his reward— a smile.

“...Well, it’s fine. I’ll be going now.”

Tempted by Anderheim who got up as he combed up his hair, Jolga too got up from the
sofa facing Anderheim.

“Lord Anderheim, where are you going? What about guards?”

“I don’t need them. I’ve only been called to the site of construction on the banks of the
Luft river. I heard that they dug up a part of an ancient relic of some kind. They
requested for me to come and look it over to see if it was possible to continue the
construction. Although I have retired from the post of Prime minister… in these kinds of
matters, experience speaks volumes.”
“I see...would you mind if I accompany you in that case?”

Morino prepared to get up, but Anderheim lightly pushed him down with one hand.

“I don’t mind, but it is on the border of the fiefs. It includes territories disputed between
the two lords too. If you, the new Prime Minister, were present, it would make it difficult
for both of them to say what’s on their minds. I’ll call you once the situation calms
down.”
“I see. I understand.”
“Once Sigurd and Julieta return from their excursion, tell them that it might rain today
and that I told them not to spend too long out in the garden.”

A while passed since Anderheim said he would leave and rode the carriage, his
coattails fluttering in the wind.
As Morino taught a new mathematical operation to Cain and Abel, who had finished
their studies, and Jolga slept for a while on the sofa, Sigurd and Lutora came rushing to
them.

“Huh...?”
“Morino? Father?”

Hearing their questioning voices, Jolga opened his eyes and Morino blinked his eyes in
surprise.

“Commander, why are you here...? I heard that the maids wanted to meet Julieta and I
took her to the royal salon. I didn’t think it was appropriate to listen in on a conversation
between women, and they told me that you would come as a guard. I was relaxed and
left her behind at the salon to pick her up later...”
“Morino, you’re here too? I heard that you had called Malacia to discuss the budget and
came here after escorting him to the castle...”
A chill ran up his spine, as if something were caressing him.
Jolga sprang up to his feet and ran to his favourite horse he had tied up in the barn.
Lutora and Sigurd followed in quick succession, each jumping onto their own horses.
From the other side of the gates of the mansion the neigh of horses sounded.

“S-Sir, Lu...to...ra...!”
“Amy!?”

The broken voice atop the horse calling Lutora belonged to the Temple Knight Amy. As
she passed through the gate, she slipped down from the saddle and caught a hold of
Lutora who came rushing. He wondered why she came here, when he saw a large
slash across her back, which was stained with blood and grime. Her hands and feet too
had countless wounds on them.

“Why, what happened!?”

Gasping for breath, Amy desperately swallowed back the blood in her mouth, grabbing
onto Lutora’s clothes in a bid to catch his attention.

“T-There’s a problem! Sir… Lutora. Strange men broke into… the Shrine. He said…
Lady Julieta will… be eaten by the Dragon...!”
“What!?”
“They… took the children as hostages. I brought back… Lady Julieta and Lord
Malacia… from the castle...! We all tried to… tried to stop him… but...!”

Amy bit her lips and raised her chin. It couldn’t be helped that she felt frustrated at her
powerlessness.

“This… is… bad...! The two… agreed to do as they said… in order to not let us… get
hurt!”
“...!”
“They were taken to the passage leading to the underground lake...! P-Please. Save…
them...!”
“...Big sis Amy!?
“Amy!?.

As Cain and Abel came to check what the commotion was about, they let out a scream
seeing the bloodied appearance of Amy, who was raised in the same orphanage as
them.
Entrusting Amy to Morino, who came rushing soon after, Lutora jumped onto his horse,
and ran out, hooking his feet onto the stirrups. Sigurd and Jolga followed quickly after,
riding side by side. Crossing the muddy fields, they leapt across fences, taking the
shortest path to the shrine.

“...Malacia is a quick thinker...!”

Lutora grinder his teeth as he spoke as if to console himself.

“They’re buying time! The path to the underground lake is a confusing maze...!”

Sigurd’s face was pallid as he gripped the reins tightly to the point his fingers turned
white.

“Shit… Julieta...!l

Although it was within the castle, why did he have to leave his precious little sister
behind?
Barely any time had passed since the last incident, when Nasha screamed at her at the
Shrine.
He didn’t know who had plotted this, but it wasn’t as if there wasn’t anyone who would
side with the enemy.
“Sigurd, don’t rush!”
“Ugh...!”
“Believe in Sir Malacia.”

Turning his horse around, Jolga skillfully manipulated his horse along the cliff’s top path
from where he could see the roof of the Shrine. With swift handling of the reins, his
horse slid smoothly down the slope. Sigurd and Lutora somehow managed to remain on
his heels, and the three rode their horses up to the staircase at the entrance of the
shrine. Led by Lutora, the three ran to the doors of the passageway leading to the
underground lake.
Even on their way to the back of the Shrine, they saw countless injured Temple Knights
and fallen priests.

“Ah, Sir Lutora...!”

“Please, save Lord Malacia...!”
“Please, Lady Julieta is...!”

The fact that they all entreated him in unison was something for later. Throwing open
the doors of the underground passage, Lutora held a torch as he led Sigurd and Jolga
unhesitatingly through the maze-like path. It was possible for him to retrace a path he
had gone through just once without any mistakes. It was Lutora’s ability as a part of his
skills as a spy. Malacia taking him through the path once to show him the storage site of
Suimo turned out to be quite helpful.

“Going straight ahead will lead you to the underground lake!”

Reaching the end of the passage where the ceiling was quite high, the three rushed
past. There was someone waiting for them.
As they threw open the gigantic steel gates, there was a man collapsed in front of the
gate, cradling the children, his head bleeding. Malacia.

“Malacia!?”
Lutora rushed to him, helping the limp Malacia to his feet.
Only the current Head Priest of the Shrine, Malacia could open the doors leading to the
underground lake. Although the children were hostages, he took the men round in
circles in the maze-like path, buying as much time as he could. He even put up a clear
fight right in front of the doors to the lake. The two men— one who tied up Julieta’s
hands and feet and carried her like a sack, and another with a scar on his face, were
irritated. They hit him and made him faint. Grabbing his unconscious hand and placing it
on the doors, they opened them.

“Julieta!”

Reflected in Sigurd’s eyes was Julieta’s figure along with the men carrying her on their
shoulder along the path illuminated by the gathering spirits. Hearing Sigurd, the men
noticed the three’s presence. They roughly tossed Julieta’s thin frame onto the
Sacrificial Altar.
Her binded limbs robbed her of freedom as the momentum pushed Julieta off the altar
and towards the lake.
She fell into the lake where the Ancient Dragon Kharis rested half his body, a lake filled
with water that was deadly poison to humans.

“Julieta—!”