Chapter 69
The Marquis shook his head at my question.
“I haven’t found out yet.”
“Were there no survivors at all?”
“They were a determined lot. Aside from the five that entered your room, the rest poisoned themselves the moment the situation turned unfavorable.”
It seemed they had hired a rather skilled assassination group.
Sensing defeat, they immediately took poison without hesitation.
“Kyle.”
“Yes.”
“It seems they were targeting your subordinates rather than you. Do you have any suspicions about why?”
Of course, I did.
Viscount Remington in Prinus.
If not for that man, there would be no reason for them to target Seron and Erciel instead of me.
‘Speaking of Prinus.’
Prinus.
Come to think of it, this was also quite a good location to establish a Magic Tower.
For starters, it was located very close to Trastan.
It was also a city well-known for its entertainment, frequently visited by prominent figures from the Eastern Region.
High-spending individuals would likely attempt to purchase any high-quality artifacts produced by a Magic Tower.
It was the perfect city to sell luxury goods.
‘There’s also a mana stone mine nearby.’
In addition, the city had abundant natural resources in its vicinity.
Despite all its advantages, I hadn’t initially considered it as a candidate due to Viscount Remington, who had firmly entrenched himself in the city.
With the city’s owner grinding his teeth at me, establishing a Magic Tower there would have been unrealistic.
But now, things were different.
Viscount Remington.
This was the perfect opportunity to eliminate him.
If that man were to disappear, there would be no problem establishing a Magic Tower in the city.
Then, I would just have to ensure his disappearance.
“I do have a suspicion.”
“What is it?”
I briefly explained the events that had taken place in Prinus.
From the illegal fighting arena to rescuing Seron.
The Marquis, listening to my account, nodded quietly.
“So, you’re saying that Viscount Remington bears a grudge against you?”
“Most likely. And considering the assassins targeted Seron and Erciel instead of me, doesn’t that strike you as odd?”
“From what you’ve said, it sounds like the Viscount must have known about the two.”
“Yes. It’s highly likely he interrogated the surviving gladiators from the fighting arena and learned about them. There’s no one else besides the Viscount who would have the motive to directly target those two. Moreover…”
I glanced at the Marquis before continuing.
“There may also have been an internal collaborator.”
“A collaborator?”
“Even with a high-ranking assassin among them, it’s unlikely they could have breached the security so easily without inside help.”
“…Yes, I was suspicious of that as well.”
A collaborator.
I had a rough idea of who it might be.
It would be someone who was close to Viscount Remington and disliked me.
‘Baron Hemington.’
To my knowledge, there was only one person who fit the bill: this greedy noble who frequently visited Prinus.
The Baron likely maintained regular contact with the Viscount.
Previously, Viscount Remington had no reason to interfere with me, but now, with animosity brewing between us, things had changed.
‘The Baron must have sent word to him.’
After learning of my and Leonhardt’s movements toward Helena, they likely commissioned this assassination attempt.
Erciel and Seron.
The Viscount must have realized how highly I valued those two.
So, he had aimed for a devastating blow.
Prinus.
It seemed the city’s ruler needed replacing.
If I could claim the territory afterward, managing a Magic Tower would become much easier.
‘A lordship.’
Holding the title of both Magic Tower Master and Lord would obviously be far better than just being a Tower Master.
While I was lost in thought, the Marquis spoke again.
“Even if the Viscount is suspicious, we can’t hold him accountable without solid evidence.”
That was true.
Everything required plausible justification.
In that case…?
I would simply have to create irrefutable evidence that would leave the Viscount no room to escape.
“Father.”
“What is it?”
“If definitive proof were found that the Viscount is guilty, what would you do?”
The Marquis’s eyes glimmered with interest at my question.
“If the evidence is solid, I would wipe out the Viscount’s forces entirely. It is a rather desirable city, after all.”
Prinus.
Though it was a medium-sized city, its income was among the best.
With the right justification, it would be tempting to seize it in one fell swoop.
Money was always welcome.
I gave the Marquis a sly smile.
“There’s a way to obtain that proof.”
“How?”
“We can examine the memories of the deceased assassins.”
“How could you view the memories of someone who’s already dead?”
“With the right artifact, it’s entirely possible.”
The Marquis’s expression filled with doubt.
“…Such artifacts exist?”
They did.
This world contained many artifacts, some of which were accessible only to players.
The artifact I mentioned was one of them.
Now, how could I plausibly explain my knowledge of it?
The solution came quickly.
I had an idea.
“I’ve seen the crafting method before.”
“…The crafting method? Where?”
“Take a look at this.”
I pulled a staff from my magic pouch as I spoke.
“It’s an artifact.”
The Marquis gave a bitter smile at my words.
“Obtained from a dungeon?”
“Yes. Do you remember when I visited Count Nairon’s estate? On the way there, I happened to stumble upon a dungeon.”
The Marquis smirked knowingly.
“Did you hide it?”
“Yes. I figured it would be a place I couldn’t protect on my own if it became public knowledge. That’s why Leonhardt, Erciel, and I explored it together. This staff is one of the things we found there.”
“I thought Leonhardt’s weapon had been upgraded significantly. So, it was from the dungeon?”
“Are you referring to Leonhardt?”
“Yes. I assumed it was just a sword you obtained after some searching. I didn’t think it was from a dungeon.”
Well now.
This was new information.
It seemed Leonhardt had deliberately reported it that way to keep the dungeon a secret, even from the Marquis.
What a loyal knight indeed.
“He must have done it out of loyalty.”
“Quite possibly. And the crafting method for the artifact you mentioned?”
“Yes, it was also found in the dungeon. It was written on one of the murals.”
Dungeons.
Places where the rewards were entirely unknown until one cleared them.
Even if an extraordinary crafting method was inscribed on the walls, it wouldn’t be entirely surprising.
The mention of a dungeon seemed to clarify things for the Marquis, who nodded.
“I see. It must be quite a useful artifact. Can you really craft it?”
“As long as I have the necessary materials.”
“I’ll provide support.”
“Thank you. Oh, one more thing, Father.”
“What is it?”
“If we obtain evidence and manage to eliminate the Viscount’s estate, could I manage Prinus?”
“You?”
“Yes. Someone will need to govern it. Please entrust it to me.”
The Marquis furrowed his brows slightly.
He was probably planning to send Abel or Adolf, whichever of my brothers wasn’t chosen as the successor.
But in truth, there was only one real candidate for internal management.
Adolf would undoubtedly perish in the rebellion, leaving only Abel to govern Trastan.
‘As for Duke…’
Frankly, he wasn’t fit to manage an estate.
That left only me.
Sure, they could appoint a vassal, but…
‘Giving it to me would be far better.’
After all, blood is thicker than water.
I intended to convince the Marquis of this.
“Do you have a reason for this request?”
“I plan to establish a Magic Tower there.”
“In Prinus?”
“Yes. Upon further thought, it seems like an ideal location. If I manage the city, it will greatly benefit the Magic Tower I intend to build.”
This would create a synergy effect.
The Marquis gave me a long look.
“Kyle.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Although Prinus is a small city even among mid-sized ones, governing a city is no easy task.”
What’s difficult depends on the person.
I was brimming with confidence.
After all, I had ten years of experience playing this game and had governed countless territories.
“If you trust me with it, I promise you won’t regret it.”
“You’ll have to send 15% of the city’s revenue to the family. Even after that, do you believe you can develop the city?”
“Yes, absolutely.”
Fifteen percent.
A significant amount, but reasonable considering the family would be investing resources to secure the city.
And I was confident I could manage it.
‘I’ll simply increase the city’s overall revenue.’
With proper planning, I could quickly develop Prinus.
If this was the cost of becoming a lord, it was a bargain.
“Even if you go there, I can’t grant you the formal title of Lord right away. Convincing the Imperial Court will be difficult. For now, you’ll have to settle for an interim governor position.”
That made sense.
The Imperial Court might immediately grant the title to Abel or Adolf, who had built reputations, but I was different.
A mere 12-year-old, 1-circle mage trying to establish a fledgling Magic Tower.
Someone whose change in behavior was relatively recent.
If the Marquis requested the title on my behalf, the Imperial Court would likely scoff.
Though, they wouldn’t do so openly.
“If we attach conditions, it might work. Something like granting the formal title of Lord if I can rapidly develop the city within a set period.”
“If you fail, someone unfit might become the Lord instead. Neither the Imperial Court nor other families will overlook such a failure. Do you believe I should take that risk?”
“If that happens, I’ll dedicate my life to serving the family.”
Perhaps my firm tone convinced him.
“Well, then.”
The Marquis let out a small laugh.
It was clearly a tempting proposition.
He already understood my worth as a mage.
Compared to a medium-sized city like Prinus, my modified Storm Sword alone was worth far more.
His deliberation didn’t last long.
“Fine. If you craft the artifact and uncover solid evidence, I’ll grant your request.”
Permission granted.
“Thank you.”
“Take the necessary materials from the Magic Warehouse.”
“Yes. However, the materials required are substantial. It will cost around 200 platinum coins.”
“That’s expensive.”
“Judging by the mural, this artifact appears to originate from the era of the Ancient Empire. That’s likely why it requires such costly materials.”
“…Very well. But if you’re taking that much, you’d better find the evidence.”
“Of course, Father.”
Even if I used 200 platinum coins worth of materials, taking over Prinus would be a steal.
Naturally, I intended to take this opportunity to acquire more materials for other purposes.
The artifact I was crafting now was based on a recipe available only to players, meaning no one else could replicate it.
It was the perfect chance for some creative embezzlement.
As long as I delivered results, who would question it?
‘Now to gather the materials for Seron’s artifact as well.’
After extracting materials from the Magic Warehouse, I began crafting the artifact.
It took about four hours to complete the artifact, which was designed to view a deceased person’s memories.
When I presented it to the Marquis, he examined it with interest.
“It’s complete. However, it’s a one-time-use artifact. I believe we should use it on the high-rank assassin.”
“…Using 200 platinum coins for a single attempt at viewing memories?”
“It’s a high-value artifact, after all.”
“…Very well. Follow me.”
The Marquis led me to a hidden chamber in his office.
The moment we descended into the underground space, five mutilated corpses came into view.
“That one.”
The Marquis pointed to a corpse in the center.
The assassin wore a necklace bearing the Blue Seal, marking him as a high-rank assassin.
I channeled mana into the artifact.
It was time to uncover his memories.
—
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