In the southern city of Bassau, a small mansion stood in a town that, among the many provincial capitals in the south, was so small it was better to count it from the bottom.
In this mansion, Baron Dennis von Sitterheim, who should have been the lord of the village where Linfia and others lived, found himself in a difficult situation.
"So... Duke Krueger has no intention of helping me?"
"That's how it is."
Listening to the words of the messenger sent by Duke Sveng von Krueger, Dennis wore a face as if he had bitten into a bitter bug.
"Then what am I supposed to do?"
"We would like you to be the mastermind of the incident. Everything will be attributed to your doing."
The messenger said this with a smile, fully believing that Dennis would accept it.
"For the sake of the south..."
"That's right. One-third of the southern nobles, including you, are cooperating with Duke Krueger. We want you to sacrifice yourself to protect many southern nobles. You cannot avoid being pursued anymore."
How did it come to this?
Dennis sighed deeply.
Dennis was thirty-three this year. He became a lord ten years ago, but now he felt nothing but shame about it.
It started with his father's will.
A year after the emperor's declaration that the refugees would become imperial citizens, Dennis's father passed away. At that time, his father told Dennis that even if the refugees were imperial citizens, they would never be his subjects.
Dennis's father had been injured in the leg by unruly refugees and had been immobile ever since. This resentment led to the words Dennis accepted.
A few years later, this matter was exposed to Duke Krueger. Threatened with the loss of his position as lord, Dennis was forced to assist a human trafficking organization.
Now, the organization's base was set up in the mansion's basement, and knights loyal to Duke Krueger patrolled the mansion to prevent Dennis from betraying them.
He was cornered in a situation where there was no turning back, and now he was about to be abandoned.
"If I comply, will the safety of my subjects be guaranteed?"
"Of course."
The messenger's words sounded terribly insincere.
Once, driven by his conscience, Dennis had tried to appeal to the emperor. At that time, the Sitterheim barony was subjected to a grand harassment by the southern nobles, who obstructed trade and ravaged crops. The crops did not grow properly, and with trade obstructed, the people were on the brink of starvation.
Dennis apologized to Duke Krueger and pledged his loyalty to protect his subjects.
If he betrayed them this time, what would happen to his subjects?
That's why Dennis was almost resigned.
"Then, I'll go along with it. I'll be the mastermind and be arrested."
"Thank you. We will not forget your sacrifice for the south."
"Save your words. How about being honest and saying it's for Duke Krueger? He has almost all of the south under his control, acting like a king. What is he thinking?"
"That is none of your concern."
"It is not none of my concern. Since I will be a stepping stone for Duke Krueger, is he planning a coup?"
"Hah... Our lord is not thinking of such things. Just say everything is for the imperial succession."
"I see... He intends to threaten a southern rebellion if necessary and put Prince Zandra on the throne. If that happens, the Krueger family will be the most powerful in-laws. Given the fifth princess, they will surely appoint Krueger family members to key positions. Indeed, it's not a coup but a takeover."
Despite Dennis's sharp criticism, the messenger was unperturbed. After all, it was not uncommon in the history of the empire. However, emperors who valued in-laws did not last long, as they lost the support of other nobles.
What did Duke Krueger think about this?
A man who manipulated a human trafficking organization and skillfully brought southern nobles into his fold must have had something in mind.
But that was not his concern. As Dennis mocked himself, the messenger's body suddenly sprouted a blade.
"Ah...!"
"What!?"
The young female knight whispered, "I'm sorry, my lord."
This knight, with her bright chestnut hair cut to her shoulders, was not just any knight to Dennis.
"Rebecca!? What do you think you're doing!?"
"You mustn't believe them! They intended to kill you!"
"What!?"
"They planned to make you write a confession and then kill you, presenting it to Prince Leonard! Run quickly!"
Looking around, several more knights had entered the room.
They were the few knights who remained loyal to the Sitterheim family.
"Go to Prince Leonard and expose the duke's crimes! The prince is a man of character, having not abandoned survivors in the Albatross Principality! He will surely help you!"
"..."
Dennis fell silent after hearing Rebecca's words.
He could probably escape from this city.
But could he really escape?
At this critical juncture, he could not ignore the possibility of betrayal. After all, Dennis had once tried to betray.
There would undoubtedly be ambushes on the way to Prince Leonard. Dennis read the situation and sighed deeply, laughing at his own foolishness.
"Hahaha... I am a useless man."
"My lord?"
"...Knight Rebecca. I have a task for you."
Saying this, Dennis stepped on the floor in the corner of the room.
The floor opened with a click, and a letter emerged. It was a letter written by Dennis, detailing the crimes of Duke Krueger and the southern nobles.
Dennis had written it himself, and it bore a magical blood seal used in special contracts, enhancing its credibility.
"Take this letter to the capital."
"Such a thing!? You're telling me to escape alone!?"
"You are the daughter of my best friend. To me, you were like a daughter... That's why I entrust this to you. Please go to the capital and present this letter to His Majesty the Emperor."
"No! I won't leave you, my lord!"
"That won't do. You are young. You should not die here."
Saying this, Dennis picked up a sword leaning against the wall.
Rebecca realized Dennis was prepared to die.
After losing her parents at a young age, her lord had become a father figure to her. She could not bear to see him die.
"I will fight too! I will repay the kindness you showed me!"
"I didn't raise you to die! Live... Please grant this pitiful request of mine."
"No! I can't hear it! At least escape with you, my lord!"
"I have abandoned many children... I no longer wish to live. Of course, it's not a death of honor. There is no honor left in my family. But at least, I must fulfill my duty as a noble in the end."
Saying this, Dennis looked at the other knights.
They all had determined expressions. They were originally prepared to die to protect their lord. If their lord had something he wanted to do in the end, no one would stop him.
"Duty as a noble... Is dying your duty!?"
"No, it's to save. The children gathered from the south are brought here to be evaluated. Many children are still in this mansion. I cannot escape. Right?"
"But... If so, I will also fight as a knight!"
"A knight's duty is to protect their lord. I will not allow any more selfishness! Go! Knight Rebecca!"
His tone was strong and left no room for argument.
Rebecca, receiving the order, knelt and respectfully took the letter, tears streaming down her face.
Footsteps were heard from outside.
Hearing this, Dennis gave his final instructions.
"Go out the window. While we fight, spread the word of the rebellion in the city. Use the confusion to head to the capital!"
"Yes..."
Rebecca waited by the window.
Dennis kicked open the door and began to battle the knights loyal to Duke Krueger.
Rebecca burned the image of his back into her mind and stepped out the window.
Then she shouted,
"Rebellion! A rebellion has broken out at the lord's mansion! Everyone, run—!"
Rebecca ran, shouting, starting her long journey to the capital.
■■■
"Uaaaaaah!!"
Dennis cut down one knight and charged at another.
They had already invaded the basement of the mansion.
The knights loyal to Dennis were more numerous than he had expected, and they fought fiercely to protect their lord, defeating the knights of the Krueger family who had been walking around the mansion as if it were their own.
"Ahiii!!??"
"Out of the way!"
The slave traders in the basement were paralyzed, but Dennis decapitated them without hesitation.
They were the Krueger family's henchmen who had been selecting children in the basement.
Dennis had no mercy for them.
Finally, Dennis and a few knights reached the cell where the children were held.
In the dimly lit cell, dozens of children were chained.
Seeing the unhygienic conditions and their emaciated bodies, Dennis was overwhelmed with regret for not acting sooner.
"It's safe now! We've come to rescue you!"
Dennis took the key from a dead guard and opened the cell.
But the children remained frozen, not moving.
Seeing this, Dennis sheathed his sword and slowly entered the cell.
"It's safe now... I'll get you out of here..."
"Really...?"
A young girl whispered.
The girl, around ten years old, had heterochromia, one eye blue and the other red.
Dennis guessed she was from a refugee village and clenched his lips.
"Yes, really..."
"Can we go back to the village...?"
"Yes, you can..."
"Can I see Lin-nee...?"
"Yes, you can. A kind person named Prince Leonard is nearby. He will help you."
Saying this, Dennis slowly approached the girl.
He gently embraced the dirty girl.
"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."
"I want to go home... I want to go home..."
Stroking the crying girl's hair, Dennis nodded deeply.
He looked at the other children and declared,
"I'll take all of you back. I promise."
The children's faces lit up with smiles.
But then,
"You can't say that."
A man in black stabbed Dennis in the back from behind.
Dennis coughed up blood but, with his last strength, pulled out his sword and swung at the man.
However, the attack missed.
The man was a trainer of assassins, skilled in swordsmanship, and was not an opponent for Dennis, who was already mortally wounded.