n

n

n

nTranslator: Latte Proofreader: Adulldoll

n‘It might be because of the documents I had dropped when I bumped into her!’

nThe documents consisted of summarized information regarding the revision of the legislation.

nOnly the vassals were allowed to see it.

nBut it would be impossible for ordinary people to understand the bill, only those who had studied law since childhood would be able to!

nHe couldn’t believe it.

n‘Did she figure everything out while I was busy picking up the scattered papers? But isn’t she just a ten-year-old kid?! This is absurd!’

nBut Aria’s card didn’t end there.

n“Solicitation, establishment of false institutions, embezzlement, tax evasion, prejudice against women… There’s no end to it. You dare try to deceive the House of Valentine by committing these kinds of crimes?”

nLloyd didn’t raise his voice, but it sounded as if it were completely ruled out of emotion—as cold as ice.

n“How dare you?”

nDamn it.

nThe scribe broke into a cold sweat.

nThough the vassals were ignorant of the law, they wrote and organized the documents as tidy as possible. But in the end, their corruption still got caught.

nIt was a ridiculous mistake.

n“Are these reports true?”

n“……”

n“I asked if these reports were true, Count Beauport,” Tristan asked while staring at Aria with a strange look.

nLloyd lifted his sword and pointed it to the count’s neck without saying a word.

n“W-why me?”

nAll of the vassals’ eyes turned to Count Beauport.

nThe answer was obvious. Since he was the one holding the holy relic, it was obvious that he would be the representative of the vassals.

n‘What should I do?!’

nThe Count looked around desperately, asking for help.

nHowever, the other vassals just avoided the count’s gaze.

nIn the absence of any hesitation, Beauport gritted his teeth.

nHe had no choice but to answer.

nHe already knew the answer from the moment when the holy relic appeared.

n“Cough! Baron Stewart, you have committed a grave sin.”

nThe count handed over the holy relics to the scribe standing next to him.

n“What?! I only followed your instructions! Didn’t you promise to promote me to a law enforcement officer if I followed your commands?”

n“Oh, and when did I do that?! Don’t make up lies, you sinner!”

nSurprisingly, the holy relic had no reaction, which means that the scribe’s words were the truth.

n‘He dug his own grave,’ Aria clicked her tongue.

nThe vassals kept passing bombs towards one another, only to belatedly realize that they were self-destructing themselves.

n“Are you aware that you’ve toyed with the Grand Duchy’s law?” Tristan finally spoke.

nHe continued, pulling out a sword from his knight’s sheath.

n“I shall dispose of you all.”

nAria shuddered.

nShe had felt this killing intent before.

nIn the Ingo Mountains where she first met Tristan, and when Lloyd first entered the palace.

nThe overwhelming aura that makes one’s existence feel like a mere ant.

n“……”

nLloyd was about to pull out his sword as well. However, he stopped once he looked at Aria.

nWith a short sigh, he raised his hand and put it in front of Aria’s eyes.

nAt the same time, Aria heard the sound of a blade cutting through the air.

nRather than a sharp cutting sound, it sounded more… blunt.

n“Have mercy! Argh!”

n“Y-Your Highness, please… Oh my Lord!

nThe screams of the vassals could be heard, one after another, until it finally stopped…

nThey breathed their last.

nThe smell of blood entered her nose.

nSuddenly, Vincent approached Aria and covered her ears with both his hands.

n‘…Huh?’

nAria stood in confusion. Her vision was covered and now her ears were blocked.

nCount Beauport’s final plea filled the basement.

n“Your Highness… Please hear this humble servant’s words! In fact, I’m here because I know a great secret.”

nThe Count could not die alone.

nNow that things have come to this point, he was going to bring down the second prince with him.

n“D-do you want to know why the second prince wouldn’t tell you the reason for being in the feeding den? Because his mother was a prostitute!”

n“Who his mother is doesn’t bother me.”

nThe Count knew that he would answer that.

nBut that didn’t matter.

nAfter a moment’s pause, the Count gave Vincent a crooked smile.

nThe boy’s hand, which was wrapped around Aria’s ear, trembled in fear.

nThe Count spoke in a more dramatic tone, “He’s the son of a prey.”

nThis is what Vincent was trying to hide.

nBeing the children of a prey was considered to be a great disgrace in the Grand Duchy. It was extremely taboo that many children have been banished from the land.

nVincent’s biological mother was a prostitute from the gutter.

nIn addition, his mother voluntarily cut off her own tongue to become a prey to the gutter rat.

nFortunately, Vincent ran away before his tongue was cut off and headed for the Valentine Palace.

nAnd like a miracle, he was adopted as the Grand Duke’s second son, despite having very little Valentine blood.

n“Everyone knows that their children are the prey’s right-hand. The offspring of a prey are fed to become another prey without a single exception!”

nEven if one were to thoroughly erase their traces so that they could hide their tail, one could easily reveal them if their tail was long.

nThe Count overheard the story in a brothel.

nAn angel-looking noble boy with blond blue eyes who frequently visits the gutter’s feeding hole.

nHe only heard of those rumors after bribing a bunch of prostitutes.

n‘Cause the deadliest secret is to wander in the darkest place, not the brightest.’

nThe Count thought this must be the Grand Duke’s first time hearing it.

n“Does Your Majesty know that he’s been in and out of the gutter for five years! He plans to sneak out the prostitute, no, the prey, out of the gutter!”

nCount Beauport has always regarded Vincent as an eyesore.

n‘Even though I’ve married a witless woman from the imperial family.’

nThe House of Beauport had a long history.

nAlthough the house was very wealthy, the count was not satisfied and so he married the late emperor’s niece.

nHis wife, the late emperor’s niece, was cherished by the late emperor himself, thus, he was able to establish a relationship with the imperial family.

nNevertheless, he had been completely pushed out of the imperial government since the death of the late emperor.

nVincent, on the other hand, was regarded and praised as a genius for being a distant relative of Valentine.

nWhy was the world so unfair?

n‘Why do people say that only nobles have blue blood? Because we were chosen by God!’

nSo why is it that the count, his wife and his children live less than the son of a gutter rat?

nIt was absurd!

n“By God’s bones, this young lad is mad! To think of sneaking food out of a feeding den! You want to save her? Or are you bringing your mother to her demise? Either way, I’ll make sure that never happens!”

nEven if Vincent blocked Aria’s ears, she could still hear everything.

n“Your Highness cannot let this be as the Grand Duchy is at stake! Even if he looks fine, he might have already been brainwashed! Or even if he’s alright now, he might be influenced by his mother someday!” The Count shouted in a voice seething with evil.

nAria felt Vincent’s hands loosened from her ears.

nThus, she placed her hand on the boy’s palm and held it tightly.

nAs if she already knew.

nShe wanted him to know that there was nothing to tremble about.

nHe had nothing to be ashamed of.

nThe hand that covered her eyes and ears flinched at the same time.

nSuddenly…

n“It doesn’t matter where he’s from,” Tristan spoke as if he had read Aria’s mind.

nHe continued, “You know, no one has heard me say the same thing three times.”

nThen a sharp metallic ring cut through the air.

n“Because I killed them all.”

nThe sound of breathing completely stopped.

nAnd red blood soaked the floor.

nNow all that was left in the basement were the three men of Valentine, the Black Falcons, the stunned preys, and Aria.

n“Now, move the little ones out of this room,” Tristan said as he forced them out of the basement.

n* * *

nThe Black Falcons escorted the children to the hall.

nThen, they bowed down, and stepped back.

n“……”

nLloyd was stunned for a moment.

nWas he kicked out for being a kid?

n‘When it’s such a huge family matter…’

nHe wanted to get back in.

nSuddenly, he saw Aria from the corner of his eyes.

nHe softened his expression.

n‘….?’

nWhat? Just now…

nLloyd tried his best to calm his expression, but he still looked sour.

nHe spoke calmly, “I did what you said.”

nFrom his inner pocket, the boy took out the card that Aria had handed him.

nIs the authority you gave me still in effect?

nThe first time he saw the card, Lloyd thought, ‘Of course it is.’

nThe power was absolute and will never cease to exist. Once she had attained it, no one would be able to defy her orders. It could only be taken away from people of the same power or higher.

n“Yes, it’s valid,” Lloyd replied.

nHe wondered what she was about to do.

nThen do as I say.

nAria suddenly gave him an order.

nIt was the most unbelievable thing Lloyd had ever experienced in his entire life.

nHe couldn’t believe she was using the authority he gave her just to order him around.

nStill, he had no choice. So he followed her for the rest of the day, not knowing what kind of order she was about to make.

nHowever, Lloyd expected her commands to be more human-like.

n‘Nasty and selfish.’

nOf course, he was completely off the mark.

n‘I didn’t give her the authority to use it for this.’

nThanks to Aria, Vincent was able to avoid being evicted under false accusation. She even dealt with all of the corrupt vassals at once.

nThough, the outcome was good.

n‘This isn’t what I wanted her to wish for….’

n