Edge Forys (4)

Edge Forys finally decided to release Lost.

However, while he was known for arbitrarily imprisoning people, this was the first time anyone had seen him release someone like this, which raised questioning voices within the family.

“My lord, are you sure it’s alright to release him just like that?”

“Hmm?”

Not many could directly ask such questions.

Even Edge Forys’s heir couldn’t do so. However, there was one person who was permitted.

“Oh, my granddaughter. What’s troubling you?”

Siris Forys.

The family’s late-born youngest.

Edge Forys smiled broadly, as if casting aside all his previous dignity.

Even someone as monstrous as him was just another doting grandfather when it came to his granddaughter’s antics.

“That person! Right there! Waaay over there, that person!”

Siris pointed at a man who appeared to be around her age, walking in the garden outside the window. It was Lost.

“Did you find out who he is? Are you confident enough that there won’t be any problems?”

“No, not yet. I still haven’t uncovered that suspicious fellow’s true identity.”

“What? Then why…”

Edge Forys couldn’t help but smile at his granddaughter’s innocent expression.

“Well, let’s think about it this way. If you went to the kitchen and saw flour, eggs, and an oven, what dish would come to mind?”

“Um… bread?”

“That’s what most people would think. But being the twisted person I am, something else came to mind rather than bread.”

Cooking ingredients so perfectly packaged they practically invited assumptions.

Someone else might have happily consumed what was presented, but he was different.

“You have to look at where those ingredients came from first. They might be laced with poison.”

“Ah!”

“That’s why you need to discard what should be discarded and keep only what’s necessary.”

“I understand what you’re saying, but I don’t see how it relates to the current situation.”

“What if the ingredients before you were rare? If someone laid out hard-to-obtain ingredients and pushed you to make an obvious dish?”

“…You’d still be careful because there might be poison, right?”

“Yes, you should be careful. With ingredients of that caliber, even checking for poison could be considered disrespectful.”

He doesn’t completely trust Lost.

However, the value of the ingredients Lost offered was simply too high.

Though suspicious, he’s still a priest. If a priest needs to hide something that involves even the Pope, it’s best not to get involved.

The chances of getting caught up in troublesome matters would be high. That would be quite annoying. When it comes to church-related matters, eight or nine times out of ten, it involves half-demons.

Therefore, Edge Forys only needed to judge one thing.

“So we need to know about the person who sent the ingredients, not the ingredients themselves. If we know what kind of person they are, we can determine whether they’d send me poison or not.”

Lost’s identity doesn’t matter.

What needs to be understood is what he’s trying to do. Whether it will harm or benefit him. Or if it will amount to nothing.

“Then what are you planning to do?”

“We need to prepare our own dish.”

Edge Forys looked out the window. Though it was a short stay, he had permitted Lost to wander around the mansion’s garden, which was visible to him.

“Now that we have our ingredients ready, let’s see if he can handle the dish that will be served.”

And there was someone blatantly following Lost around.

Lost probably knew this too.

That’s why he was doing something as uncharacteristic as taking a walk, leading the other party to a secluded location.

And when he confirms who the other party is, how will he react?

“We have the reason for the attack on Baron Ryan’s mansion, and circumstances suggesting Burke Ryan might have been a half-demon. Add to that the existence of a heresy inquisitor pulling strings from behind.”

Look at that.

Already the ingredients are gathering in a way that makes what will be made clearly visible.

“Will he hide it? Argue against it? Or acknowledge it and perhaps even apologize?”

The smile that had lingered on Edge Forys’s lips during his conversation with his granddaughter began to harden.

“Even if the completed dish is obviously poisoned, would he have the confidence not to overturn the table?”

Edge Forys didn’t hide the circumstances of this incident from Claire.

Even if it was confidential information and could expose his own weakness, she was the concerned party. So he readily shared the information about Lost too.

It’s something he disapproves of.

Hiding the target of resentment from a girl who has lost everything shouldn’t be done.

Even if it means turning the entire Pantheon Temple into an enemy, he won’t go back on this.

“If he’s truly righteous, he’ll have to swallow it.”

Edge Forys is the lord who rules the Duchy of Forys.

As such, if he doesn’t take the side of a girl belonging to his territory, even if she’s from another noble family, who else would take her side?

“If not, I’ll personally cut his throat.”

He was always prepared.

Prepared to turn even the world into an enemy for what he believes in.

*     *     *

I never intended to avoid it in the first place.

The intention to hide what I did from Claire Ryan, that is.

“Hello.”

I could finally see the face of the girl who had been following behind me.

I knew who she was. I had no intention of avoiding the conversation. That’s why I led her to a secluded place.

She might not want anyone to see her crying.

This is my own way of being considerate.

However…

“Do you know who I am?”

“……”

It seems I was the one who wasn’t mentally prepared enough.

The Claire I knew was a bold and strong, nearly perfect knight.

But the girl before me isn’t that. This is before I first met her, when she was at her most fragile and difficult time.

“I’m Claire Ryan. Would it be alright if I asked you something, Lost?”

But her eyes were different.

When I met her at the Ryan baronial mansion, her eyes were empty and void of anything, but now they hold clear determination.

“…Yes, Claire Ryan. Ask whatever questions you have.”

“I heard you planned this attack, is that true?”

“No.”

“Then did you guide it to happen?”

“Yes.”

Claire took a deep breath.

It looked as if she was preparing herself mentally.

“Where were you during the attack on the mansion?”

“Nearby. Even if I told you where, you wouldn’t know. You’d have to search every alley, and that would be too much for your physical condition.”

Despite my evasive answer, Claire simply nodded.

“I heard you’re a heresy inquisitor. Is that true?”

“Normally that’s something I shouldn’t reveal but… yes, it’s true.”

“……”

There’s no reason to deny it.

Claire already came knowing everything. No doubt that stubborn old man had already run his mouth.

“In turn, let me ask you one thing.”

“Yes?”

I already know what question will come next. It will just be obvious questions and obvious answers.

So I’ll boldly skip that.

“Did you know your brother had become a half-demon?”

When one becomes a half-demon, their eyes turn red. Though they can control it to some extent, they can’t be conscious of it every day.

If Burke had been capable of that, he could have hidden it well even in front of me.

But Burke easily revealed his red eyes in front of holy light. That’s proof he was inexperienced at hiding his half-demon nature.

His family probably didn’t care.

They were family he despised so much he didn’t even want to see them.

But what about someone he could truly call family? Yes, someone he was prepared to throw his life away for?

“……”

Claire said nothing. I didn’t blame her for that.

Questions are for getting answers, but you don’t always need to hear the answer. There are many ways to get answers without words.

Yes, she knew too.

How could she not have known when she was closer to him than anyone?

“…Was that the only way?”

“No, there was another. Throwing him into an underground prison where no one would ever find him. Depending on the circumstances, that could be even crueler than death.”

That’s more like giving up than a solution. Even if they don’t want to die, the Pantheon Temple can’t do anything for them.

They just store them away in deep places, holding onto some hope for an uncertain future.

“You had a chance too.”

“……”

“You had the chance to arrange your family member’s end with your own hands.”

People know well what the end of a half-demon is like. When there’s no priest around, they keep attacking until they die.

That’s especially true the stronger the half-demon is, the longer they’ve lived.

When they first become a half-demon, they’re not much different from humans. Claire had the chance to stop Burke when he first started down the wrong path.

She knew but turned a blind eye.

“Claire Ryan, these are Burke Ryan’s last words. I agreed to fulfill them, and now only your choice remains.”

“What… what were his last words?”

“He said he was sorry for being an inadequate brother. He also asked me to make sure you could live on.”

“Is that why?”

“……”

“Is that why you’re trying to push me with such cruel words?”

Claire Ryan was clever.

Yes, that’s right. I’m trying to give her a reason to live.

The reason she showed no fear of death when meeting Edge Forys was because she had no reason to live.

Therefore, her coming to find me like this, sending me gazes of hatred, isn’t a bad thing.

“You could entrust yourself to the church and become a priest without knowing anything.”

That much support is possible.

The church won’t turn Claire away either. Just leaving money for her would be enough for them to do their best.

I have that much money. The money my master left me is sufficient.

“The other option is to follow me. Leading that weak body of yours, learning by my side, having the chance to face your enemy from the closest position.”

For revenge, being in the closest position is better.

I’m willing to wait until she acts that way.

But I don’t think she’ll seek revenge.

Even before my regression, that was true. Though she disliked me, she never sought revenge or tried to disadvantage me.

She has that kind of firm sense of justice that can judge right from wrong.

“What will you do?”

Therefore, she needs to experience more of the world first. Only then can she find a happy life.

*     *     *

Edge Forys was listening to the conversation between Lost and Claire.

There was no place in this mansion that could escape his gaze.

That’s what it means to be a 7th circle grand mage who can control space.

It’s essentially a fortress of the mind that ensures no one can betray him.

“Cunning fellow.”

Lost didn’t hide anything. Rather, he revealed things from his side.

He’s being upright. He believes his actions were right. Even if it means being resented for them.

He judged that was the right thing to do. On top of that, he even provided an opportunity for revenge.

Of course, this probably means he’s confident he won’t die. Originally, such a fragile child couldn’t defeat Lost who has trained both body and mind.

“Still.”

But who knows what might happen later.

The risk that Claire might build up strength and knowledge, potentially targeting him from behind.

He’s accepting that risk.

The reason for taking such action is obvious.

“It’s not worth killing him.”

It’s practically the same as Lost saying he’ll protect Claire. He’ll take responsibility for the family of the person he killed.

Though it’s vexing, he’s saying he’ll take responsibility for his actions.

If that’s the case, Edge Forys has no reason to step in. At least he won’t need to kill him over this incident.

“My lord. A guest has arrived.”

“Yes, I can sense it.”

Edge Forys withdrew his gaze from the window.

He feels an unpleasant sensation like insects crawling over his body.

It’s someone he knows.

How could he not? It’s an opponent he’s been engaged in countless political battles with since his youth until now.

Edge Forys’s only political rival besides the Empire’s emperor.

“Send those ones away. I’m about to receive an important guest. It would be troublesome for them too if they catch his eye.”

The Empire’s other duke.

Wallace Hope has appeared.