Chapter 169: This Is Important, You Know
From the room across the hall, numerous presences could also be felt. When the door opened, knights of the ducal house came out.
“Who are you?”
“Hey, everyone’s been taken down!”
“Suspicious guy! Arrest him!”
They were too close, so I quickly created a [Perforated Balloon!] as tall as I was and inflated it.
“Hey, don’t push!”
“No, something’s in front…!”
“What are you backing away for! What was that scream just now!”
Alright, good—I managed to push them back and block the entrance, so I sent [Whirlwind!] into the room.
The five who had been pushed back were bundled up inside [Whirlwind!], and the room fell into panic, but I didn’t care and just kept spinning them around.
By the time my “color timer” would light up, the room would probably look like a scene from hell—but that’s not my problem.
I also blew away the men in the corridor with [Whirlwind!].
“L-Leon, are you alright?”
“Please stay inside the room for a while and keep the door closed. I’ll clear the obstacles in the corridor and deal with the people in the back rooms.”
“Understood. Hey, make sure the door is properly shut.”
Oh, look at that—the knights who had been peeking out from the door quickly pulled their heads back inside and closed it.
I advanced while creating [Whirlwind!], drawing the chairs and tables blocking the corridor into it, then drove it into the room occupied by the ducal soldiers.
With loud crashing and banging sounds, the door was blown away, followed by screams.
“Get out!”
“This is the third floor!”
“Don’t hesitate! Move!”
“Aaaah!”
Well, well. Jumping from the third floor takes some guts.
When I peeked inside, they were gathered near the windows, so I gave them a little help escaping.
I increased the power of [Whirlwind!] and moved it toward the windows. Perhaps they had steeled their resolve, because they flailed their limbs and jumped out.
Screams mixed with the sound of the wind, but I’ll interpret that as determination.
While I was still looking into the room, the others in different rooms had already panicked and fled.
I landed in front of a group like a flock of ducks to greet them.
“You said something earlier about a noble, something like Skoltin… Is he related to Vincens?”
“How insolent! Listen well! This is Skoltin Langueille, the heir of the House of Duke Langueille! You’re just an adventurer—why are you holding the royal banner?”
“You, kneel before Lord Skoltin!”
“Is this your doing? Let us out!”
The heir of Duke Langueille, huh. Seems they came to rescue the younger brother who was a criminal—but these guys don’t show even a shred of respect for the royal banner.
I took the royal banner out of my magic bag and waved it in front of them, saying, “You’re the ones who should kneel before the royal banner.” Their forehead veins popped out, but they just trembled and couldn’t speak.
They were so used to looking down on others that their tolerance for provocation was extremely low.
I returned to the third floor and made a request to Captain Josefane.
“Could I borrow about ten knights to take Skoltin Langueille and his group hostage?”
“Hostages? The lower floors are already completely surrounded.”
“They’re trapped inside my dome spell, so they can’t escape. Reinforcements are probably on their way, but waiting is annoying, so I’d like to report to the castle that we’ve already captured the fools downstairs.”
“I see… I did wonder why they weren’t moving—it was because of a dome.”
“I’ll go down first and clear the area. Please follow afterward.”
“Understood. Anyone who wants the honor of binding the duke’s heir as a hostage—step forward!”
Wow, Captain Josefane is quite the playful one.
Hearing that, his subordinates raised their hands with cheers—must take after their captain.
We moved down, clearing out remaining enemies in corridors and rooms. Word of the earlier chaos must have spread, because when I shouted at them to leave the building, they quickly complied.
“If they’re this obedient, they should’ve just stayed away from trying to rescue that idiot Vincens.”
“No, no—it’s because they feared Leon-dono’s magic.”
“There were many who got blown out of windows.”
“Rather than jumped… more like thrown out, really.”
We went downstairs, and I smashed through the hall window while advancing with an enlarged [Whirlwind!] both in front of and behind me.
“Wow, so this is the thing that was raging inside earlier.”
“If you got caught in that, you’d be in trouble.”
“With Leon-dono here, we might not even be needed.”
So carefree…
With their knights and soldiers scattered by [Whirlwind!], Skoltin and his entourage had gone pale.
“Sorry for the wait. The heir and his entourage—kneel.”
“What did you say… you lowborn scum…”
Ignoring their noise, I wrapped the escort knights in [Whirlwind!] and spun them around.
They were holding drawn swords while spinning dangerously, but I let them endure it since I’d fix their dizziness afterward.
After I released the dome, the knights rushed forward, pinned Skoltin down, and bound him before he could protest. They tied up his dizzy entourage just as efficiently.
We then returned in triumph to the third floor where Captain Josefane was waiting.
“Well now, they’re being treated like children.”
“Calling these rough old men children… maybe the captain’s eyesight is bad. Anyway, I’ll be back by tomorrow morning at the latest, but if their side comes to rescue them, feel free to kill them. I take responsibility. Since I’m authorized, do as you see fit.”
As I said this while lightly patting Skoltin and the seven others on the head, Captain Josefane grinned and loudly told his men, “You heard him. In case of emergency, don’t hesitate!”
“You heard that. If your subordinates come to rescue you, you’ll be the first to die—don’t expect to be saved.”
After saying that, I opened the window, waved to Captain Josefane, created an updraft, and jumped out.
The moment I exited the window, I created a [Perforated Balloon!] and rode the rising wind heading west.
I landed near a bell outside the office of Chancellor Brighton, adjusting the wind direction so the bell rang as I landed.
An aide serving Marginus immediately came to greet me and led me into the chancellor’s office after bowing.
“How are things at Marquis Romberg’s estate?”
“There was resistance, but we secured the victims, and the heir, along with his relatives and close aides, have been captured. Separately, Skoltin Langueille—the heir of Duke Langueille—who came to rescue Vincens, along with his entourage, has been captured at Vincens’ estate.”
“So… they came with troops to rescue Vincens?”
“While remnants remained at the Romberg estate, I returned upon hearing reinforcements were coming, concerned about Vincens’ estate. There, Captain Josefane and others were holding out with Vincens and the rescued people.”
“I had thought the Romberg situation might go that way, but Skoltin Langueille’s actions are a serious matter… I’ll report to His Majesty. Please wait a moment.”
He hurried off. Don’t dump more trouble on me when I’m almost done with everything.
“What is it, Brighton?”
“It appears Skoltin Langueille led troops to Vincens’ estate to rescue Vincens and attacked members of the Royal Knights.”
“What!? Is that true!”
“Leon-dono just returned and reported. Fortunately, Skoltin and his entourage have been detained and are still barricaded on the third floor of Vincens’ estate.”
“Send additional troops immediately… what about the 200 soldiers we already sent?”
“They should arrive within a day or two.”
“In that case, we must also secure Duke Langueille’s estate in Daniera.”
“The Romberg estate is under control, and we were told it’ll hold until reinforcements arrive. The remaining houses—Sejour and Narcier—are far away, so we likely have a few days.”
“Call Leon. No… I’ll go myself.”
A knock sounded, and the door opened. A glittering attendant announced.
“His Majesty the King.”
I’m not the type to receive guests while lounging arrogantly, so I stood up as the serious-faced king entered.
“Sit, Leon. I hear Skoltin Langueille came to rescue Vincens Langueille.”
“When I saw it, Captain Josefane and his men were barricaded on the third floor and engaged in combat with Skoltin’s forces.”
“The remaining houses are Sejour and Narcier. We’ll send fast riders to nearby lords to handle them, but I want you to seize Duke Langueille’s estate in Daniera. I leave the method to you—hold it until the main force arrives.”
Since the heir has openly raised arms against the kingdom—even if it was to rescue his brother—this won’t end lightly.
If a noble openly defies the kingdom, the father duke must have considerable power as well.
What started as dealing with a filthy group of degenerates who only cared about meat has turned into a human trafficking crackdown—and now it risks becoming a civil war.
It’s become more serious than the war with Holtland.
But I have an even more frightening problem.
“How many days will it take to gather troops and reach Daniera?”
“Brighton.”
“We already have 400 knights and soldiers deployed. To take the Langueille estate, we’d need 500–600 troops, and it would take two days to assemble them and three days to reach Daniera.”
“Is there a risk of uprising in Daniera or the duke’s territory during that time?”
“Duke Langueille is being held at the royal castle. If Vincens and Skoltin are already detained in Jewelron, the remaining family can’t act immediately.”
“Then assemble the troops and send them out. I have other business for the next two or three days, so I’ll join the royal army later along the Jaltan Highway.”