Chapter : 153

“So, did you investigate?”

“Yes, and it was somewhat shocking….”

As he spoke, Baron Pierre looked more than a little flustered.

Strictly speaking, the senator—Baron Pierre’s confidant—had not betrayed him.

He was simply being thoroughly used. From what we had uncovered over several days, the senator could not pull himself out of the skirt of a young woman he had recently taken up with.

“So the information leak likely came through this woman, right?”

“That seems to be the case. I found out he even conducted his work and drafted documents at the house he gave her.”

“Tsk, tsk. For an old man, he sure has a lot of stamina.”

After grasping the situation, I clicked my tongue.

Men were always like this.

The moment they let their guard down, their eyes drifted to women. Especially women much younger and more beautiful than themselves.

And what made this senator’s problem even worse was….

“If The Holy See finds out, there will be an uproar.”

“He will also throw away all the reputation and prestige he has built. Magician Agpiel. Tsk, tsk.”

He had earned recognition from The Holy See, and he was widely known to outsiders as a sincere, devoted husband.

If a rumor spread that he was completely besotted with a mistress, it would be the same as dumping his face and prestige into a latrine.

“How many people know about this?”

“Fortunately, it seems no one does, aside from our people who investigated this. Well, the people on Andrea’s side using it probably know to some extent.”

“It seems he disguised himself and moved carefully, at least. So what will you do? Baron Pierre? Will you discard him like this?”

Baron Pierre shook his head.

“No. Like you said, my lord, I should use him well. Honestly…. I am disappointed. To think he would be so frivolous and so unable to manage himself.”

Baron Pierre clicked his tongue.

It was pathetic that he had considered someone like this a confidant and worked alongside him. If he had been debauched from the beginning, it would have been one thing, but to fall for such a small temptation so easily….

“Still, as my lord said before, even people like this are useful in their own way, so use him well. He will probably obey orders at a reasonable level without resistance.”

“Thank you for the advice, Great Sage.”

Since he was sensitive about honor, if we used this to leverage him, he would surely comply with most things.

In that sense, maybe he was not such a bad subordinate after all?

‘Even King Sejong used Hwang Hui well, despite his fair share of corruption, didn’t he?’

That random thought made me snicker as I looked at Baron Pierre.

Now that we understood the situation, it was time to respond.

This was our chance to feed counterintelligence and smash Sir Andrea Bardi.

“Then what would be best? We should start letting information out again. Let’s think about what Sir Andrea Bardi would need to do to move again.”

“Well, the best thing would be for us to not be in this city at all, wouldn’t it?”

“Hm? That is true. If we all go outside, it will be Sir Andrea Bardi’s world.”

“So let’s do a large-scale outdoor activity.”

Baron Pierre spoke as if there was nothing to think about.

“Outdoor activity?”

“Yes, let’s go hunting once. If we take attendants and go hunting outside the city for about a week, he will bite easily.”

“That sounds good. If we move under the pretext of reversing the grim mood and lifting spirits, no one will think it strange.”

Magician Agpiel agreed with Baron Pierre’s opinion.

Well, in this era, the greatest entertainments were hunting or duels, weren’t they. Nothing was better for relieving the pent-up mood of dissatisfied nobles.

“And then we turn back right away on the way there?”

“Yes. We should leave people behind in secret to keep watch on Andrea’s Poldein Merchant Guild. Once we secure adequate evidence, we can move quickly then.”

“True. Sir Andrea Bardi is not an idiot, so he won’t move immediately.”

I nodded as I said that. When all of us left and grew lax, that would be the moment of Sir Andrea Bardi’s final end.

“Then let’s carry it out.”

That was what I said, thinking that way.

—

“Young master. I heard Baron Pierre is inviting his vassals and neutral senators who follow him, and going hunting outside the city for a week.”

The confidant who opened the door and rushed in said that, panting roughly.

And upon hearing it, Sir Andrea Bardi could not help but smile like a victor at last.

“That idiot is finally choosing the worst method.”

“Yes. He is moving exactly as you said, young master.”

“If you know the situation you’re in, the choices you can take are obvious.”

Sir Andrea Bardi said that with a smirk.

He had even told his confidant to prepare, saying Baron Pierre would probably leave the city soon.

And now he was moving exactly like this.

“How are the knight and magician from the Empire doing?”

“Um, so far they are staying quiet, young master. But why…?”

As he spoke, the confidant furrowed his brow slightly. It was because the magician and knight from the Empire had been too outrageous. They kept barking for alcohol. Demanding women be provided. Complaining about food. And when they got bored, they bullied passing soldiers.

They were barbarians among barbarians.

He had heard they were rough because they often fought barbarians, but to think they were this bad.

“It sounds like you have suffered a lot.”

“N-No, young master.”

“What do you mean, no. I am sorry. But endure just a little longer. They are useful, so until then, we have to close our eyes to it.”

At Sir Andrea Bardi’s words, the confidant nodded.

After all, Sir Andrea Bardi was the only one who actually took care of his subordinates.

“Tell the magician. Tell him it is time to move again. Also tell Poldein Merchant Guild to prepare.”

“Ah, are you going to move again?”

“Yes. If Baron Pierre and all his people leave together, isn’t there no better time than this?”

The angry public sentiment.

And the city’s exhausted situation, ravaged by the epidemic that had been going around.

But if the epidemic broke out again while Baron Pierre was away on a luxurious outing, supposedly caring for his nobles?

Even if the head of the family was decided by a senate vote, you could not ignore the city’s opinion completely.

‘Heh heh heh heh.’

Sir Andrea Bardi’s lips were curling upward.

No matter how he looked at it, the situation was too good for him. The seat of family head was shimmering right before his eyes.

Then, as a thought struck him, Sir Andrea Bardi gave his confidant a strict warning.

“Ah, this time, only target the poor. Leave the high-grade bread aimed at nobles as it is.”

“Why is that?”

“It would be troublesome if pointless rumors spread.”

There was no need to provoke backlash from noble families. If this matter were to come out later for no reason, the backlash would not be small. He needed to prepare for that time.

“Ah! Of course. Understood, young master. Then we will only work on the grain meant for the poor.”

“Good. And distribute some of it as relief supplies to the poor. This time, I need to secure solid support. Heh heh heh.”

Do it properly.

That was Sir Andrea Bardi’s motto.

—

-NEIIIGH!

“Whoa, whoa-.”

It was an outing for the first time in a while.

This large-scale hunt led by Baron Pierre excited the city’s nobles, as well as the vassals under the Bardi family.

Things had been ominous with the epidemic going around, and now they could gather like this and hunt outside.

And according to rumors, they would hold a competition during the hunt and award enormous prize money.

Hot-blooded young men, and old vassals who prided themselves on having once made a name for themselves, were full of anticipation.

Of course, as for me and Baron Pierre, and the few who knew the real intent….

“How is it going?”

“According to the reports coming in, Andrea’s confidant is moving. And Poldein Merchant Guild has decided to distribute grain to the poor for free.”

Inside the tent, we were exchanging serious words with grave expressions.

“Hmmm. That man really has many schemes. He uses the opportunity given to him very well.”

“That’s right. Magician Agpiel.”

Without this kind of behind-the-scenes maneuvering, it would have been quite a good stratagem in its own way.

I was impressed.

“Then when would it be best to move?”

“We should wait at least another day or two, shouldn’t we? If we go too early and they haven’t distributed the contaminated grain yet, it will be a disaster.”

“Right. Azuela is confirming it on site too, so once word comes, we move.”

Andrea’s side still did not know about Azuela.

She was a magician I had suddenly summoned separately.

So I had Azuela disguise herself as an ordinary merchant and check the grain Poldein Merchant Guild was distributing.

“Hm, that is reasonable. Then do you have any information on the magician who is casting that curse?”

The magician who was pouring out the curse of disease.

Someone like that was extremely dangerous. I intended to deal with them decisively this time.

Baron Pierre hardened his face and shook his head.

“I have looked into it, but I can’t find any trace. It seems he is inside Andrea’s mansion. The wagons from Poldein Merchant Guild go back and forth from time to time.”

“Is that so?”

At that, I frowned slightly. If we were to catch the magician, it seemed we would inevitably have a direct clash with Sir Andrea Bardi.

“Then we have no choice. For now, let’s wait for news. You keep hosting the hunting competition diligently.”

I nodded and wrapped up the conversation like that.

And not long after.

“Your Grace! I found the cursed mystique. It really is in the grain!”

Azuela hurriedly brought the news. The evidence we had waited so long for.

At last, it was time to move.

—

“Heh heh heh. So how much grain have we sold now?”

“Roughly about 1,000 sacks. And we distributed about 200 sacks to the poor for free. The city will soon be engulfed by an epidemic, young master.”

It stung a bit to give away 200 sacks for free, but he still felt that through this, he could decisively bring down his half-brother.

Thanks to that, Sir Andrea Bardi felt truly peaceful for the first time in a while.

As if a nagging tooth had been pulled out.

If there were no major variables going forward, he would take the seat of family head just like this.

But then—

-BOOM!

“Y-Young master!”

Before long, the confidant who had gone outside came running into the office, panting and frantic.

“What? What is going on? How dare you barge in so rudely.”

Sir Andrea Bardi, who had been enjoying a quiet moment to himself, frowned.

But rather than shrinking back, the confidant was even more excited, shouting in a loud voice.

“T-This is bad! Baron Pierre has returned.”

“What?”

“And he is heading to Poldein Merchant Guild. There are still piles of contaminated grain sacks there.”

“You bastard!”

Hearing the report, Sir Andrea Bardi screamed and sprang to his feet.

This was not good.

What kind of bolt from the blue was this?

But he could not just stand there in shock.

“Q-Quickly, send people to Poldein Merchant Guild and have them move all of it out. No, first, mobilize the soldiers! Knights. Call the knight and magician from the Empire. We will suppress Baron Pierre with force for now.”

Sir Andrea Bardi came to his senses and gave orders.

He meant to block them somehow and buy time.

But—

-WAAAAAAAH!

-Sir Andrea Bardi, come out at once and pay for your crimes!

It was already too late.

Beyond the window, the soldiers’ roar and Baron Pierre’s furious voice were booming loudly.

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