Meanwhile, instead of heading to the capital, Elizabeth and her accomplices were staying at a hotel in Fortrion.
Although she had sent assassins to attack the Militia Force a few times, they were unable to inflict fatal blows because Walter, who had unleashed his magic, managed to hold his ground, preventing any fatal blows.
“If we had more people, we would have attacked the Militia building a long time ago.”
Aizen grumbled, expressing his disappointment.
Elizabeth fully agreed with his words.
『 If we make a mistake, Count Gerturk will have to take full responsibility, so we mustn’t act hastily.』
Thinking of her daughter, Elise, who was staying at the Count’s manor, she had no choice but to wait patiently.
“I thought Count Gerturk would be able to send support.”
“Gilbert wanted to send support, but the situation is too bad.”
Now that the previous emperor’s young son was likely to inherit the throne and the probability that his mother, the Imperial Consort Dowager, would be regent was increasing, Patricia and her faction were facing the highest level of scrutiny.
If the Imperial Consort Dowager were to move her people to find out what was happening in the provincial territory of Fortrion, it was clear that people would question her moral conscience.
『 Do we really have to resort to such dirty tricks? Even Lady Patricia is also…』
Elizabeth clicked her tongue at the Noble Consort, who had obsessive-compulsive tendencies.
If Patricia were to see the note in the safe, which would immediately reveal Walter’s lineage, she would undoubtedly offer her support to have him killed right away.
However, the note was so crucial that she couldn’t entrust its delivery to just anyone or reveal its contents to anyone else.
『 I should also leave one thing to show off.』
She intended to personally take the framed note to the capital, show it to Gilbert, and receive what he had promised her.
To do that, she would first have to completely eliminate Lexion’s illegitimate child.
“It’s a shame, but let’s focus on killing Walter first. We can’t attack the building directly, so we can attack during Helen Fortrion’s speech at the square.”
The Investiture Ceremony of the new Fortrion Lord, scheduled for a few days later, was essentially their last chance.
Once Helen establishes her position at the manor and organizes the knights, the Militia Force would be left in disarray without its key personnel, increasing the probability that Walter would also embark on individual actions.
“Once we deal with Walter, dealing with Edith will be a piece of cake.”
Elizabeth’s voice, as she spoke this way, was filled with confidence.
──────────✿◦•
As the Investiture Ceremony approached, the square was bustling with life.
“If only we could enjoy prosperity as we did during Fortrion’s heyday.”
“This guy, isn’t your greed too much? I’d be satisfied if you just stayed away from drinking and gambling.”
“Still, I’m glad that Lady Isabelle has resolved the issue of the river amicably and stepped down.”
People decorated the central square in the hope that Helen would bring a new wind to the somewhat troubled Fortrion territory.
Thanks to this, on the day of the Investiture Ceremony, the square looked so clean and bright that it was hard to believe it was the same place as before.
Preparations were also in full swing within the building used by the Militia Force to welcome the new lord.
“Well then, let’s start escorting Helen to the Fortrion Manor.”
Today, the Militia Force’s mission was to provide security to ensure Helen’s smooth ascension.
While the militiamen were having an early morning meal with high spirits, Walter approached Edith.
She had been helping distribute breakfast so that the militiamen could eat comfortably, and as she was just about to take off her apron and head to her room…
“Edith, aren’t you eating?”
“I ate some while giving food to them.”
The fact that she wasn’t eating properly was Walter’s biggest worry and complaint these days.
She was not as thin as when she first arrived here, but her slender figure still made him feel an inexplicable sense of anger.
She seemed to eat a bit of fruit, so he had asked the kitchen to provide some fruit that didn’t even grow well in winter.
Edith said she couldn’t eat it when others were suffering, so she ended up sharing most of the fruit he had painstakingly acquired with the hungry members.
Walter, who watched the entire scene, suppressed the anger boiling within him.
He didn’t like the fact that she suddenly became defenseless after staying in the Militia Building.
Of course, she might be trying to be kind considering her indebtedness to them, but whenever the members praised her and tried to get closer, Walter felt his blood boil.
Even though he was capable of using magic to drive them away, he was dumbfounded. He hadn’t honed his magical skills to the point of exhaustion just to bring her here.
Walter finally managed to calm himself down and said.
“If you’re thinking of going to see Helen’s speech, you can’t go. Public opinion about Nicholas’ wives is not favorable.”
“I know. I don’t really intend to ask for an escort even though there’s a chance I might be attacked.”
Edith didn’t want to cause any more trouble for him and the members of the Militia Force.
Among the members, some don’t like her, once being Nicholas’ wife, but she wondered how the crowd gathering at the square would react.
Moreover, it seemed unlikely that Elizabeth would have given up and gone to the capital just yet.
If an armed conflict broke out, Walter had to protect himself, so she planned to stay still and not get in the way.
“Walter, I’m more worried about you than me. Be careful and come back safely.”
Deliberately or not, for the past few days, Walter had been leaving early in the morning and returning well past midnight.
However, since the Investiture Ceremony was scheduled for the daytime, she didn’t know if there would be time for a serious conversation after he finished his work.
As soon as Walter heard her sincere concern, he sneered, appearing somewhat twisted.
Instead of trusting him, she was worried about what kind of trouble he might have gotten into, making it difficult to speak to her kindly.
“Well, I’m not a reliable bastard, so I think I’ll come back seriously hurt.”
Edith, who had been listening to his sarcasm for days, glared at him for a moment.
Then and now, Walter seemed to have no thoughts whatsoever about getting hurt.
Of course, having magical power meant having overwhelming power, but still, when someone cares about you and asks you to be careful, couldn’t you show a little more consideration?
“I may not be able to knit, but I can stitch up torn wounds a bit. If you want to see me, get hurt somewhere and come see me.”
“…”
“Well, it’s a good thing my hands were itching for something to do.”
“…”
Edith seemed a little angry as she answered straight away.
Walter decided to stop mocking her and left.
Cassius, who unintentionally overheard the conversation between these two due to finishing the meal at an awkward time, tapped Walter’s arm.
“What are you doing?”
“…”
“I never knew she could get angry like that.”
Suddenly, Cassius realized that the conversation between the two of them was somewhat similar to the conversations he had observed between Reinhardt and his wife.
Even to the extent that the man couldn’t say a word against the woman.
“If you’re going to keep talking like that, why did you ask for Benjamin, the journalist who’s supposedly doing coverage in the province?”
“…”
“And why did you ask for expensive women’s winter clothes?”
Although Nicholas did not give Walter a penny of salary, Walter saved quite a bit of money by solving requests from the servants.
Additionally, not long ago, Helen even gave a portion of Fortrion’s property to him.
It was under the pretext of compensation for helping her and for the seven years that Nicholas had imprisoned Walter.
『 Helen probably saw Walter’s power and thought she might become the heir to a prominent family, so she took action in advance. Later, when Walter takes legal action against the family, they’ll have to pay a huge settlement, but with the current agreement, it’s a cheap deal.』
Anyway, as soon as Walter became a wealthy man, he asked for winter clothes for Edith to wear.
After all, they had this kind of childish lovers’ quarrel.
“Noisy. We should be going soon, so get ready.”
With a sharp remark, Walter walked ahead in long strides.
“Cut the water with a knife, water!”
T/N: This is an idiom, which means a relationship that is soon mended after a fight. In this case, Cassius was asking Walter to just reconcile with Edith.
Cassius followed him with a smirk.
──────────✿◦•
When the time came, Isabelle arrived at the central square riding in a carriage with House Fortrion’s emblem on it.
The crowd that had gathered to criticize the lady was momentarily at a loss for words as they saw her, much younger and more delicate than they had expected.
『 Where are the other Fortrion Ladies? Why is the youngest one here?』
『 Even if they were scared of the Militia Force, they managed to negotiate somehow…』
There were still many people who criticized Isabelle, but there were also many who praised her for having fulfilled the duties of Viscountess Fortrion to the end, even though she had only been married for two years.
With her confirmation as the acting head of House Fortrion and her signing of the documents that would officially transfer the title of Viscount Fortrion to the qualified Helen, the crowd didn’t spare any applause.
“Long live the new Viscountess Fortrion!”
“May peace and blessings reign in the Fortrion territory!”
Amid the cheers erupting from all sides, Isabelle whispered to Helen in a low voice.
“Uh, Helen.”
“Please tell me, Viscountess.”
Just because Helen inherited the position as head of the household did not mean that Isabelle’s status as the acting head of the family would disappear entirely.
Isabelle glanced around at the people and asked in a hushed tone.
“Do you happen to know where Edith Fortrion is? She didn’t seem like someone who would run away…”
Isabelle seemed worried that Edith had been captured by the Militia Force and was in trouble.
『 It’s true that she was abducted by one of our members.』
In Helen’s view, Walter didn’t seem inclined to release Edith willingly. However, he had no intention of letting anyone harm her further.
“Don’t worry. Edith will be safe. You know she’s a strong person, right?”
Helen’s confident words carried a convincing power that made the listener believe in her.
Isabelle also nodded her head in agreement with what she said.
The two of them stood side by side, waving to the crowd.
When the atmosphere was enhanced by paper flowers scattered by someone, and the cheers were reaching their peak…
“Ugh…!”
With a deathly scream, the person who had been guarding the two of them closely fell backward.
While the Fortrion knights were in disarray, the members of the Militia Force detected the ambush within seconds and formed a formation.
“Both of you, get on the carriage.”
Reinhardt spoke, who was appointed Commander of the Knights at the same time Helen became the head of House Fortrion.
However, Helen couldn’t follow his suggestion without careful consideration.
“Reinhardt, what the enemies are targeting right now isn’t me, but…”
The moment Helen’s anxious gaze turned to Walter, a man holding a sword fiercely rushed toward him.
❀.°• ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ •°.❀
