Chapter 72

After concluding the transaction, Sora quickly left the assembly hall, thinking there was no longer any need to stay. Leul seemed to want to talk, but Sora ignored him. Leul, being in the presence of the Earl, did not try to stop Sora.

Sora and Lazette sighed in relief and relaxed their shoulders as they got into the carriage.

"Leul probably thinks he can use us as pawns."

In the moving carriage, Sora looked back at the assembly hall.

"In ten days, his charming mask will be distorted by suffering and become bitter. Serves him right."

Sora, with a mischievous smile that hadn't changed since childhood, watched Leul and the others leave the assembly hall. In their hands, they held the contract, rolled up and sealed.

Lazette, while watching the contract from a distance, called out to the driver.

"Please head to the Viscount's residence. We don't have much time."

The driver urged the horses to go faster with a whip.

Sora stuck out his tongue at Leul and the others as they grew distant, then turned his gaze to the direction the carriage was heading. The carriage moved briskly along the cobblestone main street.

"Lazette, has Gorge's horse arrived?"

"It has. It's a rather temperamental white horse, though."

"It'll do."

Gorge was originally part of the national army and, unlike Zes and Sania, had proper horseback riding training.

Upon arriving at the Viscount's residence, Sora immediately entered the study and took out the contract. He placed it on the desk, copied the text onto another piece of paper, and began to create the desired text, mimicking the Earl's and Leul's handwriting. Sora, with a lively and spirited demeanor, stared intently at the parchment. Lazette and Gorge watched him with wry smiles.

"Having the most refreshing face when forging is a problem."

"Whether good or bad, it's very much like you, Sora."

"Don't make me sound like a complete villain. I'm doing this out of necessity, even if it is refreshing."

While protesting to Lazette and the others, Sora did not stop his work. Parchment, made from processed animal skin, is strong against water and fire and can last over a hundred years if stored properly, but it has one fatal flaw: it can be physically scraped. Because of this, important documents like contracts are often made in duplicate and compared when necessary. Only emergency letters, orders, or documents that are dangerous to be seen publicly are not protected this way. Sora skillfully scraped the parchment, leaving the Earl's and Leul's signatures and seals intact. There was no hesitation, no restraint, no mercy. Rather, he scraped the parchment with a delighted expression, as if it were the main event of the day. In front of the parchment with only Leul's signature, Sora's lips curled up.

"After all the times I've told you to smile cutely, you still make such a villainous face."

"Since when have you been making such a face?"

"Since I was two years old..."

"You're a hard-core villain..."

Ignoring the sighs of the two, Sora completely rewrote the text on the parchment. Satisfied with the result, he reread it and called out to Gorge.

"This is an emergency order from High Priest Leul. Deliver it quickly to the church in the Earl Kleinzelt's territory."

Despite his theatrical tone, he handled the parchment carelessly. After rolling it up and sealing it with wax, he handed it to Gorge and returned to a serious expression.

"The meeting point with Zes and Cole is by the river. Make sure it gets there."

"Understood. I'll head back to the Viscount's territory first and wait for you."

Gorge, taking the parchment, turned and ran to the stables. Sora, watching him go, stared at the parchment with the Earl's signature and seal.

"Lazette, go check if the servants' evacuation preparations are ready."

"Are you sure everyone can evacuate?"

"There's a possibility that the Earl's side might attack out of desperation. I'm safe in the Trinen Earl's residence, but I can't bring all the servants with me."

After explaining, Lazette nodded and left the room.

"Actually, the palace guards might be more likely, but..."

Muttering to himself, Sora began writing on the parchment with the Earl's signature. He put the forged document in a drawer and locked it.

"Let's see the results."

With about ten days left until the return of the Viscount's title, Sora pondered how to pass the time while looking outside.

"Setting up the pieces so they can't be seen is the key."

Sora smiled slyly in the direction of the Grand Church.

"Go is a game for two players. You can't win with a pig, Leul."

Eight days later, Sora sent the servants, including Lazette, to the Viscount's territory and stayed at the Trinen Earl's residence. During his stay, members of the Wooddora Trading Company occasionally visited Sora. Many people noticed this suspicious activity, but no one could figure out his true intentions. Sora spent his days this way.

Leul, hearing about this, was puzzled but somewhat reassured by the contract issue. Still, he smiled at his worried attendants.

"He's probably going to liquidate all his assets and hide them somewhere to use as future activity funds. It's a very Sora-like choice."

"Should we just let him?"

"That monster needs to maintain a certain level of power to be useful, so let him be. However, we must always keep track of his finances. We need to keep the reins in our hands."

Leul laughed happily, saying, "What a reliable monster."

Finally, the day of the Viscount's title revocation arrived. Among the many nobles gathered, Sora entered with a bold demeanor. There was no trace of the tragic atmosphere one might expect from someone about to lose their title. He simply had a faint smile on his face.