Chapter 93

In the town of Crossport, which is relatively large within the Viscount's territory, there are several inns.

In one of these, a high-class inn facing the sea, the officials who had finished their party gathered in a room.

The walls of the room were thick, making it a good place for secret talks.

Until last year, Crossport was a desolate fishing village, and this was the only inn that could be called high-class.

The officials who happened to stay at the same inn did not intend to drink and exchange toasts just because of the coincidence.

"Has everyone received a letter from the Earl?"

The elderly official, who had started to get gray in his beard, stroked it and looked at the faces of those gathered.

The old man was in charge of a town in the west, close to the Earl of Kleinzelt's territory.

Therefore, the letter from the Earl of the Pig had arrived in his hands first.

The content was extremely simple.

"The Earl is furious that the heir has broken the reins and established the Viscount's territory. He wants to take back the governance by bankrupting the management."

The old man spoke on behalf of the Earl's inner thoughts.

A middle-aged man sitting on a bed diagonally across snorted.

"It's more convincing when the flatterer says it."

"Shut up, you pimp."

The old man pierced him with his gaze.

The middle-aged man, who had been called a pimp, glared back without flinching.

Both were just using harsh words, but they were calling each other by their true natures.

"Both of you, stop it. I'm sure everyone still wants to fulfill the Earl's wishes and show their loyalty, right?"

The man who spun these insincere words sat opposite the flatterer.

The transparent lie was taken as a joke, and a few people laughed.

None of those gathered here had any loyalty to the Earl.

They had aimed for the position of official to enjoy the benefits and had obtained it through underhanded methods.

"However, whether to follow the Earl or the Viscount, I think it's better to have a unified will. Not that I'm siding with the pimp, but..."

Shrugging, the suggestion was made, and the flatterer and the old man exchanged glances.

"I will follow the Earl. The heir is just a kid, but it seems the Trinen family will be the advisors."

"Damn. I agree with the flatterer. What about the others?"

The pimp looked around the room.

His gaze was drawn to Yella, who was sitting by the window, with her silver hair catching his eye.

"Yella, what are you going to do? That old man is unpredictable. I'd like to hear your thoughts."

Yella exhaled irritably and ran her right hand through her silver hair.

She looked at the pimp as if he were trash.

"I can't keep up with him. Yella will act alone. I won't assist or hinder you, so let's agree to non-interference."

"Typical of what that old man would say. ...I have no more use for Yella. Get lost."

The pimp pointed to the door with his chin.

"I appreciate your quick talk, pimp."

Yella left the window and crossed the room without any lingering attachment.

As she passed the pimp, he grabbed her arm.

"Hey, young one, if you keep talking like that..."

– I'll sell you.

He glared at her from below, and Yella looked at him with disgust.

Yella shook her arm lightly. She seemed to have some knowledge of martial arts, as the movement showed an understanding of the balance of power. The pimp's hand easily let go.

"If I'm sold, I'll just buy myself back."

Yella replied briefly and opened the door.

As she closed the door, she smiled at the pimp.

"..."

The sound of the door closing overlapped with Yella's whispered words.

The pimp frowned, puzzled.

"What? ...Well, never mind. What about the two from the town?"

Without much thought, the pimp turned his gaze to the two town officials present.

Holger, who was sitting rudely on the table, raised one eyebrow in displeasure.

"What's this? Are you trying to grovel and ask for my opinion?"

Holger got off the table and approached the pimp.

As Holger approached, the pimp averted his gaze in fear.

"Sorry. I was just curious about your movements, Holger."

"Of course! When I move, this happens!"

The sound of the air being cut was heard.

In the next moment, the pimp's jaw was kicked.

"..."

The pimp, holding his jaw in pain, was glared at by Holger, who narrowed his eyes.

"If you keep talking like that, I'll kick you again."

Holger sat down next to the pimp, mocking him.

"Flatterer, take over for the pimp."

Holger slapped the pimp's face with one hand and ordered the flatterer.

"You're always so harsh on the pimp."

"He has a face that's easy to kick."

Holger, who showed no remorse, seemed beyond reason.

The flatterer sighed and turned to Zasha, who was leaning against the wall.

"What about Gransono?"

Gransono, under Zasha's jurisdiction, was a town in the northern part of the Viscount's territory.

Beyond a few villages to the north, the Bartz Count's territory lay.

If Zasha moved recklessly, he would have to deal with Sora to the south and Bartz to the north simultaneously.

"...I don't board a sinking ship."

Muttering a proverb from the Kleinzelt territory, Zasha put his hand on the door.

"Hey, hey, you're not coming with us? Are you leaving the fools to me, Holger?"

Despite Holger's call, Zasha ignored him and left the room.

"Then, I'll do as I please, Holger."

Holger pushed off the bed and stood up.

He kicked the pimp in the stomach, who had been whispering about his usual behavior.

"Goodbye, you incompetent fools. After failing, you'll flail around like fish out of water!"

Holger's laughter echoed from the other side of the door he slammed shut.

The six remaining officials looked at each other with exasperation.

"He's always so unpredictable, it's frustrating."

The pimp muttered resentfully.

The flatterer tried to offer a word of sympathy, but the pimp waved him off.

"I'm fine. Let's get down to business."

The pimp steered the conversation.

The officials leaned in and discussed their plans.

When Holger left the inn, he abruptly stopped his laughter.

He looked around sharply.

Judging that there were no witnesses, he walked quietly, a stark contrast to his earlier behavior.

After a while, he stopped in front of a small inn at the edge of Crossport.

He looked around cautiously and opened the door.

The ground floor seemed to be set up for meals. Perhaps this was the main business.

However, there was no innkeeper at the counter.

The store was eerily quiet, as if it were reserved for them, just as Holger had imagined.

Two men, pretending to be customers, were drinking together.

They glanced at Holger as he entered but made no move to stop him.

Holger went upstairs without speaking to anyone.

The creaking floorboards inadvertently served as a deterrent to intruders.

At the back of the second floor, light leaked from a partially open door.

It seemed like a door to glory.

The thought made the corners of Holger's mouth twitch.

"…We have been waiting."

"…We have been eagerly awaiting your arrival."

The silver-haired girls in the room welcomed Holger.

Holger shrugged, not looking particularly pleased.

He noticed a familiar face leaning against the wall and narrowed his eyes.

"Zasha, be careful. The heir was suspicious."

"…The heir's field of vision is unexpectedly wide, which surprised me."

Zasha adjusted his glasses and replied.

Holger clicked his tongue and crossed his arms.

"Alright. Why did you call us, 'Two-Headed Doll'?"

The silver-haired girls smiled at Holger's question.

Their smiles alone made the room feel as if it was filled with moonlight.

"Have you heard? No one has noticed yet."

One of the silver-haired girls spoke to the other, who had the same face.

"It's a very, very interesting game. The pieces on the board haven't even begun to panic."

The silver-haired girl smiled and slowly shook her head.

"Do you think my dolls, the pieces, are pitiful?"

"Do you think my dolls, the pieces, are miserable?"

The silver-haired girls asked each other simultaneously and nodded in unison, moving at the same speed. Then they giggled together.

They seemed like a pair of close twin sisters. However, the artificial smiles they continued to wear were unchanging and devoid of any warmth.

There was only a fundamental sense of unease.

The silver-haired girls turned to Holger and Zasha.

"We will explain the game to you."

"If you participate, all we need to do is prepare the merchants."

The silver-haired girls tilted their heads to the left and right and spoke in unison.

"–So, will you play with us?"