At Baron Willhem's mansion, all the intruders were dealt with, and nobles raised their voices before Kishiar, who had been waiting, and among them, one person who attracted attention with an unusual demeanor.

Yuder noticed the pleased expression on Kishiar's face as he spoke about a man named Lord Koelt, realizing that he had taken a considerably positive interest in the man.

"...So after wrapping up the matter, I subtly probed the other nobles to find out about him. Some rather interesting stories emerged."

Yuder felt a strong sign in Kishiar's eyes asking him to quickly ask him what the interesting story was. Yuder, following his wish, opened his mouth and asked,

"What story might that be?"

"Lord Koelt, like Baron Willhem, was once part of Duke of Tain's jurisdiction. Up to a few decades ago, his family, along with Willhem's, managed various parts of the western region of Tainu."

Both families were once prestigious, working hand in hand with the duke to lead the West. However, Baron Willhem's ambition to monopolize power gradually distorted their relationship. By the time of the previous Duke of Tain, this became more pronounced, and eventually, the Koelt family lost everything and fell into ruin.

Still, the reputation of the family that had long managed Tainu remained intact. Even after their fall, the Koelt family did not cease their personal dedication to the West.

The current Lord Koelt continued to sponsor the humble temples his ancestors had supported and assisted orphans in becoming independent. He was also quite a renowned scholar.

Baron Willhem seemed to have often expressed his anger in private, saying that he still thought he still mattered in Tainu.

"So, rather than cutting off all ties, he seems to have enjoyed summoning him to events like this to reprimand him. Judging by the fact that Lord Koelt came despite expecting to be ignored, he is no ordinary fool either."

Although he called Lord Koelt foolish, Kishiar's eyes contained a fondness for meeting a desirable talent.

"You seem pleased."

"Do I?"

Smiling, Kishiar reached over and brushed Yuder's forehead.

"Yes. I quite like such people. Very much so."

"..."

His eyes were candid, and Yuder knew that "such people" included him. The phrase "I like" sounded strange all of a sudden, so Yuder closed his mouth and didn't respond. Tilting his head, the man grinned as if amused by this reaction.

"Anyway, I'm actually considering the possibility that Lord Koelt might be one of Pruelle van Tain's sources of secret information. That will become clearer as I investigate further."

"That seems highly likely."

Pruelle had been obtaining a lot of information through friends from his childhood spent in Tainu. Who exactly had informed him remained a secret, but the high quality and speed of the information he had acquired thus far indicated that it wasn't just from those working beneath him.

"So, after finding out more about him, what do you intend to do?"

"Put him to use."

Kishiar responded without hesitation.

"I was hesitating a lot about who to recommend for work in the West after Baron Willhem's influence waned. I was shamefaced for not having a name to put in a letter to His Majesty, but now I can write with confidence. I cannot tell you how relieved I am."

Satisfaction welled up in the crimson eyes. Yuder quietly contemplated it, thinking,

‘It really is completely different from my previous life.’

The western region in his previous life was shattered by the mass emergence of monsters. Rebuilding the west through trade was a policy promised by Emperor Katchian, but its failure resulted in an endlessly slow recovery. Except for a few nobles who profited from the policy, most lost their homes and wealth.

With people becoming destitute, the west turned into a breeding ground for crime, a veritable headache. Even the nobles who had lived there for generations struggled to manage, and it was hard to find anyone willing to take on the task.

Among them, Tainu's case was the worst. There were recurring complaints from the Duke of Tain, unable to find a suitable person to manage Tainu, his domain.

It must have meant that, unlike now, the Duke of Tain had entirely lost the public's favor in the west back then.

But if someone like Lord Koelt were to manage Tainu, together with the successor of the Duke of Tain – Pruelle's younger sibling – it could be reborn into something far better than before.

Now there would be no monster invasions, no shattered cities, no individuals blinded by greed and willing to buy and sell anything.

"...That's good. It would truly be fortunate for the people here."

Yuder finally felt a weight lifted off his shoulders and his lips curled into a smile.

"You must have had a deep attachment to the West? Seeing how happy you are."

Kishiar softly asked.

The two locked eyes in the quiet darkness.

'Ah. I see.'

Yuder suddenly realized that the current Kishiar did not know the true cause of his joy.

Despite it being a natural thing, a difficult-to-explain emotion washed over him, and his joy slowly faded.

He maintained his silence for a long time before responding in his usual tone.

"...Yes. It seems so."

Red eyes stared at his calm lips for a long time.

…

"Is anyone there? Get me out!"

Baron Willhem, trapped on the third floor of the security management team's underground dungeon, was somewhat deflated by the fact that no one came despite his shouting all night.

Thinking about the previous night was terrifying. The mysterious assailants targeting his life when he was transporting the 'horses' entrusted by the Duke of Tain; the treacherous southern merchant who fled, leaving him behind; and the Cavalry who knocked him out without hesitation and threw him here.

What enraged him most was, naturally, the last part.

"Damn lowlifes. How dare they put me here...!"

Although it was somewhat of a misunderstanding, he was practically the master of Tainu, a noble. Even if he was subject to an investigation, it was proper to send him home first. He had never heard of such treatment before. It was the worst.

The Baron incessantly pondered what he would say once he left this place. In the absence of someone to listen, it was a fruitless effort, but he couldn't help it; the prison was too cold.

He had not known that the prison was this cold, even though he had frequented it for so long.

The wind seemed to be leaking from somewhere, and no matter how much he wrapped himself in his cloak, the cold wouldn't go away. The stone floor, without a single straw to use as bedding, was so hard and painful that it gave him the shivers to touch it. There were no patrolling soldiers, and no one to ask what was going on; he was unable to receive help no matter how much he yelled. He didn't even have anyone to ask what had happened.

‘I must quickly inform Duke Tain of this fact.’

The auction would have proceeded somehow even without him. It had to. Even if the cavalry brutes had caught wind of ‘words’ about me, finding evidence would not have been easy. They should not have dared to do this to me just because of the common people's words.

‘If only Duke Tain learns of this fact…’

Crouched and trembling with only that thought in mind, suddenly there was the sound of a door opening somewhere. The footsteps were not of one person but several. The startled Baron, who jumped to his feet, quickly grabbed the bars and shouted loudly.

But moments later, when Baron Willhem recognized the ones approaching where he was imprisoned, his eyes widened in disbelief.

"What, what is this…?"

"…"

The ones led by the soldiers, half-unconscious and covered in dirt, were known to Willhem.

They were nobles from the Apeto family, who had been staying in Tainu for a while due to recent unpleasant events in the capital. Why had those who were clearly supposed to attend yesterday's auction come here in such a state?

While Baron Willhem was unable to continue speaking, they disappeared into another area without even properly opening their eyes. A short while later, the soldiers who had imprisoned them returned. Only then did the Baron come to his senses and shake the bars again.

"Hey! Listen to me! Quickly release me! Don't you know who I am? I am the master of the House, Baron Willhem!"

At that, the soldiers stopped. One soldier opened his mouth with a calm expression.

"If you wait a little longer, your turn will come. Others will arrive."

"What? Wait? What do you mean, wait! Release me! Where is Duke Peletta, or rather, where is the Commander of the Tainu Knights! Why has no one come even though I'm here!"

The soldiers, looking down at his outburst, disappeared without even answering.

These people, living on the money he provided, how could this happen? He was shocked and shouted for them to come back, but their footsteps quickly faded into the distance. The Baron was left alone once more.

Something had definitely gone wrong.

Something was undoubtedly wrong, and the fact that he couldn't even know what it was drove him mad.

The Baron clenched the bars with a desire to scream in anxiety.

It was an eternity later that he was led out of the prison by other soldiers.

"…Goodness. Your state is beyond words for just one night."

Occupying a space within the security management team prepared for interrogation, Duke Peletta looked back at Baron Willhem and smiled a genuinely ominous and bright smile.

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