“Pupu!”

As the soldier’s grip loosened, Tie slipped behind Pupu’s back.

She immediately lifted her head and examined him carefully.

He was taller even than Uncle Basto.

His neck was covered by a mask shaped like an elephant, adorned with elaborate patterns.

From beneath it flowed hair the color of moonlight.

Pupu’s appearance, so different from what she was used to, made Tie swallow hard.

[Impudent bastard. You are prepared to pay for this, aren’t you.]

Muttering, Pupu slowly raised his hand.

The dense patterns covering his skin turned into red mist and swiftly enveloped the surroundings.

[Do not be afraid.]

The corner of his lips beneath the mask curved in a predatory arc.

[I will devour every last crumb of your fear.]

At that very moment, the gazes of the soldiers near the barn lost focus all at once.

“What in the world is that?!”

Reginald exclaimed as he watched.

He involuntarily stepped back and clutched Recia’s sleeve.

Before his eyes, the battle was still raging.

“I am asking what that is?!”

Bale Theodore.

Even now, the stranger who had suddenly struck him with a fist was knocking down Reginald’s soldiers one after another.

Naturally, the longer he endured, the more soldiers swarmed him.

“Haa... Kkamani. You turned out to be useful.”

But the problem was the mysterious glass dome that had appeared earlier.

Blocked by the barrier, Reginald’s soldiers could not touch Bale even with the tip of a finger.

“H-how is this possible...”

Reginald swayed.

When he had regained consciousness after fainting,

he had immediately ordered:

‘Lock him at the top of the tower at once! Torture him half to death, but find out his identity—!!’

However, a problem soon arose.

‘M-my lord! The tower door will not open.’

‘What nonsense is this! How can a door that worked suddenly refuse to open!’

‘I do not know! Yesterday the key fit, and now suddenly...!’

The iron door at the entrance to the tower had become unusable overnight.

Upon hearing that the only way inside was to break it completely, Reginald had been forced to change his plan.

‘Then chain him in the underground dungeon! And the torture...’

‘M-my lord!’

But the soldiers sent to the dungeon returned after only a few minutes.

‘The bars in the cells are completely rusted through. There is not a single place where someone can be confined...!’

‘What?!’

It had been quite some time since anyone had been held in the dungeon.

But for all the bars to rot and crumble in a single night—was that even possible?

To be honest, even then he had felt something was wrong.

But he decided it was merely a coincidence.

There was no other explanation.

‘But then... why...’

Reginald’s gaze darted forward anxiously.

“Ahh! My lord! Mercy!”

“Fall back! Everyone fall back!”

His personal soldiers were screaming in panic right before his eyes.

Red mist filling the air.

A powerful barrier spread above Bale Theodore and his companions.

Reginald... was losing.

“...Impossible.”

In truth, he knew it himself.

These people were not easy prey.

He had already checked Bale’s mercenary identification that a soldier had brought him.

‘Agavert? The same one locked in the barn?’

Reginald himself had not known, but the adjutant observing him had informed him.

Agavert—a newly formed mercenary squad that had astonished the paladins at the city gates.

‘My lord. It seems...’

The adjutant had warned him more than once.

Agavert was a squad whose fame had been growing rapidly of late.

After those words, Reginald had felt unease.

‘Are you saying his companions might be nearby?’

‘Most likely. Especially in the village...’

And soon the foreboding had proven correct.

‘My lord! Trouble! There is testimony that Adeline Kaldenwein headed toward the castle!’

The watcher assigned to Adeline had rushed in with the report.

‘We questioned the villagers. Adeline went to the castle together with those who are likely Bale Theodore’s comrades...!’

Reginald’s vision had gone white with fury.

Adeline... so it was all you!

Mercenaries had suddenly descended upon the peacefully living village.

And at the center—Adeline, his cursed niece.

All of this was ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ her doing.

‘Mobilize all forces! And bring that bastard locked in the barn!’

After dispatching the entire castle guard, Reginald sought out Recia.

‘You should come as well!’

Recia, who had been enjoying expensive liquor in broad daylight, looked irritated.

‘...Reginald. It is merely a squad of six mercenaries. Do I truly need to intervene?’

But Reginald roared:

‘You promised! I provide the money—you provide the power to hold this place!’

In the end, Recia threw on her cloak.

And followed Reginald.

Even then, as he walked toward the rear courtyard, he muttered:

‘They will surely attack the castle. Adeline must have obtained Brother Roman’s will...!’

In truth, that was the source of his fear.

‘The will, that cursed will!’

The very will of the former lord that he had kept—and which had one day suddenly disappeared.

‘If not for that will, I would have killed her long ago!’

Before the will vanished, Reginald had indeed intended to quietly eliminate Adeline.

But just as he was about to carry out the plan,

the will disappeared without a trace.

He could not help but suspect—

that Adeline had stolen it.

The will was the key that could, in an instant, raise the grown Adeline to the position of lord.

And if it had fallen into her hands...

‘Is she trying to push me out by weaving schemes behind my back?’

Reginald was anxious.

She had once served as a lady-in-waiting to the princess.

Perhaps she possessed influential connections.

And what if it involved someone from the nobility? Or the Imperial Court itself?

‘My lord. What should we do? Eliminate Adeline?’

‘...No.’

‘What?’

‘We wait for now! Damn it!’

Reginald had been forced to change his plan.

He could not dismiss one possibility.

‘What if all of this is a trap set by Adeline?’

What if she had hidden the will in advance and was merely waiting for him to strike?

If he sent an assassin—and that assassin left even the slightest trace—

Reginald would be finished.

Adeline would tie him to treason, usurpation, and other grave crimes.

And then the excuse that he had merely been managing the estate on behalf of his inexperienced niece would no longer hold.

So all of this... all of it—

‘To destroy me in a single blow!’

Every night Reginald had been tormented by nightmares.

He had repeatedly sent people to search Adeline’s house and shop.

‘There is nothing, my lord. The former lord’s will is nowhere...’

‘Damn creature, where did you hide it...!’

But no matter how they searched, the will was not found.

Then why—

“Found it.”

Reginald’s gaze stabbed into Adeline, who had lifted something from the ground.

With fingers bloodied from torn skin, she raised an object wrapped in yellowed cloth.

“Hooray! We found iiiit!”

The blond girl jumped beside her.

Reginald ground his teeth and whispered:

“...Take it.”

The soldiers hesitated.

But he flung his eyes wide and screamed:

“Take that from them immediately—!!”