The Failure Marquis Is A Genius [EN]: Chapter 10

2. Conspiracy: The Realizing Fool

Rosalyn stormed into her room after breakfast and sat on the bed, frantically messing up her hair.

“Ughhhhh!!”

She couldn’t contain her anger.

It was all because of that bastard.

About fifteen years ago.

The Marquis suddenly brought home a baby.

The mother, whoever she was, was said to be dead.

Rosalyn felt like the sky was falling.

She had been wary of Henon, who was younger than Phillip but of a similar age.

But that was only for a short time.

Rosalyn was relieved to see Henon causing trouble all over the Marquisate, claiming to hear voices.

She was confident that Phillip, her son, would inherit the Marquisate without any issues if things continued this way.

‘Why is that guy suddenly pretending to be sane? Is he suddenly greedy for the estate now?’

Whatever the reason, it didn’t matter.

The important thing was that Henon had definitely interfered with Phillip’s future.

Rosalyn decided to carry out a plan she had been considering for some time, though it was a bit late.

“Head Maid.”

“Yes.”

The Lloyd Marquisate also had a Head Maid.

The Butler, Sebastian, was brought directly from the Calon Empire by the Marquis and was thoroughly under his control.

On the other hand, the Head Maid was brought directly from the Evis Barony, Rosalyn’s family, and was under her control.

The Head Maid, who had been silently watching Rosalyn’s tantrum, responded to her words.

“What about your younger brother? I heard he’s a mercenary captain?”

“Yes, he is the captain of the Ragged Mercenaries.”

“Ragged Mercenaries? That’s a strange name.”

“That’s because… they catch enemies, skin them, and wear their skin like rags. He’s my brother, but honestly, he’s crazy. I haven’t spoken to him in years.”

A smile spread across Rosalyn’s face as she listened to the Head Maid’s story.

He was the perfect fit for her purpose.

“But he still takes your calls, right?”

“My brother sends me human skin about once a year to check in. I don’t reply.”

“How skilled is he? Are you sure?”

“If he’s still alive after doing such crazy things, he must be skilled.”

“Good…”

Rosalyn paused for a moment before speaking.

“Head Maid.”

“Yes.”

“You’re definitely my person, right?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Then send someone to your brother.”

“What message should I convey?”

“Tell him to ambush Henon as he travels through the Marquisate to collect taxes.”

“!!!”

The Head Maid’s eyes widened.

Even though she was a stepmother, she didn’t expect her to actually order the death of her stepson.

But she couldn’t show her surprise.

The Head Maid silently nodded.

“Understood.”

“I’m glad you understand so quickly. Tell him that he will be paid handsomely, separate from the wealth he obtains from the ambush. I want Henon’s face skin in my hands within a hundred days.”

“Yes!”

The Head Maid scurried out.

Rosalyn, left alone, cast a cold gaze out the window.

‘I didn’t want to do this. It’s all your fault, Henon.’

She thought to herself, imagining how she would dispose of Henon’s skin when she received it.

* * *

The Lloyd Marquisate had one of the most extensive territories in the Elden Kingdom.

The boundaries that define the Marquisate are somewhat ambiguous.

Some only consider the manors directly under the Marquisate, while others include castles that have developed from manors, or even other families under the Marquis’s influence, who are essentially in a community of fate with the Marquis.

The task I was assigned was to travel around the manors directly under the Marquisate and collect taxes.

Manors are like villages in terms of administrative districts, the most rural of rural areas.

Not many people live there, so they don’t have the ability to transport the collected taxes to the Marquisate.

It’s a dangerous world where bandits and monsters roam.

Excellent knights and brave mercenaries can turn into robbers.

In such a world, pulling a cart full of valuables defenselessly on the road is like asking to be eaten alive.

Even castles have their own militias or guards within the town, so they can be mobilized to transport taxes to the Marquisate if necessary.

However, if men were drafted from the manors, the village would not be able to sustain itself, so the Marquisate sends a tax collector and soldiers to protect the transported goods.

The Lloyd Marquis ordered the manager to select thirty soldiers to escort Henon and the taxes.

The scale of mobilization itself was similar to previous years.

The problem was the knight who would accompany them.

The soldiers are not knights.

They receive basic training, but they spend more time drinking and playing card games, so they are more like a self-defense force.

Most of all, those who do not have proper equipment, such as iron armor and well-forged swords, become useless forces when they encounter even slightly skilled opponents.

That’s when you need knights who do nothing but eat and swing swords.

The problem was that these free knights collectively refused to be drafted for Henon’s mission.

“I’m sorry. I’ve recently gained enlightenment and decided to focus on training.”

“My wife is about to give birth. I want to be by her side.”

“I’m busy. Why don’t you look for another knight?”

That’s how it is.

It was somewhat expected.

The free knights are knights now, but they hope to one day obtain a piece of land and become lords.

If they follow me and get on Phillip’s bad side, they may suffer disadvantages after Phillip becomes the Marquis, so they are making all sorts of excuses to avoid it.

“This is troublesome.”

Sion, who was next to me, also frowned.

Sion had specially decided to accompany me on this mission.

Sion would be a reliable force, but not as much as a knight in iron armor.

When bandits and robbers attack, the first thing they check is whether there are any knights.

“I don’t want to force those who don’t want to go. Let’s go as we are.”

“This is a matter directly related to the Young Master’s safety. Shouldn’t we ask the Marquis for help?”

“The Marquis has already provided thirty soldiers. He drew the line there. If I ask for more help, I’ll be throwing away the opportunity to prove myself.”

So I left the Marquisate with thirty soldiers.

It goes without saying that there was no send-off.

* * *

The territory of the Marquisate was indeed vast.

It took quite a while to get to the nearest manor.

Sion and I took a carriage.

The soldiers, pulling empty carts and trudging along, glared at the fancy carriage accompanying them.

“Why are we taking a carriage for this kind of work?”

“Anyone would think we’re going on a trip.”

“I heard he’s changed a bit these days, but it was all nonsense. He’ll always be a fool.”

Whatever they said.

I closed my eyes in the carriage and meditated.

‘I’m almost there.’

Until now, I had remained a beginner who couldn’t feel mana [magical energy].

However, the recent intense training, the Druid’s unique affinity for nature, and the enlightenment gained from the duel with Phillip were all combining to tickle something.

In addition, the Heavenly Demon trapped in the Ego Sword constantly gave advice.

-It’s not just about swinging your sword all day. Even if you swing your sword the same way, you have to think about it.

-As far as I know, these foreigners gather mana in their middle dantian [energy center], their hearts. It’s very inefficient. Of course, they use innovative methods like circles and rotations, but it’s still inefficient.

-The abdomen between the heart and the lower abdomen! Find the point to store your mana there. You have to start with what they call the lower dantian for your future growth to be easier.

Sion, who was next to me, seemed to know that I had reached a certain point and sat quietly, watching me.

‘Let’s recall and remember the feeling when I ate the acorn, when mana was in my body. What was different from usual?’

The feeling of every hair on my body standing on end.

The feeling of each cell moving with its own will.

The feeling of my five senses becoming extremely sensitive and my body becoming lighter.

Above all…

‘Mana is also a member of the large natural community. There’s no need to make it grand. Let’s think of it as a being similar to a spirit.’

When I delved into thought after thought after thought.

A message popped up in my head with a ‘Ting!’ sound.

[Your connection with nature has increased.]

[You have become aware of mana.]

[You have been promoted from Beginner to User.]

[Congratulations.]

At the same time, a refreshing energy poured into my lower abdomen like a flood.

-Don’t panic. Now is important. The stream is pouring endlessly. Hold only as much as you can handle in your body.

-It helps to imagine holding an egg in your head. Imagine putting a bean-sized circle in your abdomen.

I guided the mana to the abdomen, the Kihae point, that the Heavenly Demon had told me about.

Whether it was thanks to my Seven Star father or my High Elf mother.

Henon’s body showed amazing talent and held a significant amount of mana inside.

The captured mana swirled in a yin-yang pattern and soon formed an egg-sized dot in my abdomen.

I realized that it was a dantian.

-Are you a monster?

-To gather that much mana from the start.

-I don’t think I was that good…

Hearing the Heavenly Demon’s admiring voice next to me, it seemed that the size of the dantian I had formed was considerable for a first attempt.

Flash!

I opened my eyes.

Unknowingly, mana overflowed beyond my gaze.

It’s because the mana is moving on its own.

It seems that it will take some time to control it freely.

“You have reached a realm. Congratulations.”

The quick-witted Sion realized that I had crossed a wall.

Although she maintained a poker face, her eyebrows were twitching, showing that she was very surprised inside.

“How is it, Sion? Am I becoming a User quickly enough?”

“Young Master’s growth rate is already beyond the level of being classified as fast. Even my father and the Marquis were not as good as you.”

“I see. I’ll have another sword fight soon. The day I punish your rudeness is getting closer.”

Sion didn’t say the usual ‘I look forward to that day’ or ‘You are not my opponent yet.’

It must be because she felt a sense of crisis that I would really surpass her.

Even if I don’t know, she will wake up a little earlier and increase her personal practice from tomorrow.

* * *

Finally arrived at the first manor.

The village chief himself came out to greet me.

“Welcome, Manager. I don’t recognize your face. Have you been newly appointed?”

“I am Henon Triss, the Marquis’s son.”

“Henon? Could it be… that Henon?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I, I’m sorry! Please spare me!”

The village chief prostrated himself as soon as he heard my name.

My notoriety must be well-known even in this countryside.

I didn’t know I was such a celebrity.

“I’m not going to eat you. I came instead of the manager. I’m just going to collect taxes as I have every year.”

“Really?”

“Why? Should I go through every house and take all the valuables?”

“No!!”

The village chief quickly paid the taxes, fearing that I might really do that.

The taxes from the first manor were not much.

Two carts of wheat pulled by donkeys and some woolen cloth woven by the women of the manor.

I took a baby goat because the goats had recently given birth.

In addition, the manor residents prepared a simple but sincere meal for us.

I and the soldiers, including Sion, ate bread with the residents.

I sat next to the village chief and asked him questions.

“I heard that this year’s harvest is good.”

“It only seems that way because the last few years have been so poor. Overall, it’s just average.”

“I see.”

“Is the Marquis doing well?”

“He’s always busy. How can he have time to spare when he’s governing this vast Marquisate?”

“That’s true.”

The village chief, who took a sip of lukewarm wheat beer from a wooden cup, changed the subject.

“Seeing Henon-nim [term of respect], I realize once again that rumors are not to be trusted.”

“What do you mean?”

“People from the Marquisate occasionally visit our village. They brought some rumors about Henon-nim, but they weren’t good.”

“I see.”

“But after talking to you today, I see that you are a perfectly normal person. Maybe people are just making up stories.”

“Cough! Cough!”

Sion, who was listening to the village chief’s words next to me, coughed as if the beer had caught in her throat.

What perfect timing.

“Well, I don’t blindly believe rumors either. No matter how much gossips talk, you can’t grasp the essence unless you see and feel it yourself.”

“That’s right.”

“Since I’m out, I’d like to hear some news. Have there been any special events recently? Monsters appearing, wild animals appearing, armed groups wandering around, new merchants visiting, anything like that.”

The village chief rested his chin on his hand and pondered, then tilted his head.

“There hasn’t been anything special. Thankfully, we’ve had a normal daily life.”

“I see.”

“Oh, wait! There was something a little special? Something strange happened.”

“What is it?”

“I occasionally contact Harrison, the drunken village chief in the next village. It’s a kind of survival report. But recently, I haven’t heard from him.”