The Story Of The Second Son Of The Baron Family [EN]: Chapter 36

Baron’s Family Second Son – Episode 36

Corruption had been discovered, and it wasn’t some fabricated charge. It was such a blatant case that even the squad leaders who rushed over after hearing the news shook their heads in dismay. The subsequent inspection, conducted with even greater scrutiny, uncovered one more culprit, concluding the investigation of the wizards.

“Damn it! I’m working my ass off in a place like this, risking my life. Shouldn’t I be able to get away with this much!”

“You guys broke the unspoken rules! Do you understand the consequences? Can you take responsibility for this?”

Amidst the turmoil, there was both good news and bad news. The good news was that no further corruption was found. The soldiers lacked the power and authority to engage in such activities, and the knights emphasized group cohesion more than the wizards. While group corruption might have been possible, individual corruption was difficult to pull off. The bad news? As mentioned, the atmosphere was tense because the corruption was isolated to the wizards, specifically the new recruits.

“What should we do?”

“It’s an unforgivable crime. Punish them according to the law.”

Wunder lowered his head slightly as he responded to Duke Zieg’s question. Duke Zieg, being his senior in age and rank, and also feeling responsible for the mismanagement of the wizards under his command, warranted a more respectful demeanor than usual.

“Stupid bastards. You should have been more discreet.”

“Do you know where you are, pulling stunts like this?”

“If you got caught, you should have apologized immediately. What are you so proud of?”

Ultimately, the two vanished like dew on the execution ground [a common idiom for a swift and unnoticed disappearance]. It was an inevitable outcome, given that they were caught diverting crucial military supplies for personal gain during wartime. As far as I knew, both were sons of nobles who had received titles, but their parents likely wouldn’t even dare to protest. Duke Zieg had issued the order, and the reason was clear.

“Dirty bastards.”

“Even in this situation, they only care about their own greed?”

The corpses weren’t returned to their families. The heads were severed and displayed on poles, while the rest of the bodies were discarded as food for the monsters. It was a consequence they brought upon themselves by cooperating with the Empire’s enemy.

Perhaps it was obvious, but no blame was directed at me. While I inadvertently contributed to tarnishing the wizards’ reputation, the fact that an internal audit was initiated in the first place, the inevitability of the discovery even if it had been overlooked, and the fact that both culprits were new recruits with limited tenure at the Tera Barrier all worked in my favor.

Following the somewhat disruptive inspection, Duke Zieg summoned me to his office. I had a general idea of the reason, and I leaned towards a positive outcome. After all, I hadn’t done anything wrong.

“Duke, I brought Renil as you requested.”

“Come in.”

Upon entering, Duke Zieg dismissed everyone else. Whatever he intended to discuss was not for public consumption. In the office, now occupied only by the two of us, I was offered the same tea as before, but it tasted different this time. Perhaps the tea maker’s heart was different, or perhaps my own had changed.

“First of all, I offer my condolences.”

“Did you know?”

“Yes. I learned that your daughter sent a thank-you note through someone.”

“I see.”

Lacking the experience to read Duke Zieg’s expression, I couldn’t discern his thoughts. Nearly ten years of separation, finally spending their last moments together, a wife he had shared almost half his life with, and his own hasty departure to a distant land to fulfill his duty after her passing – all of that seemed to weigh heavily in the silence.

“I am greatly indebted to you.”

“…No. All I did was say a word to your daughter.”

“If it weren’t for that one word, I wouldn’t have been able to start.”

Duke Zieg was deliberately avoiding personal matters, and his daughter, Signee, was merely pacing back and forth. She knew how to navigate the situation, but a moment of hesitation held her back. I simply gave her a nudge, encouraging her to take that step forward.

Perhaps she would have taken that step eventually, even without my intervention. Upon hearing news of the Duchess’s collapse, she wouldn’t have hesitated any longer. However, that would have been a slightly delayed decision for Duke Zieg, the Duchess, and the Young Lady.

“Is there anything you want from me? Because this is a private, family matter, I can’t assist with official duties. However, if it’s something that Duke Zieg, the lord of Zieg Territory, can do – not the commander of the Tera Barrier – I am willing to listen.”

How many people had ever heard those words from Duke Zieg? Of course, there would be conditions attached, but the promise of a favor from Duke Zieg’s own mouth was significant.

“Of course, it shouldn’t be against the interests of the Empire. Tell me, is there anything you wish to ask of me?”

What could I ask for? As he stated, it was impossible to involve him in his capacity as the commander of the Tera Barrier. It couldn’t conflict with the Empire’s interests either, which significantly narrowed the scope of my request.

“Please help my hometown.”

It was the best I could hope for from ‘Duke Zieg’. I trusted that he would handle it appropriately. Dragnil Territory faced numerous challenges. Although Dragnil Territory and Zieg Territory were geographically distant, located in the southwest and east respectively, continued exchange, regardless of the physical distance, would greatly benefit Dragnil Territory.

“Hometown?”

“Yes. As you know, His Majesty the Emperor has bestowed some of the products mined from the mine to my father.”

I detailed the situation in Dragnil Territory when I departed, even mentioning that the Emperor’s gift could be a source of conflict. Duke Zieg was not unintelligent; he couldn’t have been unaware of my concerns.

“That’s the situation.”

“Yes.”

“I understand. I’ll inform my aides upon their return.”

Fortunately, no powerful territories bordered Dragnil Territory. Even though they were far apart, demonstrating a close relationship with Zieg Territory would deter any ambitious schemes.

“Thank you for granting my request.”

#

Having successfully concluded the conversation with Duke Zieg, I grew increasingly impatient. Not for any particular reason, but because nearly everyone else had returned, except for the person I was waiting for.

“Hmm······.”

“Are you waiting again today?”

“Yes. I have a bad feeling for some reason.”

Laurent and his group, who had promised a drink and departed for the autumn expedition, had not yet returned. In fact, I had a bad feeling from the moment they left. It was a dangerous undertaking, so I tried to dismiss it, but with everyone else back and only one group remaining, I couldn’t ignore it.

“It’s natural to be worried, as they are some of the few remaining classmates, but trust and wait. Most of the others have returned safely, haven’t they?”

The map, which played a significant role last year, greatly contributed to the expedition’s survival this year as well. The most dangerous moment in the autumn expedition wasn’t necessarily facing a powerful monster that couldn’t be defeated.

Of course, that was a dangerous situation, but it was infrequent, and they could usually escape with minimal losses. If you asked ten people with experience in the autumn expedition about the most dangerous moment, nine out of ten would answer similarly.

The most dangerous time was when another monster suddenly attacked during an ongoing battle.

In the land of monsters, we are the weak. For the weak to overcome the strong, meticulous planning is essential. But the sudden appearance of a monster disrupted the entire plan, leaving everyone vulnerable. The map prevented the plan from falling apart, earning it widespread praise.

“That’s why I’m more worried.”

If only one group is missing while others are returning relatively safely, it’s reasonable to assume that something has happened.

That’s why I’m anxious. From the moment Lyon spoke before leaving for the autumn expedition, it felt ominous. And that ominous feeling didn’t remain just a feeling. A few days later, Laurent was found in a severely injured state near the Tera Barrier.

#

It was one of the knights patrolling the wall who discovered the unconscious and collapsed Laurent. The only reason Laurent, lying at the entrance of a valley hundreds of meters away from the Tera Barrier, was found was due to the knight’s superior physical abilities compared to ordinary people.

However, Laurent’s condition upon returning to the Tera Barrier after much difficulty was dire. His left arm was missing, with a poorly magically sealed wound in its place. Aside from that, there wasn’t a single part of his body that could be considered intact.

Even more shocking was the discovery of items that appeared to be the belongings of the rest of the group among his possessions. The circumstances of Laurent’s discovery and the presumed relics pointed to a single conclusion.

Due to an unforeseen accident, after entrusting the relics to Laurent, he was the only survivor. The reason Laurent was chosen as the last survivor was also understandable. Wizards were better equipped to safely escape the monster-infested lands.

“What in the world happened?”

“Well, we’ll only know the details after Laurent wakes up.”

It’s difficult to deduce the events based solely on the outcome. Despite my inquiries to the other members who participated in the autumn expedition, they only mentioned meeting and parting ways at the beginning, or claimed ignorance. As Ilde said, we had no choice but to wait for Laurent to awaken and reveal the truth himself. A few days after Laurent was found, he finally awoke from his prolonged sleep.

“Wh, where is this······.”

Upon waking, Laurent frantically looked around to assess his surroundings. Only after confirming that he was inside the Tera Barrier and had survived did he sigh in relief.

However, he then wore a puzzled expression, as if unaware that his left arm had been severed. He soon realized what had happened and lowered his head to cover his face with his remaining hand, allowing me to infer his feelings. But I’m sorry to say, what he experienced was more important than his feelings.

“What in the world happened? What about the colleagues who left with you? Are you the only one who came back alive?”

“······Yes. The rest of my colleagues were gloriously burned on the spot to buy me time to escape.”

The recovery room fell silent at Laurent’s answer. Never before in the history of the autumn expedition had only one person returned alive. Moreover, with only one group facing annihilation while most others were safe, it was even more unusual.

“What happened? I can’t even imagine what transpired without hearing your account.”

“Monster.”

“Monster?”

“The monster spoke human language. Not only that, but many monsters, regardless of their species, were obeying that monster.”

End