#232
Curtain Call (5)
I lost Isabel and Christel.
-Tap, tap, tap, tap······
Simon de Sarnese nervously tapped his desk. It wasn’t just today; it had been constant since losing the two women.
He had only been sleeping three hours a day since they disappeared.
When he sat in his study, he would torment his finger bones like crazy for half the day.
His knuckles were bruised purple, but he felt no pain.
It was only natural, as he was suffering an even greater loss.
The two most precious beings in the world had slipped out of his grasp.
“They went by boat, so I’ll have to catch them by water.”
He muttered quickly. The eye under the white mask looked sad and helpless.
On the other hand, his unburned left eye gleamed with ominous madness.
“Boat, port, boat, port, boat, port.”
-Tap tap tap tap······
The scheme was simple: disgrace and kill Prince Yeser Fenetian.
There was no need to get his own hands dirty.
After having the beloved Emperor cast him out, he would be handed over to Werner Fenetian, and his fate would be sealed.
However, Simon judged that it would be beneficial to his family if he [Prince Yeser] were to die within the Empire.
So he took unreasonable measures. Rather than leaving room for doubt, it was better to handle it cleanly on his own to prevent future troubles.
“Isabel, Christel, Isabel, Christel, Isabel······.”
-Tap tap tap! Tap tap tap tap!
At least, that’s how his great-grandmother used to act.
She orchestrated the innocent Baron As to be killed by the late Emperor’s sword.
Because she knew that if she didn’t sacrifice him, if she didn’t show decisiveness, she and the Duke’s family would fall.
“Why did they leave?”
“Master.”
“They should be under my protection.”
“Master?”
“They don’t know how dangerous the outside is.”
“Young Master Simon.”
He flinched. The Duke woke from his thoughts and looked up.
The head butler was looking down at him, smiling kindly.
The old man took out a handkerchief and wiped the blood from the desk, wrapping his master’s red-stained fingers in a napkin.
Light returned to the Duke’s eyes.
“You don’t have to distribute the flyers again, do you?”
“······No. A method that failed once is unlikely to succeed a second time.”
The man’s voice calmed down.
The old servant nodded once and brought up a strong coffee.
The Duke picked up the glass with his trembling left hand.
He couldn’t even feel the taste or temperature properly, but it was one of the many things he consumed out of habit.
“Was there any news from As Port?”
“Yes. Sarnese Shipping employees are checking every ship that enters the port, but the Madam and the young lady are not seen. There were no reports of pirate ships either.”
“······.”
The Duke fell silent. As far as he knew, Ellen, the nanny who ran away with them, was from a fishing village.
But her hometown was too far from Sarnese on the west coast.
The only place where the three of them could have gone by boat was Serenité, the Prince’s territory.
He thought that they could abandon the boat in As, a free city there with a large port, and hide in the Lord’s castle.
However, eight days after running away, the three women did not appear in the West Sea.
They disappeared without a trace like ghost ships.
“Try to find witnesses along the coast. Unless such a large ship was wrecked······.”
He trailed off and clenched his fist. His precious daughter possessed the power of water.
Simon still considered it a curse, but he never showed it.
She was a child who had become overwhelmingly stronger than most people after recovering from her illness.
There was no way she would have faced such a tragedy.
“I will do as you command. What about the Prince?”
The old man asked in a subtle voice. Simon met his eyes.
The head butler was as active in this matter as he was, and perhaps even more sincere than he was.
This was also closer to pressure than a question. The Duke raised the corners of his mouth weakly.
He had something in mind.
“The New Year’s week starts tomorrow.”
“That’s right.”
December 28th. It was Monday, the beginning of the last week of the year.
Every year at this time, New Year’s festivals were held throughout the continent.
In the Imperial capital, dances, songs, parades, and the like were scheduled to take place in various places, starting with Claire Square.
Even in years with cold waves and heavy snow, the festival had never stopped.
Liester people were inherently fond of gathering together and enjoying themselves.
The Duke’s forehead furrowed. He looked like he was dredging up distant memories.
“Didn’t the commoners do something around this time? They would go on stage to denounce the lord and appeal against unfair treatment.”
“There is such a segment.”
“There is someone who can be put in that place.”
The Duke raised his bloody hand and pushed a piece of paper on the side of the desk.
‘Investigation Results of Embezzlement of Gifts.’
The old man’s eyes narrowed.
Last spring, the Duke had investigated the atrocities of the ‘Le Ciffre’ Inn by imperial order.
It was discovered that the innkeeper had been embezzling gifts given to the villagers by visiting nobles for a long time.
At the time, Prince Yeser and the Crown Prince’s party caught the scene.
The culprit, Claudine Green, testified that she had buried most of the embezzled cash in the mountains.
However, when Simon’s soldiers arrived, the tunnel had already been robbed by someone.
He kept the clues found there from the Emperor.
And looking at the business card stuck in the document, he belatedly realized.
Perhaps from a long time ago, he had been acting like a spy’s descendant.
“······It’s a great idea, but will he follow?”
The old man asked, quickly grasping the situation. The Duke nodded.
“A man with something to protect becomes helpless. He will not hesitate to do poisonous things.”
‘Weakness’ and ‘evil’ were only a hair’s breadth apart. Simon chuckled. It was his own story.
He had put a series of terrible acts into practice to protect his family.
The Sarnese family’s shipping business alone supported thousands of people.
Including the numerous territorial people, the responsibility grew endlessly.
He had to avoid being caught by the Emperor and abandoned at all costs.
He handed the document to the old man.
“Put him on stage and pay him handsomely. And.”
The sentence was cut off for a moment. He nonchalantly drank the hot, steaming coffee.
Then he smiled with difficulty and continued.
“Tell the commander of the Imperial Capital Defense Force······ to strike Diem Territory.”
A chilling silence flowed. The two men met eyes.
If the Emperor’s forces moved, the Marquis’s knights would eventually take up arms.
That was exactly what Simon was aiming for.
They would move to protect the castle and the territorial people, but they would never be free from sin because the opponent represented the Imperial family.
Once the defense force shed blood on the swords of the great nobles, it would not be difficult to inflate it and package it as treason.
“We can say that the Lord’s castle attacked first. We can create evidence appropriately.”
“The commander will be able to do it.”
Yoann Haines had already massacred dozens of Imperial Guards.
If the Marquis’s misdeeds were added to that, not only the Prince but also Francois Diem would be in extreme danger.
He had no regrets for them······.
“How is His Majesty doing?”
Simon swallowed and changed the subject. The old man replied readily.
“After losing his son, he brought Duke Cecil Blanquer, who had come to visit, into the palace and spent some time reminiscing. There are rumors that the Imperial Palace Chief Secretary shed tears between the close sisters-in-law.”
“That’s good.”
The Duke nodded. If that was all, it was a good thing.
Burn pus dripped from under his chin.
*
December 28th, evening.
-Whee-ee-ing······
‘No problems on the west coast.’
A banner made by sewing leftover cloth was tied horizontally between two trees and fluttered.
Sarnese Shipping employees moved busily, exhaling white breaths.
Mercenaries hired by the shipping company also patrolled with their respective weapons.
The port was so crowded with people going up and down, unloading personnel, and cargo that there was no room to set foot.
As the New Year’s week began, everyone had slightly excited faces.
“Are you going to have a Benedictine [a type of herbal liqueur] at my house when you get off work later?”
“From Monday? I knew you were a heavy drinker, but you’re amazing.”
“What’s wrong with that, isn’t it New Year’s week!”
“Yeah, that’s good. Wait. Where did you get such precious liquor?”
‘Ehehehe!’ A hearty laugh swirled around the coast.
It was gloomy and cold, but thanks to the colorful flags and decorations hanging everywhere, it felt somehow exciting.
The atmosphere of the superiors was unusual, but it was nothing special because it was the end of the year.
The winter sea, mixed with sunset and night, was beautiful.
“Laugh a little quieter, other shipping people are staring.”
“Is it just for a day or two? Oh, there’s a ship coming in.”
Those who had been bickering turned their eyes to the sea.
Then, looking at the approaching ship, they frowned at the same time.
The particularly sharp prow looked somehow familiar.
“······I’ve seen it somewhere. Am I mistaken?”
“Well, we see ships every day. You can get confused.”
The employees whispered. They began to wave signal batons at the familiar ship.
Chwaaa, chwaaa······! The hull cut through the water at a rapid speed.
For some reason, his body felt chilly and his mood was strange.
The employees in thick clothes stood close together unconsciously.
As the ship got closer, everyone’s eyes widened.
Suddenly, someone raised a gloved hand and shouted.
“That! Isn’t that a whale? A big whale!”
“Right? I’m not seeing things, are whales jumping up?”
“Whales are following the ship. A spectacle I haven’t seen in decades, heoeok!”
One of the employees was shocked.
There was no way others could not notice what he had discovered.
“Th, th-that! Metal! There’s black metal on the bow!”
“Heuaaak!”
“Lord God!”
The black ram. It was a symbol of the North Sea pirate ships that rammed and destroyed Liester merchant ships.
“It’s a pirate! It’s a pirate ship!”
“Pirates are coming down!”
‘Euaaaa!’ The port instantly turned into a scene of chaos.
Some of the employees, turning pale, ran towards the inland.
Even while frightened, the skilled ones evacuated guests and crew in an orderly manner.
The man who had been talking about alcohol quickly ran to the outpost and rang the bell. Deng, deng, deng!
“It’s a pirate! Everyone, throw away your luggage and run away! It’s a pirate! Everyone······!”
“Get out of here!”
-Wadangtangtungtang!
At that moment, someone roughly pushed the employee away.
The woman rolled to the floor in horror at the sudden attack. Could it be that the robbers had already landed?
“Kn, Knights!”
She gaped. It wasn’t a pirate.
The group wearing shining armor was different from the shipping company’s mercenaries in terms of momentum.
“From now on, the Sarnese Knights will deal with the enemy ship. You, clean up the rabble!”
“······Yes, I understand.”
The woman gritted her teeth and ran out.
The Knights moved in an orderly manner under the secret orders of Duke Sarnese.
Before they knew it, the pirate ship had taken its place at the berth.
The whale herd that had been following as if escorting had disappeared like bubbles, and the deck was also empty.
Some of the knights skillfully grabbed the rope and started turning it. Woong, woong, woong!
-Hwiriririk, cheolkeok!
-Cheolkeok, cheolkeok!
Huge hooks were hung on the bow of the ship.
They had grabbed the pirate ship by the ankle to prevent it from escaping.
After confirming the receding crowd, the commander of the Knights shouted loudly.
“Young Lady Christel! Bring the Madam and the nanny down immediately! Your father is very worried!”
“······.”
They waited for a while, but there was no answer. The knights exchanged bewildered glances.
That was clearly the pirate ship that the young lady had looted from the territory of the Mutte Frontier Count.
It hadn’t been long since they had seen her board the ship and run away with their own eyes.
There was no way the young lady would be so quiet with her personality. Could it be······.
-Seureung!
-Seureung, seureung!
The commander drew his sword with a determined face.
His subordinates quickly took a fighting stance following him.
“Even if you are thieves, nothing changes! Surrender immediately! How dare pirates insult the Duke!”
“Hehe, just pirates.”
A clear voice rang out. There was a sound of ‘snap!’ as someone flicked their fingers.
At the same time as the commander widened his eyes,
-Deolkeong!
-Cheolssdeok, cheolssdeok······!
The large pirate ship began to shake from side to side.
It looked like it was trying to get out of the hook.
The waves didn’t know what to do in front of the ship writhing like a living thing.
The commander gritted his teeth and readjusted his sword,
-Paaat!
A figure wearing a captain’s hat soared from the hull. It was at an invisible speed.
The commander, who bit his lip, swung his sword, and pink hair fluttered right in front of his nose!
“Y, Young Lady!”
Jeojeojeok! With a chilling noise, both of his arms froze with the sword.
The subordinates, momentarily embarrassed, gaped.
Christel moved as smoothly and quickly as a torrent.
Peok, peobeok! After kicking one guy with her long legs, she used the recoil to turn around and kick the guy behind her, and now she lays fine frost under the feet of those who are rushing in.
That guy falls well, udangtang!
“What is a pirate? A pirate controls the wind!”
-Hwee-eee-ee!
“Euaaak!”
The soldiers rushing from the rear flew away like leaves in a strong wind.
A white-haired paladin appeared on the deck.
“Bringing crabs down from the clear sky!”
-Awoo-oo!
A beast’s cry came from Christel’s arms.
Then, crabs suddenly poured down from the sky. Swaaaaa!
“Aya, aya!”
“Ack, it stings!”
“Splitting the ground and running!”
-Kkii-ing!
Kugugung, jeojeok! The famous port of Sarnese was helplessly split in two.
The horrified commander shouted.
“No! What are you doing!”
“Swinging a sharp sword like a flame and splitting the continent!”
-Hwareureureuk!
A terrifying fire covered the knights’ crowns. It was as if the sun had fallen!
“Euaaak, my head is burning!”
“Knowing how to handle that sword like wings!”
-Bbiipoo-oo!
A wren answered bravely and landed on someone’s head.
Everyone’s eyes were on that place. Purple eyes showed an embarrassed light.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t intend to go this far,”
“Helping the poor prince is what a pirate does!”
The noble lady standing in the middle of the fallen knights declared loudly. All of that was instantaneous.
The port of Sarnese was attacked by the Sarnese Pirates.