The Showdown

Night.

The security at Count Lumiore’s estate far exceeded its normal state.

More than two hundred private soldiers were on guard duty.

Even considering that it was one of the magical kingdom’s grandest estates, the reason such an extraordinary number had been mobilized was because Ravel feared betrayal more than anyone.

In noble society, the moment you show an opening, you get stabbed in the back.

Precisely because Ravel had protected his position by cutting down the weak, he harbored a strong fear of and vigilance against betrayal.

Five mage-knights guarded the east gate.

A military branch created by the magical kingdom’s proud training program, they possessed the rare quality of being able to combine swordsmanship and magic.

A flawless security posture.

The ones who appeared before them as they continued their watch according to orders were the cargo wagons of the Batien Company, which had deep ties with House Lumiore.

“Was there a scheduled visit?”

“No, there was not.”

After exchanging only a few words, the mage-knights surrounded the wagons.

“What business brings you here today?”

“The truth is, I heard that a rare labyrinth relic that my lord had long been searching for is to be put up for auction.”

The one who stepped down from the wagon and spoke was the head of the Batien Company, who was on close terms with Ravel.

One of the important figures whose face and name were known by everyone in noble society.

“My apologies. As a rule, unscheduled visits cannot be accepted.”

“I am aware. However, the auction will be held tomorrow morning. If it is to be won, I will need my lord’s assistance. It is no trifling item that can be acquired with the company’s funds alone.”

The company head said.

“Please explain the circumstances to my lord. If you send me away here, he will fly into a towering rage.”

“…Understood. Please wait here for a moment.”

It was just as the mage-knights turned around to confirm it.

The company head’s right hand vanished.

A mage-knight collapsed.

The mage-knight standing right beside him gasped.

(That hand strike was so fast… I could not follow it with my eyes.)

Though confused, he stepped back, opening distance while taking up an attacking stance.

What crossed the edge of his vision was the shadow of something.

A group dressed entirely in black stepping down from the wagon.

They surrounded the mage-knights and neutralized them with the anesthetic needles hidden in their umbrellas and canes.

(Who in the world are they…!?)

He never learned the answer.

After confirming that all five mage-knights had lost consciousness, the black-clad group bound them and carried them into the wagon.

A short while later, the ones who emerged were five mage-knights with the exact same appearance as those who had been placed inside the wagon.

They opened the east gate.

Three passed through the gate together with the company head, while two remained outside.

The company head and the mage-knights advanced through the vast garden of the Lumiore estate.

Grass wet with night dew. The cargo wagon was reflected in the tiny droplets, warped in their surfaces.

Suspicious looks were turned toward them when they reached the entrance to the estate.

The four mage-knights guarding the front entrance approached and said,

“What is this? I heard nothing about a scheduled visit.”

“It is urgent, and the company head insisted it absolutely could not wait. We confirmed it with Lord Ravel, and were told they could be allowed through.”

“If that is the case, then it is fine… But when exactly did you confirm—”

That was where the words broke off.

The four mage-knights guarding the front entrance all lost consciousness at once and collapsed.

The company head and the three mage-knights carried them into the wagon.

After waiting a little more than a minute.

A total of seven mage-knights emerged once again, opened the front entrance, and bowed respectfully.

And the one who stepped out from inside the wagon was a small young girl.

A beautiful crimson dress.

Letting her long hair stream behind her, the girl—Mythia Lumiore—strode straight through the front entrance of House Lumiore with dignified confidence.

Every night at seven-thirty, Ravel Lumiore took his dinner.

Drinking the rare wines he so loved to collect, he savored the dinner prepared by his chefs.

A great variety of dishes arranged across the entire table.

Of the more than twenty dishes there, he ate almost none of them.

On average, one bite each. It was rare for a plate to be emptied.

More than ninety percent of the food remained, only to be dealt with as table scraps afterward.

This style of dining was by no means rare in noble society.

Rather, among the ultra-upper class to which he belonged, it could even be called common.

How extravagantly could they spend money as they lived?

Competing over that and boasting of it to one another was one of the pleasures they enjoyed.

“Summon the head chef.”

At Ravel’s words, the butler bowed and left the room.

A short while later, the one who entered the room was a chubby head chef.

“How may I serve you?”

There was fear on his face.

Ravel spoke in an emotionless voice.

“Why are you only capable of making such tedious food? Do you have no imagination at all?”

The head chef flinched.

“My deepest apologies. I have been making every effort to create dishes that will please you, my lord.”

“And this is the result? You are a hopeless incompetent.”

“I am truly sorry. If it pleases you, then… might you tell me what exactly was tedious? I will improve it.”

“That is what you are paid to think about. Can you not even understand something so simple?”

The sound of shouted abuse echoed.

Then came the sound of plates and cups shattering.

For Ravel, that too was one of his pleasures.

Tormenting those who could not resist him felt good.

The pleasure of lectures and abuse.

His actions were not a means to improve the situation, but were done for the purpose of making himself feel good.

The abuse continued for well over ten minutes.

Ravel hurled a bowl of mutton stew at the head chef.

The bowl shattered, and the mutton stew drenched the head chef’s head.

A thin line of red blood ran down from his forehead.

That mutton stew had been one the head chef had simmered for twelve hours in order to satisfy his master.

Satisfied, Ravel decided to return to his private room.

The old butler followed directly behind him and opened the door.

The magic lamps lit.

His own familiar room.

And yet, he felt that something different from usual was mixed into it.

A sense of wrongness.

Looking around the room, Ravel noticed it.

The figure of a girl seated on the sofa.

“It has been a long time, Father.”

His defective daughter—the one who dragged him down—Mythia, was there.

“How did you get inside?”

At Father’s words, I shrugged.

“I am also a daughter of House Lumiore. Is returning home not a perfectly ordinary thing?”

“A defective thing like you is not my daughter.”

“How cruel. Even though I do properly think of you as my father.”

I said with a mischievous smile.

“The reason I came is to educate you on the position you are in and how you ought to conduct yourself. Mistaking a blessed station for your own strength, repeating acts of tyranny while oppressing the weak. A series of foolish and barbaric acts too ugly to watch. Regrettably, as one of your blood relatives, I must correct your behavior. Because if things continue like this, Father, you will be nothing less than the disgrace of House Lumiore.”

“I am a disgrace…!?”

Father’s voice trembled.

“Well said, you defective incompetent…!”

A magic formula activated.

A bullet of water magic grazed my cheek.

Next, he deployed a magic formula that would unleash a rain of bullets.

That rain of bullets, fired at a rate of sixty shots per second, had enough force to tear my body apart like scraps of paper—

However, the rain of bullets was never fired.

He could not perform the incantation that triggered it.

The words of the chant had been sealed inside the lump of water in the back of his throat.

“Ah… uh…”

“‘The magic for watering plants.’ It is a lower household spell, but if you practice it enough and devise ways to use it, it can also be used as attack magic. Human beings can suffocate very easily on something as small as a cup of water.”

I said.

“That was unfortunate. In a one-on-one fight, I am stronger than you, Father.”

As Father collapsed, I released the water magic that had been blocking his throat.

Father braced his hands on the floor and repeated ragged breaths.

After staring blankly for a few moments, he lifted his face and glared at me.

“I will kill you… no matter what it takes, I will kill you…! Call the soldiers…!”

The old butler hurried to summon the soldiers.

The ones who rushed into the room were the mage-knights assigned to Father’s personal guard.

They were the estate’s ten strongest elites.

The mage-knights surrounded Father protectively as their master.

I had no power that would let me fight this number alone.

“The tide has turned.”

Father said.

“I will not kill you easily. I will torment you thoroughly and make you regret ever defying me.”

Father looked down at me as I fell silent.

“What is wrong? Are you so frightened that you cannot say anything?”

A satisfied expression.

Complete confidence in victory.

“No. I only thought it was rather pitiful.”

I said.

“Because it seems you have not even realized the situation you are in.”

The next moment, the mage-knights’ swords were pointed at Father.

Father’s gaze darted around, his face showing that he could not understand what was happening.

“Impossible… why…”

A bewildered voice.

The mage-knights peeled back the skin of their faces.

Disguise masks made of special magical fiber.

What appeared from beneath them were agents from among the territory’s people whom he had looked down upon as inferior beings.

“Allow me to introduce them to you, Father. These are the territory’s people whom you have looked down upon as inferior beings.”

I snapped my fingers.

The hidden door in the private room opened, and what appeared from within was an empty safe.

The pile of hoarded gold coins and all the fraudulent documents that absolutely could not be taken had already been carried off.

“We have recovered all of Father’s assets and all the documentary evidence of your wrongdoing. If you do not wish to lose your status, your reputation, and your hidden fortune and spend your days as a prisoner, then from now on please act according to my instructions. Do not worry. I will allow you at least the minimum civilized standard of living. I am kind, after all.”

“Th-this…”

Father said, staring blankly at the empty safe.

“It is impossible… something like this cannot possibly happen…”

“Unfortunately, it is reality.”

I said with a bright smile.

“Please pay the price for what you have done, Father.”