Chapter 44: Treasuring the People

At night, in my living room, I had the four of them, Leviathan, Luthiya, Theressa, and Behemoth, linked to the Armor Ring for a mock battle.

　In the mock battle, Leviathan was the strongest, Luthiya and Behemoth were about the same, and Theressa was a bit far behind.

　After a few rounds, I was thinking that my level was about to rise when there was a knock on the door, and Cecily, the reception maid, came in.

"Excuse me for coming so late at night. There's a woman here who wants to see you, Master."

"A woman?　What is her name?"

"She says her name is Olivia Coyle."

"Olivia Coyle?.'

　I rolled the name Cecily had given me on my tongue.

　It's not a familiar name, I've never met a woman with that name.

However, I was curious why she had come to visit me this late at night.

　If she was someone I didn't care about, Cecily, whom Evelyn had raised and whom I had selected to serve me, would have turned her away.

　The fact that she asked me even at this hour means that she must have looked like a person of appropriate status.

"Okay, let her through."

"Yes, sir."

　Cecily left, and a short time later a woman entered the room.

　She was in her mid-twenties and quite beautiful.

　Olivia Coyle stood in front of me and bowed in the manner of a woman.

"Olivia, what brings you here at this hour?"

"Secret information."

...

　I pretended to be unconcerned.

　Secret information?.

　As soon as I heard the word, I had a very bad feeling and imagination.

　Trying not to show it, I asked back.

"What kind of information?"

"Crown Prince Albert is planning to cause a political upheaval tonight and force His Majesty to abdicate."

"—–!"

　As expected, I could not remain calm.

　After all, it has... arrived.

　No wait, it hasn't been determined to be true yet.

　I glared at Olivia and asked her back.

"How do you know about this?"

"I am the daughter of Coyle, His Highness Gilbert's butler."

"Butler Coyle's!"

　I remembered.

　Coyle was the butler at Gilbert's mansion for many years, and I met him every time I went to the mansion.

　Coyle's daughter.

"Are you born within the household?"

"Yes."

　Olivia nodded.

　Born within the household. As the word suggests, it is a child born to two servants of the lord.

　It is not uncommon for the lord to arrange marriages for their subordinates, and to strengthen unity, it is also common to have servants marry each other.

　When two household servants marry each other, the children born as a result of the marriage are born as household servants and are therefore more likely to swear absolute allegiance to the royal family.

　This is because they were born and raised in an environment where this is the norm.

"I know the story. That His Highness the 13th tried somehow to keep Gilbert-sama alive. And yet, Albert refused to–"

　Olivia said that much and bit her bottom lip.

　She bit down so hard that it bled.

　She didn't know the story but probably found out that Coyle was ... at the time.

"I swore vengeance, and fortunately for me, the Crown Prince took a liking to me, so I used my body to take him in."

"A woman's weapon."

"Yes. He wasn't tired of me yet, so he has been doing it a lot lately, especially with me. And that's where I overheard it."

　Olivia took a deep breath and said with an even more serious look on her face.

"The disinheritance hasn't officially come out yet, but once it does, it will be too late. Even now, using the power of the Crown Prince, we can move enough troops to hold the palace."

"What are they going to do with His Majesty?"

"Force him to abdicate and become Emperor."

"...Fuuh"

　Damn you, Albert.

　You should have known that eunuch would be dealt with "in secret".

　His Majesty doesn't want any trouble and he's doing you a favor by letting you live.

　And yet you are plotting political change. ...

"I beg of you!"

　Olivia dropped to her knees with both her hands down.

"I'll do anything! I'll do anything I can. This body, this life! I don't care how you use it. Please! I want the Crown Prince Albert's head!"

"... Okay."

　I sighed and gently raised Olivia.

"I don't care about anything. What were you doing at Gilbert's place?"

"I was an apprentice butler under my father."

"You'll do the same here, and I'll pay you as much.""

"W-Why are you treating me so well, ...?"

"You wanted to avenge your master, and I rewarded you for your loyalty by offering to serve him even in death."

"... what a man."

　Olivia looked at me with eyes full of admiration.

　At the same time, there was a change in status that was always in the corner of my vision.

――――――――――――

Name: Lucas Ararat

Title: Minister of Justice

Gender: Male

Level: 3 / ∞

HP: E+F

MP: F+F

Strength: E+E

Stamina: F+F

Intelligence: F+E

Spirit: F+F

Speed: F+F

Dexterity: F+F

Luck: F+F

Fire: F+B

Water: E+S

Wind: F+F

Earth: F+F

Light: F+C

Darkness: F+F

―――――――――――

　A "+" was added to Darkness.

　It's a sign of Olivia's obedience and submission to me.

　After leaving the mansion, I took Olivia to the Ministry of War in the east of the capital.

　There is a barracks next to the Ministry of War, and there are always 1,000 soldiers stationed there.

Due to the nature of being stationed there, they are trained to obey the orders of their superiors who have command authority without thinking twice.

　The Crown Prince, a half-emperor who has not yet had his disinheritance order announced, can easily move them.

　When I rushed there, I found that the soldiers were already assembled and lined up in the courtyard of the barracks, with Crown Prince Albert and a few of his men in control.

"Brother!"

"Lucas?　What are you doing here?"

"No, brother, it's not too late."

"... How did you know?"

　Albert was no different, and he understood everything in just a moment's exchange.

"That's not the point, brother. If you take that step, you're doomed."

"Do you want me to just sit here and die?"

"His Majesty has no intention of killing brother, he is heartbroken at the thought of executing his son."

"So you want me to be content being a Prince!"

"..."

　Content

　That one word spoke eloquently of the difference in values, a difference that could not be bridged.

　If you think about it, a Prince is usually an existence of utmost nobility to the common people.

But for Albert, the Crown Prince, being "dropped" by it was like death.

"Do you insist on stopping me?"

"Yes."

"All right, capture Lucas!　That's a traitor!"

　Albert ordered his soldiers.

　1000 soldiers came towards me without hesitation.

　I immediately pulled out the Leviathan from my bracelet.

　Will I be able to defeat 1000 ... of them?

　I don't know, but I have to!

-"Let me help you. Call my name."-

　I heard someone's voice in my head.

　A familiar voice, but clearer than before.

　Then a different name came to my mind.

　Without hesitation, I called out the name.

"Luthiya – no, Bahamut!"

　Instantly, a silhouette appeared behind me.

　A black dragon clad in flames, with huge wings.

――――――――――――

Name: Lucas Ararat

Title: Minister of Justice

Gender: Male

Level: 3 / ∞

HP: E+F

MP: F+F

Strength: E+E

Stamina: F+F

Intelligence: F+E

Spirit: F+F

Speed: F+F

Dexterity: F+F

Luck: F+F

Fire: F+A

Water: E+S

Wind: F+F

Earth: F+F

Light: F+C

Darkness: F+F

―――――――――――

At the same time, the fire became one step stronger.

　The black dragon, Bahamut-Luthiya, spat flames from its mouth.

　The flames engulfed the soldiers and they quickly burst into flames.

One by one, the soldiers squirmed and suffered, dropping their weapons and cowering or rolling on the ground.

"Enough, don't kill them."

[Understood.]

　Immediately after Bahamut replied, the flames that had enveloped the soldiers disappeared.

　The smoldering smoke and Luthiya's ring, which shone brighter than ever, told us that what had just happened was real.

There was a connection between Luthiya and Bahamut, probably related to Leviathan, which I had heard in my hallucination before, but I don't have time to pursue it in depth right now.

I turned to Albert, who was astonished.

"It's over."

"Are you going to kill me, you bastard!?"

"No."

　I shook my head.

"I'm not going to kill you, because that would cause His Majesty grief. He was saddened by the execution of his child, so how could he not be saddened by the idea of killing each other? So."

　I took out a small bottle from my pocket.

"... poison?"

"Yes. Drink this and kill yourself. If you manage to kill yourself, brother doesn't have to bring his family and men along with his doom. And your eldest son can take over the house."

"Don't be ridiculous!　That's not possible!"

"If I step in this matter, your whole household will be destroyed."

"No, it won't!　Foster!　Howard!　Seize him, this traitor!"

　He shouted, ordering the two men at his side.

　I could tell at a glance, he was a pretty strong opponent.

　Just when I wondered if I could win.

　The two men had Albert pinned down from both sides!

"What are you doing?

"I can no longer follow your orders."

"Lucas-sama still cared for your family and your subordinates. But still, you refuse."

"What the hell is wrong with you!　Don't listen to his nonsense!"

"Shut up!"

One of them shouted.

"Remember the 120 people you sacrificed in the thickest miasma just after you broke the seal of Leviathan!"

　The 120 people ... number sounds familiar.

　When Albert first brought the leviathan, he said that 120 people were sacrificed just to get it.

"One of them was my brother!　My childhood friend was also there!"

"My father was there too!"

　Foster and Howard let out a blood-curdling scream at Albert.

"We don't want to listen to your bullshit!"

"Lucas-sama."

　I don't know their names, but one of them calls out to me in a calmer... but determined voice.

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has decided to commit suicide."

"I see. Olivia."

"Yes."

　Olivia, who I had brought in and had been hiding in the shadows, came out.

"You do it."

"Thank you very much!"

　Olivia bowed to me with tears in her eyes, then took the vial and went to Albert.

"Don't be silly, you whore!　Have you forgotten the favor I did you when I picked you up?"

　Albert shouted, but Olivia was unfazed.

　Foster and Howard forced Albert to open his mouth.

　The three of them shared the responsibility of forcing Albert to drink the poison that I had brought with me.

　Albert resisted for a while as his mouth was clamped down, but eventually, it turned into a cramp, and he turned white and blew foam and blood.

　Eventually, his strength gave out and the two men lowered Albert's body to the ground.

"Lucas-sama."

"Albert-sama has committed suicide."

"Yeah".

　I summarized the plot I had drawn up while I was giving him the poison and said.

"My brother tried to bring about a political change, but his plan was slipped out by one of his subordinates, and fearing failure and exposure, my brother committed suicide. Therefore, according to imperial law, the informer will be rewarded, and the rest of the family will not be questioned at all. As for the house, as I said earlier, I will advise His Majesty to allow my brother's eldest son to take over."

""Our endless gratitude!""

　Howard and Foster got down on one knee and bowed to me.

――――――――――――

Name: Lucas Ararat

Title: Minister of Justice

Gender: Male

Level: 3 / ∞

HP: E+E

MP: F+E

Strength: E+E

Stamina: F+E

Intelligence: F+E

Spirit: F+E

Speed: F+E

Dexterity: F+E

Luck: F+E

Fire: F+A

Water: E+S

Wind: F+F

Earth: F+F

Light: F+C

Darkness: F+F

―――――――――――

　The "+" in abilities went up again, and all the basic abilities went up from F to E.

　It seems that the two of them were quite strong after all.

　Albert ... was given up by the two of them.

　After all,..., people are treasures.

　Albert, who despised it, would not have succeeded in the political change no matter what he did.

　Thus, both Gilbert and Albert.

　The two who were vigilantly eyeing the Emperor's throne, and who tried to take it away from His Majesty even by murdering him, are gone.

　Now, His Majesty's reign marked the beginning of a new story, different from the one that had gone before.