The Villain Carries the Holy Sword – Chapter 53.2

Chapter 53.2: Already, The Sun Has Set (1)

Marquis Ross’s eyes, nose, and mouth widened.

He probably hadn’t opened his mouth that wide even when he was born.

It showed how surprised he was by Edmund Ethelred’s appearance.

At the same time, he fully understood why Queen Glumiêm had retreated.

“Surviving a year in the dungeon is something that could never happen—”

“Her Majesty did not see Count Ethelred herself. However, she saw the ‘Twilight Aura’ piercing the sky from where the dungeon Eire is located.”

“……I guess it could happen.”

Marquis Ross grabbed a random piece of velvet from the dozens prepared on the table next to him and wiped his head.

This time, he was really wiping away sweat.

Edmund Ethelred.

The pressure from that name made it hard to even breathe.

“He was a monster even before he went in, and now he must be even more monstrous.”

He recalled the time he had spent with him.

That’s why he was even more afraid.

“What are you going to do?”

Marquis Ross, as if he hadn’t recovered from the shock, hesitated for a moment and then his eyes suddenly lit up.

Clatter clatter clatter━.

He swept the few remaining pieces on the chessboard to the floor with his arm. Then he began to set up new chess pieces one by one.

“The worst-case scenario is Edmund and that maniac Cain working together.”

Thud━.

He didn’t put them all down.

He organized his thoughts as he placed each piece.

“Oleciren or Olivia.”

He placed the two queens on opposite sides. And after glancing at the king, he picked up the rook.

“The king is indifferent, and the noble families have surrounded Olivia like a wall.”

He placed six rooks, regardless of color, in front of the white queen representing Olivia.

It symbolized the Seven Great Noble Houses of the Airian Kingdom. After that, he placed one rook that had been isolated alone on Oleciren’s side.

It was obviously Count Ethelred.

And the black knight he placed.

Marquis Ross paused for a moment, frowned, and then moved two of the six rooks with the knight to Oleciren’s side.

“One whimsical child turned this into a three-way, and behind it is a monster that will overturn this board.”

Tap, tap━.

Marquis Ross, who had been tapping the chessboard with his fingertips, picked up something from the box full of chess pieces.

It was a bishop, symbolizing a clergyman.

“How about fighting a monster with a monster?”

The Elven Queen was a witch, so naturally the Holy See was the enemy of the elves. Consequently, Marquis Ross, who had joined hands with such an elf, had no choice but to be wary of the Holy See.

However, it was clear that the Holy See was an effective sword to deal with Edmund. Sigma tilted her head slightly and asked.

“Will the Holy See antagonize Edmund?”

“It will be enough to antagonize his son.”

Marquis Ross smiled.

There seemed to be no better move than this.

And he tapped the black knight that symbolized Cain.

“As you said, this guy is growing too fast.”

“Even if he is Edmund’s son, it hasn’t been a few months since he left the territory, and these days he’s called a Sword Master.”

“That’s even better. It’ll be interesting to see how he fares against the Holy See.”

For a moment, Sigma, unable to follow the flow of the conversation, was puzzled.

Because she couldn’t figure out how he was going to drive a wedge between Cain Ethelred and the Holy See.

Marquis Ross, looking at the green monster that served as his hands and feet, put the answer only he could come up with into words.

“We will launch the 12th Northern Expedition.”

“…!”

“Margrave McLoud must be itching for a fight now, so the Marquis Belt will surely agree, and if there are signs of the elves moving south, the royal family will move too. Then, of course, Cain will be drafted and go to the forest.”

“If we sends Abel, it would mean handing over the family’s legitimacy to Abel, so he will go himself.”

On the surface, the Airian nobles pretended to be noble, but their foundation was the pioneers who had built their power through blood and death.

As such, the heirs to the Seven Great Noble Houses were very strict when it came to military service.

Marquis Ross’s point was so human that Sigma laughed for the first time during their conversation.

“That’s what the Marquis Belt is for.”

It was the moment when the families holding the power of “Marquis” turned their backs on the kingdom to stop the elves’ southward advance.

Even the ancient oaths engraved in stone and remaining in blood eventually decay in the face of time.

And elves are a race that lives a very long time.

Sigma nodded her head in satisfaction at the change in humans.

“Her Majesty will be pleased as well. Once he enters the forest, it will be easy to cast a ‘miracle’ that the Holy See fanatics, who are crazy about witch hunts, won’t be able to resist.”

Marquis Ross stood up to contact Marquis McLoud.

“I’ll take care of the humans. I’ll have to change the current system of seven great nobles to eight great nobles.”

Sigma smiled as she silently followed behind him.

“I will take care of the forest.”

Humans blinded by revenge and elves baring their teeth in the deep forest begin to target Cain.

🔹🔹🔹

Count Crowl, Ironheart.

Several days had passed since Cain arrived. A gentle warmth filled the air, as if spring was slowly approaching.

Arian had been handling the duties in Count Crowl’s stead while he was bedridden, but it was meaningless.

But now it was different.

They were staring intently at one spot.

“The population of the village is 1,902, but the food they’re requesting is enough to feed five thousand. Recalculate it. If they need this much, attach a reason.”

The woman with flowing gray hair.

“I have located the assets Arian and his gang embezzled. Send the city guards nicely and have them recovered.”

The princess who was criticized for having no presence like a Gypsum Flower.

“We will hold a grand party when Count Crowl and Lady Mia recover. Prepare the invitation list.”

Oleciren Rune Airian.

As if she had memorized all the information about Count Crowl’s territory, she accomplished everything at once.

None of the staff could raise their heads at her overwhelming processing ability.

Clank━.

The door opens.

Isoel, with cold eyes, examined the surroundings around Oleciren and reported in a low voice that only she could hear.

“Lord Count Garick has regained consciousness.”

“Who’s with him?”

“Lady Mia, who woke up yesterday, and Young Master Cain are with him.”

Oleciren tapped her fountain pen on the paper, organizing her thoughts. Then she stood up and raised her voice.

“……I should go and see him myself, just to see what that little brat has to say. We’ll take a break for an hour. Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

Only after the two left could the staff, who had been tense, relax.

It had only been a few days’ work, but they had fully experienced the true nature of Princess Oleciren, which they had only heard rumors about.

“What if she becomes queen…?”

Someone muttered.

No one answered, but everyone thought positively. And so, Oleciren, little by little, unknowingly, was walking the path from princess to queen.

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